Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Last Day on the Trip
Sorry for no post last night a bunch of us went down to the beach, hung out and talked until late so I didn't get anything posted. All is very well here. We finished our debriefing yesterday and then went to an amazing grill out at the pastor's house. Basically all the steak, sausage, chicken and pork all of us could eat. They cooked until we were full and then threw the bananas on the grill which were fantastic. After that we split up and went to our different churches to preach. Those all went well from what I've gathered. Today we're leaving in about an hour to go to Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf mountain. Our flight leaves tonight, we have a short one to Sau Paulo and then overnight to Dallas then to Omaha Tuesday morning. We have had a blast but are ready to get home to see you all. Thank you for your prayers and support during the last two weeks. I have posted a couple of pictures from here in Rio below. These will probably be the last pics I get posted while we're down here.
The plan for pictures is for your kids to post them to our facebook group page and then we can all grab whatever pictures we want to download much easier. I personally have over 500 pictures and many of the kids have more than I do. Our trip has been well documented.
Most of the guys went rushing into the ocean right away.
The ladies of the trip (minus Liz b/c she was with Joel at the hospital in Rio do Sul)
This is across the street from our hotel...jealous???
The plan for pictures is for your kids to post them to our facebook group page and then we can all grab whatever pictures we want to download much easier. I personally have over 500 pictures and many of the kids have more than I do. Our trip has been well documented.
Most of the guys went rushing into the ocean right away.
The ladies of the trip (minus Liz b/c she was with Joel at the hospital in Rio do Sul)
This is across the street from our hotel...jealous???
bw
Sunday, June 21, 2009
I forgot...
I forgot to mention this last night. Joel Stayed behind last night with Liz because he has a kidney stone and she took him to the hospital. They came in about midnight last night and he's doing well. Just waiting for it to pass. He flies out tonight. Pray for him...bw
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Rio De Janeiro
We left Rio do Sul at 7:30 AM, took a bus to Florionapolis, flew to Rio and then bussed it through the city. It's been a long day, but we made it to Rio (the big one) this afternoon and came to our hotel and then directly to the beach which is across the street. Thus far Rio is a mix of conflicting emotions. The beach is absolutly breathtaking. So, so beautiful. Yet as we came through town we had to drive through the slums which was very sad. I thought it looked kind of like the houses in Slumdog Millionaire for those who have seen that. Two very different areas of the same city.
The kids loved playing at the beach. Most of them swam as it is much warmer here than it was in the south of Brazil. We swam until it was dark then ate at a restaurant seaside where we had fried chicken and fish with french fries. Typical American fare. It was good, but their ketchup is really wierd and not good at all and they don't put salt on french fries. It's the small things you notice. Tonight we had some time to reflect on what we were allowed to accomplish over the last ten days and share some stories and how we were able to impact and lift up each other. It was a great time.
Two last things and then I'm heading to bed. First, I have some pictuers of kids at the beach that I'll probably put up tomorrow. I don't have them loaded yet on the computer so I apologize for them not being up, but I hope you understand. Second, our schedule for the next two days is as follows. Sunday morning we have our final de-briefing at 10:30. Then we are leaving at 12:30 to go to a bbq hosted by the local e-free churches. After that we'll have a little time to shop and pick up some items to take home before we brek up to attend three separate church services again this Sunday. Again, Ricky, Daryl and myself will be preaching. Pray that it will go well for all three of us and that the message will be His. On Monday we will head to the Christ the Redeemer statue and then it's off to the airport for our trip home. It's hard to believe it's almost over.
Oh yah...this is really the last thing. over the past three days I've been collecting the posts and read them to the kids tonight. I had 25 pages of material to share with them. Thank you to all who have posted. Keep it up for just another couple of days and we'll be home...bw
The kids loved playing at the beach. Most of them swam as it is much warmer here than it was in the south of Brazil. We swam until it was dark then ate at a restaurant seaside where we had fried chicken and fish with french fries. Typical American fare. It was good, but their ketchup is really wierd and not good at all and they don't put salt on french fries. It's the small things you notice. Tonight we had some time to reflect on what we were allowed to accomplish over the last ten days and share some stories and how we were able to impact and lift up each other. It was a great time.
Two last things and then I'm heading to bed. First, I have some pictuers of kids at the beach that I'll probably put up tomorrow. I don't have them loaded yet on the computer so I apologize for them not being up, but I hope you understand. Second, our schedule for the next two days is as follows. Sunday morning we have our final de-briefing at 10:30. Then we are leaving at 12:30 to go to a bbq hosted by the local e-free churches. After that we'll have a little time to shop and pick up some items to take home before we brek up to attend three separate church services again this Sunday. Again, Ricky, Daryl and myself will be preaching. Pray that it will go well for all three of us and that the message will be His. On Monday we will head to the Christ the Redeemer statue and then it's off to the airport for our trip home. It's hard to believe it's almost over.
Oh yah...this is really the last thing. over the past three days I've been collecting the posts and read them to the kids tonight. I had 25 pages of material to share with them. Thank you to all who have posted. Keep it up for just another couple of days and we'll be home...bw
Friday, June 19, 2009
Father's Day...a little early
This is your lucky day. It's a two-post Friday. I know you're all excited. We all know the important role that father's have played in all of our lives and the team wanted to say thank you to all of our dads. We're not sure what our internet situtation is going to be the rest of the trip so I'm posting this early to make sure it is available by Father's Day. There is a message from each kid and leader below addressed individually to our Father's. Thank you for all that you have done and we are all looking forward to seeing you upon our return...bw
Hey Dad!!!!
Just wanted to say that I miss you and can’t wait to see you and the rest of the family again. Since I won’t be there for father’s day, I wanted to say I love you and we can celebrate when I get back!!! Have a great one!
Madison
Hey Daddy,
Happy Father’s Day! I love you so much! I am so blessed to have you as my dad. You are so great. I miss you lots and lots (I really do. I am NOT kidding.) And I am praying for you always. I hope that you have a great Father’s Day with the family. I wish that I could be with you and give you a great big hug and maybe a cool card or something. :D Have a great day and eat some really yummy food or something. Okay? Okay!
Abigail Rose
Happy father’s day DAD!!
I only wish that I could spend this fathers day with you but I am over here being the best that I can to be a man of God and show the people here in brazil the love of God. Everything is going well I have not gotten sick yet at all, well besides a little headache but that’s nothing. I wish you were here with me! The Brazilians are so kind and loving, and I really love it here! You and the fam are in my prayers I love all of you!
-Alek Lien
Hey there dad!!
I wanted to let you know that even though I can’t be with you this father’s day…I love you and I am forever blessed to have you as my dad. You have no idea how much you mean to me and words cannot express the thanks I will always have in my heart for you. I didn’t know exactly how much I would miss you while on this trip but I realize that my life is missing something. Everything is going great (except for the 26 hours in a plane!) and I am having a fantastic time overall. I will tell you everything when I get back…so many stories!!
-Sean H
Hi Dad,
Here’s a quick message for you (and mom) from the field. Happy Father’s Day! I hope throughout life, I wouldn’t be here in Brazil and where I am today if it weren’t for your example and love.
Happy Father’s Day from Brazil
Jason
Just wanted to say…Happy Fathers Day!
I wish I could spend the weekend with you and the fam. Miss you all very much! Hope you have a good Fathers Day! Life down in Brazil is awesome! The grub is incredible and filling! Everything is going well, and I’m looking forward to each day serving our Jesus! Keep us in your prayers and thoughts! I haven’t gotten sick yet, but who knows…pray for the health of all the team as well. Much love from me to ya’ll!!
