Waiting

Have you ever realized how many times in life you spend waiting? I'm suddenly realizing how often I wait. I'm talking about the big things. As a child I waited for having my ears pierced, I waited for my special 12th birthday date with my dad, I waited for birthdays and Christmas. Then I waited to get into youth group as a teen and then I waited to get into college. I always wait for those big things in life. I wanted those next big things to happen sooner rather than being content where I was in time and in life.

Now as an adult I am still waiting. I waited for a husband and a wedding. My husband was and is an amazing gift by the way. Once I was married I waited with Cameron to come to Brazil. We waited for jobs and money. We currently are waiting for a house and for my residence card to go through. And the biggest WAIT right now is for children. We can't start the adoption process in Brazil until my residence card is finished. Waiting and waiting.

I ask myself why I constantly wait. Why can't I be content where I am? I look forward and want things to happen. Recently I was reminded by a friend that God wants us to rest in Him. He wants us to let Him take care of us and not stress and fret about things we can't control.

I think of the children's song:

He's still working on me,
To make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient he must be,
He's still working on me.

Vs 1
There really ought to be a sign upon my heart,
"Don't judge me yet there's an unfinished part."
I'll be perfect just according to his plan,
Fashioned by the Father's loving hand.

Vs 2
In the mirror of his Word, reflections that I see,
Make me wonder why He never gave up on me.
He loves me as I am, and helps me when I pray,
Remember He's the potter I'm the clay.

(not sure who wrote this - couldn't find a definite answer)

I am so thankful for God's grace as we grow in him. I hope He will help me to let go and rest in him.
I am continually learning patience.

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against against these things." Galatians 5:22, 23 NLT

So many changes...

Well, I guess Cameron and I continue to make records in our lives as far as how many times we have moved. We have moved living arrangements 10 times in our 9 years of marriage. Cities include: West Seneca to Buffalo to West Seneca to Greenville to Naju to Yangju to Arapongas to Londrina. When it is affordable to buy a live-in jet we will have to invest or maybe we should just get an RV. :o) Or we could just pray intensely that Star Trek style transporters will be invented very soon - a terrifying, but convenient option.

Cameron is working at a new English school called Cultural Ingles. It is a Bi-National Center for Brazil and the USA which is pretty cool. I'm still learning all of what this means exactly. So far Cameron seems to be enjoying his classes. It seems so strange to me that he, the introvert, loves to teach and I, the extrovert, have come to find I really don't like it.

Once we get settled in our permanent living space I hope to sell American baked goods for extra income. I'm really trying to find what my niche will be. Hopefully God will help me see what it is once my Portuguese is a bit stronger. I'm trying to build on my love for writing and creative things. I have also been enjoying having extra time to do Bible study. Maybe in the future God will allow me to go to seminary.

We have decided that my focus for now is Portuguese. I have been using Rosetta Stone as a base and I'm focusing on finishing what I started last fall before we came. Really it shouldn't have taken that long. I'm also waiting to hear about a class! I'm really looking forward to having a teacher as it will be much easier to grow in confidence. I also continue to watch Brazilian TV by listening and reading the captions. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is difficult. I keep surprising myself at how much I know, but I still have a hard time putting it together in speaking. Everywhere I go the people have been extremely helpful as well.

Our current living situation was quite a miracle. My in-law's next-door neighbor moved and left their house empty. When they found out we needed a place to stay for a while they offered their place. At the moment I am without a camera, but hopefully I can share pictures soon.

I found a new hobby in crocheting! So far I have finished 2 projects and I'm working on a 3rd. It is kind of ironic since crocheting is very popular here. I can thank Pinterest for the many project ideas I have for the future. I will have to do a Pinterest post to share all of the great "things" I have learned from there. It is really a great place for visual people.

Right now we are once again working on getting into the swing of our new routines. Cameron with school and I with housework and studying. I share cooking and cleaning up duties with my mom-in-law which has been nice. Adjusting to cooking for 4 adults has been a new challenge, but so far it is going okay.

We live in a nice neighborhood. There is a small grocery store just down the street and there is a park just down from that. I am making use of the park for exercise. Although I really hope to get into a Taekwondo program here. I need to do some more research.

Another part of Brazil I am enjoying are the birds. In Arapongas we had a flock of parrots that came around and also many hummingbirds. There was also a beautiful yellow bird called a bem ti vi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bem-Te-Vi.jpg) in Portuguese. Now at this house I have noticed another new bird that I think is a joao de barro (John of Mud)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Dario_Sanches_-_JO%C3%83O-DE-BARRO_%28Furnarius_rufus%29_%283%29.jpg). It is small and brown with a longer beak. I love its song! I am looking for a book of the birds of Brazil or of just the state of Parana. I would also like to get a book of Brazilian trees. They are all so new to me. God's creation is so amazing! I find nature to be such a comfort.

So much going on! I am trying to focus on one thing at a time which is so hard for me! I'm already seriously starting to think about getting filing for adoption going. But we can't start until I have my residence card - due anytime now.

