A place to sit and surf

We slept next to this mural, at Christ's feet, for the first five weeks in Brazil.

Well, no visas yet, but we may be getting closer!  After speaking with some different lawyers, our director came to the conclusion that they could do better than the originally hired lawyer.  So, the school is paying a large fee to retrieve our documents from the first application so that we can reapply through a different law firm.  Somehow, I feel like it is going to work this time.  We have two more months that we can stay in Brazil, so we hope they will come by then. 

We finally got chairs in our apartment!  B, the friend who allowed us to stay at her home for five weeks, came over for dinner, and after having to sit on our floor, decided to lend us some rather comfortable plastic chairs.  We used those for two weeks until our original chairs were finally fixed.  It turns out that the plastic ones are actually more comfortable

to sit in.  I told Z that we need to invite some people over while we have eight chairs and a couch in our place.  We are considering having a party or inviting the senior class (ten students) over for dinner.

Since we live so close to the ocean and since the weather has been getting steamier and steamier, I have been longing to cool off in the ocean.  So, today I mustered up the courage to tag along with the school surf club for a free surfing lesson!  The school contracts with a local hostel that also serves as a surf shop.  I was so glad to get out there in the water with two teenage boys from school (one of them my Venezuelan student), another teacher, a British tourist, and our friendly instructors, who gave me some tips about how to balance better on the board.  The waves were just right for beginners--that gentle kind that take their time rolling into shore, not too big, not too small.  I caught three waves and stood up each time, though I also lost my balance and toppled over each time, too.  On one occasion, I swallowed a mouthful of saltwater when a second wave came upon me unawares.  After I came into shore, I realized that I had actually stopped thinking about school or any other worries during that hour.  All I was focused on was watching the waves, mostly to avoid getting plummeted!  The other teacher and I agreed that surfing is good therapy.  Hopefully, there will be room in the school car for me to join them again sometime next semester. 

My next goal is to go rock climbing…

   

Overcome

Have you had an experience that changes the way you look at your life?  Most of us have.  Through such experiences I came to know Jesus Christ.  But something that happened this past Friday in the wee hours of the morning has led me to rethink my relationship with Jesus.     

The truth is that nothing actually happened at all.  Maybe the pilots were in complete control of the airplane all along.  But I know that if Z, K, and I were all ready to face death, there must have been many others bracing themselves for the same.  We had an 11:30 p.m. flight from Rio de Janeiro to Foz do Iguaçu, a place known for its waterfalls.  We were all bleary-eyed and exhausted from a week of school activities, including parent-teacher conferences and Latin American Culture Night, among others.  We were pleased to settle in to the flight so we could drift off during the two-hour ride.  An hour into the ride, however, we started to have violent turbulence.  When I opened the window shade to see what was going on outside, all I could see was the blinding flashes of lightning.  The flight attendant made an announcement in Portuguese, of which all I could understand was "turbulência.” Of course, the only English provided was, "Please fasten your seatbelts.”  What is going on? I wondered.  The plane was making sudden dips, shaking, and rattling.  I felt very aware of our tiny airplane amidst the power of the lightning storm outside. 

I realized that this could very well be the end of my life if something were to go wrong with this flight.  I pictured us getting struck by lightning mid-air and crashing to our death below.  I learned later that our friend K who was at the opposite end of the row near the other window was trying to catch our attention, hoping to say goodbye in case anything were to happen.  I did the only thing I could do in such a situation--pray.  It was so clear to me that we were completely in the hands of God; I could not do a single thing to control this situation.  If the Lord decided that this was the time, this was indeed the time.  "What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open" (Revelations 3:7). 

As I went before the Lord in submission, my heart was in a strange place.  Perhaps only those who believe they are about to face death can understand the profoundness of the spirit's yearnings.  At that moment, the Holy Spirit revealed a new view of the Lord to me that was absolutely humbling.  Here I had been preaching God's word in my Bible class, attempting to be a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ to those around me, yet it became clear as day how filthy and insignificant I am in comparison to the Lord's righteousness, might, and majesty.  In an instant, all my concerns and worries about my life became meaningless in comparison to facing the almighty Creator of the universe. 

