Changes

Alicia, Anabel and Jessica

VBS Program 2008

If you would ask our 3 girls to pick their favorite event of the WHOLE year, I am absolutely sure it would be Conference and VBS. There isn't anything quite like having a ball with their fellow MK's that they only get to see once or twice a year. Mix that with 5 days of lessons, crafts, games, snacks (from the US!), prizes, competitions, and LOADS of other activities, there isn't anything that even comes close. The memories are priceless.

Jessica pulled out all the stops and earned the grand prize in the teen girl's category for verse memorization (and a bunch of other stuff)...a new MP3 player. Except for recharging it, she hasn't been without it since...

Jessica is also headed for some big changes in her life. For that matter, so are we! On the 22nd of January our soon-to-be-15-year-old is moving to Fortaleza (a 4 hour bus ride from Mossoró) to study at the same high school where Ken graduated from just over 20 years ago.

Jessica and Ellie (who has taken on the incredible challenge of being "dorm mom"!)

For Jessica there will be new classmates (currently there are only 3 - 9th graders at Fortaleza Academy)...doing all her studies in English (she has studied all her subjects in Portuguese since 1st grade)...participating in a new church, and living with a new "family". Ellie, a missionary collegue, has offered to board Jessica while she studies at FA.

Did I mention we are ALL in for a few changes? It won't be 5 minutes after she is gone and I will feel like my right arm has been cut off, so, the adjustment will be mutual. Talk about tough to let go. I don't think I even need to ask anyone to pray...it's a given!

Well, whatta ya know...

I won!!!

Alicia and I with one of the store's managers

Our local grocery store has a drawing at the end of the year for everything from bicycles to microwave ovens to TV's and even a motorcycle. Alicia filled out my coupons (one for every R$ 20 purchase) and put them in the giant bin at the store. She confessed to me later that she would spin the bin around and look to see if she could see any of our coupons. :)

While we were at conference (see previous post) we got a phone call from the grocery store letting us know that my name had been drawn for the 4th prize...a DVD player. Frankly, I was more excited that my name had been drawn than I was about actually winning a prize! So, today I took my professional coupon filler-outer-bin-spinner to the store with me to get our picture taken and pick up our prize. Not bad, huh!

The BIG Catch

Ellie helped me "bring it in"

We arrived at our mission's conference on Friday afternoon. The kids are more than thrilled to get to ride horses, swim, hang out with their friends, VBS and FISH.

Anabel wanted to go fishing so bad, so I went along with her and helped bait the hook and hold the pole (she was too scared). Finally after lots of whining about no fish taking our bait, she was convinced she didn't have the gift for fishing.

Not to be discouraged, I stuck it out and in less than 5 minutes had my CATCH! The hotel took it up to the restaurant to be fried for supper. My first fish ever. What excitement!

Recently a friend (who REALLY likes to go fishing) wrote asking what KIND of fish it was. I am pretty dumb when it comes to what KIND of fish...silly me...I thought it was a FISH fish. After asking around I found out that it was probably a "tilapia" of which I had no idea what the English translation would be for that. This is what he discovered on this particular "brand" of fish...

After doing a little internet research on your fish I think what you caught might be a "tilapia". Tilapias are actually native to Africa but have been exported to many other places in the world including Brazil. They are sometimes raised on fish farms for food.

And now here is something I found that is really interesting about this fish. It is also known as "St. Peter's Fish" and is said to be the type of fish that St. Peter caught when Jesus ordered him to go to the sea and cast out a hook and take the first fish he caught and look in the mouth of the fish for money with which St. Peter was to go and pay Jesus's and St.Peter's taxes with. The Bible reference is Matthew 17:27.

Now, if I had known that I could have payed my taxes by catching these guys, I would have been out there all night!!!
Poor fishy...

MILESTONES!

Our FIRST 9th grade graduating class

...remember finishing Jr. High?

ALPHA's humble beginning in 2000 started with 10 students - pre-school through 2nd grade. Each year since then, we have added one new grade. This month, we released our first class of 9th graders to go forth and take over the world. We do not offer the three years of Brazilian High School at this time. One day this may change, but for now we are committed to excelling in the 4 pre-school classes and the additional 9 grades.

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Having grown from 10 to 250 students (in 7 years) means that every single year were were multipying. Though this was strategic and needfull, we are now focusing on driving down pilings/roots that will equip ALPHA to be a powerfull light in Mossoró and beyond over the next decades.

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Christmas 2007

Christmas Concert - 2007

Jessica and I participated in a Christmas Concert this December. It was the first of it's kind that I am aware of. Musicians from the Conservatory and University (choir and orchestra) performed 10 sacred pieces for members of the university faculty and friends of the musicians.

Here is just a wee video (forgive the quality!!!) of one of the songs. Jessica is to the left of the yellow folder and I am on the end of the front row.

The Christ Is Life Church held it's Christmas program on the 23rd. Lots of visitors came out and enjoyed the program put on by the Sunday School department and directed by two of the teachers. Cookies, coffee and tea were served afterwards while people stayed around to visit.

Sunday School kids reciting Luke 2

Jessica, Alicia and Lori playing "Away in a Manger"

Party Time

The ALPHA Staff of 2007 (with spouses and significant others)

December 13th is a local holiday here in Mossoró. For that reason, we end ALPHA's classes on the 12th so we don't have to go back to classes after the holiday. It also makes for a really convenient day to have ALPHA's staff party. No classes, no "other jobs", no distractions and a whole day to get ready for the thing!!!

The ALPHA Staff Christmas Party is our team's opportunity to honor this really hard working bunch of people. This year the party was held at our house (the Stucky team members each take turns...this was our year).

The MENU

Appetizer - Cheese and Meat cubes with crackers, Fruit table, Egg Nog

Main Course - Spaghetti with a choice of red sauce with meat, carbonara sauce (see recipe below!!!) or cheese sauce

Salad with Ranch Dressing

Garlic Bread

And of course, we get to feast on the left-overs for a few meals, which is one well-deserved bonus for knocking ourselves out for such a thing as this. :)

CARBONARA SAUCE

Fry till crisp and set aside:

2 packages of bacon cut up into tiny bits

In large sauce pan melt:

4 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Whisk in:

4 Tbsp. flour

Whisk in:

2 cups milk

Cook till thick. Add:

1/2 cup Parmesean Cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Just before serving add:

bacon

Serve over hot pasta tossed with olive oil.

It's one of our favorites!!!

OOOPS! Spoke Too Soon!

Alicia with birthday cake and rose. Happy 11th!!!

Every year I say that I just can't handle the stress any more. Don't know how on earth I can possibly do another one of these programs. The day before each presentation I wake up with stomach cramps and once even had a migraine. Just too much.

Well, we had our 2nd performance of previously said musical and it went off pretty well. We had a jam packed house. More people than you can possibly count. At the end of the program, Ken thanked each of the teachers who had been a key part of getting the show put together.

After that Ken and I had arranged to call Alicia up on stage to give her a rose and a gift in honor of her birthday, after which I hopped down to where I had been directing the musicians. When, lo and behold, he motioned me to go back up...and look what I got! Yes, I counted and there really are 12. :)

My family...the people who put up with me the most when I didn't deserve to be put up with. They are the ones who deserve most of the credit!

So, am I going to do it again? Probably. I have a really bad memory. :)