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.