Greetings from Rio!
I want to begin by thanking all those of you who have been praying for me over the past 9 months. I don’t think any of us expected that my journey to Rio would take quite so many turns or take quite so long. I am certain that God was using that time for his purposes here in Rio, in the hearts and minds of the students and faculty at ICS-Rio, in the States building the faith of my support network, and, most especially, working within me so that I would be prepared to depend fully on him… However, the time of waiting and preparation is over, and the time of service has begun.
Auspiciously, I arrived in Rio just two days before the long, Easter weekend. I feel blessed to have had these past few days to get situated in my apartment, to get to know some of my colleagues, and to get a basic feel for the city itself. As a former city-girl, I didn’t expect to be quite so overwhelmed by the size and scope of the Rio, but, with all its turns and corners, it makes Chicago look incredibly well-planned and organized.
Yesterday, I celebrated Easter at an English-speaking church located on the same campus as the school where I work. As part of the service, each worshipper placed a flower within a specially-framed cross at the front of the church. The flowering cross was meant to be a symbol of the resurrection—taking something horrific, Christ’s death on the cross, and making it into something beautiful, the redemption of the world. It was a lovely element of the service.
After church, I was blessed to meet up with some old family friends from my father’s tour of duty in San Diego. Our former Associate Pastor from Mt. Miguel Covenant Church, Wainer Guimaraes, his wife, Magui, and his youngest son, Peter, have been living in Rio for the past eight months and planting an Evangelical Covenant Church. I was able to join them for Easter Dinner and a driving tour of the city. Our conversations together reminded me that God’s plans are amazing in their scope and intricate in their execution.
Living in Rio is extraordinarily expensive, more so than I expected anyway, and especially with the current value of the dollar being low. If you have made a commitment to help support me during my time here in Rio or are willing to make a commitment, please do check on the Ministry Support Team link in the right-hand column for procedural information. Please also note that you can now set up automatic monthly payments or make a one-time gift online at the NICS webpage. I was reminded by a colleague the other day that fund-raising for missions work is a faith-building enterprise, not just for the missionary who depends upon the support but also for the giver.
I’ve updated my mailing address in my Contact Info section (also in the right-hand column). You can still send items for me to the school, but I am told that mail delivery to my apartment address will be more reliable. Also, please note that anything you send will go through customs and may be (probably will be) opened. Mail delivery generally takes 2 – 4 weeks from the United States, and, upon rare occasions, mail does go missing, never to be seen again…
Here’s the address:
Amy Christenson
Ed. Firenze
R. Zoila De Abreau Teixeria
BL H2, Apt. 101
Barra da Tijuca
CEP: 22631-380
Rio de Janeiro- RJ Brazil
I’ve added another section to the right-column which for now, I’ve labeled “Mercenary Requests”. It is a wish list of sorts for those of you interested in sending me interesting mail. Like I mentioned above, a lot of necessary things are priced as luxury items here in Rio, things like sunscreen and bug-spray. I will be updating this section regularly as needs come to my attention.
Current Prayer Requests:
1) For the three teachers still in the States awaiting final approval and/or processing of their visas. It has been a long wait for them. Please pray that they would not be discouraged, that they might still feel convicted in their call to service in Rio, and that their paperwork would be expedited.
2) For me, that I might dedicate myself to the study of Portuguese. Obviously, a better understanding of the language would make it easier to negotiate my way around the city and increase my safety, and, perhaps more importantly, it would help me to build relationships with my Brazilian neighbors, most of who have no English.
3) For my first week of teaching. After all, I’m slightly out of practice, and it will be a difficult transition for my students so late in the academic year.
4) For my health and the health of the other teachers and students. I’ve arrived in Rio right in the middle of a Dengue Fever epidemic. Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes and there are no actions that you can take to prevent it, other than wearing copious amounts of bug-spray (I’ve already used half a bottle) and keeping your windows closed (really not practical in the heat). Dengue is rarely fatal but hugely uncomfortable and inconvenient.
5) For Juliana, my substitute teacher for the past eight months, as she recovers from Dengue.
6) For my mother, back in the States, as she deals with serious health concerns. And for the rest of the family, as well, that we can know how best to support her and one another as we deal with those concerns.
7) That God might complete a mighty work here in Rio.
I will do my best to update regularly.
With love and prayers,
Amy
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Psalm 71: 5
“All will be well and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.” –Julian of Norwich