The Crazy Adventures Continue

So I know it has been awhile since I last posted anything, 3 years, 4 months, and 6 days to be exact. A lot has happened since that time, but most of it has been pretty uneventful. However, since returning from Brazil, I never really felt sure of where my life was headed.  I was just floating along living day to day not really moving forward.  I was getting frustrated with what seemed to be my lack of accomplishment in my life, so I decided to make a change.  This past spring I started the ball rolling for a new set of adventures in my life.

This past spring I decided to begin looking into what it would take to become an occupational therapist.  A friend of mine has been telling me for several years that I should at least look into occupational therapy, but because I'm stubborn and thought I knew what I wanted I didn't do it.  But now circumstances are such that I am seeking a change.

In March I made an appointment with the OT department at UT to determine if pursuing OT was feasible.   I found out that I needed several classes to meet the prerequisite requirements.  I would also need to get some experience observing and volunteering for an occupational therapist.  The next thing I did was to reapply to University of Memphis, and to Southwest Tennessee Community College.  I chose both because I wanted to find the most affordable way to complete the required classes.  I registered for Biology I and Biology II for the summer terms at Memphis.

That brings everything up to date.  There are only 5 days left in Biology I and I am so ready for it to be over. I feel like I am failing the class because of my exam grades, but I am above the class average so apparently I'm doing ok.  But we'll see....

Still in Memphis...

Well I am still in Memphis because I have not received my work visa.  Last weekend was the NICS job fair.  I went to check out possibilities for next year in case I don't receive my visa.  I found a couple schools that I'm interested in and I am praying that God will make the decision clear of what I am to do next year.  But in the mean time I am doing catering for Chick-fil-A and working a couple days a week at Eddie Bauer.  
My friends and I are planning a few things for this spring that I am very much looking forward to. One of the things we are planning is a group to get together to serve around our city.  We are gathering ideas of places we can serve, then we will arrange dates and times for these events.  It is time that we stop just attending church and Bible study and start to live out our faith.

In Memphis...for a while?

I arrived in Memphis around midnight December 22.  It was good to be home to spend Christmas with my family after being gone for 5 months.  I came home hoping that my work visa would be ready in time for me to get to Atlanta to pick it up and get back to Brazil for the start of the semester on January 11.  That has not happened, and I don't know when I will be getting my visa.  As much as I want to get back to Belem, I know that God has a plan and a timing for everything.  So, I am in Memphis for a bit.  I just don't know how long that bit will be.  

On my way Home.

I am currently in route from Miami to Atlanta.  I should be back in Memphis around 10:30 tonight.  I'm looking forward to sharing my pictures and experiences with everyone.  Feliz Natal!

Christmas in Brazil

A couple weeks ago, my friend Jenny Patterson asked my if I would like to go with her church to a river community.  Of course I said yes.  Friday afternoon I went with her and her friend from church shopping for school supplies and toys for the kids in the community we would be going to.  The trip down the river was Sunday morning.  It took about 45 minutes to get to the community.

This is the boat that took us down to the river community.
There was a time of singing and a Gospel presentation for the kids and a separate Gospel presentation for the adults (each adult was given a Bible).  After the Gospel was presented, everyone got a snack and was divided into the groups to receive the gifts.

We were able to give each child a packet with various school supplies, a book that tells the Christmas story and 2 toys (one new and one used).  I have never see children more excited and appreciative to receive something so simple.

While the children were receiving their gifts, the adults were waiting in line to pick out clothes.  They got to choose 10 articles of clothing per person in their family. 


 


Here is the group I went with.  

After all the gifts were given and the families were starting to leave, a man from the community took Jenny, 3 other ladies and me in his little boat (it looks similar to a canoe, but it has a motor) to see what their school looks like. I was not able to see much of the inside because it was locked. Oh well.

COOKIES!!!!!

That same weekend I made a few sugar cookies over at the Patterson's house. 

I mixed up some frosting to let Hannah and Haley do a few cookies for them to have. 

  

 While the girls were decorating their cookies I made some of my own.

 Here is the finished product.  I ended up with only 8 dozen.  I had about 10 or 11 dozen to start with, but the climate down here caused the cookies to behave differently than they do in the States and alot of them broke. I think they turned out pretty good anyway.

Wow, Time sure goes by quickly.

Last week we had a Thanksgiving chapel where each class was to participate.  My class made a turkey.  I gave each one of my students an outline of two hands.  They wrote one thing they were thankful for each hand then they colored them.  For the presentation in chapel the students told what they were thankful for then placed their hands (feathers) on the body of the turkey.  Coca Cola, sushi, family, friends, Bible, and mother were just a few of the things my kids were thankful for. 

This weekend, we had a couple days off, so 3 of the other teachers and I decided to take a trip to the beach.  The beach is 3 hours away, so we needed a ride there and back. We had lined up a taxi to take us there and bring us back home.  The taxi driver did not just drive us there and back, he basically stayed with us the whole time.  He really took care of us and kept us safe.  The hotel we stayed at was fantastic as well.  

Time has gone by so quickly.  I can't believe that we only have 3 weeks left of school.  I just found out that one of my students will not be returning to school in January because his family is moving to Jordan.  Please continue to pray that my visa will be ready so I can return to Belem to finish out the school year.

End of Quarter 1.

I finished my report cards Thursday.  We are half way through the first semester.  Time has gone by very quickly and very slowly all at the same time.  Quickly because I can't believe that the first quarter is already over and slowly because the weather never changes so I can't mark the passing of time by the temperature getting colder.


Last Sunday there was an event here in Belem called Cirio.  Cirio is a Brazilian Catholic (however it really is idolatry not Catholic) event that takes place on the second Sunday in October.  During Cirio people come to pay tribute to a statue of the Virgin Mary or "Our Lady of Nazareth".  People will carry models of things they want and some even crawl for miles on their hands and knees as a sort of penance so that Mary will grant their request.  At the peak of the festival there is a procession lead by the stand which carries the statue and trailed by a large rope.  People believe that if they can help carry the rope then Mary will give them a special blessing for the following year.  


This week we only had school on Monday and Tuesday because it was the end of the quarter.  It was so nice to have a few days off even though I didn't do a whole lot.  We did get a couple of good game nights in at the Kennedy's house.  And Saturday Andy Kennedy took us up in his plane.  He has a small 4 seater that he built last time they were in the States.  I got a couple of pictures of the school and in one of them you can see my apartment.  


Please continue to pray for visa situations.  There are 7 of us here on tourist visas and 2 still in the States waiting on a work visa.  The lady who was teaching 3rd grade had to go back to the States to finish chemo.  We are waiting on a 3rd grade teacher.  Also we desperately need people to teach ESL, because we have several students who don't speak English well, much less read and write well enough to succeed.