Saying good-bye is always hard.

Leaving will be hard, as always. The last few days have been incredible and it's always hard to leave when you've made such good friends and when God is moving so much.

The weekend was incredible. We went to a wedding Saturday night that didn't even start till 9pm! And was very formal. Lots of fun seeing different traditions and dancing to some latin music.

Sunday was TONS of fun!!!!!!

Lindsay and I at the Paraguay/ Brazil Soccer game. A once in a lifetime opportunity! AND Paraguay won 2 - 1!!!
We were given the tickets from Dr. Poeletti who works with the Futbol association here, so generous. We met him at his house to walk to the stadium with him and his kids. His niece and her husband were also there and they are moving to LANGLEY in December! What are the chances! And Dr. Poeletti brought face paint to paint Paraguayan flags on our faces....but only painted mine and Lindsay's faces. The environment of the stadium was unlike anything I have ever experienced!!! When Paraguay scored, the place was beyond INSANE!!! Everyone jumping up and down and hugging everyone! Whoever was in reach you hugged and high fived. It was crazy. And there was a small section of Brazil fans and they had riot police up both sides of the section to protect them from the Paraguay fans and at the end of the game, they had to wait to be the last ones out of the stadium for their protection. hahaha so different from home.

Today was our last day and we had such incredible meetings. We met one last time with the Selection team that is going to the World Cup in New Zealand. And the coaches are just so encouraging when it comes to Josefina working as a chaplain for the team. They're very excited about it.

And tonight we had the first meeting of the first key volunteers for AIA Paraguay. This is a group of people that our team has meet the last few weeks, christian players, that want to use their futbol to reach their team mates and community for Jesus! We had 8 people come out plus Avelino and Josefina (aia staff). 7 girls and one guy. All of them have such an incredible heart to serve and to share Christ with their country. None of them could stop smiling for all God has done in the last few weeks. They have a lot of work ahead of them but are very excited. We had 70 girls over the last few weeks indicate that they want to know more about Jesus. INCREDIBLE! Something only God could do. This small group of people are going to do amazing things here in Paraguay. It was hard to leave the meeting knowing that I'll just be watching from the sidelines now. I'll have stories about a few of these people in my newsletter when I get home.

Well, it's almost midnight and I have to be up in 7 hours! YIKES! And two days of travel ahead of me. Oh but I will be hitting the beach in Miami :) YEAH!!!!

Will be back in Canada late Thursday night. LOve you all!!!!

Now to face our new friends at the airport to say good-bye..... there will be lots of tears......

A quick update

Hey Everyone,

I really don't have tons to update on right now... but thought I'd let everyone know I'm still breathing :) haha

We have had a busy few days since the team left, just tons of meetings. All of them have been very good!!! We got Josefina in as the chaplain to the U17 Selection team that will be heading to the U17 World Cup in New Zealand. And we had a meeting with the head of the Olympic Committee here and it looks like Avelino will be the chaplain for all the Olympic athletes.

Some fun stuff...... we had an evening off and it is incredible how cheap things can be here.... we got a large pizza from Pizza Hut, three movie tickets, Popcorn, M&M's and a bottle of water all for under $20!!!! It's insane!

Tonight we are going to Josefina's niece's wedding. It's a formal occasion and doesn't even start till 9pm!!! It'll be a late night.

Tomorrow night will be one of the biggest highlights of the trip (fun wise). Lindsay and I have been given free VIP tickets to the Brazil/Paraguay game!!! The city is already going crazy with Paraguay parafanalia... I'll have to find a jersey by game time to wear. It's going to be insane! But so much fun. If you happen to be watching it look for me in the crowd hahaha. VIP section you never know...hahaha.

I'll update after the game, I'm sure I'll have quite the stories. :)

Indiscribable

Me at Iguazu Falls Brazil




This is not a pic from the internet! I was THERE and took it!!!! BEAUTIFUL!



Sunday morning at 1:30am we got on a bus (a very nice bus) and headed to Brazil. What an AMAZING trip. We are supposed to have Visas to get into Brazil but God blessed us so much and we were able to cross the boarder without them.







We did this trip just to spend a few hours at the Iguasu Falls, one of the top three falls in the world. And wow!!! Just before we got there on the bus we sang the worship song "Indiscribable" and how appropriate. We saw Gods handy work at it's best. I have never, nor do I think I will ever see anything as beautiful and maginficant as these falls. The song says





"Indiscrible uncontainable, You put the stars in the sky and you know them by name, you are amazing God. All powerful, untamable awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim, you are amazing God."





I can't find the words to discribe the beauty that we saw. We turned one corner and it was breathtaking, the first sight almost literally brought tears to my eyes! And one of the girls that was on the trip last year said "this is nothing, just wait" and she was right, every turn of the path as we got closer and closer it got more and more amazing! And don't worry I have plenty of more pictures.. haha I only took about 60 at the falls. And none of them will do it any justice. You can't possibly catch all this beauty in a picture.



