Friday, May 31, 2019

Bits May


Greetings to you from a three person Carrel household! Yes, we are down one here in Brazil! The most important one as well! Sarah is in Fortaleza for her Biblical Counseling module. I am here with the girls trying to survive. (please send peanut butter!) 

This month we went on a trip we hope to never forget. I wrote last month about the opportunity to go to Germany for a missions academy with Servant Leaders. We imagined it would be a great trip, but our imagination might have been too little. On the last night in Germany I asked the girls the favorite part of the trip. They both said being with both sets of their grandparents for a couple weeks (to be fair and honest, Anna Claire’s first favorite thing was all the ice cream (gelato) that she ate all week). Both Sarah’s and my parents had a wonderful time and we were so grateful for that).

While we did get to do a good bit of sightseeing, the main event was the missions academy. The days generally started at 8:15 and went until ten at night, although we ducked out early a couple times. Sarah and I both learned a good bit and were able to have some great discussions with students. I was able to teach on “Reaching your community with the whole gospel.” Then I moderated a panel discussion having to do with missionaries and their local churches. I also co-led a small group with afternoon discussion times. There were young people from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Equador, Iran, Ukraine, Ireland, Germany, and a few different states in the US. We had quite a variety of youth and all were interested in missions. Please pray about two girls who are interested in doing an internship with us in Brazil. We are working and praying about the details. 

This month we have also started small Bible study groups. These have to do with some training that Sarah received while in the states. We are starting to implement them and so far happy about what we have seen. Please pray that we would have leaders grow out of these groups. 

In July we will have a group from Raleigh come down to work with youth, women and help with our plant in Tupanatinga. We have looked at a couple buildings to rent or use for weekly Saturday night worship services. Please pray for these details. Bia has arranged for us to be in three different schools morning and afternoon for three days (6 separate presentations for full school assemblies). Please pray right now that these will be effective and will get their families out to the town square for the Friday night grand finale. 

For now, pray Evelyn and Anna Claire don’t starve to death on my watch (I am just kidding). Pray for our small groups and Tupanatinga. Pray for unity. Pray for the two possible interns. 

All for HIS glory,
David, Sarah, my little travelers who enjoyed their almost daily gelato with both sets of grandparents, along with a park with a zip line and a boat with a slide on it.