If you follow this blog then you probably know that we all got home safe yesterday.
Thank you for following this blog, and thanks be to God!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Today was an amazing day, The rain held off and so we absolutely filled the day.
Off by 9:30 am - the bus to some shopping at a local mall (youth agreed the market is way more fun!) Anne & Tobin taking Jeff and Landon to the clinic to get congestion checked out - after seeing Dr and getting medication we joined the group
lunch - at the food court
apres lunch - walked to the foot of Sugar Loaf mountain and took 2 yes 2 cable cars to the top of the mountain (Aaron is sleeping now and has the cord to hook camera up to blog so photos will have to wait until the airport tomorrow if there is time)
Shinnika, Anne and Jeff who are not fond of heights did well and we are all proud of them - infact some might say they began to enjoy the ride!
Lots of photos and walking around the top seeing the spectacular view of ocean and Rios many beaches.
Down the mountain
off to the Samba Drome and Merican huge football stadium in Brazil
at the Samba Drome we encountered the Samba school in rehearsal and our guide Carla who knew the instructor got us into the class room open air court. Next thing we knew we were watching a mini show and then pulled into dancing with the samba dancers - it was a wonderful moment of spontaneity that transcended all language barriers.
We also took a moment for some youth to try on Carnaval costumes for a small donation that goes towards the students of the school - then they paraded along a piece of the samba drome a stretch of road with concrete bleachers built on each side specifically for Carnaval
Back to the hostel for a quick change into our ¨semi-formal¨attire (or so thought Ben : ) ) and then back on the bus for a trip to a fabulous final buffet with live guitar player! And the desserts - well you will have to see the photos
It was hard to get everyone to bed - last lights went out after 1:30 and we need to follow -
Tomorrow morning we see Christ the Redeemer and then final hours spent at Ipanema beach before our flights home begin.
So sad to see this trip coming to a close but we are ready to come home.
There will be joy to be with family but tears as we leave each other.
Everyone is talking about our reunion in August already.
New friendships made, youth growing by leaps and bounds (leaders too).
oh yeah we really love out Bim Bom tour guide T2 Thomas. He has kept us going with laughter and so much knowledge about the country and ´people of Brazil. His sister Carla joined us for past two days and was really helpful as well.
shalom
Anne
Off by 9:30 am - the bus to some shopping at a local mall (youth agreed the market is way more fun!) Anne & Tobin taking Jeff and Landon to the clinic to get congestion checked out - after seeing Dr and getting medication we joined the group
lunch - at the food court
apres lunch - walked to the foot of Sugar Loaf mountain and took 2 yes 2 cable cars to the top of the mountain (Aaron is sleeping now and has the cord to hook camera up to blog so photos will have to wait until the airport tomorrow if there is time)
Shinnika, Anne and Jeff who are not fond of heights did well and we are all proud of them - infact some might say they began to enjoy the ride!
Lots of photos and walking around the top seeing the spectacular view of ocean and Rios many beaches.
Down the mountain
off to the Samba Drome and Merican huge football stadium in Brazil
at the Samba Drome we encountered the Samba school in rehearsal and our guide Carla who knew the instructor got us into the class room open air court. Next thing we knew we were watching a mini show and then pulled into dancing with the samba dancers - it was a wonderful moment of spontaneity that transcended all language barriers.
We also took a moment for some youth to try on Carnaval costumes for a small donation that goes towards the students of the school - then they paraded along a piece of the samba drome a stretch of road with concrete bleachers built on each side specifically for Carnaval
Back to the hostel for a quick change into our ¨semi-formal¨attire (or so thought Ben : ) ) and then back on the bus for a trip to a fabulous final buffet with live guitar player! And the desserts - well you will have to see the photos
It was hard to get everyone to bed - last lights went out after 1:30 and we need to follow -
Tomorrow morning we see Christ the Redeemer and then final hours spent at Ipanema beach before our flights home begin.
