Yes, I know that we are home now. And I am not sure if anyone will be reading this. But I just wanted to share the feelings that have been overwhelming to me as we come back to reality and as we leave behind friendships and relationships that will not be forgotten. 

On Friday night, as we said goodbye to our translators and friends in Campina Grande, I was overcome by this sadness in my heart, yet it also felt full and whole at the same time. You know when your heart physically aches? Like, it hurts because you are so sad? Yeah. That’s exactly what I felt. I am not one to show my emotion. I don’t like to let people see me cry, and I don’t even cry that often. But, that night, I found myself weeping. No matter how much I tried not to cry, the tears just kept coming. You really don’t realize how much you start to love someone, and even depend on them somewhat, until you have to say goodbye. This amazing group of translators have become our way of communication to other people, have become our best friends, and have become our family.  Although we weren’t with them for that long, we built this connection and this relationship that is strong and real and that I think we can all say, won’t ever end. I think if we all got together again in 10 years, we would be able to pick up right where we left off. Of course, I WILL see them much sooner than 10 years. 

Driving away from Campina Grande Saturday morning, I felt this joy knowing that although we had to leave them for a while, none of this is over. I don’t think that God creates these friendships and these families just to say goodbye for good. I felt hope. And encouragement. 

I want each and everyone of you that was on this trip and all of the translators and FAD staff to know that you taught me what loving someone really is. It is something that I will carry with me forever. Loving someone is an action. You have to show it. Doesn’t matter how many times you say it. It won’t be real until you show them. Actions speak more than words do. I can see Jesus’ light shining through each and every one of you. You are all beautiful people and I love you all very very much. 

As I go back to work and to life in general, what I have learned in the past 13 days just keeps showing up. It applies more than just to what happens while you are on the trip. It carries through to when you get home and when you face everyday life. It is hard to process it all for sure, but God has a way of sneaking up on you and reminding you of what you learned. Hope that paragraph made sense. I am still a little bit out of it. :) 

Much love,

Julia

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’ ” – Luke 17:15-19

The Bible makes it clear that experiencing gratitude and expressing it to God is an important response when he grants our petitions. It is now time, at the end our journey, to go to our knees and express our extreme gratitude for the amazing blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon us over the past two weeks. Just a few of the things that we are thankful for:

• The Lord’s protection in keeping us safe in a quite dangerous part of the country.
• Smooth travels and generally good health.
• That all of the medical, eyeglass, and other supplies made it into the country.
• For the hundreds of people that were praying for us every day and all of the answered prayers.
• For the many, many, relationships that were formed between Americans and Brazilians.
• For the incredible unity and love amongst all of the members of our team.
• For the love and caring that so many Brazilians showed to us.
• For the time of worship and prayer together with Americans and Brazilians as the Lord intended for all believers to be one body.
• For the opportunity to be His servants and truly make a difference through the medical, eyeglass, craft, prayer, bio update, and soccer ministries at the clinics.
• That one day every knee will bow down and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Gary

An anonymous quick post… Today: quick, tiresome, numb, and silent. We started the day loading the bus to leave Campina Grande for Recife, aka the beach. The last week in Campina Grande has been filled with relationships and moments that make leaving more bitter than sweet. We leave there with new relationships that bring us a new sense of God’s reach and love. However, to be positive, the beaches at Recife are beautiful, despite being the most shark infested watery beaches of the world. Yes, fantastic. Our “fearless leader”, Matt, started feeling sick with the typical stomach ickiness that has plagued a portion of us. To you, we offer our utmost sympathy, ps we missed you today, despite Steve’s stellar impersonation of you (complete with nervous hair twitch). We went to a little outdoor restaurant tonight that served us the best meal yet. (Apparently, to my cohort, it looked like pirates of the caribbean, complete with creepy voodoo masks….fabulous). Our dinner entailed of grilled cheese appetizer (sans bread), crab appetizer, shrimp and pepper rice, grilled steak and fish, french fries (a craving of many), and all of this to be finished with a suprising brazilian dessert of fried bananas with more grilled cheese and cinnamon-sugar, and of course coffee (my new favorite). We went from there to a open air market where I, and others, purchased gifts for the entire fam and friends. The night has been finished with slow pricey internet, and blog websites that don’t work.

Leaving today left us in lurch. The transition has/is leaving us with a difficult feeling. On one hand our hearts are full with love, joy, and companionship. On the other hand, leaving leaves our souls empty, desolate, and tired from the emotions. Our new friends have shown us an undescribable feeling. Cohort and I talk here trying describe the feeling, we came up with words like holy, whole, joy-filled, overpowering, overfilling, etc. I hope you get the picture. God created a story here and we are just a chapter, starting part 2. To all our new friends (who feel like the oldest of friends) We miss you. I love you. Eu tu amo.  