-Nick
Dad, I love you sooo much and I can’t wait to tell you about all my adventures. Don’t feel bad about celebrating without me, I’m having a great time! We eat out for every meal and the food is great, it’s definitely your kind of food, meat, and , meat, and more meat. Thanks for always listening and the great talks. Love you guys! Hadley’s love you guys. Happy Birthday! And remember to watch the College World Series for me! I can’t wait to see you guys again!
-Ryan
Dear Dad and Natalie,
Everything has been awesome and beyond what I expected. The time change took a little getting used to. Every night so far we (Alek, J-Bar, and I) have had a 2nd dinner after getting home with our host families at around 11p.m. Food is always a good thing, but that also means we’re usually up till 12:30a.m. This last week will be the most challenging because we’ll be up from 6 a.m. till 12 a.m. each day. But it’s all worth it. The language has been challenging, but I think it has only brought us closer (the Brazilians and us). It’s weird, but I can actually speak Spanish pretty well now that I’m able to use it. Even though I got a C in Spanish, everything we learned all sort of comes back to you when you’re placed in a situation where you have to use it. There’s tons of stuff I could tell you, but I don’t want to take up too much room. Thanks for praying for me. I miss you guys a lot.
Love, Cam
p.s. (happy father’s day dad)
Dad,
Everything is going great here. I’ve been thinking about you, especially with father’s day and all. We have been targeting schools, and so that’s been awesome getting to know a lot of the little ones. You can go through and read everyone elses posts to get a better idea of what we have been doing each day. The worst part about being here is the weather, cuz nothing ever dries. So that’s the most of my worries which is good. I love you dad and I’m very excited to continue our discussions when I get back. Tell everyone hi for me and that I’m loving every minute of being here!
Jared
Daddio,
Hey Dad, how’s it going? Oh ya know, just hanging out here in Brazil, no big deal. Anyways, I know you were getting worried about whether I was here or not due to lack of pictures and wellp, I am. Actually I’m just e-mailing this to the team, I’m in our basement. But anyways, Happy Frappy Father’s Day. Everything here is super great, the kids are awesome and the food is three times more delicious than it is at home. But that’s okay, I’m sure you’ll eat well for father’s day anyway. Tell the fam fam hi for me, I miss you all, and I’ll see you soon. Eu Amor a Voce.
Love,
Hayden
Dad,
I hope everything is going well in Lincoln. I miss you all a lot, but Brazil has been great. I haven’t gotten sick yet, thanks to my probiotic support! We had an English camp here in Rio de Sol from thurs to sat. Now we are going to schools until Friday. Yesterday I was in a group that shared testimonies and the evange-cube all day. I never thought I would be able to share my faith with so much ease (which I know only comes from God). The food here is awesome. We pretty much eat all the time. And the family I’m staying with is really loving. Well, happy father’s day! Sorry I can’t be there, but we can celebrate when I get back! Tell everyone hi from Brazil!
Love,
Lauren
Hey Daddio,
Everything is going great here. I’ll start out with what you might be wondering about and that is that my diabetes is going just fine and nothing is acting up. I’m changing it normal and have had normal numbers. I’m sorry I’m missing Father’s Day but you are used to it so no worries. We can celebrate a different day just as we have the past 10 or so years. I hope you aren’t killing yourself without your sweets or diet pepsi. If you wanna partake slightly on fathers day, I might just let you. I hope all is well there, but you’re a big boy you can take care of yourself. I heard you are getting some good rain there so that should help your cause for the BEST LAWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Have a great day and can’t wait to see you guys when I get back. I want to go to Burger King and Chinese food for the record. Have a great day and I’ll see you very soon.
Love ya,
Jake
Hey Fasha
I am so glad that you were able to be on this trip with me you made made it so much easier for me in every way! Its really nice being able to talk and bond with you. I love you so much I’m really glad you didn’t have to stay in Chicago that would haved sucked. You make every day easer, just being able to go to you if I have problems. I hope the rest of the trip goes well and I miss the fam, Sorry if this is kinda short but you know im not good at righting stuff down but you know how much I love you and I always will and P.S you don’t always have to do everything I do just to prove that you’re still young. I truly don’t think your old, I just give you crap a bout it
I love you Dad
Band-Aid
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY JERRY!!!!!!
I am having soooooo much fun here. The time of my life. I’ve been all over the US, Guatemala, and Brazil and still no lawn as pretty as yours! I am staying in a host family with Ty, Sean, Hayden, Brandon, and Vanderlei!! We are in a beautiful house with an awesome family. They have a sweet pool but its not hot enough to swim L. I thought I might not be eating much here since I didn’t know what was in store for me…. WRONG! Here we are constantly eating. The whole time we are at our host family they are shoving food in our face. Lots of good fruits and breads!!! Love it!! I also didn’t need as much clothes as I brought, every day our host mom washes our clothes from they day before. They are soooo nice here. One of the sons that lives in the house speaks very good Spanish so I am able to say what ever, I’m soo happy for this, some people live with people who speak no English or Spanish so they have to use all hand motions! Crazy! Well have a fantastic father’s day!! Miss you and love you!!!! You the best!! Also got your letters today!!! I just got done reading them here in the bus. We have a 2 hour bus ride back to our home from another town. Today was soooo fun. All the kids all gather around us like we are some popular band or something. We also have to give them autographs! HAHA LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DYLAN!!!!!
P.S.-Tell my Mother I miss her and love her and have so much to tell you guys!!! Also give Bear, Buck and Bob a big ol hug for me!!
HAPPY FATHER”S DAY POP!!
I cannot even say how much fun we are having here. Some of us are a little worn out since we are non-stop moving. Today we woke up at 6:00 and walked into our kitchen were our host mother has a huge table of food awaiting us and also like 10 pitchers full of fresh squeezed orange juice. We then left and took a 2 hr. bus ride to a town where we travel to three different schools all day and we won’t be back till like 11:00 that’s a usual day for us. Its very tiring but soooooo much fun!! The ladies are quite pretty here I might say haha. Tonight Ty (the kid that was wearing a scoobie doo tie on graduation), Hayden and I were put in a room full of 15-17 year olds and expected to do something for an hour!! I was super nervous because none of us speak Portuguese and the definitely don’t speak English or Spanish. But, it ended up being soo much fun and we played hang man and dictionary the whole time. It’s crazy how you can have so much fun with people that you can’t really speak to!! Thanks for everything at Graduation!!! Sooo glad I got to spend it with ya!!!!!!!!!!! Much Love!!!!!!! Can’t wait to talk when I get back!!!!!! LOVE!!
Dylan
P.S. Read up above too to find out more info and same with Jerry if you are reading this!!!!!!! Ty says he wants you all to give buck bear and bob a hug!
Dear Dad,
I just got your notes tonight so I’m in an extremely awesome mood. Then again I’m in Brasil, and I can’t complain at all. I don’t want to leave but I have so many good stories and pictures to show ya’ll. My relationship with God and everyone on this team is getting stronger with each day. I can’t thank you enough for everything you have given me (guitar, trust, car, money) and I know how much of a loser I can be so I appreciate everything. This year has been extremely crazy with all my knee surgeries and all your support. All these challenges that I thought were going to be hard we’re so much easier with you helping my every need. I love you. You’re amazing. And I hope Cole gives you my present. Thanks for all the prayers, I probably need them. Happy father’s day, hope you don’t miss me too much.