On our way back we stopped at Ramon's house. Ramon is a man that sat next to Graham (my boss) on the plane from Brazil to Paraguay and he invited all 30 of us to his house for a BBQ! It was so good, but really who invites 30 strangers to their house for a bbq???? haha. It was great.

The team left this morning and I have one more week here. It was very hard to say goodbye to them at the airport. They are an amazing group of young ladies that God used in such powerful ways here. I don't think any of them left Paraguay the same as when they came. There was a lot of tears and some good laughs too. I know I'll keep in touch with quite a few of them. It was such a blessing getting to know them.

Gotta run. Tomorrow Lindsay and I will have a low key morning and then jump into a week of A LOT of meetings... and hopefully that includes getting tickets to the Brazil/ Paraguay game Sunday night!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!

Love you all

Soccer Clinics

I just have a few minutes to type here...let´s see what i can get in.

Wednesday we did a soccer clinic at one of the First Lady of Paraguays Community Centers. It was so much fun to get to go into a more impoverished area and play with the kids and get to see what Paraguay is really like. We were only there for about two hours but the kids had a ton of fun and at the end we got to give out the gospel bracelets. As well, I got called over by some of the girls to translate and we prayed with six or seven kids to accept Jesus! The people with the community center will follow up with these kids and were very excited. In the afternoon yesterday the girls had two games! They have now played 11 games in 9 days.

This morning we did another socccer clinic, this time in the second most dangerous neighbourhood in Asunicion!!!! We didn´t know that going in...... then our driver stopped at a police station, when I asked what was going on that´s when he told us we needed a police escort! haha! We had two cops drive behind us and while we were playing with the kids we had four cops around the outskirts of the field. And then two rode on the bus with us until we were out of the bad part. I´ve been in some bad areas in south america but that was the first time I have ever needed a police escort! It was a lot of fun though. We got off the bus and a little girl literally jumped on me! And one little girl would not let go of Morgan when it was time to go. Heart breaking

I have to run, we get a treat tonight! We´re off to a bbq restaurant! All you can eat meat.

Oh and last night we got to go to a Professional soccer game (equivalent of seeing the Canucks) It was amazing! We were special guests of the President of the Futbol Confederation of South America....yep once again on tv! hahah we´re celebrities!

I think I may have the best job in the world.....

We have done a lot since the last time I wrote....where do I start!

Sunday night the gilrs played one of the hardest teams they will this trip, against the Paraguayan National U17 team that is headed to the World Cup in October. So they are one of the best teams in South America and we sure did WIN! It was a great game played by all.

We got to spend time with the team afterwards and Janae shared her story, it really impacted the team. I had the priviledge of staying behind and translating for Bri as she shared with a player and her mom about all that Jesus has done for us, and how to have a personal relationship with him. We didn´t get to finish the conversation, as they had to leave, but both mother and daughter had a lot of questions and were adimate that we continue this conversation when we play them again on Friday.

Monday, we got to go for a tour of the National Stadium, it was incredible to see from the field and imagine the stands filled with fans, it would be insane during a soccer game! We got to go down and see the visitors dressing rooms....so I just may have sat in the same seat as Kaka and Ronaldhino (I know i spelt that wrong) haha. Any soccer fan will know who I mean.

Our game on MOnday night was a rough one for our girls. The sportsmanship on the Paraguayan team wasn´t the best. They will fall alot and scream literally like they have broken their leg and as soon as a yellow card is given out they jump up laughing!!!! It´s a little frustrating. We lost that game 3 - 1 but more important was our time with the team afterwards. Shannon shared her testimony ad Graham shared about what it means to put Jesus at the center of your life. We have cards that we had out afterwards so that people can indicate if they have accepted Jesus and every player marked down that they want more teaching about Jesus, and few prayed the prayer (including their coach). THAT is worth losing a game for!

Tuesday morning was incredible, A once in a life time thing and beyond amazing for any futbol fan! We got to go for a tour of the South American Futbol Confederation building, this is the headquarters for all of South American Futbol. Noth only did we get to go for a tour but the President of ALL of south american futbol was our guide! I even got to take my picture next to the American Cup! This is equivelent to our Stanley Cup for those of you that don´t know soccer. All the trophies and cups are in the President´s office, which is bigger than most apartments.

Last night we played abit of a lower level team....I felt bad for our 7-2 win! But our time afterwards was amazing again. Gentri and Sydney got to share with a girl as her friend Sofia (a christian) watched, and she accepted Jesus into her life!

My job is a tough one....watching peoples lives be changed by God´s amazing love! What a rough life!

On a personal note, I am having a great time. A little tired but we all our. My cold is sticking around but getting better. I am loving being able to translate for the team. I have had a few meetings that I have had to translate for and I translate for the girls when they share their stories. It amazes me everytime how I can do this! Stand infront of such big groups of people and speak a different language so easily and naturally! I can´t do it without God and He is with me each and every time.

Today is going to be a very busy day! I am up early to get a chance on the internet and we have a very early start too. We are going to a community center for street kids to do a soccer clinic, have two games right after lunch and hopefully this evening we are going to watch a men´s professional soccer game! We´ll sleep good tonight!!!!