Hello from Brazil

Sorry for the lapse in posting anything. The internet connection I have tonight is actually an unsecured one that I could tap into from my bedroom. We're awaiting our own internet access. We arrived safely in Brazil this past Wednesday and have settled in pretty well. I'm sitting up in my bed with the bedroom window open from our downtown apartment on the 13th floor, and I can see lights out my windows from the city below. It's amazing! We are doing very well.

So far, we have experienced grocery shopping, visiting the local padaria (bakery) and even to some specialty stores in the couple of blocks close to our apartment. Everyone we meet is very friendly, even though we are quite obviously unable to communicate apart from the very small handful of words we know now.

On Saturday we visited the private school that our four children will be attending. They start at this bilingual school in the morning (Tuesday), and Robert and I begin formal language training tomorrow as well. Please pray for the kids as they are a little nervous about the new school.

Our apartment building has a swimming pool and our family went swimming on Saturday. It was a wonderful time. After about 30 minutes of it being just us, two other families (moms with children) came out. The children made instant friends with our kiddos, and I was able to communicate with the moms (named Virginia and Gabriella) who spoke some english. It was a very fun time for everyone, and the children are confident that they will have many friends here. Both ladies gave me their apartment numbers and expressed interest in helping us in any way with language, finding doctors, etc.

While we are a long way from our people group (the Italian-Brazilians of southern Brasil) we ask that you continue to pray with us for their salvation. As for our time here and now, please pray for our ability to quickly acquire enough language for basic communication and to share Christ with those whom we are developing relationships with in our apartment building.

Some differences that you might think are the most weird - -

1. there is no hot water in the kitchen, so dishes are handwashed with cold water and soap. This is the most common way of washing dishes here.
   
2. there is no clothes dryer . . . NO ONE has a dryer . . . all clothes are hung to dry
3. slightly warm water is available only in the showers with an electric heater that is located right in the shower head
   
4. no air conditioning . . . just ceiling fans - - WHEW!!!
5. no tap water on toothbrushes before brushing
   
6. everyone speaks Portuguese and we don't understand it (yet!)
   

These differences are already becoming less weird to us. . . we are adjusting well . . . (except for Samuel (2 years old) - - but maybe the school routine will be good for him).

Thank you again for your prayers. There is just no way to express the deep gratitude we have for them.

I would love to hear from any of you. Email anytime - my address is kerri@hamiltonsinbrazil.com. I'll check email and answer as I can find internet connection!!!

in His AMAZING love & grace,
Kerri