along life's narrow way

post by~ Brin

 One of the job hazards of foreign missions work is loneliness. After the first year, at least for me, it lessened considerably but still cycles in and out just like the rainy season.  I truly enjoy meeting new people and exploring new places but for only so long and then I yearn to be with people I know and know me back. God is so very aware of my heart. So under His provision, our family enjoyed our first official visitors to our new home in Manaus.  Luke and Debbi Porritt, along with their twin girls Anna and Aleia, enthusiastically jumped into the sights, sounds and (as seen in the picture below) the smells of our new city.

 

And to add to the encouragement, their visit occurred over Easter.  Which for me turned Easter into fun (and work) and, I recently realized, inadvertently left out the sacred. I am thinking about that now. Thinking that, as if it were not enough to be saved from hell, I also have an ever-present friend in Jesus.  He abides in me. Jesus knows the real me, the ugly me that I try to hide from new friends and old friends alike. And yet He loves me, the most actually. And because of what Jesus did on that Easter morning we have hope of an eternity in heaven where there is no death, tears, fear and no cycles of loneliness. Little bubbles of renewing hope rise up in me and give me a boost to keep striving forward even though we are still challenged daily in our new life and ministries and still cannot guess where God will take us next.  Whatever happens during our time on Earth, at the end of our story there is hope. A refreshing, renewing, encouraging Hope that I want to motivate all I do.

 So to help celebrate Easter our two families, along with Andres and Camila (teammates with Asas), gave an Easter breakfast, program and egg hunt at the hangar. The hunt was likely a first for all the Brazilian participants.

 Luke and Debbi brought along their family's Resurrection Eggs to tell the Easter story,which turned out to be an excellent cross-cultural tool.

It was a race out in the expanse of Asas property to find the eggs. And avoid the fire ants; my foot still showing the evidence of stepping into a nest. Does this count as suffering for the gospel?

 Children from our home church in Tremont sent along the plastic eggs as well as a good supply of M&Ms.

 And we finished out the morning with a dip in the river and subsequent sunburns. The ramp makes for a great place to swim and the boat for jumping.

 Just like everyone back home, we posed for an Easter portrait.

 A big plus of having the Porritts was Mia and Ava being able to share the Brazilian side of their lives with Anna and Aleia. So just like the girls do at least 3 times a week, they walked over to the neighbors house and bought popsicles. Flavor choices could be peanut, tucumã, tapioca, roasted coconut, açai, and green corn, grape or strawberry. The twins nibbled a cautious bite on green corn but then settled conservatively on strawberry. Ava was often left to translate for the bunch which she did with vigor, however odd the translations came out.

Here are the girls cooling off in the outdoor shower and playing with my squeegees that I use to clean my floor. They had probably never seen one so big. Mia took it upon herself to educate her visitors in Brazilian (Amazonian, I should say) culture. At one point she picked up an industrial type scrub brush that I use to clean my rugs and informed Anna and Aleia that it was what they should use to scrub their feet. Ouch!

So after 7 days of showing the Porritt family a glimpse of our life, (albeit somewhat distorted because we consumed a years worth of good food and fun), we said goodbye and I missed them the next day. 

We are not meant to be loners on this planet. That is why I yearn to know and be known. And that is how Easter alleviates loneliness. Jesus' death restores a relationship with a pure and perfect God that had been muddied by just living life on this earth. And we, being equipped with God love, can reach out to others. We share, care, love, and serve because He did it first.

I present to you, Cleny!

post by~ Brin and Gabriella

Sorry for the delay, but I would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our family, Cleny Carvalho.

