Futebol Anyone?

Finally. After nearly 2 months of shopping for the best deals, purchasing equipment, and arranging transportation, we have officially started the Physical Education program at Projeto Crescer. Last week was our first week to start transporting the kids to a local sports club. We have been playing a lot of futebol (soccer)...hard to beleive I know. I had planned on teaching the kids all kinds of games and other sports, but I learned very quickly that if it's not soccer, they're not interested. So, I'm having to readjust some things, but that's OK. We're all learning from one another and I think the kids are having a great time. It's a great opportunity to get the kids out of the favela for a little while and give them a chance to play in a safe place away from the drugs and violence. Even if I never get a chance to teach them how to set a volleyball, it's already been worth it.

Pearly Whites

When we first arrived at the Project, one of the health issues we wanted to address was the fact that all the kids toothbrushes were mixed together in a tupperware container...and they didn't have toothbrush covers!!! Yuck!!! I don't even want to know what kinds of bacteria were being passed around in that thing! Resolution? A little grandmotherly intervention. Toothbrush covers are hard to come by down here, and when you do can find them they aren't cheap. My Grandmother took it upon herself to nip this problem in the bud by making a trip to one of the greatest establishments known to mankind...WALMART! At least I think that's where she went. Anyway, a special delivery of toothbrush covers arrived a few weeks ago. We now have one less major health crisis in the world today. Way to go Mama Billie!! Your next mission...global warming.

My Wonderful Husband!!!

Besides the fact that God has given me a wonderful family, and lots of new family in Christ here in Brasil, I have the best husband ever. We got the key to our apartment last friday, after quite some time waiting,filling out paperwork, etc. Jude has been such a blessing to me through all of this. He has been painting the place and putting up showerheads and putting on toilet seats, whatever needs to be done so that we can move in on Friday. (Side note: For those of you wondering, toilet seats and shower heads???.... Here in Brasil, when you move out of a place, you take with you EVERYTHING that you can and more.... toilet seats, shower heads, toilet paper roll holders, etc. Praise God we got a place where the people didn't take the light fixtures or we would have had wires just hanging out of the ceiling, which would be totally normal!) He started teaching PE class this week at the project and he has still managed to almost get everything painted and ready for us to move in, not to mention being really patient and doing everything he possible can to take good care of me. I am praising God for my husband and thought he could use a little on-line bragging for all that he has been working on. We will post pictures and write more when we can!!! We might be offline for a little while until we get the internet and phone hooked up at our place, which quite possibly could take a while. Later, later, Jane

Wedding Shower?

Our church family held a "shower of presents" for us Monday night and we received all kinds of new household items to go into the new apartment that we are still looking for. We have been so blessed to be a part of this body of believers.

Missions Conference

Jane and I attended a missions conference a couple of weeks ago. It was a great opportunity to see what the Lord is doing not only in the Rio area, but throughout Brasil as well.