transformation

Yesterday we had another surprise. One of the students was up early and in the classroom studying so we took team meeting outside. We had been hoping to see some monkeys like the other teams but we were greeted by….three calves. Yes, you read that right…three calves. They walked right up our driveway and into our meeting. They licked one team member’s leg, and licked some of our clothing. They would wander in and out of our circle. If the presence of the cows weren’t enough, the dogs were going crazy. We ended up stopping early. I could not compete with three curious calves!

Last night we had a celebration for one of our students who will be leaving us tonight. Ricardo is going home. He has been here for five weeks, while his wife and a young son wait for him. Although he would like to stay, responsibilities call him away. The cooks made him a delicious cake, the team and students pitched in to get snacks and we watched a movie. It was a bittersweet time as we prayed for him and his future ministry with the knowledge that in less than 24 hours we would be saying goodbye.

One of the most surprising aspects of a missions trip is what God seems to do in the lives of the team. I am always asking them to be paying attention to what God is doing in them, how He is speaking to them. Yesterday in team meeting, two members shared what they think He might be doing in them. One talked about beginning to grasp that God and others could really love her. Another talked about how there is a lot of tough stuff going on at home and surprisingly, here, she has a sense of peace. She senses that God is asking her to give up control and surrender these situations to Him.

Another way that we hear God speaking is through scripture cards we read every morning. A wonderful woman, at Living Word, makes cards for each team member, one for each day we are here. There is a verse on the front of the card and a personal message from her on the back. It is amazing how often the verse or her message speaks exactly to what we may be experiencing that day or may be exactly what we need to hear. I know it is an incredible investment of time and energy but it is so meaningful to all of us…thank you, Cindy!

We are enjoying every minute we have here. Thank you all for your prayers.
Love,
Deb

surprises

Life here is full of pleasant surprises. Our yard has a variety of trees. Off the back porch there are banana trees, a mango tree, a papaya tree and an orange tree. Although we are in the midst of a Brazilian winter, some plants have beautiful blooms on them. The days are pleasant, in the 70’s and the evenings are a bit cooler but none of us have been cold. We open the windows in the morning. There are no screens so it is very different to have such a feeling of openness. But, as evening approaches, we close the windows to keep out mosquitoes.

We have a couple of additional house guests. Two small lizards have taken a liking to our home. One resides in the kitchen, hanging out up by the beams. He comes out later in the day and watches the activity. I cannot imagine why he would choose to live in such a noisy room. The floor is tiled and the sound reverberates off everything. It is not a quiet, peaceful place where one might think lizards would want to hang out. Lizard #2 has chosen to live in the closet of one of the bedrooms. He talks at night and adds to the chorus of animal sounds we’ve gotten use to hearing during the time God designed for human beings to sleep. Remember that confused rooster? Still confused.

None of us mind our little house guests. We actually look forward to them coming out. The other day, some of the team saw a lizard outside that was a bit larger…too big to have as a house pet. No one really minds. But, it does raise a question. Last night, I woke up around 2 am. Once awake I had a really hard time going back to sleep. I began to think about the fact that our windows had been wide open all day and that anything could have crawled inside. Although I haven’t seen any yet, I am convinced that there must be some very large varieties of spiders here. I mean, we are in Brazil! Honestly, what would it take for a spider or an ‘outside’ lizard to come in and hide in our rooms…under our blankets? I took a lot of prayer and probably an hour of tossing and turning before I went back to sleep.

Besides the fact that we don’t have lizards roaming about freely in our homes, there are other things are done differently here. Take making coffee for example. In the morning, we put a pot of water on the stove. Then we put a filter in a basket. The ground coffee goes into that filter and then the basket sits on top of a thermos. The water is poured into the basket until it is full. You wait until it has dripped through the grounds and then add more. In about 10 minutes, we end up with a thermos full of coffee…very good coffee. It is much different than filling my coffee pot at home and setting the timer so it is ready when I get up in the morning. It is amazing that something we might, at first, see as an inconvenience becomes an opportunity to be mindful and slow down the pace of your life.