Your Favorite Son,
Tyler Weihe
P.S. Dylan says to get off your facebook, it’s 3 in the morning.
Dear Scott (Dad),
Hey! Happy Fathers day! I miss you a ton, n im actually getting kind of home sick, because this is the first mission trip I haven’t had a family member on! I hope you have a great day, and I wish u were here with me. I cant wait to get back and play some golf! I hope the whole David situation is goin well, and hes not eatin too much. Have a great fathers day, and I cant wait to see you!. Also I miss everyone else, and who posted that comment as “someone who cares”…
Andrew
Hi honey (aka Drummer Dan) !!
Happy Father’s Day. Can’t wait to see you and exchange stories from the last two weeks. I’ll make sure I bring you some of my favorite chocolate that we had at our “chocolate tasting party” and “peixe” ---I’ll explain later. Hopefully you and Kayla have had some great bonding time!!!
Love you muchly
Bambie
Hey Dad (Dale M)
Just want to say happy Fathers day!! I would say I'm really starting to miss it back home but really I'm not sorry. Joking I miss everyone back home and I can’t wait to see you guys. Hope everything is going good. And hopefully your getting some work done cause I know since I’m not their you don’t have anyone to tell what to do! But i'm really missing it their and I cant wait to get back I hope you have a good fathers day even though your stuck with Shamus and Logan maybe you better just hang out with Boomer and Ringo they might be better company. But tell Shamus and Logan for some reason I’m missing them to but I think it’s just cause I miss seeing their ugly faces everyday and realizing I’m the best looking one in the family. Tell Cheri I’m missing her to and ill see you all when I get home Tuesday have a good Fathers day. Can’t wait to see everyone.
Love.
Sean McClure
Dear Marty.
Happy fathers day sorry I cant be their as much as I would like to be their on fathers day I’m going to take a wild guess and say this is a little bit more fun and more use full haha. But make sure you guys don’t get to wore out from the lake because i haven’t even started yet so you are going to have multiple more trips that you have to take out their. I’m missing everyone at home and I cant wait to see you all. Tell mom and Dakota I’m missing them both and I have a lot of stories for when I get back. I can’t wait to see you all and tell mom I got the letter yesterday I appreciate it a lot. Tell everyone I’m really growing down here I can’t believe it. But I miss you all I see you Tuesday.
Love,
Sean McClure
P.S
Tell Kelly I’m really missing her and I read her letter yesterday I’m glad she wrote cause other wise I would of completely forgot about her. Jk. I tell everyone I have a girlfriend and show them a picture. Call her and tell her I miss her a lot and can’t wait to see her when I get back.
Sean McClure
Hey Dad,
Happy fathers day. I hope you have a great day. I miss you and everyone at home a lot and cant wait to see everyone on Tuesday when I get back, don’t forget to come and get me in Omaha ok. But when you are reading this I will be in Rio De Janeiro either soaking up the sun on the beach or going to see the Christ statue. I love it down here its super fun and I can’t communicate the best but people understand me. I have a really cool host family. I am staying with Nick and liz and Steve at Johnys house. It’s a lot of fun. Everyone down here just loves on everyone which is awesome and the food is really good. We eat a ton though. By the way jumping in that waterfall was beyond cold. When I went in I couldn’t breath. But it’s all good. I Miss you and everyone and I’m gonna really miss not going to Mexico I think about it everyday. But I know God has worked through me here and I love it here. I still want to go to both places next year. These trips make me seriously think about being a missionary someday. But I hope you have a great day tomorrow dad and thanks for being such a great positive influence in my life and I love ya a lot. I miss ya and can’t wait to see ya. Keep praying for us.
Love ya pops, JON
Mark,
Happy Father’s Day! We wish we could be there to celebrate. Things are going well here. Can’t believe how fast the trip has flown by. We are all pretty exhausted. We hope that you got the card we sent. We found it to be perfect after your comment about Hee Haw that none of us got but mom. Ha. Ha. Have a Happy Father’s Day! We love you!
Emily and Brock
Boom,
Happy Father’s Day. Wish we could get out for a round of golf for Father’s Day, but we’ll have to take a rain-check on that. We are having an unbelievable time down here in Brazil. So many great people and such a great purpose. We have so much to tell you about when we get back. Hope you have a great Father’s Day.
Love,
Brock and Em
Hey (old-bike-riding-steak-smoking) man –
Dude, happy fathers day. Wish you could come down here for a meal, unbelievable steaks and the chicken hearts are excellent. We’ll have to do a couple rides so I can tell about every thing down here – love you lots and happy fathers day.
Matt
Oi, Pai. (That’s how we say ‘Sup, Dad in Brazil)
Sorry that I’m the last one to type a message, but I was always asleep when we had time to type. (Or maybe they were just saving the best for last.) Anyways, this is just a note to say that I love you and I miss you on this father’s day 2009. I hope you have a great time with the rest of the family and I hope to see you soon.
Love,
Eric “The” Rock
Hi dad, I’ll bet you never expected to get a note from me in Brazil. Happy Fathers Day!!! We’ve had a great time with the people here in Rio De Sol. All the students have been doing a good job. We are all getting a little tired but God is keeping us all very strong. My host family is very nice. It’s a little cold at night, but the days are very warm, well not hot! The homes do not have heat and the temp goes down in the 30’s. I know it sounds crazy but I’m eating almost all the different kinds of food, and I’ve not been sick. Well we will be home in a few days, so I’ll tell you more then. Dad I really love you, thanks for all you have done. Tell mom hello and that I really love her too. Hope you enjoy your father’s day gift, see you soon!
Love, Darryl
Hey Dad,
Just wanted to send a note from the road to wish you a happy father’s day. I wish I could be there with you all to celebrate and to enjoy a nice family meal together. Since I’m not able to be there with you all, I’ll look forward to you treating me to a nice meal when I get back. J See you in a week!
Love,
Joel
Hey Dad!!!!
Just wanted to say that I miss you and can’t wait to see you and the rest of the family again. Since I won’t be there for father’s day, I wanted to say I love you and we can celebrate when I get back!!! Have a great one!
Madison
Hey Daddy,
Happy Father’s Day! I love you so much! I am so blessed to have you as my dad. You are so great. I miss you lots and lots (I really do. I am NOT kidding.) And I am praying for you always. I hope that you have a great Father’s Day with the family. I wish that I could be with you and give you a great big hug and maybe a cool card or something. :D Have a great day and eat some really yummy food or something. Okay? Okay!
Abigail Rose
Happy father’s day DAD!!
I only wish that I could spend this fathers day with you but I am over here being the best that I can to be a man of God and show the people here in brazil the love of God. Everything is going well I have not gotten sick yet at all, well besides a little headache but that’s nothing. I wish you were here with me! The Brazilians are so kind and loving, and I really love it here! You and the fam are in my prayers I love all of you!
-Alek Lien
Hey there dad!!
I wanted to let you know that even though I can’t be with you this father’s day…I love you and I am forever blessed to have you as my dad. You have no idea how much you mean to me and words cannot express the thanks I will always have in my heart for you. I didn’t know exactly how much I would miss you while on this trip but I realize that my life is missing something. Everything is going great (except for the 26 hours in a plane!) and I am having a fantastic time overall. I will tell you everything when I get back…so many stories!!