This has been a mish-mash post, but I think that just about catches me up.

As always prayers are welcome!!!! We continue this journey through Christ alone. He has carried us from place to place and step by step. He knows what is around the next corner.

Struggles...before.

I wrote this a while back, but never posted it. Now I feel like I can share it. 

The last couple of months have definitely been  months of adjustment. God takes each of us through times of learning and adjustment. These past couple of months have been that for us. I think more for me than for Cameron. Since he lived here before he is a little more adaptable. I have been learning a new everything. Some things have been good and some things have been challenging.

Becoming more of a housewife has been one good thing. I have been working to cook more for meals and take care of our house. I am also working almost full time so this has been a bit of a challenge when balancing what to do when. The most successful is making meals for lunch. We can't just go out and buy lunch whenever we want anymore. There are places to eat and buy food, but our budget is a bit different and this is a great thing as far as our diet goes. So I have been cooking homemade meals for lunch. I am really enjoying this part of the Brazilian lifestyle. Taking time to cook lunch instead dinner. It is different and sometimes a bit challenging if we forget to plan, but planning is becoming more of a routine.

Crazily enough cleaning the floor has been a bit of a challenge as well. Not laundry, not dishes, but cleaning the floor. Thankfully that is becoming easier as I have gotten input and helpful hints on how other's do it. I never thought tile floor would be so difficult to keep up. I think that with the windows being open and our city being quite windy at times. So this is a work in progress.

Learning Portuguese has been a huge challenge. My free class ended and now I'm left to self motivate and self study. It is hard to study on the computer. You might say - why not speak with Cameron - well I've tried that, but it isn't as easy as it seems. We are successful for about 10 minutes are so. Also after working speaking most of the day it is mentally draining. Yes, I know - excuses, excuses. I am working on making a better routine. I found a fun way to practice is to watch American movies on cable that have been dubbed into Portuguese. Usually the ones I have seen so I know what is going on and can kind of remember what the dialogs are about. So far I have watched Mrs. Doubtfire and Christmas with the Kranks. It really depends on what is on in the afternoon.

Isolation has been a huge challenge for both of us. Coming from Korea which has an insanely good public transportation system to a city that has the very basic bus system, has been a crazy challenge. Not having a car goes into this challenge, but it really isn't something we want to have very soon unless God says it is needed. We have been so grateful for our co-workers and Cameron's parents who have helped us in so many ways with transportation.

God has been teaching us a lot. Our budget has fluctuated and we are learning more and more what is necessary and what is not. We are still not experts at this.

Right now we are seriously praying for God's direction and guidance for our future here. What is our ministry? Sometimes we just have to serve in the everyday until he gives us a bigger direction.

Temperature and Seasons

I found a site that gives the monthly averages for Arapongas.
Very cool site! I'm a little disappointed right now because I was hoping the high temperature in winter would be a little bit less. I guess I will be layering a lot. It already seems cooler at night to us - it is has been in the mid-60s. I think as our bodies adjust the temperatures will seem more extreme than they look.


http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Arapongas-weather-averages/Parana/BR.aspx

Spring
September: High 28C/82F and Low 16C/60F
October: High 30C/86F and Low 18C/64F
November: High 30C/86F and Low 19C/66F

Summer
December: High 31C/87.7F and Low 20C/68F
January: High 30C/86F and Low 21C/69.8F
February: same as January

Fall
March: High 30C/86F and Low 20C/68F
April: High 29C/84.2F and Low 18C/64F
May: High 25C/77F and Low 15C/59F

Winter
June: High 25C/77F and Low 14C/57.2F
July: High 25C/77F and 13C/55.4F
August: High 27C/80.6F and 14C/57.2F

I'm guessing that the temperatures will vary a bit since these are just the averages. In the summer it would tend to be around 90 or higher. When walking outside in the afternoon the sun would beat down with an intensity that is very new to me. Crazy that it really feels like it is closer and that much hotter. It is also very dry heat. The only time it really feels humid is when it rains on a hot day. It might feel cooler, but it gets pretty sticky.

Now I'm just trying to decide if I want to decorate by the seasons here are the seasons I am used to. It will be so strange to have my pumpkins decor out now, but even stranger to have them out when spring starts. Oh well, I guess I might as well go for it. It will seem odd at first, but I'm sure I will get used to it. Flip-flopping seasons is so weird!!!  I will say that my snow stuff will definitely come out at Christmas time - can't take the White Christmas out of a Buffalo girl!

Quirky Brazil

I keep thinking of the interesting things that people probably don't know, but I'm learning to take as everyday here.


Remember this is just what I observe in my town:

• I cook with a propane tank hooked up outside - no not the huge ones - one that is a little bigger than what you use for a gas grill.
• I do not have a dryer or dishwasher.
• When you buy or rent you usually have to furnish the entire house or apartment - kitchen included as well as closets and usually even your shower head and toilet seat (this you probably want to replace anyways :o) ) 
• Almost everyone uses those big bottled water jugs - or maybe a water filter 
• Most Brazilians have electric shower heads and do not have hot water in the kitchen - us included. I heat water on the stove when I wash dishes. Some do have hot water heaters that give water through the house/apartment. I'm not sure which I prefer yet. I guess I will see how "winter" goes.
• Most houses and apartments have tile floor all throughout. 
• Most houses and apartments do not have screens on the windows. 

