In case any of you are wondering what I'll be doing this Christmas vacation, here's the news:
Th, Dec. 20 - Dan Kornfield arrives in Brazil! We go by a government office to renew his permanent residency. I imagine he might want to sleep a good deal of the rest of the day after being on the plane all night.
Fri, Dec. 21 - Karis and Val Kornfield arrive in Brazil! They'll probably want a good sleep too :). Fri. night is the last meeting of my small group until Feb. We're putting together a huge dinner that Val and I will probably go to, because Val used to be a part of this small group too.
Small note on why my small group won't be meeting again until February - Brazilians have their longer vacation now, because it's summer here!!! December is also the end of the Brazilian school year. School vacations will last until after Carnaval this year, since Carnaval happens the first week of Feb. Otherwise, they'd have to take off for the five day Carnaval holiday before they had barely started. When it happens in early March, of course, they have to start beforehand. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that January is always vacation month here. Pretty much everything stops. My church will go on having Sunday night services (that's when the main service happens in most Brazilian Protestant churches), but that's about it.
Small note on Carnaval (make sure you roll your "r" and put the stress on the last syllable ;) ) - in case any of you are wondering why Carnaval happens at different times different years, or what in the world Carnaval is, here's an explanation. Carnaval starts every year 4 days before Ash Wednesday (which is 40 days before Easter). So it happens at different times each year because Easter happens at different times each year. Why that is, I have no idea. My mom just informed me it's connected to the phases of the moon. Go figure. Anyway, Carnaval is a crazy celebration where you're supposed to staunch the needs of all your carnal appetites before going solemn and sacrificial for lent. It's known as Marti Graw in other contexts. People dress up in exotic costumes, and put on all kinds of fancy parades, which most of you have probably seen pictures of. The celebrating happens especially in Rio and other beach-side towns. São Paulo pretty much empties out for the occasion, since we're not on the beach (we're an hour away).
On one hand, Carnaval is a beautiful display of Brazilian music, dance and creativity. On the other hand, people throw all their sexual mores (and a lot of other otherwise generally followed moral beliefs) out the window. Crime and sexual abuse rates sky rocket during those days. Drunken revelry is commonplace and it's extremely dangerous to be on the streets. The Protestant church here strictly condemns Carnaval, but enjoys the days off of school and work. The Catholic church... well, I don't think they like it too much either, but I've never heard an official position on the issue. Feel free to inform me if you know what it is :). Anyway, rewinding two months back to Christmas...
Sat. Dec. 22 - we'll probably sleep in, and then just hang out and enjoy during the day. The six of us Kornfields (all six - hurray!) will go to the Lemos's for dinner. Weston and Carrie Lemos are a couple from our mission that I'll probably be working closely with next semester. However, there's an extra special reason for this particular visit: the Limpics will be there too!! Ted and Claudia Limpic have been a part of Sepal (OC in Brazil) since before we got here 17 years ago, but left in 2006 to join OC in Spain. They're wonderful family friends who we haven't seen for a while. It's been even longer since we've seen their two grown sons, Jeremy and Joel, who will be with them this time.
Sun. Dec. 23 - officially "Christmas" in the Kornfield household. Since we're leaving on the 24th for a family vacation in the Northeast of Brazil we'll be celebrating as a family a little early. Tradition dictates a scrumptuous breakfast, family devotions, present opening around the tree, and a Thanksgiving-like dinner with turkey and mashed potatoes. This year our celebration of the Lord's birth will culminate in the Christmas service at church that evening.
Mon. Dec. 24 - we leave for Salvador, Bahia, a city in the Northeast of Brazil (the southernmost city in the orange area of the Brazil map linked at the bottom of the column at the right). It's been a family dream for several years now to visit the Northeast (or Nordeste as we call it here), and my mom got discounted tickets for travelling on Christmas Eve. One of my dad's long-time ministry partners, Enizete, has carefully planned our three days in "her" city so that we can get the most possible out of it! That night we'll probably celebrate Christmas Brazilian style, which means getting together with Enizete's family around 9 or 10 at night, hanging out until midnight, when everyone will get up and cheer and exchange hugs and Christmas greetings, and then having a big feast which will probably last until 2 or 3 in the morning. Not surprisingly, the program for morning of the 25th itself is to sleep :). We'll be in Salvador until the 27th.