-Sean H
Hi Dad,
Here’s a quick message for you (and mom) from the field. Happy Father’s Day! I hope throughout life, I wouldn’t be here in Brazil and where I am today if it weren’t for your example and love.
Happy Father’s Day from Brazil
Jason
Just wanted to say…Happy Fathers Day!
I wish I could spend the weekend with you and the fam. Miss you all very much! Hope you have a good Fathers Day! Life down in Brazil is awesome! The grub is incredible and filling! Everything is going well, and I’m looking forward to each day serving our Jesus! Keep us in your prayers and thoughts! I haven’t gotten sick yet, but who knows…pray for the health of all the team as well. Much love from me to ya’ll!!
-Nick
Dad, I love you sooo much and I can’t wait to tell you about all my adventures. Don’t feel bad about celebrating without me, I’m having a great time! We eat out for every meal and the food is great, it’s definitely your kind of food, meat, and , meat, and more meat. Thanks for always listening and the great talks. Love you guys! Hadley’s love you guys. Happy Birthday! And remember to watch the College World Series for me! I can’t wait to see you guys again!
-Ryan
Dear Dad and Natalie,
Everything has been awesome and beyond what I expected. The time change took a little getting used to. Every night so far we (Alek, J-Bar, and I) have had a 2nd dinner after getting home with our host families at around 11p.m. Food is always a good thing, but that also means we’re usually up till 12:30a.m. This last week will be the most challenging because we’ll be up from 6 a.m. till 12 a.m. each day. But it’s all worth it. The language has been challenging, but I think it has only brought us closer (the Brazilians and us). It’s weird, but I can actually speak Spanish pretty well now that I’m able to use it. Even though I got a C in Spanish, everything we learned all sort of comes back to you when you’re placed in a situation where you have to use it. There’s tons of stuff I could tell you, but I don’t want to take up too much room. Thanks for praying for me. I miss you guys a lot.
Love, Cam
p.s. (happy father’s day dad)
Dad,
Everything is going great here. I’ve been thinking about you, especially with father’s day and all. We have been targeting schools, and so that’s been awesome getting to know a lot of the little ones. You can go through and read everyone elses posts to get a better idea of what we have been doing each day. The worst part about being here is the weather, cuz nothing ever dries. So that’s the most of my worries which is good. I love you dad and I’m very excited to continue our discussions when I get back. Tell everyone hi for me and that I’m loving every minute of being here!
Jared
Daddio,
Hey Dad, how’s it going? Oh ya know, just hanging out here in Brazil, no big deal. Anyways, I know you were getting worried about whether I was here or not due to lack of pictures and wellp, I am. Actually I’m just e-mailing this to the team, I’m in our basement. But anyways, Happy Frappy Father’s Day. Everything here is super great, the kids are awesome and the food is three times more delicious than it is at home. But that’s okay, I’m sure you’ll eat well for father’s day anyway. Tell the fam fam hi for me, I miss you all, and I’ll see you soon. Eu Amor a Voce.
Love,
Hayden
Dad,
I hope everything is going well in Lincoln. I miss you all a lot, but Brazil has been great. I haven’t gotten sick yet, thanks to my probiotic support! We had an English camp here in Rio de Sol from thurs to sat. Now we are going to schools until Friday. Yesterday I was in a group that shared testimonies and the evange-cube all day. I never thought I would be able to share my faith with so much ease (which I know only comes from God). The food here is awesome. We pretty much eat all the time. And the family I’m staying with is really loving. Well, happy father’s day! Sorry I can’t be there, but we can celebrate when I get back! Tell everyone hi from Brazil!
Love,
Lauren
Hey Daddio,
Everything is going great here. I’ll start out with what you might be wondering about and that is that my diabetes is going just fine and nothing is acting up. I’m changing it normal and have had normal numbers. I’m sorry I’m missing Father’s Day but you are used to it so no worries. We can celebrate a different day just as we have the past 10 or so years. I hope you aren’t killing yourself without your sweets or diet pepsi. If you wanna partake slightly on fathers day, I might just let you. I hope all is well there, but you’re a big boy you can take care of yourself. I heard you are getting some good rain there so that should help your cause for the BEST LAWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Have a great day and can’t wait to see you guys when I get back. I want to go to Burger King and Chinese food for the record. Have a great day and I’ll see you very soon.
Love ya,
Jake
Hey Fasha
I am so glad that you were able to be on this trip with me you made made it so much easier for me in every way! Its really nice being able to talk and bond with you. I love you so much I’m really glad you didn’t have to stay in Chicago that would haved sucked. You make every day easer, just being able to go to you if I have problems. I hope the rest of the trip goes well and I miss the fam, Sorry if this is kinda short but you know im not good at righting stuff down but you know how much I love you and I always will and P.S you don’t always have to do everything I do just to prove that you’re still young. I truly don’t think your old, I just give you crap a bout it
I love you Dad
Band-Aid
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY JERRY!!!!!!
I am having soooooo much fun here. The time of my life. I’ve been all over the US, Guatemala, and Brazil and still no lawn as pretty as yours! I am staying in a host family with Ty, Sean, Hayden, Brandon, and Vanderlei!! We are in a beautiful house with an awesome family. They have a sweet pool but its not hot enough to swim L. I thought I might not be eating much here since I didn’t know what was in store for me…. WRONG! Here we are constantly eating. The whole time we are at our host family they are shoving food in our face. Lots of good fruits and breads!!! Love it!! I also didn’t need as much clothes as I brought, every day our host mom washes our clothes from they day before. They are soooo nice here. One of the sons that lives in the house speaks very good Spanish so I am able to say what ever, I’m soo happy for this, some people live with people who speak no English or Spanish so they have to use all hand motions! Crazy! Well have a fantastic father’s day!! Miss you and love you!!!! You the best!! Also got your letters today!!! I just got done reading them here in the bus. We have a 2 hour bus ride back to our home from another town. Today was soooo fun. All the kids all gather around us like we are some popular band or something. We also have to give them autographs! HAHA LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DYLAN!!!!!
P.S.-Tell my Mother I miss her and love her and have so much to tell you guys!!! Also give Bear, Buck and Bob a big ol hug for me!!
HAPPY FATHER”S DAY POP!!
I cannot even say how much fun we are having here. Some of us are a little worn out since we are non-stop moving. Today we woke up at 6:00 and walked into our kitchen were our host mother has a huge table of food awaiting us and also like 10 pitchers full of fresh squeezed orange juice. We then left and took a 2 hr. bus ride to a town where we travel to three different schools all day and we won’t be back till like 11:00 that’s a usual day for us. Its very tiring but soooooo much fun!! The ladies are quite pretty here I might say haha. Tonight Ty (the kid that was wearing a scoobie doo tie on graduation), Hayden and I were put in a room full of 15-17 year olds and expected to do something for an hour!! I was super nervous because none of us speak Portuguese and the definitely don’t speak English or Spanish. But, it ended up being soo much fun and we played hang man and dictionary the whole time. It’s crazy how you can have so much fun with people that you can’t really speak to!! Thanks for everything at Graduation!!! Sooo glad I got to spend it with ya!!!!!!!!!!! Much Love!!!!!!! Can’t wait to talk when I get back!!!!!! LOVE!!
Dylan
P.S. Read up above too to find out more info and same with Jerry if you are reading this!!!!!!! Ty says he wants you all to give buck bear and bob a hug!