But Lord, I am so unworthy to even be in your presence, I prayed.   If I truly believe that I will have eternal life, why are my knees trembling?  Why am I not experiencing utter joy at the thought of going home to be with my Lord?  He tells us in Revelations 3:21, "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."  At that moment I wondered if I would be accepted into God's kingdom, or if any doubts I had about the Truth would hold me back from "overcoming."  Lord, I do not feel ready to meet you!  Suddenly, I saw very clearly that the way I had been going through my daily life was not glorifying God.  I wanted a chance to change that.

By God's mercy, he allowed us to land safely that morning.  I am thankful that He has given me more time on Earth to serve Him and become more like Him in the process.  The question still remains, though, of how I might better prepare to meet my Maker.  The truth is that there is nothing I can do to win the Lord's favor.  No matter how hard I try to live righteously, I will never be perfect in God's sight.  As a human being made from dust and dirt, I am not capable of living up to his calling of holiness.  This is exactly why our Creator came to Earth as Jesus Christ and took on our burdens, ultimately sacrificing His own human life so that our sins could be covered once and for all. 

I desperately need to accept Jesus' gift in all its fullness.  I want to think, breathe, and live in a way that testifies that my soul belongs to him, that every cell in my body is fixed on Him, free from anxiety and fears.  If I am truly confident in the Lord's promises, what do I have to fear on this earth?  My anxiety with work, my fear of inadequacy, my fear of being robbed on the streets, even my fear of death is all in vain.  Jesus says, "'I tell you friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him'" (Luke 12:4-5).

So, here I am, alive still on this earth, yet grateful to have a deeper understanding of God's majesty and how I want to live my life.  But I urge anyone who reads this to seek to know your Creator, the only God worth worshipping.  You already know there must be much more to life than the material comfort we seek here.  I struggle to believe that life is merely about working a job (no matter how meaningful your job may be), raising a family, setting up a home, being kind to others, and looking forward to retirement.  The Lord of all creation, whose existence is evident all around us, has prepared riches in His kingdom for those who proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ.  I urge you to seek to know more about who Jesus Christ is and decide whether or not you accept him.  There is no time now for you to shrug your shoulders in passivity or indifference.   Jesus says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).  Make your decision now to be hot or cold because the time will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, when your life on earth will be taken.  Will you overcome and join Jesus at his throne?



The overcomers at Iguacu Falls, one of the most spectacular places on Earth.



Big Island and Big Dreams

To get away from things for a few days, we took a trip to Ilha Grande (EEL-ya GRUN-jee) for a few days.  Ilha Grande, which translates to "Big Island," has made it onto the list of places I have visited that I could envision myself living in.  There are not too many places on this list, you should know.  (The only one I can think of right now is the town of Annecy in the French Alps.)  And truthfully, we have both been able to live in some beautiful places.  Still, there is always room to dream, right?  Well, we stayed on Ilha Grande in the town of Abraão.  The town has only a few packed-dirt streets lined with pousadas, or inns, restaurants, and tour companies offering boat excursions for divers and sightseers.  Yes, it is indeed a town that depends heavily on tourism, but it is a cute town.  There are so many birds singing and flitting about in the early morning, you would think they owned the place. 



View of Abraao from our hike.


 One of my favorite parts about this island, besides the mountainous rainforest that comes down to the beach, the lapping waves, the fruit juices on the beach, and the monkeys with striped squirrelly tails, is that there is not a single car around.  People get around by boat, bicycle, or on foot.  Thus, there are footpaths you can take to get to other parts of the island.  One day, Z, our friend A, and I hiked three hours to a beach on the other side.  Every so often, we would come to a beautiful, serene, beach, thinking we had arrived.  Then, we would realize that this couldn't be the place because none of the other tourist hikers whom had passed us were there.  Z and A seemed somewhat content to stay at those beaches, but I urged them to continue so we could reach our destination.  So, we trudged on.  When we finally reached Lopes Mendes beach, we knew we were there:  there must have been fifty to a hundred people all along the two-kilometer stretch of sand.  Being on the Atlantic side of the island, roaring waves crashed on shore, creating a playground for surfers.  I was unable to relax with the wind and noise of the waves, so I was ready to head back to one of the quieter beaches.  (I know, even after pushing the others to move on-- am I ever satisfied?)  After eating a high-priced but delicious tuna salad sandwich we bought from a man who had carried them from Abraao, we decided to start hiking back.  A stayed behind, planning to take a boat back, while Z and I put one foot in front of the other to get back to Abraão. 



