Another good-bye

The Last evening with Larry and Karen.

We planned ahead of time that we would make a trip to Argentina for dinner -

a really nice dinner.

Larry and Karen had already gone to this place and wanted to experience it again.

They didn't have to convince us!

Another perk was that it had heat - in the very room we were in!!!

It was everything we had hoped for in food and company....

After the meal we headed to the mall in Iguassu Falls where

we were to meet a few

of the guys from church so that Larry and Karen could say good-bye.

I know they would say they had come to love the people here, as have we.

The time had come for us to say good-bye to Larry and Karen too, so, early the next morning

we took them to the airport.

It was sad to see them go while at the same time knowing that it was time

to be on our own

in order to learn what living in Brazil was all about.

We are so grateful to them and to God

for giving us this "ease" time into the country by having their help.

Thanks you guys.

We really count it as a gift from you and the Lord!

thanks for the meal, too, even though that gift was unintended!

We owe you!

And then, after they left, it really got cold! Did I mention -

it was coooooold!

And this was in the house!

Hard to believe it was in the 100's back in Oregon -

and it was hard to feel sorry for you!

Remind me of that when it's hot here later on!

Campo Mourao

It is a city as well as a retreat center. Many of you have heard of it, especially if you have any roots with Calvary Chapel, but probably only know it as the retreat center. My thoughts were changed upon going there this week. A city of about 80,000 people is nestled in some of the best farm ground according to Larry! The land was lush and beautiful, making our drive there and back quite enjoyable. (it was the first time Warren and I ventured out of Iguassu on our own. He did great and was actually driving like a Brazilian on the way back.... Pray for me!) The property it is on was bought by Calvary Costa Mesa a few years back and developed into what it is today. To get to the retreat center you travel off the main road on to a dirt (red dirt - awful on the clothes and shoes!) road that when it is wet is mightly slippery. Did I mention that it rained most of the way there?! It feels like you are driving on that dirt road to no where land but you round a bend and there it is. A bit of what you would expect from Calvary Costa Mesa but with a Brazilian flare! Certainly what you would only hope for in a retreat....

Junior is the manager. A very large task. He and his family work together to make the place run smoothly and to keep it in tip-top shape. It is. They have a team of hired people to help with the cooking and other chores that it takes to make it the wonderful place that it is. We had so much fun sharing the time with them and getting to know them as friends.
We look forward to more of the same....

Junior, DeLinda and one of their daughters Victorian

Diego pastors the church that is now located on the property. It has been going now for 4 months and is doing well. He and his wife, Aline, live right there in the children's building. A sweet, sweet couple.

DeLinda's father had bought and developed the land that the retreat center is on, I believe in the 50's. After hearing story after story from her I realize that this is a man that I would have loved to have known only to find out from her that he and her mother live in Dallas, Oregon. My first thought was that I would look them up and see if I could meet with the two of them when we get back but then I remembered.....!

DeLinda came back to help with the orphange (that is not running right now but they would like to see that be re-established again someday) when she was 20 years old. When Calvary Corvallis bought the majority of the land previously owned by her father (most recently her uncle had owned it) she traded a piece of property she owned near the large parcel for some across the river. Her dream (and more importantly, God's dream) was to have a children's center where the kids in the village around that area could come and have a recreation sight along with Bible teaching. Some money was donated for the building and the dream has come to be!

It is more than successful.

The name is on the door and it means "the better way"

This is a glimpse of the village.
The roads were as rough as they look and when they are wet
they are slippery!
It was a poorer village but not considered a slum or favela.
Many have jobs but they receive a meger salary and so must live with the bare necessities.
The wood houses
were older ones but we were told that they don't last
as long so now they are being rebuilt
with the brick and concrete.

DeLinda had Ben Lyon busy with a shop project. The shop is located on the grounds. a big building able to have a welding and carpenter area along with plenty of storage for big things (like tractors, etc) and small things (machinery parts and sm. tools) Warren thought it was a very workable building just not equipped exactly like he was used too!

It was hard to leave all of our new friends but the time came none the less
so we boarded the car, this time with Karen and Larry, and headed back to
Iguassu Falls. Our home.

When we got there last night we opened the car door to a surprise:

A blast of cold air.

Now I know that you all know what cold is like but we ARE talking about Brazil here and so it was quite unexpected. These pictures were from church last night. Note that we are inside!

