In my last class through Piedmont we were challenged to expand the ways we communicate. That is why my Blog is alove again and I actually wrote a peom. A real poem. Not the kind you do for school. This was a challenge rather than an assignment. It took me a couple weeks to have the courage to share this, but here it is! So... What has the Lord been teaching YOU recently?

I TRUST

I whisper...

I have no more strength. I can’t go on.

Lord, You tell me…

My strength is made perfect in weakness.

And so, I trust.

I cry out…

The pain is too great! I can’t endure!

Savior, You comfort me…

This suffering can’t be compared to the glory that will be revealed in you.

And so, I trust.

I say…

I am afraid. My heart trembles.

Jesus, You answer…

My perfect love casts out fear.

And so, I trust.

I gasp…

I am alone. There are none who cares for me.

Father, You assure…

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

And so, I trust.

I despair…

The temptation is too strong. I cannot resist.

God, You promise…

I won’t let you be tempted beyond your strength; I will provide a way of escape.

And so, I trust.

I call out…

I am lost. I can’t find my way.

Lord, You answer…

My word is a lamp for your feet; I will guide you.

And so, I trust.

I murmur…

This burden is too heavy. I can’t bear it.

Christ, You assure…

Cast all your cares on me, for I care for you.

And so, I trust.

In every moment; in all the struggles… I choose to trust… and, Lord, you are there.

After working hard these last few weeks on a paper for my master's degree it was time for a little fun! We were challenged to use a new type of media and be creative. Well, there was no lack of creativity. Here is an overview of the basic rapture views. Thanks Kady for helping me out.

I think it is official. I am the worst blogger ever! But I just added this to my tabs that open automatically so let's see if I jot ideas down more often in the future. For now I am going to start something new- repeating each paragraph in Potuguese so more friends can read my blog.

Acho que é oficial. Sou o pior blogeiro no mundo! Acabei de acrescentar essa página para abrir automaticamente com meu browser para ver se escrevo mais no futuro. Mas agora vou começar algo novo, traduzindo cada paragrafo para que mais amigos vão poder acompanhar meu blog.

One of the biggest Highlights this year has been the trip to the ABRAC convention and Foz de Iguaçu with Jordana and Sabrina. What an amazing experience. We learned, grew, made new friends, and saw one of the natural wonders of the world. We even got to go through Argentina, but that is another whole crazy story!

Um tempo incrível desse ano foi a viagem para a convenção ABRAC e Foz de Iguaçu com Jordana e Sabrina. Que experiência impressionante! Aprendemos, crescemos, fizemos novas amigas e conhecemos uma das maravilhas naturais do mundo. Até passamos por Argentia, mas isso é outra história louca!

Below are a few pictures of the trip and also the gals I am doing discipleships with. Please meet Ane, Sabrina and Marcela (4th picture); Mariana and Julia (8th picture); and Gaby and Sabrina (last picture). I will have to talk about our Bible Sudies another time. Time for bed.

Em baixo são algumas fotos da viagem e a mulheres com quem estou fazendo discipulado. Apresento Ane, Sabrina e Marcela (4a foto); Mariana e Julia (8a foto) e Gaby e Sabrina (última foto). Vou ter que falar mais sobre os discipulados em outra vez. É a hora de dormir.

I think it is time for an update! I am thankful for the safety the Lord has given as I have traveled over the last two months. This month will another of intense traveling. March I was heading east starting on March 3rd from Eureka, CA. I ended up in Springfield, IL for the BGFM Spring Banquet. It was encouraging to visit at the home office and see some of the other missionaries again. Then Helio and Shirlei Souza joined me for the next several weeks of traveling. It has been an adventure as they discover the US and the great variety of people, climates, scenery, and food we have in our country. After two weeks in MI we began our travels west. So after this week we will hit the west coast next Monday. I am super excited that I will see my parents again in a few days. A special thanks to every one who has hosted us along the way. These have been unforgettable weeks sharing memories and fellowship. Here are a few pictures of my adventures on the way over the last two months!

with the family of God.

So, I made it to the US and had two weeks of running with Juliane as we visited Northern CA. It was a fun time of adventure as we visited Eureka, Sacramento and San Francisco. There were great friends who opened their homes to us- Thanks Dan and Jill Driesenga, Victor and Barb Arnett, and Wendy and Tom Ciaramitaro. We were thankful for the warm, sunny weather though that did mean the snow in the mountains melted before we could make it up there.

Now I am in the week of getting things together for visiting churches. It seems like there are a hundred little details to take care of, but each day I just ask God to direct me to get done what He wants for that day. It has been special to have these days with my family in Eureka, CA. March 3rd I'll be on the road and begin seeing all of you! See you soon!

Seeing freinds (Hi, Emma!);

Finally arriving after 24 hours of travel;

Capital Building- Sacramento, CA

San Francisco, CA

Redwoods- North Coast


There are so many more pictures I could share with you, but we'll just have to get together and I'll show you in person.

I can't believe it! In two days I will be boarding a plane to the US for 7 months of furlough. These years have flown by fast. This time I return a graduated accountant and a year older. Lots happened in this last week. I will just have to wait until my return to Brazil in September to pick up the diploma and certified accountant card to prove the accountant part. I really miss being a part of the Teen Carnaval (Get away) Retreat and our Annual Church Family Camp at Easter. Instead I will be traveling with Juliane, my English student, around Northern CA and then spending time with family in MI. Special moments. Moments to treasure. Just hold on folks I'll be there soon! Just need to survive the whirlwind of the last two days first!

Happy New Year! Praise the Lord for His abundant mercies and grace during the past year. Can't wait for the adventures  of knowing Him more in the year to come. How about you guys?

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.