Dear Dad,
I just got your notes tonight so I’m in an extremely awesome mood. Then again I’m in Brasil, and I can’t complain at all. I don’t want to leave but I have so many good stories and pictures to show ya’ll. My relationship with God and everyone on this team is getting stronger with each day. I can’t thank you enough for everything you have given me (guitar, trust, car, money) and I know how much of a loser I can be so I appreciate everything. This year has been extremely crazy with all my knee surgeries and all your support. All these challenges that I thought were going to be hard we’re so much easier with you helping my every need. I love you. You’re amazing. And I hope Cole gives you my present. Thanks for all the prayers, I probably need them. Happy father’s day, hope you don’t miss me too much.
Your Favorite Son,
Tyler Weihe
P.S. Dylan says to get off your facebook, it’s 3 in the morning.
Dear Scott (Dad),
Hey! Happy Fathers day! I miss you a ton, n im actually getting kind of home sick, because this is the first mission trip I haven’t had a family member on! I hope you have a great day, and I wish u were here with me. I cant wait to get back and play some golf! I hope the whole David situation is goin well, and hes not eatin too much. Have a great fathers day, and I cant wait to see you!. Also I miss everyone else, and who posted that comment as “someone who cares”…
Andrew
Hi honey (aka Drummer Dan) !!
Happy Father’s Day. Can’t wait to see you and exchange stories from the last two weeks. I’ll make sure I bring you some of my favorite chocolate that we had at our “chocolate tasting party” and “peixe” ---I’ll explain later. Hopefully you and Kayla have had some great bonding time!!!
Love you muchly
Bambie
Hey Dad (Dale M)
Just want to say happy Fathers day!! I would say I'm really starting to miss it back home but really I'm not sorry. Joking I miss everyone back home and I can’t wait to see you guys. Hope everything is going good. And hopefully your getting some work done cause I know since I’m not their you don’t have anyone to tell what to do! But i'm really missing it their and I cant wait to get back I hope you have a good fathers day even though your stuck with Shamus and Logan maybe you better just hang out with Boomer and Ringo they might be better company. But tell Shamus and Logan for some reason I’m missing them to but I think it’s just cause I miss seeing their ugly faces everyday and realizing I’m the best looking one in the family. Tell Cheri I’m missing her to and ill see you all when I get home Tuesday have a good Fathers day. Can’t wait to see everyone.
Love.
Sean McClure
Dear Marty.
Happy fathers day sorry I cant be their as much as I would like to be their on fathers day I’m going to take a wild guess and say this is a little bit more fun and more use full haha. But make sure you guys don’t get to wore out from the lake because i haven’t even started yet so you are going to have multiple more trips that you have to take out their. I’m missing everyone at home and I cant wait to see you all. Tell mom and Dakota I’m missing them both and I have a lot of stories for when I get back. I can’t wait to see you all and tell mom I got the letter yesterday I appreciate it a lot. Tell everyone I’m really growing down here I can’t believe it. But I miss you all I see you Tuesday.
Love,
Sean McClure
P.S
Tell Kelly I’m really missing her and I read her letter yesterday I’m glad she wrote cause other wise I would of completely forgot about her. Jk. I tell everyone I have a girlfriend and show them a picture. Call her and tell her I miss her a lot and can’t wait to see her when I get back.
Sean McClure
Hey Dad,
Happy fathers day. I hope you have a great day. I miss you and everyone at home a lot and cant wait to see everyone on Tuesday when I get back, don’t forget to come and get me in Omaha ok. But when you are reading this I will be in Rio De Janeiro either soaking up the sun on the beach or going to see the Christ statue. I love it down here its super fun and I can’t communicate the best but people understand me. I have a really cool host family. I am staying with Nick and liz and Steve at Johnys house. It’s a lot of fun. Everyone down here just loves on everyone which is awesome and the food is really good. We eat a ton though. By the way jumping in that waterfall was beyond cold. When I went in I couldn’t breath. But it’s all good. I Miss you and everyone and I’m gonna really miss not going to Mexico I think about it everyday. But I know God has worked through me here and I love it here. I still want to go to both places next year. These trips make me seriously think about being a missionary someday. But I hope you have a great day tomorrow dad and thanks for being such a great positive influence in my life and I love ya a lot. I miss ya and can’t wait to see ya. Keep praying for us.
Love ya pops, JON
Mark,
Happy Father’s Day! We wish we could be there to celebrate. Things are going well here. Can’t believe how fast the trip has flown by. We are all pretty exhausted. We hope that you got the card we sent. We found it to be perfect after your comment about Hee Haw that none of us got but mom. Ha. Ha. Have a Happy Father’s Day! We love you!
Emily and Brock
Boom,
Happy Father’s Day. Wish we could get out for a round of golf for Father’s Day, but we’ll have to take a rain-check on that. We are having an unbelievable time down here in Brazil. So many great people and such a great purpose. We have so much to tell you about when we get back. Hope you have a great Father’s Day.
Love,
Brock and Em
Hey (old-bike-riding-steak-smoking) man –
Dude, happy fathers day. Wish you could come down here for a meal, unbelievable steaks and the chicken hearts are excellent. We’ll have to do a couple rides so I can tell about every thing down here – love you lots and happy fathers day.
Matt
Oi, Pai. (That’s how we say ‘Sup, Dad in Brazil)
Sorry that I’m the last one to type a message, but I was always asleep when we had time to type. (Or maybe they were just saving the best for last.) Anyways, this is just a note to say that I love you and I miss you on this father’s day 2009. I hope you have a great time with the rest of the family and I hope to see you soon.
Love,
Eric “The” Rock
Hi dad, I’ll bet you never expected to get a note from me in Brazil. Happy Fathers Day!!! We’ve had a great time with the people here in Rio De Sol. All the students have been doing a good job. We are all getting a little tired but God is keeping us all very strong. My host family is very nice. It’s a little cold at night, but the days are very warm, well not hot! The homes do not have heat and the temp goes down in the 30’s. I know it sounds crazy but I’m eating almost all the different kinds of food, and I’ve not been sick. Well we will be home in a few days, so I’ll tell you more then. Dad I really love you, thanks for all you have done. Tell mom hello and that I really love her too. Hope you enjoy your father’s day gift, see you soon!
Love, Darryl
Hey Dad,
Just wanted to send a note from the road to wish you a happy father’s day. I wish I could be there with you all to celebrate and to enjoy a nice family meal together. Since I’m not able to be there with you all, I’ll look forward to you treating me to a nice meal when I get back. J See you in a week!
Love,
Joel
19.6.09 Last day in Rio Do Sul
WOW! I usually don't use exclamation points or all caps, but I thought it was necessary this time. We finished up our scheduled ministry here in Rio do Sol today. We split into two groups and went to two schools These kids were great too. They had signs for us and were very welcoming. It's going to be strange to go somewhere and not have them make you cake and coffee. Apparently we were the talk of the town all week. We have beenon the radio and tv letting people know our schedule and where to come listen to us if they wanted to. Wow. Our estimate is that in the last 9 days, our group has shared the gospel with around 4000-5000 people and generated interest in 5 different towns where we were sent out to aid the churches that are struggling. We are very humbled by what God has laid before us and feel very grateful for the opportunity.
Thank you for your continual support, the kids love hearing from you all and we're hoping to be able to check and update you over the next couple of days as we leave for Rio De Janiero but we're not sure what internet will be available.
Connie, we're pumped about the bbq/pool party. Thank you for the offer.
Tonight the church is taking us to a Pizzaria buffet that is supposed to be great and then we're having kind of a send off party. We're all looking forward to it.
