We have been very busy. I can't believe its Sunday night already. We still haven't adjusted to the time buts its ok Brazilians tend to stay up late and hangout till midnight so we are doing good. Curitiba is a beautiful city reminds me of Seattle, the buildings are amazing. Today we went to a street market I can't even describe how many vendors where there. It was cool to see that many people out walking around eating talking they really do enjoy life here. I like that they seem to take time for everything like eating, talking,and family. It seems like we as Americans tend to rush around in our busy lives and miss out on our culture, friendships and family.
Tonight we had church at another Calvary chapel in Curitiba. Ben and i are staying here at the church and the kids are with Karen and Larry at a hotel. anyways Larry preached tonight I was down stairs with the kids. they let me share a bible story and an American game we play at church called 4 corners they that. My kids are doing good with everything from traveling to not being able to talk to new friends. Daniel went to a friends house today and played ( i was a little nervous but he did good:).
we are not getting used to the roads here we have gotten lost a dozen times, poor Ben he's doing good i wouldn't want to.

Arrived at our first city where we will minister

Wow, driving is Sao Paulo is harder as I get nearer to being an old man. I thought I might back out on renting a car on the ride to the budget location. I survived though, decided to think of it as the gran tourismo video game I was playing the night before. Well, I am going to try and force myself to sleep at 1:20/9:20 and see how it goes. Sorry about all the spelling errors in the last two posts. We may try and correct them, but may also let them slide as a result of jet lag and endless travel hours. By the way Brazilian rest stops own ours. Buffets, clean bathrooms, great service, and run it up on a credit card they hand you when you walk in.

Ben

Wonderful first night

We spent our first night in Brazil with good friends watching our kids play guitar hero. What a small world. They generously, too generously, gave us their bedrooms and slept on their livin room floor. I am once again amazed by the graiousness of Brazilians.

Pray for us today as we attempt to drive to Curitiba in a rental car. Pray we are able to get ahold of our contacts there as we have not spoken to them yet.

Bless you,


Ben

WE MADE IT YEAH!!!!

we are here. in Sao paulo. the flight was long but the kids did great. our longest flight the kids enjoyed there own personal TV:) they loved it and so did Ben and I.

I wanted to share how amazing God is. we had the opportunity

to meet a wonderful man on the plane i belive was a blessing from God. He started sharing with us about his life nine months ago his wife and himself where in Georgia getin ready to celebrate there 45 anneversary she stepped outside to get a paper when she was struck and killed by a 17 year old kid driving a pickup truck. Her husband came outside and found his wife dead. He said He was filled with the holyspirit and started sharing his faith in the lord and gave him a bible. As he was telling me this i am crying.

Ben taking over the story.

This man, Norm, a long time gideon really blessed us. He has used the tragedy of his wifes death to give out hundreds of Bibles and lead many people to the Lord. We left him in the airport in houston with a prayer and a tearful goodbye.

Finally on the way!!!

Larry Crawford kindly gave us a ride to the airport this morning. Now we are beginning a long process of sitting and waiting. Our first flight doesn't leave for 1.5 hours. Hope the kids do well.

One More Week

Wow, we leave one week from tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly time goes by. These last few weeks have felt like a time of deep personal growth. A time of becoming more comfortable with who I am and where I want to go. As we get ready to go to Brazil for three weeks to see if that strikes us as where God is calling us I have really reflected on what I will do. It has lead me down a road of why I will do it and what am I trying to accomplish in peoples lives. In the end it has brought me to a desire to become more Christlike to everyone around me. I want to be a Christian that draws people to me and ultimately to Christ. Because of His love in me, my treatment of others, my compassion on the hurting and I want to come to a place with as little condemnation as He brought to the world. Here is a message I gave at church on Sunday, it probably shows a little of where I am going. http://willamettecommunity.com/ There is a list of recent sermons on the bottom left.

Ben