everything else

These aren't in any particular order and didn't fit into the building, vbs, or Claudio's community posts. Although they might seem like the leftovers, they hold a special place in our hearts.

We didn't realize that horses and donkeys needed to fill up : )

After leaving the country, there is nothing more fabulous than being welcomed home by a sign as big as a mini-van. We were met by smiling faces, lots of hugs, and prayer. We were all so overwhelmed, tired, and unsure. To hear English spoken all around us was off putting, but to hear it from familiar faces was comforting.



The team on US soil about to go to the airport.


Our team right before we left Brazil. This is before the floodgates opened and our tears poured.


The old sign for the farm was getting old and worn. Eric was able to use his artistic abilities and paint new signs that would welcome all who entered.

Often it feels like our gifts are inconsequential. Others around us can seem so skilled and able to serve. We tend to forget about the gifts we have been given. Sometimes all you have to is offer.

"I can paint - can I help in some way?"

or

I love children. I can sing. I can play an instrument. I play soccer. I can chop vegetables. I can run an errand. I know how to make a meal that can be frozen for someone in need. I can sew a button on a shirt. I can pray for someone hurting. I can teach a class. I can read to someone who can't. I can lay a brick. I can sweep. I can type.

Those little things will always seem little until we use them to serve someone else. I know - serving is not something valued in our culture. But - we are called to serve. And there are so many in the world - in Brazil, other countries, in your state, in your town, in your workplace, and on your street that need to be served in some way. What need can you meet?

Eric was able to help in this way.

Sitio Graca -- Grace Land or Grace Farm

Casa De Meu Pai - My Father's House

Izanir became my Brazilian sister for our trip. She taught me so much about the culture and opened her hearts to the girls we saw in the prisons. She told stories and taught with so much emotion that even when it was in Portuguese - I was moved. Sometimes when I'm in the car by myself, I hear her English words breaking through the silence.

So many of the street boys will do anything for money. The boy pictured above can completely dislocate his jaw and bring it up over half his face. Look closely....

We saw him preparing his body with the paint. He is so little and malnourished.

Fabiano is the proud father of a beautiful new little girl. The first day I met him, he had someone explain to me that she was "his treasure." In a country where so many children are tossed aside, it was so touching to meet a father who loved with all of his heart. He and his wife work full-time on the farm. Even with his broken English and my poor Portuguese - we were able to make each other laugh - - laughter knows no language barrier.

Jander became my brother instantly. He drove me around the streets of Brazil and shared so much of his heart for this country. His wife has started a outreach program to teach young pregnant girls how to care for themselves and their babies. So much education we take for granted in this country is not taught around the world. In the prison, we met one pregnant girl who was having a hard time understanding that cocaine would affect her unborn baby. Jander and his wife have a long road ahead of them. The next time we visit, we hope to have the opportunity to meet his darling little boy!!

This picture was taken on our last day. We got into our van and I sobbed uncontrollably. Even though I had only known Jander for a few weeks, it felt like a lifetime. There is something so amazing and powerful when people open up their hearts and experiences. Even something as small as spending time in a grocery store together can change your life.

Eric and the Chefe (the boss). He was the one who facilitated the building and let us know we were doing it all wrong : ). He was so touched that we weren't stupid Americans who came to enjoy the sun and good weather. We all used vacation time to serve the poor community and do physical labor. Not exactly resort activities.

The impact of our trip really hit me when we got on our return flight. The rest of the Americans returning from Brazil were all taking a piece of the country with them. They were tan, had a fun time, and were a bit obnoxious. Then there was our team. We had all left pieces of us behind - sweat, tears, and our hearts. We had spent our time trying to make a difference to people who deserved something great, but have no means of obtaining it. We want to be people who give more than they take.

Peter & Selma

Nothing I could write here would do them any justice, but writing nothing would be wrong. They are the "missionaries" who hosted us and run the farm. The word "missionary" to me has always caught in my throat. The idea of people planting themselves in a location to convert people has never been exciting to me. So many missionaries I've met try to "save" people and move on.

Peter & Selma are different. They've accepted the responsibility of loving boys that the world has thrown away. They proactively seek out hurt children to give them food, clothing, shelter, and hope. They LOVE the people they serve. When Peter talks about the boys that have been on the farm, the emotion is so real and his tears are from a deep place. He has the kind of compassion that makes him double over in pain. He hates to see the abuse and lives broken - but it doesn't stop him from loving. So many people have physically harmed, threatened violence, and stolen from him - - and yet his heart is bigger than his body.

As a man approached us on the street, Peter told us that he dealt "in drugs and children" and had threatened to kill his wife and son. Suddenly, we were face to face with one of the most feared men in the city. He is untouchable - - other dealers don't dare cross him and the police are terrified of him. My initial reaction was fear and disgust. I would have such anger if anyone wanted to hurt my children that I wouldn't be able to look at them. The idea of selling kidnapped and unwanted children into sex slavery makes me sick. And what did Peter do - he hugged him. It hit us like a ton of bricks. Peter lives his life as Jesus did and we aren't brave enough to do it.

We will always consider him a part of our family. Every time he and Jander mentioned us moving down permanently, it broke our hearts to say no. But we know that we'll be back.

Peter lives a life that he has been called to. His heart has been marked to serve Fortaleza. And now that we know his heart and passion, we are willing to help in whatever way we can.

We knew that some people were not very supportive of our trip.

Some thought it was a waste of money and resources. Why not just send the money we spent on plane tickets? Why not serve people in our own country?

