The time has come...the end is here...and all those other final words...

The end of Brasil 2014 has come. Well, almost.  We have landed safely in Chicago, chowed down on an amazing breakfast and are currently on the road, headed to Columbia.  But, to recap the end of our time in Brasil, here are some of the highlights….

Sunday marked the end of the older youth English camp, with over 40 students in attendance this year.  Instead of the usual 20-30 aged campers, this year the majority of the campers were considerably younger, but still a great group of participants to have around!

For the first time in the years we've been in Brasil, we were able to witness 4 participants come to Christ during the weekend!  What an exciting and encouraging thing to be part of!  Continue to keep these 4 (and the other campers) in your prayers, for continued growth, passion, encouragement; as well as Pastor Denis & Pastor Leondro as they now invest in helping these students grow in Christ. 

Conversation clubs went very well, with campers quickly opening up and not only talking in English, but asking questions that showed a deeper interest than just the text we were studying.  So awesome to see thoughts provoked, questions arise, and hearts stirred.

Another American pancake breakfast + French toast (yes, the irony was not lost on us) was enjoyed by all, this time leaving no leftovers!  Needless to say, those of us cooking are hoping there will not be another event soon requiring 400+ pancakes!!

Campers left, albeit reluctantly, Sunday afternoon around 2:00 pm, leaving our team a bit disappointed and yearning for more.  We cleaned up camp, took down decorations and got ready to head to church.  The entire team, except for Pastor Conrad went to preach at the church in Mogi, where the team had the opportunity to present a very powerful skit, and we sang one of our vocal pieces, and Pastor Denis closed out the service preaching. 

Though the week was a great week of ministry, full of excitement and encouraging things happening, we were all pretty worn out and ready for a bit of rest, and thoroughly enjoyed crashing at the beach in Bertioga Monday.  It happened to be one of the best days of our time in Brasil temperature wise, which was an added bonus.

Tuesday was another low-key sight seeing opportunity, heading to Campos de Jordao, after enjoying yet another great lunch in the Panziera's home.  Their family even headed to Campos de Jordao with us as a farewell send off!

Wednesday including packing up, cleaning up, and an hour or two of  last minute shopping for families and friends back home.  Erika (Pastor Denis' wife) treated us to a delicious Brasilian favorite, Pao de Quiejo in their home before heading to the airport.

We did all manage to make the flight, and at this point have landed safely and are currently on the road back to COMO, but of course, not without a little excitement!   Because of some communication errors, and traffic accidents leading to substantial time lost on the road, and then even more complications at the check-in desk, we heard the 'loading now, closing doors now, final call now' comments for our flight, and were "those" people racing through the airport in hopes of making it on the flight.  We did all make it thankfully!!

More pictures later, but for now, please plan to join us at Grace Bible Church THIS Sunday, August 10th, in both the 8:00 and 11:00 am services to see part of the program we presented in Brasil,  hear testimonies and enjoy Pastor Conrad share the message.  

Busy Beavers...Brasil, Thursday-Saturday

The last day of School Programs was Thursday. We greatly enjoyed (and were amazed!) at the ability to even get in the schools to present the program.  Some were private schools, some were public, but none were Christian, so the opportunity to present the Gospel was even greater.  In every school, the students and staff were all very gracious, kind, and extremely welcoming, and at the very least, the contact person we had for getting in the schools was very aware that our program was strictly Evangelical / Christian. 

Thursday evening our group was able to experience more fellowship and interaction in the homes of some dear Brasilian friends! A small group of us attended a 'Carnival,' or party announcing the beginning of another English class, for a very sweet and supportive family from the church in Mogi who own an English school.   They experienced Brasilians of all ages who were more advanced English speakers, and were even placed on a panel where they fielded all sorts of questions about USA, English, and why we were in Brasil!

The remainder of our group were invited to an dinner / BBQ Brasilian style in the home of another active member in the church here in Mogi. Meeting their lovely family, hearing their story, and spending time getting to know them in the context of their home was a great opportunity for our team to experience family life at home….Not to mention some AMAZING BBQ!  Poor Pastor Conrad was disappointed he was not with this group! They graciously sent leftovers home for him to taste though!

