wow, I´m here!

Just when I think I am good with words, I struggle to describe my first week. After arriving to my house with three amazing friends proclaiming "Welcome Home!", they quickly dressed me up for a festa junina, a typical hoedown celebrated many times in Brazil during the month of June and even after. I threw down my bags and dressed the part of a cowboy (don´t ask) as we headed out the door and on our way to my first taste of Brazil! I was so happy to reunite with many of my Brazilian friends on my first night. It was wonderful to be caught up on all the amazing experiences these girls already had! I was so exhausted from the travel so it was a relief to have the next day to rest before starting at the program in Imbau on Monday. Each year I can´t help but smile when I see all the familiar faces of these beautiful children. Each morning we greet them with a kiss and an English "Hello, how are you?" I always laugh when before I can ask how they are, they respond with "I am fine, thank you, how are you?" They just get nervous and quickly say all the English they know without really listening to us. Monday Mary and I worked with small groups on counting numbers in English. I am constantly amazed at their patience and determination to get their message arcoss to me, even if it means saying the same thing five different ways or using big hand gestures! :) It kills me to not be able to communiate with them all the time so I study every night to really learn this language. Tuesday and Thursday we have hip hop class where they are learning a dance to ´Beat It´by Michael Jackson. Also on those days they have an instructor and friend come in to teach them Capoeida, a Brazilian martial art that I even did with Katie in the United States! I never tire of seeing them work to learn these moves that make me sore for days after. While working out at the gym on Monday we met an English speaking proffessional soccer player from the country of Ohman. He really liked the idea of the program and offered to come teach the kids some soccer skills and help them out for their upcoming soccer tournament at the end of July. He could not be better with the kids; he had to break up several fights and just handled every situation wonderfully. It is so great to have a male presence around the program and I can see the large impact it has on the kids! He came back to the program the next day and I think will continue until he has to return to Ohman for soccer. He is just here visiting family until the 17th of July, Marcos´birthday! We compare him to playing for the Pacers in the USA so it is a big deal for him to be spending his vacation with these kids much in need of his attention and love. We are having a big 4th of July party at our house this Sunday with around 40 friends to celebrate the American holiday and also give everyone the chance to say goodbye to Mary, who leaves on Tuesday. :( Maybe then it will sink in that I am here for 6 months since I have traveled for short visits with her the past two summers. I feel so very blessed to be here now and be with these wonderful friends. My faith continues to grow just being in their presence and the presence of all the people here. Starting each morning with prayer really gets us going so early in the morning and prepares us for whatever the day holds. I miss my family and friends so very much; I really cherish the pictures I have on my bedside desk that are a constant reminder to me of the tremendous amount of support and love I have back home. I have absolutely no cares or complaints, life is great! Pray for all of us that we continue to have the strength to be just what the children need in their lives and that we lean on each other through the tough times. Also keep Mary in your prayers as she returns home. Can´t wait to see what is in store for the future!