Thankful Thursday

Today is the last day of camp.  Time sure does fly when you are having fun.  I am currently sitting in the sanctuary listening to the lunch conversations out the window.  Portuguese, English, laughter… it sounds really beautiful.  Even though I cannot understand all of the words, I truly believe that our team (both Americans and Brazilians) love being together.  And for that, I am thankful.  But before I go into the details of today, I am going to rewind back to yesterday afternoon. 

 

When we left the church, John and Andre surprised us with a pit stop for popsicles.  I bet it was really funny to the locals… a large group of Americans in matching shirts taking thousands of pictures.  Some of the favorite frozen treats included Magnum bars (sort of like a Dove ice cream bar) and real fruit popsicles.  We enjoyed another fun van ride to Agua Viva with Fufa, complete with a round of iPod idol.  Norma sang “Independence Day” by Martina McBride and Tricia treated us to “It’s Gonna Be Me” by Nsync.  The van rides are always eventful, to say the least.  I think we can attribute a lot of our team bonding to the laughs shared on those rides.  Dinner was delicious, once again.  Dona Gon Gon and her team do an awesome job cooking for us.  We debriefed as a team, which is always a great ending to the day.  This team is simply amazing.  And for that, I am thankful.   

 

Which brings us to today, the final day of camp.  Today, we will not only have our two camps, we will have a program at 8:00pm for every camper and their family.  Our first camp went really well.  We let the kids choose which Janie Bird dances we did today during our ice breaker.  They chose “The Cupid’s Shuffle” and “Hands Up”.  We learned about Zacheus in “grupo grande”.  My group (the red team) seemed to really grasp the concepts and were very vocal during our small group time.  In Rec Time, we played “Drip Drip Drop”, which was hil-ar-ious.  In “Gurl Wurld”, we visited a “nail salon”.  These Brazilian teenage girls can do some serious nail designs, so we were all thankful for their help with the kids.  The boys played ultimate Frisbee during “Man Land”.  In Arts & Crafts, we made binoculars (which related back to the story of Zacheus).  After our skills, we met back in the sanctuary and gave each camper a Demais t-shirt.  They all looked so sharp in their matching shirts.  We passed out their homework and crafts and sent them on their way.  We get to see them again tonight, and for that we are all thankful.

 

As for the team, I asked them to tell me two things specifically for the blog today.  The first was something that they are thankful for as we journey through this final day of camp.  I passed around a notebook so they could write them down.  The entries progressively got longer, so bear with us as you read them.  The other thing I asked them for was a child’s name that they are specifically praying for as we close out camp.  I thought it would be cool for you guys (our support back home) to be able to pray specifically alongside of us.  So, next to the * in each person’s section you will see the name of a kid (or two, or three) that we would like to invite you to pray for as prepare for our program tonight.

 

            Oh, and Kate… our flight is DL 104 scheduled to arrive in Atlanta at 5:45 am on Sunday.  Just check the website for the status of the flight before you go to bed Saturday night.  Love you friend! Bigger, bigger…

 

JC Ndzomo- is thankful to be chosen for this awesome mission down here in Brazil.  Getting to know these kids and having a chance to be apart of this ministry is such a great experience which changes me every single day.  I am not looking forward to packing my stuff.  *Fabrico & Fernando

Jessica Hendry- is thankful for this trip because it has been incredibly humbling.  It has been such a huge blessing to not only learn about the Brazilian culture, but to also learn more about what Christ intends for me to do here in Brazil and in my life.  I am so proud to be a part of the Lord’s plan here in Brazil.  I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.  It’s been said that we’ll never know the impact of what we are doing has on these kids, but likewise, these kids will never know the impact they have had on me.  *Valeria & Washington

Jon Gill- is thankful for the opportunity to see how the Lord has used me to impact children and the opportunity to make lifelong friends.  *Alam, Mateus & Pedro

Lauren Bennett (me)- is thankful for every memory that has been made on this trip.  I am also thankful for the truths we have learned (kids & volunteers, and staff) about who the Lord says He is and who He says we are.  *Adriana

Toby Sanders- is thankful for the opportunity to be able to experience a culture so far away from the one in which I live.  I am blessed by the kids I interact with as well as the Brazilian volunteers who put so much into this camp and these kids.  *Ricardo

Whitney Corley- is thankful for the Lord blessing me with this awesome opportunity.  The experience has made me realize all the things that I take for granted.  I am also thankful for the Brazilian volunteers and my wonderful teammates who have been a pleasure to serve alongside of.  I see the love of Christ shining through each and every one of them.  *Ingrid

Tori Frazier- is thankful for the opportunity to share Christ’s love with these kids using basically no words and yet impacting them forever.  I am also thankful to meet some of the amazing people ever: staffers, campers and volunteers.  *Caua

Whitney Stancil- is thankful for opened eyes to other cultures of our world and being able to see a different nation be reached with the same ministry that we are all familiar with in the United States.  *Clemson & Julie

Alyssa O’Leary- is thankful for sweet Brazilian faces and the opportunity to connect with them.  *Niel (one of our volunteers who lost his job last week) & Lucas

Megan Gaither- is thankful to feel so blessed.  I am so blessed to be in Brazil, blessed to be spending my spring break doing my favorite thing ever- camp, and blessed with God’s grace to be able to share Him with the people here.  *Paula & Philipe

Katie Underwood – is thankful for being able to connect with so many kids and volunteers.   It is cool to be able to communicate without speaking the same language and experience the universality of God’s love.  *Melina, Felipe & Jessica

Juliana Anderson- is thankful to be used by God in the country that I love and to be able to help others connect by translating.  *Pedro

Tricia Watts- is thankful to have the opportunity to return again this year to Brazil.  Even with different people teaming up, she has experienced the genuine truth that Brazilians are warm and wonderful people.  *Ana Paula

Jimmy Simpson- is thankful and humbled to be able to return to Brazil for a second year, to strengthen bonds and relationships, to make new friends and the awesome opportunity to lead this AMAZING team.  I am so very proud to see how they have all bonded and allowed themselves to be used by God to impact so many lives.  *Thiago

Ken Thomas- is thankful for the opportunity to be apart of what God is doing in Brazil.  *Samuel, Lucas & all the boys here in Brazil

Norma Thomas- is thankful that God can use us even when we feel we aren’t worthy of being used.  I am thankful that we have amazing parents that have kept our kids while we have been here.  *Ronald & Erile

John White- is thankful for this team.  *Paulo

Trudy White- thankful for the opportunity to return to Brazil, renew friendships we shared while living here (’84-’94), the chance to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ, using resources, talents and time to impact younger lives, being God’s hands and feet to boys and girls who have so many needs-mostly the need to know God and trust Him with their lives, offering the message of hope to the hopeless. *Aline

Brent Fielder- is thankful for incredible Brazilian friends that I have gotten to know so much more and the opportunity to do what I love in Brazil- to impact young lives.  *Caua & Edwardo

Angela Fielder- is thankful for the people and being able to play with the kids here in Brazil.  *Pedro.

 

 

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