br Salvador Porters: November 2005

Monday, November 28, 2005

Making Friends

We just got back from playing soccer at the park with Kelton and had a great time. There were also a couple of great triumphs as well that I want to share. While playing with Kelton, a couple with a 10 month old child named Pedro came over to where we were. At first they stayed over to the side, but our son would not have that. Seeing a new playmate he quickly kicked the ball over to Pedro. Even with that, they were still hesitant until they learned we could speak Portuguese. Pedro did his best to kick the ball and Kelton kept bringing it back to them. We talked with them for a few minutes before they went on to what they were doing. Then a little while later a little girl about Kelton's age ran over to us wanting to play with Kelton. We met her a couple of weeks ago with her mother and little brother. Today she also had her grandpa with her. We talked for a little over 20 minutes and during that time the other couple came back over. A couple of months ago it would have been diffcult to keep up with these conversations, but tonight the conversation flowed very normally. It was neat time for us and shows us that our language really is improving. We were able to carry on conversations and even progress one relationship a little further.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Reflections on a bald head

I always knew that eventually I would be married to a bald man. Genetics are inevitable and it is only a matter of time before Randy follows in his grandfather's steps and loses his hair. However I didn't think it would be in our 20s.
Ever since I have known him, Randy has wanted to shave his head. One would think that years of having the ever present buzz cut as a child, would deter this wish, but alas! No. However, there was always a reason not to shave his head completely, job interviews, fundraising, his wife's grimace. (I think I might have said something like "sure, shave your head, when I shave mine")

But the time finally came. Here we are in a new city, a new culture and a new country. Fashions are different here. Clothes are more fitted and made to be as cool as possible. We are trying to adjust to the culture and dress more Brazilian. So with all this change anyway, I figure, what the heck, encourage him to fulfill his life long dream and shave his head. After all isn't that what a wife does, support her husband and encourage him to reach his dreams. So after a process of gradually buzzing his hair shorter and shorter so the scalp could get some sun, last weekend he pulled out the razor and went for it.

And now I am indeed married to a bald man. Randy feels cool. He is thinking about growing out his beard. It is indeed a fun thing to see how different you can look than they way you always have.

How long will I be married to a bald man. Until he gets tired of shaving his entire head every day or every other day.

So for now I have had a glimps of the future and had to purchase a little more sunblock.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Encore! Encore!

The women on our team have been doing an online Beth Moore bible study entitled Believing God. One of the frases that Beth said this week on our online video struck me.
We were studying the passage in Joshua 10 where the Israelites go to battle against the Amorite kings on behalf of the Gibeonites. This is the battle where Joshua asks God to make the sun stand still, and HE DOES! What an incredible event. Joshua is not afraid to ask God for something so huge. From this discussion came the idea that when God does great and powerful things in our life, we have to stop and applaud him and tell him what a good job he has done. What an amazing, loving, powerful Lord we serve. The LORD is worthy of us jumping up and down, clapping our hands and applauding him. And I love what Beth said, "The more we clap, the more inclined God is to come with an encore." Think about that.

Today I have been literally jumping up and down with my hands in the air, and applauding our incredible God!

You have put together such an incredible team!
You are building an amazing church!
You have done such a good job providing for our needs, giving us people to walk alongside us in this journey.
You have brought all five families to this place, to this city, that will be radically changed in your name!
You have transformed us into kingdom workers.
You are transforming us into people who live only for you.
You made the sun stand still!
You make the heart of stone into a heart of clay!

Clap your hands all you people! Shout to God with a voice of triumph!
What are you applauding God for?

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Wait!

"Espera, Kelton! Espera!" "Wait, Kelton! Wait." I say these words a lot to Kelton these days. "Wait for mama." "Wait, I'm pouring your juice." "Wait, we have to put on shoes before we go to the park." I am continually telling my son to wait. He has no patience. He wants his drink now. He wants to go to to the park now, with or without clothes. He wants to run across the street without holding mama's hand. It is a lesson I must teach him, the lesson of waiting.

This week I am wondering how well I am doing at learning this lesson. How often is God saying to me, 'wait Jennifer, wait.' 'Wait, this is a time of preparation.' 'Wait, you must hold my hand at this crossing.' 'Wait, you can't have that now.'

God is active and alive and moving in my life. I feel him pushing me and guiding me all the time. But I think the lesson I need to learn the most is to wait for him. To wait on his timing, to wait until I hear his voice before I act. It is in the waiting that we can take the time to learn and to be sure of who it is we are learning from.

We would love to hear your stories of God's asking you to wait and his faithfulness through the waiting.