Nepo Newsletter

The following is another update I wrote for the Nepo Newsletter and am posting here for those of you who do not receive the newsletter:

Dear Friends,

Hello again!  Well the month of May has already arrived and with it the cold weather has come.  It amazes me how it can be so freezing in the mornings and evenings and yet hot enough in the afternoons that you can still get a sunburn.  J   Along with the cooler temperatures, the beginning of May also brought a change to our typical routine for a few days.  The boys did not have school for the first two days in May because of a Brasilian holiday and we were able to enjoy having a relaxed schedule and special activities with them.  One of these was a five day event in the town of Nepomuceno.  Several of the churches in town organized a soccer tournament which began on Friday and ended on Tuesday.  The tournament was held in the center of town and along with enjoying watching and playing soccer, there were trampolines, games, snacks, and a variety of other activities the boys enjoyed participating in.  Because it was organized by the churches, the event also had several worship services after the games which included singing and sermons.  It was such a blessing to see so many people from so many different churches gathering to corporately worship our God and fellowship together.  Along with this, it was also really neat to see the boys interacting with their friends outside of the orphanage and to see them in a different context.  As I watched their interactions, I realized that these boys who have so many heart-breaking background stories of abuse and neglect and the scars and emotions they deal with because of that are also just like other “typical” teenage boys who have to deal with peer pressure from friends in regards to girls, looking cool, fitting in, etc.  And as I came to this realization, I was again reminded of the absolute need to cover these boys in prayer.  Pray that they will make wise choices and not give in to peer pressure.  Pray that they will realize that ultimately nothing will satisfy them the way only the presence of Christ in their life can.  Thank you for your prayers and support! 

In Him,

Katy Pavkov

Nepo Newsletter Update

The following was written for the Nepo Newsletter, but I thought I would also post it here for those of you who do not receive the newsletter emails. 

Dear Friends,

Hello from Nepo!  Monday marks the half-way point of my time in Brasil and as of last week, I am officially allowed to stay for another 3 months.  Thank God for the successful renewal of my visa last Wednesday!  The whole process was far easier than I anticipated and went so smoothly.  Once again, I was reminded that our great God will supply every need of ours, praise His glorious Name! 

At the beginning of the month, Jessica returned home to Canada.  She is greatly missed here by everyone, but especially by me!  It was such an absolute joy to have another short-termer to share this experience with and I thank the Lord for the blessing of her friendship and help during her time at Nepo.  Viktoria also left with Jessica at the beginning of the month.  She has been staying in Sao Paulo visiting friends and undergoing some necessary eye exams.  Viktoria is also greatly missed here and we are so thankful that she will be returning at the end of the month.  On the night that they left, Jessica had an ice cream sundae party for the boys which also served as a going-away party for her.  The boys seemed to really enjoy being able to go up for seconds and thirds and in a couple of cases fifths and sixths J  After they had eaten to their hearts’ content, the boys each took a turn saying goodbye to Jessica and sharing why they were thankful that she was here.  It was so sweet and was such an encouragement to see that even though we can’t speak the same language as these boys and communicate with them like we want to, God can still use us to impact their lives. 

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According to Webster’s dictionary, a “surprise” is defined as the following:  “To strike with wonder or amazement especially because unexpected.”   After this past week, I now have a greater appreciation for this definition as God has most certainly given us a fair share of surprises including two in one day  J  Last Tuesday seemed like any other typical day, I had watched the little ones in the morning and was starting to head over to the kitchen to help serve lunch when I saw that a police car was parked out front.  Naturally, the boys were curious and I overheard them asking the police why they were here.  I only understood one word in the officer’s response, “Jaimes,” but that one name was definitely enough to fully surprise me and I was completely struck with “wonder and amazement especially because unexpected.”  So, why would one name cause such a response?  Well, let me explain by taking you back two months to February 26.  It was on this Sunday night, that we had returned home from church to find that our house had been broken into and many of our belongings were stolen including a lot of my support money, cell phones, flashlights, knives, food, etc.   We soon realized that two of the boys from the orphanage had broken into our home and ran away and one of those boys was Jaimes.  At the time, it was so difficult to process the fact that this boy who I had just been playing games with the night before could possibly do such a thing.  I felt violated, but more than that, I felt utterly sad realizing that he was now living life on the streets and had chosen this option.  My prayer then was that Jaimes would be safe and could be brought back here where we could show him that he is forgiven and still loved by us.  And now, two months later, God has answered that prayer.  My prayer now is still that Jaimes will know he is forgiven and loved by us, but more than that, I pray that this can be used to help him understand the forgiveness and love that can be found in Christ. 

