Be a Missionary Everyday!

Be a missionary every day [clap clap clap clap]

Tell the world that Jesus is the way [clap clap clap clap]

In the town or city, or busy avenue,

Africa or Asia, the task is up to YOU so

Be a missionary

Gods own emissary

Be a missionary today-ay-ay!

Be a missionary every day [clap clap clap clap]

Tell the world that Jesus is the way [clap clap clap clap]

The Lord is soon returning

There is no time to lose

So...Be a missionary

Gods own emissary

Be a missionary today-ay-ay!

This is a favorite of the kids in my class. Although I have heard it before, I have never known all of the words... until now.... :) If you mention the word "missionary" in my classroom (ooohhhh! I just said "my classroom! :), you won't be able to get their attention until after they sing it at the top of their lungs... Thank you, Pedro, for leading the pack!

I know that some of you have been anxiously awaiting a picture of my precious little ones. Here is one of two of my favorites. Yes, I know teachers aren't supposed to have favorites... I don't show it in the classroom. But if they happen to be available for a quick photo shoot, I might just take advantage of it.... :) Jeffrey, is in my second grade class. The precious little girl with him is no other than the "excuse me" girl - first grader, Stacy. They happen to be cousins. They are the best of friends but can fight like brother and sister. :)

As silly as it sounds, I would appreciate your prayers concerning my computer. It has decided not to turn on lately. I have had numerous people look at it, and they have been able to fix it temporarily. Perhaps God is teaching me not to be so dependent on it. :) Last night, I found this screen: the Blue Screen of Death... I was not excited to see the phrase "beginning of physical dump", nor was I comforted when I heard of what it was called..... I am hoping to download everything onto CD's or even an external hard drive. If you could pray that it stays on until then, I would appreciate it!

I heard something the other day that I thought was rather humorous. Hopefully you will think so too!

What a missionary does when a bug is in their cup:

Year 1: Dump out the cup and get a new drink

Year 2: Use a spoon to get the bug out. Finish the drink.

Year 3: Drink around the bug.

Year 4: Ask, "Where is the bug?" when one is not seen in the cup.

Thanks for your notes and prayers!

Serving HIM in Brazil,

Brittany

Portuguese, Purchases and Princesses :)

Yesterday, a few teachers and I went to the "Hippie Fair" to do some shopping. Every Sunday, many vendors set up stands in one of the largetst squares in Belem and sell various Brazilian artifacts (most of which make great souvenirs!). It is quite the event! You can find everything from jewelry and clothes to coconuts and even clothes for your dogs.... (yes, it was rather rediculous...)

I'm not sure if you can see, but the ladies in the picture are dressing a Miniature Doberman...

I learned a new Portuguese phrase: cuanto e? It means "How much is this?" It's very important to know when shopping. I was also able to practice my numbers a lot as well!

At the English Church Service, I had a lesson on colors. Most are very similar to Spanish, which is very helpful. However, I am not able to make one of the sounds in the word red (vermelho). My Brazilian friends were trying not to laugh... but then they can't tell the difference among these words: three, tree, and free. We tried to help each other pronounce these sounds, and had a good time doing it! :)

Perhaps the highlight of the shopping trip was when I met the Disney Princesses! Ariel, Belle, Snow White and a brunette Cinderella were kind enough to take a moment out of their busy day to take a picture with a fan. I was slightly embarrassed that the others getting pictures taken were younger than the students in my class.... but then I realized:

1. I will never see these people again

2. It will make a great memory

3. The people with me did not give me a choice...

4. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! :)

5. Who has ever seen a brunette Cinderella? (only in Brazil! :)

After our adventure, one of the teachers invited me and another student teacher over for lunch with her family. It was nice to be in a home! (although it was weird being called "Miss Herbst" outside of the classroom! I'm getting old!!) I was able to go to their home for lunch a few weeks ago. They introduced me to two Brazilian drinks: coconut milk and acai. Although acai looks like a blueberry, it does not even close to tasting like one. It is a very deep purple in color, and extremely thick. After you drink it, your teeth will turn black. In this picture, I am deciding if I am going to pretend to like it or if I am going to be honest and say how I really feel.... I was not a fan of it... so they added some sugar.... then some tapioca.... I still wasn't convinced. Yesterday, we had it in ice cream. I decided I could handle it. I'd still choose black rasberry chocolate chunk or cookies and cream any day. :) In their back yard, they have a coconut tree. They chopped off the top of a coconut, stuck in a straw, and handed it to me. How fun! This drink I enjoyed.

