Recap

Brasil was amazing. I know I have to sit here and write about it, but I don't even know what to say.

I went with little to no expectations or to-do lists, I just went knowing that for 10 days I would not have to worry about anything from food, sleep, safety, etc, I knew the Goossens would take care of me. And they did. Way more than that too.

I was determined to go and be a servant and not a sponge. I was there to serve them and help with whatever was needed, just as if they were my family too. I did not want to be a bother or the 'typical' American who needs to have their hand held through everything or be picked up after for everything. But also, I wanted to be sensitive to the reality that Nate's family was together for the first time in a long time and their parents probably relish that time with their boys and their wives. So, I tried to be as helpful as I could and just go with the flow.

I must say though, I did not expect what happened in that 10 day period of time. The Lord was working on me too. He knew that the people around me in this time had just the right things to say to draw me to Him and to remind me of Himself and His love. Over and over again I heard the Lord telling me to Trust Him. Trust was a theme throughout each of the 10 days. Trust in the Goossens to take care of me even when I didn't know details of the day ahead; and also trust in the Lord that He will take care of my future even though from my view now it is pretty cloudy.

Conversations with Aunt Esther, Brittany, Aunt Molly, Aunt Linda, Julie, Uncle Todd, Stefanie, Aunt Mary, Caleb, Nathaniel & Jordana were incredibly helpful in bringing about confirmation from the Lord about missions in my future. Hearing Uncle James share about what the Lord is doing there was so exciting to me. I just love that kind of talk. And then to sit around yesterday and strategize with missionaries about taking a team of Brazilians & Americans to a country where the Gospel is desperately needed.

Forgiveness was another thing the Lord laid on me during the course of the 10 days I was there. Forgiveness brings freedom, I am still learning to forgive some people who have hurt me deeply. I want that freedom. That freedom from forgiveness will probably help me trust others better and the Lord too!

One thing that really stuck out to me from the first day upon arriving in Brasil was the ministry and impact of the Goossen family. God is using them. There are other missionaries down there too, and they are wonderful too, but these Goossens, wow. I am so impressed that three brothers and their wives can work for YEARS together with their wives and children and actually get along and be able to work with other missionaries too... and be so successful. It just proves that God is not only doing something through them, but that God is a part of their daily, personal lives. I know this family is not perfect, and living with them for 10 days is surely not long enough to really know them, but from what I know of their sons and doing life with them at Moody, and then seeing the parents in action for a few days, it is clear that these guys were raised to start their days with the Lord and to live life all about Him. What a heritage! Grandparents who served for 40 some years in Brasil, they have 4 sons, all who are missionaries! And then 12 grandchildren, most of whom are either in missions or are working towards missions. That is just not a norm. That is because of the Lord and Him working. I don't know many missionary kids who return to the field like that, what a testimony to our God without borders. Not only is this family all about missions, they are not bound to Brasil, they realize that the need for the Gospel is all over the world and they desire to see people in the evangelized parts of the world (Brasil included) mobilized and go out spreading the Gospel to the least reached parts of the globe.

I could go on about this family and how God has used them in my life, but this post is so long already. What a joy to know people who love the Lord so passionately and who have a strong heritage of serving the Lord. I cannot help but want to be a part of it too. Confession: several times I have wished in the last 10 days that there was another Goossen boy available to marry. I want a Godly man like them!

A good trip... I'm sure more will come up to blog about as the thoughts process and I see more cultural differences.

This was the first time in my life I had mosquito bites and sun tan on Thanksgiving though!! :)