So that was Tuesday morning and little did I know that I would be in for yet another surprise that day, but unfortunately this equally unexpected event was not as enjoyable as the return of Jaimes.  On Tuesday afternoon as we gathered for snack, a number of boys came running up to me and told me that Tata was gone.  Thinking that I couldn’t possibly have understood this correctly, I asked them to repeat what they had said and unfortunately, I had understood them and Tata really had left.  It was all so sudden and so unexpected that I could not quite comprehend that this boy, who was just showing me a magic trick not even 30 minutes before, was now gone for good.  I came to find out later in the week that Tata was taken to another orphanage in the town where he is from since the city won’t have to pay for him there.  It is still hard to come to grips with the fact that Tata is gone.  I miss his smile, his hugs, his friendliness, his magic tricks, the list goes on and on, but I have to trust in God’s sovereignty.  I know that His ways are not mine and so I pray that Tata is adjusting well at the other orphanage and I entrust him to the care of the One who loves him so much more than I ever could, cares for him far greater than I do, and knows the plans He has for him.    

Well, as if that wasn’t enough surprises for one week, Friday held one more unexpected experience, but this one was a completely joyful event.  As I was helping Marcela sort the boys’ clothes, I overheard someone say something about Jackson’s arrival.  To say that I was surprised to hear this would be a very great understatement indeed and again I thought that I had misunderstood what I heard, but this time, I hoped that I had heard correctly.  So, why would this be a surprise?  Let’s go back once more to the end of February.  Thursday, February 23 seemed like a pretty typical day, we watched the little kids in the morning and on my lunch break, I did some puzzles with Jackson, Bruno, and Tulio.  I helped Marcela in the afternoon, and in the evening, I played Trouble with Jackson, Fabricio, Alan, and Jessica.  Little did I know that it would be my last day with Jackson.  The next day at lunch, Viktoria mentioned something about Jackson’s departure and I asked her what she was talking about.  She then went on to explain that Jackson’s mother had called a few days earlier and after 7 years of him living here, his mom decided that she wanted him back.  So, that morning she had come and picked him up.  I had no clue he was leaving and initially was quite shocked to realize that he was gone for good.  Jackson was one of the first boys that I met here at the orphanage. Unlike a lot of the teenage boys that I used to work with in the middle school where I taught, Jackson was an absolute sweetheart.  Always the first to smile and offer a great big thumbs up every time I walked passed him, he spread joy wherever he went.  When Jackson left back in February, I assumed that I would never see him again.  Yet, God in His goodness did indeed bless us with Jackson’s return this weekend.  It was so good to be able to see him again and watch his interactions with the boys and the workers here.  With my limited Portuguese, I was able to have only very simple conversations with him, but it was great to be able to learn from those talks that he is doing well, going to church still, and liking his life in Lavras.  When Jackson originally left in February, his departure taught me to expect anything and be grateful for everything, especially every single day that I have with these boys, because I just never quite know when it will be my last and they will be gone.  I am still learning this lesson and have been reminded of it again with the departure of Tata this past week.  While there have been many surprises this past week for me, I know that none of these things were a surprise to the Lord.  As He says in Isaiah 14:24, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”  So in both the good and bad surprises, I praise God and trust in His sovereignty.  Please continue to keep these boys, the workers, and this ministry in your prayers. 

