Brazilian Home Stays

Last week we had the privilege of staying in two separate host homes. Some people had families that did speak English, others did not. Some stayed in pairs while others stayed solo.

While we were in Novo Hamburgo I was one of the few who stayed in a non-English speaking family by myself. At first I was a little hesitant about the situation, but it turned out to be a great experience. I was able to communicate somewhat through an English/Portuguese dictionary, and I was also able to rely a lot on God. The couple was so sweet, and at the end of the stay the woman made me a dress, shirt, and skirt on her sewing machine.

In the next house I had a totally different experience. In Caixas do Sol I stayed in a home with Lindsey and Karen. We stayed in a home with a couple and their fifteen-year-old son who speaks English. It was great to be able to have a conversation I understood completely with a Brazilian family. They treated us like royalty! It was so much fun. The son of the family even decided to come to the camp we are staffing at this week!

During both stays we led a church service each night. During the day we either led a children's program or did door-to-door evangelism. While in Caixas we also led a service at a juvenile detention center. During the programs we typically sang songs in both English and Portuguese, performed a skit, and shared testimonies. During the children's programs we also did Bible skits, played games and did arts and crafts. At one children's program we went to a daycare run by the church. At this daycare I was able to use the little bit of Portuguese I knew from my first year in Brazil to play a game with a few kids. I alternated between saying mouth, stomach, nose, hand, and foot in Portuguese, and they would point to which body part I said. They loved the game and so did I!

It was a very unique experience we were able to have staying in Brazilian homes for six nights in a row. It was definitely an unforgettable experience!

Thank you for your support. Please continue to pray as we begin staffing at a church camp here in Porto Alegre. Thank you!

Lorrie Anne White