Keepin It Real - Part 2

Thanks for your comments on here and on FB about the last post.  It's stirred up some discussion which has been great!  If you didn't read my response to one of my friend's comments, let me clarify something -- I DO think it's important to filter what you say.  Believe me, I have to do it all the time.  ha!  But my point was that just because you don't SAY it, doesn't mean you aren't GUILTY of having a bad attitude.

Right!  Moving on…

I've been challenged recently by a comment from Mother Teresa - "Some people are in our lives as a blessing, and others as a lesson".  How true is that?!!  Today I could easily picture both in my mind, the blessings, and the lessons.  The trick is - will I learn the lessons quickly or will have to continue to go round and round that mountain… encountering MANY lessons along the way?  I guess we all need to ask ourselves that question.  And here's something to think about too - You and I are the lessons for someone else!  haha!  That's awesome.  No one gets away with only being on one end of that equation.

But here's what's really been kinda eating at me lately.  There seems to be a trend out there where "edgy" is in.  In (some) Christian circles it's "in".  It's that group of people who want to live in such a way that if you merely observed their lives, you may or may not know they are followers of Jesus.  They drink excessively, they smoke "stuff", they swear, they tell the occasional off-colored joke, and don't have a whole lot of time or good things to say about the "church" in general (the building).  They are "edgy" Christians.  They might say they are "relatable", or "relevant" or "non-judgmental" or "non-legalistic" or something along those lines.  And I get all that… and yet… I kinda go… really?  Is that necessary?  Is it helping to bring the kingdom of God to this earth?  What is it with the "edge" anyway?  Why do so many people want to live as close to it as they can?

Remember the questions from High Schoolers - the whole "How far is too far?" question when it came to messing around with your boyfriend or girlfriend?  Well, now there seems to be that same kind of question… "How far away from holiness and godliness can I get before it's "too far"?"  I think it goes back to motivation.  Why are you even asking the question?

When I was in High School I was a teacher's assistant for one of my English teachers.  Loved that job!  She was incredibly cool.  She was reading a story to the class one day, and I was bored, so decided to play with the stapler.  She was sitting on a chair in the middle front of the classroom.  I was sitting at her desk, off to her left behind her, but very much in front of the classroom where everyone could see me.  They weren't paying attention to me though, as they were fully engaging in the story that was being read to them.  I picked up the stapler, and opened it flat, so I could have the part where the staple comes out flat on my finger.  I don't know if you realize this, but when you staple something, there is a pressure point that when you push on it, nothing happens for a little bit… and then Chi-cah!!  The staple is stapled in the paper - or whatever.  I decided I would very quietly try and see how far I could push it before the staple engaged into my finger.  I very calmly placed the stapler over the top section of my middle finger… and sloooooooooowly pushed down… and then CHI-CAH!!!  The staple fully went straight into my finger so it was flat on my flesh!!!  Oh man, it hurt soooo bad!!

Not wanting to make a scene… I had to think fast.  All I knew was that I needed that staple out NOW, so I grabbed it with my other fingers, and pulled hard.  It came out… and then started bleeding profusely!  OH NO!!  No tissues anywhere in sight, and by now my face was beat red, partly because it hurt, partly because I was sure I was somehow disrupting the class, and partly because I was convinced I was going to die from staple poisoning!  So, I did the only thing I possibly could given my circumstances… I quickly rubbed my bloody finger all under the desk… all over the wood, until my finger stopped bleeding.

Yeah.  That was me in High School.  Just one of many pretty ridiculous stories.  haha

Sometimes we all act like that though… seeing how far we can push something before we get hurt… or get in trouble, or get fired, or get caught, or get pregnant, or somehow disappoint God, or flat out sin.  And sometimes, that spring loaded action snaps and we are in that place of "uh oh" before we can even anticipate the consequences.  We are honestly such silly people.  Pretty much like I was in High School.

So is it cool to be a Christian and have a foul mouth, or drink too much, or flip someone off, or drop the f-bomb when you're preaching, or smoke "whatever herbal junk" that's not pot or tobacco (or IS pot or tobacco?)  And is it okay to be anti-church establishment to the point of hurting the heart of God who asked us to meet together with other Believers and to live side by side with people we don't like very much sometimes?

Do you think God is okay with "edgy"?  Do you think he slipped in the odd dirty joke with the disciples, or threw in an f-bomb during the Beatitudes?  Do you think people knew he was different when he was in a crowd, or did He try and fit in however that may have looked back in his day?