In Him,

Katy Pavkov



Jefferson and Jaimes

Jaimes, Caio, Tata (who is asking me if he can take the next picture) and Bruno

Tata and Alisson



Jackson with Marcela and Gerson (the couple that I am living with here)

Amor

I wish that I could fully express just how much I love my life here in Nepo.  I love that when I enter the director’s house in the morning to pick up the little boys, three three-year olds attack me with hugs and kisses.  I love that at lunch when I serve the boys their food and greet them with a smile, I now receive great big smiles in return in place of the leery looks I used to get in the beginning.  I love helping Marcela in the afternoons and watching her interactions with the boys and seeing her passion for this ministry.  I love helping the boys with their homework at night, learning along with them, and attempting to help to the best of my ability, and while sometimes I don’t always understand what they need to do or how to explain it to them, I love being able to offer a smile and encouraging word which at times makes all the difference.   I love watching movies with them on Friday nights and having special lunches for them on Saturdays.  I love that today after our special “American” lunch of cheeseburgers and potato chips; I finally had the opportunity to give out the gifts that I brought for the boys and the workers.  I love watching 14 and 15 year olds play with the tops, mini Frisbees, and bouncy balls that they received as though they are the greatest things in the world.  I love going to youth group on Saturday nights with the older boys and to church on Sunday with all 40 of us packed into the minibus.  I love watching the boys interact with each other, especially how the older boys who seem so “tough” and “hard” on the outside are always the first to kiss the baby and help the little ones.  I just simply love every little thing about my new life here….yes, even the hard and challenging moments because they make me appreciate the good ones all the more and they make me realize just how much I need to rely on the One who has brought me to this place and filled me with His love to pour out on those who so desperately need it here. 

And while I do truly love my life here, it is not always easy and it is not always fine and dandy.  I think the best way to describe what I mean is by borrowing the following description from the book I am currently reading (it’s called Kisses from Katie and it has been beyond encouraging to me ….to briefly summarize, it’s a true story about a girl named Katie who went to Uganda on a short term missions trip and now lives there, has adopted 13 children, and started an organization that helps thousands of people there).  Anyway, as I read this book, I find myself being able to relate on so many levels and with some exceptions (like the boyfriend part  J ) I feel as if I could have written the following….it is definitely a pretty accurate description of my time so far in Brasil:

“If I had to summarize in one word my first weeks and months in Uganda, it would be contradiction….  My life- especially my emotions- hung in the balance between absolutely loving my new life in Uganda and battling severe loneliness….  Most of the people around me didn’t speak my language, nor did I speak theirs.  This communication vacuum left me feeling isolated and forced to work much harder to build meaningful relationships….During my early days here, I was learning so much- everything from how to eat foods I’d never seen before to how to communicate through hand signals and facial expressions with people whose language I did not know.  My horizons were being expanded in the most amazing ways; my perspectives were changing every day; and my faith was being challenged and stretched.  All of this was so exciting to me.  I didn’t want to admit that, in the midst of such a wonderful and invigorating experience, I sometimes felt tangible pangs of loneliness when I thought about how many miles away I was from the people I loved.  I spent many hours curled up in a ball on my lumpy twin bed, sweltering, often in the dark, and crying- partly because I was overwhelmed and feeling inadequate and partly because I missed my family or boyfriend.  Sometimes, I cried because I was simply exhausted….The contradiction comes when I realize that all these experiences and emotions were real.  The happiness that gave me chill bumps was as deep as my loneliness.  My sense of certainty about being exactly where God wanted me was solid, but just as firm was the fact that I wondered at times what on earth I was doing here.  The frustration that threatened to overtake me on some occasions was just as deep and true as the unbounded joy I felt at other times.  I loved my new life; I truly loved it.  But compared to the life I had been living, it was hard.”

