Our neighbors Thais and Letizia, the two girls in the picture, are so wonderful. hey brought us a "passion fruit" mousse welcoming us to Brazil. They had just learned in their English class that this is what American's do when someone moves into their community. We are baking a cake for them!! We are forming a nice relationship with them. They spent over an hour at home talking about everything. Very sweet!!!

Youth Group is a very important aspect in our everyday life. We have a couple of teenage daughters that are very involved in the youth group. Anna just taught her first Bible study last Friday in Portuguese, we are so proud of her! Her little sister Adrienne keeps saying... GO ANNA GO!!!






Steve and I had the chance to attend a couple of conferences during the month of February. They were great times of being able to meet fellow missionaries here in Brazil and learn more about their ministries.

Another occurrence during this past month was the holiday they call "Carnival". This four-day, pre-lent spectacle is a mixture of a Roman Catholicism Holiday and African Celebration. It quickly evolved into a massive celebration of indulgences - one last gasp of music, food, alcohol, and sex before Lent - before the 40 days of personal reflection, abstinence, and fasting until Easter (not exactly what the Church probably had in mind). 40 days of purging sins, preceded by a week filled with virtually every known sin. The word itself comes from Latin, "Carne Vale" or "Farewell to the Flesh".

We feel we are learning and adapting more and more everyday as we learn the language and the culture. It's such a privileged to be here in Brazil taking the good news to Brazilians!.

I Just realized I haven't posted anything for over twenty days or so. My..... It's been busy!!!
Moving to another country, learning another language, adapting to that culture, making sure your kids' needs are taking care of etc... IT'S NOT an easy thing to do. I read this verse in Romans 8:28 so many times and always strengthens and assures me that good things, bad things, neutral things work together for our good. Like the verse says "We know" that's certainty.

Also in Psalm 119:165, "Those who love You and Your law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble." It doesn't matter what goes wrong, you know you're loved.
It doesn't matter what changes, you know you're loved and you're secure in that love.
So, loving God is basically defined as an attitude toward God that meditates on His glory, that trusts in His power and that secures the peace of the soul. What an awesome promise!!