Trying to Be Independent

   One of the hardest things to adjust to has been the loss of my independence. I can no longer go do all my errands on my own or go explore whenever I get the adventure bug.

   Several issues prevent me from being as independent as I am used to. 1) I don't know the language and can't communicate well enough if I get lost. (Although, I can probably roughly tell a taxi driver roughly the major road that gets me home.) 2) I don't have a working cell phone yet because I don't have all the paperwork necessary from the Federal Police yet. I can't even call anyone to come get me if I get lost. 3) To get anywhere, either somebody has to drive me or call a taxi for me because I don't have a license here and I can't speak the language. 4) If I get where I need to go, chances are, I can't speak to anyone to get what I need done.

  It's somewhat like being a teenager again and being dependent on parents (or in this case, our wonderful administrative assistants, Bel and Marj).

  During Thanksgiving break, Marj took Lauren (my roommate) and I all over town to run errands. She gave her entire afternoon and evening to us, driving and interpreting for us so we could get things done. On the way home, we got stuck in traffic (think Mariocart in real life). Ahead of us, a truck had stalled out and had blocked both lanes. When he tried to restart his truck, he broke the key off in the ignition. We waited thirty to forty-five minutes and finally got up the courage to drive on the sidewalk like everyone else had been doing for ten minutes or so. We had to pull in one of the side mirrors to fit between the truck and the wall that lined the sidewalk. There were also street lights and random poles to dodge while driving on the sidewalk. We cheered and breathed a sigh of relief when we finally got around the truck and back onto the road!

  Lauren and I tried to be adventurous and independent today and tried to go to a student's birthday party by ourselves in the school car. Birthdays are a big deal here- lots of food and merriment that lasts most of the day. The student's dad had offered to send a taxi for us, but we decided we could try to drive ourselves. We had been given Google maps showing the way and it seemed like a pretty straight forward drive.

   The one thing we should have taken into consideration is that street signs are limited here. I would guess roughly 5% of streets are actually marked. We made some wrong turns, but were able to get back where we needed to be each time (which is definitely a sign of God's protection...nothing is straight forward here, especially travel by car). Lauren and I had gotten down to looking for one last street that would take us into the gated community that the student lives in...and we couldn't find it. We drove back and forth several times, but neither of us could figure out where that last street was. I'm sure we were within a block or two. After an hour and a half driving, we called it quits and went home (which we were able to do with only one slight error).

  I am so used to being able to hop in MY car and go wherever it is I want to go and take care of my own errands. It's really quite frustrating to be so dependent on others and to be somewhat scared of leaving campus for fear that I'll get into a situation I can't get myself out of. My fair complexion and lighter hair color immediately mark me as a foreigner. In the same way, it marks me as a candidate for mugging and who knows what else. Going around by myself, especially at this point, is out of the question.

Since we missed the wonderful party food, Lauren and I stopped at a bakery close to our house. This little beggar quite enjoyed all the crumbs previous customers had left behind. I think he was hoping I would share, too.

   On another note, only two weeks until I get to come home for Christmas! My poor body is going to go into shock. The temperature and time change together are going to rough, but it will be so good to see my family and be with them for Christmas!

Butterflies, Birds, and a Beautiful Sunset

   The last two weekends, I've had the opportunity to see a little more of Belém and get out of our little bubble that is AVA. Last weekend, one of our wonderful staff members took my roommate and I to a tourist place with a bird and butterfly exhibit that also had a Brazilian naval history museum. It was nice to play tourist and get off of campus. A day before that I took some pictures of the sunset from the upstairs neighbors' apartment. (All we can see from our windows are the roofs of the buildings next door.)

The following are some pictures from our trip to the exhibit and museum.

From the viewing tower at the exhibit

Bel is amazing! She takes care of us gringas! 

Apparently iguanas are known to be mean...everyone gave this guy a wide berth as they passed him.

