Hello faithful friends, thanks for checking in on us.  My apologies for our lack of entries, I (Patrick) have been sick for more than a week now with some kind of stomach virus.  I’ve been to the doctor twice and am finally feeling a LOT better now.  SO, we’ve got some “catching up” to do!

Rachel’s toe is pretty much healed, praise the lord!  She’s been anxious to be back on her feet for quite some time.  And now that she’s back in action, she’s doing her pilates again and we’ve been more active in general.

We celebrated Thanksgiving with John & Fabi and their girls at our apartment this year.  We even managed to save a box of Stove Top Stuffing for the big day.  It was a delicious meal and it was nice to have an evening to just relax and enjoy each other’s company without working.

The day after Thanksgiving, November 27th, Rachel and I celebrated our 5th anniversary.  Unfortunately I was still feeling a bit “under the weather,” so we stayed in.  But the following evening we were able to go out for a proper “romantical” dinner at one of our favorite little Italian restaurants.

This past week Rachel and I had a “close call” with our car, a dangerous one at that (and not because of the craziness of driving here in Brazil).  We were making an appointment at the doctor when a police officer came in from the street looking for the owner of the VW Gol out front.  I said it was ours, he then pointed out that gasoline was literally pouring out from the bottom of our car.  Thank God he pointed it out to us, I could only imagine what might’ve happened if we didn’t notice it and tried to start the engine! (BOOM!)  God was watching over us, clearly.  The cost to fix the car was more than we bargained for.  However, just as God kept us safe, He also provided the money for repairs.  God never ceases to amaze me with the ways that He provides.

Finally, we’re getting things ready for Christmas.  Believe it or not, Santa has been at the mall for over a month already!  I guess that’s what happens when you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and have marketing to do! 

We’re getting things ready at the House of Hope for the BIG Christmas pageant.  The kids will be performing at the House of Hope for their families and the community.  The kids have been practicing every day, practicing their Christmas carols and learning their lines.

Also, this year, for the first time ever, the House of Hope will not be closing in January!  Typically, we close for the month because all of the teachers/workers are entitled to one month of vacation.  This is great for them to get some much-needed rest, however, the children from the House of Hope usually have a hard time being away for a whole month.  When the kids come back in February, a lot of them are usually very skinny, have sores/bug bites on their bodies, and personalities are different.  This happens because many of the kids aren’t properly looked after while their home.  So, in an effort to give more consistent love and care for the kids at the House of Hope, we’ll be staying open year-round!!  We’re going to hire one or two more workers to work as “substitutes” during the year and the staff will be getting their month off one at a time through out the coming year.  Its gonna take a bit more work on all our parts, but its going to benefit the kids on a far greater scale.  These kids need structure, routine, and love, and now we can offer that year-round.