Walking through the gate of the Ilha Inn, our pousada.



I admit my mind started getting carried away with dreams.  I started picturing myself on the island.  I could work at the local school, plant a church, or work in a restaurant.  Maybe I could have an eco-tour company to teach tourists about the local plants and animals.  We could raise our children up to be island people who walk barefoot through the forest and take a canoe to school!  Z, however, was not on board with the idea.  "It's too far away for me to go see a professional soccer game," he lamented.  "I will go stir-crazy on this island."  My island bubble burst before me.  But, but…how will I ever realize my dream? I thought.  (By the way, we would need a work visa to do any of these things, too, may I remind myself.)  It took a couple days, but I finally came back to reality and the understanding that my marriage is much more important to me than living in a coastal rainforest.  Besides, we do have a sweet compromise in Rio de Janeiro, living next to a nature preserve and a boat ride from the beach, yet in a large metropolis to fulfill Z's craving for action.  Thank you, Lord, for providing us everything we need here in Rio, and for a loving husband who planned a vacation to Ilha Grande, a place he knew I would love for its rustic, natural beauty.  I am content.          

Our own home!

The past couple weeks have been eventful in that we finally moved into our very own apartment.  We are so thankful to be living within three minutes of the school on foot, next to a nature preserve, and overlooking a park.  Despite being very close to a hectic avenue and gigantic modern shopping mall, our condominium is serene.  All I can hear as I write is the whir of my running computer and the twittering of birds outside our third-story window. 

Our apartment is the most spacious one we have ever had!  We have three bedrooms with built-in closets, cabinets, and desks.  Our kitchen is very clean and cute, as you can see from the picture.  The only thing missing right now is chairs to sit on.  The apartment came furnished, including four cute chairs reminiscent of those in a Parisian café.  However, when we went to sit on them, we fell right through the seats.  We'll need to get them re-caned this week so we can sit at the table to eat.

We are one of two apartments on our floor.  Our next-door neighbors happen to be a family of three from India.  They have been here for three years for work, and they have been so welcoming to us.  Yesterday they invited us over for chai and snacks, and we brought over a pizza Z had just taken out of the oven.  Last week, I invited S (the mother of the family) to speak in my Bible class about Hinduism since we are learning about different world views.  I never thought I would be learning so much about India in Brazil!

Some friends have been asking to share about Brazilian life, but truthfully, we feel somewhat sheltered from it due to where we live in a very modern neighborhood, and also because we are teaching at a school where we are required to speak English all day.  Occasionally, we are in situations in which we feel the discomfort and excitement of being in a foreign country, such as this morning when we visited a local church.  What we need to do is find some Brazilian friends who will show us the way so we can become part of the local community here.

This week was a challenge emotionally.  At the beginning of the week, I was feeling overwhelmed from teaching full-time.  I am so exhausted at the end of the day that all I can do is sit on the couch and stare for a few hours.  My voice is often tired out and this causes me to feel tired overall.  By Thursday, I started to feel refreshed again because I had a slower work day.  Then, Z seemed to catch what I had and was feeling like he could not go on any longer.  (I have never seen Z quite like this before.)  He is preparing five different courses, which according to Z, is not possible to do without compromising some of the content or activities.  He is still trying to figure out a way to teach to the best of his ability while also managing his health and stress level better.  Please pray that we may soon find answers to our prayers and be able to better discern the Lord's will for us.