   We had a lot of fun, but it was hot and the sweating was rolling down our backs. Getting back to our air conditioned bedrooms for a nap was wonderful, too! 

A Whole New World

   Just over a week ago, I left behind family, friends, knowledge of how things work, language- my comfort zone. After the 30 hours of travel, I feel like I kind of hit the ground running here in Brazil. I'm just finally catching my breath this weekend.
 
   The culture shock has been incredible. I've been in other countries before, but I think I was able to handle the culture differences easier because I knew I was going home in two weeks. This time it's different. I'm actually living in Brazil for a while and that knowledge seems to make it harder to swallow all of the differences.

   The food is different (somewhat more bland and drier than I'm used to); bathrooms are bit different (you don't flush your toilet paper- it goes in the garbage); I'm using a different currency when I go to the stores; the climate is warmer and much more humid than my body is used to (my skin always feels sticky to some degree); the streets are dirty and somewhat cobbled together in places (it's best to watch your step); buildings are so close together, you can literally reach out your bedroom window and touch the house next door; and the list of differences go on.

   At school, I'm teaching two brand-new-to-me grade levels. It's going to take some time to figure out how to balance the two and make sure all students get what they need. All of my students are English Language Learners. None of them are at grade-level in reading or writing. Their lack of vocabulary makes it interesting when I'm trying to teach as I often have to break things down even more than I would in the States because of the language barrier. I just can't use the same vocabulary I would use with native English speakers. On top of that, the kids have had a lot of changes in the last two weeks. I am the third teacher they have had this year, and the second in the span of about two weeks. I'm hoping that we'll be able to find a rhythm in our classroom this week.

  I did get to go to the beach this weekend with several of the other teachers, so that was nice. While it was just a tributary of the Amazon River and not the ocean, it was still nice to enjoy the sun, the sand, and watch the tide come in. We all needed to relax after a crazy week in the classroom.

Such a relaxing view!

  Even as crazy and hard as the week has been, I have had a supernatural peace that has kept me calm throughout all of my flights and through all newness. Typically, I would probably be a mess by now with all the new stressors being thrown my way. In my heart, I know this is where I am supposed to be at this time. God is already opening the doors to share His love with my students and I'm excited to see what happens in their hearts throughout the school year.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

   Well, folks, the time has finally come. I will be headed to Brazil on Thursday. After around 30 hours of travel, I'll arrive in Belém on Friday afternoon.

   It's such a bittersweet moment. God has been so good, and in the last couple of months of waiting,  allowed me to see some of my dearest friends one last time before I leave. I haven't seen several of them for months and even years. My heart overflows every time I realize how the opportunities came about!

   I've gotten to experience a glorious fall. The leaves were so vividly colored this year and the temperatures just right! Last week, I even got to see a bit of snow on the ground as I returned from visiting friends on the other side of the state. I would have preferred to witness the magic that is the first snowfall, but I'll take what I was given! My mind is whirling as I try to adjust to the idea of not dealing with bitter cold and ice at all this winter. It just doesn't compute! The thought of 80+ degrees and 70-80% humidity in November doesn't either!

   I hope to do at least monthly updates to keep everyone in the know. I am completely open to using Skype and Hangouts for more personal visits though!

  Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers as I begin this crazy adventure on another continent!

Waiting Some More

   I know many of you are wondering what the latest update is and I finally sort of have one for you! My work visa was approved by the Ministry of Labor in Brazil. I am now waiting for the Brazilian consulate to approve the work visa and put it in my passport. Due to holidays, Brazilian election days, and backlogs, I'm told that I probably won't have my passport back in my hands until October 31st.

   My first year of teaching, I started in October, so God's given me a little bit of practice with starting later in the school year. I'm sure it'll be a crazy transition, but hopefully I learned a little from the first year and will be better able to help my students adjust.

