Final Day in Mogi for the GBC Team

Will post more later today hopefully, but just wanted to make you all aware that today is the last day for the team to be here in Mogi.  They are currently packing, cleaning and organizing their things.  The rest of the day we plan to sightsee a bit more and do some last minute shopping before heading to the airport.

The flight leaves Sao Paulo around 1:00 am (Wednesday morning) and after all the connections, is expected to land in Columbia Thursday evening around 6:00 pm.

Please pray for safety for their travels, especially since several of our team are suffering from colds and headaches.

Also please pray for our family, as Debi, Josiah, MacKenzie and I will be staying here in Mogi until August 10th.

Hopefully another post with more information about our last few days (including our crazy hike through the Rainforest to a beautiful waterfall!) will come soon.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers!

Brazil 2013...PayDays and Pancakes!

Praise the Lord for warmth today!! We woke up to slightly warmer temps and by the afternoon were able to shed a few layers!! The sun came out and dried up all the rain, and the itsy bitsy spider…. :-)

Friday found our team enjoying sleeping in a bit before beginning prep work for the weekend English camp.  This years camp is considerably smaller than last year, topping out at around 30 campers.  At first the drop in numbers was disappointing, but there have been several benefits to having smaller numbers.  First, the ability to connect with more campers on a personal level has been awesome!  Many of the campers actually speak English very well, or at least understand quite a bit of English but are intimidated and sometime embarrassed.  Having a smaller group eases a bit of this embarrassment.  We are loving having the ability to have more one-on-one conversations with them.

We have shared more of the dramas, music, and Bible lessons this weekend, in addition to leading English conversation groups.  This has been my personal favorite of the weekend, as it has been for several other team members as well!  Conversation groups go a bit like this….we take a simple, well-known Bible story (one of today's was the Parable of the Prodigal Son) and read the passage in English, making sure the campers understand all the words in English.  Then we break down the passage using well  thought out questions, aimed at making sure the campers understand the passage as well as encouraging them to dig deeper into God's Word.  These have gone amazingly well this week.  The campers have been very engaged, and have seemed to enjoy if not at least appreciate going deeper in God's Word. 

Friday nights activities included Dinner, lots of games and activities, of which the highlight was the 'Telephone' game.  If you are not familiar with the Telephone game, you should be! It's quite funny to watch people's reactions at the game progresses.  The basic idea is that everyone sits in a circle, and the first person begins the game with a simple sentence.  Last night we used several, ending with "I like Pay Days."  In the U.S. this sentence wouldn't be a big deal, however in Brazil the word Peidar means 'to fart.'  You can now see why this game would be funny!  We ended the game with passing out PayDay candy bars we brought.

The part of English camp that the campers have come to expect and appreciate is the American Food part of the weekend.  We kicked off Saturday morning with Pancakes, Homemade Maple Syrup, Scrambled Eggs mixed with cheese and bacon chunks, orange juice, and American-style coffee.  We've mentioned before on the blog that the typical Brazilian coffee you find here is super, super SUPER sweet, very strong and served without milk in tiny cups.  The heavy coffee drinkers on our team were thrilled to have a traditional (well, as traditional as an improvised cup can be) of American brewed coffee, WITH milk.

Today's 'American Activities' included teaching the campers to play Baseball.  Some Brazilians do actually play baseball, but as Leandro described to me, only a few do, and when they do it is expensive both to play and to purchase the equipment, so it is not a game that kids grow up knowing how to play. It was a blast to watch them try for the first time to hit the ball with a bat and just get a grasp on the rules and strategy of the game!  We played for well over an hour, and they would have played longer had the time permitted.  Both girls and guys enjoyed participating in this game.  (BTW, we thought teaching the game using a whiffle bat and plastic ball would probably be more safe & fun….although explaining in Portuguese what a 'whiffle ball is was challenging!!)

Following a traditional Brazilian meal, Fejoada (FAYJ-WA-DA), which is black beans with chunks of pig….parts?,  rice, steamed collard greens, and a vinegrette served only with Fejoada.  Today's Fejoada was the 'clean' version they say, because they did not include the hair, the ears, nose or other weird random parts of a pig…for which we were VERY grateful!! Typical Fejoada that you would purchase in a restaurant would include this.

The heavy Brazilian lunch provided enough stamina for the campers and staff to do another hike up the mountain, muddying several but injuring none! The hike consumed a few hours of the afternoon, spilling into dinner time, which was another American meal, of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, hotdogs, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Coke and Homemade Apple Crisp for dessert! Let’s just say the plates were licked clean, as were the serving dishes!! The Apple Crisp was a sweet taste of home!  (and was again served with American coffee)

Currently the campers are beginning a game of Glow-stick tag, and Glow-stick Capture the Flag.  Tomorrow will end the English Camp, after another time of worship, testimonies, skits and conversation groups.  This weekend is one of the main 'ministry' things we do while we are here in Brazil.  It can be very effective in cultivating new relationships, and a great introduction into the church in Mogi for many of these campers. 

