Blessings in Bosomtwe & Beyond

Living in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Life here in Luxemburgo (neighborhood), Belo Horizonte (city), Minas Gerais (state), Brazil is so much different than in the 'bush' village setting of Amakom (village), Ashanti region (state/region), Ghana, Africa.  Pictured here is the tower I can see from our house on the mountain in the Belvedere area of Belo Horizonte.  At the top of the tower is Hard Rock Cafe - so surreal to think we are in such a mega city from having just lived in a small African village.  We moved into our house this week, and it's so nice to be able to cook and have all the trunks and boxes unpacked! We are working from a distance to complete our commitments at the clinic in Ghana, which should be completed either this month or next.  Currently we need about $6,000-8,000 to be debt free with the work.  Thanks for your patients as we have been moving and not communicating as frequently.  Having 'our place' and internet has stabilized our situation greatly.

Back in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Juliana and I left Belo Horizonte, Brazil seven years ago, and returned one week ago.  I moved here in 2000 and served as the pastor of the English congregation at Igreja Batista da Lagoinha while Ju was finishing her residency in Pediatrics.

Our time in Ghana ended abruptly, and rather traumatically in October. Often we are asked why (of which we wrote in detail in the previous posts) but it has come to the point that we are comforted in the fact that we were able to complete the project sooner than we expected. It was during Debriefing and Renewal at Mission Training International in Colorado earlier this month, that both of us realized that God accomplished through our partners/through us at Lake Bosomtwe what we thought would take 5-10 years, in really only 2 years on-site in Amakom. During the time at MTI we did received renewal from our Father, it was needed and so good!

Thank you for your prayers for our family during this time of transition!

After one week in Brazil, the kids are doing well and their Portuguese is improving rapidly (as well as mine).  We are so grateful for the leadership of The Mission Society for their wisdom and guidance during this time. During our time in Colorado at MTI we were able to meet with leadership of The Mission Society and were just blessed beyond words as the love and understanding they extend toward our family.  God is healing the wounds of this unpredictable exit from Ghana, and unexpected blessing of returning to Brazil in ministry.