Title: Our fans are waiting
Body: Bon Dia! This is Abby Goins, one of the "leaders" on this adventure…or otherwise affectionately known as "Big Mama" from many of the girls. I tell people all the time that I really do have the best job in the world – in being on staff at a church in Dallas, I get to hang out with college girls and watch them walk and grow in their relationships with Christ. Well…this week has just confirmed that even more. To all the parents reading this blog, you all should be so proud of each one of your children! One of the best parts of this week, for me, has been watching how these college students have loved and served these people on the Amazon, so selflessly. Whether it's through making a silly balloon hat for a small child to wear through the village (that thinks it's the coolest thing ever), or providing eye glasses so a woman in her later years can actually read for the first time in a long time, to pampering the women – braiding their hair and painting their toenails, making them feel beautiful and cherished for probably the first time in their lives…these college students are AMAZING and I feel so privileged to be a part of this team!
Body: Bon Dia! This is Abby Goins, one of the "leaders" on this adventure…or otherwise affectionately known as "Big Mama" from many of the girls. I tell people all the time that I really do have the best job in the world – in being on staff at a church in Dallas, I get to hang out with college girls and watch them walk and grow in their relationships with Christ. Well…this week has just confirmed that even more. To all the parents reading this blog, you all should be so proud of each one of your children! One of the best parts of this week, for me, has been watching how these college students have loved and served these people on the Amazon, so selflessly. Whether it's through making a silly balloon hat for a small child to wear through the village (that thinks it's the coolest thing ever), or providing eye glasses so a woman in her later years can actually read for the first time in a long time, to pampering the women – braiding their hair and painting their toenails, making them feel beautiful and cherished for probably the first time in their lives…these college students are AMAZING and I feel so privileged to be a part of this team!
One of the jokes this week….we have all gotten a small glimpse of what celebrities feel like and even though it may be for a moment and in a country we can't speak the language and the Brazilians have NO idea who we really are…we are rock stars to them! Every village we have entered, we are greeted by hundreds of kids…waiting at the boat for us to get off. As we unload the boat with the supplies for the day, there are crowds watching and following our every move. We have even had kids waiting at the boat for hours…while we eat lunch and have our daily siestas in our hammocks. As we were entering the village yesterday, I couldn't help but laugh as I turned around and saw the sea of Brazilians (mostly children) following us. I know that we look different and talk differently (which has something to do with the fame each day) but what I realized yesterday is that even though there is a huge language barrier and we can't communicate with one another, there is still something different about us and the Brazilians see that. They are drawn to us, not because of who we are or what we can do(even though Michael would like to think it is because of his mad soccer skills)…they are drawn to us because of the One we love and who brought us here. The One that loves these people as much as He loves us…and what a week it has been sharing His love with these people of the Amazon.
As I am sitting here writing this post, I am listening to the sounds of our team laughing over breakfast and enjoying each other's company. We all just sang Happy Birthday to Sarah…what a way to celebrate a birthday!! We are starting to dock up to our last village of the trip…to give it all we have. Looks like another fun and exciting adventure awaits us today. We need to go get busy…our fans are waiting!
PS – Husband, I love you and miss you. Mom and Dad, it's been a great week and call you when we land in the states.
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