Thanks, Mr. & Mrs. Cooley for lunch and the "treats", and thanks, Mrs. Cooley, for taking the pictures! (thanks, too, to Nathaniel, Elisabeth, Caleb and Hannah for being good hosts! :)

This week, I am now teaching full-time! I would appreciate your prayers as it is rather overwhelming and extra tiring at first. Thanks so much!

Hope all is well in the States!

Serving HIM in Brazil,

Brittany

Laundry Day!

After 23 days of being in Brazil, I decided it was time to do some washing.... So I took my clothes down to the Amazon and.... no, just kidding.... One of the teachers offered her washer and line. Yes, line - not dryer.... It was quite the adventure. :) (*MOM: I remember helping you hang up clothes on Westborne! :)* It's cheaper than using a dryer. I just might do it myself. However, the weather in Ohio isn't always as predictable... I'll have to see about that. Although it might be a good option for poor newlyweds... ;)

I learned a new life principle today: If you're not in the shower, you should have repellent on... Unlike in the States, they eat all day long, not just in the evening.... Somewhat annoying...

That's about all the exciting news I have for now! Hope all is well where you are!

Serving HIM in Brazil,

*Brittany

A Broken Light and a Steve Green Song...

Friday's are automatically good days because they end at lunchtime. The students don't have time to get crazy, and they don't have to sit through science, which makes them happy too.

Today, I decided to have math at the reading carpet. We were talking about addition problems using a picnic scenario. We each brought a sandwich to eat, but we had some uninvited guests -ants - who wanted some too. We each told a story problem about how many ants were on our plate, and how many came to join them. The students enjoyed being somewhere other than their desks and not using a pencil to complete their math. Before we went over to the carpet, I warned them that in order to participate in the activity, they had to be good listeners and cooperate. They knew that if they did not listen, we would have to go back to the table like usual. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they behaved!

Toward the end of our "picnic", however, something unexpected happened: the light above the back table exploded. The class froze, and a few students screamed. I immediately realized that had we been at the table as usual, the students would have been badly cut if not more badly injured. My teacher and I calmed the students and then prayed, thanking God for keeping us safe. My cooperating teacher left the room to get someone to clean it up. The students were not to move until she came back. In order to keep them occupied, I suggested we sing a song. One of the students immediately started singing, "When I am afraid I will trust in You. I will trust in You. I will trust in You. When I am afraid I will trust in You, in God, whose Word I praise." And all the rest joined in...

After school, the first and second graders were running up to all of the other students telling them this story:

"The light fell and crashed all over the floor! But God told Miss Herbst to have math at the carpet and not the back table. God kept us safe!"

How neat it was to hear 6, 7 and 8 year olds praising God for His safe hand of protection rather than simply spreading news about the light crashing! What a privilege to work with kids and be able to be a part of their growing relationship with Christ! It is both encouraging and challenging!

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" Psalm 56:3-4

Praising Him for His protection!
*Brittany

Weather and Such

Many of you have asked about the weather. "Just how hot is it?" Well, it's hot, but not scorching. The humidity is what is bothersome. However, the heat has not bothered me yet. I haven't even used the air conditioner in my room yet! (which I have to pay for by the hour!!) I'm sure it will be hard to come back to Ohio in October though... Unlike when I'm at home and school, I don't look at weather.com or my thermometer the first thing out of bed. I don't worry about what to wear because I can always count on it being hot and humid with a chance of rain. It's kinda nice having the weather be predictable like that. Yes, I know it takes out the excitement that Ohio has when it snows in May, but I'm okay with it. :) If you want to know just how hot it is, feel free to check the AVA website. You'll find the temperature on the right side.


http://www.avabrazil.org/site/


We are in the "dry season" right now, but it has rained nearly everyday since I have been here. Today it poured hard enough for a soccer game to be postponed! Imagine that!

I have realized something in the past few days: I'm not on vacation. This has a few implications. The main one that I have been thinking about is food. You know when you go on vacation or visit a new place and you want to try all the new foods? Well, I am doing that.... and I am enjoying it.... too much... I may gain the freshman 15+ afterall.... :)

Tomorrow begins week three of school. I will be adding a few more subjects to my lesson planning and will now be teaching: math, phonics, reading, spelling, and Bible. Although I only have 6 second graders, I feel like I have a full class!


