Investing in Ubatuba, Brazil

“Where you invest your love, you invest your life”
 - Mumford and Sons

      Recently, I have been thinking about what it means to invest in relationships. Although that takes many different forms, shapes and sizes, there is one thing that is at the very foundation of a good solid investment…Love. In my experience, I have found it is easy to go throughout the day and be surrounded by people with which you talk to and work with, but I find that it is a totally different thing to stop and intentionally know that person. To know them is to understand them. To understand what makes them tick, what puts a kink in their day, what makes them come alive. It is to get outside of yourself and enter into their world making the sacrifice of loving them where they are at and for who they are.

    
      Right now I am investing my life in Ubatuba. This town is rich in the Brazilian culture. As the surf capital of South America, it is home to a lot of chillaxed people.  People are eager to meet others, lend a helping hand and they live in a relaxed atmosphere of relationships. This is cool because this is why our team feels like we are to be here, for relationships. This week has been very good. We have spent the week meeting people throughout the community and in the church, but also exploring the town and all it has to offer. This town is a town of late nights and definitely not of midday activities. In a sense, when I walk outside, I feel like I am stepping back into the climate of Sweet home Alabama. Humidity is in the air and with that, the heat is intense and the local beach is definitely an asset. Nightly strolls through the town streets accompanied by new found friends on bicycles and giant cups full acai berry slush with chocolates and cereals mixed in.  There is definitely a sense of life in Brazil.

       
     I am really enjoying being here. The people are very nice and welcoming. Yesterday, a friend , a few others and I went to coffee. It was a sweet time of conversation, laughter, and a great time of getting to talk about personal struggles. It was such a sweet time of sharing life together and being united with a common bond of Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how though all cultures are different that God transcends all cultural barriers. Because of that, I can automatically connect with my family members all over the world.

      So, things are going well here so far.  Relationships are forming, God in moving in my heart and in the heart of the people here. I am learning a lot about the Brazilian people and why God loves them so much.

     Thank you so much for all your prayers and support! Please continue pray and if you have any encouraging words, comments or questions, please feel free to write me!

- Heather     

    Prayer needs:

-           Building more deep relationships

-          Unity within our team ( that we would become an Acts 2 kind of church)

-          Financial support

-          Direction in ministry opportunities