Lastly in this post, are the pictures. I was at the school with the smaller group so my pictures are limited but here is a small snippit of what went on today.
While sharing the most important gospel, we didn't forget about the second most important one. Here is Ricky with our bus driver that has been great for us. Notice the bus driver's shirt.
At nearly every school we were at, we played elbow tag. The kids loved it and here is a pic of Joel Michaels playing with the kids. He has been a huge help since he arrived on Monday. We're thankful that he's here.
Thank you for your continual support, the kids love hearing from you all and we're hoping to be able to check and update you over the next couple of days as we leave for Rio De Janiero but we're not sure what internet will be available.
Connie, we're pumped about the bbq/pool party. Thank you for the offer.
Tonight the church is taking us to a Pizzaria buffet that is supposed to be great and then we're having kind of a send off party. We're all looking forward to it.
Lastly in this post, are the pictures. I was at the school with the smaller group so my pictures are limited but here is a small snippit of what went on today.
While sharing the most important gospel, we didn't forget about the second most important one. Here is Ricky with our bus driver that has been great for us. Notice the bus driver's shirt.
At nearly every school we were at, we played elbow tag. The kids loved it and here is a pic of Joel Michaels playing with the kids. He has been a huge help since he arrived on Monday. We're thankful that he's here.
E-Rock, Brandon, Kayla Spellman, Lauren and Joel lead the kids in a rousing rendition of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.
E-rock teaches the guitar to a couple of Brazillian boys.
bw
E-rock teaches the guitar to a couple of Brazillian boys.
bw
Thursday, June 18, 2009
19.6.09 - I'm not quite sure what day it is any more...
Another long, but rewarding day. We went to yet another town 2.5 hours away today and did another three sessions with three different groups of kids. They have three sessions of school per day here. Kids go for 4 hours each day either in the morning, afternoon or night. We're there for all three. We taught a little basketball, shared the Gospel and sang many of the same songs we have sung the past however many days we've been here. This afternoon we all kind of hit a wall. Energy levels were low and it felt like we were just going through the motions. This evening's session though seemed to re-energize the group. The kids were really into what was happening and we fed off of their energy. We played a little basketball against the Brazillians. With Jake, Jon, Alek, Ricky and myself representing the USA, we won pretty easily...then they rolled out the soccer ball. Our guys held their own, but eventually lost 3-2 in a close matchup. The middle portion though, was Brazillian girls against our guys. Anyway, it was another great day and the statement yesterday about how all of your kids are incredible...was vastly understated. They are stretched beyond what they believe they can do every day and exceed every expectation put on them. As leaders we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them for this amount of time with this level of intensity. You should be very proud of them.
In the last two days alone, we have presented The Message to approximately 2000 kids and generated interest in the E-Free churches in the towns we've visited.
Tomorrow is our last day in Rio do Sul. We go to a school here in town for two sessions and then the church here is hosting a pizza party for us as a send off. I'll try to get on tomorrow night and let you know how everything went, but with the way the Brazillians work, it very well could be very, very late before we get back to the house. I've posted a few more pictures below for your viewing pleasure...bw
These first ones are from yesterday...more of our group playing with the kids:
In the last two days alone, we have presented The Message to approximately 2000 kids and generated interest in the E-Free churches in the towns we've visited.
Tomorrow is our last day in Rio do Sul. We go to a school here in town for two sessions and then the church here is hosting a pizza party for us as a send off. I'll try to get on tomorrow night and let you know how everything went, but with the way the Brazillians work, it very well could be very, very late before we get back to the house. I've posted a few more pictures below for your viewing pleasure...bw
These first ones are from yesterday...more of our group playing with the kids:
The kids at the school made a poster for our visit today:
We have sung the "Brother Song" so many times we're starting to have nightmares about it, but the kids at the schools and Ricky (Hicky) still seem to love it so we keep doing it:
JBarr was enamored with the signs they made:
Tonight the band played some worship songs and our kids got into it right along side the Brazillian kids...it was a good time:
Tonight the band played some worship songs and our kids got into it right along side the Brazillian kids...it was a good time:
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
18.6.09 Long day at the Schools
We had an awesome day today and I'm extremely tired with an exhausting day tomorrow as well so this is going to be short. We spent all day at a school 2.5 hours away. I've dropped pictures of around 13 kids below playing with the kids at the school. Your kids are incredible. They continue to amaze us leaders as we push their limits so they can achieve more for Him. The individual stories the kids have from today is mind blowing. We read posts again and will do so again tomorrow. They love the contact so keep the encouragement coming. I'm going to bed...more tomorrow...bw
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
16.6.09 Part II
Florom's: Hayden is here, here is a picture to prove it. I'm really not sure why I don't have any of him up yet or no stories. He's doing great, has helped lead worship many times and is doing well.
Some of you have asked about the Spellman's. They are doing great. Becca is a very talented translator and we have relied on her expertise so many times. Kayla is working on her translating also as we're throwing her in front from time to time, she is doing well. Steve is very busy with administrative tasks for us which has been great and Liz is always ready to take care of us whenever something comes up, or making sure there is food here for us, etc. She is kind of the mom of the trip and is excellent at it.
bw
16.6.09 - The first long day
Today we started at 7:30 AM and most of the kids are at the school still doing another session. Most of us leaders are at the church waiting to see the results of how the kids do on their own. We have no doubt that they'll do great which is why we left them almost alone tonight (Daryl is there). They're supposed to be done around 9:30ish tonight. We split up into two schools today and had approximately 125 kids (yes 125) accept Christ today. Our kids are fired up and we're rearing to go tomorrow. Tomorrow and Thursday we are meeting at the church at 7:00 and have an hour and a half drive to get to where we'll split up again and do basically the same program we did today for the next two days. We aren't supposed to be back to our host homes until 11:00 or so the next two nights. On the bus trips I plan to read your comments to the group on the way to the next town tomorrow so keep posting. Thank you to all who have. It's still a little cold here, but it's not too bad. We're planning on calling Isaacson's around 9 or 9:15 on Skype so if you're not planning to go there, go.
One more picture of the top of the mountain. That is Vandelehey (phonetically spelled). He lives in Rio and goes the Spellman's church. He is an incredible musician and has been hanging out with us all week.
We spent yesterday at a school for very poor children. Here is a picture of Mattt playing with one of the kids.
Here is another one of Abby and two of the kids.
Here is Jake giving his testimony at the church in Pomerode. They were gread people and fed us many pastel de carne's. (a fried pastry with meat in the middle. Similar to a Runza, but not quite as good.)
One more picture of the top of the mountain. That is Vandelehey (phonetically spelled). He lives in Rio and goes the Spellman's church. He is an incredible musician and has been hanging out with us all week.
We spent yesterday at a school for very poor children. Here is a picture of Mattt playing with one of the kids.
Here is another one of Abby and two of the kids.
Here is Jake giving his testimony at the church in Pomerode. They were gread people and fed us many pastel de carne's. (a fried pastry with meat in the middle. Similar to a Runza, but not quite as good.)
bw
Monday, June 15, 2009
15.6.09 - A chance to Relax
Tonight we are spending some time with our host families and eating with them in their homes. Tomorrow we are at the church at 7:30 and have programming until 10:30 tomorrow night in the schools here in Rio do Sol. The pictues I have are only a fraction of the pictuers your kids have taken (and I'm approaching 300 myself with a week left to go). Our plan is to post all that we can on facebook once we get back for the purpose of sharing them all with each other and all of you. We have had so many great experiences, conversations and learning opportunities since arriving here almost a week ago. We are learning some Portugese, but mostly our team language has evolved into some sort of a Portuspanglish (part Portuguese, part Spanish and part English). We understand each other, but we're putting Portuguese accents on English words and will bounce back and forth between the three at any random time with words, accents, etc. We understand each other, but I don't think anyone else would be able to.
