Andréa's Thoughts a Couple of Weeks Ago

In my last entry, I talked about how God helps to bring me through times when all I can think of is home and it seems like everything would be so much better if I were in the United States. That is so true! But since then I have come to appreciate and even love my situation here and my mind is not so consumed with thoughts of home. Now I find myself thinking about returning home in a few weeks and wishing that I could stay longer so I could learn and grow more.
Things are still frustrating at times. Like when I got lost on the bus on the way to orchestra practice for my practicum this past week. Talking with the bus attendant, driver, and the others on the bus to find my way through a part of the city where I’ve never been was a true test of my Portuguese abilities and my nerves. My speaking and understanding were certainly less than perfect, but I made it to practice……45 minutes late. Things like this continue to test and try, but my excitement for being here and my love for the wonderful Brazilians that I see day in and day out makes me think that I may have reached the other side of culture shock.
I have truly fallen in love with the family that I am living with. They are just that, family. My mãe (Brazilian mom) gets concerned when I get the sniffles and she talks with me about culture and helps me with Portuguese while we do dishes together. My pai (Brazilian dad) brings me popcorn while working on homework. Bruna, my Brazilian sister, watches TV with me, lets me tag along when she’s hanging out with her friends, and certainly lets me know (in love) when I haven’t said something right in Portuguese. I couldn’t ask for a better family! I have loved learning about what it’s like to live in a Brazilian home with this family. They have taught me so much and I hope that they have enjoyed having me as well. These next few weeks I will be savoring my time with my Brazilian family and trying to soak up as much Brazilian learning as possible. I am so happy with what God has taught me here, but I hope that it is not over yet!
By Andréa Woods

Most Precious Ones

How could you not love them?

For many people, children, at best are a nuisance. For too many others, they are like trash –unwanted, disposable, and easy targets of violence and abuse of every kind. Many of the over two hundred children who live in Cidade dos Meninos, a loving Christian community just outside of Campinas, SP, that provides loving homes, school, social activities, church, vocational training and “hope without limits,” were at-risk children rescued from societies’ discard heap.

Several Intercultural Studies students from Mount Vernon Nazarene University were privileged to do their Intercultural Practicum in this environment. It is hard to imagine any ministry closer to the heart of God than caring for and educating children who have been rescued from violence, abandonment, and hopelessness. Helping to prepare meals, or serving at meal time, or playing with the children after class may hardly seem like significant mission activities. At such times, Jesus’ words “whatever you did for the least of these you have done to me,” reminds us that a smile, an English lesson, a romp on the playground, a stern no to misbehavior, a hug, anything done for these precious ones is ministering to Jesus himself.

On Wednesday, May 7, I had the privilege of getting up before 5:30 AM to catch the local bus to get into the city in time to ride the workers’ bus to Cidade dos Meninos with MVNU students, Laura Erskine, Miranda Stull, Deirdre Mc Cord, Chase Penix, and Scott Brubaker. What a day! It was long, it was tiring, it was mostly non-stop busy. When we came back into the city after dark, my heart got left behind. No, the kids didn’t steal it, I gladly gave it to them. You see I got to play with some of the kids. I tasted the meal several of the teen boys had proudly prepared in their cooking class. I took dozens of pictures of precious little ones, they took our pictures with them, and they posed, smiled, and soaked up the love that we gladly shared with them. We didn’t get to sing and dance with them in chapel because it was held on Friday, but we have been told that as young as they are, many of them have already learned to love and worship God.

In a very profound way, Wednesday was a day of worship for me. Throughout the day I often prayed for the children, I thanked God for the men and women who have understood the significance of their gift to God by taking care of, teaching, and serving the children. No missionary calling could ever be any more important or have any longer lasting results than the investment in the lives of hundreds of children who now have “hope without limits.”