When we announced to our friends that we were moving to Manuas, we received several subtle suggestions from friends who wanted to move with us. We were not surprised, living in Manuas allows for more schooling and job options as well as just a chance for our young friends to spread their wings.  We had some obvious contenders, and we prayed about each of them. But we decided on inviting Cleny to join us after she told me about a conversation she had while we were on furlough. Cleny was jobless and living with a family from church (Agostinho and Natal). At one point, Natal asked Cleny to start making some movement towards her future. So, Cleny shared that her dream was to move to a city and go to college. She would be the first in her family and as her mother put it, showed much potential. For sure a lofty goal considering her lack of many crucial factors: education, experience, finances and particularly in this culture, family and social connections. The two discussed potential options and for various reasons Natal admitted she could not bless any of them. God, however, is not hindered by any of Cleny's impediments, and it is in fact when He moves most mightily. Josh and I seriously began to discuss, pray and consider if this was God's assignment for our family. We chatted with the Pastors at church and her discipleship partner and all gave us their enthusiastic blessing. I am honored that God chose our family be a part of shaping her life, and thankful of His provision for such a wonderful new "daughter" in our family.

Cleny has already started a dental hygiene program. She is incredibly proud of herself for getting enrolled, learning the bus system and learning to budget her income to pay for her tuition all on her own. A huge accomplishment that is even more noteworthy considering the contrast of her upbringing with a mother who was an indigenous Indian that taught a different knowledge base and value system. Cleny works in afternoons as our house helper which provides an assured income for her and an assured warrior alongside me as we fight mold and mildew together.  Speaking of mold, that brings to thought a funny story....


I have noticed that I have a way of conversing with Cleny where I do not put nearly as much effort into grammar and pronunciation as I would if I were conversing with others. She gets me, even when I mix verbs tenses and speak quickly. This lack of concentration has led to many humorous language bloopers. One day, completely exasperated by the level of unprecedented humidity and mold in my life, I hastily complained to Cleny that the cornmeal I had just bought a week earlier had molded in it's original package. UGH. "To keep our food fresh, we should put all grains in a plastic toilet (vaso) right away," I advised her. She playfully snickers but gives no indication that she was going to correct me. "I mean container (vasilia)," I sheepishly admit. She keeps laughing and then tells me how earlier in the week she was running out the door and Josh yelled for her to take her clothing wardrobe (guarda-roupa). So she grabbed the umbrella (guarda-chuva) and left the house with a grin. Why would she correct us and chance losing her entertainment?! Ella is also delightfully entertained by our bloopers. And also annoyed and embarrassed too.

To finish out this post, here is an interview that Ella did with Cleny:

Gabriella: What are you dreams for the future?

Cleny: I dream to have a degree in Law or Dentistry. I also want to marry and have children.

Gabriella: What is the hardest thing about living here?

Cleny: The city is very dangerous, and the transit is very crazy. It's also very hard to live away from my family and friends. But I do like challenges.

Gabriella: How has God helped you? 

Cleny: In all that I do I first ask God if it's his will. And he always helps me with his answer. With the prayers of my friends and the support of my new family, the Pflederer family.

Gabriella: What is your favorite food?

Cleny: Fish, rice and beans.

Gabriella: What do you think about the mold in your room? 

Cleny: The mold smells really bad and it has weakened my health and breathing. I had a  cold, cough and a sore throat for a long time. Sometimes the stink is stronger than other times.

Gabriella: What do you think about Josh not allowing animals in the house?

Cleny: Haha! This is very good! Josh is very wise! But, if we had a dog like Cody, then I would love it. Cody doesn't poop in the house and is very big.

Gabriella: What was the scariest thing you've been through?

Cleny: I was in a bus accident when I was 15 years old. The bus was doing down a steep hill and the brakes weren't working. There was a river at the end of the road but God blessed the driver so instead of driving into the river, he crashed into a tree. I was in the front of the bus and glass broke on me and I went unconscious. When I woke up many people were hurt. Children had broken arms and legs, and lots had cuts and bruises. When I came to, I was the only one that wasn't hurt. I prayed and God saved me.

*Cody was our trusted guard dog back in Altamira. His aggressiveness was known and feared in the neighborhood which provides a lot of peace when I was home alone. Here in Manaus our neighbors put their guard dogs on their roofs and they pace back and forth all night. We don't have a guard dog, what we want is pet. Someone won't let us have one.

The five of us girls on a day trip to visit some local waterfalls. Our family's preferred way of relaxing. Poor Josh, between my homeschool helpers from years past and now Cleny he is always thoroughly outnumbered.