Life (in Brazil) Thus Far

We made it, not just to Brazil but also to summer!!!!!

After experiencing winter for two years straight, we

arrived to enjoy many warm, comfortable days and a few hot, suffocating ones.

Ahhhh, to wear flip flops once again - my choice for foot wear!

We flew into Foz do Iguacu where we were able to spent a few days with the Roger's family.

As always, we enjoyed our time there and it felt like being with family.

We also got to meet the newest addition to their family, Linda Grace. Linda means beautiful in Portuguese so

"beautiful grace"

I love that.

waiting to load on the bus for retreat

From there we went to the Carnival retreat in Campo Mourao. It was an amazing time.

We saw friends from many places in Brazil that we hadn't been able to see for some time.

I looked over the crowd amazed at God's goodness - that we could have the opportunity to

know so many people from so many places. And call them friends. We are blessed.

one of the sessions at retreat

It was beautiful to see the people from one church fellowshipping with some from another.

I believe some good friendships were made.

There were also some teaching sessions that were amazing.

We were strengthened as believers and then there were some that became believers.

God used the time.

fellowship

The last morning there we had a baptismal service.

These two women especially touched my heart because

I had met them the first night of retreat.

I believe God had put them in my path.

They were mother/daughter and had just lost their mother/grandmother to suicide.

They were in so much pain and had come because friends had encouraged them to come.

They had shared their story with me that first night and because I had learned a little bit about grieving from my good friends, Cindy and Deb, I was able to minister and pray with them.

And God did meet them. He has began a process of healing.

And by the end they were filled with a peace and joy that they didn't have when they arrived.

Yes, they will still grieve their loss but now they knew

Jesus was going to go through it with them!

Beautiful!!!!

After the retreat was over we stayed in Campo with Diego and Aline.

What a great time with them!

The first evening we also had dinner with Bill and Sheri Holdridge from Calvary Santa Cruz.

We so enjoyed getting to know them. And Bill got to go to his favorite place to eat in Campo:

Pizza Brasil! It was good!!!

We loved the time in Campo, experiencing life as Diego and Aline know it. Meeting some of their friends. Getting to attend the Wed. night study at church. And having wonderful, long talks with them. Hearing their hearts. Praying together.

It was good. Really, really good.

Then we caught a bus back to Iguacu where we were able to spend time with our newest missionaries. Ben, Melissa, Moriah, Daniel, Julia and (another new addition) Alaniah Lyon.

They warmly welcomed us into their home/lives, even giving us one of their two bedrooms!

It was almost like being home as we have known this family for years. Warren and Ben worked together for some time and one way or another they have always remained in our lives.

It was good to hear their hearts and to watch a little bit of the process as God has begun to reveal some of what their ministry is to be in Brazil. We're watching with anticipation!

Their children are a delight and we saw our time together come to an end way to quickly.

We did spend a day in Paraguay with them but that is for another post :)

We were able to go to the Sunday service and were so blessed by it. So good to see so many of our friends from previous visits. And the service was awesome!

Then we took a 11 (was suppose to be 10 but there was a lot of road construction) hour bus ride to Curitiba where we were met by our good friends, Ricado and Marcella. It was soooo good to see their faces!!!! We have settled back into our home here at the church and in many ways it feels as though we had never left. We look forward to seeing many of our friends on Sunday.

Warren has been able to see some of the guys and meet Tom Stowe (the pastor filling in for John). I got to spend time with Pricila yesterday but, quite frankly, I've been hiding in the bedroom with a terrible head cold/flu. Better today but still not ready to get out and about.

God has been good to us. We have had safe travels, gotten to see so many people we love and have been reminded of God's call on our lives to be here.

It's always good to be reminded.

Thank you for the love you show to us by praying for us. So many times we feel in desperate need of it, for we are in desperate need of Him.