Category Archives: Brazil

The first week with the beautiful game by Jess

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It’s been a big week since the World Cup started and so much has happened. I mean the Blues finally won a State of Origin after an 8 year drought. Anyway, to kick off the World Cup we went to stay with our billets in Vilar Dos Teles. Our billets consisted of two different house-holds that we were to travel between, each just as lovely and welcoming as the other.

Amy was sick, so although we were a little house-bound it worked out well. We managed to go for a walk on the street and met some of the local kids because they wanted to touch Amy’s blonde hair.  Amy’s hair always gets people’s attention. I often hear people say “Que Linda” (how beautiful) as they walk past. Unfortunately I still haven’t learned the word for ‘gentle’, so when it comes to kids, I try to say as sweetly as I can “Para por favor” (stop please) and just hope I don’t scare them away. I haven’t so far 🙂

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Tim and Fernando (our host) made a trip into Rio to pick up our World Cup tickets (that’s right) and it was then that we realized Rio was a 1-hour drive away or a 3-hour trip via public transport. Although these guys were willing to take us as much as they could, unfortunately for a whole month it wasn’t practical. Hence, I started the search for an affordable place to stay. Given that it’s the WORLD CUP and prices are tripled, I was concerned about our options. However, with favour on our side we found a great two-bedroom apartment close to the prayer room and Maracanã Stadium. We moved two days later.

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We took a couple of days to rest, as I had now joined Amy in the sick department, but on Monday we made our first trip to the prayer room. We weren’t able to stay long, but it was great to be there anyway. We will go there as much as possible either as a family or separately.

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The rest of our week consisted of hanging out with Frank from Australia… (sorry about the horrible picture quality)

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Amy’s 2nd Birthday…

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And all of us becoming seriously sick with a dreadful flu. The type of flu that makes you go through boxes of tissues and unable to open your eyes in the morning.

On a plus side, we have watched a lot of World Cup games and love to hear the Brazilians cheer and celebrate throughout the area we’re staying. I’m pleased to say that the Brazilians in our area seem to cheer for Australia when they play… it must be the similar colours. We have been asked a few times, why we play with yellow and green “Why do you use Brazilian colours?” they ask, “Yellow and green are not on your flag.” Fare enough questions really, but the most embarrassing thing is that I had to Google the answer. Apparently there are lots of reasons, so we just show them this…

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Well, after a big week what else have I learned? Firstly, Amy really loves balloons!

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Secondly, Brazilians really know how to celebrate and are far more passionate about Football than us laid back Aussies are about anything. It’s hard to explain if you aren’t here, but the noise of triumph and heartache comes from EVERY house at every moment of the game.

Thirdly, I’ve learned that although I had dreams of spending long days in the prayer room, with Amy and especially while we’re all sick, it’s just not possible – we can only do what we can do and that’s ok 🙂 Well, I keep telling myself it’s ok.

Lastly, I’ve learned that I want a bigger heart to love. When I look at my life and the state of my heart, I desire more. From everything I’ve done up until now and people I have known, I know that there is so much more. I know that God has created me with a certain capacity and I don’t have to be someone I’m not, but perhaps that’s it… I believe God is growing my heart to love more. I recently posted on FaceBook:

“God reminded me again today that I have one purpose, and that is to love. I could ask for no greater assignment.”

Like most lessons in God, it starts at home. This means learning to receive God’s love more and then loving Him back. It means loving Tim and Amy when I just want a moment to myself or I’m too sick to move. I think this one will take some time, but that’s ok. I have time to give.

Much (more) Love
Jess xxoo

A lot can happen in two weeks by Jess

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For the last two weeks we have being in Rio de Janeiro having a holiday with my family. It was such a blessing and wonderfully timed as we gear up to help with Liberdade during the World Cup.

