Four years ago, we went to Brazil and met Ted & Claudia, American missionaries who were part of the organization for which we volunteered. They’re also sponsored by our home church in Northridge. They are such an enthusiastic, fun, God-loving couple. They’re back in the States for a bit and happened to be up here in the Northwest, so we got to meet up for ice cream and coffee.

They looked exactly the same as I remember them. It was like no time had passed since we had last seen them. They’re the type of people who make you instantly feel comfortable. It’s so encouraging to hear that they are still following God’s leading in their lives. Both of their sons are grown up now, and rather than sitting back and retiring, Ted & Claudia are forging ahead to the next phase of their life–to Spain. They had always hoped to work with Muslims, and had originally planned to do that long ago. But then an opportunity came for them to go to Brazil. Muslim countries are more open to Brazilians than to Americans, so in a way, Ted and Claudia are fulfilling their desire.

While in Brazil, Ted encouraged and provided support to Brazilians to become missionaries to Muslim countries while Claudia took on a leadership role at an American-Brazilian school, attended by many missionary kids. Now, there are so many Brazilians working overseas that Ted and Claudia will move even closer to them to provide support. They’ll be in a central location to meet up with a lot of Latino missionaries, as well. Claudia will spend a lot of time learning Spanish, as well as meeting with the wives of the missionaries, many of whom need some sort of guidance for their children’s education.

Talking to them made me realize that Matt and I are far from being settled in. If God opens up some doors elsewhere, it would be great to go somewhere else. Yet, at the same time, we’re looking to buy a house here and settle in…but we are far from getting old and planting our roots too deeply.

On the way home, Matt and I reminisced about our days in Brazil and how we’d like to go back one day–hopefully sooner than later. There were so many people who were extremely hospitable to us, and we see how we should extend a welcome to other people traveling here. People there were so gracious to take me in, even when we could not speak the same language. I learned so many lessons there. It may be time to dig out my journal and revisit those lessons. Ah, estou com saudade por brasil!