ENGLISH CAMP ROUND #2!!!

Friday marked the beginning of another crazy, tiring, but very awesome weekend of English Camp, this time for the older youth, ages 13-30.  This year the schedule included an American dinner as well as an American breakfast, so we began our day by running quickly to the grocery store.  And by quickly, I mean within 3 hours we had the items we needed and we were headed back to camp!   Shopping in another country, with another language, AND a different measurement system is always fun!

We took a few minutes to regroup and fine-tune the weekend plans then we began the cooking adventures.  The American dinner menu included a Soup Bar, with toppings, cornbread and garlic cheese bread on the side.  Traditional Vegetable Beef Stew, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Potato Soup, and Pastor Conrad's famous chili completed the soup bar.  When asked which soup was their favorite, EVERY student member on the GBC team said Broccoli Cheese, MacKenzie said Vegetable Stew, and Josiah & Pastor Conrad of course said Chili!! A few of the Brasilians were brave enough to try the chili, most refused because they assumed it would be very hot (it wasn't at all!) but by far, the Broccoli Cheese Soup was the camp favorite! 

Needless to say, though the meal seemed simple enough, something was lost in figuring out measurements and we WAY overcooked, leaving the Brasilian kitchen staff laughing at us (politely of course!) while scrambling to find a way to store the leftovers. We probably should have realized we had too much when we could barely fit 4 VERY large stockpots on the stove, but dinner was a hit and we're just thankful for leftovers instead of running out of food!

Friday night camp festivities included worship, games to get to know one another and the dinner.  Many of the participants at this weekend camp know at least a little English, while others actually know quite a bit. 

SATURDAY….Following breakfast, the campers enjoyed a time of worship in which a couple of our group were able to jump in and sing in English, and our entire team performed a drama that tied in well, accentuating the testimony portion of one of our members. 

English conversation groups are the highlight of the weekend for our team and for the majority of the participants here.  We use English as the bridge and reason for having the conversation groups, but they are based on the reading and further study of a passage in the Bible. Most are shy about their English at first, but quickly warm up and participate by reading and answering the questions about the passage.  All the passages are aimed at showing who God is, demonstrating His vast love, and act as a springboard for further sharing the Gospel. We will have 2, maybe 3, of these throughout the weekend.

Saturday included several hours of games and free-time in the afternoon, where we played our annual game of whiffle baseball, followed by an intense game of soccer while others cheered on! This year the Brasilian staff is hosting what they call a "Fantasy Dinner," or what we would call a Costume Dinner on Saturday night, just to add extra fun to the weekend! We are all looking forward to see how this plays out!

Tomorrow will be another bright and early morning, with our team cooking the annual American breakfast of Pancakes, always a hit!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

*That the conversation groups would be an opportunity to talk further about the Gospel

*That the testimonies we give, the songs we sing, the dances and dramas we present, would be glorifying to the Lord, and would speak of His goodness, grace and mercy in our lives

*Health…the weather has almost been as drastic as Missouri's, with our trip beginning very wet and cold, and today ending up so hot some of us were considering swimming!

Presentations in the Schools

Tuesday ended up being a very full day, and for the first time since leaving Columbia, no one in the girls dorm room uttered a word after returning to the camp! After breakfast we traveled 30 minutes or so to a Junior High / Highschool in Suzano, a neighboring town of Mogi Das Cruzes.

Here in Brasil, the schools are amazingly very open to receiving outside groups, even Protestant / Evangelical groups.  This year Pastor Denis had lined up several schools in which they were openly desiring having our group present. 

Tuesday included two presentations at the same school, morning and afternoon, with two separate groups of students. Total number of students present topped somewhere around 800 junior high & highschool.  Wednesday was another school, this time a private school, (private doesn't necessarily mean Christian students) and a smaller group.  Thursday will include one or two more schools, where the same program will be presented. 

Tuesday also finished off with a dinner hosted by some very fabulous hosts in their home.  The entire team plus 10+ other guests enjoyed a delicious home-cooked meal and a great time of fellowship!  Such a treat to be invited into their homes!

