To Sleep in Brazil

On my Multiply site, you can see where I have posted the lyrics of Brazilian lullabies bi-lingually for my Portuguese class. There are also short explanations of each song. They were given the CD's at the beginning of the semester, but I did not give them the lyrics.

As the weeks go by, the are able to access more of the lyrics to explain what they have been hearing as they listened. I only have 3 songs listed so far. I think you might really enjoy them.

Spring Break in Planning

I talked to Leslie tonight, and it looks like we will be meeting in Saltillo on Friday, March 10. She needs to travel to Saltillo to turn in some papers for her magisterial work, so I am currently planning to drive there to meet her. We would stay with her uncle's family and then drive to Torreón/Gómez Palacio.

I am looking forward to that trip. I will hopefully remember to take my camera along this time so I can take pictures of beautiful sites along the way, and also have some better photos of Leslie to show you. That Wednesday night I am have been asked by the pastor of Leslie's church to speak to the church about missions. I don't know yet how I will focus a single half-hour period when I studied missions for seven years, but I trust the Holy Spirit to help me prepare and lead me as I speak.

If you would like to see more photos of Leslie and me, you can visit my photo page.

Am I Going to Teach?

Today I finally was able to mail in the application for the program I Teach Texas. If I am able to get accepted, I will be able to take a job teaching Spanish in the public schools in Texas as soon as a job opens up. I would have to teach for a year with supervision, and then I would be certified to teach Spanish. I pray that God will open up this opportunity.



I have also applied to a second alternative certification program called Teach for America. This program sends teachers-in-training to a low-income school in the U.S. to teach for two years. They say this program is really challenging because you are sent to one of the hardest, and sometimes most violent schools in the nation. I think my chances of getting accepted are not to high.

If I were to begin teaching in the public schools, that sure would help me to get stablized financially. I pray that this will work out, but I trust the Lord will take care of me regardless. He is faithful.

La casa de Tio Saul

Brian and Leslie in the front entrance of the house.

. . . more photos at http://bdh98a.multiply.com/photos

Blitz Trip to Saltillo

Hey Guys,

Back to the exciting trip to Saltillo... Two weeks ago on Saturday night I was talking with Leslie, and she told me that the next weekend she was going to need to travel to the capital of the state she teaches in to straighten out some things for her magisterial (post-graduate teacher's) degree. I got the crazy idea that I could spend the next week working and getting ready and maybe drive down to meet her in Saltillo to visit her and her Uncle Saul (with whom she was going to stay).

Near the end of our conversation, she told me that I may not have understood the dates of her trip correctly, but, "I am leaving tomorrow." WOW! I was a week off in my calculations. By that bit of information, that meant that I would have to leave in like... 8 hours from that moment instead of 8 days. And the drive to Saltillo from Abilene, about 13 hours.

Well, I pack up, shut my eyes for a few moments, and set out the next morning. We had a marvelous long weekend there with her brother Oscar and her Uncle Saul's family. It was freezing cold up in the mountains (Saltillo is a mile-high city like Denver). One night it got down to about 25ºF.

My trip was also beautiful because I passed over several huge mountain ranges along the way. The trip down there I crossed the mountains by moonlight, and I cannot even begin to tell the majesty of those moonlit mountain silhouettes at night.

Leslie and I are very thankful to God for the trips he has allowed us to make this semester to spend time together. I plan to travel to Gómez Palacio again in March to spend a week with her family and church. God has been good.

My Mentors

Peggy and Jorge

We had a leadership breakfast this morning with the leaders of our church, and I took this picture of Jorge and Peggy there. Beautiful couply, aren't they!

You should click on the images and see them full size; they are pretty neat.
Debe de clicar en las fotos para ver el tamaño original; son muy interesantes.

Ice a Comin'

Have you ever had the desire to just get up and leave the country? Well, I had that desire last Thursday night, and I'll have to tell you all about it. I had an amazing trip to Saltillo, Mexico. There are details you won't want to miss.

We are supposed to have ice here tonight and tomorrow. I don't currently have my camera, but I plan to go pick it up in a few minutes. I hope that if ice falls, I can take some pictures for you so that you can see what an ice storm looks like here in West Texas. In the meantime, I am going to bundle up and stay warm.

God's Amazing Provision Today

As I have been learning to trust the Lord fully to provide for me financial in this new phase of my life, he keeps pouring on blessings. His miraculous work in my life has been far beyond my wildest imagination. After I made a weekly tithing commitment to the Lord for this year based on an estimated salary that I had no promise of receiving, he spoke through a sister-in-Christ three weeks ago at our life group meeting on Wednesday night. As my group prayed over me on behalf of my girlfriend's health, Sister Cathy received a word from God and said it to me in the presence of the others. The Lord had showed her that He would provide for me financially in ways that I could not even imagine. I just needed to walk in complete trust. The Lord has answered that prayer over and over in ways that I truly never imagined.

1. The next day, Thursday, I received an email from one of my students requesting to have private Portuguese classes separate from the class, and she was willing to pay the extra costs.
2. The day after that I was contacted by another student who wanted me to begin to teach him Spanish. Again, unexpected income.
3. This week a brother-in-Christ who has noticed my need for a new car bought me a more recent automobile! (he chooses to remain anonymous) I was flabbergasted! I could only give praise to God!
4. And yesterday I found out that I might be able enter a program very soon that would certify me to teach Spanish in Texas, and I could begin teaching as soon as I find a job opening in Texas. I would stay here for a year through that process before possibly moving to Mexico.

I had felt almost hopeless about getting a good job because of my lack of specialization in my studies, but God is opening the doors! I can't thank him or praise him enough. May he receive all the glory! His is faithful to provide abundantly when we fully turst in him. May you be encouraged with these words.

The Muslim-American Dream

Thank you guys for the responses you made about the purpose of life. I can see that you have had your eyes opened to God's glory and the exciting purpose and promise he has for you.

I have come across something else that is very interesting. This video is about Texan Muslims who have converted from popular Christianity. Most of them from deep denominational roots. Take a look at this video and lets talk about what this reveals about "popular Christianity" in America. Listen to what the Muslims say about their reasons to convert, and listen to the shallow, uncompassionate responses that Christians give to the questions the interviewer asks.

I found this article on a friend's blog in Massamá, Portugal: Igreja Simples, by Nuno Barreto