Every day I thank the Lord for bringing me to Nepo….I praise Him for the good days and the bad days, the challenges and the triumphs, and for pouring out His love on me and granting me the privilege of sharing that love here.

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  -Romans 5:3-5

Jackson

Before I came to Nepo, I was told by more than one person, “Go with no expectations.”  While I tried not to come down with many expectations, I did have some preconceived ideas about what my time would be like down here.  Some of those ideas have been close to reality and some couldn’t be further from the truth.  But, one of the things that I never expected (in retrospect, I’m not sure why I never considered this) is the reality of boys coming and going in this place.  While I did give some thought to the fact that we would probably get new boys during my time here, I never once thought about having boys leave and how very difficult that would be.  Such is the case with a boy named Jackson.

Jackson was one of the first boys that I met here at the orphanage.  Unlike a lot of 15 year old boys that I used to work with at the middle school, Jackson was an absolute sweetheart.  Always the first to smile and offer a great big thumbs up every time you walked passed him, he spread joy wherever he went.   Jackson was very eager to learn English and always wanted to know how to say things in English.  Conversely, he was just as willing to teach me Portuguese and his lessons were extremely helpful.  On one of my first days here, it was Jackson who asked me in Portuguese if I wanted to stay here forever.  During my second week here, it was Jackson who came to my window and asked me in English to come here please.  I went to the front door and when I opened it, I was greeted with a large living fish flopping around in my face along with Jackson’s smiling face.  Jackson quickly learned the phrase “Kaych (how they pronounce my name in Portuguese) come here please” and I knew that whenever I heard that phrase some type of adventure and laughter would soon follow.  J 

Thursday, February 23 seemed like a pretty typical day….we watched the little kids in the morning and on my lunch break, I did some puzzles with Jackson, Bruno, and Tulio.  I helped Marcela in the afternoon, and in the evening, I played Trouble with Jackson, Fabricio, Alan, and Jessica.  Little did I know that it would be my last day with Jackson…..on Friday at lunch, Viktoria mentioned something about Jackson’s departure and I asked her what she was talking about.  She then went on to explain that Jackson’s mother had called a few days earlier and after 7 years of him living here, his mom decided that she wanted him back.  So, that morning she had come and picked him up.  I had no clue he was leaving and initially was quite shocked to realize that he was gone for good.  I would love to have had a chance to say goodbye and to thank him for how welcome he made me feel here (although with my limited Portuguese I probably wouldn’t have been able to say even that  J ).  While I do miss Jackson…his smile and helpfulness, the way he would randomly take off his flipflop on the sidewalk to start a game of flipflop soccer…I am so thankful for the two weeks that I had the pleasure of knowing him and the lessons I learned from him.  Along with the Portuguese he taught me, I have learned to expect anything and be grateful for everything, especially every single day that I have with these boys, because you never know when it will be your last and they will be gone. 

Playing Trouble with Jackson on what ended up being his last night
at the orphanage.
(The photo quality is not the best because it was taken by one of the
boys and they don't quite know how to properly use a camera...
meaning they often put their fingers in front of the flash and
sometimes even the lens itself )  :)

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and while I definitely have a thousand words I would love to share with you all, finding the time to do so has been somewhat difficult.  So today I thought I would let my pictures do the talking.....

This is the Freemans' home where I stayed when I was in Recife.

