New Video

We wanted to share that we have a new video!

The footage you see in the video was filmed by Felipe, in the slum where we serve in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  As you watch this short video, please pray for the many needy children living in slums all over the world.

Back to Blogging and Back to Brazil!

As you can see, I am now back to blogging and very soon we will traveling back to Brazil.

In just a few days we will be stepping into a plane and heading home.  We have spent 4 and a half months away from Brazil, which is a record time away for us!  First, we spent 3 months in Hawaii at YWAM Kona.  Felipe participated in a short term photography course run by the missions organization we serve with (Youth With A Mission).  To see photos and read more about this opportunity Felipe had, click here, here or here.

Then we spent about 6 weeks total in the Carolinas visiting family, friends and sharing about our missions work in Brazil.  Here are a few photos highlighting our time on the "mainland" - what the Hawaiian people like to call the continental USA.
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 We enjoyed lots of family time!

Both girls loved spending time with their beloved Grammy! 

Bubble baths!
We don't have a bath tub in Brazil, so the girls have enjoyed taking lots of baths in the USA.

We did not get to visit with everyone we had hoped to due to limited time, but we are very thankful for the moments we shared with special friends and various churches.

My best friend Jessica (Jessie's namesake), her husband Greg and their oldest son Luke.

Ella (Jessica's daughter) holding baby Jessie.

My best friend from college, Carrie. We had not seen each other since 2008.

Bethlehem Baptist Church in Knightdale, NC -  This sweet church body received us in their missions house.

The beautiful home, owned by Bethlehem Baptist, where we stayed in the Raleigh area. It was such a blessing to stay here!

Jessie LOVED swinging in the parks in the USA!

A photo with our dear friends the Walker Family!

We also celebrated Sophia's 3rd Birthday!

To see more photos of her birthday party click here.

Family shot!  Princess Sophia is 3 years old and Jessie is 8 months.

Felipe and I shared one Sunday at Bethesda Presbyterian in York, South Carolina. 

 

Here we are in Charleston, South Carolina at Cypress Gardens.  We enjoyed 2 days in Charleston, SC visiting my sister Elizabeth.  We really loved these gardens.  It was so peaceful!

We had a special Mother's Day celebrating with my mom, in person!  It was our first Mother's Day together in years.  My parents got a special photo with the 4 grandkids and my sister Becky and me.

Right now we are packing our bags and getting ready to travel back home.  Please pray for us as we make our way to Brazil and transition back into life there.  We are thankful for the time we spent in the USA, but ready and eager to get home and get back into a good routine with our girls.

We will be sending more updates about our work and lives soon!  We really appreciate your prayers, encouragement and support.  We are truly thankful for all who have blessed us during our time in the USA.  We could not be serving as missionaries without the partnership and support of so many.  Thank you!

Now, it is time for me to get off the computer and get busy packing our suitcases!  Pray for us!

:-)

An Adventuresome Whirlwind!

The past two weeks have been an adventuresome whirlwind for our family!

First, Sophia and I got really sick just days before flying out of Hawaii.  Sophia had a fever on and off for 5 days in a row!  We spent our last days in beautiful Hawaii quarantined in our room at YWAM Kona, trying to recover from a mean virus.  While stuck inside we were also busy cleaning and packing 3 months worth of life into our suitcases.  It is amazing how much stuff you can accumulate with kids!

Felipe officially finished the YWAM school of Photography on Wednesday, March 27th and received his certificate of completion. YAY!!!  I am proud of him!

Then the next day (which was the Thursday before Good Friday), we flew out of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.  Sophia and I were feeling a little bit better, but on traveling day Jessie woke up with a high fever.  It was a crazy busy morning as we were trying to take care of our sick baby girl while packing and cleaning our room.  We just barely finished everything in time for our noon check-out at YWAM Kona. 

We then made our way to the airport.  Jessie cried inconsolibly as we experienced the most stressful airline check-in we have ever had. Our bags were too heavy so we had to do some repacking and readjusting.  We even "donated" some of our stuff to a nice lady who worked with the airlines to make our bags lighter.  I was walking back and forth in the airport praying for grace and strength, while trying to soothe Jessie (and myself).  Felipe, who stays calm and thinks so clearly during stressful situations, handled everything for us wonderfully.  He is my knight in shining armor!  He takes good care of his girls.

The girls were troopers traveling while sick.

When we finally made it to our seats on the first airplane, Jessie was fast asleep in my arms and Felipe and I both breathed a sigh of relief.  Our bags were checked and we made it on the plane, just in time!  Whew!  Always an adventure!   Thankfully, Jessie's continual fevers ended up helping her sleep deep most of the trip.  God gave us much much grace to travel with our little girls. 
 