Th, Dec. 27 - leave Salvador around 1 in the morning for Natal. Once again, we were going for cheap prices over convenience on our flight times. If you look at the map again, Natal is the city on the farthest East point of the continent, right on the north of the orange area curve). The name of the city literally means "Christmas". Hehe. Anyway, we'll be spending another three days there, enjoying beaches that we're told are some of the most beautiful in Brazil (which is saying a lot).
Mon, Dec. 31 - We arrive back in São Paulo during the AM, and rest up for the celebrations that evening. My church will be having a New Year's service which will end in the New Year's "ceia" - a feast that will start around midnight. Then, home to bed! Unless we decide to be rowdy and stay up all night or something crazy like that.
New Years Day - nothing particular planned until 5 PM. Then we're having an open-house for friends and neighbors who want a chance to come say hi to Dan, Karis, and Val while they're here.
Wed, Jan. 2, 2008 - enjoying our final day with Dan before he leaves that evening (sniff sniff).
Th, Jan. 3 - Fri, Jan. 11 - hang out with the sistas!
Sat., Jan. 12 - I leave in the morning for an 8 day missions trip with youth from my church. Karis and Val leave that evening :(.
Sun, Jan. 20 - I get back to SP, and rest up. Then life gets back to normal... maybe.
I hope you all have a blessed celebration of Christ's birth, and a happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
News, Nov. 30, 2007
Hi friends!
As I write this blog, I'm listening to Brazilian Christian children's songs in preparation for working with the slum-kid project at my church tomorrow (Saturday) morning. This project is a branch of Compassion International in partnership with a ministry that has existed in my church for a long time known as "CEVAP" (Portuguese acronym for "Center for Valuing the Person" - i.e. kid). Each week, they serve over 100 kids from low-income homes, providing them with two meals per day, Bible teaching, tutoring, and fun activities. Many of these kids would simply be loose on the streets if it were not for CEVAP/Compassion. Lately, on Saturday mornings, they've created a partnership with Ambassadors to do a soccer championship with the kids. However the 4-6 year olds are too young to participate. Some friends and I are in charge of providing fun activities for these little ones for three hours on Saturday morning. It's been challenging and a learning experience. I'll be involved tomorrow and next week with the soccer club, and then the next Saturday (Dec. 15) is their Christmas party, which I'll probably also participate in. It ends just in time, because my siblings will be here the next weekend for Christmas vacation!
It's hard to believe how quickly the last months have gone by. These last few days my dad has had his executive (national) team here for a retreat, and it's been fun hanging out with them. It's amazing how much work it is to provide meals for seven people for three days, and clean up after them! My mom and I did a lot of it together, which cut down on the work for any one person considerably and made it much more enjoyable.
Last week I spent a day with SEPAL's digital department, getting to know their work and how I could be involved. Monday I'll go into the SEPAL office to get to know the events department. If I work with the events department, I'll have to be here for the main SEPAL event May 5-9, when I had been planning on being in the US. We'll see how it goes :).
The MAPI website in Portuguese continues to progress. I recently made some changes to the homepage that made me feel much better about the site in general. There's a lot to be done, but I'm enjoying it! I'm hoping to get in some time on the English site as well in the next weeks before my sibs get here. If all goes well, Dan will arrive Dec. 20, and Karis and Val on the 21st. It'll be the first time all six of us (us four kids and my parents) are together in Brazil for two and a half years! We're planning on going up to the Northeast of Brazil for a few days for a vacation, as well as hanging out at home and enjoying ourselves.
I hope you are all well!
God bless!
Rachel
As I write this blog, I'm listening to Brazilian Christian children's songs in preparation for working with the slum-kid project at my church tomorrow (Saturday) morning. This project is a branch of Compassion International in partnership with a ministry that has existed in my church for a long time known as "CEVAP" (Portuguese acronym for "Center for Valuing the Person" - i.e. kid). Each week, they serve over 100 kids from low-income homes, providing them with two meals per day, Bible teaching, tutoring, and fun activities. Many of these kids would simply be loose on the streets if it were not for CEVAP/Compassion. Lately, on Saturday mornings, they've created a partnership with Ambassadors to do a soccer championship with the kids. However the 4-6 year olds are too young to participate. Some friends and I are in charge of providing fun activities for these little ones for three hours on Saturday morning. It's been challenging and a learning experience. I'll be involved tomorrow and next week with the soccer club, and then the next Saturday (Dec. 15) is their Christmas party, which I'll probably also participate in. It ends just in time, because my siblings will be here the next weekend for Christmas vacation!