The program itself includes a fun dueling of the piano between 3 of us, a dance, vocal trio, drama, testimony, and wrapped up with a very clear presentation of the Gospel.  Though this is not a scenario for seeing immediate results, seeds are being planted, and all of these students are being invited to the upcoming English camp this weekend, where there will be even more opportunity to present the Gospel clearly. 

Please continue to keep the team in prayer….for clarity, for unity , and especially for health, the cold weather has meant that a couple of us are fighting colds and sore throats.  

Monday--Becoming Drama Professionals!

In Brazil children only attend school for half a day, leaving many kids without an adult at home while parents are out working.  To fill this gap for these children, and to provide opportunities for under-privileged kids, Camp ABECAR runs a year-round camp for these kids aimed at keeping the kids off the streets, out of trouble, and in an environment where they experience Christ-like and loving teachers and  staff that share the Word of God with them.

Normally our team has the opportunity to assist these wonderful teachers in their daily activities with these children, doing games, crafts, music and just loving on them.  However, this Monday the bus wouldn't start, canceling camp for the day.  After looking further into what it would take to fix the bus, the staff realized that while the bus isn't running would be the prime opportunity to replace the seatbelts to get the bus back up to city code, meaning there will be no Making A Difference Camp for the remainder of the week. 

No Making A Difference program opened up a free day for our team to concentrate on prepping for the program we were presenting during the week as well as working through activities and plans for the upcoming English camp.  We were all delighted when the Tarretaccas suggested a break to go for ice-cream and coffee!  Both the ice-cream and coffee were AMAZING!!  Some had pistachio, others guava, and some stuck with traditional American flavors of strawberry and chocolate. 

And a day off wouldn't be complete without a bit of sprucing up….so the team cleaned up the remaining mess from camp in all the dorms and chapel.

The evening found all of us rehearsing for the presentation at the local schools, putting the final touches on the dramas.  A theater major was called in to help us beef up our acting skills!!  Though intimidated at first, he was a GREAT help in fine-tuning the acting skills of some not-so-professional-actors! (And, he was a perfect excuse to order Brazilian pizza at 11:30 pm!!!)

Sunday in Brasil...

Today began bright and early with a camp tradition of an American breakfast, prepared by your very own Brasil team….you all did know that part of our training included mastering culinary skills, right!? Like flipping pancakes!?  Yes, we did the traditional pancakes & syrup and scrambled eggs for breakfast. We would have loved to add bacon, but here bacon is VERY expensive, if you can find it.  I think the kids enjoyed it just fine without bacon though!  The Brazilian staff did not enjoy our American coffee however!! Making it without sugar, sugar and MORE sugar is quite unheard of here!  We enjoyed a few cups ourselves, then we noticed the staff sneaking the remaining coffee and mixing it with their super sweet traditional Brazilian coffee!

After breakfast, the kids headed off to chapel one last time, played a few more games, opting to stay out of the rain today, and finished with a lunch around 2:00 pm. Tears were shed, hugs were given, and Facebook names exchanged.  It is amazing the connection that can be built between two people even when languages are different.

It has rained non-stop since we arrived here in Mogi, apparently we brought the cold and wet with us?!  They say it was sunny and warm before we arrived!  We're not sure what to believe as every year we come it's cold. And wet. Did I mention cold!? Especially at night.  Needless to say, some of us were very happy that mom & dad made us pack that extra jacket we didn't think we needed….but I won't mention any names! 

The afternoon was spent brushing up on the dramas, music and dance presentations for the evening service, napping and just resting up a bit. 

Our team of 9 split up in the evening and headed out to 3 different churches.  Some of us went to the church in Mogi, where Pastor Conrad preached in the evening service, some of us went to the church in Suzanno, where we shared in song, and the rest accompanied Pastor Denis to Sao Jose where Maddie presented in Dance.  

Is it Day 2? Or Day 3? We're a bit confused...

Yesterday complete the second day of the Kids English Camps, but our 3rd day in Brasil. The day was complete with lots of laughs, LOTS of wet and muddy clothes, and thankfully, no injuries!  In between some fabulous meals and chapel times, the kids participated in a camp wide scavenger hunt, running up and down the hill, and by hill, I mean mini-mountian!  It's quite the little hike, especially if repeated multiple times in a day! 

