Oi! Bem Vindo!

Hello from Brazil!
We arrived here Friday and have jumped into action- visiting with family, friends and supporters. How much we love this place! We were so grateful to be able to come and visit before leaving for N. Africa on May 17th. We'll be back in the states for 10 days and then we're off for 2 years. And praise the Lord- we got our entrance permits and visas!!! Thank you for your prayers and all your encouragement!! Some pictures from Brazil... and a couple from WY- we were there last weekend spending time with friends and sharing at a church.

Wisconsin for the Weekend

We had the sheer delight of spending the weekend with some treasured family friends- the Johnston's... We spent our time catching up with the family of 10 kids, cooking, playing cards, sharing at church, going for walks and eating around their giant table- how true the scriptures are, that God places lonely people (homeless travelers, in our case) in families! We then went on to Mineral Point, WI to visit another friend, Michelle. We ate pasties, watched the NCAA playoff and made plans for short-term trips to N. Africa. Many thanks to our dear friends that love and support us- we love you guys!

Wintery Spring...

Nothing like a half foot of snow in April-- at least it's very pretty... Thank God and our friends for our excellent 4x4 that makes life here just that much easier and more safe- phew! But truth is, we both woke up yesterday thinking on Oregon... friends, family... support, accountability... We miss you guys! But, with our eyes fixed on our goal, we push on, speaking at home groups, meeting with people, going through evaluations, spending time with friends and attempting to prepare and pack for our upcoming departure. We'll be spending this weekend in Wisconsin visiting supporters and speaking, and traveling to Wyoming at the end of the month for one last visit to friends and churches. We're also contemplating a trip to Brazil- as family is strongly encouraging us to come down before we head out. We should be starting the visa process this week- so we need your prayers! Here are a couple pics from Eddy's 32nd!! Sushi making!

Let it snow, let it snow....

Pictures are left to right: Snow in Minneapolis, 4Runner such a blessing!!! Geocaching with the princess Lucy in OR. - Hawaii, "Eddie would go" memorial.
WE SO MISS HAWAII!!!
This is our third week here in Minneapolis. We are having a bless!!! The Church is amazing!! Seems like we have been here for years, what ever we go in the Church or home groups people ready know us. We feel a part of the team that is going to Africa and not a couple that have a dream and call and is trying to go, but a Church that is sending and going with us.
We had some evaluations with a psychologist from the Church and we are meeting people and home groups. It is so good to see Jess here with her friends and a place that she had as home for more than 10 years. The children grew up and now they can hold her on their arms. She always says:"That guy over there was this tall when I left... now he has children."
The pastors are supporting and encouraging us almost daily and giving us few things to do.
Jess this week is doing taxes, we quite don't know how to do because the finances that comes from Brazil and because I never field taxes here
We are doing great marriage wise, have a house just for us is cool, we are having fun and enjoying every minute of it.
Blessings!!!!

So cold...

Yep -5F today, what a difference we will face in Africa in two months... We are excited though.
We have already few assignments and we are meeting people. It is funny that this is the first time that we have a house just for us since our wedding. It is so different wake up in the morning and don't have the Haile's or "Drew dude" there, or a community around us.
So we are reading and putting vision and goals statement together and getting settle in.
Last night we went on a movie and just shocked us. Both of us after the movie were just tears. If you can, watch the Kite Runner... Those questions comes again: How can we make any difference in this world that is so perverted and cruel??? How can the human be so cold and mean?? those questions just makes us "hairy"... you can see on the picture.
Well we understand that it is about obedience and not questions...
Our only request to the Lord is please fill us up with your Holy Spirit, don't let us go if we are going in our own strength!!!!
Blessings!!!

It's cold out here!!!

Warm wishes from MN!! As most of you know we have been planning to drive out to MN via Cody, WY (see photo of our good friends) this winter. And we did... just a little later and in a different car! The day we left Eddy had a CRAZY idea to call a good friends Chad & Leeanne and ask to swap our Honda for their 4Runner, as most of our belongings wouldn't fit in our snazzy little Accord. And wouldn't you know it- the night before they had prayed that God would give them a Honda Accord! They even turned down a buyer, feeling it just wasn't the right time to sell! Long story short, we delayed the trip a few days to figure out the titles and pray through the decision. But when all was said and done, God provided us with a wonderful truck to handle the weather and our gear-- and we have made it safely to MN! Thanks for all who prayed and the friends who blessed our lives back in Salem, OR... We miss you all already!

