Working at Casa da Esperança: Recife, Brazil!

Working at Casa da Esperança: Recife, Brazil!

by | Jun 6, 2018 | Brazil, SAMS Missionaries

I have been here in Recife for 2.5 weeks already and I’m LOVING it!  I am grateful that Brazilians are so warm–everyone I’ve met is extremely welcoming which has made settling in easier.

Every day I go to Casa da Esperança, the day care center where I’m working. I love Casa and am so impressed with the organization as a whole. Every day, up to 60 kids come for the whole day–7:30 am-4:30 pm and are bathed, fed 5 meals, and then do different educational activities. When they’re at Casa, the kids are safe from getting dragged into the drug industry and it enables their parents to work consistently. The children are absolutely precious. It’s been special to begin developing relationships with them. I’m mostly with the 2 year olds, and when I arrive they say, “Tia Mada! Tia Mada!!” and I get many hugs and kisses.

I’ve been able to help out with English translation in the office at Casa–they want to develop English versions of a number of media documents and I’ve been able to help by editing Google Translations. Besides Casa, I’ve also had the opportunity to lead a worship song in Portuguese/English with a Brazilian girl on Sunday–it was at the small Anglican church that meets on the day center grounds to reach the surrounding community. The picture to the right is with members of the Casa da Esperança team after working a bazaar to raise money for the day care center!

Please pray for…
1: continued improvement in my facility with Portuguese–I can get around fine, I just want to keep improving

2: blessing for Casa in their current work, and provision for the improvements and expansions of their programs toward which they’re working

3: my precious host parents Xandau and Andrezza–that they would be blessed for the incredible generosity with which they are caring for me!

4: that each child that enters the day care center daily would be surrounded by the presence of Jesus and his love for them.

Thank you for your prayers, and the support that makes my time here possible! God is so good. Living and working here is an immensely beautiful gift.

Warmly,
Madeleine

P.S. Follow me on Instagram for more photos of what I’m doing! @madeleineruch

Leaving for Recife in 5 Weeks!

Leaving for Recife in 5 Weeks!

by | Apr 18, 2018 | Brazil

April 18, 2018

Five weeks from now, I will fly out of Chicago O’Hare Airport and enter into the two month missions adventure the Lord has laid out for me! I am so eager—to be surrounded by Portuguese again, interact with the precious Brazilian children at House of Hope, meet my host family, worship at Church of the Holy Spirit, return to a place I already love and anticipate growing to love even more.

I got to spend time with a leader from Church of the Holy Spirit over Holy Week and Easter, and memories of how much I love Brazil and Brazilians flooded over me instantly. I can’t wait to be immersed in the culture once more, and take advantage of opportunities to minister the love of Jesus to a people so open to friendship and relational connection.

It has been established that I’ll be living with one of the Directors of House of Hope—the incredible day care center in Recife that I visited two years ago. It also looks like I’ll be getting involved with worship leading at the church, and will join a small group to be immersed in the church community. I’ll be going to House of Hope daily and doing whatever they need: caring for children, helping with administration, offering whatever support I can for the crucial work they’re doing.

Please pray for…

…the presence of the Holy Spirit as I navigate the last 3 weeks of school before summer. I need the Lord’s presence so much as I try to balance RA responsibilities, class finals, time with friends, and preparation for Brazil

…the final details and planning of my trip

…the power of the Lord to direct me in my prayers and passion for Recife and the community I’ll be entering into and working with

Love,

Madeleine