Back in Brazil — “Ah! It Smells Like…”

It is a memory that most surely every missionary family has of returning to the mildewed tropics of a country like Brazil. Upon opening our suitcases, the fresh fragrance diffused throughout our room– “Ah! It smells like the States!” That pleasant scent stands in stark contrast to the otherwise mustiness of stale clothing, towels, and bed sheets – and so we had to stop and smell the fresh clothes, just for a little bit. After all, that sensation would soon dissipate into the moldy air.

Now, almost 7 weeks since our return to Brazil on August 1 – yes, the Stateside fragrance has vanished – we are in our sixth full week of school at PQQ where we have this distinct pleasure to serve the Lord in MK care and education.

Angie and I are active with teaching classes – Angie primarily in the first grade and I in grades 7-12. Other responsibilities outside of our family also occupy our time: Angie as the hospitality coordinator, I as the school administrator, and together as advisors to the senior class.

We are grateful for our co-workers who have also readily assumed their functions to make this school year get off to a great start!

Our students are an absolute blessing to us – what a wonder to see them desirous of walking with the Lord. Our own children are no exception, a delight to our hearts. Aaron is in the 10^th grade, Aleah in 8^th, Dayton in 7^th, and Derek in 5^th.

We have a few prayer requests that we’d ask you to remember:

1. We are preparing for a spiritual emphasis time for our students during the first full week of October. Pray that those scheduled to participate from our home church in California will be able to prepare fully.
2. We continue in our efforts – by His strength – to resolve the registration/licensing of our Mission boat. Pray that the officials who handle that process look with favor on our situation. Having the boat available to use, especially for school functions, would indeed be a blessing.
3. We need more teachers and cafeteria cooks! If you sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit to commit to a semester or more of joining our team at PQQ, please let us know. We need teachers in the following areas: elementary (grades 1&2, 3&4), science (grades 7-12), history (grades 9-12), and math (grades 9-12). As mentioned previously, we also could use 1 or 2 more cafeteria cooks.

We reserve mention of YOU for the end of this post. Thank YOU for praying for us and for giving in so many ways – your involvement is vital to this work, and we are indebted to you. Be encouraged in the Lord – remember, He is the Master of the work, and we have the honor of diffusing His fragrance of the Gospel of Life.

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Cor. 2:14, ESV)