Spring Break 2009 (Lee Behr)

Lee, Anna, a teacher, Brynna, Kara, Rachel and the kids from the community (and Jacob)

Lee was one of the students that participated in the SR Mission Trip in March. Below are her words describing the experience.

It was Spring Break 2009 and six of my classmates, my math teacher (and FCA sponsor) and her husband made a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our hope was to make a difference in the lives of kids living in an orphanage. Our goal was to form a relationship with them in the short time we were there, just one week. We also hoped to open their eyes, ears and hearts to life’s possibilities through a shared faith. At least, we wanted to love each kid, knowing that God’s love shines through us to others. This was the first time I had been on a mission trip. I was nervous about going, not knowing what to expect. Plus, is this how I really wanted to spend my Spring Break? Looking back on the experience, I can’t imagine having spent the week any other way. When I was with the kids at Reame, I saw God at work. I could see it in their eyes and feel it through their love and receptiveness of an American stranger. It was an eye-opener in many ways and it was difficult to imagine what some of these kids had been thorough before coming to the orphanage. Many of their stories were heartbreaking and tragic, and yet the strength and happiness I witnessed among these kids was really inspirational. I returned feeling less self-centered and more willing to share love unconditionally. It strengthened my personal relationship with God and allowed me an opportunity to meet people in their own environment and on their own terms concerning faith. Although none of us spoke Portuguese, except for a few words and phrases, communication wasn’t really a problem. We played games and soccer, tie-dyed t-shirts, sang and did skits. It was truly a life changing experience for me. The chance to return can’t come soon enough.

Time Warp (Russ and Kara)

Kara and I again recently had the pleasure of spending a week with Jeremy, Jason, and Kristin. This time was a bit different in that we brought with us seven of Kara's students from Woodward Academy. The trip was a big success in a number of ways- we learned several lessons about how best to bring teams in to fully experience Rio and Sombra Road, the students' were pushed to consider things beyond the bubble in which they typically live, and we all had a really great time enjoying all that Rio has to offer. One of the most exciting things about the trip for me, though, was the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what Sombra Road is all about in a one-week "time warp." When we arrived at the Sombra Road House, we were introduced to the newest addition to the SR House, Adilio, who had just moved to Rio and was now living at the SR House. As you can imagine, he was a bit intimidated by our group and was very hesitant to engage. He spoke almost no English, and our group spoke very limited Portuguese, so any conversation that first day was very limited. According to Jeremy, he was extremely uncomfortable and really questioned how much he wanted to be around our group that week. What we witnessed over the following days, in my mind, sums up what Jeremy, Jason, and Kristin are in Brazil to do. As the walls between us began to come down, we were able to see this young man bloom from being fairly quiet, removed, and hesitant to laughing, joking, and engaged in a way that none of us would have imagined after that first day. I feel really fortunate to have seen in a very tangible way what Jeremy, Jason, and Kristin are accomplishing in the lives of so many Brazilian youth- showing them with their lives how much they are loved by God and witnessing the transformation that occurs when young people grab a hold of that. I came away more excited than ever about the impact that Sombra Road continues to have in Rio.