(The picture really doesn't do it justice!)

Despite the cold, damp rain ALL DAY LONG, the campers had a great time of playing in the rain!  A makeshift giant tarp turned water slide was set up, and occupied the campers for quite a while, as well as an obstacle course installed all around the camp as well, followed by none other than some good ol' pie in the face games! 

If you're not familiar with the location here at ABECAR, it is a WONDERFUL camp set up, located at the top of a mountain, with many green trees, palms, and other tropical plants and trees all around. There is a breathtaking view of the city to one side, and the mountains to the other.  At the top of mountain, there is an administration building, which houses seminary classes and a radio station, as well as all management type offices.  A few steps away is the dining hall which doubles as a classroom during the week for the Making A Difference Kids program ABECAR runs year round.  Behind the dining hall is a couple houses and a large girls dormitory, where the girl campers stayed. 

Down the mountain a bit is a small dormitory, where our group is staying this year, and just below that lies another small dormitory.  A classroom, a maintenance shed lie just beyond, a few steps further down the mountain.  At the base of the mountain is a chapel, where we delighted in this fireplace last night, (YES! It really was that cold!) and, at the very bottom is another home, a water slide, a full basketball court, soccer court, 2 swimming pools, volleyball court, a small lake with paddle boats and canoes, and a large field with part playground equipment and part soccer field.  Oh! And even a mini golf area!

It is a wonderful camp setup that God has provided for ABECAR, and the amazing facilities here allow the Tarratacas and staff to do some great ministry. 

Campers settled in for a night of sleep a bit earlier than the first night, (they were up til 1:30am!) but managed to get to sleep around 1:00 am last night!  Apparently we Americans are the only ones that get tired after climbing the mountain multiple times a day!

Signing off til later…Your Brasil Team

WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Safe & sound in Brasil are we!!

Sorry for the delay in blog updates.  You would think a 6 turned 9 hour car ride from Columbia to Chicago on Day 1, and the 12 hour plane ride from Chicago to Sao Paulo, would have given ample time to write and update the blog, but alas, some of us had a difficult time prioritizing sleep and blog updates!

So, for a quick update on everything for those of you not yet in the know….

WHO is in Brasil right now? 

This year our team happens to be all students (girls too, as you'll see!) that attend Grace Bible's Youth Group. Here is a long overdue picture of our team below! 

(Back row Left to Right: Abi, Caitlin, Conrad, Debi, Maddie, Catherine, Cassidy. Front Row: MacKenzie & Josiah)

We will be assisting GBC's supported missionaries, Julie & Leandro Terrataca in Mogi das Cruzes, located about 1 hour outside Sao Paolo. Throughout the week you'll be hearing and seeing more of the actual ministry here at Camp ABECAR, but below is a list of highlighted activities that will be going on during the following two weeks.

Weekend Kids English Camp, ages 13 and under (Friday-Sunday)

Preaching & Presenting Drama, Music & Testimonies in the local churches (Sunday)

Drama, Music, Testimonies & Dance at the local highschools & the Making A Difference Program at ABECAR (Monday-Friday)

Weekend Youth English Camp, ages 13-30(Friday-Sunday)

Preaching & Presenting Drama, Music & Testimonies in the local churches (Sunday)

Day 1: Thursday, July 24: Chicago via the 'Big Red Van'

Because tickets were considerably cheaper this time through Chicago, and there was an added benefit of a non-stop flight to Sao Paolo, we traveled from Columbia to Chicago Wednesday afternoon. We finally pulled out of Columbia around 5:30 pm, and between stops and dinner pulled in Chicago around 2:30 am. Quite the long day! Needless to say, some of us fell asleep before hitting the bed!

Day 2: Friday, July 25: Fun in Chicago + 12 hours in the Air!

Today began pretty slowly, with most of us fumbling around for coffee while trying to recoup from another short night of sleep. A few cups in and some breakfast in our bellies and we were good to go.  We were able to spend a couple hours in downtown Chicago, sightseeing.  Though we weren't able to cram everything we had hoped to see in, we were able to stroll through the Moody Bible Institute campus,   catch a great view of the city from the top of the Hancock Tower, see a view landmarks from the ground and of course, eat some good ol' Chicago style deep dish pizza!

