Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Brasil 2008 CTM

Gail and Jim again visited Brasil in Jan. 2008 as we had last year. We again taught English at the CTM (Christian Training Mission) about 26 km outside Curitiba, Parana, Brasil. We are pictured in front of the Jardin Botantical Gardens in Curitiba. The weather was very different from last year with it being very rainy and cold this trip. It was quite hot last year. Our students were fewer this year and on the average younger also. God was invited to only bring who He wanted to this retreat so we had perfect confidance that He did just that. The teachers stayed in this house which was even nicer than last year's accomodations. My aids in the Intermediate class were Carol and Julia. God was very faithful, as always to annoint the Purpose Driven Life classes. There were many full time Christian workers or children of the same. A fresh annointing of our lives was what we prayed for and God did just that. It was great to see some of our last year's students, like Millene and Marcelo with their very new baby. They are missionaries to the Bolivian indians in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. This is the why we teach English here, so that missionaries can go into all the world sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
A very close friend from last year, Marle visited us at the base. We have kept close internet contact since last year. We met many new wonderful people this year that we can do likewise with from now on, like these three. I have been receiving several e-mails already from some of them. They shared many things to pray for them. Evelyn's great smile and always bubblying personality and Karina's solid love for God and searching for His devine path for her life. Bekah's love of prasing God especially with Hillsong. What wonderful things God wants to do with these fine people. Deivid's loving the people through his tireless service to them. My friend Alessandra's running of the CTM base and learning English this year a well. There is also the young lady who claimed me as her "Grandfather", the one and only Baby Black. It was great to renew friendship with Giliarde, who was a beginner last year and pushed himself while we were gone to learn more English. He was one of this year's best Advanced class students. The bond between him and Faye is almost at the mother-son level.


Our only field trip this year was to Curitiba where we visited the: First Baptist Church' English service, Opera House, Jardin Botanical Gardens, and Tangua Park.








On Sunday's Dayne and Adelia preached and Gail shared a word.








The Intermediate class and Advanced class pictures.