Hey,
I am writing to you from the Airport in Rio and when you receive this, I will most likely be in Germany already… I have to say, I am very happy about that but I also do have a crying eye. I actually tried to extend my stay in Brazil. I went through all the things to get ready to stay three more months, but at the last moment, the Police Officer told me that actually Germany is crossed off from the list of countries that are able to extend longer than 90 days during the stay. Unfortunately, this information was not made public, since apparently it’s a fairly new law (two years or so). Now that I know I am leaving, I am happy for what is to come.
I am currently looking at many options of what to do next, There is so much. But at the moment, I am entertaining the thought of returning to Brazil at the beginning of next year for another three months (I have to be out of the country for the next 3 months). I am having the sense that I should do a time of service and here I could get involved with one or more ministries that we have worked with during my time here. Until then I would get involved with some ministries in Europe. First, I will take a two weeks break and in this time I will figure out the rest of the year. But I am very excited for all the things God has done and what’s to come. And I am very happy to be back in ministry after my sabbatical. It’s just so much fun and life-giving and I am loving to see what God is doing in and through me and in people all over the world.
The last month of the outreach was a little more calm, but we went on to teach about counseling and Plumbline (the counseling tool I spoke about before) in another DTS. Also I had the wonderful privilege of having parts of my family visiting for a weekend.
We also had counseling sessions that helped us to grow in this area, which I am very excited about because I am sure this is one of the amazing tools God has given me for my ministry.
This last week the school was already finished and the team went their separate ways… My way led me to visit an old friend from Rio, Rafael. We had an amazing week in that we could be an up-building encouragement to each other. I had the chance to preach in a Church and also to a group of young teenagers in a football ministry, and Rafael translated. We also had some fun visiting “the famous places”, because last time I was here I got very sick and we couldn’t do anything like that.
So please pray for me that I can understand and follow God’s plan for the next steps. I am very excited about it.
I see it as a little accelerator back into ministry, so I have some momentum for the next long-term thing…
Thank you so much,
Raphael
I thought I add a couple pictures reflecting Gods beauty here in Brazil:
