Just a quick note to let you know that all is well. The semester at college is finished! Now it is time to just plan for graduation and the party at the end of January. Also we are in the midst of Christmas preparations. Sunday will be the presentation for Bible day and the 20th will be the presentation for our Christmas program! The week after will be a week of relaxation and just enjoying friends and church family and Christmas.

Also BIG news, the Lord has provided a house in Sapiranga for Kady and I to live. We are in the process of closing the contract now. I will be moving my things over on Wednesday the 16th, Lord willing. Praying for a sunny day.

Tomorrow, Thursday the 10th, I am really excited to be traveling with the Silva family to São Paulo for Jordana's graduation. She has been a special friend and sister to me and I am so looking forward to being able to be present on this special day of her graduation from Bible Institute! Next year she will be heading to Africa to serve as a missionary for a year. Well, I better finish packing my suitcase. Talking to you all again soon.

October was conference month. Beginning with our annual field BGFM field mission conference Sept. 30- Oct. 6. This was a great time of fellowship with fellow missionaries and encouragement in God's Word. This year we were challenged to "Raise you gaze" and focus on Jesus Christ our amazing Savior as seen in Revelations. I was thankful to be able to spend a few days before conference to visit friends in Fortaleza.

We then came back to Rio Grande do Sul to prepare for Children's Day on the 12th and the Prophecy Conference with Thomas Ice on Oct. 16-18. Monday we took our children to the program at the Word of Life Camp where there was plenty of excitement, but also a play challenging them (and the parents attending) with the importance of the family. For the Prophecy Conference the Campo Bom church hosted providing receptionist and organizing the children's program. Sunday we taught the children and were thankful for the other churches that also helped on Friday and Saturday nights.

Below are picture of some of my recent activities. Caring for the children at the Conference. Adventures at a special property where they raise unique birds and animals in Pacoti, CE during conference. Crazy games with the teens during youth group. Can you kick your shoe and make it land on the table? Not as easy as it looks. lol Our group at the Children's day program.

A moment to breathe... maybe

Life has hardly stopped to give me a moment to breathe. I am at some friends home in Fortaleza and thought I would just drop a note so you would all know that I did make it safely back home fro Rio. Two students received their visas. With the crazy up and down of the exchange rate a couple students have already dropped out of our trip to the US in February and two are suppose to give me a decision by next week, so we'll see how many of us end up wandering around beautiful, Northern CA together.

Since Rio I had a week to get things together and head off for our annual BGFM field conference. This past week has been a huge blessing full of fellowship, rest and encouragement in God's Word. Tomorrow morning I will be catching a plane back to Rio Grande do Sul and home. Pray for safe travels and the next three months which promise to be super busy with special programs at church and preparations for next year in the US.

Rio here we come!

Tomorrow we are off to Rio de Janeiro for three English students to interview for their American visas. I am going along for "moral support". lol Someone has to hold the bags outside while they go in for the interviews. (The security is very high at the consulate in Rio apparently.) I will get a good view of the outside! Pray for safety and that we would enjoy our time in this beautiful city. I will be there from Thursday until Sunday. Time for a little break and time with a friend I met at the airport in San Francisco, CA last year.

New Semester!

August is the beginning of the second semester here in Brazil. After two weeks of winter break in July everyone is getting back into the new schedule. Well... almost everyone. Many students are dealing with teacher and police strikes that are changing their school schedule. What does a police strike have to do with students. Those who attend High School at night from 6 PM to 10:15 PM are no longer safe when it is time to catch the city bus home. Due to assaults many are being released early from classes to make it safely home. But this will mean they will lose days of their summer break in December to make up the hours of classes.

For me this means my last three classes until graduation! So close! This semester I study Monday and Thursday nights and Saturday afternoon. I am studying Systems of Management Control, International Financing, and Actuarial Accounting.

Another especial event this month was Father's Day. The kids at church did a special program with songs and a short play and decorated cookies for their dads. It was a special night to remember the God given responsibility of father's in raising their children: protecting, loving, teaching faith in God and being a godly example. I will share more pictures about this in my email update that will be on it's way as soon as I download the pictures to my computer.

Ok, I think it is official. I must be the worst blogger ever. April was my last post! Time to schedule in blog time for each week. Gotta keep everyone updated. This is the first of a series of email updates and blogs to catch you up on all the news. More to come... for real.

Good news! I have been released to return to life with some restrictions- no exercise or exertion for two more weeks. I am so thankful that I was able to have this surgery and we were able to clear out this chronic infection. Please pray as I get back into the rhythm of things.

This Sunday we will be starting to prepare our kids for the Mother's Day program at church and then the next Sunday will be our church's anniversary celebration. So you should be getting some good pictures from me soon.

Just wanted to give  a quick update and maintain my new habit of communication. More to come soon.

So what has been happening? Well, not much and a lot at the same time. April 3-5 we had our annual church family camp. It was a huge blessing. I spent most the time with the kids or preparing for the kids, but was very encouraged by the lessons and reminders of the amazing plan of God for our salvation and Jesus' sacrifice. He followed through to the last little detail and prophecy even in His suffering on the cross. All this for the love and restoration of His lost creation that had long ago rejected Him.

Following the retreat I had a few days of quickly getting things together for two weeks of down time. At the time I thought it would be just one week. April 9th was sinus surgery. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have this surgery done. The doctor encountered a lot of infection that was building up and had no way of healing on its own. (That is why it is now two weeks of rest.) So now I am hanging at home and getting better. But if you know me, I am not being totally idle. I have gotten my Brazilian and American taxes down and a few odds and ends slowly each day. The best part has been a much needed rest.

Well, I am off for now and will write more later.
Experiment two in the world of blogging complete. =P

First Post

Since my website has become totally unpredictable I decided to try starting a blog and see if this will work more effectively. So I will get the news out in my next email and see what happens. Talk to you all more later. Time to set up and teach English.