February 12, 2011
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1st Week
(Beautiful view, walking in Paudalho)This week has kind of been the first “official” week of ministry/working in Brazil. January was vacation and planning and practice to put everything together for the year. And I needed it–because it is a mouthful.
The first week of the International school went well. I am doing opening assembly (where I tell them things like “today is umbrella day” did you know last Thursday was umbrella day? And we sing songs and learn a Bible verse), choir (they REALLY want to sing a Black Eyed Peas song. Are there any…acceptable ones to sing?), and music class. The biggest thing for me was realizing how SMALL little kids are. I forgot about that. Think attention span of one minute per year they are old. And then plan 5 extra activities. yeah.
(Home of some of the Cajueiro Claro kids)I have loved going to Cajueiro Claro and meeting the kids. I have met new kids each day, and they all greet me with “good morning” in English now:). We arrive and have a short Bible time and then sing some songs. It is like magic when Flavio gets his guitar out–everything stops and the kids forget to be A.D.D. for a minute. They are really drawn to the music. Then we all go outside and play soccer or dodgeball. Next week I am hoping to add a second option to soccer…something less active that doesn’t result in so much sunburn, sweat, and dirt in my toes. I found a rug, so we will sit under the tree and draw, look at books, and stuff like that.
(One of the children from Cajueiro Claro, at his house)The PETI children are doing well, and meeting in the covered space for the feira (open market). The government is reorganizing once again, but the good news is that the new secretary over PETI is someone with much more experience and competence than the last one. Patricia and Cacau are very optimistic about the changes. Hopefully, they will find an official meeting place that has a kitchen, so the children can receive lunch. Besides this there are two big prayer requests:
Alexandria is six months pregnant, and is either 14 or 15 years old. She (and her brother Alexandro) has been living on the streets or in abandoned houses since she was little and her drunk father left for one town, and her prostitute mother moved to another town. She did not want this baby, and tried various self-abortions without success (abortion is illegal in Brazil), but is now (basically) ok with the idea of having the baby, and then giving the baby away to someone.
The good thing that has come from this situation is that for the first time, Alexandria has a home with the baby’s father’s family. She looks healthier (and cleaner) than I have ever seen her before. Please pray for this family as they have these three younger children (in the picture), while the older children are very active in drugs, gangs, and violence. The guy in the picture is not the baby’s dad, but his brother, who recently escaped from prison in Recife where he was serving time for drugs.
The other prayer request is for Stephanie. She is nine years old, and has one of the most beautiful smiles ever–I posted a picture of her recently, from the party we had. Last Sunday she was playing in the river with a group of her friends (the same age), when a man came and took her. The rest of her friends ran and got Stephanie’s mother, who was able to get Stephanie back, but not before harming her physically and sexually. She was taken to the hospital, but we have not had any further updates. Please keep the whole situation before the throne of God.
On a lighter note: one of the new little girls from PETI was very shy and hiding from me. Patricia went to her, and explained how I spoke two langauges, and that is why I sounded funny and so on. (In Portuguese, the word for “Language” and “Tongue” is the same) Her eyes grew big and she looked at me in horror and said “What? You mean she has two tongues??”
(I am hiding my two tongues behind my teeth)