Almost time to go again.....

Here we are, this is our last week in Salem. We are almost packed and we are really excited. So much to tell about these last five years, so much that God did with/through us... the best is that God called us and He is sending us with His and the leaderships blessings. Today we were prayed off by the North American Leaders. What a great time, they just got back and are leaving again and gave us some of their precious time to meet one last time... Thank you so much Pete and Luba!!!
We are pretty busy this week still. We have to meet so many people and say goodbye's to our good friends, we have to decide what to take to MN and then to N. Africa. We are not coming back here before we go in May and because we are leaving everything in storage here, we need the right things.
In MN, it will be cold and Sudan, hot, so what we take to one, can not be taken for other....
We have a house to stay in MN. A dear friend opened his house to us to stay there. He has this house for missionaries to come and greatfully the house is open to us.
We are asking ourselves all the time: Do we have enough of the Holy Spirit to be able to be in Sudan for a season??? Is our mission call really a reflection of our relationship and intimacy with the Lord or we are going with our own strength??
We are excited and the Lord has been showing us that we are moving in the right direction and our marriage is a big reflection of that!! We are doing great!!
Blessings and Go Ryan GO!!! (This is another story, Ryan is a good friend!!!)

Here we are...

Here are some pictures of Hawaii... what a great place!!
We are back in Salem after a amazing time in Hawaii... We've been sharing the vision with a focus group here at the base and today we share with a group of Wyclife...
Now are are getting ready to go to Minneapolis for couple of months. We are leaving Salem in Feb 26th to Wyoming and then Minneapolis. On the 23rd and 24th of this month we have a soccer coaching classes.

We went to the coast last night with some friends just to spend the night and be with this good friend of us. They are getting ready to go to Azerbaijan in few months.
Jess still working for this next week and I'm studying and packing.
Blessings to you... We miss Hawaii!!!

ALOHA!!!

What a great place!!! Visiting Hawaii for the last two week have been amazing!! I never could imagine the water... it is really blue! We have been going all over the Island with a family of supporters from Wyoming. We spent 5 days at the big Island where the volcanos are. We did not see  any red lava but the marks all over the place are just amazing. The power that went through all over the years with the lave just blows my mind, Black  and dry everywhere. Sad is to see that people (locals) found a god in the volcanos. Definitely it is a powerful thing but why to worship and powerful thing and not the one that creates and it is the most powerful. Jesus is power, the res is just a figure that the humans find to deny our God and Savior. See the god far away on the top or inside the Mountain is just not real. the Holy Spirit is inside of us...

We had an amazing experience swimming with wild dolphins in the blue water one day. So breath taking!! 

Back to Oahu, we are visiting Jess' friends and family and getting ready to go back to Salem on Sunday night. even with all this beauty and family, we can wait to get going to go to Sudan. Nothing better than to be in the center of God's will!!

I'll place pictures in this later!!!

Mahalo

Got in, leaving soon!!!

We are back in Salem for three days...
What a great time in Florida. Was the first time married that we didn't have any major brake downs or problem, so good to see Jess getting to know more of my culture and friends and how we relate to each other. We did great together. We believe that we are in the spot of turning in our marriage, the first year is over and the hardships that we went through are pretty much done. We know that what we have in front of us is not going to be easy but we are full of hope after this last month!! I so wish we had this same time in Brazil or that we would go to Brazil now instead after two weeks of marriage and living in my brother's home.... The time there was hard because we didn't know each other and the foundation wasn't build up yet. I'm so glad though that it was in my brother's home and not anywhere else!!!

Pictures: Geocaching, Dolphins X Bengals (22row and 50 yard line, what a seats were given to us because of the Miami bad season!!) and New Year's Eve Calvary Chapel FL.

