Mark's Graduation

Our son, Mark graduated from the University of Maryland on May 21, 2007 with his masters in Survey Methodology. We are so proud of him (and his wife Karen for her sacrificial support). His cousin Lee Rountree, Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Jim Winslow and Grandmother June Conner all of Chesapeake and Portsmouth, Va and his in-laws Dann and Nancy Shackowski of Pa all attended. Big smiles from everyone.

Brazil 2007

We traveled to Curitiba Brazil on 23 January 2007 for a seven week stay. Gail and I were part of an 8 member team consisting of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) members and volunteers on a mission to teach English to Brazilian pastors and missionaries.
Initially we taught English (Gail taught beginners and I taught intermediates while there was an advanced class as well) at a Four Square Church retreat center 56 km south of Curitiba. There were 40+ students in all. It was truely amazing to see and hear how much they all learned, especially the beginners. Most could not even speak one English word when we met them and in only 3 weeks they were truely conversing. I taught The Purpose Driven Life to them and they received the Christian truths readily. It really made a difference in their lives.
Secondly, we taught at the YWAM base in Curitiba. We had to wait a few days before beginning due to 8 or so killings just outside the base walls. Once Gail and I joined in teaching we were blessed by their response as well. Gail was very effective teaching phonics and again I taught The Purpose Driven Life. The students could not have been more appreciative.
The third part of our trip was the sightseeing portion. Many of our initial students drove us all around Curitiba. We also spent the night at Caieiras beach near the town of Guaratuba. To us the beach was beautiful eventhough the locals call it an ugly beach by comparison to Brazil's beautiful northern beaches. We flew to the Falls at Iguacu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls on the Argentina-Paraguay-Brazil border. The falls were beautiful and massive. We shopped in all three countries during our stay at a beautiful hotel and had a great 4 day stay there.

People met

Click on any photo to enlarge

Curitiba Chineese Christian Church

Curitiba Chineese Christian Church, Chineese New Year celebration, Wagner, Rosana, Davi and members.

Sights

Curitiba, Caieiras beach, Falls at Iguacu, Argentina.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls

Curitiba YWAM base

Curitiba YWAM base director Edgie Del Santo and wife Ellen with daughter Andressa hosted us our first night there. Wonderful people, so giving and hospitable. Their love and acceptance is so refreshing and everyone else we met there was the same way. Truely the love of Christ is made manifest in our spiritual brothers and sisters. Pictures below of:Edgie's apt; Base Chapel; the 76 bug we rode in; and our YWAM students.

CTM grounds and local

The Recanto Ebinezer retreat center was located 56 km south of Curitiba Brazil in the mountains and in a farm setting. The mornings and evenings were cool and midday was hot. Shorts and sandels for sure in the afternoons. Front of main bld.

Back of main bld. Gail taught in bottom left classroom, I taught in bottom right one and the top is the cafeteria.

Beautiful country side. Much like Va mountains. May see farmers plowing with mules.

We had an outing at a local pool/water park. The Araucaria (Parana Pinetree) is very abundant in this state of Parana. They are everywhere.