The highlights

– I turned 30 and had the most amazing day including a one hour massage at the famous Copacabana Palace
– I got to see my folks, sister and Rachel
– Our schedule was our own
– Tim and I managed to have a few dates/outings by ourselves.
– We explored Rio with Rio Natural tour group and saw some truly amazing things

Here are some pics…

Christ the Redeemer

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Sugar Loaf

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Copacabana and Ipanima

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Tijuca Hike

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My birthday

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Two Brothers hike and Favela tour

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 Hang-gliding

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The sacrifices

– I have been missing out on celebrating some of my closest friends birthdays, this is especially disappointing as most of us are turning 30.
– One of my amazing friends just became an Ironman. If I was in Australia, I would have traveled to Cairns to see her cross the finish line.
– The birth of my niece! God bless SKYPE! We were able to meet Esther this morning via Skype, but I still feel sad that I can’t hold her and kiss her in person. I also wish we were there to support my sister and brother (Tim’s Bro and sister-in-law) as they journey through the first few weeks as a family.
– My cat died. Jimmy was hit by a car and had to be put down. I was and still am totally heartbroken. Tim gave him to me for my 21st birthday and we had 9 years with him. I felt so bad that I couldn’t be there as he was put down, but an amazing friend played him a WhatsApp message from me and cuddled him for me.

So, it’s been a few weeks of highs and personal difficulties, but honestly… I never thought I would be in Rio for my birthday. I am truly blessed! We are currently in Niterio, which is a city across the bay from Rio. We are staying with friends of friends (who are now our friends) and loving our time here. Tim spoke at Pier 49 church on Sunday night and we’ve been able to explore this city a little. We’ll head to Petrópolis on Wednesday, so I’m sure there will be some more interesting updates to come.

Love to all
Jess xxoo

Our time with Hangar7 – Indaiatuba

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BOM DIA! – Good morning. We’ve been in Brazil for four weeks now and have spent this time in the city of Indaiatuba hanging out with Hangar7 Church. Here’s a recap about what we’ve been up to.

Our amazing family and hosts

This is Juan and Keila, pastors of Hangar7. They are doing such an amazing job and were such a blessing to us while we stayed with them and their family. Thanks familia!

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 The whole familia!

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Services and speaking

We both had the great opportunity to speak to Hangar7 in a number of services. We felt so privileged and excited to see what God is doing in the lives of the young people. Here’s some pics:

Sexta Life – Friday nights in the street

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Speaking at Hangar7

 Sunday night services – At the new Hangar7 building

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Helping out at Hangar7

We had great opportunities to observe this church and learn about the Brazilian culture. We also got to help out in a few areas. Tim was able to help with planning for their Training, Alpha and also help out around the church with painting. Jess was able to help with some admin and planning.

This is the office…

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That transforms into lunch…

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And then back into an office…

Amy also helped out where she could too 😉

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Amy Cleaning
People, food and fun

Brazilians are all about people and food, which is great, because we love those things too. 🙂 Each day we would eat a huge lunch and we never knew who was going to be part of the fun. Churrascaria changed our lives!!!!

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An attempt at sharing some Australian food with our friends. 😉 It turned into a combined Aussie/Brazilian lunch with a French dessert!

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Family hang outs

During out time we had some great family moments. We stayed in a great little complex that we could stroll around in and hang out.

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Hanging at this little playground was almost a daily adventure

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A bit of Daddy, daughter fun

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Thanks for an amazing few weeks Juan and Keila, friends, Hangar7 and Indaiatuba! We love you all!

Love Tim, Jess & Amy 🙂

Isso é um sonho? (Em poruguese) por Tim

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Último ano em março eu fazia parte de uma semana dois Despertar Global viagem ministério. Nossa equipe ministrou em várias igrejas e também foi para as ruas para abençoar as pessoas. Foi uma experiência de mudança de vida.

Após a viagem ministério terminou, eu tenho que sair com a tripulação em Hangar7 Igreja para o meu último par de dias no Brasil. Eu tive a oportunidade de falar a seu serviço e, em seguida, sair com alguns deles no dia seguinte. Essa última parte da minha viagem foi uma conexão tão divino e eu voltei para casa me sentindo como Deus tinha mais na loja a partir deste momento.

Aqui algumas fotos da viagem:

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Agora estamos de volta ao Brasil como uma família e tem havido muitas vezes eu senti como se eu tivesse sido um sonho. Estou realmente de volta neste país? É a nossa família realmente aqui? Essas pessoas e experiências são reais? Isso é um sonho?

