smile for the camera!

As I was taking pictures for work inventory, I snapped a shot of our mechanic. The picture didn't belong in the insurance binder, so I'm putting here.

Make sure you smile at everyone.

our pumpkins

We celebrated Halloween with friends who treated us with chili and homemade cinnamon rolls (it is a Kansas City thing). I didn't get any pictures of that night (my hands were very icky from my juicy pumpkin), but here are what our pumpkins look like no that they've been outside a few days.

After much thought and careful planning, I carved a bunny. No one could tell what it was, so I had to keep explaining - - "this is his tale, those are his ears, etc"

I am not the family artist.

Eric on the other hand did his pirate pumpkin free hand and quickly. If there was some sort of pumpkin carving award, I'm pretty sure he'd get it.

Hope you had a lovely Halloween!

stay safe and healthy

Eric loves his new job. We have enjoyed having the same schedule which allows us to carpool and see each other more often. Right now he is battling a bit of a bug; having a consistent schedule has allowed for him to have lots of time to rest and recuperate.

I recently hit my head pretty hard when working with my switch kids. They kept yelling "Mrs. Chris - you're bleeding!!" As you can see, there is only a speck a blood, but it hurt for days after. Now I realize how often I use that side of my face when I talk, sleep, and eat.

on that same day, I also got a pretty nasty cut on my finger. I was pretty sure that I was going to die. How much can a girl take in one day? I learned that I would not make a very good warrior. Wounds do not agree with me.

switch

I teach a wonderful group of 4-6th graders each week called

switch

Recently the kids made two pinatas from scratch

they had so much fun with them that I didn't get a change to take a picture of them intact

the had fun with the pieces after

every kid is a superhero!

because sometimes friends blow you away

My darling friend Elena knows a way to melt my heart. Please click on the link below to see her latest illustration.

http://elenas-easel.blogspot.com/2009/11/if-skinny.html



Anyone who has seen where I've lived since college has met Llama. A few weekends ago, Eric & I found Baby Llama who now sits near his mama.

Yes, Llama is a mama now.

the struggle between the two

We love our blog.


But lately there has only been time to update one thing and Facebook has prevailed. Mostly because we have been involved with other people and needed to get them "tagged." Facebook doesn't give us the opportunity to share our lives, only broadcast snippets.



So here is a small promise (to myself) to return to this space, because it is one of my favorite ways to share our lives with others.

See you soon!

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.