On the brighter side, we have reached a rather important decision in regards to our visa status.  After much thought and prayer, we have decided to work as volunteers (that is to say, foregoing our salaries) at the school until we get our work visas (or until our tourist visas give out and we have to leave).  We agreed that it is better to follow the law and keep a clear conscience.  It is indeed a leap of faith, but with the school providing housing for us, we are confident that Lord will find other ways to provide us with food and other comforts.

We also made it to Ipanema Beach and Leblon this weekend for the first time.  The bus ride there was a very scenic route with ocean views.  I do prefer our local beach better because it’s quieter, but how exciting to be where the “Girl from Ipanema”originated!

We look forward to hearing from you all.  Please let us know how we can encourage you and pray for you.  Until next time…

Our school is "legal"!

(Legal is pronounced lay-GOW, meaning cool in Portuguese)


What makes a school a good one? Some say that it has to do with the teachers. If the teachers are dedicated, know their subject matters, and have good pedagogy and classroom management, the students will learn a lot. Others may judge a school by the facilities: a school with new science labs, smart boards, a 40,000-volume library, and sound finances might be considered top-notch. Still others might say that a school is only as good as the types of students it produces: are high school graduates going on to competitive colleges, such as Columbia, Northwestern, and Dickinson (wink, wink)? Are they successful in their careers and other endeavors? There are many other ways that schools may be measured.



As I ponder these marks of supposed excellence, I must say that the school where we teach now falls short in many areas. In terms of technology, our school falls short of the norm in the United States. For example, I need to save any documents I want to print on a pin drive, then bother the school receptionist (if she's there) to print it from her computer using an inkjet. Then, I need to hike upstairs to the laboriously slow copying machine to make copies. (I know this would be normal fifteen years ago, but I guess even let-me-churn-my-own-butter A has gotten used to the new standard.) When it comes to finances, our director cut twenty-three staff members last year for various reasons, one being that the school could not afford to pay them. So, one might say the school is under-staffed right now. When I consider that I am the only English teacher for the large number of students who have needs, and that Z is teaching six different courses, I would say this is true. Certainly, our school does not market itself as one that sends students to the best universities. After all, some of them are just trying to learn English! Z commented at his disappointment that such a small portion of one class completed an assignment, even with two extra days to do so. Motivating students is one of his challenges.

Still, I do believe that we have not just a good school, but an excellent one. I will start out by saying that we have a dedicated and trustworthy administration. Our director and his wife, who are from Arizona, give almost every waking moment to keep the school running. I believe that without their commitment and sweat, the school might not exist. They also create an environment that allows honest, open communication amongst administration and staff, which makes the school a more comfortable place to be for us. Now, in terms of facilities, we have a beautiful location in a peaceful, safe, green area overlooking a lagoon. We rent facilities from the church that owns and meets on this property, and the classrooms are sufficient for our small class sizes (usually not more than fifteen students per class). We also do have dedicated, loving teachers. While I cannot say that I am an expert at what I do since this is my first time teaching Bible, and I still have more to learn about teaching English learners, I can say that I aim to do my best, and I know that Z does the same. I have seen the passion and dedication of other teachers at the school as well, and I know that they are there to love their students first and foremost, which is what the Lord calls us to do, after all. Paul says in a letter to the Corinthians, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." No matter how much knowledge a teacher might possess, or how well he imparts that knowledge to learners, if he is void of love, he may as well not even bother.


While we may not have playing fields, tennis courts, or reliable internet, we do have the Holy Spirit guiding us and a staff united in Jesus Christ. I have worked at a number of schools, and this is the first one in which I have recognized the trust that we have in one another due to our shared faith. I also recognize sincerity in teachers that I have not witnessed with such consistency in a school. I do not sense competition among personalities, but rather a sense of unity and cooperation. I do not feel as much pressure to prove myself professionally to the staff, but rather that I can focus on doing my best work for the Lord, trusting that my fellow teachers and I will accept and encourage each other, despite our inadequacies. Even though I am overwhelmed by the needs to be met here, I can take it one day at a time and turn to others for support, likewise offering my support to them. Rather than stressing out that I may not be crafting the tightest, most creative lessons to teach Bible, I can teach the students in love, confident that the Lord will multiply whatever I offer for him to use.