Tomorrow I will highlight some of what we see God doing in both the students and in the team.

Until then,
Deb

Typical Day

Let me begin by contradicting myself. There never is a ‘typical’ day here! There are always twists and turns that keep life very interesting.

At 7 am, several people need to go out and feed the chickens, carry the trash to the end of the road (if you had to do this you would never again complain about taking the trash to the garbage can). When I say the end of the road I mean it is probably ¼ of a mile…and not level. We also need to feed the dogs and last, but not least….well, maybe least liked of all the chores, we need to clean up after the dogs, if you know what I mean. Poop patrol. Who, when they sign up for a missions trip, ever, in their wildest dreams, think that will mean cleaning up doggie doodoo? No one. Hmmmm, I wonder if anyone will ever sign up for the EnglishBridge trip again????? Think of it as character building…cleaning up dog droppings helps to develop the virtue of humility. I know…that’s a stretch.

At 8 am we have a team meeting. This is just the US team. We check and see how everyone is doing…health-wise, sleeping, culture shock, etc. Jenn goes over what she will be teaching in the classroom. We also take some time to discuss where we sense God working in us. It is easy to see what He is doing in the program but we also want to pay attention to what He is doing in each one of us. Some of the most amazing transformations I have witnessed in others’ lives began when they were on a missions trip.

At 8:30 we eat breakfast which is usually fresh baked bread, jam, peanut butter and fruit. There is also plenty of wonderful Brazilian coffee. At 9 am we enter into a time a worship. The music portion is student led. They do a wonderful job. Then one of the team members gives a brief devotion. At 9:30 class begins. This morning Jenn gave them a new ‘idiom of the day’…’a needle in a haystack’. Yesterday it was ‘when pigs fly’ The students love them and then try to work them into conversation every chance they get. And you know from yesterday’s blog that there is also a verb of the day…today’s was ‘to suffocate’. I really don’t know where she is getting these verbs! :0)

We went over future tense verbs, definite and indefinite. Fun stuff. Not really. But Jenn makes it seem pretty painless. We play games like Bingo and memory to help re-inforce what they are learning.

We break at noon for lunch, which you now know is awesome. The entire team loves the food and we love the cooks. Every day they leave us a surprise…some type of cake, so we have a lovely dessert for evening.

At 1 pm, we have another class period. Today they began to practice a play, The Little Red Hen, which they will perform on Friday. At 1:30, we have language helper time which is a time where the students can ask questions and get individual help with vocabulary or grammar. We have a break from 3 – 5 for rest, walking, sleeping, etc. 5 pm is large group game. Last night we did the Human Knot. The students and team had a great time trying to ‘untie’ themselves. Then the students taught us two games they like to play. It was a relaxing time for the entire group to be together. Before dinner we have time to play cards, Scrabble, Phase Ten…small groups games. Again these times provide great opportunities for casual conversation. Occasionally, we will have a movie. Although the students love movies, we limit this activity as it doesn’t allow for a lot of interaction.

6 pm is dinner and clean up and afterwards we have conversation or play games. Although the schedule remains the same, each day is unique in the types of conversations and interactions that the students are having with the team.

Again, I have written a book. But I always feel there is so much more to tell. We want you (families, friends, past team members, churches) to be a part of this experience. So please forgive my detailed blogging. In the future you can just plan on spending a good chunk of your day on reading this blog. I think it is a good use of your time.

Tomorrow I will focus on some of the unique things we are seeing and experiencing here.

Until then,
Deb

Settling in....

This is a long one so brace yourself.

Things are finally settling in here. It is difficult to come into the program on a weekend as there is little structure and we are all trying to get to know each other. The team is doing well and is trying to adjust to the night sounds of geese honking, dogs howling and a confused rooster who never got the message that he should start his crowing when the sun comes up!