However, Stacy, the precious first grade girl who I talked about before, has different thoughts about me teaching. On Friday, I asked the students to go to their desks so that we could begin. Stacy looked at me and said, "You're just the second grade teacher. Miss Storms is the first grade teacher. I don't have to listen to you." I explained that I was her teacher too, just like Miss Storms. She crawled to her desk...


I am learning to be more strict. It is something that all my advisors have told me to work on when they observed me in previous classrooms. Last week I wrote names on the board (which is not a good thing - it means they stay in during recess - and can lead to further consequences) and even had a student stay after school to finsih some work! I could not believe myself! I don't know if I should be proud of myself for not giving into the students, or feel ashamed for doing so.... I guess it's good practice for the future.... or least for dealing with my own kids...


Well, I'm off to bed. I have to get up with the rooster at the crack of dawn (*CASSIDY AND ALICIA*). And unfortunately, I'm not joking.....



Thank you all for your prayers and for the comments and e-mails!


From the heat of BRAZIL,
*Brittany

A Tour of the City

August 15 is a holiday celebrated in the state of Para to recognize the day that it became part of the Union (I believe that is why we got off of school! :) It was strange to have a break after only being in school for seven days.

Two people who attend the English church service on Sunday afternoons offered to take me on a tour of the city. The teachers gave their approval, and I took advantage of spending some time with people closer to my age. :) We met at the school and took the bus to the Museo, which is basically like a zoo. I had a great time! They speak English fairly well, but wanted me to correct their slight mistakes. They had fun trying to teach me Portuguese. At the end of the day, they said I was practically Brazilian! I'm not sure that knowing how to say 6 words/phrases qualifies me to be Brazilian, but I didn't argue with them. There were many birds, monkeys, turtles, otters, crocodiles, snakes, manatees, and other animals. My "tour guides" would tell me the name in Portuguese and I would help them pronounce the English names. It was a fun little game. :) I'm afraid that had there been a test at the end, they would have passed with flying colors and I.... would not have done so well.... :)

I was able to get lots of exercise as we walked around the city. We decided not to take the bus so that I would be able to see more (and it was free! :) My legs are feeling it today.... I love flip-flops, but they are probably not the best touring shoes....

While the zoo itself was similar to ones I have visited in the States, the trees and bushes were much different. It was so cool to see! This is a large tree that we had to take a picture with. (the guy that was with us love taking pictures.....*CASSIDY AND ERIN: not quite as much as you... :)*

After walking around the city all morning, we stopped to get pizza for lunch. Now, pizza here, as you would expect, is much different than pizza in the States. First of all, it has little to no sauce. Instead, Brazilians often put ketchsup or.... are you sitting down?....mayonnaise... on top. Then come the toppings. They begin with what we may consider "normal" : ham, olives, and tomatoes. Then..... they add eggs and peas.... (*AUNT LISA: I wouldn't recommend the pizza to you! :) I wish I had taken a picture to show you! I will admit that as I was serving myself, I "struggled" with getting the pizza to my plate. In the process, I lost an olive and a good amount of eggs and peas. I wasn't able to put ketchup or mayonnaise on top of my pizza. But I did enjoy what remained of my piece. :)

My tour guides took me to multiple squares, one of which is known for a "Hippie Fair". I did not buy anything, but scoped out the stands for next time. It was quite the place!

This picture reminds me of "Mulan" for some reason.... :) (and then I think of *Megan Nish*!! :)

After walking around in the heat, we went to the mall for ice cream. Once again, I forget what I had. However, I know it was a Brazilian fruit flavor with Brazilian nut and chocolate pieces. I would recommend it! We decided that we deserved some rest time, so we went to a movie. Now, I am sure that many of you are thinking, "A movie? How could YOU see a movie in BRAZIL?!" Let me explain: in Brazil, they watch American movies in English with Portuguese subtitles. It reminded me of watching movies in Spanish class with English subtitles. I surely wouldn't like it! However, yesterday, it was fine with me! :)

ZAC: Remember that book that we read that had the giant lillypads in it? Well I saw some at the zoo! No, I didn't stand on them - I don't think they were that big. But look how big they were! I could easily have sat on them in Indian-style (or criss-cross-applesauce, to be politically correct...)