It's hard to believe how quickly the last months have gone by. These last few days my dad has had his executive (national) team here for a retreat, and it's been fun hanging out with them. It's amazing how much work it is to provide meals for seven people for three days, and clean up after them! My mom and I did a lot of it together, which cut down on the work for any one person considerably and made it much more enjoyable.
Last week I spent a day with SEPAL's digital department, getting to know their work and how I could be involved. Monday I'll go into the SEPAL office to get to know the events department. If I work with the events department, I'll have to be here for the main SEPAL event May 5-9, when I had been planning on being in the US. We'll see how it goes :).
The MAPI website in Portuguese continues to progress. I recently made some changes to the homepage that made me feel much better about the site in general. There's a lot to be done, but I'm enjoying it! I'm hoping to get in some time on the English site as well in the next weeks before my sibs get here. If all goes well, Dan will arrive Dec. 20, and Karis and Val on the 21st. It'll be the first time all six of us (us four kids and my parents) are together in Brazil for two and a half years! We're planning on going up to the Northeast of Brazil for a few days for a vacation, as well as hanging out at home and enjoying ourselves.
I hope you are all well!
God bless!
Rachel
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Thanksgiving
So, I'm a week late, but I still wanted to take the opportunity to express some motives of Thanksgiving in my life:
1. For all of you who read my blog, care about me, support me financially or in your prayers, and who have sustained me through your friendships during the last years!
2. For my family who has encouraged me, stretched me, and cared for me despite the challenges.
3. For Brazil and the US, and the significant ways each has shaped me.
4. For the fun of sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Brazilians in my mission - most of them had never eaten stuffing before!
And of course, most of all, for God, who is forever faithful, who guides us through all the ups and downs of life, who is always there to care for us tenderly when we are willing to open ourselves to Him, and who creates beautiful people like all of you!
Thank you and God bless!
Rachel
1. For all of you who read my blog, care about me, support me financially or in your prayers, and who have sustained me through your friendships during the last years!
2. For my family who has encouraged me, stretched me, and cared for me despite the challenges.
3. For Brazil and the US, and the significant ways each has shaped me.
4. For the fun of sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Brazilians in my mission - most of them had never eaten stuffing before!
And of course, most of all, for God, who is forever faithful, who guides us through all the ups and downs of life, who is always there to care for us tenderly when we are willing to open ourselves to Him, and who creates beautiful people like all of you!
Thank you and God bless!
Rachel
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A thought for your day
Here's a thought to take with you throughout your day:
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative MUST in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of the term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not the mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth."
-A.W. Tozer, 1948, "The Pursuit of God" (in the preface; Christian Publications, Inc 1982)
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative MUST in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of the term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not the mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth."
-A.W. Tozer, 1948, "The Pursuit of God" (in the preface; Christian Publications, Inc 1982)
The 12 Steps
Oh, I forgot to include the 12 steps at the end of my last blog!
Here they are:
The 12 Steps as used by REVER:
1. We admitted we were powerless in the face of the harm caused by our separation from God and that we had lost control of our lives.
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
The 12 Steps as used by Alocoholics Anonymous (the only differences are in steps 1 and 12):
Here they are:
The 12 Steps as used by REVER:
1. We admitted we were powerless in the face of the harm caused by our separation from God and that we had lost control of our lives.
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
The 12 Steps as used by Alocoholics Anonymous (the only differences are in steps 1 and 12):
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Friday, November 9, 2007
News, Nov. 9, 2007
Hi friends!
I'm sorry it's been so long since I sent news! A lot has happened in the last few weeks - here's an overview!
