From Summer sun to SNOW!!

Joe and I have now been in the states for about a week! We arrived last Sunday morning into Atlanta around 6am, and learned that just about every flight was cancelled do to a snow storm that was headed right through the southern states. And anyone who has every lived in the south knows that the whisper of snow throws everyone into a panic. So our original flight to Charlotte was cancelled, but they did have one more flight leaving that morning for Greensboro, so we hopped on it knowing our bags (all 7 of them) probably would not join us. Though we were excited to get to go to Melissa's parents first, they never get the first period of time with us since we always fly into Charlotte. Exciting enough, Melissa has wanted to see snow for two years now, and she got it! Along with the rest of North Carolina, High Point received almost 6 inches of snow Sunday night!




After a fun filled day with the snow Monday, Melissa's grandmother let us borrow her car to drive to Charlotte. Anyone who makes fun of the boats that more elderly drive, need to test drive one, it drives smoother than any other car we have been in lately. Upon arriving to Joe's parents in Davidson (just North of Charlotte) this is what we found (they live at 19000).



As we begin to settle in and finish the 20 loads of laundry we have, we are missing our routine and friends from Sao Paulo (here are a few pictures from our last few days there) but we are super excited for what God has planned for us in the next few weeks and months!

Carnival, Medical Exams, and Turpentine

Over the weekend and the beginning of this week was the carnival holiday. During Carnival in Brasil most of the country shuts down. Many, many Brazilians head for the beach, others travel to various Carnival celebrations. The famous ones are in Rio de Janiero, Salvadore and Ouro Preto, first two not especially safe. Each year Carnival is held the four days before Ash Wednesday; these four days leading up to Ash Wednesday are a time to feast, dance, party and simply let-loose before the tranquil weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
Some theories say Carnival began as a pagan celebration in ancient Rome and Greece (ancient spring Greek festical in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine). The Romans adopted the celebration with Bacchanalia (feasts in honor of Bacchus) then there was Saturnalia, where slaves and their masters would exchange clothes in a day of drunken revelry. Saturnalia was later modified by the Roman Catholic Church into a festival leading up to Ash Wednesday. It quickly evolved into a massive celebration of indulgences - one last gasp of music, food, alcohol, and sex before Lent - before the 40 days of personal reflections, abstinence and fasting until Easter.
A good friend of ours went to the carnival here in Sao Paulo and sent me these pictures! Everyone says you should at least see it once, Joe and I have chosen not to go last year or this year mainly because of cost(tickets are REALLY expensive).




During carnival, Joe and I were invited to attend a churrasco (BBQ) at the nacional clube physica(national physical club) Very similar to a city park and pool. It had a playground, trails, picnic tables and a small water park. But before we could go into the water park you have to have a medical exam and be approved. Our best guess was they were taking precautions from spreading something. I guess I just assumed that the chlorine would kill anything. So we went through the medical exam, then they watch you shower off(unlike in the US where everyone skips this step), and then we had to walk a turnstile the hand a mini pool full of some sort of solution. After being treated like we were going to spread foot and mouth disease, we were allowed to enter the pool. It was fun once we got thru all of that.

On a side note, Joe and I have been working on packing and cleaning up our apartment, preparing to leave Brazil. We have been selling all of our furniture and appliances also. One of the things I have never figured out here is how to clean really well. And for those of you who are thinking that really shouldn't be that hard, then go live in one of the top 5 most densely populated cities and then let me know how to do it. And New York doesn't count! Detroit has more pollution. I have tried every cleaner in the stores, and I have resorted to bleach. None of them work. So yesterday I started using turpentine, and Eureka we have a winner!

Walking through devastation

This past week Sao Paulo has had many thunderstorms. Last weekend they were so bad that Saturday night many areas flooded, including our street. In the 14 months that we have been here we haven't experienced a storm like it. We aren't talking about a foot of water we are talking about entire cars underwater. Unlike the US, most people do not have car insurance. Sunday morning we woke up to blue skies, and a warm 75 degrees. But heading to the bus stop was less impressive. Everything on our street was covered in mud and silt(the slick mud) trees were down, a concrete wall had collapsed, and you could see the water marks on everything. It gave us an appreciation for those who went through Katrina first hand. Tonight we are suppose to have similars storms. Please pray for those in the city who do not have homes that they might find shelter. I have included a few pictures



For those of you who don't know what your looking at, the light in the middle is a cars flashers still going...underwater!

