Meet Yahah

I want to share with you about a little girl who has captured my heart, who is absolutely darling, and needs an immense amount of prayer. 

Preface: she lives in Vila Rosa, the worst favela that we work in. I have no idea her age, probably around 3 or 4, but she is very small, and she is always alone, until today I had never seen her with an older sibling or adult...

The first week I "met" this little girl, she came to Agita and just sat her little body into my lap. She had a binky in her mouth, so she didn't say a word. She just sat there cuddled into my lap. She was super sticky, had snot running out of her nose, but she was content. 

A couple weeks ago, we were in Vila Rosa doing home visits. As we walked near the quad where we host Agitas, I saw her again. She was sitting on the curb, alone, near the area where the ducks, chickens, and turkeys roam in the garbage. She had talked the old man who runs a small fruit stand into a piece of watermelon, which was all over her. It was a hot day. She was alone. Just sitting there. 

We stopped and asked her what her name is, which she didn't tell us. Dani said, "is it Maria? or Gabrielle? or Lacey?" Each name the little girl shook her head yes... Then we asked how old she was and she wouldn't hold up any fingers. We asked where she lived and she pointed around the corner. But there was still no one around supervising her. 

That day, I felt God tugging on my heart to get her some food and water. I ran over to a little store, bought a couple bottles of cold water and a package of crackers for her. I went back to find her and she was missing, so we packed into the ministry van to leave and as we drove off I spotted her in one of the corner bars. I hoped out of the van and handed her a bottle of water and the crackers, gave her a kiss and told her Jesus loves her so much. 

I didn't make it to Vila Rosa last week as I was with Jama and Chloe. So today when we showed up to do Agita I wondered if I would see this little girl again... I wandered off with Giselle to round up the kids in the streets, then made our way back to the quad to get started. Still no sign of her. 

A few minutes into our singing and dancing I saw her wandering over to the fruit stand for some watermelon, where of course she talked the old man into a big piece. She then headed back down the street... 

About fifteen minutes later I caught her walking back towards the quad in a clean outfit. I saw her and sent a big smile her way. She smiled back through her binky. I didn't know if she would actually make her way into the quad or not, but sure enough she did. 

She walked straight at me with her big eyes looking at me. I set out my hand and she grabbed it, and I picked her right up. 

We sat down for the message where she sat in my lap again, this time running her hands up and down my arms. I asked her if she was cold (she was in a tank top like dress and the sun was coming and going behind the clouds with a little breeze). She said yes and I snuggled her some more. 

At the end of Agita she got her back of candy, we stood up and waved "tchau" and I asked her if she was going to go home, she replied with a head nod and I set her down. She looked back up at me with big eyes as if to say bye... 

I really wanted a picture with her, but my phone was off in the van... We started to pack all the equipment up and then she came back out in the street. I decided to walk over and get a pic with her. This time she was standing near some women who were chit-chatting. I asked if one of them could take the picture for me and she started to talk to the little girl and wiped her snotty nose off for her. I asked this lady if the little girl was her daughter and she replied that she was her niece and pointed in the general direction of where she lived. 

Meet Yahah <3
Please be praying for her safety, her health, her family, and her future. 

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After I started this post we went back to Vila Rosa for our afternoon Agita. Yahah came back but this time with another little girl who turned out to be her sister! God answering a prayer pretty quick. I asked her how old she was (Yahah's sister) and she said she was 5, then I asked how old Yahah is and she said she was 2, even younger than I thought (maybe she is close to 3...). 

The girls stayed pretty close to me the whole time, Yahah sitting in my lap again. 

Yahah and her big sister

Sitting on my lap (:  

Again, I request your prayers for this sweet girl and her family. 

VICTORY IN JESUS!

Loved spending some time with this beautiful family! Jama, Everson and Chloe invited me into their home which came at just the right time.

I needed some quality one-on-one time with another American woman (for those who don't know who Jama is, she is an American missionary who married Wellington and Binho's brother, Everson, about 5 years ago and now lives here in Brasil and they have a little girl named Chloe). She now teaches two English classes while Everson works and is going to school, one of which I have had the pleasure to attend a couple of times.

On Wednesday night, Jama picked me up at the Day Center and we ventured off to her English class. I was glad this time she brought some yummy carb-loaded snacks for us to eat in the car on our way home... last time we were both so hungry!