On the evening of Sunday, October 19th, I travelled to Florianópolis, a sea-side city about a ten hour drive south of São Paulo, to help with the administration of the biannual REVER national congress. REVER, which means to "re-see", is also an acronym in Portuguese for "Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers". This ministry is a modification for a church setting and for children of dysfunctional homes of any type of the twelve step Alcoholus Anonymous rehabilitation program (if you're interested, the twelve steps as used by REVER are listed at the end of this blog). My parents started REVER in 1997 (we just celebrated it's tenth birthday!), but it has been under national leadership for several years now, although it continues to be a branch of MAPI. I participated in several REVER events during my highschool years and was always deeply blessed by them. This time, I went not just as a participant, but to offer administrative support. I arrived several days early to help out with the prep and then stayed on through the congress. It was a blessing to me to be able to offer specific and practical help to this ministry, and I also enjoyed the opportunity to strengthen my relationships with the wonderful people that make up the REVER national leadership. The congress itself was extremely worthwhile. The topic this year was "sanctifying our minds" and the main speaker was a Brazilian psychologist and pastor named Fábio Damasceno. He did an incredible job of integrating psychology and theology (to use language familiar to you Wheaton types :) ) in practical and wise teaching about having our minds - with all their psychological complexity - fully consecrated to the Lord.
After an exhausting post-congress two days of working through some financial complications with the hotel, Luciene (the REVER national leader), Paula (the main administrator for the congress), and I stayed on a couple more days just to relax and enjoy the beach. It was a lot of fun. On Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 29, we headed back to Joinville (a town about three hours north of Florianópolis, where Lu and Paula live), where I got to hang out with Lu and her family for another day and see the sights. The next afternoon, I took a bus another couple hours north to Curitiba, Paraná for the yearly Sepal retreat. (If you're interested, see http://p.vtourist.com/223212-Brasil_map-Brazil.gif for a map of Brazil that includes São Paulo - in the yellow region - and Florianópolis and Curitiba - in the red region. Joinville is half-way in between Florianópolis and Curitiba.)
I've participated in Sepal retreats since I was 5, but this was the first time I was going as an "adult" instead of a MK. It was an interesting juncture of the familiar and the novel. As always, the adults had meetings in the mornings and evenings, while the kids hung out all day and had fun. Afternoons for everyone were devoted to rest, leisure, and fellowship. For the first time I actually participated intensively in the meetings! They were a good time of solidifying our identity and commitments as a team. We also had a great time of sight-seeing in Curitiba one of the afternoons. Nonetheless, I admit that by the time the end of the retreat came around on Sunday afternoon, after two weeks away, I was ready to head home to my own bed and familiar food. The first night I slept for twelve hours!
Monday morning dawned ... I mean... ahem... afternoon... I slept until 1:45PM! That day and the next few were spent getting rested up from the trips, catching up with things here, and getting back into the rhythm of life in general. Yesterday, Thursday, Nov. 8, and today are normal work days for me - which mainly means working on the MAPI website, which I had neglected for two weeks, and a few odds and ends related to research. Unfortunately, the woman in charge of the Sepal research department was told by her doctor to take a four month medical leave (if you remember, please pray for her. She is a wonderful Brazilian woman named Eunice, who was just overworked and overwhelmed and needed some time for rest), which mainly curtails my work in that area. The one aspect of it I am able to continue doing is typing the results of a survey my dad is doing, for later analysis. I will probably start working with a different Sepal department in the next couple weeks - most likely either events administration or digital support. Tomorrow morning I'm going to be helping out with some activities at my church's outreach program for slum kids.
God bless you all!
Rachel
I'm sorry it's been so long since I sent news! A lot has happened in the last few weeks - here's an overview!
On the evening of Sunday, October 19th, I travelled to Florianópolis, a sea-side city about a ten hour drive south of São Paulo, to help with the administration of the biannual REVER national congress. REVER, which means to "re-see", is also an acronym in Portuguese for "Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers". This ministry is a modification for a church setting and for children of dysfunctional homes of any type of the twelve step Alcoholus Anonymous rehabilitation program (if you're interested, the twelve steps as used by REVER are listed at the end of this blog). My parents started REVER in 1997 (we just celebrated it's tenth birthday!), but it has been under national leadership for several years now, although it continues to be a branch of MAPI. I participated in several REVER events during my highschool years and was always deeply blessed by them. This time, I went not just as a participant, but to offer administrative support. I arrived several days early to help out with the prep and then stayed on through the congress. It was a blessing to me to be able to offer specific and practical help to this ministry, and I also enjoyed the opportunity to strengthen my relationships with the wonderful people that make up the REVER national leadership. The congress itself was extremely worthwhile. The topic this year was "sanctifying our minds" and the main speaker was a Brazilian psychologist and pastor named Fábio Damasceno. He did an incredible job of integrating psychology and theology (to use language familiar to you Wheaton types :) ) in practical and wise teaching about having our minds - with all their psychological complexity - fully consecrated to the Lord.
