Monday, July 09, 2012

MIssion Trips

Along with camps, the kids also have a chance to go on several mission trips.  The junior high went to New Orleans and the high school went to Brazil.  I saved all of my "grandparent babysitting days" to go to Brazil.  It was incredible!!  We started off by sleeping in the airport the first night...which was insane!!  But once we got to Brazil we lived on two big boats the entire time we were there.  We traveled around to different parts of the Amazon river doing missions during the day (VBS, village ministry, dentist ministry, and visiting schools) and then at night the kids put on a huge concert that was unbelievable.  It was  a life changing week that we will never forget.  I wish you all could have been there.  I wish I could sit down and talk to you for hours about how incredible our kids did, or how the simplicity of the gospel was alive.  People with malaria were prayed for, kids were loved on, and God was given glory.

Clint and some of the student staff at the airport...sleeping on the floor was rough!!

 Finally in Brazil!!!  So excited that are sweet friends Ben and Jen were able to go with us.


 These are the hammocks that we slept in..the picture on the left is blurry, but that is how close we all slept together.  Not bad and thankfully I didn't fall out!!

 Me, Sarah, and Jen...girl leaders on our boat

 Clint and some guys at an outdoor concert

 Clint speaking at one of the concerts

 After each show all of the kids would talk to everyone and share "their story" and why they were here in Brazil.  It was crazy how they were surrounded like they were celebrities.


In the villages we cut hair, did nails, handed out baby clothes, ran VBS and played lots and lots of soccer!!

Kids at schools singing and hanging out with our kids


One of our girls started her own company based off of her preemie days that is named "Wrapped In Him."  She raised enough money to pay for her trip and several others.  Here she is telling her story.


On the days we traveled on boat, we launched balloons filled with candy and soccer balls to kids that would come out on boat to see us from the smallest villages.