Holiness.  Do we even get what that word means?  I don't.  Not really.  Except that it's probably a million miles from where I am right this minute.  And thanks to the amazing grace of Jesus, when God looks at me - that IS what he sees… but it is a journey for me to walk out here on this earth.  I guess another question is -  can we really draw attention to Jesus without at least that pursuit?

It was for freedom that Christ set us free.  Yup.  I get that.  So then why are we still enslaved to the old lusts and habits that had a hold of us before Christ cut us loose?  Why haven't our mouths been redeemed with the rest of our soul?  Maybe it's just all part of the journey.  But it makes me nervous when I see leaders who don't seem to have any desire whatsoever to go forward in that particular journey.  Seems to me like they are happy there.  Happy being "edgy".  But if "edgy" isn't "godly"… then is it really worth it?

Keepin It Real

Whoa!  I haven't been here since July!  There are lots of reasons why… but mainly the reason is that I haven't had the headspace to actually put my thoughts together well enough to feel it was blog-worthy.  Now, in all fairness, this may not be either, but I thought it was due time to get back on the blog saddle, and at least get some of these cobwebs in my head cleared out.  My mind has been reeling lately with stuff.  Good stuff, hard stuff, confusing stuff, and downright challenging stuff.  So I thought it was time to include you in that "space".  Enter at your own risk.  :)  

Oh.  Here's the other thing.  So my blog was going to be ministry updates, but I decided to NOT do that here anymore.  I started this blog a long time ago because I'm an external processor and I wanted a place to process - especially a place where people could actually talk back to me if they wanted to.  So far there hasn't been a lot of talk back… but that's okay.  The benefit of an external processor is that we really don't NEED anyone to talk back… we just like to talk.  That's the truth.  EPs - correct me if I'm wrong.  So I'm going back to what I intended this for - processing.  And I would REALLY love for you to join me.  I've readjusted all the settings so you should be able to comment right here.  If you can't I guess you can comment on FB, because I'll be posting these rambles there as well.  But please know that you have an open invitation to come along for the ride, and let me know what you think if you want.

Okay!  Having said that… let's get to what I have been thinking about recently.  I posted something the other day on FB saying I needed more love in my life because my frail and shallow love doesn't always cover a "multitude of sins" as God has said it should.  Especially when people are idiots.  A comment was made to me later that day about how I say things that people only WANT to say but don't.  We had a good laugh about that, because I guess it's true… but then I thought deeper about it and wondered why that is?  Are we all too PC or cool, or considerate to not really say the things we are thinking sometimes?  Or… are we hiding behind false masks that make us look like we have it all together and are the most lovely people around, when in reality, if someone recorded our thoughts and played them on the nightly news we would be mortified at how much of that was anything BUT godly love?  hmm.  Now, don't get me wrong - having gotten in trouble most of my life for saying things I shouldn't… I completely understand the need for "filters".  Absolutely!  It's been a life-long journey for me to keep my mouth SHUT at times when I have a whole lot I'd like to say.  So yeah - I know that is necessary.  But I'm not talking about being considerate and wise… I'm talking about faking it because we want to seem loving.  Is anybody with me on this one?

One of my friend's husbands is an internal processor.   He has said many times over the years that I would have to say "I'm sorry" a whole lot less if I just thought before I spoke.  And he is absolutely right!  (I'm working on that.)  But I noticed there was an air of superiority in what was said that really rubbed me the wrong way.  And again - correct me if I'm wrong here - but I would say MOST if not all internal processors feel like they are somehow superior to externals for that very reason.  But here are two things I have found very interesting over the years in dealing with IPs.  Not only does it seem that they feel there is some sort of superiority because they "think before they talk" it also seems that it is incredibly hard for them to actually apologize when they do something hurtful or wrong.  And here's the truth of this whole deal… the bible says that if you think it - you've done it.  You can be as internal as you want, but if you are holding bitterness and anger and resentment in your heart  - it doesn't matter if it comes out of your mouth or not.  You are guilty of those sins.  Same as someone who might verbally express that anger or frustration.  We ALL have sinned… and fallen short of God's glory - right?  Well, that's what my bible says anyway.  