After an exhausting post-congress two days of working through some financial complications with the hotel, Luciene (the REVER national leader), Paula (the main administrator for the congress), and I stayed on a couple more days just to relax and enjoy the beach. It was a lot of fun. On Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 29, we headed back to Joinville (a town about three hours north of Florianópolis, where Lu and Paula live), where I got to hang out with Lu and her family for another day and see the sights. The next afternoon, I took a bus another couple hours north to Curitiba, Paraná for the yearly Sepal retreat. (If you're interested, see http://p.vtourist.com/223212-Brasil_map-Brazil.gif for a map of Brazil that includes São Paulo - in the yellow region - and Florianópolis and Curitiba - in the red region. Joinville is half-way in between Florianópolis and Curitiba.)
I've participated in Sepal retreats since I was 5, but this was the first time I was going as an "adult" instead of a MK. It was an interesting juncture of the familiar and the novel. As always, the adults had meetings in the mornings and evenings, while the kids hung out all day and had fun. Afternoons for everyone were devoted to rest, leisure, and fellowship. For the first time I actually participated intensively in the meetings! They were a good time of solidifying our identity and commitments as a team. We also had a great time of sight-seeing in Curitiba one of the afternoons. Nonetheless, I admit that by the time the end of the retreat came around on Sunday afternoon, after two weeks away, I was ready to head home to my own bed and familiar food. The first night I slept for twelve hours!
Monday morning dawned ... I mean... ahem... afternoon... I slept until 1:45PM! That day and the next few were spent getting rested up from the trips, catching up with things here, and getting back into the rhythm of life in general. Yesterday, Thursday, Nov. 8, and today are normal work days for me - which mainly means working on the MAPI website, which I had neglected for two weeks, and a few odds and ends related to research. Unfortunately, the woman in charge of the Sepal research department was told by her doctor to take a four month medical leave (if you remember, please pray for her. She is a wonderful Brazilian woman named Eunice, who was just overworked and overwhelmed and needed some time for rest), which mainly curtails my work in that area. The one aspect of it I am able to continue doing is typing the results of a survey my dad is doing, for later analysis. I will probably start working with a different Sepal department in the next couple weeks - most likely either events administration or digital support. Tomorrow morning I'm going to be helping out with some activities at my church's outreach program for slum kids.
God bless you all!
Rachel
Saturday, October 13, 2007
My weekend at Casa Abba
Hey everyone!
I realized I never wrote about my weekend helping out with the 5 boys at Lar Eloim (one of the Casa Abba homes). It was quite an adventure! Most of the two days I spent enjoying getting to know the rhythm of the home, and trying to figure out which way was up between mischievous smiles and jokes, full-on charm, pouting and sulking, shrek-pussy like eyes when there was danger of getting in trouble, and over all really liking the boys. Nevertheless, I admit that spending 20 hours in one weekend with 5 energetic boys between 7 and 13 years of age, who are still learning what it is like to follow the rules of a home, was exhausting. I think in the future, I might help out just on Saturdays, to preserve my sanity a little bit more :). Anyway, pray that I have wisdom in relating to them, and can be firm about the boundaries that need to be in place. I'm not sure I'm always very good about being authoritative!
God bless!
Rachel
I realized I never wrote about my weekend helping out with the 5 boys at Lar Eloim (one of the Casa Abba homes). It was quite an adventure! Most of the two days I spent enjoying getting to know the rhythm of the home, and trying to figure out which way was up between mischievous smiles and jokes, full-on charm, pouting and sulking, shrek-pussy like eyes when there was danger of getting in trouble, and over all really liking the boys. Nevertheless, I admit that spending 20 hours in one weekend with 5 energetic boys between 7 and 13 years of age, who are still learning what it is like to follow the rules of a home, was exhausting. I think in the future, I might help out just on Saturdays, to preserve my sanity a little bit more :). Anyway, pray that I have wisdom in relating to them, and can be firm about the boundaries that need to be in place. I'm not sure I'm always very good about being authoritative!
God bless!