Arrival and departure at the airport was uneventful, and fast! We arrived, had no trouble passing through security and boarded the plane not long after.  Some of our team experienced their first flight ever, and most of our team was unable to get any sleep on the plane, but all in all, we are thankful for a very uneventful flight, and no issues getting through security and customs!

Attempting to cram our luggage into the cars proved to be an interesting but totally doable feat!  The car you see here is the largest of the 3 that graciously transported our items from the airport to the camp. So grateful for these 3 men, Pastor Leondro, his brother Junior, and Pastor Denis.  They are always so wonderful and accommodating to the massive amounts of luggage we bring, and the time they spend driving the Americans around Brasil!  Of course, I do have to add in our defense that a large amount of the luggage you see here contains items for our dear friends, in the name of Peanut Butter, Oreos, Pancake Mixes, Pancake Syrup and….more Peanut Butter!  Precious goods indeed!

Ministry began around 6:30 pm tonight, after we arrived at Camp ABECAR around 1:00, were treated to a delicious lunch, then took some time to unpack and nap for a bit.  Around 4:30 pm campers started arriving for the Weekend Kids English Camp, and by 6:30 pm camp was already in full swing, and your girls were already fast at work. They are fast learners, with previous French and Spanish classes being put to good use helping them to pick up a few Portuguese words here and there. 

As Day 1 and 2 have seemed to fly by for us, we would ask that you keep our team, the ministry here in Brasil, and all the staff involved in your prayers.  To be specific, here are a few ways you can specifically pray for us:

Praise for safe, smooth and uneventful travels so far!

Pray for good rejuvinating sleep

Ability to remain focused though tired

Health

Signing off for today….

Trip Video

Our video with highlights from the trip is now available!
Lakota 2014 Video

The Road Home

Yesterday we enjoyed some well-earned  R & R at cool Lake Sylvan in Custer State Park in the Black Hills. Some hiked toward Harney's Peak, the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies. 

We spent the night in Murdo, SD last night, and we're on the road for Missouri this morning. Thanks for your prayers and support as you partnered with us in the ministry of the gospel at Chanku Waste Ranch!

Camp - Day 5

 Today was a day of tearful goodbyes as we wrapped up an amazing week of camp at Chanku Waste Ranch. We ended our journey with the Israelites at the bronze serpent, sharing the connection that Jesus was similarly lifted up on the cross to give eternal life to all who believe. The bus was loaded with Lakota kids and our teens as we made the final run this afternoon. Many relationships have been forged, the gospel has been proclaimed and demonstrated, and we have all learned from each other more of the love of Christ. It's been an incredible week, and it's hard to believe that it has already come to a close.

We had planned to visit Belle Butte as a team this afternoon, but the unseasonable rain made the dirt road impassable. We did have some team bonding over getting one of the vans out of the mud!

Our Teen team on top of Bell's Butte on Monday

If you would like to share in the ministry of Chanku Waste Ranch, you can purchase a t-shirt to help support their fund for a new bus. The blue shirt is $20 and the other two are $15 each. We'll place an order early next week, and the shirts will be in within 2 weeks. Contact Pastor Conrad if you would like to place an order.

We will be returning home in separate groups much the same way that we began: the Shermans and Heather have already left today, several of the ladies will be leaving first thing Saturday morning, while the majority of the group will be visiting Sylvan Lake in the Black Hills and returning to Missouri Sunday evening. Please pray for safety for each of the groups as they travel, and that the team will have an enjoyable day of rest and fellowship together throughout the trip home.

Camp - Day 4

This morning Pastor Brennan shared about a friend in Florida that had leukemia which turned into terminal bone cancer over the weekend. Through that diagnosis he also came to faith in Christ. We prayed together as a camp for him and learned later today that his liver was better all of a sudden, allowing for a needed bone marrow transplant. Hundreds of miles away, it is exciting to hear about how God is at work through the power of the gospel and of prayer.

In addition to this young man's physical and spiritual healing, JJ, one of the welders working with Ray for the past few weeks, came to faith in Christ today! JJ's conversion is a direct result of the camp staff's commitment to relational discipleship through Ray, Mike Brennan, and Matt Hadden. It has been exciting to be a part of what God is doing here; we can truly say that there are many hands planting and watering, but God is giving the increase! 