What a great day!

Thanks, Kamila and Eliseu, for being wonderful tour guides!! I had a lot of fun!

Yay for kids!

I have survived the first week of school! My teacher and I have 6 first graders and 6 second graders. We definitely have our hands full! Although we only have 12 students in the room, it feels like we have a full class of 25. I have learned that parenting is not very important in Brazil. This is definitely seen in the classroom!

While they are "fluent" in English, the students still struggle with certain words every once in a while. This can be frustrating for both them and for me. There are some words that they cannot say in English, but only know in Portuguese. I know no Portuguese, so I try to have them explain the word to me using different words. They usually do not like this method very much... We are working on it! I am definitely getting opportunities to practice patience. After the challenges in this class, I will be ready for any class!! :)

We use American textbooks, which can make things more challenging. The stories that they read may contain experiences or topics that are familiar to any child in the US, but are not familiar to a Brazilian student. They are still building their vocabulary, so many things have to be explained in greater detail than if I was teaching the same lesson in the States. For example, today they read a story about going to a Bugs Bunny cartoon at the movie theatre. They do have movie theatres, but they did not know what the word "cartoon" meant, nor had they heard of "Bugs Bunny". Therefore, they had difficulty reading the story, making meaning of it, and answering comprehenison questions. Sometimes I wonder if they should use a different curriculum for reading, but I guess the parents want them to have an "American education". So.... I'll teach it!

This experience is helping me learn how to communicate better as I tell the students things in multiple ways. I am constantly thinking of better ways to explain myself or a new term that they are learning. I am being challenged, learning right along with them, and having fun in the process! The majority of the parents do not speak English either. This makes communicating with the parents about what is going on in the classroom more of a challenge. I also cannot expect parents to support English learning while at home, for they do not know enough themselves to practice with their children. Therefore, homework policies must be altered if not eliminated (which I am totally fine with).

Today I helped my teacher begin a rewards/motivation/incentive program in order to encourage the students to behave better. There are three main rules that they must obey in order to receive a sticker at the end of the day. After receiving 5 stickers, they can get some candy. It was a rough start, but I think that they understand it a little more (some did not get stickers today) and are ready to try again tomorrow!

On Saturday, I was able to go out with some people who live on the school property. A young couple (who have been here just a year and teach at the school), a guy who teaches ESL classes, and I went out to eat and to a bowling ally. It was a lot of fun! It was a change of pace from spending time with the older single teachers that I have spent most of my time with up until then. I was able to ride a bus as well, which was a good experience! I feel like I am settling in more and more each day, which is a wonderful feeling!

On Sunday, I went to church with some of the teachers. It was all in Portuguese, which made it a little difficult. One of the teachers is fluent and would summarize from time to time. The pastor used lots of scripture, which was put on the PowerPoint. This was very helpful! I was able to determine the reference and find it in my Bible. This helped me to understand the basic point he was talking about. I was also able to compare the English with the Portuguese on the screen. Hopefully next week I will be able to recognize some of the words! It is so neat to think of how believers can worship no matter what the language! What a cool experienc it is to worship with others who speak another language!

There is an English church service on the school property every Sunday afternoon. It is promoted with "come and learn English" rather than "come to a church service". However, the Bible is then used in order to help them practice their English. What a sweet ministry! Many poeple have gotten saved as a result of coming. There are numerous people who have been attending the service for years! How cool! We sing praise songs (slowly :) then hear a short message. The people then split up into different discussion groups determined by their English speaking ability. Before the service, someone came up to me and asked, "May I talk to you?" They just wanted to practice their English on a native speaker! We compared life in Brazil to life in America, and I got some tips on what to eat. (except I don't know if I remember the names... ) I wish my students were as anxious to learn addition and long vowels as these people are anxious to learn English! :)

I will end with a story that I think is both precious and hilarious (hopefully you will too!):

I was helping Stacy, a first grader, tie her shoe. She is probably the most adorable little girl I have ever seen. She is one who pushes the limits, though, which can drive me crazy (ex. she is one who touches their eraser after you say "Please don't touch your pencil."). Yet she is so precious you can't help but love her! So, I was tying her shoe and she informed me that Andres, one of the first grade boys, burps all the time.

"It's soooo disgusting," she said.