• Horse and carts go down my street about once a day - usually to pick up yard waste or other sorts of building or possibly recycling trash. 
• The neighborhood I live in has many different styles of houses. Some look like run down shacks and some look like really nice suburban homes (Brazilian style). There are only a few apartment complexes in this town, but they are building more. 
• Most homes have walls or tall iron fences around them. 
• Most neighborhoods have a bakery where the people can get fresh bread and snacks - maybe I will see if the bakery near us would mind if I took a picture. 
• The ice cream man pushes a cart and blows a toy panpipe type flute.

• Randomly a car will go by 
• advertising sales from a grocery store through a load speaker
• with a blaring stereo - many times with the traditional Brazilian folk music (polka/folk/pop mix)
• or maybe you will hear a backfire 
• There is quite a mixture of old and new cars here as well as cheap and expensive - one of my students is driving a '93 Fiat - I thought that was impressive. I hope we can find a car that will last that long.
• A low end new car in Brazil usually costs around $R20,000+. Or maybe this would be better to say for used and $R40,000+ for new. 
• Brazilian food isn't anything like Mexican food. The only staple that might be similar is beans and rice. The food is similar to American - just slightly different seasonings or ingredients.
• Usually when someone says they are going on vacation during summer break - they are going to the beach - which is 6-8 hours away. 
• If you hear someone say lanche - it is not lunch - it is snack. :o) 
• Lunch is generally the big meal of the day and dinner is light. Most Brazilians get a long lunch - 1.5-2 hours. This gives time to go home and have lunch with family. And then they work a little bit later.

Oh yeah and last but not least:
Rio de Janeiro - 1000km/621mi away
NO - not all Brazilians LOVE Carnaval and Samba and partying as you may have seen in Rio. :o) 
Manaus (in the middle of the Amazon)- 3,615.9km/2,246.8mi away
Porto Alegre - 993.2km/617mi away (one of the southern most cities of Brazil)

Hopefully none of this sounded negative - it is just different! :o)
Yes it is quirky and some things are a bit odd right now as I am still battling with culture shock, but mostly I like it! The people seem friendly once they get over the nervousness about me being a foreigner.  In fact I hate when it comes out that I am foreign. I wish I could just blend in and serve Jesus, but I can't.
I hope that Cameron and I are being great examples of America and above all Christ. We are here working for him. He brought us here and we are doing our best to live his light, life and love.

Pray for us - me especially right now as I think the honeymoon period of "ooooh this is so cool" - to "Oh my goodness we are here!" is kicking in. It is so much different from living Korea - not speaking of culture and general things - which I will get into later.

So here we are in Brazil!

And once again I must say TIME FLIES!
Wow! I can't believe it - a year ago. If I don't do better with this now I'm junking it.
As most of you know we are now in Brazil. God is carrying us through.
A little story about what happened.
Last year in August we found out that we would not be staying in Korea. Shocked - totally! We had our plan, but obviously God had a totally different and better idea. So we went into high-gear and started prepping to come here. We decided that this was what needed to happen and God was going to carry us through it. And HE HAS!
What has happened since then:

• we sold anything and everything possible - ok not everything we still shipped 12 boxes from Korea and about 5 or so boxes from the States. Not to self - next time, hopefully there won't be - but next we will get a container 
• we changed Cameron's ticket from Korea to Brazil, to Cameron and Andrea from Buffalo to Brazil
• we said many goodbyes and see you laters

• had an amazing November visiting my parents, brothers, and their wives - the time was too fast and too short
• packed yet again and more 
• checked 6 suitcases + a guitar for ONLY $150 the whole way

• witnessed yet more miracles when we arrived - other's to share
• talked with a potential employer and got a MIRACULOUS offer
• found an affordable and nice apartment
• furnished our apartment - minus a sofa, the extra bedroom, and a few odds and ends 
• forgot to mention what furnished means in Brazil - this includes the entire kitchen even the cupboards and sink - see the photos
• the sink cabinet didn't arrive with everything else and we waited - then one day I prayed that it would come since we would start working ---- IT CAME!

• Cameron was able to get his medication FREE! This is the one that should cost him $R500. 
• He had some medical issues come up related to adjusting to new medicine from here and the people around us took great care of us! 
• We have had so many confirmations that this is the place we are supposed to be. 
• God has been working in so many tangible ways!

Please pray for us and with us:

1. Finding a church and strong believing friends
2. Budgetting well 
3. Andrea learning Portuguese
4. Both of our jobs - Cameron in teaching full-time and Andrea in teaching and doing other projects and administrative work - sort of 2 part-time jobs.
5. Residence card for Andrea
6. Adoption - getting started
7. Future in the next year - a car and a place to live that has a parking area within our budget