Me with Leticia Freeman.  One of the 20+ kids they have adopted,
she is quite a goofball and brings lots of laughter to the house :)

Andy Freeman, another one of the children, he is very loving
and always greeted me with a hug and his adorable smile.....
I love how he is totally missing the plants he is supposed to be watering :)

 

Esther, Rebekah, and Rachael Freeman (daughters of the
first Freeman son) and Kuaun Freeman (the 24th and
youngest of the children).  Kuaun loves to play with "the nieces"
and they love their uncle :)

On my last afternoon with the Freemans, they put on a
rodeo for me.  In this picture, the kids are lined up and
ready for their turn in the rodeo as Stephanie welcomed
everyone to the show. 
This picture also shows the horse arena where we played soccer.
It's hard to see, but try and notice the gravel, sticks, large pointy
objects, etc. and you will somewhat understand why my feet got so
torn up while playing :)

Leticia doing a trick on the horse during the rodeo.  After I
saw what they did during the show, I wondered why
I was so scared to simply ride a saddled, walking horse :)

If you recall from my first post, there were a lot of bugs in
Recife.  This picture shows just one of the many
lovely creatures I had to get used to :)

Just like the sunsets there, my time with the Freemans was
so marvelous......

And just like the beauty of my new home in Nepo, my time
here is proving to be every bit as wonderful  :)

Me with some of my boys from the orphanage and some
visitors from São Paulo.

Our short term missions team...me, Jessica, and Viktoria.
After they leave in the beginning of April, it will be just me and
therefore, I cling all the more to the promise of Joshua 1:9  :)

Some of the cuties that I get to take care of in the morning  :)

And some of the older boys....I just love how they pose for photos :)

So I've discovered that if you have a camera with you there will instantly
be a handful of boys that surround you and want to take pictures.  They
especially like taking pictures of themselves as is the case here with Alexandro. 
You will notice in this picture that he took the lovely little fly that
is crawling on the food he is eating.  This is also completely normal as the
flies here are probably as bad as the plague was in Egypt....I have
definitely gotten used to them not only swarming all around you all the
time, but also all over your food even on the bite you are about to take....
thankfully, I have not swallowed one yet  :)

And this is the reason for the flies (the cows, not Alan)  :) 

The pigs are also a reason for the flies, but I really included this one for
you Beth....notice how cute the three little piglets are  :)



We went for a walk and the boys were picking goyabas
and really wanted me to eat one....needless to say, after my experience in Recife
with goyabas, I was a little hesitant to try it again.  But, thankfully, this time
I did not chip my tooth, thoroughly enjoyed the goyaba, and realized that I
most certainly did not have a ripe one in Recife...hence the chipped tooth  :)

A typical Sunday morning ride to church....all 40+ of us pile into a tiny
bus....car seats and seat belts are definitely not used or even heard of here  :)

Reginaldo and Alison....these two brothers and their other brother (see the
picture below) have absolutely stolen my heart  :)

Me and my buddy Alifer.....such a sweetheart  :)

Along with falling in love with the kids here, I also love the town of
Nepomuceno where I am living.  Here you find beautiful flowers, grand churches, and.....

.....random cows in the middle of the main street  :)

And to end this first picture tour, I thought I´d leave you with the view
from my back porch where our hammock hangs and our
view is always this glorious :)

The following was written on Friday, February 24, at the end of this update you will notice that I mentioned that the internet was starting to get sketchy….well, it did go out completely and I am just now getting the opportunity to publish this post….

As of today I have officially been in Brasil for one month and I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by.  I have been at Nepo for exactly two weeks now and would like to give you a glimpse into my life here. I waited to write another update, because to be honest….the first week was definitely a difficult transition….however, it is amazing the difference that a week can make.  Let me start at the beginning….

My first week here, I was pretty much completely overwhelmed by the language barrier….it was sink or swim and I was drowning a little more each day.  It didn’t help that I was having major computer issues and not only could I not get my laptop to work, but almost every attempt I made to connect using other people’s computers ended in failure as well.   Let’s just say that the combination of not being able to communicate with people here and not having any communication with people back home for a month definitely got to me and by my fourth night here, I was absolutely in tears. 

