Celebrating HANNAH!

We had tears the evening of May 23, as we thought of our baby, Hannah, walking down the aisle and receiving her High School diploma in Iowa without us. In attendance were her grandpa and grandma Droogsma, her adoptive parents, Dean and Julie Summa, her great cheerleader, Cami Brocka, and her brother, Drew.

We reminisced of her past years in High School and the victories and hardships she passed through living here in Brazil. She broke her neck in our first car accident here in Brazil. She went to school for months wearing a neck brace. She struggled finding her niche here and yet always kept a great attitude and Kingdom mindedness!

Hannah had embraced Brazilian culture and lived here with flexibility and strength, standing firm in the fact that God had called us here and wanting to do His will.

When our visas were denied last September, and she was 3 months short of graduating here in Rio, she had to return to the States to start her Senior year....all over again! And yet, she never once complained! She used all situations to share Christ and impacted many more people than we know.

We had the blessing of hearing of just one of those people that she impacted last night while we had dinner with our brother-in-Christ, Marcio from our local CELIVRE Recreio church.

We had traveled to CENA in Sao Paulo last August with a short-term team. One night, as we were all street evangelizing, Hannah reached out to a young woman named Aline. Hannah told her how beautiful and how much worth she had in Christ. That God had a much better plan for her life than to be living on the street using drugs. Hannah then introduced her to Marcio and the three of them spoke together for a while.

Marcio told us that after our team left, and subsequently, our family left Brazil (because of denied visas), he stayed at CENA for 5 more months. During that time he often saw Aline on the street. Aline did not forget about Hannah and Marcio was able to have many more converstions about Christ with her because of the connection that Hannah had made.

Aline has not left the streets....yet. But we will continue to pray for her and have hope that someday she will depend on Christ as Lord and Savior and not on drugs.

Sometimes, God blesses us to see a glimpse of how He uses us. And for this, we remain faithful to the work He has called us to.

Hannah will return to Rio in June to participate with her class from Rio International Christian School in what would have been her graduation ceremony here. The staff has invited her to do so and have ordered her a cap and gown! Hannah will walk down the aisle---this time with the presence of her mom and dad!

We love you Hannah and are so proud of you! We celebrate your accomplishments with you!

It's a Jungle Out There!

What a full week we've had! And it's only Wednesday!

On Monday, our good friend Allison helped Jeff cut down a tree and trim another. When Allison called the city to find out how we could dispose of the branches, he was told that we had needed a permit and could possibly receive a fine. The man encouraged us to find a local horse and cart and have someone dispose of the branches quickly!

The two of them found a local man with a truck and two helpers and in 2 hours, the branches were gone! The good thing is that the tree that was cut down was on our property. The tree that was trimmed, is outside of our wall. We think we're okay...

I just sent an e-mail to my sisters saying how great it was to have only found 2 cockroaches in the house since we've returned...what I didn't mention was the million ants I found!

There was a curvey line of tiny, tiny ants that went from one wall, across the stairs and up the banister to the second floor and into a bathroom! At two different points, there was a "pool" of ants, I don't know....maybe they were meeting for small group?

Anyways, I've been researching ants as they didn't seem to be attracted to the ant poisoning I brought from the States. It seems that even though we are living in a city of 14 million people, a concrete jungle, there is still room for "unwelcome guests".

Last night we attempted to thank and bless a fellow missionary that stayed in our home here for a bit while we were working on new visas back in the States---it didn't work. I made Jeff's favorite, Turkey Tettrazini and Dorothy's 7 Layer Bars. But alas, she again, blessed us! She told a story that touched my heart and blessed me! I will attempt to tell it in my words. Forgive me, Kathy, if I tell it wrong!

She was on a mission trip in Afica and was chosen to be the main speaker one night. While enroute to the place of worship, she looked down and realized that she had put on her African dress....INSIDE OUT! She wondered if she would be able to concentrate on speaking, knowing that she was standing in front of a large congregation with her dress inside out! God provided a place for her beforehand, to turn her dress right-side out and she was able to bring the Word of God!

The next day, she was asked again to speak! This time on the radio! It would be aired over the WHOLE country! God gently reminded her that the words were His...."remember, he told her, I will tell you what to say. You are my weak vessel that cannot even put your dress on correctly!"

This story blessed and inspired me immensely! Since we have returned to Brazil it has been hard to focus on house maintenance. It's hard to clean up ants, cut down trees, paint and deal with water leaks when what we long to be doing is sharing the gospel of Christ!

In our prayer time with fellow missionary Craig yesterday, we prayed that as we transition back we can use all opportunities to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ with everyone we meet----water line repairmen, concrete repairmen, tree debris removers, and anyone that God puts into our paths and lives here.

And so, as we cut back this jungle that has grown in our absence, I am encouraged from John 15:5 where Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing".

Apart from Him, we truly can do nothing. At times, we cannot even put on our clothing correctly!
And may He continue to gently remove those branches that bear no fruit so that we may become more fruitful as we endeavor to further His kingdom in this concrete jungle!

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ruth and Rodrigo's Wedding

Karla and Rodrigo's Wedding

We've been back for 10 days and, wow....time flies! It seems longer than that as we have been able to accomplish a lot!

What an awesome send-off we had at the airport! So many of you came to say goodbye and to show your support. We felt so encouraged by it! When we left the USA 5 years ago, my fear was that we would be forgotten! That has NOT been the case, however, and the parting words from a dear friend and pastor were, "You have not been forgotten"! How sweet to hear that!

God has blessed us as we returned home to Rio! We praise Him for our safe travel here, our new religious visas and the warm welcome we have received from our Brazilian brothers- and sisters-in-Christ! I praise Him, too, for the return of my voice, which I had lost the first Sunday we were back!

Upon our return, we find that our house is needing a lot of TLC! It was kept very clean and orderly in our absence, but is badly in need of some maintenance. Pray for our energy and that we are not overwhelmed with these projects. We've discovered 3 leaks in our water line!

When we were in the States these past 8 months, we didn't know how we would feel returning with all three of our children staying there. We were a little concerned that we would want to get right back on the next plane and return. However, we were overcome with peace, that this was the place for us at this time. That this is where God wants us, for whatever reasons, right now---at such a time as this. We know that our children are just a plane ride away.

During these last 10 days of adjusting back to life here, we have celebrated each and every small victory. We remember it was not this easy 5 years ago....

For the first time, we have cell phone service in our names! I know that sounds silly....but it is a BIG DEAL for us here! To finally have our name and address on a bill will make many other business transactions easier!

For the first time, we obtained car insurance on our own and it was effective by the second day after we arrived!

Last Sunday was both exhilerating and exhausting at the same time! We attended church in the morning and church in the evening. We felt like we were drinking from the firehose, so to speak, with the Portuguese language! So many friends to reconnect with! I caught myself laughing those deep belly laughs at least 10 times Sunday night and it felt so good to be reconnecting with the family of God!

While we were in the States, life was continuing on. We celebrated our daughter and new son-in-law's wedding! We stood alongside Jeff's parents as his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer and went through treatment. We supported Hannah as she received her driver's license, a job and selected a college!

And life was continuing on here, too! Our friends Rodrigo and Karla were married! Our friends Ruth and Rodrigo were married! Our friend Claudio passed away.... And so many changes with the preparations for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016! A new overpass and added lanes!

Friends, the needs are so great here...so we are taking time to pray, reconnect with our partners and friends, reclaim and work on our house and focus on how He wants us to be working to further His kingdom!

THANK YOU for your love, prayers and support. We couldn't do what God has called us to do without YOU!

Di (for the fam)