ORDEM E PROGRESSO

Andréa Woods

Having been here for two months, the novelty of being in a new country has worn off. That doesn’t mean I don’t still get excited about eating fresh mango and not having to wear a coat when I go outside, but at the same time I’m getting used to things that one can only get accustomed to through time. For example, I don’t expect to walk into a room and be able to speak to someone in English. I’m also familiar now with the social norms of using public transportation, like how far in advance to stand before my stop comes and whether or not to take a seat at all. Beyond these superficial things, the extended amount of time here has helped me to learn that the Brazilian people are fun-loving, hospitable people that truly look to progress as their motto says “Ordem e Progresso.”

Not everything about being here is smooth sailing. But when things are getting tough and it feels like I’m banging my head against the wall trying to speak Portuguese, and it would just be easier to pack up and go home where everyone speaks the same language, God steps in and reminds me that He is with me, loves me and has a plan for me here. God’s obvious faithfulness to me inspires me to serve Him and share His love with those around me, particularly the kids that I work with at ANA (a before and after school program for shanty town children.)

God gave me one of those reminders at the evening service on Easter. I went to church that evening missing my family and being frustrated with my Portuguese progress, but during the praise and worship time I came to the realization that I understood nearly all of the worship songs. I’m still not thrilled with my Portuguese but I was overjoyed that after almost 2 months of being here I could wholeheartedly participate in the worship music. I am so thankful for times like this that are so encouraging. It helps make the hard parts of being here not so bad.

Taking a trip to the beach and Rio de Janeiro wasn’t bad either. Although we missed Miranda terribly, we all had a great time of fun in the sun! We stayed in a couple of apartments in a little tourist town called Arraial do Cabo. We had some good times hanging out on white sandy beaches, making brigadeiro, and seeing “Big Jesus.” It was a great week and I can’t wait to go back to share it with Miranda, but I’m really excited to get back to learning Portuguese and working with the kids at ANA.

Being Stretched ...

Chase Penix

I know this is my first entry, but I wanted to make sure I was past all of the superficial "tourist" observations and could share something of substance. This trip is teaching us to adapt to culture,(which of course is invaluable as a person called to cross-cultural ministry) but even more than that, it is teaching us to serve Humanity as effectively as possible.

We have been required to take an anthropological approach in all our different settings. We are learning to change our approach, depending on the people we work with. I´ve had to work with teens, small children, the homeless, and interact within a family. All groups have a different outlook not only because of their culture, but also because of where they are at in their lives. Because of this, this semester abroad is stretching and molding us as servants and ministers, but also forming us as students in the classroom.

We are learning the different approaches needed in different societal contexts. Tribal, peasant, and urban societies are the main focus. It has been quite an exercise going through the "what-ifs" in my mind as I work through the course. During the reading and class discussion, I have had to force myself to work through different scenarios that come up in every context. Just for fun, tonight when you, yes you the reader, do your devotional, read the story of Ruth and figure out how you can tell a tribesman that polygamy is wrong...

Finally, and most personally, the moment that I have been stretched the most. To fully understand why this was so hard, I need to take you to the previous semester while I was in Costa Rica. With less than a week to go, Amanda Osborne, Laura, and I were on our way home from a pizza shop, when we found ourselves staring down somebody´s revolver. He was obviously high, and wanted our money. So we forked over what little cash we had (we are college students so he was a little disappointed), and took Amanda´s bag that contained her iPod and Social Security Card. Not exactly a great experience.

Fast forward to this semester, last week. We were required to help out with a street ministry handing out soup to the homeless, many of which have serious drug problems. Anxiety is quite possibly the understatement of the year when trying to explain how I felt in the van riding to the serving point. I was going to confront people with the same problems, and more likely than not, the same capabilities as our friend, the Costa Rican gunman. However when I finally began to interact with the people, it really occurred to me that they, including our robber, are exactly the people I have been called to serve. There are very few circumstance that testify to spiritual bondage more than drug addiction. It´s this bondage we are called to approach as Christians, whether we are Stateside or abroad. This is just the beginning of a semester of eye-opening...