Well, my situation hasn’t changed any….I still can’t speak Portuguese like I need or want to and I still can’t get my computer to work, but thankfully God has changed my perspective and my attitude.  I know that His power is made perfect in my weaknesses and every day I have seen how His grace is more than sufficient for me….2 Corinthians 12:9-10  has pretty much become my life verse right now….along with Joshua 1: 7-9  : )

So, what does a typical day in Nepo look like for me?  Well, first off, there is no such thing as a “typical” day, but I do have a very rough schedule worked out….In the mornings I am scheduled to work with the little kids from around 8 until lunch time.  These 10 kids live with the director and his wife and range in age from about 11 months to 8 years old.  For the first week, it was just me by myself with the four youngest and when you don’t speak the language and when they don’t understand that you don’t understand them, it doesn’t make for a good combination….let’s just say that I’m very thankful that none of them ended up dead or severely injured : )   But praise the Lord, Jessica is here now and while she doesn’t speak the language either, it definitely helps having another pair of eyes and hands and at least we have fun being lost together : )   I do love helping out with the young kids….they are so very cute and loveable.  Most mornings we take them for walks or play in the “park” with them which is pretty much just an area of dirt with two swings and a sandbox with no sand.  After we get them all dirty and tired out, we return them to the house where we help shower them and get them ready for lunch. 

After lunch, I get to spend a little bit of time with the other boys and then around 1ish, I help Marcela with her work.  Marcela is one of the full-time missionaries here and she has been an absolute joy to work with.  She is so sweet and compassionate and thankfully she speaks a tiny bit of English, so between her limited English and my limited Portuguese we generally can figure each other out…..although, I’m pretty sure a lot of things are lost in translation : )  We’ve been doing a variety of tasks like organizing the boys’ rooms and lockers, making name cards for their shelves and beds, and when school is in session, we also help the boys with their homework.  We work until dinner and then I’m technically “finished,” but after dinner has definitely been a highlight in my day.  This is when I really have a chance to spend time with the boys…playing games, doing puzzles, trying to have them teach me Portuguese and attempting to answer their questions about how certain Portuguese words are said in English.  It really is great fun and I am so enjoying getting to know these boys….I can’t quite explain what an absolute privilege and blessing it is to see the faces that I have been praying for come to life.  I am so loving being here and am so thankful for this opportunity that God has blessed me with.  I could go on and on with stories and tidbits I’d love to share, but the internet is starting to get sketchy again and so I better sign off for now…

The following was written on February 10 after my initial arrival at Nepo when I thought I would have easy access to the Internet and let's just say that I have never been more wrong...every attempt we have made to connect my computer to the Internet has failed and for some reason, almost every time I have tried to use my email from someone else's computer it won't work either.  So I am not ignoring all of you and I'm still alive and doing well and prayerfully soon my computer issues will be resolved and I'll be able to stay in touch better.......


