Hello, my friends from toasty Manacapuru, this is the update covering August 2020!
Life here is going on rather smoothly. We continue to have full schedules with teaching online. I must admit, I am ready for some face to face with students! They are handling it well. Nayara and Patricia’s business is going strong and the students are doing very well.
Depending on my travel plans we are looking to begin the English Project for 2 of the night classes soon. The large beginner class will start up hopefully in February dividing them into two smaller classes.
Speaking of travel plans, we are still waiting to see if the US will remove the travel ban for Brazilians. I can come home, and I can return to Brazil but as of this moment, Nayara is unable to travel with me. We will be making the decision soon. The options are (1) for me to come home Sept 18 and return Oct 17th. During this time, Nayara has a scheduled trip home for a family event. Option (2) is for us to wait until the last of October and the first of November and see if the border status changes. There are some little concerns here with schedules and not to mention if the weather turns colder – we don’t have warm clothes! Option (3) wait and come home next year. We are continuing to pray about it all.
If I do get to travel home, I am not planning on doing any large gatherings to talk about the project. I will be contacting you to see if we can have a phone appointment. I want to hear your voices and tell you about what is going on!
I am continuing to work on the curriculum – a slow process for me! And we are in the process of reviewing all our material to make corrections and changes. We always want to improve what we are doing!
I am working on getting the brochure I usually print out and give to everyone in a digital format….like an e-book, flipbook type thing. This will decrease cost and time for sure. We are also looking into different subject areas to make into e-books for our students.
I am also working on getting a curriculum ready to help students get ready to take the TOEFL exam. TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is necessary for students who wish to go to school or in some cases work in the US. One of Patricia’s students is taking this exam and has many questions. Well, that got me to thinking and researching. All of this is in the beginning stages, my first step is to get the curriculum together, go through it with Nayara and Patricia, have them take the exam, and reevaluate the curriculum. If it all looks good then we are thinking about offering a 1-day workshop on preparing for the TOEFL. In our “neck of the woods,” these kinds of workshops are rare. This is just another way to help bless and encourage the precious people here.
The online classes are going well. I am working with some of the Amazonas.Languages students. It has been fun watching them improve. It is a little difficult doing this online, but they are troopers and doing well.
Nayara and I are doing great, thank you, Jesus! We are working well here in the Mission House. The church is now meeting again and Nayara is ministering on the Praise Team. I have not yet made the jump to go back to church. Children and people over 60 have been encouraged not to attend. Everyone is very understanding. I am not in fear, just exercising caution. Praise God the numbers are not going crazy here with the virus, but we continue to be diligent in being careful.
This last month, the focus has been on the fact that God hears. I am so grateful that during these crazy days, we are never truly alone. As a believer in Him, He is always present. He has heard our prayers, our concerns, our heartaches, and our joy. That reality has greatly encouraged my heart. During September, the focus is on the fact that God Delivers! Hallelujah! I look forward to what He is going to do in and through us in September.
I am continuing to stand in prayer for you and your family. Thank you for your prayers and support during this interesting year. If there is something we can be praying specifically about, please drop me an email. It would be an honor to join you in prayer.
Bless you my friends,
Lisa
