Overflowing

          Thursday night we gave a concert in the chapel--just Celebration Orchestra with our Brazilian friends--Life and Music Space instructors who work in the projects. Breanna is our principal, on the right, and next to her is Luzimar, one of the directors, and an excellent violinist. Left of me is Rodrigo, my stand mate from one of the other days who read the music perfectly, and also instructs kids in violin and viola. Ketty is Andre's fiance, and has been a huge help to us in translating. She and Andre are getting married in 2 weeks, but she was with us every day, helping where she could. At the end is my stand mate from Thursday evening, another Rodrigo, but as he explained it to me, he is the "beauty Rodrigo", and the other Rodrigo is the "ugly". His words, not mine!

       I wanted to add that picture because I've been so overwhelmed with the warmth and love I've felt from every one of the people involved with these projects. I know when we leave for the airport today, there will be many tears, mine included. Years ago, when I first began coming to Brazil, God put tremendous love in my heart for the people, and after I adopted my 4 Brazilian children, each time I leave, a big chunk of my heart remains in this beautiful country. 

       This week, while we've been here, there have been protests in many of the large cities, including Sao Paulo and Brasilia, our gateway city. World Cup Soccer is coming next year, and the citizens are protesting the government spending. I cannot blame them--for a long time there was virtually no middle class in Brazil, though it's growing. Our tuba player, Douglas (a pediatrician, and extremely helpful on this trip, as we've had a few minor medical problems--not me, thank the Lord) said though he lives very near to PIB, it took him 2 hours to get here the other night because of the protesters in the streets of Curitiba. Every country has its disgruntled complainers, but getting to know the Brazilian people as I have, what touches me the most is their warm hearts.

       Friday, as I wrote before, was the day of the flood, but Saturday was the most beautiful day! We even had to wear sunglasses all day. This was the day of the big Winter Concert, in the Canal da Musica Auditorium. Many different instruments were featured by the classes of kids who play them, but the big celebration was the donated instruments. Think I mentioned before that we brought 2 cellos, 4 violas, 5 violins, several trumpets, french horns, and stacks of books, reeds,valve oil,  rosin, strings, and peg oil, you name it, if it's used to maintain or repair an instrument, it was piled on the table.

A few of the donated instruments

Horn mouthpieces, valve oil, strings, rosin, peg wax,
shoulder rests,
various other donations from the GMP group.

Some of the Brazilian music teachers preparing for
our Saturday
morning concert at Canal da Musica

       

Dave, our cellist, spent much time repairing everyone's
stringed instrument.

Dave's church had a fund that they decided
to use for this mission trip. It was enough
to purchase 2 new violins, but when they
went to pick them up, the shopkeeper
gave them a third. Dave brought the photo of
his music minister with the owner of the
violin shop.

        A great cheer went up as Luzimar told the parents and children of all these donated instruments, just for them! Our GMP orchestra surrounded these donations as Luzimar prayed and dedicated them all to be used for the glory of God. Seeing this outpouring of love from the states makes me want to begin gathering donations for my next trip as soon as I get home!

       Saturday afternoon was shopping, after a lunch trip to the food court at Crystal Mall, walking distance from our hotel. These food courts serve great meals! There are buffets and "choose it yourself" pasta bars. My mouth waters at the thought of their risotto dishes. 

Andre, our wonderfully helpful bus driver, attended all of our concerts.

I want these in my garden!

       We went back to the district where we had the great pasta lunch the other day, to do our "souvenir" shopping, in the 1 1/2 hours we had free before the evening concert. While the rest of us bought little remembrances of our time in Curitiba, including many items with the Parana Pine trees on them, Camp, of course, bought DONUTS!

My stand mate, Matheus, from the projects, now also
plays with PIB church orchestra. His story will be told in
another blog.

A few of the musicians for the Saturday evening concert at PIB.

More strings! What a joy to be able to play with these children who LOVE their instruments, and also love Jesus! 

My stand mate from the older kids' string players, Giovana

       When I think that God allowed me to come to Brazil less than a year after cancer diagnosis, several surgeries, and difficult 6 sessions of chemo, my heart overflows with gratefulness. All of our Brazilian friends were so warm, loving, and appreciative of whatever help we gave them. And none of them would be playing their instruments if it was not for the vision of Paulo Davi, Worship Pastor at Primeira Igreja Batista de Curitiba-PIB-and his wonderful administrators and teachers, the three main ones being Andre, Luzimar, and Paula. It always amazes me that we Americans go on mission trips in order to give something away, and we never fail to return home with more than we gave! 

       Isn't that the way it always is with God? We think we're "allowing" Him to use us to bless others with our musical gifts, and when we get out of the way and allow Him center stage in our lives, He takes our inadequacies, plays (or sings) through us, and makes us feel as if we've received the greater blessing. To God be the glory for the great things He has done!