I'm certainly not saying we should all start blurting out every negative thought or feeling we have in our hearts.  Please don't.  I'm not sure I can take all that would be thrown at me if that happened.  haha!  But… can we at least agree to be REAL about where we're at?  Can we stop thinking that if we just think it, it's not as bad as it is if we say it?  Both things, said or thought, in anger or frustration breaks God's heart the same way.  Deal with your stuff.  Be real.  You think you're the only one who wants to flip off the person who cuts you off when you're driving?  Come on… you know you're not!  So admit it -- and then -- work on doing what Jesus asked us to do, and respond in love.  Now that's a tall order, especially in the context of driving.  I am sitting here feeling convicted as I type.  ;)  

The point is, and the desire of God's heart is that we would all be "… filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith." I Tim 1:5

I've got a lot to work on.  How about you? 

Touchdown!

I just got back from Cambodia on a Mission Adventure's trip.  MA is an amazing organization within the YWAM family who put together missions trips for church youth groups to give them a taste of what it would be like to be an over-seas missionary.  It also allows them to have some exposure to other cultures and people who they wouldn't normally cross paths with, in order to expand their world view, and to allow them an opportunity to help others who are in real need.  I was asked to co-lead this team with a good friend of mine.  I wasn't quite sure how it was going to go, but it was fabulous!!  I really love the MA program, and would gladly join them again!

This is the old house we tore down

One of the main things our team was involved in was building a house for a sweet older lady who had lost her husband during the genocide.  She was living in slum a thatched shack, looking after her two grandchildren.  She told the story about how hard it was living there, and how she'd have to constantly be checking the children's beds to make sure there weren't snakes in them - which happened quite often.  Through tears she thanked us for the opportunity to have a new house that was safe.

Painting the sideboards

Sawing our 45 degree angle - apparently
there is a need for geometry in real life! ha!

We started the project working along-side some of the local Cambodians - even our tuk tuk driver jumped in to help!  There was another team there as well from Wellington, NZ, so there were many hands to do the job - sometimes too many.  haha!  It was great though, and as we mixed concrete, hammered things, sawed things, and painted things… all was beginning to take shape rather quickly!  Every day the lady would stand by and watch us with a look of awe and thankfulness in her eyes.  And every day she would cry, as each day brought the reality of a house closer to her.  It was really touching.

On the last day we had a dedication ceremony and gave her the keys.  The verse Jeremiah 29:11 was shared with her - that the Lord really does have a good plan for her life - one of hope!!  We prayed for her, and knew she was excited to move in and make this house her home.  LOVE THAT!!

It's not perfect, and in this photo
not totally finished, but you can see
 how much was accomplished in 4 days!

The happy new home owner!

I'm back in NZ today… and leave again in two days for the USA!  I am looking forward to seeing friends in California, and having some rest along the way as well!  It's been an insane couple of months - but so very good at the same time.  I love to be a part of what God is doing around the world.  To be his hands and feet and mouth to those who are searching for more to life is something I will never ever take for granted.  It is a huge honor and privilege to meet those I have met along the way.  People like this lady in Cambodia… whose face is etched on my heart.

One of the things I took away from this house build was that the house was not built perfectly - not by a long shot - but yet it was built sturdy and it will last her a long time.  And more importantly, it was built with love by the hands of a bunch of teenagers (and some of us older ones!) who will not forget the gift they have given someone who has so little.  It was actually pretty humbling.  And pretty inspiring.  And pretty wonderful.

Guns, Drug Traffickers, and Ping Pong

You know those days when you wake up and think… was that a gunshot or a firecracker?  No?  Yeah, me neither - except for this last week when we were staying in a Brazilian Favela (slum community).  There are over 1000 Favelas in the whole of Rio de Janeiro, and we had the amazing opportunity of staying for a week in one of them.  Have you seen the movie City of God?  I have, and so I was a little apprehensive about going into a place like this… but we knew God had asked us to go.  We prayed a lot, took deep breaths, and in we went.

YWAM has had a ministry house in the center of one of these slums for the last 10 years or so.  About 5 years ago they had to shut the house down, as the person leading the ministry needed to leave.  The ministry has started up again with new leadership and our DTS outreach team was the first team to be in the community since the house re-opened a few months ago.  It seriously reminded me of a movie set in some respects… had a very surreal feel to it.

