Ladies' Retreat - August 22-23,2009

Last weekend, Zoe Peffer, Wellita, and I traveled to our camp, Jeová-Jiré four our annual ladies' retreat. This year there was 41 participants plus our speaker, Rosana, who came up from Dourados, MS. the theme was Heart and Soul - God Transforms Us. Everyone enjoyed her three lesson.

We also had fun swimming, games, biblical competition, and Bible memory. Some even memorized Psalm 27:1-14!

One fun competition was when each group had to make a dress from balloons and tape. Which one do you think is the prettiest? The yellow one was voted as the prettiest and used the most balloons.

CBC Team - Cotton Field

The whole two weeks with the team from Calvary Bible Church was wonderful. The night before they left we went to our camp to rest and discuss the experience. Everyone was exhausted and several relaxed in a hammock.

One of my favorite pictures is the team in the middle of the cotton field near by Campo Verde just before it was harvested. It reminds me that the the fields are unto white for harvest (John 4:35). The Bible says in Matthew 9:37-38: "Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." As the team returns to school, college, and work, I wonder how many of these will become His workers in the unharvested fields.

CBC - Pasteis

One night we all went to the "pastelaria". Pasteis are fried dough that has been filled with varias combinations of meat (ham, chicken, ground meat)and /or cheese. There are over thirty types to choose from. They even make dessert ones filled with chocolate, banana, cheese, or guava. The best ones are banana, cheese, canela, and sugar. The whole team enjoyed trying them. The owners let us take pictures of them making them.

CBC Team - Espetinhos

Another cultural "food" experience was going down to the corner for supper for "espetinhos", meat cooked on small wooden skewers over charcoal and serve with a portion of manioc, rice, and vinegrette. Choices are sausage, beef, chicken, and sometimes cheese, or meat wrapped in bacon. it is a nice quick meal for just $1.00. It is cheaper than MacDonalds which we don't have here in Campo Verde.

CBC Team - Churrascaria Cambará

While the CBC team was here we tried to give them several cultural experiences at varias restaurants. One of the best was here at the Churrascaria Cambará where the meat is cooked over hot coals on spits and brought to the table where they slice off a piece right onto your plate. They roast varias cuts of meat inclucing filé mignon, the hump of the Brahma cow, ribs, chicken, chicken hearts, pork, lamb, and even pineapple, cheese, and garlic bread. Everyone was impressed as they could eat all your tummy could hold. Two of the guys really took advantage of the $10.00 meal. There was also many hot dishes, salads, and desserts.

CBC Team - Chapada

While the team was here we went to the Chapadas, a tourist are where there are many rock formations and waterfalls. It is also the geodesic center of the continent of South America. Here the group is standing around the marker where we had Bible reading and prayf for Brazil and the ministry.

We had lunch at resaurant overlooking the land that served local food. There was this beautiful tropical flower at the entrance of the restaurant.

The teens went swimming at one of the waterfalls befor coming home.

English classes with CBC Team - August 3, 2009

The team was able to enter the English classes in some schools and gave a gospel presentation in creative ways. They repeated the presentation in english nine times in two days.

They acted out a skit on true joy and presented the gospel using hearts with the Wordless book colors. Pastor Phil explained the Gospel using a chart. They also taught a song and answered questions.

On Thursday night we held an English Night at church where gave the team sang some songs, taught songs in English, and Pastor Phil gave a gospel message. Missionary Zoe Peffer prepared some fun activities in English for everyone to participate in. The church was full of participants.

VBS with the CBC Team - July 29-31 - part 3

The team acted out some skits. They also helped the kids make Wordless Book bracelets. Pastor Phil was kept busy making balloon figures for the kids which were a great hit.

Diane and Ashley were kept busy preparing the snack each day. On Friday we served ice-cream.

VBS with CBC team - July 29-31- part 1

Our theme for VBS was Living by Faith based on the life of Elijah, the prophet of our true God. Our kids were welcomed by a smiling clown (Danette Marko). We also had a few little guests who animated the kids every day.

Every day we had the pledges ti the flags as part of the opening.

After the lesson was a game with review questions. There were 44 kids who participated in VBS this year and 2 boys
accepted Christ as their Savior.

VBS with CBC Team - August 29-31, 2009 part 2

The kids worked in their workbooks after the lesson.

The team led the recreation with the kids. The kids loved the activities.

uWellita, our Brazilian teacher, taught the little kids and Zoe Peffer taught the missionary story, Madugu.

The Arrival of the CBC Team - July 24, 2009

An 11 member work/ ministry team from my home church, Calvary Bible Church, Bourbonnais, Illinois, arrived in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil on July 24. The truck was loaded with all their luggage. After supper at a restaurant, Don Peffer with his truck, Zoe Peffer's car, and my car loaded up the team and made the two hour trip to Campo Verde in cold foggy weather in the dark of the night.

We were able to house all 11 team members plus the 3 missionary kids and Brazilian teen who came to help also with the work and to translate for the team.

The team came to do a number of paint jobs at the church, help with VBS, church, and doing English classes in several area schools.