   God truly does work in amazing ways. The lady who is currently teaching my class is actually from Billings, Montana, and her aunt attends my church! It makes me realize how small the world really is. I'm thankful that my students are being well taken care of. The fact that she is from the same little corner of the world as me is just plain neat!

   In other news, I'm not the only teacher struggling to get down to Belém. The third-grade teacher has been going through a lot of the same troubles that I've been dealing with. Her departure date also keeps being pushed back and is now looking at January for arriving at AVA. This means that when I finally get down there, I will be teaching third grade, as well as, fourth grade. While this knowledge makes me even more nervous, the fact that I'll only have thirteen students total helps a little bit. I had twenty-two kindergartners last year, so thirteen nine- to ten-year-olds doesn't seem too bad.
 
   Even though it is hard to not be with my class already, I am trusting that God has a purpose and a plan for this ever-prolonging time of waiting. God has definitely been teaching me new lessons and giving me opportunities that would not have happened otherwise.

   Remember to check out the Prayer Requests and How to Help pages. Also, just a reminder that if you would like to receive emails when I post updates, you can become a follower using the link on the right-hand side of the page.

Visa Approved!

   Today I received the news that my work visa has been approved! I have to do some more paperwork in order to get it in my passport, but it shouldn't be too hard to complete. Right now, the timeline puts me in Brazil sometime around October 6-10.

   This is the fastest the school has been granted a work visa in at least three years (approved in just around a month's time!). Things have been sort of stop and go with my departure date, but this one should work out this time. Now I need to finish gathering all the supplies I will need and get packing in earnest!

   Be sure to check out the new pages that I've set up under the blog title. "How to Help" gives you more information about the organization I am going with, the school I am going to be at, and how you can give if you so choose. "Prayer Requests" is exactly what is sounds like. I'll periodically update things you can specifically be praying about for me and the school. I will post praises as well.

 Also, if you want to make sure you never miss a new post, become a follower by clicking "Join This Site" on the right-hand side. You'll get an email to notify you when a new post has been posted. It will require you to set up a Google account, but you should be able to set it up so that it doesn't do anything with your information except send you emails about my blog. I don't think you have to be a public follower either, in case you don't want it displayed on the website.

   Thank you all for your interest and support on this adventure!

All Aboard the Transition Train!

  By the end of the week, I should find out when exactly it is that I leave for Belém. My emotions are all over the place- bouncing from panic to excitement to fear and to everything in between as I try to mentally and physically prepare.

  Mom and I made a fast trip to Billings so I could procure items that you can't find easily or cheaply in Belém...or Glendive for that matter. I stocked up on stick deodorant (my students will thank me), my favorite face washes, razor blades, beautifying products, classroom decorations...which reminds me that I forgot to look for smelly markers! Bah!

  And now I have begun to pack a little bit. The process stirs up emotions that were talked about during the pre-field orientation that I went to early this summer. Along with about 120 other individuals getting ready to teach internationally in fifteen countries, I learned about transitioning. Transitions are interesting creatures. They can give us hope for the future, while leaving us grieving for people, places, and things left behind. I have definitely been feeling overwhelmed with the grief of things about to be lost- especially the loss of my "comfort zone."

  Several friends and I joke that I am bad about taking risks. It's not that I don't like adventure. I do. I am more liable to take very calculated risks, though (name that personality PFO friends!). Moving to a whole new country and teaching a whole new grade is a risk that is completely out of my normal risk-taking realm. If I had the choice, I would only be making one major change. Preferably, either I would teach a familiar grade in a new country or, teach a new grade in a familiar country. That's not what is happening, though. I'm getting a double dose of change!

  I was once given a mental picture by my campus pastor. He said that it's like I'm riding in a convertible with God and I keep trying to drive. I just need to relax in the passenger seat and enjoy the drive.

  Right now, it feels like I'm in the passenger seat (which is progress), but I'm terrified because I don't know where we are going, what it is going to look like, if I'm going to like it, if I'll come out on the other side happy with the year. Notice all the "I's."  I, I , I , I.