Esta emoção surgiu há duas semanas durante o nosso primeiro serviço em Hangar7 Igreja. Como chegamos ao parque, em Indaiatuba (onde têm o seu serviço a noite sexta-feira) eu estava tão animado para se reunir com muitas pessoas que conheci no ano passado. Isso é um sonho?

Durante o culto eu andava com Amy tendo na atmosfera e em um ponto que eu queria chorar. A emoção que senti foi tão avassaladora. Um sentido do amor de Deus e da graça que me trouxe de volta a este lugar. Mas ainda assim eu questionei, isso é um sonho?

Foi uma noite incrível e eu estava tão abençoado para falar no serviço. À medida que a noite terminou e chegamos em casa, ainda a questão sacudiu ao redor em minha mente, isto é um sonho?

Aqui estão algumas fotos da noite de sexta no Hangar7 para lhe dar uma idéia do que se passa:

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Speaking at Hangar7

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Temos agora estive aqui por duas semanas e tantas vezes Jess e eu vou olhar para o outro espantado e dizer: “Nós estamos no Brasil!”

Estar aqui é tão surreal, mas tão certo. É tão diferente, mas tão bom. As pessoas, o lugar ea cultura tiveram um impacto em nossas vidas e se tornou mais real a cada dia.

Levou um tempo, mas agora eu sei que isso não é um sonho. Obrigado Deus!

Viver seria uma grande aventura.

Tim

Is this a dream? (In English) by Tim

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Last year in March I was part of a two week Global Awakening ministry trip. Our team ministered in a number of churches and also went to the streets to bless people. It was a life changing experience.

After the ministry trip finished, I got to hang out with the crew at Hangar7 Church for my last couple of days in Brazil. I had the opportunity to speak at their service and then hang out with a few of them the next day. This last portion of my trip was such a divine connection and I came home feeling like God had more in store from this time.

Here’s some pics from the trip:

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Now we are back in Brazil as a family and there have been many times I have felt like I’ve been in a dream. Am I really back in this country? Is our family really here? Are these people and experiences real? Is this a dream?

This emotion emerged two weeks ago during our first service at Hangar7 Church. As we arrived at the park in Indaiatuba (where they hold their Friday night service) I was so excited to be reunited with many people I had met last year. Is this a dream?

During the worship I walked around with Amy taking in the atmosphere and at one point I wanted to cry. The emotion I felt was so overwhelming. A sense of Gods love and grace that had brought me back to this place. But still I questioned, is this a dream?

It was an amazing night and I was so blessed to speak at the service. As the night finished and we arrived home, still the question rattled around in my mind, is this a dream?

Here’s some pics of the Friday night at Hangar7 to give you an idea of what goes on:

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Speaking at Hangar7

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We’ve now been here for two weeks and so many times Jess and I will look at each other astonished and say, “We’re in Brazil!”

Being here feels so surreal but so right. It feels so different but so good. The people, the place and the culture have had an impact on our lives and it’s become more real every day.

It’s taken a while but I now know that this is not a dream. Thank you God!

To live would be an awfully big adventure.

Tim

My new siblings (in English and Portuguese) by Jess

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Eu usei o Google Translator, por isso espero que a tradução é boa e você pode entender o que estou dizendo 🙂

A few Brazilians have asked me what my favourite thing about this place is. Easy… the people.
Poucos brasileiros têm-me perguntado o que a minha coisa favorita sobre este lugar é. Fácil … o povo.

The young guys and girls I’ve managed to talk with are amazing – they all have a story and I love to hear it. My only frustration is the language barrier, which unfortunately seriously limits conversation. I am interested in these people, I desire a deeper connection that goes beyond “Oi, tudo bem?” (Hi, how are you/everything good?).
Os jovens rapazes e raparigas eu consegui falar com incrível – todos eles têm uma história e eu gosto de ouvir. Minha única frustração é a barreira da língua, o que limita seriamente infelizmente conversa. Estou interessado nessas pessoas, eu desejo uma conexão mais profunda que vai além de “Oi, tudo bem?”