First comes love, then comes Marriage, then what?

In our story it isn't a baby in a baby carriage! Not yet at least. So what comes next? Puerto Rico! Joe and I have again chosen to join God and the My Hope project in bringing this evangelistic project to Puerto Rico. But mostly we are so honored that God has allowed us to be a part of something so amazing, furthuring HIS kingdom. Joe and I took the opportunity this weekend to reflect on this year and to praise God for our time in Brazil. We also took time to Pray for God's will. Doing what we do, we get to choose to trust God with our lives but also be a part of the Great Commission! Last week Joe took a trip to Puerto Rico, he got to meet with many of the religious leaders in the country and get the first glimpses of what this next year holds for us. Each country has its differences, Brazil is HUGE, and Puerto Rico too with be a new encounter with God.
For a review of this last year, Brazilians are so amazing, they have so much life and personality to them, and warmth that we haven't felt anywhere else. God has placed his print on Brazil! Over this year we have met with pastors and leaders. We have shot two music videos and Joe was able to interview Kaka in Milan. But most importantly, several hundred thousand people watched the three day broadcast, and over 267,000 Brazilians have made a decision for Christ! All our Praises to God! This is why we countinue to do this, because we get glorify God by sharing the Gospel!

I have added a few pictures from Joe's trip to Puerto Rico:

Happy Birthday!!

Saturday was Joe's Birthday. It was a great day, we knew it was our last to spend together for a week and a half(he travelled on Sunday). We woke up late which really isn't that late(8:15ish) Had a big breakfast of omelets, hashbrowns and muffins. Topped off with chocolate truffle coffee. After our lazy morning, we decided to run over to the mall to see if we could Joe some sunglasses. While we were home for christmas Joe lost his somewhere. But cheap sunglasses really don't exist in Brazil, so we got some ice cream instead and headed home for a nap. This year Joe and I have gotten into an element and we haven't ventured too far outside of it. Partially because Sao Paulo is HUGE and we could never get to everywhere, and another is we stay within our transportaion limits. But on Saturday we decided to venture out to a new restaurant that we had heard good things about. So looking at a map we knew we could take the train get off near the neighborhood and then grab a cab. We did just that took the train got of, and stepped off in a sketchy area so we walked fast and made turns with our best judgement. Luckely and with God's protection we found a cab, got to the restaurant and we so blown away with the ambiance of it that we quickly forgot the heart racing walk their. The restaurant was so nice, candles everywhere! Though when I told the waiter it was Joe's birthday he gave me a look of "so". Which made us laugh the rest of the night, but the food was ok, not great but good, the atmosphere definately made up for it.

You would think we would learn!

Well, we arrived a week ago back to Brazil, and we are definately in the full swing of summer, meaning it's hot. I love it! (Sorry Aunt Gigi)who just informed me that they have had 35" of snow already this season. But in Brazil, last summer when we fist moved here, we learned that you don't go anywhere and leave your windows open because it can monsoon at any point, with little warning, but mostly it happens late afternoon around 5:30/6, right when Joe is trying to walk home. Needless to say we flooded our apartment. For those of you who are gasping, it wasn't that bad to clean up, all our floors are tile and we have drains in random places in the floor. Well, on Wednesday, I left to go teach a couple of classes and decided it is blue, hot and not a cloud in the sky, so Im going to leave the patio doors open just a crack to keep air circulating. After teaching I went to Joe's office to help count some info that needed to be organized and added to a database. Right around 3:30, I hear a huge crash of thunder, look out the window and the rivers in the streets have already started. I contemplate running home, but if water got in, then the damage is already done, I needed to go by the grocery store still, I wasn't finished, and I had white pants on. So I decide to stay and finish and just pray that our house isn't flooded again. We waited out the heavy rain, ran to the grocery store, and then ran home before the ran began again. Once inside, our first assessment is the stairs! Their is white plaster all over them, we still can't figure out from what, but I had just spent 6 hours on Monday cleaning. We head into the dining room, where the balcony door is and no water, run upstairs, check the floor, no water. So for the most part we are pretty relieved. Later that night, we go to bed, lay down, and the bed is wet! Go Figure.