  A friend recently posted an article in a psych magazine that stated that when we come to the moment of big change in our lives, we tend to become pessimistic. When the change is far away yet, we are optimistic. But as the time comes nearer, our spirits tend to see things more negatively. The article resonated with me, whether it is true or not for most people.

  I've wanted to do missions/ministry for a while and to go share Jesus in a deliberate manner. I was excited when the opportunity to teach overseas opened up. Now that I have that chance and the time is drawing near, I'm fairly petrified. My faith is not quite as strong as I thought. I'm getting stuck on me, when it's not about me.

  God says He has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). He also says that He goes before us and behind us and tells us which way to go and will be with us always (Deuteronomy 31:8; Psalm 139:5).  I am going to be okay, no matter what. I just need to "trust and obey." I'm in the  passenger seat and we are going faster than I would like. But this is a refining moment, a defining moment. I can chose to curl up in a ball and flounder in the waves, or I can chose to keep my eyes on Jesus, trust Him whole-heartedly and walk on the waves. I'm working on trusting because that's definitely the better option.

  What's your favorite thing to do when you are struggling to trust God with the changes in life? Do you trust Him with change?


 

Wait For It and Other Information

Guess what?!

   I'm still in the States and probably will be for a while. You thought I was going to announce that I am headed for Brazil, didn't you? Sorry, friends, you just can't get rid of me quite yet!

  My visa application has been in to the Brazilian government for nearly three months now. Based on their track record, I may only have two, maybe three, more months before they find my application tucked away in an odd place?  decide my application has aged long enough (like wine and cheese)? finish deliberating over my worthiness of  a visa.

  In the meantime, I am planning short-term, as well as long-term. I've been spending a lot of time looking at the curriculum standards and doing a bit of broad lesson planning. I've also been doing a lot of online shopping for professional clothes that will be cool in the Brazilian heat (my current professional closet lends itself to keeping me warm...thank you, Montana climate.). I have even started sorting out my teacher supplies that I think I want to take with me.

   Did you know there are a plethora of options and brands to chose from when shopping for luggage? It's been quite the escapade deciding which suitcase to entrust my belongings to for what are bound to be several rough airport rounds. Let me say, when reading reviews, I started to wonder if they make affordable AND durable suitcases or if it was an either/or situation. I think I found some though! Phew!

Here's some more information about the organization I'm going through, the school I'm going to, and financial particulars.

NICS
   I am going to Brazil with the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS). NICS was born in 1983 when missionaries in Korea noted a need for schooling of the local missionary kids. They thought they would have about 30 students that first year-- they ended up with 83! NICS now has 19 schools in 15 countries.

   Most Christian schools require that at least one parent be a Christian in order for a student to be enrolled. NICS schools are different than many Christian schools in that they accept students from any country and any religious background. This is what makes them special. Teachers are able to share Christ with students from incredibly diverse backgrounds as NICS schools serve the missionary, expatriate, and local communities. To learn more about NICS, go here or contact me and I can send you more information.

Logo from the AVA website

AVA
   Amazon Valley Academy (AVA) was initially created to serve missionary kids in Belèm, Brazil in 1958. AVA came into the NICS family in 1996. As of July 2014, AVA has now been passed on to the organization, Believer's Bridge. Although AVA is under new management, NICS teachers will still be able to work there and help continue with ministry. Because of major changes in the last few years, AVA is cramped into one building and trying to raise funds to outfit a new building. Right now, the new building is completely empty. No air conditioning, no whiteboards, no desks, no classroom supplies, etc. To find out more click here. Please be praying that funding would come through and that AVA would be able to use the new space! If you are interested in helping with funding, here is the link.

   As a NICS teacher, I will receive a salary. However, a little fundraising is required in order to pay for plane tickets, classroom supplies, and other ministry-related expenses, which adds up to roughly $300/month. Please pray about possibly supporting the NICS ministry and the work I will be doing with them in Brazil with a one-time or monthly monetary gift.

