Only a few more days...

Hello Friends!

My 10 weeks here are coming to an end. I cannot believe that it is almost over and on Friday I start my trip back to the states. Time goes by so fast!

This past week was our last time to go to Brazil and help our missionary friend. It was a very exciting week though! On Friday and Saturday we held a youth camp for all the local youth. Around 80 teenagers from any church, any denomination, or even if they did not attend church were invited to come and spend these two days with us. It was very busy and exciting weekend! I was able to lead and teach them a worship song in English. They were SO excited to learn English. Many of them came up to me afterwards wanting to learn more!! They were all given gifts of many devotional booklets, a bible, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a washcloth. We ended the weekend with more singing and a bonfire under the incredible stars. It was the start of a new mission to reach the young people of this area.

Clauber & Denora Quadros and their family.

Our staff for the youth camp.

Preparing breakfast for the youth.

Teaching the song in English.

Serving dinner.

Now we are back in Leticia for our last few days. We will be spending this week cleaning, packing, and recuperating from the last 9 weeks. I want to thank you again for all of your support!! It has been an incredible time here in the Amazon and I am going back completely changed. God has not only allowed me to be a part of spreading the His love to these people, but has also transformed me. I would not trade the lessons I have learned here for anything.

Please continue to pray for myself. and for Mark, as we end our time here in the Amazon. We have developed some amazing relationships here and it is sad to leave them. We will be travelling to Bogota, the capital of Colombia, on Friday and will spend Friday evening and all of Saturday there. We will then head to the states early Sunday morning. Please pray for our safety as we travel and that there will not be any problems with customs, our luggage, or any delays.

Thank you for being a part of spreading the love of Christ to the people of the Amazon! May God bless you in everything and continue to use you to reach many people around the world!

Time is Flying!

Hola!

It’s been a little while since I have updated this, but everything is still so good down here! We have been staying busy and learning so many new things! This past week we were blessed to have a couple from Texas join us. We were originally supposed to be going on a medical trip, but unfortunately it was postponed. I was very disappointed, but I still plan to go on one sometime in the future! It was so good to have people from the states join us for a week, bearing many gifts, mostly candy!! J

While they were here we visited a couple different communities and I was given the opportunity to share my testimony. At one of the communities in Brazil I felt my heart break even more for these people. I have never looked into someone’s eyes and seen the sadness, the hopelessness, and the longing for something more as I did when I saw them. I wished so badly I could just help them and give them everything I had. Most of them didn’t have a Bible and for some of them there is not a Bible translated in their tribal language. I kept praying that whatever I shared with them was straight from the heart of God.

This trip completely changed for me in one night. We were invited to attend a birthday party for the niece of the Brazilian missionary we have spent most of our time with. I could not believe the amount of people that were there!! They know how to throw a party. I have never attended a party for a 9 year old like this before! They were so giving!! They fed every mouth that was there and kept giving more goodies. They have so little, but yet they kept giving and giving and giving! I was beyond full after I left, loaded up with a bunch of cake and candy.

However, this is not what changed my trip for me. When I walked out of the house and was surrounded by 20 – 30 little kids I kept hearing “Kree-sta!! Kree-sta!!” Most of the kids at this party were a part of the school & feeding program I have been helping out at and they all seemed to remember me. I have always just ministered to a group of kids a couple times during my trip, but never got to know them. This time however, I have been with them so much that I not only know their names, but they know me as well. I was so overwhelmed! It completely changed everything. My love for them grew even more!! It is hard to stay on a mission trip for a longer period of time, but it’s so worth it!!

I cannot believe I only have 2 ½ weeks left. Please continue to pray for us these next couple of weeks. It’s going to be difficult to transition from being here to going back to the states and leaving all of those kids that I have gotten to know. Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers!!! I am forever grateful!