Re-entry Thoughts

June 21, 2017

We are back in Brazil! It’s strange how familiar everything is, this time. The graceful lines of the açai trees (a tall, slender type of palm), the mysterious majesty of the buritis (a shaggy-headed type of palm), the stars of the southern sky, and even the cement curb of the empty lot across the street […]

Theirs Truly

June 8, 2016

“Are you going, Aunt?” “Are you going, Cousin?” “Are you going, Yasa?” Half a dozen little voices called out to me from the schoolhouse, as little heads pressed and pushed to get up higher than the others or closer to the window. Their teacher didn’t call them back. “Yes, I’m going.” I answered. “Oh, that’s […]

Opportunity with Obstacles

February 2, 2016

“Because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” 1 Corinthians 16:9 Paul continued on working in Ephesus because he saw a great door of opportunity open for him. The fact that there were difficulties standing in his way did not negate the presence of an […]

Language Barriers

February 2, 2016

Cultural obstacles are formidable barriers, yet the Word of God is powerful to transform the mind of man and teach him God’s way. We know that. We experience that in our own life, when God’s Word cuts to the heart of our own American cultural barriers and shows us how much higher His Way is […]

Life Happens

February 2, 2016

We truly desire to apply ourselves and learn the language. But Life happens! Both the predictable and unpredictable challenges of life take up time that we would like to spend immersing our minds in language and culture. I, Danica, spend a good part of everyday teaching Cali and Karina, who are in 3rd and 1st […]

False Motives and Materialism

February 2, 2016

Does it surprise you to know that materialism is just as alive and well here in the jungle as it is back in America’s suburbs? The heart of man does not get better the farther you get from civilization. While our priority is to learn the language and teach the Word of God—because only the […]

Ourselves

February 2, 2016

It is not only outside circumstances or hardness in other people’s hearts that can present a barrier to ministry. Hardness in our own hearts can tie our hands and make us ineffective, too. In fact, this may be the greatest obstacle of all. Pride, disunity, fear, prayerlessness, lack of self-discipline,…these are only a few of […]

Cultural Barriers

January 30, 2016

The concepts of sin and reconciliation provide an example of cultural barriers that can hinder the growth of an indigenous church to maturity. The best we can understand at this point, as learners in this culture, it appears that an offense is only that—an offense. It becomes an offense when you are caught—at that moment, […]

Disciple at Home

January 24, 2016

“What about your kids?!” was one of the biggest and most frequently asked questions we heard as we were preparing to leave the States and plunge into a strange new world, new culture, and new language with our family. I have to admit, I’ve asked God the same question quite a few times since we’ve […]

Tentative Timeline

December 1, 2015

Here’s a quick overview of our tentative plans for these next several months: December – CLA (culture and language aquisition) January – documents, conference, and workshop February through June – CLA July – back to the States for a year of home assignment and catching up with you all! Thank you so much for your […]