I told her, "Yes, it is not very nice to burp. He needs to say 'Excuse me.'"

"'Excuse me'?"

"Yes, he needs to say 'Excuse me'."

"No, not 'Excuse me.' That's what you say like when people do something you don't like. You say, "Excuuuuse me?!'" (with attitude in her voice)

Haha! And she said it just like me! Ha! I was crouched down tying her shoe and almost fell over because I was laughing. She is a trip and a half.... I love kids!! :)

A Futebol Game!!

After being here for less than a week, I have already had the opportunity to go to a "futebol" game! We watched Remo (pronounced hay-moe.... r's are pronounced like an "h") score two goals for a victory. One of the high school teachers asked me if I was interested in going (don't worry, D- he's married). He said he had to check to see if it was safe enough to take me, but to plan on it. (I asked my parents before I left the U.S. if I should dye my hair, but we decided against it...) We ended up going with a group, which is much safer anyway. As I said before, I feel like it is the law to wear soccer jerseys - and this was no exception. I felt a little out of the loop, since I do not own one... yet. :) When I find a cute one for a good deal, I will get it! (Okay, I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a "cute" soccer jersey, but I'm determined to find it! :) (Yes, D, I know... but at least I didn't add a "y" to the end of any word in that sentence....)

(Sorry this was ended abruptly... a storm was coming and I had to run for cover....)

A piece of advice: Don't step in the puddles around the arena. They are not places where people have spilled pop....

While at the game, I also learned that it is rude to eat and walk at the same time. That's just like Westerville, where you can't eat a bagel while walking on the sidewalk...

There were armed guards, complete with shields and heavy-duty helmets, who escorted the referees to and from the field. It was intense!

When we were walking into the stadium, there were many men yelling "hah-dee-oh, hah-dee-oh, hah-dee-oh" over and over and over super fast.... I asked someone what they were saying and was informed that they were selling radios. In Brazil, the letter "r" is pronounced with an /h/ sound. In Spanish, radio is spelled the same but pronounced with a rolled "r". It is interesting to see how lanuguages are related!

People would buy these hand-held radios to listen to the comentary of the game. There is no sound system in the stadium, and I realized it was not necessary. Each "gang" (aka, serious "fan clubs") brings their own drums and followers who sing and chant during the entire game. Everyone knows all the words or sounds and exactly when to say/sing them. It was quite entertaining! They really get into "futebol"!

I realized how serious they are about soccer during recess duty last week. The second and third graders were playing during lunch recess. One of my second graders came up crying. It seemed very serious. Through the tears and sobs, I made out, "They gave me a yellow and then a red!" I could not believe it - second graders giving each other red cards and making their friends sit out of the game!! I wasn't trained for dealing with these kinds of situations.... I haven't learned enough about soccer yet!! :)

Hello from BRAZIL!!

Hello from BRAZIL! So much has happened within the past few days and I have been anxiously awaiting having some free time (and internet access!) to tell you about it! First of all, God is SO GOOD! I have yet to question my decision to come here, but been totally at peace knowing that this is where God wants me for this time.

*Please note: this post is rather lengthy and may need to be read in 2-3 sittings... just an FYI :)*

Last Wednesday was a long day as I left my house at 5:30 and spent 9 hours in Miami as I awaited my next flight. I had never flown alone, but all went well. On my first flight, there were two adorable little boys who were thrilled about going to Disney World. They kept me distracted and smiling as I left good ol' Columbus, Ohio. During the flight from Miami to Manaus, Brazil, we experienced quite a bit of turbulence. While others on the plane were truly scared for their lives, I had a total peace knowing that God had me in His hands. Never have I before felt so surrounded by prayers, felt so at peace in God's hand, and been so calm in such a situation! Thanks so much for your prayers! I knew that it was God's will that I be here, and I knew that He would get me here safely. "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!"

I finally arrived in Belem at 4:30 am on Thursday morning after a long flight from Miami (where I had a 9 hour layover... and was greeted by four American teachers who were truly exciting to see me! What a welcome! A huge praise is that I arrived with ALL OF MY LUGGAGE! In the spring, I heard of a student teacher who did not get her luggage the whole time she was overseas. That was a huge fear and something that I prayed about from the time I heard the story until the time I saw my bags in Belem! PRAISE HIM! After finally getting to the school and catching up on some sleep, I was thrown right into the teaching role! I helped my cooperating teacher prepare the classroom for the 12 first and second grade students we were expecting. We cleaned, organized, replaced old bulletin boards, prepared books and set up desks.

