back to nanaland...

We were back in nanaland for Thanksgiving this year.  We enjoyed our time with family here. 

Just a little glimpse of what we've been up to this week...more to come later.

 

 

thoughts on going to brazil

some of my thoughts about our recent trip to brazil.

This whole thing started after I read Radical by David Platt, had a conversation with a good friend about going on a family mission trip, and then gave the audio CD to Keith to listen to.  You want to mess up your thinking?  Read that book.  It will help.  Then go on a mission trip.  Take your family.  You'll never be the same.

God provided for our trip well before it....

Right away in the beginning of the year God provided the money we needed to do this trip, in His style, He knows how I would worry about that, but then He took care of it and I didn't need to worry any more.

In dropping off our visa paperwork, we found out that Keith and I needed new photos taken, which we were able to do right there.  The children's pictures were fine, which worked out perfectly since our children were not with us. 

The timing of our trip was determined by several factors...we wanted Phil and Cindy Ketcham to be back in Brazil...we wanted to go during the school year....we didn't want to miss a very important wedding so we chose to leave two days after that wedding.  It turned out perfectly, of course, that one of the teachers in Brazil could go home for a wedding because it was during the time we were there.  I was her substitutue teacher!

...God really provided for us in our preparation for our trip at the last minute

Our engine light that had been on for a couple of months and we'd had it dealt with already, but it was still on.  Finally it went off on it's own two days before we left.

We ordered Brazillian reis (hay-eyes) from our bank to pay for our expenses while in Brazil and they came on the last possible day they could have, Friday.

Saturday morning I was able to obtain Megan's shot record that I thought we might need (didn't end needing it) without having requested in advance or anything.

Our friends were able to lend us their luggage the day before our trip when we realized one of our bags wasn't going to work out.  Thanks, Hazzards!

Several friends gave us cash right before we left and this really helped us out with our time in the airports.  Thanks so much!



The night before we left I couldn't not sleep at all. There was a line from a song that kept running through my mind.  It was "Be strong in the Lord".  Turns out it's a line from this song by the Sidewalk Prophets.  The Words I Would Say 


Some of the verses that stood out to me from my daily Bible readings during our time in Brazil.

Jeremiah 23:23-24
 “Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord,
“And not a God far off?
“Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the Lord.

“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.

 

Psalm 84:8-12

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

 

2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

 

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.  The Lord be with you all!

 

1 Timothy 1:12

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.

 

1Timothy 4:8-9

On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things.

 

1Timothy 6:7

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out either.

 

Psalm 94:19

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, thy consolations delight my soul.

 

Hebrews 7:23-25

And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, but He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds his priesthood permenantly.  Hence also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them.

 

And on that note, I'll go ahead and post this while I think more about our trip and process it more and maybe I'll post again later.

 

And here's a picture since it seems obligatory to me to put a picture on every post.  

 

 

This is Megan's special friend.  She gave Megan little purse on her birthday.  She's a very sweet girl. 

 

brazil post 11

We got a little tour of Manaus on our last day in Brazil.  Phil and Cindy took us around town to run errands and see the market.  We had a great time with them.  They are fun and gracious hosts. 

Tons and tons of bananas at the market.  Not like the bananas in the US.  I just bought bananas here on Friday and they were pristinely yellow.  Didn't see one banana like that in Brazil.

Uncle Phil (or Grandpa), Keith holding Megan, and Seth as we walk around the shops.

Uncle Phil and Aunt Cindy (or Grandpa and Grandma) helping Keith find some Havaianas to wear...they are basically the required footwear (if you choose to wear footwear) at PQQ.

The Rio Negro in Manaus.  This was right next to the market.  You just park your boat and come right up to the market.

..the worst smelling place we went.  Cindy bought some pirarucu (pee da doo koo)here. 

Cindy buying some veg.

Somebody worked really hard to stack these carrots just right.

This is a fancy digital touch screen menu at the restaurant we ate at in town.  Phil and Cindy had pirarucu.  Keith had parmesean beef, I had grilled cheese and french fries, and Todd and Megan had pizza.  Poor Seth felt so bad he didn't want to eat anything.  He just drank a guarana (gwa de na) soda.

brazil post 10

 

Here are a few pictures from our last full day at PQQ.  We miss you, PQQ.  We are planning our next trip already.

 

This was taken from our front porch.  It's a cattle boat.  It takes the cows to the slaughterhouse, which is just down (or up?) the river from PQQ. 

 

Here is Keith sifting clay.  Mowing, digging septic lines, plumbing, mixing concrete, tearing down walls, building door frames, building new walls, and chipping up old tile were some of the jobs he did while we were there.

The first and second grade class.  Love them!!!

 

One day I had the opportunity to help out in the high school home ec class.  That was really fun.  We made pillowcase dresses...well, we started them, and they need to finish them and show me a picture of the finished projects!

 

One of the fun kids at PQQ.  In the background, there's a girl getting a coconut off a tree for Seth (and me and the kids) to try.  We all like the coconut juice.

The kids on shore are getting ready for an epic grass dart war.

Keith is trying out Jeremy's challenge.  Diving in, but keeping his feet out of the water (handstand style).



And this guy made our time out at PQQ complete.  Just around 15 cm.  Todd found him on the way to the dining hall on our last night.  He was right by the window of our house.

brazil post 9

We've been home a couple of days. We are still recovering and reconciling (this reality with that reality).

Jeremy took us out to the cliffs one afternoon. It was my first ride in a speed boat as far as I could remember. It was so fun!

 

The boys wouldn't go up the cliffs very far, but me, Keith and Megan went up about half way. It was pretty hard to climb. The dirt is very crumbly. I was amazed Megan was able to go up and down without getting hurt.