To Give:

Online
Choose "Single Donation" or "Recurring Donation"
Under "Destination," select "Missionary Support"
Enter my name "Breann Goroski" or my project number "003780"

By Mail:

Make checks out to "NICS/Oasis"
For IRS purposes, please do NOT put my name anywhere on the check, instead in the memo put my project number #003780.
Mail to:
Network of International Christian Schools
Finance Dept.
3790 Goodman Rd. E
Southaven, MS 38672

All monetary gifts given through NICS are tax-deductible and a receipt will be sent after processing. If you have any questions about NICS, AVA, or Believer's Bridge, please contact me.

I want to thank everyone for their support of this new adventure that they have given through their words, prayers, and funds. I am so very grateful and I thank God for blessing me with each one of you!

School Is Out and Summer Has Started

   The last day of school was Friday, May 30th, and I haven't gotten to stop and breathe until today. I spent part of Memorial Weekend and long nights during the last week of school going through my classroom picking through my personal belongings and cleaning up the school's belongings to get it ready for the summer deep clean that the custodians will do.
 
   On that last day, I packed one last load into the trunk of my car, dropped it off at home and immediately drove to my brother's place three hours away. We finished our journey to our cousin's graduation party the next morning. Then, on Sunday, our family drove all the way home, where I had to begin packing for Bible camp!
 
   I spent the entire first week of June out at camp counseling some lovely, young ladies. One of my campers from last year suffered terrible tragedy this past year. I was honored to watch as God pulled at her heartstrings and began to bring her some solace. God spoke into and moved in the lives of the seventy-some teens every single day last week. I was so blessed by the refinement that students allowed God to do in their hearts.

 Today, I was finally able to really sleep in and catch up on some much needed sleep! I have lots to do though. I need to read the required books for Pre-Field Orientation, which starts two weeks from today in Mississippi (I get to add two states to my "traveled to" list as I actually fly into Tennessee!) Additionally, I need to go through my school stuff, decide what I am taking, if I'm getting rid of some of it, and where I am going to store the rest of it!

   As for Brazil...all of my paperwork is with AVA's new visa lawyer. He says he can get it all processed in 30-40 days, but the NICS team and I are a bit skeptical. In the past, visas have taken 6-8 months. The most asked question is "When are you leaving?" To which the answer is still, "I don't know." Hopefully, by the end of the July, possibly not until November or so. *shrug*  God has it all figured out. He knows how I feel about starting mid-year. He also knows that I have events that I'd like to attend here in the States. Either way, there are pros and cons.

   At this point, going to Brazil is still surreal. Part of my heart cries to stay in Eastern Montana, the place that I call home. Many call this part of the state ugly, but it has a wild beauty all its own and I am loathe to leave it. Another part of my heart cries for adventure in foreign places of which my eyes have yet to behold. I have confidence that God has called me to leave this place for at least a time, possibly forever. I find myself treasuring my moments with family and friends and also in this spot on the Earth that is home and has captivated my heart. I am truly blessed.

At Makoshika State Park 2009
Picture by Wynelle Fugett

Notaries, Visas, and Hoops of All Kinds

 Just over a month has passed since I made the decision to accept a teaching position in Belèm, Brazil. What some of you might not know is that I am going to be teaching in a Christian international school. In this particular case, it means that I have been appointed as a missionary with the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS). I will be working at Amazon Valley Academy in a yet unassigned grade. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the ministry AVA is doing through academics and other outreach ministries. Watch for further posts on how you can partner with NICS and help with those ministries!

  Most people are asking, "So, when do you leave?!" That is a very good question! For now, that is up in the air. You see, visas take a ridiculously long time to obtain from Brazil-usually five to six months.  Not only that, but there is a crazy process that all of the necessary documents have to go through in order to be acceptable for a visa.