Well, after 19 days in Brazil, I have finally arrived in Nepo.  My arrival here was a week and half late according to my original schedule, but I believe I have arrived just on time according to God's plan.  Before I describe what it's like being here, let me back up and fill you in on a bit of my Brazilian adventure thus far. 
I left home on January 23 with two 70 lb. suitcases, one 30 lb. carry on, one 15 lb. backpack, a purse, a pillow, and a heart just a bit anxious to see how all of that would get safely to Recife.  I was quite relieved when I checked in and they told me that my two suitcases would be checked all the way to Recife even though I had a layover in Brasilia.  So when we landed in Brasilia, I was definitely a little surprised and unsure what to do when the flight attendant announced that all passengers would need to claim their bags and go through customs.  No big deal I thought, I'll just follow the crowd (I really wish I would have remembered all the times when I was told that just because everyone else was doing it doesn't make it right, because in this case following the crowd was a very bad idea).  I grabbed my bags and followed the crowd right through customs and out into the hustling bustling airport of Brasilia.  Realizing that I have no idea where to go and how to check back in, I knew I needed to ask for help, but after asking three airport employees "Voce fala ingles?" (Do you speak English?) and hearing the dreaded "nao" (no), I tried not to panic and continually prayed for help.  I figured out that I needed to go upstairs but unfortunately there were no elevators to be found....needless to say, the sight of me and all my luggage attempting to make it up the escalator was quite a funny sight especially considering one of the wheels on my 70 lb. suitcase had broken in transit making it nearly impossible to maneuver.  When I finally made it upstairs, I still had no idea where to go, but thankfully the Lord sent along a guardian angel in the form of an airline employee.  I was wandering around trying to figure out where I needed to go and she came up and asked in Portuguese if I was an American.  I told her I was and showed her my itinerary and asked if she could help me.  She had another employee take me to this back hallway that was clearly marked with "Restricted Area" and then he left me there.  Before he left, he rattle off something in Portuguese which I had no clue what he said, but I did catch one word "esperanca" which means "hope".  So I stayed in this back hallway with all my belongings and sketchy looking people everywhere and assumed there was hope that I could still catch my flight even though it was supposed to leave in less than an hour.  After about 15 minutes, I began to think that no one was coming to help me and was about to leave and try to find someone else to help me, but then another angel in disguise showed up and said "Delta?"  I answered that yes I had flown on Delta and showed her my itinerary and she walked me to the correct check in counter and helped me get to the security line.  From what I understand from her limited English and my limited Portuguese, after customs, I was not suppose to follow the crowd into the main airport but instead I was suppose to go to the connecting flights.  But alas, I was finally back through security and at my gate the whole time praising God that I was where I was suppose to be and not going to miss my flight when all of a sudden I realized that I no longer had my backpack with me.  I ran back to security and realized that I couldn't even ask for it because my dictionary was inside of it and I didn't know the word for backpack.  Thankfully hand motions can go a long way and eventually I got my backpack back and after three gate changes and more running around, I made it safely on the right plane.  Needless to say, I now know the word for backpack and I was overwhelmingly relieved and thankful when I arrived in Recife and saw the Freemans standing right outside the baggage claim area.


While that's the story of how I arrived in Recife, I'm not quite sure how to even begin to describe my time with the Freemans.  When Debbie and Karissa picked me up at the airport, I had no idea what to expect having never met this family before, but what I never expected was how I could absolutely come to love a family and a place so quickly.  There is no way to describe all of the adventures I have had over the past 18 days with the Freemans, but I would like to give you a glimpse into what has been happening starting with the very first car ride home from the airport.  On the ride home, Debbie began asking me what I was going to be doing in Nepo and why I was going.  I shared with her my story and afterwards she said, "Well, I wrote to Jane and told her that I'm not sure why you are going to Nepo, but we might just forget to take you to the airport on Monday because we need you here and I think that you just might be the answer to my prayers."  She then went on to share with me about what has been happening in their school and at their home and why they really are in need of help.  For those of you who don't know, the Freemans have adopted 24 children fom Brazil and along with caring for their very large family, they also run a Christian school for the poor children in Pombos.  After Debbie shared of their need and made that comment, I really wasn't sure what to say but I knew that she was definitely mistaken......Nepo is why I came and where I need to be.  Well, after 5 days of being a part of the Freeman family and experiencing life with them, I was no longer sure of that and I think God knew that not only was I needed for a little longer, but I needed a little longer with this family as well.  On Monday, the 30th, we headed out for the airport with plenty of time to spare but along the way we lost a lot of time due to a variety of reasons.  We arrived at the airport at 3:45 and my flight was supposed to leave at 4:20.  Debbie went up to a worker and explained which flight I was on, the worker said I could still make it, but by the time I got out of the really long line I had been waiting in and walked over to her counter, she said the flight had just closed and I would have to take another flight.  We went to the customer service counter where we were told they would put me on the next flight out.  The customer service agent was not the most obliging to say the least and after explaining what happened, she said we would have to contact Delta.  Well, there is no Delta in Brazil, so we attempted to contact the travel agency to no avail and eventually decided to contact Jane Toth.  She was able to contact the travel agency and the next flight I could get on was for February 9 which meant that I had 10 more days to spend with this wonderful family and according to them it was just another sign that it's God's will for me just to stay there  :)  While I recognized that there must be a reason for my extended stay, I became absolutely convinced that it was indeed the Lord's will when I found out the next day that my flight which was supposed to leave at 4:20 was delayed and did not leave Recife until 6:30 which means that I should have easily been able to get on that flight.  After spending 10 more days with the Freemans, I saw very clearly many reasons why my extended stay was needed and truly believe that it was according to God's perfect plan.