So we are here getting ready to go to Hawaii to visit Jess' home and family that didn't come to our wedding. We are exciting because we are going to have a family of supporters with us for two weeks from Wyoming. Five kids, Mom and Dad... will be amazing!!!
So Jess and myself are going to have just five days there alone to see everything and support raise a little...
We ready have the schedule for a soccer coaching class in February here in Oregon. 13 hours in how to coach teenagers...I'm more excited than Jess for that because I love soccer and she is starting play just now, so the rules scared her a little, but we will be there. This will open so many doors in Sudan because they love soccer too. After that we are moving to Minneapolis for couple of months.
Jess is still working a part time with nursing and I'm serving at the Base.
Blessings to you!!!

Florida!!

What a great time in Florida!! We are spending time with our supporters here in the warm south Florida. We had a great time over Christmas when Santa Showed up and brought some presents. Even Santa can preach the good news, He told us that Christmas is not about Him, but Jesus. What a great evangelist!!
We went to a church service and 300 people + came to Jesus just in that service that was the 4th service of the day. So good to see and know that the Lord still working and saving!! The dream of our lifes was reminded to us:"the tribe coming to the Lord like this!"
We will spend news year eve here and heading back to Salem on the 4th.
Happy New year to everyone and that this year would be new in the Valley of Blessings!!
See ya!!

News Letter!!!

Here is our Fall News Letter, hope you enjoy it!! Just click on it and will show up bigger!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Little Late....

Sorry, took a little while but here it is!!
We had an amazing time in California for Thanksgiving with Jess' family with some pizza contest and Frisbee golf and talk and talks. We drove through the Golden Gate in San Francisco but we couldn't see anything...fog.... But we saw that we were driving over some red stuff, so we realize that may be that was the bridge. San Francisco is beautiful, so charming... After burned a little clutch at Lombard street we kept going with the destiny to San Jose. One of Jess' cousin bottle he's own wine and we were part of the process... fun time to see how wine is made and all the Italian culture behind.
For our first year anniversary we went for a day at Disneyland. What a great time too, we got tickets for half of price, easier on our budget. We visited some friends from Salem that are doing their DTS in California, the dogs belongs to them (Buster and Bitty).
Now we are at Base serving, filling up applications, putting documents together for the green card and Jess will star a part time job with her nursing to keep up to date her license. She is pretty excited about it.
We are going to spend Christmas in Florida, one of our supporters helped us financially to get there and be in he's house for the Holidays. We are leaving Salem on Dec 20th after the green card meeting. We will be back in Salem Jan 4th.
Blessings to you all!!

Almost there....

New season, great things and goals before we move to Sudan in the beginning of 2008. We are pursuing a soccer coach license. Would be great to have a paper or card that say that we are at list someone with soccer. California offers some classes but just in February 2008. So we are looking. Another cool pursuit is a International Minister License from a Local Four Square Church. That will help us with a Local Church in Sudan. Being a Pastor the doors just open and w have a better platform to be the as pastor than just missionary. Few days ago that just felt on me, WOW a pastor!! God is really you???? YEP it is me!! So here we go. We are not going to plant a specific denomination church there or look for opportunities just inside of the organization, we just want tools to back us up and to open doors. We are going to California for Thanksgiving with Jess' family, this will be a great time for sharing with them what Gos is doing in our lifes. The new appointment for the green card is on Dec 19th, this is a great answer of prayer! And we are almost one year married WOW Nov. 26th is coming!! What a great year!!! Blessings!!!

Back at the Hall of Justice...

Adjusting back into the states "life" has had its challenges, even after only a few weeks away. But, alas, we have made some significant strides and are on our way to "normal-hood". With that, the obligatory Birthday costume party with some supporter friends. And of course, what else is there to dress up as when everyone else is a popular Superhero Friend (Superman, WonderWoman, Batman)? Well, obviously, the less famous (relatively unknown, really) YET much adored Superfriends-- THE WONDER TWINS. We were lucky enough to score most of these priceless pieces at Walmart, Value Village and Goodwill... and with a little Soboll creativity- TADAAAA- E & J Wonder Twins!! Note: Eddy is wearing entirely women's clothing- boots, power belt, purple jumpsuit... good times.

Adjusting and planning...