**Side-note: these couple of days I spent with her were FILLED with amazingly yummy food... Lots of pictures to follow (:

We made it home about 11:15pm or so, and I was able to meet her friend who watches Chloe for her while Everson is still at school and she has to go teach. We were invited to have what Americans would call "tea time" with her the next day, which they call "Cafe de tarde".

**Second side-note: Chloe, who is two and a half, is sick. She had just started pre-school a couple weeks ago and came home with a virus and terrible cough. So she would have normally been in school every morning, but was not sleeping well and was given the week home.

In the morning, I woke up to a cute, curly haired girl staring right at me, probably wondering what this person was doing on her living room floor, right in the way of the TV...

We slowly got moving that morning, but finally got up to make some coffee and breakfast!

French toast with homemade syrup and yummy fresh fruit, oats, and honey smoothies! 

They were sooooo gooooooood!!

Eventually, we made it out of the house to do some grocery shopping for lunch and dinner. I decided I wanted to cook some "American" food for us, as much as I have missed cooking and eating what I want. So we got a bunch of veggies we like, a pineapple, and headed back home to cook up some yumminess! 

My stir-fry! I even made the sauce from scratch!

Little Miss Chloe was really sleepy... since she was sick she wasn't sleeping very good :( Jama said this was the first time in a long time Chloe has fallen asleep in her arms.

After a much needed nap time for all of us... well Jama and I stayed up on Pintrest, which is her new obsession thanks to me (: but later we laid down for about 25 minutes before heading over to Vanusa's house for cafe de tarde. 

Coffee, chocolate oatmeal cookies, and cuzinha

Little friends (: 

Chloe "loving" on her friend, she was singing a song about her. 

Laughing hysterically as they touched bellies

So much Love!

The next day we got moving a little bit sooner, we had a lot to get done for Tati's bridal lingerie shower on Friday night! It was Mexican food themed! SO HAPPY! (: 

We made Salsa. 

So fresh!!

I painted clothes pins to hang the new pieces of pretty clothes Tati was going to be receiving!

Yellow and Brown, sunflower colors aka theme of their wedding!

Ate some really good pork chops, potatoes and salad--so American (: 

and enjoyed some FRESH Passionfruit juice!

And baked a yummy cake!!

YUMMY chocolate moose filling! We had to make sure it was good.... 

She was working hard... we were just eating the deliciousness she made (: 

The final product sitting on my lap the while we drove in rush hour traffic... 

We had to drive to Everson's parents' house to drop off Chloe, then to my house to change my clothes, then to Tati's for the shower... It wasn't until we thought we were lost and trying to call Tati that Jama went over a speed bump too fast and the cake crashed a little into the dashboard and I had a little chocolate and strawberries all over me... but that's okay, cause I got to eat what fell on my lap, and the cake was still AMAZING later! 

Tati's lingerie shower was a blessing not only for her but for anyone that attended! Jama and Tati both shared about their testimonies, which are VERY different from one another. But the message was beautiful. 

We, every woman in this world, is a Princess of God. HE loves us unconditionally, so no matter what we do, He will never stop loving us. God wipes away our sins, our selfishness, our guilt, our pains, and calls us His Princess, always. 

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Needless to say, my time with Jama was so special to me. 

We were able to talk about our testimonies, how God has so carefully brought us from our homes, our families, in to this entirely different world to do ministry. Sharing the things I have been struggling with, the things that she has struggled with, and the hopes for our futures was just what I needed. 

A weekend in Rio das Pedras!

What a wonderful get away from Sao Paulo with some great ladies! I traveled to Daniele and Deyze's mom and dad's house to stay with them for the weekend along with Leticia. 

The girls with their funny dad!

Their parents used to live in Sao Paulo in the small house that Dani and Deyze live in now, but over about 7 years they built up their dream home on a little piece of land (by land I mean lot, here they don't really have yards or "land" unless they farm...). Their home was beautiful with lots of bedrooms and showers, more room than we needed to have a wonderful weekend!

Me with Nilton and Fatima

Dani with her mom and dad

Thanks for hosting us!!

Here is what our travel schedule was to get to Rio das Pedras: (disclaimer: we are on Brazil time, so these times may have actually varied...)