At the street (church) service last Friday night I was looking around at all the young adults and really felt like they were my younger siblings. I wanted to walk with them on their journey, encourage and pray for them. However, I know that’s not practical or possible due to our limited time here. I think that’s the way Tim and I function regardless of which country we’re in. We want to know how people’s hearts are and we want to share ours with them. True community is something we value so much.
No serviço de rua (igreja) última sexta-feira à noite eu estava olhando em volta para todos os adultos jovens e realmente senti como se fossem meus irmãos mais novos. Eu queria andar com eles em sua jornada, incentivar e orar por eles. No entanto, eu sei que não é prático ou possível devido ao nosso tempo limitado aqui. Eu acho que essa é a maneira Tim e eu funcionar independentemente de qual país estamos dentro Queremos saber como o coração das pessoas é e queremos compartilhar nossa com eles. A verdadeira comunidade é algo que valorizamos muito.

Juan and Keila (Pastors of Hangar7) are doing an amazing job mentoring the people around them. They want Hangar7 to be full of people known for their integrity and good character. Their passion is to see heaven’s values reflected in the people that attend their church and then their city. What a powerful calling!
Juan e Keila (Pastores da Hangar7) estão fazendo um trabalho incrível mentoring as pessoas ao seu redor. Eles querem Hangar7 estar cheio de pessoas conhecidas por sua integridade e bom caráter. Sua paixão é ver os valores do céu refletido nas pessoas que freqüentam a igreja e, em seguida, a sua cidade. O que um chamado poderoso!

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It’s been interesting learning about the culture and the church history here. Apparently in the 90’s there was a lot of corruption in the church and so reaching out to people can be difficult. This is a nation that is sceptical of authority and for good reason. The political environment here makes me realise how blessed I am to be an Australian. The level of political corruption in Brazil is so foreign to me, yet it is apart of their every day lives. The people talk about it naturally but you can hear the frustration and disappointment in their voices. Despite everything these young people I’ve met have been through and the political environment in Brazil, their love for God and others is inspirational. They support each other and drop everything to lend a hand, even if they just met you.
Tem sido interessante de aprendizagem sobre a cultura ea história da igreja aqui. Aparentemente, na década de 90 não havia muita corrupção na igreja e assim chegar às pessoas pode ser difícil. Esta é uma nação que é cético em relação a autoridade e por boas razões. O ambiente político aqui me faz perceber como sou abençoada para ser um Australiana. O nível de corrupção política no Brasil é tão estranho para mim, mas é separado de suas vidas cotidianas. As pessoas falam sobre isso naturalmente, mas você pode ouvir a frustração e decepção em suas vozes. Apesar de tudo estes jovens que eu conheci já passaram eo ambiente político no Brasil, seu amor a Deus e aos outros é inspiradora. Eles apoiam-se mutuamente e largar tudo para dar uma mão, mesmo que acabou de conhecer você.

Proverbs 17:17
Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

Provérbios 17:17
Amigos amor por todos os tipos de clima, e as famílias se unem em todos os tipos de problemas.

I love them all. Not as a collective group of people, but as individuals with their own strengths and struggles. Although we’ll be moving on soon, I know that we have made connections that will last a life-time. Unfortunately due to the language barrier, I don’t feel like there is a lot I can offer my new siblings, but thankfully love is greater than language. They are family and family stick together in all the seasons of life. This means that Tim and I will continue to love these young men and women wherever we are, however we can.
Eu amo todos eles. Não como um grupo coletivo de pessoas, mas como indivíduos com suas próprias forças e lutas. Embora nós vamos estar se movendo em breve, eu sei que nós fizemos conexões que vai durar um tempo de vida. Infelizmente, devido à barreira da língua, eu não sinto que há muita coisa que eu posso oferecer aos meus novos irmãos, mas, felizmente, o amor é maior do que a linguagem. Eles são a família ea família ficar juntos em todas as estações da vida. Isso significa que Tim e eu vou continuar a amar esses homens e mulheres jovens onde quer que estejamos, no entanto, pode.

Love Jess xxoo

A week of firsts by Tim

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We’ve been in Brazil just over one week now and during this time we’ve experienced many ‘firsts’. It’s been so exciting trying new foods, meeting new people and immersing ourselves in this new culture. Here are some of the ‘firsts’ we’ve experienced this past week.

First time in a non-speaking country as a family

For Jess and Amy this is their first time in a non-english speaking country. This is also the first time for our whole family together. It’s been intriguing and sometimes challenging but we’re making the most of it. Using lots of non-verbal gestures always makes for lots of laughter and smiles. Lots of the Brazilians we’re hanging out with speak a bit of English so this has helped a lot.

Speaking Portugese

First time trying this amazing drink – Guaraná (gwa-ra-NAH)

A delicious soft drink made from a fruit only found in Brazil! We can’t get enough of it!

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Amy’s first hair cut

Thanks to Pri, Amy had her first hair cut! She’s such a cutie and she was so good.

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Açaí (ah-sah-EE) Where have you been all my life! 

YUUUUUMMMM!!!!! A South American fruit that is made into a frozen puree. Amazing with granola, fruit, sweetened condensed milk and just about anything!

First Acai

Jess’ first time speaking with an interpreter

Jess had the great honour of speaking to the girls of Hangar7 at their womens service. This was her first time speaking with a translator, and an amazing translator she was!!!! Thanks Keila for making us sound amazing when we speak. Que?!!!!

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Jess’ first time meeting lots of her friends face-to-face

After my trip to Brazil in 2013 I came back with over 150 new friends on Facebook! Jess also gained some new Facebook friends. Throughout the last year we’ve had many skype and FB conversations with some of these amazing people.

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Jess has now been able to meet them in person for the first time! It was like they had always known each other!

Boaz!

First time this long away from family…

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It’s now 6 weeks since we left Australia. Time has gone so quickly and we think about our home often. This is the first time we’ve been away from family, friends and home this long. But thanks to Skype, Facebook and WhatsApp they’re never to far away!!!

I love Brazil

I do love this place. We’ve had lots of amazing ‘firsts’ already. Plenty more to come I’m sure.

Tim

Counting the numbers by Jess

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This is it, the countdown is on. I can hardly believe that in 7 days I’ll be on a plane heading off overseas to work with organisations rescuing women and children from sex trafficking. Crazy stuff! Half of me is excited and the other is having a little freak out. As I look at our to-do-lists and the days left on the calendar, sometimes the math (which I was never very good at) concerns me. Will we get everything done in time? Perhaps… fingers crossed.

With so many thoughts in my head, I’m sure it would be easy for me to forget why we’re doing this. Fortunately, I don’t. I know that as I write this there are millions of people world-wide, trapped in horrible situations from no fault of their own. While I sit here with my laptop, they sit in dark rooms, forced to ‘service’ countless customers and do unspeakable acts. I can not forget about human trafficking and sex slavery.

Tim and I have wanted to write blog about what’s going on globally, but the difficulty is making statistics and facts seem relevant and interesting. I know that for many of you, the details of modern slavery or trafficking are unknown. Don’t worry, that was me a few months ago. I’ll try give you the basics (from a few reputable sources) and then some more specific details about the places we are going. Perhaps then, if you didn’t before, you will see why we are doing what we’re doing.

Here I go…

You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.
– William Wilberforce

‘Slavery’ refers to the condition of treating another person as if they were property – something to be bought, sold, traded or even destroyed.

‘Human trafficking’ is another related concept, referring to the process through which people are brought, through deception, threats or coercion, into slavery, forced labour or other forms of severe exploitation.

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Some global info:

  • The recent 2013 Global Slavery Index puts global slavery numbers at 29.8 million – more than Australia’s population of 23.4 million
  • 27% of all victims detected globally are children. Of every three child victims, two are girls and one is a boy. (United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, 2012)
  • Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation accounts for 58% of all trafficking cases detected globally (UNODC, 2012)
  • 98% of all victims of sexual slavery/sex trafficking worldwide are women and girls (International Labor Organization, 2012)

It’s horrifying and absurd to think that there are currently more slaves on earth than at any other time in human history. But when that massive number overwhelms your heart, take a step back and consider that each one of them has a face and a name. While it may be impossible for any one of us to reach and rescue every one of them, each one of us can certainly make a difference in one precious life.
– Louie Giglio

Brazil Trafficking in Persons Report 2013, By US Department of State:

  • Child sex tourism remains a serious problem, particularly in resort and coastal areas in Brazil’s northeast. Child sex tourist typically arrive from Europe and, to a lesser extend, the United States.
  • The Government of Brazil does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
  • In 2012, the Government operated anti-trafficking offices in 16 states, but did not fund specialized services for victims of sex trafficking
  • The government took public measures to reduce demand for commercial sexual exploitation of children by continuing to raise awareness during the Carnival season.
  • Despite the significant number of child sex tourists visiting Brazil, there were no public reports of prosecutions or convictions for child sex tourism in 2012.
  • Brazil is a signatory of the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (United Nations – Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children).

If there were no demand for commercial sex, sex trafficking would not exist in the form it does today. This reality underscores the need for continued strong efforts to enact policies and promote cultural norms that disallow paying for sex.
– Trafficking in Persons Report June 2013, U.S. State Department

Thailand Trafficking in Persons Report 2013, By US Department of State:

  • Thailand is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.
  • In 2012, children were exploited in the sex trade using false identification in karaoke or massage parlors.
  • Sex trafficking generally involves women and girls as victims. Sex tourism continues to be a problem in Thailand, and this demand likely fuels trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
  • The Government of Thailand does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government has not shown sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to address human trafficking compared to the previous year.
  • In 2012, corruption remained widespread among Thai law enforcement personnel, creating an enabling environment for human trafficking to prosper. There were credible reports that corrupt officials protected brothels, other commercial sex venues from raids and inspections, colluded with traffickers, used information from victim testimony to weaken cases, and engaged in commercial sex acts with child trafficking victims.
  • Thailand is NOT a signatory of the 2000 UN TIP Protocol

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If everyone will just do something, we will change the world.
– Mary Frances Bowley

These are the basic facts and numbers of modern slavery in the world today, so believe me when I say this is just scratching the surface. There is so much I don’t know; I am consciously incompetent. However, I know that doing nothing is not an option for Tim and me. We must do something and our ‘something’ just happens to involve travel and hands on engagement. So yes, I’m counting down the days until we leave and dealing with all the emotions that come with saying goodbye to family, friends and country, but I’m also counting the numbers of people who need to be set free. If I can be involved in just one rescue, I will be satisfied… maybe… probably not.

Love Jess xxoo

Resources

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime – Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2013 http://www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf

International Labor Organisation – Global Child Labor tends 2008-2012 http://www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/viewProduct.do;jsessionid=5885ca73218eb71626d7da341392b719b15d4ba1386bddda2eb6042cd72ca0e8.e3aTbhuLbNmSe34MchaRah8Tah90?productId=23015

US Department of State – Trafficking in Persons Report 2013  http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2013/

God is…. So good by Tim

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An incredible thing happened about a week ago. This…

Tim, Jess & Amy - Nexus

This photo, this moment, this confirmation is pretty amazing. Let me tell you about something that happened, one year ago. (Que fanciful music)

I was standing in a worship set at Hangar7 Church in Indaiatuba, Brazil on Wednesday the 20th of March 2013. This was part of a Global Awakening ministry trip. I was lost in the love and grace of God when all of a sudden I had a very vivid and real image/vision flash into my mind. It was a picture of Jess, Amy and I standing on the stage at our church Nexus, saying goodbye. It was scary, exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. I started to cry. Tears of release, tears of joy, tears of a son who was hearing from his heavenly Father. I knew God was showing me a moment that was going to be in my future. I didn’t know what it meant or when it would be, but I knew it was real.

I saw the same picture during times of worship three more times that week. Each time I would cry. Each time I felt a separation from the season I was in and God preparing my heart for a new season, a shift, a transition, an adventure.

So, this is what happened last week, Sunday the 2nd of March 2014. Almost one year to the day, the vision became a reality. Myself, Jess and Amy stood on the stage at Nexus Church and we said goodbye to our wider family.

Tim, Jess & Amy Prayer

IMG_6913

God works in mysterious ways. He’s fun, He’s true, He’s good. So we’re off on an adventure in three weeks, but God was nice enough to show us little pieces along the way. What a ride!

