Welcome to Brazil! Bem-vindo ao Brasil!

After the standard “hurry up to wait” procedure at the airport, my travel mates Donna, Morgan, and I boarded our 10-hour flight from Chicago to São Paulo, Brazil. It was a seamless immigration procedure, adding another beautiful stamp to the passport! (Shoutout to Pops driving us Cedar Rapids to Chicago!)

Rainbow Tunnel in Chicago O’Hare Airport

Our host papa Pastor Sebastião was awaiting us at the exit, and we were swept off to a Brazilian restaurant called a “churrascaria”. These are known for the many ways in which the beef and pork are prepared that they bring out constantly to replenish your plate. (There was a literal sign to turn for green: yes, please bring me more! and red: no more, stop!) A couple of Donna’s friends met us there, including a missionary from Great Britain named Cally who has lived in Brazil for 23 years! Her Portuguese is perfect, and her work with at-risk boys in the slums is very inspiring.

Still trying to get in my greens! 😀

Our 3.5 hour drive home was a winding interstate through mountainous green farms of coffee, lots and lots of coffee! Little did I know the state where we are living, called Minas Gerais (“minus jair-ice”) grows the largest amount of coffee in the country! Think of me when you sip your Brazilian roast tomorrow! 😉

We were hardly expecting the lovely home and hobby farm in which our Papa Sebastião and his wife Miriam reside. We have been recuperating from lack of sleep by spending time with the Lord on our porch with this view, hearing the myriad of birds singing from 5am to sundown.

We have worked out, swam, prayer walked and explored, and we have already made such sweet memories with our hosts! We live with Miriam’s mother Janice, Sebastião, and Miriam! In a small house at the entrance the house helper Fabiana lives with her daughter Julia and sweet little son David.

The driveway to Home!

There has already been an awesome exchange of testimonies and encouragement, as well as linguistic and cultural sharing.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner in the home of Albany, a woman who helped to start the school Alliance College last year with Pastor. Our sweet friend and translator Donna was leaving us the next day, so we knew this was our last evening with a strong translation.

We spent the day in Machado where Pastor and Miriam work; their daughter Priscilla, her husband Paulo, and little daughter Marina are visiting for a week’s vacation from São Paulo, so they were our tour guides through city center for any translation needs.

The town square gazebo is decorated for Christmas! I told them my great-great grandfather was in the photo with us. 😉

A couple fun stories:

1. When I was checking in my bag, it weighed in at 55lbs, 5 over the limit. I re-packed by removing my Bible and a rain jacket. When I set it on the scale, it had dropped to 32lbs! Morgan burst out laughing, exclaiming, “The weightiness of the Word!!”
2. We were exhausted from a day in town and learning all the new words sitting with the family for a meal. I was asking Morgan for paper towels on the table that they use as napkins. Meaning to say that, I pointed at them and said simply, “toilet…”. That’s all I needed to say before Morgan was rolling!

I would love to be pen pals with whoever wants to send a letter to the Project’s address!

Instituto Edukaris
Rua Professora Maria Justina 46
Centro Machado – Minas Gerais, 37750-00
Attn: Kelli Klaus

May the Lord bless you, keep you, and make His face to shine upon you!
the tall girl