The preaching at the churches went very well. It was an experience getting there, but some things are probably better left unspoken until we get home. Everyone is safe though so no worries. Lauren and Jake shared their testimonies and did very well. Ricky spoke at one church, I spoke at another. The kids who were along had some great experiences.
Today we went to an impoverished school and taught the children some English, played games with them and shared the Word. We had a very good time and the children seemed to enjoy our presence. Brandon shared his testimony and like the rest of the kids he did great.
We started sharing your comments on our bus rides today out loud with the group. The kids had a lot of fun with that and we'll continue to do so. They love hearing from you.
Joel Michaels (a representative from our church at home) is supposed to be arriving tonight, last we heard he was in Rio de Janiero leaving for Florianapolis this afternoon and then would be catching a bus to where we are.
I don't have too many pictures of the kids jumping in the waterfall, but here are JBarr and Jon standing on a ledge about to jump in for a second time. There is video of this and many pictures from the kids. It's well documented.
The weather is damp and cool during the day and damp and cold at night. We had temperatures in the mid 30's last night. What makes it worse is that Brazillians don't beleive in central heating. Just multiple blankets and sweats.
This is Emily and I with Johnny at the top of the highest mountain near Rio do Sul. We climbed up this (drove most of the way, then climbed the last bit) Sunday morning after the waterfalls. Johnny is the pastor here that set our visit up. He is a great guy and has become a good friend to many of us.
The preaching at the churches went very well. It was an experience getting there, but some things are probably better left unspoken until we get home. Everyone is safe though so no worries. Lauren and Jake shared their testimonies and did very well. Ricky spoke at one church, I spoke at another. The kids who were along had some great experiences.
Today we went to an impoverished school and taught the children some English, played games with them and shared the Word. We had a very good time and the children seemed to enjoy our presence. Brandon shared his testimony and like the rest of the kids he did great.
We started sharing your comments on our bus rides today out loud with the group. The kids had a lot of fun with that and we'll continue to do so. They love hearing from you.
Joel Michaels (a representative from our church at home) is supposed to be arriving tonight, last we heard he was in Rio de Janiero leaving for Florianapolis this afternoon and then would be catching a bus to where we are.
I don't have too many pictures of the kids jumping in the waterfall, but here are JBarr and Jon standing on a ledge about to jump in for a second time. There is video of this and many pictures from the kids. It's well documented.
The weather is damp and cool during the day and damp and cold at night. We had temperatures in the mid 30's last night. What makes it worse is that Brazillians don't beleive in central heating. Just multiple blankets and sweats.
This is Emily and I with Johnny at the top of the highest mountain near Rio do Sul. We climbed up this (drove most of the way, then climbed the last bit) Sunday morning after the waterfalls. Johnny is the pastor here that set our visit up. He is a great guy and has become a good friend to many of us.
bw
15.6.09
Just about to leave for a school in a very poor area where we will spend our day today. I have no time to post any pictures right now but hopefully tonight. Those of us who went to the other towns and churches last night had an awesome time. So many stories to tell and each of us has our own experiences. It's awesome. Jake and Lauren shared their testimonies last night in small towns around the area (within 2 hours of Rio do Sul). They both did great. The kids were incredibly encouraged and excited when we saw how many posts we received. They all wanted to know if their parents posted anything. Thank you to all who have done so, keep it up.
Jake wanted me to tell his parents that his sugars are doing great down here, he isn't having any problems at all.
Also, the church youth group here has a website http://www.jers.ministerioalcance.com.br/. Their kids will be posting pictures that they have taken of us on there so check that out.
Everyone is feeling well now too...thank you for those prayers.
Hopefully more with pictures tonight...bw
Jake wanted me to tell his parents that his sugars are doing great down here, he isn't having any problems at all.
Also, the church youth group here has a website http://www.jers.ministerioalcance.com.br/. Their kids will be posting pictures that they have taken of us on there so check that out.
Everyone is feeling well now too...thank you for those prayers.
Hopefully more with pictures tonight...bw
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Waterfalls and Mountain Tops June 14 (Sunday)
Today we hiked to some beautiful places (well, we took a bus a lot of the way). We went to Indian falls. It is called Indian Falls because it was a burial ground for the Guaranese (sp?) Indians many, many years ago. Sean McClure, Brandon, Matt, Jason (JBarr), and John all jumped into the fridged waters. So far, no pnuemonia! After the falls we drove to the the highest mountain top. We had an amazing view of Rio de Sul. After the mountain top we went to a local sports club, like a YMCA, and had a bbq with the church people. We had beans and rice, potatoe salad, lettuce salad, corn (served cold straight from the can), green beans (also cold, but in a vinagarette), sweet pickle, sausage, bread and steak. Jake Marvin had a steak that took up his entire plate. The food is pretty good. After the bbq we all went with our host families to rest or tour a bit more of Brazil. Tonight our team will be at 3 different churches. Two groups are traveling, so pray for them. Brock, Darryl and Ricky (Hicky, as he is known here) are preaching tonight. We are also doing their children's ministry tonight at church. Can't believe how quickly the days fly by!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Orphanage update and 13.6 post
Hello All,
Everything is going great here. Today is our last day of English Camp. We're finishing up tonight with smores and some more music and sharing by the kids. We have a few with some illness, but nothing too bad, just some minor stomach issues and we have plenty of Pepto and rolaids so they're getting better. Spirits are high, but our schedule is really picking up next week with days starting at 7:00 AM local time until around 11 or midnight most nights.
Three of us will be preaching at local churches tomorrow evening (normal service time).
We had a chance yesterday to see some of the local wildlife:
This is a cappivara. Basically a big rat, they are basically the size of big pigs and live along the river that runs through town. They aren't aggressive, but look scary.
Here is a picture of the orphanage. We agreed to not post any pictures of the children because most of them are there due to sexual abuse and the orphanage protects their identity. Our kids have many pictures and many stories to share, but we can't post much that is available to the public. Abby and Madison were two who went to the orphanage yesterday and below the picture is their take on what happened:
Everything is going great here. Today is our last day of English Camp. We're finishing up tonight with smores and some more music and sharing by the kids. We have a few with some illness, but nothing too bad, just some minor stomach issues and we have plenty of Pepto and rolaids so they're getting better. Spirits are high, but our schedule is really picking up next week with days starting at 7:00 AM local time until around 11 or midnight most nights.
Three of us will be preaching at local churches tomorrow evening (normal service time).
We had a chance yesterday to see some of the local wildlife:
This is a cappivara. Basically a big rat, they are basically the size of big pigs and live along the river that runs through town. They aren't aggressive, but look scary.
Here is a picture of the orphanage. We agreed to not post any pictures of the children because most of them are there due to sexual abuse and the orphanage protects their identity. Our kids have many pictures and many stories to share, but we can't post much that is available to the public. Abby and Madison were two who went to the orphanage yesterday and below the picture is their take on what happened:
Yesterday some of our group got the opportunity to go to an orphanage. While we were there we played soccer with the kids. We were able to talk to them and some made bracelets. After we got to know the kids we sang some fun silly songs. They taught us some songs and we had fun singing and dancing. We then played some fun big group games. Madi gave her testimony to the group with the help of Becca as an interrupter. Sean Higgins explained the evanga-cube to everyone and then asked if anyone would like to accept Christ. About half of the kids said that they wanted to and then we prayed together. We handed out booklets about Jesus and candy. It was a fun and interesting experience to play with the kids and talk to them.