Well, go back to Africa means that we have to do some work here. We still waiting about the green card and we have to support raise a little. We are having some important meetings here about a home front for us. We are talking to people and our lideres about what to do.
Adjusting has been a challenge... Africa still in our hearts and we know that God has the right timing and this is the time to be here but not just in body but our hearts and mind.
We know that this is the year of release, the seventh year of the 2000 and Deuteronomy 15 talks about that. Please Lord release us from anything that is making us slaves of this World or Sin and release us to your destiny!!!
Blessings....

Salem again...

We are back in Salem!! We got in on Monday afternoon after 18 hours of flights. We are pretty much tired from the trip and with the 10 hours of timing change we have to re adapt. Leave Sudan was hard we felt like we are leaving behind our home to a world that we don't belong anymore. We loved this six weeks that we spent in the Capital the people, the vision, the passion, God moving and the reality of making differnece in a Country that is desperate for help and Hope.
Now we are unpacking our house and getting ready to start this new season, prepare to go again, moving to Sudan.

Going home...

This is our last one from Africa, we are heading back to the Sates tomorrow. Our hearts are broken, our minds are asking:"why to leave??" and the feelings are that we are leaving home to a different place!! WE LOVE HERE!!!
Today we had a amazing meeting about opportunities to Jess to work.. Seems promising!!Encouraging for both of us!! We are going to the last time to the Market to buy our last stuffs on the list and go visit a friend. We have to clean our home, the owners are coming tomorrow, so we will give them their house back clean!!
The pics are from the habub that happened here last April, unbelievable huh???Are you ready for this??

Internet Relief!

The air conditioner is whirring behind me, blowing cool air on my back as I write this quick update... A needed respit with temperatures pushing 110 outside. The city seems considerably quieter now that Ramadan is well underway. No eating or drinking from sun up to sun down, not even swallowing your saliva(hence the incessant spitting). Most of the souqs (markets) are layden with men lying haphazardly on any surface, fighting off heacdaches and fatigue- evidence of their fasting.

We must plan our days ahead of time as public transport CEASES from 6-8pm ( Time to eat!). It's great if you have a car as there are then NONE on the road making commutes a dream. For those of us without, if we don't make the bus at 4-5pm to return home, we won't make it back there until after 9pm. So it is now 5:05 pm... we have to catch our bus now, or it's going to be a late night with lots of tea drinking at the muhata (bus station)...

We'll miss this place-- home on the 23rd!

At the Pool

Another warm day in the city... and we gleefully accepted an invitation from some ex-pat friend's for a visit to their private club with a swimming pool. I had heard rumors of women being able to swim, only to have my hopes dashed when our friends said they changed that a few months ago. Nevertheless, Eddy could at least enjoy it! And I could sit in the garden by the Nile. A short walk in the sweltering heat and before long we were seemingly transported into an almost classy hotel/club. Although there was just enough garbage and delapitated buildings to remind you of where you really were. And as we got settled the true reality of where we were set in... Our friend, a female, wandered into the swimming pool area to assist her son with his goggles. Quickly a guard came out of one of the said buildings and politely explained... "This club is now run under Islamic law. No women are allowed near the pool. You must leave this area immediately." Aside from her 4 boys, no one else was there. She was completely clothed and had come to the pool to help her son.

Public Transport

We went to our nearby muhata (bus station) in Souq (market) Bahry (suburb)... found the right bus: the drivers wait, their buses lined up down the street for about a half mile; the doorman to the bus stands outside and yells as fast as he can the name of the buses destination... ie: Bahry,bahry,bahry,bahry... making an almost undefinable noise... and with about 100 buses with different destinations--well, the place isn't quiet! No problem... Returning home to Bahry, however, was an educational process for us. Standing on a busy street, multiple lanes of cars and buses... we couldn't tell where the buses were headed. So we proceeded to stop EVERY bus we saw, made sense, which was A LOT. Then we would yell--as they yelled their destination, really fast, almost unintelligibly--our destination right back... About the 10th bus someone explained, a la charades, that each destination has a hand signal that the doorman waves out the window as he drives by... Wave one way- across town, another way- across the river, point down- downtown, etc. All that to say, how funny it must be to see 2 kawajas (foreigners) frantically yelling and waving at buses... good times!