I have barely mentioned the students even though they are the very reason we are here. Our students may not be competing for valedictorian, but we do have loving, friendly students from unique backgrounds. We both teach the senior class, a group of ten tight-knit, intelligent teens who we look forward to seeing each day. I cannot believe I have the honor and responsibility of teaching them about the Lord, though I am sure I will learn much more from them. I also get to teach English to three precious siblings who are from Venezuela by way of Mexico, as well as a second-grade sweetheart from Germany and a local Brazilian kindergartener who knocks on my door and waves vigorously every time he walks by.


These are just a few reasons why we love our Christ-focused, international school, and why, despite its lack of resources and intense academic rigor, we consider it a privilege to be here. Perhaps it is the parts that lack that make the community all the more endearing to us. Just as the Lord can be glorified despite our individual weaknesses, so also can he, in his mighty ways, work through the collective strengths and shortcomings of an entire community that is focused on Him first. We expect to see him work in amazing ways in and through our school. All the glory be to Him!

In front of our school with our matching staff polo shirts.

Seja bem-vindo ao Brasil!

Barra Beach is only a short boat ride from the school across a lagoon.

Almost one month has passed since we arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and we are amazed at how our lives have changed in just a few short weeks.  Over the past month, there are many stories we could share. We could write in detail about our continued wait for an apartment to live in, how wonderful the staff is at the school, how delicious our Brazilian cafeteria food is, or, of course, the beach. However, these are simply details. Let's get down to the most significant part of our lives that is often neglected in our everyday conversations: the Lord's work in our lives.

With some of our friends, we may have tiptoed around the subject of our faith because of fear of offending or putting you in an uncomfortable situation. However, God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, and so we will speak unabashedly about Him and give him the glory He deserves. Our Lord is good all the time, and I know it even more so being far away from home. While we are well-taken care of here by the school staff, we have uncertainties and difficulties that cause our hearts to ache for comfort from the Lord. We talk about staying here for a while, then remember that we still do not have legal permission to work here. We want to teach well but struggle to accomplish simple tasks due to limited equipment. We are still living out of our suitcases while we wait for an apartment to open up near the school, which requires us to be very dependent on others to take care of us in this foreign place and prevents us from getting settled.

As I write these things, actually they seem rather silly things to feel discouraged about. Of course, if God clothes the lilies of the fields, won't he provide for us, his children, so much more? When I stop to think, I realize that He is providing for us in ways that we do not even recognize. After staying the first ten days in dorm-like accommodations, we have been staying with our director's gracious assistant, who is completely bilingual and bicultural. She has been a helpful cultural bridge as we transition into Brazilian life. We learn so much from her that we could not do on our own, and we feel comfortable in her home with her fiance and ten-year-old daughter, who is a student at the school. I also believe that living at her house rather than on our own has encouraged us to treat each other with more respect and love, forming good habits in our marriage as we start our new life here. And rather than feeling a need to focus on setting up both a home and a school, right now we can focus all our energy on school (especially since our host hires a precious, sincere woman who cooks, does our laundry, and patiently speaks Portuguese with us)! We praise God for the way He takes care of us always, while we also admit that we need Him desperately to guide and comfort us, to meet a need so deep in our souls that only He can.

I invite you to pray with us for patience and trust as we wait for our visas and that we would fight off any discouragement that creeps up on us. Please also pray that we teachers would be living examples of the Lord's love so that lives are transformed. We also pray that our Lord will bring health to our school, since many teachers and students have been sick, including Z who has been struggling with headaches and body aches.

Please write! We love all of you and miss you so much and appreciate your encouragement. A thinks of home often and longs for the comfort of that stability, routine, and familiar, smiling faces. But the Lord has shown her that her home is with Him, that it is a state of being with him, not a place of being. We continue to seek comfort, joy, and peace in Him first, and we pray that you will find the same.