Everything you need to know, you learned in Kindergarten...

Wow-I so agree with this statement. There are innumberable experiences (today alone) which make me believe every word of this! Kindergarten is before most of the world taints your view of life, love, and color. You begin to realize differences and immediately you can see how each person will treat these differences. :) Sometimes it is actually how someone teaches your "perspective" on these topics.....

Beginning with bus duty-these are not just any buses-they are Embassy buses from Zambia, America, and a couple of others. It is quite different than the United States-for sure!

Today, not 5, or 6, but 10 smiling faces greeted me at the door :) The Pre-K and Kindergarten are meeting together for a few days while the Pre-K room is being finished. I love, love, love the Pre-K teacher-she is amazing! She is the most diligent and sacrificial person that I know. She set her classroom up and they tore it down-now she is with me for a couple of days. In true Christlike fashion-she truly takes whatever He gives her and makes the best. I'm learning a lot from her....and I'm so thankful for her.

So-officially I will have 6 students for half a day and 7 for the last half. One of my students only speaks Portuguese-so-guess who is practicing? Or actually, guess who is teaching me? I know a few things well enough to get me through the day-like no touching, sit, and some other commands.

They are all so beautiful, colorful, a bit audacious, and completely accomodating to our crazy mixed classroom! I love their little faces!

This is our "silly" picture!

Well, one of my favorite mission kids-Brody (a cool name for a cool kid!) and I went to the Pizza place-at his request. I ordered all in Portuguese (even his juice), got ice (you have to ask for it), asked for the check, and everything! Plus-I'm kind of starting to build some relationships with the people there. They help me with words and guide my pronunciation when it is not just right. My Thursday night spot! I also tend to take the kids into a specific drug store (for little whatnots) on Thursdays-and the owner speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese-so I can speak whatever language I choose! Yet another relationship!

Weird thing of the week-I tend to think of words in Spanish-a lot. So-a lot of times, I just go ahead and try it-sometimes this works. I just think it's funny that I can immediately think of almost everything I need to say-in Spanish (and I didn't think I knew very much-THANK YOU CUBA!)...... I think the fact that I use English at school, at home, and around most of the people I know-is very hindering to learning Portuguese.

Alllllmost Finished :)

This is what I did today :) Actually, I've been looking at it for several days now and just wondering... :) Oh but ye of little faith! I stood in complete awe as they came and hung my bulletin boards, helped unpack my boxes, and clean my furniture. Today was so sweet.




Tomorrow-I have to decorate ALL of those bulletin boards (3 to be exact) and then my Morning Meeting Area as well (you know-calendar stuff, counting, colors-the stuff I live for!).



And-right across the hall are the cutest "mini-potties" that you will ever see. A sight to behold folks! We are truly blessed as a school to be able to offer these amenities to the students. We went from a patio-to a church-to a mansion-now this.

Blessed. I know that's what our administrators feel. I know that's what I feel.

And-this is Elise (one of my fav missionary kids)-we went for our one-on-one time to this FANTABULOUS pizza place. We ordered a "Bacon Pizza" because that was the only words I understood on the menu. And-I also understood the ice cream bar in the back of the restaurant :) It was like a salad bar- except with tons of ice cream, toppings, drippings, and neat edible straws! More than that-she shared that she thinks motorcycles are scary because they don't have training wheels (and they should) and her brother is six and doesn't have a clue.

Today at Portuguese Church-they called in the troops! I had not one, not two, but three different translators before they figured out which one could stay. I was so embarrassed but relieved that I would be able to understand the pastor (who was teaching). He taught out of Ecc. on the subject of the Death and Dominion. God put us here with a ticket of death in our hands. We cannot avoid it, figure it out, or really understand it. Sunday School was very interesting as people brought up the topics of suicide, almost death experiences, etc. It's a bit neat to watch Brasillian preachers get fired up!
Tonight, we took communion and towards the end-I watched Repentence take place in a young man's life. We've been watching him for several weeks. He appeared back at church the same night that I first came. He walked away from the church several years ago-several weeks ago, his father died. The repercussions of this event are glorious in some ways. It was somewhat beautiful to watch him cry out to Jesus tonight in the silence of communion.
I saw Batman or "Batcheman" as they call it in Brazil. Wow-I was amazed-not at the darkness, the cunning Morgan Freeman, or even the late Heath Ledger's go at the Joker. I was most impressed with the script.

Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it. But that's the point of Batman, he can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice.

....and the script got better and better.
This week
I got roommates-Megan(2nd grade teacher) and Melinda(3/4th grade teacher). It's been a great adjustment. They are teaching me a lot about life here and how to survive! It was good to have them as my first bout of culture shock surfaced this week. Sometimes you know something in your head, but it doesn't fully settle. This is how I felt about Brazil being my home. The head knowledge finally made it's way to a concrete understanding. It's funny how those things hit you! I really love it here-it's different, surreal, can be a bit complicated because of simplicity, grocery shopping is NOT the same, I still can't cook..... God continues to use these things to draw me closer to Himself. What is a discouragement one day can be used as a blessing the next. In hindsight I love those experiences.
I started my job! We began inservice by painting, "moshing" (or massa?), cleaning, carrying boxes, and avoiding the flying rubble from the Brasillian workers running around. The projects are reaching a finish line and we can see the light! The majority of our classrooms are close to completion and focusing on the students has come to the forefront.
I realized exactly what "early" means-as we began to get up at about 5:45am every morning! Well-small confession to those who don't know me-I don't sleep well and therefore-the morning is not my favorite time of the day! My sleeping patterns are being shifted and it's becoming habit to get up so early in the morning! We (the other single-Melinda, Megan, and Casey) catch the bus about 6:20 every morning. I came to realize that we have a group of homeless people that sleep in the park next to us. I noticed them before, but the reality hit me as we walked by them the other morning. You can't miss their loud colored blankets. Almost everyone was covered from head to toe-just like they were camping. The destruction of that thought is that they are not. They will roll up their blankets and continue a harsh cycle of begging. They wake up the same as I, breathe in their nostrils, and seemingly for them, there is no vision of hope. I am exploring options to help them-e-mailing people for Portuguese tracks, gathering ideas from my roommates, and just praying for them. They are my neighbors and I should tend to their needs.

Next Week-
Fixing up the classroom (whoohooo), having meetings, and Thursday-one of our mission fields will be up and running (the school :)

Prayer Requests
BIS-students, parents, teacher, construction, administration
For new and growing relationships!
For continual wisdom
Mare-She should be in South Africa soon!
Culture Shock!
Language Barrier
Michael and Aundrea Taylor's Visa (3rd grade teacher)
Situations at home

Praises
Progress on the new school
Growing relationships
The Martin's

Two weeks in Africa...

Johannesburg to Capetown
the plane had barely touched down
she was taking photos for the friends back home
this was always where she felt her heart belonged
and she was finally here
the sky was bright and clear


I think of my best friend, Mary, when I hear this song. Her heart beats for the nation of Africa. The song goes on to say two weeks-and this week she left for 5 1/2 months. The ardor for these people radiates from every part of her. I'm truly blessed to have a best friend going out. I couldn't count the conversations we've had about missions. The quality in those alone-accounts for the encouragement and the fanning of those flames in our lives. I miss her, but I know God's got this (actually always had it).


I realized not too long ago that I've never read the Bible all the way through-in a consistent manner. So-under the advice of Donald Whitney-I've started reading one chapter per day in several places-Genesis, Job, Proverbs, Matthew, and then Nehemiah( I just started this one today). It's been great to review the promises of God, watch perserverance, answer questions of wisdom, and go through the life of Jesus. Already, this journey is amazing. Shame on me for not doing this before now.

Church is going well-I understand more Portuguese there than I do anywhere else. It is very different, but my ears are becoming accustomed to words and phrases. I think the pastors are going to work out something so that I will have access to the sermons before the services. So-hopefully we can work something out.

Today, my apartment became full again! I am so thankful for the two girls that God has placed in my life. I'm praying that our relationships grow and that we can be pictures of encouragement, grace, and help during this time.