JJ hard at work in the welding shop

Today was Water Day, which meant water balloons and a water slide for the kids and a trip to swim in the White River for the teens. The temperatures have been a welcome 90 degrees (about 20 degrees cooler than last year's high over 110!), but still warm and dry enough for everyone to enjoy the chance to cool off.

 

We finished the day with our annual trip to Sheep Mountain to praise God together and share our team devotions in the midst of the majesty of God's creation in the Badlands. We were all exhausted from the week, and grateful for the time of refreshment for our team. As we have worked together through the "one another" expectations of believers in the New Testament, today we came to the difficult challenge of exhorting one another. Our environment, spending every waking and sleeping moment together as a team, affords many opportunities to practice loving and serving one another, as well as confronting and encouraging each other.

Please pray for our team as we finish up camp with a half day tomorrow, and also please pray for the father of one of the campers' families who is recovering from a heart attack on Wednesday.

Camp - Day 3

 It's hard to believe that we're already halfway through our week at Chanku Waste Ranch. Our attendance was back up again, and we continue to build relationships with the kids. One girl, who has been a little challenging during camp, revealed in passing on the way home on the bus that her mom hates her. It is heartbreaking, and yet we know that girls like her are the reason we are here. We are confident that the hope we have in Christ through the gospel is the only hope for the Lakota as well. As our time here comes slowly to an end, it becomes harder to learn more about the backgrounds of these kids knowing that we'll be gone in a couple of days, but we're encouraged by the ongoing ministry of the Brennans, Haddens, and Mcintoshs because we know the heart of their ministry is to love these kids unconditionally.

Wednesday evening we enjoyed a dinner at the church and joined in on their Wednesday night bible study. We got to hear from Ray, a retired pastor and welding teacher from Texas. Ray has spent several weeks teaching a few Lakota guys about welding, giving them a skill that they'll be able to use for the rest of their lives. 

The rain forecasted for today held off until the evening, when we were hit with a torrential downpour for a couple of hours. The timing of the mud couldn't be better for water day tomorrow!

Teaching kids about the 10 Commandments in an improvised classroom

Camp - Day 2

Today we had slightly fewer kids.  We only had about 30 due to events on the reservation and other interests that compete for these kids’ time.  We continue to pray that they will come and that we can share God’s love in our actions, our words, and in each activity.

Today’s lessons were based on the Exodus from Egypt and the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness.  We had our own little Exodus, painted, made beads necklaces, and sang Jesus loves me, complete with sign language!

As we met last night for team devotions and reviewed the many blessings for our group, we listed the great weather so far, the ever-evolving facilities that make this camp better and better, and finally our great cooking crew!  Today we had walking tacos for lunch and they were a hit (a walking taco is all of the taco ingredients in a bag of Doritos).

Our group has so much to be thankful for and we are most appreciative of your continued prayer support!

Camp - Day 1

Camp kicked off this morning with 40 kids! It was one of our best first days since the opening of Chanku Waste Ranch. Kids were divided into age groups; 5-6 year olds, 7-9 year olds, and 10-12 year olds all participated in crafts, games, lessons, and activities around the life of Moses. The rest of the week will continue through the Exodus and Israel's wandering in the wilderness.

The group of teens got to climb Belle's Butte this afternoon, enjoying the great weather so far: temperatures in the 70s and 80s with lots of greenery, instead of the typical hot, dry weather.

The only real incident we encountered today was when the bus ran out of gas in the first stretch of the return route after camp. It provided a little bit of excitement and restlessness for the kids, but eventually we were rescued by our teammates through a creative fueling method.

This year our team devotions cover "one another" relationships among us as the body of Christ. Today was on loving one another from John 13:34-35, also our theme verse:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Please pray for our team as we begin our second day tomorrow; pray that we can actively and intentionally demonstrate the love of Christ, not just to the Lakota kids, but also to each other. Pray for another great day of camp ministry tomorrow, as well as for Heather and Sara from Hope as they travel from O'Fallon to Pine Ridge.