Valentines Day

ants in my pants


what compares to bubbly laughter, wide grinned smiles, and speaking broken portuguese over cafe com leite with two brasilian women in a river village? it's perfect



...as we stood around the kitchen i lifted a cup to my mouth when suddenly discovered there were ants in my pants! lucky for me, the 'ants-in-my-pants-dance' is universal and it didn't seem to matter that in my confused and shocked state i couldn't possibly translate my experience to them. so i danced a bit then ran straight into their bedroom and killed every last one of them.



the laughter it brought made the pain worth it.



Happy Valentines Day



I am so blessed to have gone on this most recent river/jungle trip. I made amazing new brazilian friends as we shared in this adventure.



this valentines day i woke up and spent time before the Lord with the team, the afternoon i visited with the people in the village, watched the men slaughtered a water buffalo, helped cook in the kitchen, ate lunch, swam, got in a canoe and visited three nearby villages where we prayed a blessing over them and invited them to come to that night's small-group-like-service, swam and watched freshwater dolphins jump next to us, headed back to the mother ship, swam, had dinner, worshiped and listened to a teaching in a family's living room, and prayed for a couple women and a man who gave his life to God. it was a beautiful day...



that afternoon a mens small group was also held, at which point i was swimming with some brazilian women.



after the service we canoed back to our mother ship, yet not only did a huge storm come in, but our boat was stuck in the shallow. the boat swayed back and forth and the reality of it tipping increased. the men got out and pushed and pulled and one friend in particular had his arms wrapped around a rope, pulling with all his strength until the boat was finally set free and the propellor was able to spin. but the propellor caught the rope and pulled him down with it. a quick eye, a near by knife, and fast hands, set him free.



it was then that brin reminded me how that morning in our silence before God, particia shared how she felt that there was something wrong with the boat and that we should pray over it. our prayers were definitely heard that morning and God was faithful that night.



Prayer: that i may have no more eye infections, clarity, faith, courage, and strength.

peace begins with a smile--mother teresa