Rachel
Friday, October 5, 2007
Hi friends
Hi Friends,
I haven't written in a while. Today has been a lazy day. Lol. Well, actually it's been a lazy day for the last 30 minutes or so :). I recently did a puzzle while listening to Jars of Clay... some of their best music. It was lovely. Anyway, the rest of today has been busy. I got up early in the morning (6ish) to get a ride with a friend to the nearest metro/el/subway/whatever-you-call-it-in-your-city station. It's about 40 minutes away by car. Then I took the metro/el/whatever downtown so that I could get a Brazilian social security number, so I can open a bank account. :).
I hadn't been in the actual historic part of São Paulo for a long time. Many of the old, narrow cobblestone streets have been left intact, but made into pedestrian thoroughfares that run between the paved, busy traffic-filled lanes. Both weave in and out of a combination of old-fashioned (1800s) large, yellowish buildings (I currently don't know what they are made of) and occasional more modern ones. I took a convoluted route to the "poupa-tempo," or "time-saver" building, a huge government complex that provides the public with a variety of services. On the way back, I discovered that if I had done it slightly differently, it would have been a straight-forward block away! However, I managed to get thoroughly lost on the way there, and asked the assistance of a smiling woman about my age waiting to cross the street I had been directed to by the previous direction-giver (a middle-aged man). She said "oh, I'm going there too, just follow me!" So I did!
We passed numerous people trying to convince us that if we took our pictures for the government documents with them, it would be cheaper than the next guy, and eventually ran into a woman with a shirt that read "information." I was guided to the "green plaza" and from there to the "yellow desk" and from there down a corridor to a government official who looked at my identification and paperclipped an approval paper to it. He then sent me back the way I came to the "red wing" where they took my paper clipped documents and told me to have a seat. Several minutes later, I was called to the desk, and given a social security on a normal looking white paper. I was told I would get the official card in the mail within the next 60 days! Whew, the bureaucracy! Thankfully the lines weren't long, and I was out of there within about 20 minutes. The "time-saver" is accurately named... if only it didn't take me an hour and a half to get there!
Anyway, skipping over the adventures on the metro and bus on the way home, I arrived around 11:00AM to discover my computer was being dysfunctional. I did a variety of things around the house while waiting to see if it was going to decide to be alive, and finally decided the only way to get it out of its neutral state half-way through the shut-down process was to pull the battery on it. This proved quite affective, and it was up and running in a matter of minutes. As a result, I got four good hours of work in on my dad's website in the afternoon. I took a break about an hour ago, and did the dishes that have been piling up in the kitchen the last few days, before sitting down for a lovely half-hour with Jars of Clay and a puzzle. Which put me in a lovely, lazy mood, thus the beginning of this blog.
Now I better go pull my laundry out of our gas-powered dryer, before the gas fills the house so much it gets dangerous. I hope your day was as enjoyable as mine!
God bless!
Rachel
I haven't written in a while. Today has been a lazy day. Lol. Well, actually it's been a lazy day for the last 30 minutes or so :). I recently did a puzzle while listening to Jars of Clay... some of their best music. It was lovely. Anyway, the rest of today has been busy. I got up early in the morning (6ish) to get a ride with a friend to the nearest metro/el/subway/whatever-you-call-it-in-your-city station. It's about 40 minutes away by car. Then I took the metro/el/whatever downtown so that I could get a Brazilian social security number, so I can open a bank account. :).
I hadn't been in the actual historic part of São Paulo for a long time. Many of the old, narrow cobblestone streets have been left intact, but made into pedestrian thoroughfares that run between the paved, busy traffic-filled lanes. Both weave in and out of a combination of old-fashioned (1800s) large, yellowish buildings (I currently don't know what they are made of) and occasional more modern ones. I took a convoluted route to the "poupa-tempo," or "time-saver" building, a huge government complex that provides the public with a variety of services. On the way back, I discovered that if I had done it slightly differently, it would have been a straight-forward block away! However, I managed to get thoroughly lost on the way there, and asked the assistance of a smiling woman about my age waiting to cross the street I had been directed to by the previous direction-giver (a middle-aged man). She said "oh, I'm going there too, just follow me!" So I did!
We passed numerous people trying to convince us that if we took our pictures for the government documents with them, it would be cheaper than the next guy, and eventually ran into a woman with a shirt that read "information." I was guided to the "green plaza" and from there to the "yellow desk" and from there down a corridor to a government official who looked at my identification and paperclipped an approval paper to it. He then sent me back the way I came to the "red wing" where they took my paper clipped documents and told me to have a seat. Several minutes later, I was called to the desk, and given a social security on a normal looking white paper. I was told I would get the official card in the mail within the next 60 days! Whew, the bureaucracy! Thankfully the lines weren't long, and I was out of there within about 20 minutes. The "time-saver" is accurately named... if only it didn't take me an hour and a half to get there!
