So what does she know about baseball?

So, you ask: "Where is she?" Good question. I didn't have the proper adapter for my computer and the battery died...then we were too busy to get it charged, but now I am up and running. In spite of a long day, I am posting late at night because at 4 pm I had some of that great Brazilian coffee that I like so much - I could probably write this at 3 a.m. just fine!



Ah, traveling - it never changes...arrived at DFW gate 12 and was sent by the gate agent to meet my connection at gate 40...but the plane was at gate 18...suitcase arrived in pieces (I knew it was too good a price...) BUT it is wonderful to see the friends I made here last year :) We (and 17 bags of sports equipment) were met at the airport, carried to Pastor Robson's home, and we've rested, showered and eaten an enormous meal with a fabulous dessert. I do not overstate. "Enormous" and "fabulous" are the right words!

As usual there are plenty of English-speakers, or people who are learning English, and it has been easy to communicate. Our hosts really appreciate it when we try to speak a few phrases in Portuguese - they are kind to correct us and applaud us when we get it right...it's very encouraging to learn language this way (I still can't complete a sentence longer than "thank you for the meal")...we make learning language such a chore when being friends can make it so easy - so I guess the trick is to make friends first and then you will care enough about what your friend has to say that you will try harder to understand!


Binnerri Church from Dallas has sent 12 young people - mostly young professionals who have taken time from work and families to make this trip. I don't know everyone's job, but there is a high school chemistry teacher, a kindergarten teacher, a software designer, a writer, an SMU student who is on their golf team, a med student, 2 staff pastors. Several of them have young children. No one considers it a problem to take off time from work, use vacation time or leave their children with one parent or friends to make this trip - it is a privilege to be able to come. Not only have they come, but before coming they studied about mission, studied Portuguese and even about how to properly teach sports to young children. They are a wonderfully dedicated group of young Christians.


I have written each day's morning devotional - we meet at the church before beginning work to sing, read the Bible, discuss the devotional (in two languages!) and then lift up special prayer concerns. It is a wonderful way to start the day - the world would be a different place if we practiced this more than a week at a time!


Today we went to the school for an assembly. The children sang the national anthem for us, and gave us a thank-you card signed by the students. A 7th grader prayed aloud for the group, thanking God for our presence. Then the youth pastor from Binnerri spoke to them about not letting love for things and people crowd love for God out of their hearts. Afterwards, we all sat in a circle on the floor and each child was allowed to ask one question of the visitors: "What do you eat in America?" "How do you spend your days?" "Tell us about the children in your church." All of the questions posed showed a mature interest in who we were as people and friends.

One of the Binnerri missionaries (the med student) was taken to the hospital by a church member who is a surgeon married to an anesthesiologist. They practice together and he was allowed to go into the operating room with them and watch the operation! It was a great thrill for him.

This afternoon was the first day of the camp - we had around 70 children on the first day! The sports equipment purchased by FPC is great - they were very careful with our money, and got many items (such as bats) used, along with some new things. There are hats, gloves, bases, bats, Ts (as in T-ball), Frisbees, kickballs, whistles, and even a ref shirt ;) The children range in age from 6 to 16. Today and tomorrow they are learning skills: how to throw, how to field, how to hold the bat, how to follow the ball. Friday they will learn the rules of the game and Saturday we will form teams and play a real game.

The children from the church and school are great evangelists and have been very intentional about inviting their unchurched friends - one young girl from the church who was ill today even left her sickbed to go to the camp because her friend said she wouldn't come unless she was there.

So what does she know about baseball? Um, nothing? But I make a mean spreadsheet, so I made a roster on the computer so the church can take attendance, form the teams and follow up with the campers afterwards. Just one of those ways that God shows me what I can do while all those baseball players are doing their thing.

So that's 3 days in 1 post - hopefully the others will be shorter, timelier and a little less like being hosed with information. Thanks for sending me - and we prayed for you all this morning.