Our flights were great and all our luggage arrived with us, which was a relief. Our wonderful Brazilian guide, Cris, was waiting for us at the airport and our adventure in Rio began. We were taken to the hotel to unload the luggage and take 20 minutes to freshen up and then we were off. We walked to a smoothie bar and had wonderful fruit smoothie drinks with some granola.

Cris was so much fun. She had interesting observations, some of them about the team. She looked at Jenn and named her the White, White Girl because of her light complexion. She saw that Alice had her toe nails painted (with little flowers on the big toes) and said that is very popular in Rio…but only among the young girls…no one over forty! We had so much fun. She was an excellent guide and I am so thankful for her time with our team.

We then went to the statute of Christ the Redeemer. What an incredible sight. Not only were we able to look at this amazing statute but we were also able to have a 360 degree view of Rio. It is a huge city, full of contradictions. There are immense skyscrapers, luxury hotels and beautiful beaches. There are also communities called slums, where it appears that houses are built upon houses, carved into the hillsides. The crime rate here is unimaginable, with some neighborhoods being so bad that no one goes there after dark because gangs shoot at each other and bullets rain over the cars. Crime is so bad here that the police are not even trusted. In fact, right outside of the airport, we got pulled over by the police for a document check and our guide told us to close the windows because many times the police are not really police, but robbers. She said that much of the police force is corrupt.

We then drove past Copacabana Beach where there are sections for various kinds of people. There is the family section (I believe that was section #8), the gay section (you’ll find that at section #9 – easy to find because there is a large rainbow flag marking it), the drug section, etc. After sightseeing we went to a Brazilian steakhouse. The food was delicious and the staff was very kind. Once we were finished with dinner, we went to Ipanema Beach (all day long we were trying to remember the tune for the Girl from Ipanema!). It had begun to rain so after a quick wade in the ocean and a brief time of shopping in an outdoor market we were all ready to go back to hotel and get some sleep.

We were up at 5 am to be ready for breakfast at 6, and then picked up at 6:30 to go to the bus station. That’s when the trip got really interesting. Cris had taken us into the bus station and took us to our platform, #12. When the bus arrived and we went to board, we were told we were in the wrong line. Fortunately, our bus was in the next bay and we didn’t miss it!

We then began our 7 hour drive to Vicosa. The ride was not without its strange moments. If you have read the previous blogs you know that I tell on myself. So here goes. I went to use the bathroom on the bus. The road was crazy, winding back and forth, up and down. I had finished what I went in there to do and was standing up and about to come out. I had my back to the door and the driver swerved. I fell back, hit the door and it sprang open. Out I flew to the amusement of the children and families riding in the back of the bus! There we are laughing at me in Portuguese. And every head on the bus had turned to see what the racket was. It will go down as one of my very embarrassing moments. But, Alice had what could have been the MOST embarrassing moment. We had stopped at a bus stop and she took advantage of the bus not moving, to use the bathroom. Before we took off, the driver counted heads to make sure everyone was on the bus. He, apparently, wanted to make sure he counted everyone so he yanked open the bathroom door to see if there was anyone in there to count. Thankfully, Alice was fully clothed and about to leave when he opened the door. She looked at him and said ‘hello!” I think all of us will think twice before using the bathroom on the bus again.

Finally we arrived at the Vicosa bus station, were picked up and taken to meet Team Two to prepare for the transition. We had a lovely time with everyone on Dan’s team and then left to go to the house and meet the students. After introductions and some brief conversations, the team was ready for a good night’s sleep (this is before the dogs, geese and chickens and confused rooster got started).

Today we began our first day of class. Jenn began with ‘The Verb of the Day’…to “linger”. It is a new verb to the students and Jenn used an interesting illustration to help explain it. She shared with them the common experience of going into the bathroom after someone else and noticing the smell still there after the other person is gone. The smell is an example of ‘lingering’ The class busted up laughing and it took a few minutes for us to pull it together…ok...it took me more than a few minutes to pull it together. After the class, one of the language helpers offered Jenn another example she could use in the future, of a woman walking through a room wearing perfume and the smell lingering after she left. Great example but given the illustration Jenn used, I suspect the students will smile every time they hear the word ‘linger’. :0) She did a wonderful job teaching today.

