Back Into The Swing of Things

Since the last time I blogged I don´t know if I have had any feeling in my hands because of first 3 straight days of nonstop rain and then the last few days have been very cold. In terms of Indiana´s winter it is not all that bad but without heat in building it has left us shivering. Even with sun the wind seems to cut your face. This morning it was around 25 degrees F but now it is early afternoon and the sun is starting to come out- some hope! The peak of all this cold weather was too nights ago when I had just gotten back from the gym and I hopped in the shower to heat up my body. I was just started to feel warm when the lights when out and the water turned freezing- we had lost electricity! That night Katie and I felt like pioneers getting ready for bed by candlelight and cuddling up under piles of blankets.
The program has been going well- we are still struggling to feel that we have a set schedule in place but hopefully with time this will feel more in place. I think we are in a bigger rush than the rest of the teachers because our stay here has a definite end date where as for them this is their extended place of employment. But we have taken some things into our own hands and starting taking attendance each day so that they start earning fake money when they behave and listen to use in our store that we have every couple of weeks. Also, we have started giving out X´s, our form of punishment, for when they choose to be disobedient. When they get an X they take home a paper explaining why they got in trouble and a parent´s signature is required before returing the paper the next day. Each day they are at the program without the paper they receive another X. It has left some kids frustrated but with time I think it will be easier to get a quick turn around and it keeps the parents informed about what is going on at PETI.
Katie and I met a Canadian man who is here workig in Klabin, the big paper factory in Telemaco Borba, and we had dinner with him and his Brazilian translator on Sunday. He does not speak any Portuguese so he enjoyed the chance to speak English.
Oh and I almost forgot maybe the biggest thing that has changed since the last blog. Katie and I are now living together in a new house. Saturday we moved into our friend Lucas´house where we will be staying for the remainder of our trip. It is nice to be closer to Katie as we do a lot of planning for the project at night so this has helped quite a bit. The set up is great as well, we are in a separate building dettached from the house so we have a lot of privacy. I am loving it but I am also missing the family I was with before, they were so great to me!
There was a group of young teens from Sao Paulo here for a week visiting communities and schools to play games and sing with the kids. We were so busy that we unfortunately only got to spend one morning with them during their stay but they were a lot of fun! They all study at a private school that teaches English and they all spoke great. We were with them at APAE, a school for disabled kids and adults, and it was awesome to see their interaction with the students, they brought a lot of energy and smiles!
For now we are just trying to stay warm and get things going at the program. I hope this is the last time my blog says that as it is frustrating to feel that things are moving so slow but we have to trust that we are working on God´s time here. I got to skype with my family for the first time this week too which was great, seeing their faces makes me miss home but also gives me encouragment that everything is good with them! I am especially loving my half hour of prayer before Mass Sunday nights when I pray for my family back home and I know that they are praying for me at that exact time. It was my Aunt Janet´s idea and I am loving it even more than I thought- I feel such a sense of peace knowing someone is thinking and praying for me while I am doing the same!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and upcoming week- keep in your prayers all those here who are without the proper clothing and housing to keep warm during this cold weather. It is hard for me to complain of the cold when I see some of our kids come to the program with only a light jacket when I am bundled up with 4.
Deus Abencoe!
God Bless!