We met a guy the first day who had a crazy story of drugs, near death experiences from being involved in the trafficking aspect of things, and was miraculously spared from a lifetime in prison for being caught with 30 kilos of cocaine!  He had a scar on his hand… and we heard the story of how he was working with another guy and a drug trafficker found out his phone had been stolen.  He approached these two guys and confronted them about stealing the phone.  *Stealing is NOT allowed in the Favela, and people have literally lost their hands for stealing.  Both guys said they didn't take the phone, so the trafficker grabbed a random guy off the street, put him in the middle of the street, put a tire around him, poured gasoline on him and threw in a lit match.  The guy burned to death in the middle of the street in front of everyone.  And he was an innocent bi-stander!  The drug lord went back to these two guys and asked again if they had taken the phone.  Both men were adamantly saying they didn't know what happened to the phone, when the trafficker grabbed the man we met, threatening to kill him.  He was pleading for his life, and then the trafficker said, "Okay.  I won't kill you.  Let me see your hand…" He took the man's hand and shot it - hence the scar - as a lesson to not mess with him.  CRAZY. (*This guy as since then become a Christian and loves Jesus now!  He works very closely with the YWAM team at the house.)

Our role in this community for the week was to play with the kids who would come to the house in the afternoons… kids ranging in ages from 6 or 7 to late teens, early 20's.  We put up a broken down ping pong table out in the middle of the street (basically only wide enough to drive one car through at a time) and the kids flocked to it!  I'm pretty sure I haven't played that much ping pong since I played with my Aunt Helen back in Junior High!  It was so much fun though - and they were GOOD!!  I'm now committed to getting a ping pong table for our training center in NZ!!  We did other things as well with the kids, other games, coloring, putting puzzles together, things you just do as normal kids.  And for a few hours in the afternoons… these children who are surrounded by violence, guns, drugs, and abuse can relax and have some fun.  I loved it!!  I couldn't speak the language, but discovered once again that love is universal… and so is ping pong!  :)

We had a couple of opportunities to do dramas, worship and testimonies in two of the churches within the Favela, as well as doing programs in a local school, and playing soccer with the kids.  What I loved about this part of our outreach was that we were coming along-side the YWAM ministry and opened doors for future teams to come. The leader kept telling us that it didn't even matter if we ever opened our mouths… our presence in the community was making a huge difference.  I liked that.

Mid-week we were asked to come and do something at a creche at the YWAM house.  The children couldn't come in the morning because there was an incident and the level of danger was up in the community to the point where all the schools were shut and the children sent home.  But things lightened up in the afternoon, so here they came… walking down the street single-file with their teacher at the front of the line guiding them to the door.  They were only probably 3-5 years old, and the cutest things you have ever seen!  We found out later that these were the kids of the drug traffickers!  Seriously?!!  I thought that was the greatest thing ever!!  Two of the fathers came and picked up their kids at one point, and the whole thing just made me smile!  The opportunities in having influence in the lives of these precious little ones was so great!!  God is amazing!!!  At first the kids were so quiet and looked so sad… but as we sang songs and started to play with them, they began to smile and laugh a little… and life came back into their eyes.  I couldn't help but think what they must live through in their homes every day.

One of the ways the traffickers communicate with each other is through firecrackers.  For us, the problem was that they sounded a whole lot like gun shots and especially early on, it was very hard to distinguish between the two.  Many went off in the middle of the night, waking us out of a sound sleep.   We had no idea what was going on outside… but as the week progressed, so did the tension.

It was not uncommon to see men walking around with hand guns, M16 assault rifles, and machine guns.  I almost got used to it.  Almost.  :)  The night before we left the police shot and killed one of the main traffickers in the community, and we found out the next day a guy we had met on the street the day before had been beaten up and almost killed because he had decided he didn't want to be a part of all that.  He swears that because of being with our team that day, his life was saved.  Knowing what we know now, I'm sure the Lord not only saved his life, but ours as well.

I'm not gonna lie… I was glad that we were heading out that day.  With tensions growing, I was definitely ready to go.  We got back to the base we were staying at outside the city and the following day was Mother's Day.  We woke up once again to gun shots, explosions, firecrackers, and yelling.  I couldn't believe it!  This place is usually a sleepy little town… and it felt like we were in Bosnia!  What in the world?!  I wondered if this was how they celebrated their mothers here?!  Found out later… there was a soccer game on, and it's how the Brazilians role when it comes to soccer.  HA!  Good grief!!

