I will take this opportunity to share at churches and home groups in and around Caronport and I am also speaking at a ladies’s retreat in MJ in April.

More later….

At the end of this month, I am moving to Kuroki. No, it’s not a tropical island or a vacation spot in Florida– it’s a hamlet of about 20 houses, a church and a bar near Foam Lake- about 3 ½ hours NE of Caronport.

I have decided to launch into full time deputation so that I can be back in Brazil by the end of this year. If it is God’s desire, He will make it possible.

Once I am over 70% of my budget, I will apply for my 2 yr. missionary work visa to Brazil. I hear these sometimes take a few months, so I don’t want to wait until I have all funding in place just to have to wait for the visa.

Today I heard a sermon on the radio: “It is better to obey than to sacrifice.” I wonder if sacrifice isn’t a result of obedience. Would it not be difficult to obey without forfeiting something? I know that’s the place I am in.
However, I am also in another place: God has called me to service; He wants me to invest my life to do His will.

Jesus told His disciples: “but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (Jn14:31)

Do you love God? What are you willing to do?

check us out: www.samministries.org

I want to wish all of my friends a very happy, blessed Christmas.  May Jesus’ birth be real for you, and may He not only be your Savior but also Lord over every area in your lives.  It is so difficult to sing: ” I surrender all”, isn’t it?  I find it very difficult.  I am still having a hard time thinking about going to Brazil and at the same time thinking about maybe having to give up my dog.  Sometimes I lose sleep over this issue of making the right decision for her.

Sometimes I get a bit discouraged because I am too harsh with those boys, and I am trying to learn to be more gentle but firm at the same time - I need a lot of advice in this area.  I am learning a lot on this job and I will be a much better teacher and person through it.  God’s been so good provinding for me: so far I have been getting  around 25 hours per week.  I group tutor in 1st period, then in 3rd period again and then there’s administration,  shopping trips to Moose Jaw with some of the international students, and homework help.  Last week Laurie, the ESL teacher, was gone all week and I did my classes and I subbed for her: that was One Full Week!!

Thanksgiving was fun!!  My friends Sam and Erika lent me their camper van and I went to Dieffenbaker Lake for the long week-end.  I also took their little dog along, so the 3 of us went on loads of walks, had campfires, saw deer and a Bald Eagle - and it was SO restful for me.  Now I am playing with the idea of going again and if I had thought it out a bit better, I would have gone this week-end, the last week-end in October.  It’s really not too cold yet, around freezing and no snow yet; well, none that has stayed.  

I am done teaching/tutoring the week-end of December 17th,  and I am having my hand operation on Dec 19th.  This way, my hand will heal over the holidays so that I am ready for work again Jan 4th.  I had my left hand (carpal tunnel) done last summer and it was a breeze, I think …. there are situations when a bad memory comes in handy.  :)

I decided to be my spontanious self and headed to Dieffenbaker Lake. What can I say? I looove being in water and so does my dog!   

Today I started tutoring and it’s different from anything I have ever done before.  Instead of taking the students out of class and into a tutoring session, I tutor them during their Christian Ethics class. This is great, I’ll likely learn as much as the students!!

On Tuesdays, I do my liaison part of the job: I will be in the office for 2 hours, being available for international and cross-cultural students (Quebec), to answer questions or help them with Canadian and local customs (not the ones at the airport

Here’s some news that I could hardly believe: this year, Briercrest College offers German classes!!  There could be some tutoring in that for me and maybe even ….  I’ll check that out first before talking about it.

I had my eyes checked a few days ago and yes, at almost 49, I finally need reading glasses.  Since I noticed that everyone was using smaller fonts on packaging and in books, I figured I had my first pair of bi-focals coming.  Not really a surprise at my age but I have always prided myself for having great vision (and beautiful eyes).

Talking about vision: God willing, I am still going back to Brazil next year.  Right now I am a bit stumped about my deputation; actually I am more than stumped: I am frozen!  Since I don’t really know what to do, a friend suggested that some of my supporters get together with me on Monday to brainstorm.  Don’t I have wonderful friends?

I have applied for the assistant ESL teacher position here at Caronport High School.  This part-time job would be a perfect fit and it would also help me with my further teaching in Brazil. The deadline is today, so I am hoping for an interview and then the acceptance phone call.  Have to be optimistic, yes?

Elsa, my side-kick, isn’t doing so great at times.  It appears she has joint problems; maybe arthritis is already creeping in?  She’s only 5.  I have stopped her favorite activity:  “ball-throwing” because after she runs hard, she usually ends up limping and getting all stiff.

In less than 3 weeks my house-sitting runs out and I must find a ‘permanent’ home for the winter or until I go back to the mission.  I want to live as cheaply as possible, even just rent a room from someone.  Since I don’t own any furniture or dishes any longer, I cannot see myself renting a trailer and having to acquire ’stuff’ again.  I am so glad I am down to just a few boxes – some of them are my ESL teaching material. 

I am amazed how easy it was to give up ’stuff’ and I am sure it was only with God’s help that I was able to do that so willingly.  I am thankful to Him for changing my attitude toward so many things, like possessions and  money.   ”Where you treasure lies, there is your heart also” – how true and thanks to God for making this clear to me. 

Itaperucu is the poorest municipality in the state of Parana (Southern Brazil) with many slums and not one police officer or doctor – it has a population of about 22,000 and the place is very spread out: up the hills, around the hills, and through the valleys. 

Now that I have figured out how to post pictures, I will post some more!