Arrival

Here I am back home at JAMI for the third year in a row. This is the entrance to the Missionary Training Center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
I arrived here on Sunday morning and will start teaching on Monday.

MIA/CNF

American Airlines flight #991 departed Miami at 11:45pm and arrived in Belo Horizonte at 8:20am today. Great flight!

Met my new students at JAMI, unpacked and now at the Borquist residence downtown. Weather is very warm.

Miami bus message

Seen on a bus today in Miami: 'nadie es eterno en el mundo' which freely translates as nothing lasts forever [in this world] !

I will take this message with me to Brazil and teach as if this will be my last mission. AND continue, and continue and hopefully continue.

BDL/FLL

Delta flight #1403 left on time and arrived early. Great flight! Picked up by sister and brother-in-law. At their house in Miami Shores. Excited to be flying out to Brazil on Saturday night.

blognote: wrote a poem 'spacing: racing through space' on my poetry blog.

JAMI the first year

January 11, 2008 I received the following from two of my students in JAMI my first year. This will serve as my inspiration for this year at JAMI and for years to come.



Just received this postcard yesterday from Herbert Lucas, Missionary in Guiné-Bissau, Africa. He and his family sent the following message:

Grace and Peace!
We missed you very much. Herbert and I remember always your time with us here in JAMI [Belo Horizonte, Brasil]. You taught us not only English, but you taught us about God's power. Through your life we were able to better understand about Isaiah 40:28 to 31.

Thank you! In God's Love
Desiré, Herbert, Natã

bloginfo: Isaiah 40: 28-31

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

My Sunday Prayer

Heavenly Father
look down upon your servant, Thomas
as he prepares to leave for Brazil
look down upon this congregation
as they prepare to pray and support him
look down upon his students there
as they prepare to become missionaries

Heavenly Father
teach us to share and give of our talents
so that your name will be spread
teach us to understand the meaning
of language and its use in prayer
teach us to come together in time of need
and use prayer as a means to and end


Heavenly Father
give us the compassion to help others
while we help ourselves attain paradise
give us the compassion to reach out
to those less fortunate, those more needy
give us the compassion to understand
that no matter how little it do, it matters

Heavenly Father
look down upon your servant, Thomas
and bring him safely back home to Central
teach him humility so that he can improve
the use of his gifts and talents more fully
and give him and us a true understanding
of the power of Your word around the world

Amen!

bloginfo: I asked the congregation to pray with me today at Central Baptist Church as I prepare to leave on Wednesday for Brazil. This will be my third year there at JAMI volunteering at the Missionary Training Center.

time to pack...[update]

I just 'practice packed' and everything fits into the large handcarry. That's what I really wanted to do so as not to have to check any luggage. It is a tight squeeze with a few gifts, a book and some activity sheets. I won't have a lot to wear but it will suffice. Thank heavens I only wear black!

3/4/09
Can't figure out which of my two good luggage pieces to use for this Brazil trip. Or should I use both? Would like to travel light with only handcarry but don't know if I can fit everything in. I have a book or two and a pile of activity sheets I downloaded from the computer.

The work at JAMI is certainly no 'fashion show' but if it rains alot you need a dry change of clothes. I will take that quick-dry towel I bought and hope that it works out. More later...