Above: the meal I was served on the plane. I'm not sure what it was.... I ate the chocolate part... :)

"Before" and "After" shots of the classroom

"Before" and "After" of a bulletin board I created!

And another....

Yes, it is hot and humid here. How hot? I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that the only time I have sweat so much was during a cross-country practice. Air conditioning is rarely used. I am charged by the hour if I use it in my room! The two fans they provided have been doing their job so far! :) Being in the rain forest, we do get lots of rain, even in the "dry season". It is always wise to take an umbrella with you, even if the sky is bluer than blue can be. (and the skys are beautiful here!) It is not unusual for it to start raining out of the blue! (no pun intended... :) It's actually kinda fun.

My first meal here was a traditional Portuguese dish (I wish I could remember the name!) and I enjoyed it very much! The teachers have also taken me out for Brazilian ice cream and to a Brazilian buffet. The buffets here are not like in the States - food is limited. After filling your plate, it is weighed. You then pay according to how much your food weighs! Eating salad and little meat is the way to go! :) Nothing has upset my stomach so far! :) While I have been here, I have also had hamburgers, spaghetti, and chicken and mashed potatoes... I think I'll be fine living here for three months! :)

They had my picture on the bulletin board in the teachers' lounge so they would all recognize me! (when they met me in the airport, they said, "We knew it was you because of your curly hair!" If they only knew! :)

My teacher is a very sweet single lady who has been teaching here for 18 years. *FAMILY: she somewhat reminds me of Mrs. Price* :) I think we will get along just fine. The director and principal of the school (who reminds me of Papa :) is a wonderful guy who is always asking me if there is anything I need or anything he can do to make me more comfortable. Don't worry - I am being taken care of! He likes to tell jokes (kinda like Papa :) and is always the first to laugh (Cassidy! :). I thought I'd share a few:

* "What reason did Adam give to his children for why they lived outside of the garden?
-Your mother ate us out of house and home.

* "Who was the wealthiest man in the Bible?
- Noah - while his stocks were rising, everyone else was liquidizing.

Before I came, my sisters asked me, "What if Brazilians eat really fast? You should probably practice." Some of you may be shocked to hear that there is a teacher here who eats more slowly than I do! After every meal, she says, "Brittany, I'm so glad you're here!" I'm just glad that I'm not the only one too!

After being here for a few days, I have determined that it must be a law to wear soccer jerseys. I could probably count on one hand how many people I have seen that did not have them on!

And just FYI: I killed my first cockroach! (no, it wasn't in my room, praise the LORD!) I was doing my devotions on the couch in the main room and something caught my eye. I smashed it but didn't have the guts to pick it up... and it was interupting my time with God so I sat back down. A minute later, something else caught my eye: the very same cockroach!! FAMILY and DAN: I was like, "Wait, WHAT??!!!" I got up and stomped on it a few times, just to make sure it wouldn't interrupt again. A few minutes later, one had the nerve to crawl down the couch where I was sitting. Of course, I couldn't have that! After I smashed it pretty well, I decided that I should probably get rid of them so someone else didn't find them. I was mostly nervous that they would come back alive in my hands! "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" ....even kill and throw out cockroaches!! :)

As I continue on this adventure (and what an adventure it is!), I would appreciate your prayers! Specifically, you can pray:

*that I would continue to be a peace where I am
*that I would stay focused on what I am here to do and not be distracted by what is going on at home, at Cedarville, or in Washington D.C. (where a special someone will be shortly :)
*that I would rely on God for strength, encouragement and comfort each day
*that I would be a light for Him in everything I do and say
*that I would take advantage of every opportunity that I have here (it's especially hard when I'm already out of my comfort zone!)
*that I would learn and grow not only in the area of teaching but emotionally and spiritually as well
*that the internet would stay strong so that I can stay in contact with those at home and that when it is down, that I would not get discouraged! (as silly as it sounds!)

I'm sorry this is so long! Future posts should not be this lengthy - I have just not had a chance to get online yet! I still have much more to say, but I will save it for another day! :) Feel free to e-mail me and keep me posted on what is going on in your lives as well!

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Praising HIM all the way in Brazil,
*Brittany