1.  Copy of Diploma, Copy of teacher's license, copy of driver's license, copy of passport, local background check and release, and verification of employment all have to be notarized in the state each was issued in. (Thank goodness I've lived in Montana my whole life! No roadies needed!)
2.  All of those documents have to be sent to the Secretary of State who will put an apostille on it. (This makes it a legal document suitable for use by countries participating in the Hague Convention.)
3.  All of the documents then have to be sent to the regional Brazilian Consulate (in Montana's case, the Los Angeles branch) to be legalized as a Brazilian document.
4.  Next, the documents are sent to AVA in Brazil so that the school can apply for my visa.
5. Wait and pray that Brazil decides you are okay to be in the country.

  Between all of these steps, a lot of prayer goes up that nothing will be found wanting and sent back. I already experienced this with two of my documents when I sent them to the Secretary of State. The notarization wasn't up to par and I had to go back to the notary. 

  Not too big of a deal, right? Well, it was. First off, the notary just happened to be off on the Monday I went back. On Tuesday, she wasn't sure how to fix it, so I tried another route and went to a different notary. That notary informed me that I needed the original notary to fix it. And of course, this was after 4 pm, when the original notary gets off work. On Wednesday, I couldn't get a hold of the Secretary of State office until 4:30 pm, because she's out of the office on Wednesdays from 8:30-4:30 pm. I really needed to find out exactly how to fix the notarization. Thursday came around and I called the notary to find out if she was in. Nope. She had left early! AH! Friday rolled around and I spaced that I needed to go to the notary as I was in the middle of preparing report cards for third quarter. Oh bother!

  Thank goodness I have a wonderful mom! She totally saved my bacon and was able to take the documents to the notary, and then mail them for me on the following Monday. 

  I am currently waiting for those two blasted documents to come back from the Secretary of State. This whole debacle makes me a bit worried about what might happen with the legalization process at the consulate. 

  It's out of my hands though and it will be however it will be. God's got the situation under control and He knows how much I want to be in Brazil for the start of the school year. Who knows? If all of my blog readers are praying about it (hint, hint), maybe He'll perform a miracle and I will have the shortest visa process ever!

Pray I see this or something similar on my documents before the middle of April!
 (Picture courtesy of Wikipedia)

And So It Begins

  I figure it is probably about time to let everyone know what is going on in my life again. So...where to begin...

  I am teaching kindergarten again this year and have twenty-one energetic kiddos who keep me on my toes. While I have a much better handle on the curriculum this year, I'm finding that I still stink at classroom management. I've got three kiddos that regularly meltdown. I have four others that take turns being little pickles of trouble as well. I can't let my guard down for a minute or things go downhill fast!

  Working with this group continually reminds me that man is fallen from birth. We are born selfish and wanting our own way. It is only by God's grace and mercy that we can rise out of this and become something good and loving. I pray that my students will all come to understand this truth and accept Jesus as their Savior and be transformed. I pray that their lives will be filled with joy, even as their lives throw much sorrow at them.

  In other news, my car fell in love with a tree, and the first date didn't go so well for my car. January was a bi-polar month weather-wise. We had snow, and sunshine with nearly 50 degrees, AND two weeks straight of below-zero temps. This crazy mix of weather turned the hill to our house into a sheet of ice. As I was going in to town one day, I lost control and smashed the passenger-side of my car into a tree. I was completely fine (other than being terrified of driving on my road for about three weeks)...my poor little car, not so much.  Although Dad and a wonderful neighbor got her running for me again, she's pretty scarred and not highway-worthy at the moment. You might be thinking, "OH, time for a new car! That's exciting!"