It is almost ten o clock here is brasil.  The day is winding down and the sun is long gone. Our group has heavy hearts tonight that are full of gratitude and joy.  I saw tears tonight, I saw laughter, and I saw nick eat at least 23 pieces of pizza…maybe I should back up and start from the beginning. 

We finally entered into the jungle of Brasil this evening. It was called Pizzaria safari.  Okay is wasnt really the jungle but is was filled with cheetahs, crocs, and girafe all lacking a pulse. We were served 7 to 8 different pizzas some with toppings of shrimp, corn, and eggs.  And then dessert came.  I am pretty sure we are all coming back with a little bit of exra baggage… and nothing we can check. I sat next to nick and saw him eat at least six slices of dessert pizza one with ice the other with enough chocolate sprinks to feed a small village.  I will pray for him tonight:). 

In some ways the last supper took place tonight.  All week long we have been engaging in deep fellowship with our translators who embody what it means to be a brother or sister in christ.  All week long I have laid hands on people asking Abba for a miracle.  For transformation and renewal in the families of these wonderful people.  And He has been so faithful.  I have seen so many physical healings.  Sometimes I get so focused on what I can see I forget about what I cant.  God is LOVE, and I think that i forget that love always looks like something. This word is an ACTION word. This week I learned so much about love and how close we can be to someone else.  My love is weak but God sees it and He is ALWAYS faithful to reward and give love. I saw a miracle tonight no I was apart of a miracle tonight and I could have easily missed it.  1 John 4:19 says We love Him because He first loved us.  I only know about love because I have been taught about it by Him.  I can only love because He gives me love.  Tonight we had to say goodbye to our friends to our family here, and for a lot of people or at least for me there was a deep love for these people that only comes from God.

We have been so blessed by the people God has put in our lives here.  So tonight there was tears but they were good, and  they were real, they came from the heart of God.  As I sat on the bus on the way back to the hotel one hand on the window and the other knitted together with stephs I felt joy.  It is good. BOM! I pray that this kind of love is not forgotten.  Thank you to everyone at home, we miss you and are so thankful for your prayers. Tomorrow we are off with the staff from FAD so excited to see what God will do next.  Arent you?

Love,

Hannah

Spell checked and inspired in part by stephanie. 

Oi! Jacquelyn here.

Hi everyone, its day eight here in beautiful Brazil and I figured that it was about time I checked in with you all. The moment I heard that we were going to post a blog, my fingers were itching to tell my story. Funny thing is, now I haven`t a clue as to what I can say. I guess I`ll just begin, well, at the start (of the day that is) and hope that by the end you get a glimps of our own small taste of this incredible Country.

The day started for our group getting the chance to sleep in and get some much needed rest. By 9:30, a tasty Brazilian breakfast, and two cup´s of coffee -for myself, we were off! We went back to the F.A.D building where we have been holding our clinics but rather than working with the people personally as usual, we spent some time to give the building a much needed make-over (if you will) by sanding the fences and gates and giving them a fresh coat of vibrant blue paint. We whitewashed the walls as well and by the end we were all happy to take a break for lunch and from the fumes we couldn`t escape breathing in.

After lunch we all piled back onto the bus and headed to the trash dump. Hearing the itenerary of the trip long before we ever came to Brazil, I knew that this day was coming but never took the time to think much about it. Our group had even driven by there at least twice a day and again, I had never even given it or the people within it`s walls any thought.

Then we arrived. Sitting on the bus an unpleasant smell had begun to creep up on us and by the time I stepped off the bus, it hit full force. It took all I had in me just to not turn right back around and get back on. The smell was rancid and I soon found myself gagging not only from the sheer stench but from the sight that met me there as well. I wanted to run away, cry, and throw up all at the same time. Stretching ahead of me wherever I looked were mounds and mounds of trash -not the kind that you carelessly toss into a nice little tin at home, but rotting mounds of decaying debris. I hardly had the chance to take it all in before an armfull of bread was thrust my way and I had to snap back into reality. Because beyond the trash piles were the people who live in it. Numbly we all walked to them, handing out milk and bread as we went. It was all I could do to meet them with a smile and a greeting. My heart broke as I watched the women who wouldn´t take the bread from us until they washed their hands from the filfth that they not only worked but lived in. It broke as I watched my group struggle with the smell, the sights, and sheerly being overwhelmed with our invidual thoughts. It continued to break as I saw the children without even shoes on their feet but a smile on their faces when they met us.

After spending all too much and all too little time there with the people, we were supposed to set up a clinic to be able to give even the smallest amount of care to these people who were in so much need. Unfortunately our doctor (Laura) was sick today and the Brazilian Doctor who was supposed to meet us was unable to be there. So we got back on the bus and drove home. Some sat in silence, others talked together about thoughts and feelings and I myself decided It was time for me to finally write my story.