Prayer Requests
new Brasilian friends
Language Barriers
BIS-students, staff, and construction
Scott and Stacey Bose (administrators)
Aundrea and Michael Taylor's Visa
Mare in South Africa
CrossPoint Baptist and Bro. Randy
Relationships

Praises
All of our staff made it!
Mary made it to Tanzania
Construction progress on the new school
Good church here!

I watched as my sweet missionary girls left this morning! Through hugs, gifts, and trying to figure out whose clothes were in what bag-they made it out the door.
There is something about young missionaries. They know that they have to go back, but the possibilities for the future are endless. They have been preparing the field for the harvest. They worked extremely hard to help us provide an ideal environment for our students. They were relentless in their vision of starting and completing each assigned task. I really can't wait to see what God does with the school and in each of their lives.
I attended a Portuguese church last Sunday. It was awesome! I recognized several old hymns and new praise songs. I met several girls that speak English and have agreed to help me along during the services! Yay! They are so sweet and eager to help me! I really like the pastor-through interpretation-his sermon was on the Bread of Life. He called us to evaluate our lives and ask ourselves-if we worked half as hard to obtain spiritual food as we do physical-where would we be? Hmm.

I worked with the group this week at the old building-painting, painting, and more painting! It took about five coats per wall! Also-they moved most of the furniture, curriculum materials, and other things to the new school!!! We will have a lot to do on August 5th (inservice starts) in order to get things organized, arranged, and ready for the students. The construction continues :)

These are some pictures from the new school(my classroom) as well as the old one.













There is tons to enjoy here, but the sunsets are completely mesmorizing.









I've been spending a lot of time with missionary kids-and I love them! Say Hi to Brody, Elise, and Melinia


The old building is exciting, amazing, and under construction. I visited twice this week and the changes were amazing :) Everyone is working so hard to get it ready for August 14th!

This week:

The group from Pennsylvania is completely amazing-I love the girls who are staying with me. I am going to be so sad when they leave! They have such a heart for God and the beauty of servanthood radiates from them! I absolutely have had an amazing time working, living, and laughing with them!

I learned how to ride the bus (funny-right?) and I was able to take it home by myself! That's exciting in a foreign country!

I'm not sure of the lesson I've learned with the laundry-all I know is that it is dripping (literally) dry in the service quarters after I have washed them in the machine.....

I'm working on establishing relationships with Brasilians and looking for a Brasilian church to attend!

Prayer Requests:

BIS-school construction, staff coming back, students, and our start date-Aug 14th
Michael and Aundrea Taylor-for their visa!
Mary Wolford-going to South Africa to serve God!
CrossPoint Baptist and Bro. Randy as they pursue serving Richmond and helping people to realize that God is the "God of their city"
Continual patience

Praises:
The walls came down at the old BIS building this week! It's beginning to look like a house!
All the new stuff at the new building!
Forming great relationships!

What can I say?

The lump of joy welled up in my throat as the last plane touched down in Brasilia. I wanted to scream and cry (for joy!)at the same time.
From there, the Boses, Jetter's, and the Livingston's greeted me. I began to put personalities with faces and faces with names.
Brasilia is beautiful-even in the dead of winter. It was love at first sight for me as I breathed the crisp/warm air and began taking in my surroundings. I visited (what is now) the old school and again placed familiar pictures with actual classrooms. The old school does have a wonderful view-just not enough wonderful rooms.
I have yet to explore the new school-I'm sure that will come very soon. We will begin the big move next week after the mission team arrives on Tuesday. I will be hosting 3 young ladies in the apartment-so that should be FUN! The apartment-is simple, safe, and has much character. The windows are HUGE and the rooms carry a breeze quite nicely. The children also brought to my attention that the floor is excellent for playing "skates". I'm sure I will kill myself on the "skating" floor before it is over :)


Prayer Requests:
**For the Missions team from Pennsylvania coming to help with the construction of the new school
**For the construction team and the swift finish so we can start school in our new building!!
**For boldness as I learn to interact with the people and speak their language in order to establish relationships with them.
**For Mary as she is getting ready for South Africa

Praises
**Well, I'm here!
**For wonderful families who are offering to have me over for supper :)
**For the Bose family-they showed me some wonderful hospitality in getting me the things I needed today :)