Day 12 - April 29

Day 12 (Tuesday)

Hello Everyone,

As Jason mentioned in his Day 11 update, I spent the night at the Guzzo’s house. After taking the bus by myself – Vini’s sister and mom picked me up from the bus terminal and we went for coffee and snacks…However, even more delightful than my hot chocolate was the great conversation that we shared as sisters in Christ.

We walked home and a short while later a lot of Vini’s friends arrived – apparently invited over just to meet the American Something I’m slowly learning about the Brazilian culture is the value placed on relationships. Rather than have something planned to do, they just want to spend time with other people. So we pulled out the Chimarrão (An herbal tea – very common here in the South) and as you say in Hawaii “talked story.” There were LOTS of questions about American culture, including the all time famous: “What do you eat?”

Here in Rio Grande do Sul, they eat lots of Barbecue, and that night at the Guzzo’s was no exception. After the conversation wound down and the dishes were cleaned up, it was nearly 2 am when I climbed in to bed. I was pretty certain that I was not going to make it to school with Fernanda in the morning as I had promised.

When her alarm went off at 6:45, I realized that sleeping in would mean missing out on a perhaps once-in-a-life-time opportunity. So, on a little more than four hours of sleep, I too started getting ready for a day in Brazilian high school. While I could go on and on, about the many differences between the American education system and this one, I’ll simply say that it experience I’m glad I didn’t miss out on.

Fernanda’s class had 29 girls, all aged 14-15, and all very curious about this foreign visitor who spoke Portuguese. The second period teacher, after asking me a few questions, invited me up to the front to share a Bible verse. I don’t know anything about the spiritual background of this teacher, but she opened the door wide for me to share the gospel in a public school! So, instead of just sharing a verse, I went to the front, and in Portuguese, gave a testimony of the Lord’s work in my life and a basic presentation of the gospel – incorporating it into how I have arrived here in Brazil. What was so special to me is that I was in their shoes when I chose to follow Christ: nine years and a day ago!

After lunch at the Guzzo’s house, I spent the afternoon in Fernanda’s English class and then caught the bus back to Bom Retiro where I had company waiting for me. I took three young girls from the church out for ice-cream, but made sure not to spoil the yummy dinner to come – as we were invited over to Kiko and Jacque’s house. (Just a note on this couple – their house has tripled in size since they have become followers of Christ. As the Lord continues to bless them, they continue to share their blessings with others!)

I’m still squeezing every little bit of Brazil possible into each day!

Please pray for the following requests:

• Thank God for the openness of the Brazilian school system and for the opportunity to share the gospel. Pray that the young girls in that room would desire a relationship with Christ and that I will continue to be used in their lives through the technology of the internet.
• Pray for me as I share on the radio of Bom Retiro tonight. Marcia will be helping me to translate a message on the blessings of obedience and the results of disobedience. Pray that many will desire to bring their lives under the Lordship of Christ!

With much love

On behalf of the team,

Christen