Its hard to know what to do or what to think after something like this but now i realize that´s the way its supposed to be. Its heartbreaking to see such absolute poverty and neglect and realize there really is not much we can as individuals do. Even if someday we were able to come back and help this community more, even spend our whole lives devoted to it, that doesn`t change the fact that there is always more to do, more dumps and communities exactly like this one. Im not saying its all hopeless, oh not at all. There actually is a group that comes in week after week to care for these people, not only to give them food and drink, but to give them something more- The love of Jesus. And that`s where we can find our hope. That through him people find the courage and love- his love, to give these people, and thoes all around the world.

So, driving away from that dump today, I don`t think that any of us felt good about ourselves, that we had done a great deed or really helped in anyway at all. Most felt disgust, hoplessness, saddness, humility, confussed, but I feel now that it is important that we felt all that in more. But more than It all being about what WE can take away from this and how WE feel, I think its important to come back to the main reason we are all here. Because our God loves these people, just as much as you and me. He loves them day in and day out no matter if our group or another one is there to phisically show them that in the form of a peice of bread or a glass of milk. And the children and families who amidst all of this greif and poverty who have come to know that love, that´s makes it worth it.

-Jacquelyn

Why Hello! Here is a snapshot…

23 Mosquito bites.

Brazilian Models.

Hamburgers. Multitudes of them.

Soccer blisters.

Dinosaurs.

Ultimate Ninja.

Jorge Pessoa.

Hairy men running in speedos.

Brosters.

Beautiful Brazilian kids. Gorgeous eyes.

Making bead necklaces. Hundreds of them.

Rehearsing a skit of the bible in ten minutes.

Singing We Will Dance to all of the FAD kids.

Delicioius breakfast.

Team Jacob.

Singing worship songs in Portuguese and dancing.

Continuous cheese and bread. Key word: Continuous. 

Continuing to build friendships.

We are all enjoying ourselves very much and only a few of us have gotten sick. If you all could pray for the following things:

-Those who are not feeling well..Chantel, Steve, and Isaiah. 

-Rich time with God and making more time set apart with God.

-Time to bond with each other and time/patience to build good strong friendships. 

-For God to continue to give us strength to feel hopeful instead of hopeless for these Brazilian people.

-For rest and good sleep.

-For God to really use the drama that we have been working on to work in others lives and show God´s strength and his power.

-For unity.

Thank you so much for all the prayers and support. We are doing very well and we feel very blessed about how things are going so far and how well the clinics we are putting on are turning out! Talk to you all soon!

-The Gang

Dear family, friends, and future me (who’s sure to come back and read this to remember…),

The first day….of actual sense of saneness from appropriate needed amount of sleep, and working, and making  lasting bonds started. I (Ariail) signed up for Medical Clinic; and was the only “under thirty”, from our group, signed up for the role. We arrived at the compound  (abandoned school) that FAD borrowed  to host the Clinic and “games/crafts/soccer (futball)” that was/is our partial purpose for this trip. Jena-Marie and Dr. Laura taught me how to weigh, measure,  check temp,  blood pressure, and pulse, and record all the stats with name and age. Once stats were taken the children, mothers, and random people, would wait in line for Dr. Laura to complete a thorough check over; including lice, teeth, sickness, infection, and any other possible maladies  waiting to occur to children living in worse “conditions”. At our availability were, at one point, three translators, the English equivalent of Joan, Israel, and Egal…with the proper accents…

The morning was easy, with groups of 2 or 3 trickling in every 10 minutes or so. Apparently this was due to the mothers preparing lunches for husbands. It showed, as after lunch (the main midday meal) floods and floods of people came in, most of the mothers with more than 4 children. It was quite the ordeal. My afternoon involved chasing down rogue patients, telling people again and again to tirra zapatos (haha….this is terribly wrong..but remove shoes) so they could stand on the scale that if they stepped to soon on would shut down, and, with the help of Egal, trying to convince the patients to put and keep the thermometer under their tongue. The day finished quickly for me, bringing a tired brain and back.  Went back to the hotel and swam. Exciting.

All lightness aside, the faces of the children and some of their conditions was not entertaining. There was one mother with 7 children, the two youngest had a sore of some kind on the back of their heads. According the Donna (our connection) the Brazilian equivalent of social services was concerned with the health of the children in that family. One little boy came of his own accord with an oozing sore on his leg. Donna told us his step-father made him sleep on the porch or in the doghouse, and for the last 3 days he had been missing. Donna told us that she is so amazed at his good spirit which has no meanness,  bitterness, or grudging. All of this leads me to think of a  quote (in Portugese) that was written on the wall in one of the churches I attended,  ”Aqui esta quem e maior que o tempto - Matt 12:6 “, my “sisters” and I roughly translated this to mean “Here is something bigger than the temple”. In my English The Message Bible and in an NIV Bible it doesn’t have the same words or connotation. Regardless I still like it, and it draws a parallel, in my mind, to this trip. But this is where I draw a blank, what’s “here” is us/our group, but beyond that…draw your own conclusion. Sorry…

Debriefing is, well, now, so Ciao and amore from Brasil,

Ariail