So, what did I do during my time at the Freemans?  Pretty much anything and everything....I learned how to make cous cous, rice and beans, etc. and even was in charge of getting lunch ready for all 24 people one day, homeschooled some of the boys, played with the kids, fed horses and cleaned out their stalls, scrubbed down classrooms, moved furniture and setup classrooms, washed and dried a million dishes (when you have 24 people in a family the whole day is pretty much spent in the kitchen or doing laundry)  :)  Along with working, we also had our fair share of fun....I rode a horse for the first time across the Brazilian countryside which was pretty much amazing.  We played numerous games including soccer, pucks, Skip-Bo, Dutch Blitz, spooons, etc.  While I thoroughly enjoyed all of them, soccer was definitely one of my favorites....however, instead of playing on nice soft grass, their soccer field is actually the horses' arena....aka....gravel and dirt and did I mention that they play barefoot :)  The first time we played my feet were all torn up and I even pulled two rocks out of my foot after the game, but by the last game, I didn't even realize that I was running around barefoot on stones and other sharp objects  :)  And when I wasn't working or having fun....I was busy killing bugs.  Before I went to Brazil, I not only hated bugs but I was pretty fearful of them.  Now, I still strongly dislike them, but I'm pretty sure my fear of them was gone by the third day.  My first morning in Brazil, I woke up to a huge beetle on the mosquito net over my bed.  After about 7 minutes of contemplation and telling God that I just don't think I can do this whole bug thing, I worked up the courage to kill it.  Well, after three days of killing more beetles, enormous cockroaches, spiders, etc. than I could count, I was lying in bed when I felt something crawling up me.  I got my flashlight, saw that there was a beetle in my shirt, squashed it and simply went back to sleep.  I've also had to sleep with bats flying overhead and have even helped catch a rat in the kitchen :) 


I praise God for the absolute blessing of being able to be with the Freemans and experience life with them.  I learned several valuable lessons during my time there which I know have helped prepare me for my time at Nepo.  I thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to uplift me in prayer.  Specifically for the following:
-my overall health (while I have yet to get "sick"  I did chip my tooth on a goyaba fruit my very first day in Brazil....I also pulled a muscle in my leg in a game of pucks and for several days walking was pretty difficult.  The inside of my thigh from the knee up is currently a beautiful shade of purple and black but walking is getting easier)
-continued learning of the language (while at the Freemans, the kids spoke both English and Portuguese and obviously would communicate with me in English but the times they would speak Portuguese with each other, I would just stand there and think that there is no way I will ever be able to pick up on this language)
-wisdom about the future, for the Lord's leading, that I will be sensitive to what He wants and His will for me (as I already somewhat described above, the Freemans mentioned on more than one occassion while I was there that they believe I should fulfill my commitment to Nepo for the months that Viktoria is there and then return to help them and to be honest, there are several reasons why I can't help but wonder if that is what the Lord might have in store, however, I also know that the Lord has called me to Nepo for a reason and so for now I am here)


So.....when my friends set me up with this blog, I honestly thought I would probably never write another post after the one I did while I was still with them.  However, you girls were right.....it's really nice having a place to write out my memories and I know I've babbled on for quite awhile now, but one day it will be fun to be able to look back on these stories because I have a terrible memory and I want to be able to remember this amazing adventure that God has blessed me with.  So thanks ladies and if you've made it this far, thanks for reading my ramblings :)