I believe God used our team that week in so many ways… ways we will probably never know about till Heaven.  I know we were a huge blessing and encouragement to the YWAM base there, and I believe we made some significant connections with people in the community.  I also believe that God used that place to speak to each of us on our team… and I can honestly say we came away from that place realizing how much we were changed by our experiences there.  I personally learned a lot, and thank God for such an amazing opportunity.

Hippies, Protests, and Prostitutes

As I sit here I am sad to think this is our last day in Belo.  Man time flies when you're having fun!  We will be having a big Brazilian BBQ tonight with our fabulous staff here in the Rescue House.  I knew coming here that we would be involved in some great ministry opportunities, but was pleasantly surprised that we also were incredibly blessed to get to know the staff of this house to the point where we are all pretty gutted to have to leave.  

But!  There's lots to tell you before we leave!! (*please keep in mind I am sick as I am writing this, so it's not near as creatively written as I would like.)

Yesterday was our last day of ministry, and we spent it downtown participating in a protest put on by a local church to bring awareness to the area of sexual abuse to children.  We had large (and I do mean large!) banners we walked around with, and handed out pamphlets to anyone who would take them.  Funny thing was - they took them!!  I was shocked at how easily people grabbed one as I offered them to flood of individuals whipping past us in rush hour traffic.  THAT would never happen at home!  But then again - very little, if any, of what we have done here would happen at home.  hmm.  What's so different about this place…?

Bringing awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse

Along with passing out stuff, we had to wear medical masks (like a doctor wears sort of) to indicate we are silently protesting this horrible tragedy.  We had black balloons, and of course, the silent part was pretty easy for us, since we don't speak the language anyway!  ha.  When they blew their whistles we had to all freeze - for like 5 minutes!  Have you ever tried to freeze for 5 minutes?  Yeah.  Not the easiest task, but we denied the odds, and did not break our pose until the whistle blew once again!  Success.  Now we have to hope and pray that all those who took the brochures actually read them!

Before the protest started we walked up and down the little courtyard looking at all the wares people were selling.  It was like a gypsy explosion happened right there on that street.  How I wish I could have actually talked to them!!!  That would have been awesome!!  They were selling jewelry mostly, but also offered henna tattoos - tempting - and dream catchers, and all kinds of stuff along those lines.  One guy had a very cool looking… pipe??  Not sure what it was exactly, but I am pretty sure it was for smoking something illegal.

When we finished with the protest, we headed out to the red light district once again for our final time.  I was sad, because this was probably one of my favorite parts of our outreach so far.  I loved that we were able to actually go into the brothels and share the love of Jesus to the women right in the middle "the house of Satan" as it is referred to by one of the prostitutes working there. 

The YWAM ministry who has worked in that area for 10 years had baked a couple of cakes for two of the girls who were having birthdays that month.  Another DTS outreach team from Los Angeles was also there that night, and we each took a cake and went with our respective leaders back into the brothels to sing happy birthday to the girls and pray for them.  I had no idea where our team would go - there are 22 brothels on that street, so it could have been any one of them.  When we entered though, it looked very familiar, and when we got to the top of the stairs, I was so excited to see that it was the same one we had been in before!!  I looked around for Andrea, the girl I had talked to on our previous visit - and there she was!  She saw me, and came over and gave me a big hug!  I had wanted to meet up with her again, because the Lord had really put her on my heart.  

We sang to the birthday girl and prayed for her… and she cried. No one had ever acknowledged her birthday, and certainly no one before had ever made the effort to bake her a cake and sing to her!  It was a special moment for us all I think.  We sang worship songs in that hallway… hoping that the truth of the words we were singing would pierce through the darkness in that place.  The oppression and heaviness we felt in there that night was almost tangible.  

One of the girls asked if we could go upstairs and pray for her mother who was sick.  When we entered the upper level we found out this is where a lot of the prostitutes live when they aren't working.  At the far end of the hallway two men were spread eagle up against the wall and the police were frisking them.  More police entered the level as we were there to deal with these two guys. We began to sing worship songs and as I looked around… seeing the prostitutes there with us, eyes closed, and hands raised… singing songs they obviously knew in their language… it struck me that this whole situation is, as I mentioned before, messy to say the least.  