So sad to see this trip coming to a close but we are ready to come home.
There will be joy to be with family but tears as we leave each other.
Everyone is talking about our reunion in August already.
New friendships made, youth growing by leaps and bounds (leaders too).
oh yeah we really love out Bim Bom tour guide T2 Thomas. He has kept us going with laughter and so much knowledge about the country and ´people of Brazil. His sister Carla joined us for past two days and was really helpful as well.
shalom
Anne
Friday, July 24, 2009
Toucans support MCEC fundraisers
After seeing the falls some of us went to a bird sanctuary also inside the Iguassu Park. There were several large bird enclosures that we could walk into. The birds that we met included some very agressive macaws and very curious toucans.
Leaders
Here we are! All of the leaders still standing with only 7 days left!
This is us at Iguassu Falls on Tuesday, July 21.
It´s like Niagra falls but bigger, wetter and much closer.
For many of us the falls will be remembered as a significant God moment.
MWC
Here is a group shot outside of the CFA in Asuncion. As always we turned heads when we were all in our red shirts.
Exploring the beach
We were doing some sightseeing in the city of Niteroi across the bay from Rio when we decided to stop and explore this little beach. We found a puffer fish of some type and a cave. Cool.
On a cliff above the beach was the Niteroi Museum of Contemporary Art (AKA The Mac).
another day in Rio and much fun in spite of the pouring rain - sigh
we have decided to delay our visits to Christ Redeemer statue and the cable car up Sugar Loaf mountain because of rain but still walked the Copacabana beach, had a fantastic lunch buffet, (we have eaten a lot of buffets and have all commented that we need to eat a lot less!!!), tour of parts of the old city saw a very old cool library - the Royal Portugese Reading Room where the whole building was transported to Brazil from Portugal and the youth commented that it looked like a scene from a Harry Potter movie, saw the contemporary Catholic Cathedral, and the First Presbyterian church of Rio, walked in a lot of rain and got wet many times, a few youth and leaders took in a local CD shop where they play live Bossa Nova music on Friday nights and some of us bought CDs, we had a pizza buffet tonight which included dessert pizzas with white or milk chocolate and fresh ice cream. more rain walking back to the hostel which has its own lively night life - youth are tucked in to bed now - well ok almost tucked in - leaders settling down too but not yet ready for bed til we know all are safely in their rooms.
tomorrow we pray for good weather to go up the Tijuca Forest and to Corcovado and Sugar Loaf.
Lots are excited about a little sleep in (that is 8 am if some want showers). Because of the small shower and bathroom space some youth got up this morning at 6 am and then went back to bed again!!!
We want to get some photos up for you so signing off
soon home
anne
we have decided to delay our visits to Christ Redeemer statue and the cable car up Sugar Loaf mountain because of rain but still walked the Copacabana beach, had a fantastic lunch buffet, (we have eaten a lot of buffets and have all commented that we need to eat a lot less!!!), tour of parts of the old city saw a very old cool library - the Royal Portugese Reading Room where the whole building was transported to Brazil from Portugal and the youth commented that it looked like a scene from a Harry Potter movie, saw the contemporary Catholic Cathedral, and the First Presbyterian church of Rio, walked in a lot of rain and got wet many times, a few youth and leaders took in a local CD shop where they play live Bossa Nova music on Friday nights and some of us bought CDs, we had a pizza buffet tonight which included dessert pizzas with white or milk chocolate and fresh ice cream. more rain walking back to the hostel which has its own lively night life - youth are tucked in to bed now - well ok almost tucked in - leaders settling down too but not yet ready for bed til we know all are safely in their rooms.
tomorrow we pray for good weather to go up the Tijuca Forest and to Corcovado and Sugar Loaf.
Lots are excited about a little sleep in (that is 8 am if some want showers). Because of the small shower and bathroom space some youth got up this morning at 6 am and then went back to bed again!!!
We want to get some photos up for you so signing off
soon home
anne
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