Anyway, skipping over the adventures on the metro and bus on the way home, I arrived around 11:00AM to discover my computer was being dysfunctional. I did a variety of things around the house while waiting to see if it was going to decide to be alive, and finally decided the only way to get it out of its neutral state half-way through the shut-down process was to pull the battery on it. This proved quite affective, and it was up and running in a matter of minutes. As a result, I got four good hours of work in on my dad's website in the afternoon. I took a break about an hour ago, and did the dishes that have been piling up in the kitchen the last few days, before sitting down for a lovely half-hour with Jars of Clay and a puzzle. Which put me in a lovely, lazy mood, thus the beginning of this blog.
Now I better go pull my laundry out of our gas-powered dryer, before the gas fills the house so much it gets dangerous. I hope your day was as enjoyable as mine!
God bless!
Rachel
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Here's a thought to take with you throughout your day:
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative MUST in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of the term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not the mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth."
-A.W. Tozer, 1948, "The Pursuit of God" (in the preface; Christian Publications, Inc 1982)
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative MUST in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of the term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not the mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth."
-A.W. Tozer, 1948, "The Pursuit of God" (in the preface; Christian Publications, Inc 1982)
News, Sept. 25, 2007
Hi friends!
The prayer letter in the previous post was written on Sept. 13, and should have been sent out then, but life got away with me. Since it is now almost two weeks later, I have a few updates on that news!
I think life is settling into a rhythm. I have decided to help out with the ministry that provides homes for street children once or twice a month. The ministry is known as Casa Abba (or House Abba, in English). It includes four "lares," or homes, for street children, two of which are within walking distance of where I live. Lar Eloim currently provides a place for five boys, and Lar Nova Esperança (New Hope) for four girls. This weekend, I will be helping at Eloim, but there is a great possibility I will help at Nova Esperança also in the future. They depend greatly on volunteers to supplement their staff.
Most days, I spend most of my time at home, working on the MAPI website and Sepal research. Once a month, Wednesdays are taken up with Sepal team meetings. Monday and Thursday afternoons I tutor a PACA (that's the school where I went growing up - Pan American Christian Academy) 5th grader in Portuguese. On Thursday evenings, I help out with a small group for teenagers at my church, and on Friday evenings I go to a small group for young adults. This Saturday and Sunday I'll be gone all day at Lar Eloim, but most weekends are more relaxed. On Saturdays, I sometimes help with the recycling campaign at my church. I also get together with some young people for a "Grupo de Crescimento Espiritual" (Spiritual Growth Group) in the late afternoon. Sunday mornings I participate in the "Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers" (inner healing) Sunday School class, and Sunday nights I go to the main worship service.
One nice thing about having a flexible work schedule during weekdays is that I have had some really deep times in the Word and in other Christian literature, as well as ample times of journaling and praying. The Lord has been using these times greatly. I also go running three times a week, and am brushing up on my Portuguese grammar. I have relished wonderful moments of conversation with my parents. I'm deeply enjoying having them near-by :). We also frequently pull out a Rook and Settlers games in the evenings. Over-all, I am deeply grateful for the things God is doing in my life, and for the opportunities he is sending my way. Thank you for your prayers!
One specific prayer request is for security in the area where I live. There have been two kidnapping, two rapes, and several robberies in the area near my home in the last couple of months, and it has everyone pretty freaked out. São Paulo is generally a pretty dangerous city, but this is worse than usual. It has significantly diminished my ability to get around at night without inconveniencing other people, since it is dangerous to walk alone, and I do not yet have a Brazilian drivers license. I would greatly appreciate your prayers.
Thank you so much!
The prayer letter in the previous post was written on Sept. 13, and should have been sent out then, but life got away with me. Since it is now almost two weeks later, I have a few updates on that news!