Prayer Request:

Please continue to pray for the health of our team, with the crazy cold weather, rain and now the occasional spike of warm weather, several of us are starting to feel it.

Continued ability of our team to communicate with the campers and Brazilian Staff.

That the campers would continue to be spiritually stimulated and their desire for a deeper relationship with God would be stirred.

Brazil 2013....Catch up to date....

Wowzers!  It is COLD here!! Some of you might have heard already, but since last Tuesday it has dropped to temperatures that Mogi das Cruzes has not seen in many, many years.  Some have said it hasn't been this cold since 50 years ago, some have said in the last 10 years….either way, it is cold!  The high the last few days has been 45 degrees. Perhaps not as cold as back home during the winter, but here, they have no heaters and very little hot water. (in fact, our rooms have NO hot water!) You are lucky to get a lukewarm shower at best.  It was no where near this cold last year when we were here, so though we didn't come prepared clothing wise, we have been able to make a couple trips to the stores to purchase extra clothing and a few extra blankets.

The team is doing great.  For the most part, spirits are good despite the constant chill, and the team is all getting along very well. Some of the team are feeling less and less of a culture shock as the days go on, and some are even practicing their Portuguese when around native speakers.   All the team members have purchased something in Portuguese as well, putting their limited knowledge of the language to use! 

TUESDAY

Tuesday after the presentation at the public school, we went back to camp for lunch before helping with the Making A Difference Program, the twice daily kids program that Camp ABECAR runs year-round for local street kids. Maddie shared a lesson, and Michelle led crafts, while Abbie led outside games, and the rest of the team pitched in wherever needed. 

After Making  A Difference, we all worked on finishing the painting that was started on Monday.  However, since Monday was in the upper 60's, we were all in shorts & T-shirts, and Tuesday, with the drop in temperatures it found us in some…well, interesting garb! Check out the pictures below!

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday started early, with a 7:30am departure to another local public school, where we again shared the dramas, music and testimonies that were prepared.  We enjoyed a quick stop at a local coffee shop, where the team ordered their beverages in Portuguese. 

Making A Difference and cleaning up the dorm rooms in preparation for the incoming team this weekend, and more painting  took most of the afternoon.  We enjoyed being a part of the Wednesday evening church service, where we enjoyed worship songs in Portuguese, recognizing the tunes of songs we sing at home, and enjoying (mostly the warmth) tiny cups of incredibly sweet coffee. 

A run to the store for blankets and warm clothes followed the church service, which provided a comic relief for the group….we were driving the Camp Car,(which is barely hanging on) and might have gotten temporarily lost.  The cars have no heaters, so the windows fog very easily making vision a slight bit difficult, and it was raining making it even a bit more difficult!  It was an interesting adventure for sure!! (BTW, no one was harmed in the making of this adventure) :-)

THURSDAY

Thursday was our 'day off.' We enjoyed sleeping in a bit, shopping in downtown Mogi in local street shops, and stuffing ourselves on Brazilian BBQ, Churrascaria.  The team all tried chicken hearts (the weren't told this until after they had eaten it!) Apparently they were MacKenzie's favorite! YUCK! The amount of meat alone was incredible! We enjoyed over 10 different types and cuts of meat, pastas, soups, salads, delicacies, polenta, cheeses, fried banana and of all things, American French Fries.

We took the team to the open indoor market, where fresh fish, fresh meats, cheeses, fruits and my personal fav, chocolate covered Macadamia nuts abound.  Several members of the team purchased soccer jerseys, Brazil souvenirs and dried fruits.  We shared Pipoca con Queijo, street popcorn with chunks of warm cheese and peanuts.  YUM! 

After the incredibly large meal we took a very cold walk around a park, to get some exercise, where we saw the cutest ever tiny monkeys!  We were also chased by gobs of ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens & roosters!!

The evening we had a quick meeting to prepare for the weekend English Camp, and then hamburgers and a bit more shopping at the mall.  Apparently Burger King is brand new, and yesterday was only the second day it was open….I never knew Burger King could have such a line!!

Brazil 2013 Update....The whirlwind!!

Well, as with most missions trips, things just don’t  always go as planned!! I was so excited to blog about the time spent here in Brazil but the internet connection here at ABECAR has been down for several months now and it doesn't look like it will be a quick fix.  So, my apologies for the lack of blog updates, but please know that I am writing daily blogs and when I have internet access I will upload bits and pieces of them as quickly as I can!! Thank you to those of you who have been patiently following the non-existent blog, and hopefully, you will continue to do so!  

The trip so far has seemed much like a whirlwind, with our carefully made plans chucked into the wind! The team of 10 left Columbia  Thursday, July 18th around 6:30pm.  The flights were all safe, and thankfully uneventful. A slight 2 hour delay on departure time from Dallas to Miami was the only hiccup in the trip down.  We 'enjoyed' an 8 hour layover in Miami in which we were able to get 3 whopping hours of sleep in some amazing donated hotel rooms before boarding our flight from Miami to Sao Paulo, arriving around 8:00pm Friday evening at Camp ABECAR.  Praise the Lord for ease through customs, and for finding all but one of our pieces of luggage.  (The missing piece was quickly located and delivered just 3 days later.)