  However, I will not be buying a new car. You see, I won't be needing one in a few months. "What?! Why?!" Let's go back to the day before I crashed my poor car. I had been feeling like God was asking me to take a risk. He kept throwing quotes and songs and Scriptures at me that were all pointing me towards taking what, for me, is a huge risk. So, the day before the crash, I sat down at my computer and started googling international schools. I found some interesting organizations that day, but nothing totally grabbed me, so I just kind of decided to pray some more and see if it was really the direction God was pushing me.

  The next day, I crashed my car. As I opened my eyes after the impact, and told myself to take my foot off the gas pedal, I heard God speak to my heart, "You aren't going to need a car." I knew in that moment that I would be going to an international school for the next school year.

  In the following weeks, I contacted my pastor about trying to find a Christian international school and he hooked me up with our missionaries in Bolivia. They threw out some schools and I began the process of looking. I ended up applying to the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS) thinking that I would go to Bolivia. But, because God always seems to have different plans than me, I was contacted by a school in Brazil.

  What's the difference between Bolivia and Brazil? For me, the biggest difference is the language. In Bolivia, Spanish is mainly spoken, while in Brazil, they speak Portuguese.  I took a little Spanish in high school, so I figured that would be easier. Plus, I've met quite a few of our missionaries and I would have already established contacts in Bolivia through them. Sounded good to me.

  But I wasn't contacted by Bolivia. I was contacted by Brazil. Honestly, I was thrown for a loop. I was disappointed. I called the director from Brazil back anyways, knowing that I needed to at least hear him out. We ended up having a great conversation and I came away feeling like I could definitely go there and be okay. I took the weekend to pray about it and discuss it with my parents and close friends. Throughout that time, I never once felt like any doors closed, rather they opened wider, even as fear dropped in for a visit and made me emotional and wishy-washy.

  Even now, I am scared. Super scared. One of the biggest problems I am dealing with is that I am very close to my parents and depend on them a lot. God keeps bringing up the story of  when Jesus says, "Follow me" and the guy replies, "First, let me bury my father." God calls us to die to ourselves and follow Him. We are to let nothing get in the way of that, either. Not comfort, family and friends, fear of the unknown, fear of hardships-- absolutely nothing. God is calling me to pick up my cross and follow Him.

  Quite frankly, I've been on two two-week missions trips. While I enjoyed the countries I was in, spiritually and emotionally, the trips were rough. That part was not at all fun. In fact, after the first one, I really didn't want to go on the second one because I didn't want to put myself in another trying situation like that. Being refined by fire hurts. Just thinking about the hardship that occurred on those trips makes me question whether I have made the correct choice in accepting a position in Brazil. But that's the selfish-side of me talking.

  God never says a life with Him will be devoid of hardship. Actually, He says just the opposite. But, Paul says we should "Count it all joy." And he says that it is a privilege to suffer for Christ, to experience just a taste of what our Savior went through to redeem us. (Thanks for that reminder, Annie!)

  Anyways, life isn't about me. It is about bringing glory to a holy God, who loves us more than we can fathom. If I have to suffer in order to help someone else experience the love of Christ, then it is worth it. I just might have to be continually reminded of that, because, I'm still pretty selfish. And God knows that, and even so,  He has still asked me to do this. I think He's a little crazy. But so did Moses. And probably Abraham, Sarah, Esther, David, Hosea, definitely Jonah, Mary, Joseph and quite a few other Bible "heroes." God's got it all under control; He always has and He always will.

  As for additional details- I am, hopefully, leaving in July (depends on when my visa comes through). Amazon Valley Academy (AVA) is an English-speaking school initially set up to educate missionary kids. They have teacher housing that I plan on living at. The school is air conditioned! I may be teaching Pre-K, 4th or 5th (another item of stress for me).  I'll post additional details as I learn about them.

  Please pray that my visa will come through quickly. I've done the whole "start after the school year" business, and I'd really like to avoid it. It's so hard on the kids and me. Please pray for peace and joy for me and my mother. And be praying that AVA will be able to be fully staffed and make a difference in the lives of the students and surrounding community.