Tim

A Merry Update

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Merry Christmas everyone! We thought we’d end this year with a more detailed update of our trip plans. We have been so overwhelmed and blessed by people’s love, words, excitement and support for us at every step of the way. We have amazing family and friends and we feel like we’re doing this with you.

So, what are we planning?

A quick snapshot: USA – April, Brazil – May to July, Turkey for 3 nights, Thailand for a year – August 2014 to September 2015….

Travel Map

USA – Northern California & Florida (1 month)

Time for a holiday! We’re going to stay in San Francisco for about 5 nights before doing a little road trip up north to Redding (including a few days near Yosemite).  Although some of the destinations are only a few hours apart, we want a relaxing trip and have to keep Amy in mind. We’ve never done a road trip together before, so it’s bound to be lots of fun. We’ve paid for a some of the accommodation and hire car and pretty much know where we’d like to stop along the way. After 12 nights in Redding catching up with friends and celebrating Easter at Bethel, we’ll be heading over to Florida to connect with an amazing couple we met in Pennsylvania in 2011.

Brazil – (3 months)

Indaiatuba
When Tim went to Brazil earlier this year, he fell in love with some incredible people and we’re so excited to stay with Hangar7 for about 3.5 weeks. We’re hoping to serve and observe in any way we can during this time. It’ll be a great opportunity for us to be exposed to a different church culture. Hopefully we’ll get some Portuguese lessons too.

Rio
Jess turns 30 in Rio, so we’re meeting up with her folks and sister to spend two weeks exploring the city and filling up the family love tank. After this we’ll be spending a month partnering with Exodus Cry during the FIFA World Cup. We’re so excited to connect with these guys and learn as much as we can from them. This will involve a lot of prayer and worship as well as street outreach. Between us, we’ll spend 6 hours a day in the prayer room while the other person looks after Amy. How involved Amy will be in this venture will depend on the atmosphere and environment. We will be connected with a local church (we think) and hope/pray that they will be able to host us… otherwise, we’ll have to look for our own accommodation eeekkk! If we’re lucky, we may even attend a soccer/football match.

Rio

Recife
The end of our Brazil leg will be a two-week visit to Shores of Grace. The leaders of this great ministry were Tim’s trip leaders when he was in Brazil in March. This incredible couple (Nic & Rachel Billman) and their team have a huge heart for Brazil and the women and children in Recife effected by poverty and abuse. This will be more time of connection and learning.

Turkey – Istanbul (3 nights)

It’s about a 12 hour flight from Sao Paulo to Istanbul and then another 7 hours or so to Bangkok. If we were just travelling as a couple we may not have scheduled this stop, but once again, we need to keep Amy in mind and be fair on her. So a stop over in Istanbul for three nights is our plan. We haven’t booked our accommodation yet, but we have somewhere in mind. We looked into making a trip down to Gallipoli, but it’s a 5 hour drive one way and a two-year old in a car for 10 hours in one day is probably not the best idea. We’ll stick to easy things and we know we’ll enjoy our short time there, now we just wish it was longer!

Istanbul

Thailand – (1 year minimum)

This is the least organised part of the trip so far. Here’s what we have on the cards at the moment. We’ll fly into Bangkok and then head over to Phuket. We’re hoping to attend the Australian Christian Churches (ACC) International conference where missionaries come together with Australian pastors to connect.

After this we plan on serving with Destiny Rescue, taking a single volunteer position between the two of us. Once again this will mean that Amy will always be well looked after. How this will look we are yet to work out.

We hope to get a 2-3 bedroom apartment whilst in Thailand to host any family and friends who may want to visit . There is always room at our Inn (nice Christmas reference there) if you want to check out what Destiny Rescue are doing or just want to come and hang with the Greenwoods.

Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves!

When we think about all the different destinations of this adventure, we want to be at all of them now. We want to be holidaying in the USA, praying for people in Brazil, walking through the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and partnering with Destiny Rescue in Thailand. How exciting and challenging at the same time! There’s so much more planning (and spending) to come and of course that can be stressful, but we’ll just keep going at it and enjoy this part of the ride.

Once again from our family to yours… Merry Christmas!

Love Tim, Jess & Amy