At Camp ABECAR, Friday-Sunday, the 19-21, the first of the weeks events were kicked off with a 'Kid's English Camp.  This camp was for the younger aged school children, and they came and stayed overnight at the camp Friday & Saturday night, leaving Sunday afternoon.  Saturday found us spending time with the kids from the camp, joining in their activities and games, a bonfire, and Camp ABECAR's tradition of the girl serenading the boys after lights out, to be returned by the boys serenading the girls.  Fun to watch the groups try to outdo each other!

Sunday, the team woke up early to fix an American Breakfast (ironically of)160+ pieces of French Toast, homemade Maple Syrup, strawberries and grapes and yogurt. 

Conrad preached at the church in Mogi in the morning while the remainder of the group stayed at the camp to see the kids camp through to the end when the kids left around 1:00-2:00 pm.  The team was able to nap & get rested in the afternoon a bit before going to church in the evening.

In the evening, the team was split in half, with Conrad, Hannah, Michelle & Abbie  joining Pastor Leandro at the church in Mogi to share in the Word and through drama. Shawn, Abi, Maddy & Debi went to a church plant in Suzano with Pastor Denis, and shared through song and interpretive dance. (well, Maddie shared in dance, the rest of us cheered her on!) 

Monday you would have found a couple members of our team scrubbing the outdoor soccer court, with wire brushes and a power washer to ready it to paint. The rest of our team was painting the bathrooms of a pavilion.  Though none of us were prepared for work projects, we were happy to jump in to fill the need.  In the evening a few joined Pastor Leandro in a training workshop at the church in Mogi, to train volunteers how to engage people in places like nursing homes and orphanages…they call this "Clown Training."  

Today, we had the unique privilege of sharing our presentation in a local elementary / middle school.  Here in Brazil the restrictions on sharing faith and speaking about God in public school are not as taboo as in America, so we were able to sing songs about God, a couple of girls shared testimonies and Conrad was able to give a short message sharing openly the entire time about God and how we do what we do because of our relationship with Him.  Such a neat experience for our team to be a part of!  

As I sign off for today, here are a couple things you can keep in your prayers for our group:

1. Strength and energy….we are going, going, going from around 7:00am, and not stopping til 10:00pm or later every day.  We are tired!! 
2. Increased confidence in sharing what we've prepared, in jumping in and spending time with the kids and teens we are ministering with even though the language barrier is there
3. That we would be ready and willing to jump into all the various opportunities that come our way, even if it means veering off our ready made plans!  And that our attitudes would stay positive and that we would see any labor as worship.

Arrival in Brazil

We arrived in Sao Paulo Friday evening and crammed 19 suitcases and 10 people in 3 compact cars to make the 1.5 hour drive to ABECAR.

We arrived at ABECAR for the first night of Kids Camp to hit the ground running on Saturday morning. After a little food and getting settled into our rooms, we started out the next day with a hike with the kids. This was no nature walk! We hiked a freshly cut trail through the jungle, stopping three times to run a rope through steep parts.

The hike was exhausting, but a lot of fun for both us and the kids. We hope to post more pictures of the rest of the activities at Kids Camp later today. This morning our team got up early to fix an American breakfast of french toast, fruit and yogurt for the kids. Kids Camp ends after lunch today; tonight we'll share in church services, and then this week we'll be working around the camp and sharing in ministry in the afternoons with the Making a Difference project. Praise God that we had a great trip here, with only one piece of non-essential baggage delayed, and we have been kept safe and healthy. This afternoon will be our first chance as a team for some downtime to regroup and plan for the rest of the week. Thank you for praying for us!

Brasil 2013....And so it begins....

And the countdown begins!! The Brazil team is leaving tomorrow, Thursday, July 18 around 6:30pm.  We are all VERY excited to begin the journey, and eve more excited to see how God is able to use our team there. 

To those of you who have supported our team both financially and prayerfully, WE THANK YOU!! We realize that trips like these are not possible without people like you! 

Speaking of prayer, here are some specific ways you can be praying for the team:

*Pray for smooth and safe travel

*Strength throughout the ministry schedule (the kids camp begins the day we arrive)

*Children and youth that don’t know Christ to be drawn in from the community

*The ongoing ministries of the camp and churches

 Also pray specifically for the Tarratacas for a few requests they have shared:

*Safety in the nation through the strikes and political protests.

*Financial support for meals and lunch for the Making a Difference project.

*Resolution to a problem with the city from a new regulation that would charge ABECAR $3500 to use 

   the water from the natural spring at the camp that they have been using for over 50 years.

We hope you continue to follow the blog updates, starting Thursday there should be daily updates (pending internet connections) and we hope it is a great way for you to see what God is doing, stay updated on prayer requests, and follow your friends & family through this amazing opportunity. 

You can check this link, or if you would like to be added to an email group list where any update is automatically sent to you, please email Pastor Conrad at conrad@gracebiblecolumbia.org, or Debi Hake at debihake@yahoo.com.

Stay tuned!!!