I think life is settling into a rhythm. I have decided to help out with the ministry that provides homes for street children once or twice a month. The ministry is known as Casa Abba (or House Abba, in English). It includes four "lares," or homes, for street children, two of which are within walking distance of where I live. Lar Eloim currently provides a place for five boys, and Lar Nova Esperança (New Hope) for four girls. This weekend, I will be helping at Eloim, but there is a great possibility I will help at Nova Esperança also in the future. They depend greatly on volunteers to supplement their staff.
Most days, I spend most of my time at home, working on the MAPI website and Sepal research. Once a month, Wednesdays are taken up with Sepal team meetings. Monday and Thursday afternoons I tutor a PACA (that's the school where I went growing up - Pan American Christian Academy) 5th grader in Portuguese. On Thursday evenings, I help out with a small group for teenagers at my church, and on Friday evenings I go to a small group for young adults. This Saturday and Sunday I'll be gone all day at Lar Eloim, but most weekends are more relaxed. On Saturdays, I sometimes help with the recycling campaign at my church. I also get together with some young people for a "Grupo de Crescimento Espiritual" (Spiritual Growth Group) in the late afternoon. Sunday mornings I participate in the "Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers" (inner healing) Sunday School class, and Sunday nights I go to the main worship service.
One nice thing about having a flexible work schedule during weekdays is that I have had some really deep times in the Word and in other Christian literature, as well as ample times of journaling and praying. The Lord has been using these times greatly. I also go running three times a week, and am brushing up on my Portuguese grammar. I have relished wonderful moments of conversation with my parents. I'm deeply enjoying having them near-by :). We also frequently pull out a Rook and Settlers games in the evenings. Over-all, I am deeply grateful for the things God is doing in my life, and for the opportunities he is sending my way. Thank you for your prayers!
One specific prayer request is for security in the area where I live. There have been two kidnapping, two rapes, and several robberies in the area near my home in the last couple of months, and it has everyone pretty freaked out. São Paulo is generally a pretty dangerous city, but this is worse than usual. It has significantly diminished my ability to get around at night without inconveniencing other people, since it is dangerous to walk alone, and I do not yet have a Brazilian drivers license. I would greatly appreciate your prayers.
Thank you so much!
News, Sept. 13, 2007
Dear friends,
Other opportunities creep over the horizon: helping with a home for street children; teaching English at the slum ministry at my church; translating a booklet from English to Portuguese for a soccer outreach ministry (connected to Ambassadors; also at my church); helping out at the MK school where I grew up; co-leading a church small group for teenagers. In October I will travel to southern Brazil with my parents to help with the administration of a REVER (Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers – an inner healing branch of MAPI) National Congress, and then from there to a SEPAL team retreat. I may also begin teaching English at a school for a few hours a week to help make up for the money I am lacking in support.
Pray for me that God would give me wisdom about where to invest my time in these coming weeks and months. There are a myriad of opportunities, but it is not yet clear to me where my gifts will be of the most use, and where I can best contribute to Kingdom growth. Thank you so much to all of you who help to make this time in Brazil possible!
In God’s care,
Rachel Kornfield
Monday, September 24, 2007
Intro
Hi supporters, friends, and family!
Thank you so much for taking this time to look at my blog! This will be the main source of news about me during the coming months.
What do you think of when you think of the dawn? I think of the sun rising over the lake not far from my house, causing the water to shine, illuminating multiple shades of green, as well as the red tile of my neighbors' roofs. I think of openness and light. I also think of the goodness of the Lord, demonstrated to us in the land of the living. No matter how dark the night, the sun always rises again. He has promised me to always be my sun, bringing hope and new life at the end of hard times. "Comes the Dawn" is a reminder of this promise. He will never fail to bring hope and light to his children, no matter how long and dark the night.
It is also extra appropriate, because Dawn happens to be my middle name. :).
God bless you deeply!
Thank you so much for taking this time to look at my blog! This will be the main source of news about me during the coming months.
What do you think of when you think of the dawn? I think of the sun rising over the lake not far from my house, causing the water to shine, illuminating multiple shades of green, as well as the red tile of my neighbors' roofs. I think of openness and light. I also think of the goodness of the Lord, demonstrated to us in the land of the living. No matter how dark the night, the sun always rises again. He has promised me to always be my sun, bringing hope and new life at the end of hard times. "Comes the Dawn" is a reminder of this promise. He will never fail to bring hope and light to his children, no matter how long and dark the night.
It is also extra appropriate, because Dawn happens to be my middle name. :).
God bless you deeply!
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