Abby and Madison
The kids are all doing a great job and are learning many new things every day. They seem excited to meet the Brazilians and interact with them constantly. Last night Andrew gave a lesson and Nick shared his testimony. Both did an awesome job. We are also video taping a lot and will hopefully be able to put together a DVD for everyone after we get home. Tonight Ty is sharing his testimony and Ryan P. is giving his lesson. Should be an awesome night.
On a side note, one thing that the kids absolutly love is when you post on here. Whenever I have the computer out, they hover around me asking if their parents have checked it, or if any of you have posted anything. The comments that get posted are typically shared with the group. I would encourage you to continue to post messages to your kids and all of the kids as they really enjoy the connection to home. Also, let me know if you have specific things you would like to know about and I'll do what I can to get your questions answered.
Probably nothing more until Sunday, maybe in the evening depending on our schedule and internet availability...bw
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday night
We are about to go over to teach some more English at the school. Some of us stayed and played games at the school today and some went to the orphanage. We can't put many pictures up of the orphanage but there will be a couple tomorrow. The Brazillians continue to be great hosts and the hamburgers here are pretty good too...more in the morning...bw
Friday Morning 12.6.09, Part 1
We are ready to go for another day. Yesterday and last night were great, we had quite a few people come to the English camp and we had many great opportunities for teaching. Some of which are shown in the pictures below.
Some of the pictures are from lunch yesterday too. They made us a soup at the church, which actually tasted pretty good. It was chicken (the whole thing), water, carrots, rice and potato. Couple that with some amazing local bread and it was a good lunch. A couple of the kids realized they actually did use the whole chicken when they found feet in their bowl. Eric decided to try it and said it wasn't that much different than the regular chicken taste...so now you know. Also, chicken heart is somewhat of a delicacy down here. They had it at the steakhouse, in the soup and on the pizza last night. Some of the kids are loving it, while others of us are sane. It tastes like a piece of dark meat that is really chewy and the dark meat flavor is very, very strong.
Abby's interview didn't happen due to lack of room on the set for her and Becca (translator). Abby did speak at the program last night and did an excellent job.
If anyone has specific questions I will try to relay them to the group or your child to see if we can't get you an answer. Also, let me know what you want to hear more about and I'll try to gather the information.
Robin, to answer your question about what Madison was doing...we wondered that too and finally concluded that she was trying to get her camera ready to have someone take a picture for her of the group. That's her story at least.
Today there will be a group going to an orphanage and we have more games and teaching time tonight...until next time.
What we've learned in Brazil so far:
Jake is tall here too.
How to speak using a translator. (Translator is Becca Spellman, she's great)
E-Rock likes to eat chicken feet
Brazillians put chicken feet in soup for flavor.
Brazillian bread is very good and the homemade soup may not be somthing to look at, but tastes good.
bw
Some of the pictures are from lunch yesterday too. They made us a soup at the church, which actually tasted pretty good. It was chicken (the whole thing), water, carrots, rice and potato. Couple that with some amazing local bread and it was a good lunch. A couple of the kids realized they actually did use the whole chicken when they found feet in their bowl. Eric decided to try it and said it wasn't that much different than the regular chicken taste...so now you know. Also, chicken heart is somewhat of a delicacy down here. They had it at the steakhouse, in the soup and on the pizza last night. Some of the kids are loving it, while others of us are sane. It tastes like a piece of dark meat that is really chewy and the dark meat flavor is very, very strong.
Abby's interview didn't happen due to lack of room on the set for her and Becca (translator). Abby did speak at the program last night and did an excellent job.
If anyone has specific questions I will try to relay them to the group or your child to see if we can't get you an answer. Also, let me know what you want to hear more about and I'll try to gather the information.
Robin, to answer your question about what Madison was doing...we wondered that too and finally concluded that she was trying to get her camera ready to have someone take a picture for her of the group. That's her story at least.
Today there will be a group going to an orphanage and we have more games and teaching time tonight...until next time.
What we've learned in Brazil so far:
Jake is tall here too.
How to speak using a translator. (Translator is Becca Spellman, she's great)
E-Rock likes to eat chicken feet
Brazillians put chicken feet in soup for flavor.
Brazillian bread is very good and the homemade soup may not be somthing to look at, but tastes good.
bw
Thursday, June 11, 2009
In Rio do Sul, 11.6.09
We made it! I apologize for the delay in getting anything posted there was no internet available between Miami and here at the church. Our travel time was 38 hours. Omaha to Chicago to Miami to Rio De Janero to Florianapolis followed by a 5 hour bus trip (supposed to have been 2) at night through the mountains of south Brazil. We all felt like Andrew did in the Rio airport after our 8 hour overnight flight
We made it to our host homes last night around midnight local time (10 PM CDT). It felt much later. The families and the people are absolutly fantastic. We had a brief time this morning of devotional and prayer. We also had a meeting with the local pastor, Johnny, as he laid out all that we will be doing in the next few days. Now we are preparing for the English camp and the rest of today.
Portuguese is somewhat similar to Spanish, but different too, there are awkward times of silence and communication struggles in the homes when we are without our translators but the people are very gracious, nice and welcoming and we are all very refreshed after a night of sleep in a real bed as opoposed to the airplane.
We ate at a Brazillian steakhouse in Rio de Janero yesterday when we got into town. It was great. Here is a picture of the team outside the steakhouse.
Other than the English camp, today's big event is that the local news station is interviewing Abby for a broadcast about our visit. We have a camera going along to document the experience and we'll be posting some pictures up here either tonight or tomorrow.
Here is a picture of the local church we are helping with. More pictures of the people to come later.
If anyone knows how Dan's surgery went, Bambi would really like to know so post it in the comment section and I'll relay the message.
bw
We made it to our host homes last night around midnight local time (10 PM CDT). It felt much later. The families and the people are absolutly fantastic. We had a brief time this morning of devotional and prayer. We also had a meeting with the local pastor, Johnny, as he laid out all that we will be doing in the next few days. Now we are preparing for the English camp and the rest of today.
Portuguese is somewhat similar to Spanish, but different too, there are awkward times of silence and communication struggles in the homes when we are without our translators but the people are very gracious, nice and welcoming and we are all very refreshed after a night of sleep in a real bed as opoposed to the airplane.
We ate at a Brazillian steakhouse in Rio de Janero yesterday when we got into town. It was great. Here is a picture of the team outside the steakhouse.
Other than the English camp, today's big event is that the local news station is interviewing Abby for a broadcast about our visit. We have a camera going along to document the experience and we'll be posting some pictures up here either tonight or tomorrow.
Here is a picture of the local church we are helping with. More pictures of the people to come later.
If anyone knows how Dan's surgery went, Bambi would really like to know so post it in the comment section and I'll relay the message.
bw
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
packing party
It is the night before we leave and we're all gathered at the church to drop our bags off and have a quick time of prayer with the parents. It's fun to see the kids very excited yet seem to be nervous. We're all very excited. Here is a pic of the group from tonight.
Thank you all for your support and prayers.
bw
Thank you all for your support and prayers.
bw
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