Language Learning

I don't think my teacher likes my American accent. I think it adds a little bit of charm. In the class this week she stopped me for four minutes to work on my accent. Ovo avos and ovos. What is the difference? Based on how the word was said it can mean many things. Ovo means grandfather, ovo with a goofy looking mark can mean grandmother. Both sound exactly the same to me. Yet they supposedly sound differently. Ovos means grandparents. Avos means eggs. Both sounding the same by the way. So my teacher didn't like the fact that I was saying I want to visit my eggs. I like to eat my grandparents with a slice of cheese and bread. I just don't think my teacher likes my charming American accent.

My book loving language learning wife just love Portuguese. She just loves the way the words glide off the tongue and flow together like a peaceful brook meandering down a waterfall. I have a two words for her. Showoff. Honestly, sometimes I don't think I was made to speak another language. I can't talk or wrote English good so how can I get learned good in Portuguese?

I think I will recommend to the missionary committee that we raise money for an interpreter to follow me around. I think I could hire 2 to interpret for me 16 hours a day. One for an 8 hour shift and another one for another 8 hour shift. But then again I would need another one for the weekends. 3 interpreters would do me well down here. They would probably only cost an extra 3000 per month. But they could also be used to help watch the kids. So really instead of sending 2 missionaries you would be getting 5, well actually 5 1/2 with our little one coming along. I really think that would be the best thing instead of learning the language. I am still irritated with the people in the tower of Babel making things that much harder!

Trusting in Christ

Andy and Katie

First month plus in Brazil

We have been here in Brazil for over a month. We arrived on February 18th. Things are different now. The culture is different, the language is different. Katie's stomach is looking more different as the baby is growing. Life is hard here. We miss our church, we miss our families and friends. All our materialistic stuff that we have been used to is gone. It is strange not having a car and driving. Instead we have to walk everywhere. Every thing that I have been used to has been stripped away except our computer, some clothes, a few kitchen appliances, my bike, and our 30 dollar air mattress that we bought at walmart. Right now we are being stripped for the Lord!

Sorry, I hit the wrong button and it published which would be a unique phrase to end on. What I was going to say is we are the most useless we have been for the longest time. I don't have a job so we don't have much to give a way, I can't speak the language well enough to glorify Christ that way, I have nothing to offer but my heart to Christ.

Yet Christ still loves me. He died on the cross for my sins while a was still a sinner and even though I have nothing to offer. That is true love. The more and more I dwell on this I can't fathom how deep his love is for us.

As more and more of what was familiar is being taken away, I am falling more in love with Christ. I know it is not a love that is because he is blessing me with stuff, but it is a love based on a relationship which is growing deeper each day as we have to cling on to the Lord for dear life. I don't know how God can use a person like me who has nothing to offer in Brazil, but if all this experience does is draw a closer and refine us than I would say it is worth it. This relationship is becoming something I cherish more and more each day.

Also we don't have internet at our house. I don't know how to update our blog without our computer. Blogs here will be few and far between until we have steady access to the internet with our computer. I will also add pictures now if I can figure it out.
I can't do it the connection is too slow. I will describe the pictures. The first picture is of Katie. She is wearing clothes. Her shirt looks like there is a basket ball underneath it. The next picture is the kitchen of our house. It is white paint with a washing machine, table, and sink. Next picture is of our living room. It has brown couches, and tile floors. That is all the pictures I tried adding.

Trusting in Christ

Andy and Katie