We are falling in love with these students. They are an incredible group of people and I know they are going to impact us greatly.

Sorry for the length of this post…the next one will be shorter but I had a weekend to catch you up on! So…tune in tomorrow for more on our adventures in Brazil.

Bye from me and rest of the team…Lisa, Sue, Alice, Pam, Deb S, Jeanne and Jenn,

Deb

Greetings from Brazil!!!

After a couple of very tiring days we finally arrived at the house with the students. The team is healthy and doing fine. We had a lovely worship service this morning. The students led the singing for us and then Alice gave a talk about us all being part of one body. Pam played two flutes solos and it was a very nice morning.

We’ve had many adventures over the past three days. When I have time I will fill you in.

Thank you for your prayers. We can feel God’s presence in this place.

Grace and peace,
Deb

Team 3

Team 3 arrived safely in Vicosa last evening, with all of their luggage I might add. They are tired but excited to begin working with the students. Team 2 will be leaving Vicosa this morning to begin the long trek back to the US. Please pray for their safe return and transition back into their lives at home.
Deb will update you as soon as she is able on how the team and students are doing.
Blessings,
Ann

Final Days

Well here we are…it is Friday and this will be the final post for Team 2 from Brazil. Our time here has passed so quickly. Who would believe that it is already almost time to go home? This morning Team 3 should have arrived in Rio de Janeiro and we will transition with them Saturday afternoon. Our hearts are heavy as we begin to deal with leaving our students. The students are feeling it too. First they bonded with Team 1 only to have them leave and be replaced by a team of strangers. But in the two weeks we have been here we have formed new friendships with these students. Yesterday I talked with a student who was struggling with her heart being broken again by our team’s departure and that she will have to begin again with a new team. But as we talked she also understood that this is a part of her missionary training; meeting people, developing friendships and leaving these new friends will be a regular part of her work as a missionary.

This morning the students performed the Three Little Pigs for us. Everyone had a big laugh as the students gave a spirited presentation complete with costumes and props. I always enjoy the skits performed by the students and it is one of the highlights of our two weeks here. I’ve included pictures from the presentation and of our entire cast.

Our classroom time after the presentation was spent playing games to review what the students have learned over the last four weeks. You can think of it as a fun mid-term test. We played bingo, jeopardy and other board games designed to reinforce the lessons the students have learned so far. After lunch, we will head into town for one last chance to do some shopping. The students will serve as our guides and translators as we deal with the local shop owners. But as always here at English Bridge, the teaching never stops. Yesterday the students learned about directions and commands and today’s shopping trip, complete with a map of the area, will give us another opportunity to teach to the students.

I also wanted to take a moment and give our thanks and appreciation to the cooks. Marisa and Cida have faithfully walked to our home six days a week for the last four weeks. Just like an army marches on its stomach, our group wouldn't work without the effort they put into preparing our food. Each day they have prepared our lunch, an afternoon treat and a light supper for the sixteen of us to enjoy. And even more importantly, they have been a joy to be around and have learned to say 'good morning, 'thank you' and 'your welcome' in English. I enjoyed the food we had in Argentina but I actually believe that the food here has been better. For some of us, it is a good thing we’ve had our afternoon walks to work off all of the food we have eaten.

Finally, thanks to everyone at home that have read this blog and prayed for us during our time here. You have been just as important a part of this experience as we have been. For many on our team, our participation here would not have been possible without your prayers and financial support. We appreciate the opportunity you have given to us and the students thank you for the opportunity you have given to them. Because of the international makeup of the teams they will work on and the common English language they will use, the work done here will travel around the world to spread God’s word.

See you soon,

Dan and Team 2