Karen and Larry were kind and let us have the heater in our room last night
(with the persuasion of Warren!).
We added layers to our wardrobe this morning and
here it is at 3:00 in the afternoon and it is still
COLD!

If you haven't before, you must take a minute and thank the Lord for central heat!!!!

The Neighborhood Grocery Store

It can be a bit intimidating.

The grocery store.

Not only is everything in a different language
but it's also packaged differently most of the time.

And not always in the isle that we think it should be in.

And then you have a different type of currency to deal with at the end.

But it is an adventure...

and bungee jumping sounds a lot scarier!

The Neighborhood Home Improvement Store

I Know that it may be unusual for a woman to get excited
about going into a home improvement store but I am a rare breed, I guess.

I love them!

I was a frequent shopper of Home Depoe and Lowes. And I loved their gift cards!!!

So it was with great excitement I entered the neighborhood store today.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Although it is a small store it actually had things that I could see myself wanting someday. The outside BBQ was a great idea. Just needs the outside stone or brick. Don't be deceived by the price though, it's x9!

I think I surprised Warren by choosing more of a modern faucet out of the bunch. Who knows if it would really be my final choice but I did like it and see nothing wrong with spicing up my style a little bit!!!
(for you Antiquers, don't worry, I haven't given that up yet, either)

Can't say that I wanted any of these toliet seats but they did make for a colorful display!

There were a lot of tile choices. Some I loved, some I would just have to live with!

All in all, it's got me thinking....

Warren better not put down that tool belt yet!

The Neighborhood Coffee Shop

Afeila

When we talked about moving to Brazil one of the things
we knew we wanted to do was to frequent the neighborhood merchants.
To become familiar with the people and they with us. To know them,
really know them.

The first day we got here Larry and Karen took us to what was to become our coffee shop:

Queijo e Cia

(it means Cheese and Co.)

There are really several coffee shops in the area
but this one just happen to choose us!

Larry had already broken the ice for us so it hasn't been hard to establish ourselves as
the Americans that try to speak Portuguese!

Today, I actually ordered for myself - that is until they began to suggest new things to us!
Then, when the communication gets too hard, they (or we!) get "Jessica", the shop owners daughter, who speaks pretty good English.

Well, I can't say that we know them well yet but they do smile when we walk in,
they give us a chance with the language
and then they
call for Jessica!

Maybe tomorrow they will notice we are missing!

A 2 Month Casa

Welcome to our home~

We are staying in Tim and TaLisa's house in Iguassu Falls
until they get back in September.

I thought you might like a tour so when you think of us you can imagine us in
our new home!

This is the pool that Larry took an unexpected dip in!

Behind the pool is the outside room.
There is a concrete wall all around the backyard with a gate (to allow the car in!)

The fireplace in the outside room.

It has been a wonderful place to entertain. The rest of the house is small so this makes for a place to have a bigger crowd. We do enjoy it here and have made good use of it. Notice the laundry. That is the laundry the maid did. And yes, I did say maid. Us missionaries have it rough....

Why did I take a picture when the laundry was hung up to dry? go figure.

The area between the house and the outside room.
Yes, the oven is outside! We do have a cook top inside though.

The living room.

To the right of the couch is where the front door is. We had to move our computer to that corner so that it couldn't be seen from the window. Too tempting for robbers we are told.

The kitchen.

Really a bigger kitchen than alot of the Brazilians have. TaLisa had the large window installed for more light. She had felt like it was like a cave before. Notice the cook top in the corner by the window. Also notice the dishwasher. Not.

Our bedroom.

There is one more bedroom that is the kids room. I think it will be a make shift closet for us after Larry and Karen leave so that we don't have to live out of suitcases anymore.

The bathroom.

There is one more off the the outside room along with a laundry room.
I forgot to take pictures of those.

We are enjoying it here. Today we were able to take some time and walk around the neighborhood. We talked with many shop keepers and did our first grocery shopping by ourselves. (just picked up a few things but it was successful!) We got a chance to try to speak Portuguese with a few people and found ourselves able to come up with a few lines on our own. Yes, even I came up with a few words! We're settling in and making it ours!

For now anyway.

The Wonder of It All

We take so for granted the beauty of nature around us.
But yesterday it stared us in the face so as not to be ignored.

We went to Argentina to look at their view of Iguassu Falls.

magnificent

awe inspiring

captivating

a force not to be reckoned with

Some of the same words we could use to describe the Creator Himself.

I am in awe.

The pictures really do not do it justice. In order to really see how amazing it is you will just have to, well, come see us!