After praying for this woman who was sick with high blood pressure… the leader of the ministry began talking to her, and then they prayed again, and she gave her heart to Jesus!!  We prayed for a few more of the women before we left.  Outside, the ministry leader was so excited!  She told us that God had done some huge miracles that night -- after 10 years of ministering in that area, they had never had break-through like that!  They had never been allowed to go upstairs, the girls had never been so receptive to talking and asking for prayer!!  She said what happened that night was just as significant as the woman accepting Jesus!  She was soooo excited, as were we that God would use us to be a part of that kind of breakthrough in such a dark and needy place.  The enemy definitely lost some significant ground there that night.  

Next stop for us:  Rio de Janeiro!!  

The Beauty of a Moment...

We are half-way through our second week in Belo.  It's been awesome here so far, as I alluded to in my last post.  We have LOVED every day so far, and I've been super impressed with the team as most have gone for days without having a "low moment" to talk about when we debrief at the end of our day.  That's pretty impressive!  I'm so proud of them too, as they have all taken it on, some jumping completely out of their comfort zones into an unknown abyss that is over-seas missions.

Not speaking the language is always a real downer though, and we ALL struggle with that every day.  Sadly, there are never enough translators to go around.  But never underestimate the power of a smile!  The other night we were out on the streets ministering to the street kids, (one of my personal favorite things to do!) and I sat and listened to a 12 year old girl "playing" my guitar and singing.  She had an amazing and powerful voice, and a strum on the guitar that you just have in you - nothing like that can be taught - but she knew no chords, so simply moved one finger up and down the neck of the guitar as though she was creating the most beautiful sound there could ever be.  And you know what - it was!  I listened to 5 or 6 songs played exactly the same, yet watched as she was lost in what I have to assume were compelling lyrics… all in Portuguese, so a mystery to me, but I immediately followed her when she randomly broke into singing "Agnus Dei"first in Portuguese and then in English.

I had tears in my eyes wrapped up in the moment… and the ironic fullness of that moment.  I looked at her tattered clothes and filthy face, hands, legs and feet… imagining what life on the streets for her must be like.  I wanted to take her home… let her take a nice long shower, or soak in the bathtub, create one of my meals that people say they love so much, and then jump up on my couch together where I could teach her some chords so she will come even more alive while she plays and sings.  But I can't.  I can't even talk to her, let alone take care of her.  But I said to her through the translator… "You are beautiful, and so were those songs you just played for me."  We aren't supposed to give them things… but without thinking, as she handed me back my pick, I put it right back in her hand and said - "No, you keep this." She very gently put it in her shirt pocket and smiled at me.  She said, "I will keep it as a remembrance." I don't know if she will remember that moment or not - but I pray she does.  Not because of our interaction, but because God loves her so much… and that night He asked me to sit and listen to a 12 year old girl living on the street play my guitar… sing the songs she knows and loves… and affirm her worth and her God-given talent.  It was a priceless moment.

Brazil!!

You know how someone says to you, "Hey!  Let's go to… *fill in with random place you have NEVER considered going to," and the first thing you think is, "Um… nope.  Don't think so."?  Yeah.  That was Brazil for me.  The DTS Training Director said to me, "Hey!  I think we should send a team to Brazil for outreach…" to which I responded, "Um… nope.  Don't think so."  But in all fairness, this same person also thought I would go on outreach this school, and again - NOPE - was the first word that came to mind.  And here I sit, co-leading an outreach team to Brazil.  Might be a great idea to just say yes next time and save myself some hassle.

We began our journey in a town called Santa Cruz located within Rio De Janeiro.  We were there for a couple of days and then hopped on another jet plane up to a place called Belo Horizonte.  It was a nice surprise to end up here, where the weather for me is absolutely perfect!  It's cool enough at night to have on sweat pants, yet warm enough during the day for shorts and flip flops.  Yup… perfect!  We will be here in Belo for 3 weeks and then go back to Rio where we will be joining a Brazilian DTS outreach team working in local slums to finish out our time here.

So far, Belo has been amazing!!  Not just the weather, although I do have to keep mentioning that because it's so perfect, but the YWAM team here have such a smooth running machine, and it's been a pleasure joining in with them.  They are obviously used to teams, and in true YWAM form welcomed us so well and have been great at making us feel like we've come home.  One of my favorite parts about YWAM is that no matter where you go - when you connect with YWAM, you connect with an extended part of your family you just haven't met yet.  LOVE THAT.  So we have been enjoying getting to know the cuzzies in Brazil.  :)  Looking forward to all that God has for us during these next three weeks!