When I Call Your Name, Say "Here".

Welcome to language arts with Mr. Stewart. Please, come on in and shut the door--don't want the AC to cool down the Amazon!

Take your seats, and we'll begin. Look at all the smiles today (well, most of you); you're looking fresh and ready to learn!

What's that? Sure I can help you, never too busy for some one on one teaching time. The two sitting behind you are next.

Got it everyone? That is your assignment, due tomorrow. I expect your best work, and if perchance an iguana eats it on the way to school, please bring in the iguana as proof.

You're dismissed. Don't forget to say good bye to Gill, Gill and Gill on your way out the door. See you tomorrow.

Jill happened to come across a rare veggie in the stores here, celery, complete with full foliage. Needless to say, she made a gigantic soup using it all up. Nice to taste that flavor again.

She is heading into her seventh month of sweating for two and is praying for a rare frost to hit this region in the next few months. All seems to be going fairly well. Her doctor is confident she'll be set for a natural birth in ten weeks.

Finn had some technical issues with his bike, so it's neighbor Nate to the rescue! Finn enjoyed hitching a ride with an eleventh grader to school. Notice who is carrying Finn's Cars lunch box.

The joy of having about twelve fruit trees in your yard: Clean up! Keeping the rotting fruit picked up is a daily job, year round. But hey, that's why we have kids! (Just kidding Gramma and Grandpa.)

Great work, George!

Finn, this IS fun!

And a happy first birthday to our dog, Supernova, who protects us from the giant grasshoppers. It's been fun to own an animal that isn't cold-blooded.

Summer Break & Beyond!

This summer, we went on little trip down south to see the Falls of Iguassu. While there, we celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary! Wow, seems like just yesterday we both had totally different hair styles and we were planning our big day! The Lord has been too good to us, and we thank Him for sustaining us.
George, the butterfly whisperer. He had them fluttering all over him! Riding around on public transit in the south of Brazil. Always a fun time, huh George?Finn enjoying one of the various views of the Falls. It was breathtaking to see the creativity and mighty power of the Lord up close. It matched my outfit, so I had to put it on.

July brought some special visitors our way. Tim's folks came down and spent some good, quality time seeing our home, ministry and the city. Oh yeah, and they enjoyed their grandsons too!

Finn turned four, and it was great to have family to celebrate with!

Enjoying a genuine Brazilian BBQ---more chicken hearts anyone?

July is the hottest part of the year. We tried to beat the heat with fresh coconut water.We found out that we are having a GIRL!!!! We hear big changes are in store for us.

Our friend Nick came down for a visit too. He brought our baby car seat down, and spent some time exploring the area. It was great to catch up with him as he begins his year-long world journey.

Some students bring their teachers apples, pictures or cute cards. Tim's students bring him bird-eating tarantulas, boa constrictors and mighty cockroaches. Here I am at six months along. All is well with the baby and I. Only fifteen weeks left.

School started back up in early August. Tim began his third year of teaching, George is in 2nd grade and Finn started his school career in the Kindergarten 4 class. All is going smoothly thus far!

We got to know the new 9/10th grade class over ice cream sundaes. Yes, that is Tabasco as one of the toppings.

Here's to a new school year! We know we will see the Lord at work in the lives of our family, students and staff here at Amazon Valley Academy.

Up and Back Unscathed

Is it possible for 25 gringos to travel up the river and back again without injury or incident? I wasn't sure.

The high school ministry trip took us approximately 250+ kilometers up the river to the city of Breves, the town of Portel, and a settlement called Araja. We traveled by large hammock boat, small fast boat, and wooden putt-putt-putt boat, spending almost forty hours in transit on the river.

The longest leg, from Belem to Breves, was accomplished by large hammock boat. You pay your fare, hang your hammock, and guard your territory. As an American, I tend to have a large personal bubble, at least 1.5 to 3 feet, especially when sleeping. Not so Brazilians. People sleep like sardines on these boats--side by side (touching), on top of, below, across. Thankfully, when the boat was moving the wind kept us cool--mostly.

The main goal of the trip was to provide the students an opportunity to plan a ministry trip and put their faith into action, and they all did incredibly well at this. They worked tirelessly and without complaint (at least I didn't hear any). They showed initiative. They worked late. They smiled often. Instead of staying in cliques, they mingled with the locals.

On the ministry side of things, the students organized the services. They lead worship, performed skits, shared testimonies, and led small group Bible studies. I was very impressed with their selflessness and bravery.

We also spent several days working at churches. Good old-fashioned manual labor. We painted, cleaned, scrubbed, dusted, scoured, hammered, wired, leveled, weeded, burned, sanded, swept, chopped, and generally spruced up. Under the hot tropical sun we slaved, and I am sure the collective smell of our sweaty shirts did damage to the ozone. I am also quite sure that it rose to heaven as a sweet-smelling savor.

I had a hard time believing that 26 people could travel up river and back without getting sick, injured or robbed (you'd be surprised what a splash a parade of gringos with their digital cameras will make in a small river town). We swam with piranhas and alligators, ate and drank locally, and used hand tools, but were blessed with safety, tranquility, and health. Thanks for your prayers. Thanks to the Lord.

(The pictures are loosely organized: ministry, work, travel)