August 22, 2006
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Hello. yep. i am putting my very long, very rough official Brasil update on my xanga. this is actually what everyone is getting who does not normally read my xanga. or, if you were skipping all the stuff i normally post…here is the rundown.
I sat up in bed, looked my frightened roommate in the eye and said “Ivana, say ‘How are you’ in English!” then rolled over and continued sleeping. This happened about once a week when I had dreams (or nightmares if involving grammar) where I was teaching English. I arrived in Brasil a day before the inauguration on the International School of Carpina. Carpina is a small town an hour inland from the Northeast coast of Brasil, near Recife. 15 kids divided into three two- hour classes learned English each day, faster than I could teach it.
With the interest of others, I also began offering English classes to adults and teens on Mondays and Saturdays. This grew into a ministry that reached out to the community, offering a valuable skill—while using the Bible as my English textbook. On the weekends I was able to join in the ministry and mission of Alcance Brasil—Church planting. There is something breathtaking about watching God building His church….and knowing you are one of the family. This involved a lot of stretching experiences like singing in Portuguese, and teaching Bible verses to children. Do you know how LONG John 3:16 is in Portuguese?
In July, over 40 people came from the US to work along side our Brasilian brothers and sisters to have a medical clinic, youth conference, English camp, and basketball clinic. My sister also came, and we were joined July 16th by Christopher Moraes, Tele and Heather’s healthy baby boy.
Each of these things are nicely documented facts on a page, but cannot explain the heart, the blood and sweat poured out, the laughter and tears, and the awe at seeing God work once again.
Someone asked me what I did when faced with so much poverty and problems and issues involved with serving in Brasil. One of the most powerful lessons I’d learned all semester was a completely different answer. I think I’ve had more times of questions and falling on my knees broken before God asking “why?” this semester than I have any other time in my life. And when I look back on most of those questions, I have no answers to them yet. Maybe I never will. But the answer is best expressed in a book by John Eldredge (Sacred Romance):
“How can I trust a Lover who is so wild? Indeed, how do we not only trust Him, but love Him in return? There’s only one possible answer: You could love Him if you KNEW His heart was good.”
Sometimes it really looks like God is the bad guy. And what bothers me the most is that He does not come and stick up for Himself. He doesn’t zap anyone with lightening. But as I wave my fist to heaven and dissolve into exhaustion after fighting…I feel His heart. And know that it is good. That He is good. Somehow I know that more than reality itself. More than the questions, the problems, or even myself. And that is how I continue
on.
If you ask me about outward results, I have plenty of success stories to tell you about this trip, how many people were saved, changed, encouraged, and growing. But the point is, we saw and felt the heart of God, and He is good.
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So what is up with this? Yep, I am headed back again. Right now I only have a tourist visa that allows me to be in Brasil for 180 days a year. Lord willing, I will return for the semester in February-July for the second year of the International School, as well as continue teaching English to adults and teens as an outreach, and being a part of the church planting team. We are still praying and working on getting a student or volunteer visa to stay in Brasil for a full missionary term.
As far as while I am here in the US, I am going to Ivy Tech State College to finish my associates in Early Childhood Education this semester, as well as continue working at the Good News Ministries Youth center. God is so good to me to provide amazing opportunities for me wherever I am internationally!
I am also excited about being home with my family this semester to celebrate some amazing things:
September 12th is my Mom and Dad’s (Jim and Cyndi’s)25th Anniversary
October 4th is my Mom’s 50th Birthday
November 5th is my sister’s (Anna’s)18th Birthday
If you would like to celebrate with us, we are having an open house on September 10th from 2pm-4pm. Or, if you could, send me (Rachel) a letter, picture, or memory (however you record those) so that I can put them together for each of these special dates. Or just e-mail me about what you want to do. Technology is good. I thank God for a family that supports me, parents who love me, and a sister who can serve with me. And John.
