May 28, 2010

May 28, 2010


We can hardly believe it is almost June of 2010. Our time in Guarapuava is half-way finished and Baby will arrive in the next 2-4 weeks. Yesterday we finished getting Baby's things organized and put away so we're ready (although I don't think we'll ever be completely “ready” for how this little one will change our family!)

We have been humbled by the support and encouragement we've received from the Methodist church in Guarapuava as we anticipate the arrival of our baby. A few weeks ago, our Bible Study group surprised us with a baby shower. It was a humbling and joyful surprise and we I received many of the last-minute items I was needing.

As we've continued to build friendships here, we are reminded of how materially blessed we are in the United States. I'll share some examples of how being in Brazil has revealed how Andy and I take our things for granted.

We have been planning to buy a car since we arrived here but because of a higher cost of living in Guarapuava, we have decided to delay that purchase until we move to CLM. When we first realized that we would have to wait for a car, both Andy and I were feeling deprived and frustrated. Andy shared his frustration with a Brazilian friend and his friend sympathetically told him that it must be hard for Andy to got through this because when Andy wanted something like a car in the U.S., he could just work a little harder and save for a few months, and viola, he could have what he wanted. After the conversation Andy said it hit him that he must sound like a spoiled brat complaining about not having a car when many people in Brazil never own one. While we still see a need for a car when we are at CLM, not having one for now has made us more aware of idols of our hearts that we have set up.

In addition to the whole car situation, we forget how financially blessed we are as well. Even though we don't have a large budget by U.S. standards, we are still receiving more per month than many Brazilians couples earn from two full-time salaries. We don't have to choose between paying for my doctor appointment and buying any necessary clothing, we can do both. In fact, we take for granted doing both. One of our friends shared how she accidently broke her daughter's glasses but how she couldn't afford to replace them until the next month. We don't get any sense of complaining from our friends, they share these things as a matter-of-fact.

Yesterday again, both Andy and I were aware of our “pride of possessions” as we spent the afternoon with a Brazilian family who are friends of ours. When discussing jobs, Andy asked the husband what his dream job was. The husband responded, “Just something with regular hours and when I can have the weekend off.” Right now this man works at a gas station full time for about $3 and hour U.S. while trying to complete his degree in mathematics. Andy was humbled by his response because since we have been in Brazil, Andy has been struggling with missing his job, dreaming about what jobs he could do sometime again in the future. He admitted that for him a regular job is an idol he thinks will make him happy.

I was humbled as well yesterday when one of the ladies from church took me aside and gave me some encouraging words and then proceeded to give me R$50 and tell me that she wanted to support us this way each month. Proportionally, that is a lot of money for a Brazilian, and I was humbled by this gesture. I tried to tell her it wasn't necessary but she told me not refuse her the blessing of giving. Lord, teach us!

We share these things with you not to beat up on the U.S. culture or elevate Brazilian culture or condemn the owning of nice things, but to share how our time few months away have made us aware of what we do have materially in the U.S. and how we are learning to, as Paul puts it, “to be content in every situation.” God is using this time to show us what we are truly worshipping, and so far it hasn't been pretty!

Please continue to pray that God will teach us to be content in all situations, and that He will teach us to “keep ourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Praise God that He is using our time in Guarapuava to conform us into the image of His precious Son and our Savior Jesus Christ!

Love in Jesus,

Katie