12:30p--Leave from church on City Bus #1

1:10p--Take Metro #1

1:25p--Take Metro #2

2:30p--Take Travel Bus and a good nap

5:00p--Arrive in Piracicaba and take City Bus #2

5:35p--Arrive in Rio das Pedras

5:45p--Cram into car 

6:05p--Arrive at the beautiful house!

Being out of Sao Paulo was wonderful. I kinda got a little bit of fresh air, and saw more green over the weekend than I have the whole time I have been here! Around their home was acres upon acres of sugarcane fields! So much green, blue, white and yellow!!

So beautiful and GREEN!

The view from the back of the house.

Look at those clouds!!

This is a Passion fruit vine growing around the house!

Pretty flowers at the park!

I held an Orange and Black butterfly. 

So pretty!

Friday night, Dani and I stayed up really late watching "Where the Wild Things Are From", laughing, talking, beating each other up. I think we finally fell asleep around 4am. Was pretty awesome (: 

Saturday we all woke up late, had some coffee, took showers, danced, sang, ate food, hung out in the sun. Then in the afternoon when their dad got home we went for a drive to pick their mom up from work which is a grocery store. The town is pretty small and I think most people have never seen an American in their life... lots of staring was occurring... 
Dani's mom wanted to introduce them (well us) to her coworkers so we went inside to meet the people she works with and basically the whole town. Felt like I was back in Molalla with all the people they knew and small chit-chat that was going on between the aisles. 

We went to a park to pick up some water (they have an underground spring that continuously runs and people bring their big jugs to get their drinking water from here.) 

But it is also a big park for playing soccer, having picnics, walking/jogging, a couple play structures, etc. Was a beautiful afternoon there! We even saw some people trying to play American football!!! 

This was around 5pm. So nice out!

Beautiful Deyze!

We stopped and grabbed some yummy ice cream (its been hot down here this past week or so!) YUMMY! 

Mine!

Saturday night we went bowling! But we didn't leave until after 11... everybody does stuff sooooo late here! I was tired, and really could have stayed home to just hang out, but I am glad we still went. The bowling ally was pretty busy when we got there, so we had to wait a little over an hour before we could actually play. To burn time we shot some pool... I got the first ball I shot at in... NBD (no big deal)... but after that it was kinda downhill for Deyze and I. haha

Pretty sisters!

Double thumbs up for how awesome we are!

Loucas!

<3

Bowling was fun! Leticia went to throw her ball and ended up throwing her whole body!!! Was soooo stinkin' funny. Thankfully, she didn't actually get hurt, but every person around us was laughing just as hard as we were at her. 

I almost bowled over 100... Got a 96. So. Close.

Made it home around 3:15... but in the morning we didn't get to sleep in. Dani's mom came to wake us up so we could eat a quick breakfast and head to Rio da Piracicaba (Piracicaba River). Was beautiful there! The water was so fast and strong, not really a river you would go swimming in. And not one you would take a boat in either. But it was big and so cool to see God's Unique Creations around the world. 

We took lots of pictures there (: 

So cool looking!

City in the back!

Funny girls!

"We are gunna jump now! Who is going to stop us??"

My pretty friend (: 

My other pretty friend (: 

The story of the city made out of small colored rocks on the wall.
 I wasn't able to get a pic of all of it. 

Cameras... in the wild?? 

So fast and so powerful!

Unique tree!

Crazy cool tree! Looks like 20+ smaller trees made one!

Not sure if you can see this, but up top is Dani's mom and dad making their own heart <3 CUTE

Pretty palms... don't see those in Oregon!

As we walked around the river we found this cool old car show and kinda like a fair going on. We had one of those pictures done where the guy draws you with exaggerated facial features, all cartoon like. Wasn't very accurate though... he gave me a really big forehead! (no photo of the picture, sorry! later...)

For you, Mama!

Brazil AND American Flags <3

So many VW Vans.... and not just at the car show...

More for you ma

On the top. just right there.
The guy was selling it for R$40, so US$20.
 SO crazy!

So cool!

On our way back we stopped at the sugarcane fields to take pics and grab a couple pieces of sugarcane so I could try it. 

tall sugarcane!

I am a hardcore straw chewer. 

Love this shot!

Pulando! Jumping! 

Such a great weekend with these girls!!! Blessed to have had the opportunity to see a new part of Brazil!

Deyze, Leticia and I 

Dani and I down by the river.
Such a blessing to have her back here for my last month!