Going Home!

After the whole week on the road, we head back, and on the way we were delayed for about an hour due to an accident on the road, but that didn't quench our christmas spirits, we sat on the side of the road, got out our guitar and tracks and we sang carols and passed out tracks to everyone there also waiting for the road to be cleared. We put sun screen on as the sun was very hot, sat under some trees and patiently waited while praying for a speedy process. TTL we were out of there in good time and back on the road again.
Going home felt wonderful, we knew we had a wonderful Christmas dinner awaiting us the next day, with all our families and loved ones there. We felt accomplished. It was Christmas day.

Caroling 2007

And here's our night caroling pics, and after going to the restaurants, we'd go to the houses in the area and do some more singing. People loved it and accepted us amazingly well. It felt wonderful bringing the Christmas spirit into the houses and homes of many families. People thanked us prefusely and we'd pray with whole families to receive the greatest gift of all, and they'd gladly get our tools in order to help our work. Many would offer us drinks and munchies, which most of the time we had to refuse in order to be able to keep on going and not get stuck in one house, but at other times, when it was irresistible, we'd gladly accept it.

More Tripping!

We had so much fun this 1 week, pioneering this place, and we opened many restaurant contacts, got to meet many precious restaurant owners who look forward to having us again, besides winning many souls to the Lord this Christmas, and getting over 70 CDs out. We ate in the best restaurants, rested in a wonderful house, and in our times off in between busking, we also went to the pool, had lots of free beer , united word times with video clips and exciting new material provided by Abner from the DIT and we relaxed together.
Lance is now a little brown boy, after so many days of going to the pool and going to the beach, and Joey is in love with Brazil...I mean, who wouldn't be, with a life like this? We're so thankful to the Lord for doing it all for us, and making it so easy for us to be good and even spoiling us. What a Christmas season and wonderful Outreach method!

On The Road!

So we did our first road trip here in Brazil, Joey, Abner, Lucas, Lizi and me, and of course, we couldn't just leave Lance behind, so he went along with us. Our goal was to scout the land of a nearby tourist town for restaurant singing and caroling. And the Lord did wonders, we stayed at the beach house of one of our supporters there, with a beautiful pool, where Joey stayed with Lance during the day while the rest of us went out singing. The house was just amazing, with luscious grass all around it, where Lance spent his days barefooting around with Dada, and swimming in the fresh pool under the warm sun. The rest of us got to get up and ready ourselves for battle, with restaurants filled to the brim with tourist from all over the country, and even foreigners. These were expensive beach towns named Guarapari and Meaipe, and we sang in a nationally known restaurant for it's sea food, including the "muqueca" fish type dish which we of course indulged ourselves in. DELICIOUS!!! We also drank of the very tropical fruit juices, which for Joey was the first time," graviola with milk" and "cocoa fruit with milk", totally heavenly!
These restaurant were so expensive, though the floors were artificially covered with beach sand, in order to make the clients feel as if they were dinning in the beach, totally cool. Each dish would cost around $100 reais, and we ate there for free, as the owners were very friendly and invited us to eat with them. We'd carol for the tables at lunch hour and at dinner times, and we'd get so many applauses, and they'd all tell us how professional we were-ha! Little did the know we'd only practiced together a couple of times. PTL!

Happy Birthday Eric Lance!

After almost a month, we finally got to celebrate our darling's birthday party on the 12th of this month. The whole Argolo clan helped out and we did a simple but sweet little party for Lance. Daddy was the highlight, dressing up like a clown, it made everything look brighter. We also invited the kids in the area, and everyone had a blast, with ice-cream, cake and other little treats. Lance stuck his finger on the cake, after we put him on the table to see what he'd do. Contrary to other kids, he didn't grab everything, he ever so politely stuck only one little finger to taste it, and then gave some to Daddy who was also SUPER eager to taste some. Thanks honey, for sharing your dirty cake finger with Daddy.
Happy Birthday my love! May this be the first of many, many more beautiful birthdays mama and Dada will make for you.

Music, music....lots of music!

Chritmas season here in Vitoria is all about music. Busking, caroling, shows, band...we use music in almost every area of our outreach. We're now getting ready for a presentation on the 15th of this month of December, for about 400 people. We've been practicing for 3 days already, with another 4 days to go. The band here is quite professional, composed mostly of my brothers, they've learned to work together into a harmony never seen before in our family. I truly do feel that the music has put them together, having to forget their differences, and make a true melody....it's changed their lives. It's just beautiful to watch them perform. Even my sister who wasn't so music oriented before, now sings like a lark, with a little help with the vocals. I'm loving this musical life...surrounded by it...music, music, music!

AND THIS IS BRAZIL!

We traveled for about 3 days and 3 nights, with an excess of luggage and a baby and a guitar on our backs. Moving your whole family for the first time wasn't easy, and as soon as we got in the first plane from the blessed city of Tijuana where we lived for the past 3 1/2 years to Mexico City, I was hit with a high fever. I guess my body finally felt the weight of having to prepare the whole month before for this move. So my dear Joey (or Cronk) showed his valour and cared for everything, including our baby while I snoozed and drank some nice "cuba libre" in the air. Aaaah, now that's what I have Cronk for-ha! Thanks darling! Couldn't have made it without you!!

From MC we went to Chile, where we waited for 10 hours, as our plane was 5 hours late....Yikes! My fever only got worse, and i slumped on the airport couches for most of the time while my boys played ball in the halls. We survived!

Arriving in Rio we were quite late, but the dear brethren there were sweet enough to wait to pick us up, GBT! It felt wonderful to be back to my home country again. Portuguese all around, which made Joey grin as big as a child on his birthday. Rio was quite hot, compared to Tijuana, and we both laughed, thinking about the cold north we'd just exchanged for the fresh, warm beachy, tropicals. We had cheated winter-ha!

After a night in Rio, we took an 8 hour bus ride to little Vitoria, the city we will be calling home for as long as God wills it!

We reached the house here, and we took a deep cleansing breath "WE'RE HOME"!!

We live a block away from the beach, in a beautiful 2 stories house with a huge pool. Our God is truly Wonderful!!!

Aaaah! THIS IS BRAZIL!!!

IN YOUR HONOR!

This is my first post, after much persuasion from dear Kathy (italian chic) and dear Renee (german goddess) I finally decided blogging was ok. At least it saves me time from writing each friend and family, having to attatch pictures. Those who really love me and my family, will come here and find out about us.

So Kathy and Renee, this blog is in your honor! I love you Today!!!! Thank you for helping me get started.

Sara