The real question to me us - Why not?

We send checks to places, but this was the first time we sent our hearts. We were radically changed by this experience and will give so many times more than we ever paid for those original plane tickets.

The children we met were beautiful and deserving. Because they were born into extreme poverty and broken homes means that they need our service even more. Eric and I feel that only helping the children in our community is not enough. We have more hugs and love to give!

So many people in Brazil make decisions that Americans don't face - - which young son to send out to steal or which daughter to sell into the sex industry to feed the other children. I saw families living in sewage because it was all they had. "Suffering American middle class" looks amazing compared to much of what they world lives in.

Not everyone will be called to serve outside of this country. But maybe it is time to check our hearts when international vacations are more accepted than international service trips.

We fell in love with the Brazilian people. Lord willing, we will spend years serving them however we are called. If we are fortunate enough to go with our church in two years, we will be going. If we feel called to go down with another couple, then we'll do that too. For now, we are going to focus on the little things we can do to serve them and others that our lives touch.

vbs

While in Brazil, our team hosted a three day Vacation Bible School (or Holiday Bible Club as our English friends Faith & Peter would say). It was a chance for neighborhood kids to come experience the farm and hear more about God. We taught about the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) -- love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and self-control.

Because we were in Brazil and they have a tropical climate, we played lots of water games. The boys got a kick out of using the big sling shot to throw water balloons.

I fell in love with little Vitoria. She was beautiful and precious. All you had to do was put your hand out and she'd follow you anywhere.

Eric drew a great coloring page for the day I taught.

"Cohe" in Brazilian Portuguese means "run"

claudio's community

We were blessed to be able to visit Claudio's community. For many, this day was the highlight of our trip. There is so much emotion that comes from seeing such poverty and little broken hearts. We hugged and played with every child that came out that day.

We taught them to play baseball, had a large parachute, played futebol, and whatever other small things we could do. The group from the farm always comes out in yellow shirts. It helps the kids and families understand who is safe and makes their presence very real. The faces may change with the different teams that come, but the children rely upon someone in a yellow shirt for a hug and a smile. We were able to provide that on that particular day.

For some on our team, this day was too emotionally difficult to repeat. Having to leave the children at the end of the day was heartbreaking. We had to get in our van knowing what abuse, filth, and danger they would stay in. As many tears as I shed upon leaving, I loved every minute I had with them.

There is so much hurt in the world. We were able to witness a small piece of it that day. But children are children. No mater what color, what language, what income, or what location. They all deserve love. Love can come in the form of food, clothing, housing, hugs, and smiles. Most of them have very little if any of these things.

I would love to share the stories that touched our hearts, but since this blog is such a public space, I would prefer to respect the families' privacy. I hope these pictures are worth a thousand words.

This little boy's name was Eric and he LOVED Eric. He followed him around most of the day. It was the first time I ever heard Eric say that he wanted to bring a child home forever. That tends to be my regular statement at home.

I adored Luiza. She clung to me every second she could and often it was hard to walk because I had so many children attached to me. Of all the little girls I met that day, she touched my heart the most. I wanted so desperately to bring her home with me.

Claudio and two of his brothers

Faith worked at the farm for many years and only recently returned to England. We were so thankful to have a translator and friend during our trip.

the reason

Deciding to go with our church to Brazil wasn't easy. Eric wanted to go and I was hesitant. He felt very strongly that he wanted to serve in this way, so we went to the informational meeting. We learned about the needs of the people in Brazil, that it would be physically challenging, and it wouldn't be cheap. More than ever, he wanted to go. More than ever, I was sure I wanted to stay home in my comfort zone.

Money can be tight for us sometimes. And I'm not very strong or a good builder. And I didn't have much vacation time from my new job. And. And. And. I was giving God a million reasons why He should send someone else.

Sound like anyone you know?

But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”-Exodus 4:13

Once Eric made up his mind that he wanted to serve, I made the decision to serve with him. The moment I put my application in, my heart changed. I let go of all my reservations and fears. The Lord equips who He calls.

We went to Brazil to build. Exactly what, we weren't sure. Construction in Brazil is very different than in the United States. You build on sand and off of drawings loosely sketched. All measurements are done in real time and there isn't much you can do to prepare. You have to show up with a good attitude and ready to work.

Humble beginnings

So we worked. And worked. It rained. And rained.

To say that we were frustrated and discouraged would be an understatement. Work we had carefully completed would come undone and fill with water. The rain stopped one day and two of us started to take the water out, bottle by bottle. After lots of hard work, within minutes of us being done - it rained again.

So we built the only way you can build - one brick at a time. The process was more difficult because of the rain and the round shape of the building, but we kept on working.

This was the flooded "road" made of broken clay bricks and palm branches. On one occasion I was carrying heavy palm frawns for the thatched roof and fortunate enough to fall down and land on the broken bricks. After lots of whining, blood, and band-aids I was a new woman. I was still surprised that I was able to carry something so heavy for so long with only one injury.

Some days we worked into the night.

I loved playing jump rope with the boys. Learning the Portuguese word for "jump" was incredibly helpful because it isn't a game they usually play and their timing was really off.

We had a lot of sand to make the concrete. It wasn't always being used, so we made sure it worked for us.

There were some hours of the day that were just too wet to work outside. Mike was able to concrete a small apartment floor.

Our building could be summed up with a few words:

lots of digging

lots of heavy lifting

(those wood beams are heavier than concrete. they are so hard that the termites eat concrete instead of this kind of wood)

So...from this....

to this!