Sophia enjoyed playing during our layover in the Dallas Fort Worth Airport.  These photo were taken about 5:00 am Eastern Standard time and 11:00 pm Hawaii time. 

After three planes and about 16 hours of traveling we arrived in South Carolina on Good Friday morning extremely tired, but happy!  On Saturday Sophia participated in her very first Easter Egg Hunt with her two cousins, Ben and Will.  Sophia was sleepy, but still had fun!

Ben, Sophia, & Will

Sophia loved playing with the plastic eggs.  It was a new experience for her!

Counting eggs...

Grammy was so happy to have Sophia at her church Easter Egg Hunt.

On Sunday we celebrated Easter at Bethesda Presbyterian and also enjoyed spending quality time with family.  We even had another Easter Egg hunt at Grammy's house.

This week we have been doing some practical things that only can be accomplished while in the USA, like sorting through some of my old stuff (to donate it) and also dealing with insurance, my retirement plan from when I was a teacher, applying for a social security number for Jessie, and taxes. You know, really fun stuff like that...

We have been enjoying Grammy and Grandpa's house this week.  The girls are all better, but now Felipe started feeling sick.  Pray he feels better soon.

Our biggest challenge has actually been adjusting to the new time zone.  There is a 6 hour time difference between Hawaii and South Carolina.  It has taken some days, but now we are all pretty much adjusted, except for Jessie.  She is still insisting on staying up late every single night.  Fighting jet-lag is really challenging with a baby!  We have all been quite sleepy this week.

One of the highlights of the week was a fun family outing to a children's museum called Edventure.   There were lots of educational activities in the museum to help children experience learning through play. 

Sophia and Felipe enjoyed playing at the museum!
  

This weekend I also have some very special plans.  My college roommate, whom I have not seen in years, is coming to visit me.  I am very happy about this little reunion and look forward to catching up with her.

WHAT'S NEXT???

Next week we travel again!
We are driving my mom's mini-van up to the Raleigh area and will be there until the end of April. We will be staying in a guest house at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Knightdale, NC.  God really provided this lodging for us, and we feel extremely blessed by His provision.

If you want to get together over a meal or cup of coffee while we are in town or if you want to invite us to speak at your church, small group or Bible Study, please get in touch with us by email: laura.felipe.matias@gmail.com.

We are enjoying the adventures God is blessing us with and we look forward to making more meaningful memories as we spend our spring in the Carolinas. 

 FYI:  Blogging Break
 Also, just a little notice that I will be taking a blogging break during the next weeks.  I want to focus on spending quality time with family and friends and will be spending less time online during this season in the USA.  If there are less blog posts that means I am occupied spending time with special people, but I will be back very soon to share more news, stories, reflections and updates.

The Exhibition

The School of Photography that Felipe has been participating in is coming to an end.
To commemorate the end of this season, the students displayed their best pieces of photography (taken during the past three months) at an art and photography exhibition here at the YWAM Kona campus.

Felipe and his fellow classmates spent most of Friday prepping and setting up for the exhibition.

 

Ginta from Latvia.

Gjermund from Norway.

These are a few photos Felipe printed and set up to display at the exhibition.

Meanwhile, I was in our room tending to a pitiful and sick Sophia.  Mid-day Sophia suddenly came down with a high fever.  During Felipe's lunch break we took her to the YWAM Health Clinic where she saw a doctor, we then gave her medicine, she napped and thankfully she began feeling a little better by late afternoon.

The photography and art exhibition ran from 6:00 until 9:00 in the evening. Here are some shots from the event. 

The YWAM School of Illustration displayed their amazing art!
 

Lots of people came to check out the exhibition.

Each student stood by their photography.

Anna from Texas.

Masha from Russia.

Felipe with his photography display.  He spoke with many people during the night, especially the Brazilians who are here at YWAM Kona. 

Felipe also created this slideshow of photos to show at the exhibition.  It is quite impressive! Check it out!

Here is also a little personal project Felipe did for fun. Take a look at this time-lapse photography of a volcano, revealing one of the many wonders of Hawaii!

At the end of the Exhibition this excellent group shot of the students and staff of the 2013 School of Photography was taken by school leader, Dennis Fahringer.

To congratulate Felipe on the completion of this photography course, the girls and I got him a little balloon and doughnuts, one of Felipe's favorite American treats.

I am proud of Felipe and his accomplishments! 

He has been challenged and has grown as a photographer through participating in the YWAM School of Photography.  We totally recommend this school, so if you want to grow in the Lord and in your own photography skills, click here to check out this awesome YWAM school.