I love flushing my toilet paper!

I am back! Well, actually I have been home since June 1. Arriving home was as exciting and emotional that I thought it would be! The plane ride was good, long but alright. The worst part of the journey home was the federal police in Brasil. It turns out that we over stayed our visas. We had a 180 day visa, but we were never told that in 90 days of arriving we had to check in with the police. So, when leaving we were given a note saying if we were ever to come back to Brasil we must pay around $500. So, that left a sour taste in our mouths as we left. We slowly are figuring it out.

Saying goodbye – Well, as it always is leaving a country, the drive to the airport is filled with memories. Some good and some challenging. Some make you want to laugh, and some make you want to cry. God did bless me with a feeling of satisfaction. I feel so happy and SO blessed that I was in Brasil. I feel so special that I was able to experience all I did. But in another way, I was ready to come home. At first, I thought that that feeling was not good. Like I wanted to escape Brasil and all that it was to me. But after talking with God, he said that it was fine to feel excited about coming back, and seeing family and friends. But he asked me one thing. “Your Brasil experience has come to an end, but has your life of living in missions come to an end.” After really taking some time and thinking about this, I came to conclusion. I don’t care where I am going to be, weather it be in Richmond, Langley, Abbotsford, LA, or Africa… I am going to live a missional life. It might be in the way I talk to someone, or the way I treat someone. I want my life to be a mission. I have realized that this is what God wants of me, and I want to live like this each and every day. You never know where you’re planting seeds, or where God is going to use you. I never thought that by working in a kitchen for 6 hours a day could be fruitful, but God used me and he will continue to use me.

Debrief has been great. Its been different then what I expected, but it has been SO needed. I see in little ways I have changed and in ways that others have changed. So, it has been re building those friendships. I have learned a lot about what these next few months and years are going to hold for me. They say I am going to be dealing with a lot for a few months.. sometimes even years! Alright, one day at a time!!!

I am so happy to be home, but so proud of all that I was able to experience on TREK. It was no where easy at all, but it was so amazing to see God working all around me. Truly, it was so special to see.

I want to say THAN YOU from the bottom of my heart for everything you all have done from me. From the simple comments, packages in the mail to prayer and financial support. This journey could not have been done with out your help. I will forever be grateful to you all.

Also, tomorrow which is Friday June 12, were having a dessert/sharing night at South Abbotsford Church at 7:00pm. I will be sharing for my team, and you will also hear all that God did in the other team’s lives while they were away!

Well, God did it. She brought me here as a young immature girl, who was so scared to take the steps out onto the water. Now, I see how God has not only held me had as I took those steps, but how he has led me from there on out. God is so good, may his name be forever praised.

With much much Love
Corryn

- God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

Another chapter in the story.....

Well, were half way through April and I honestly cannot believe it. When I started to write this update, I wrote March…. Days are flying by.
We have been spending a lot of time at the camp lately. Construction is coming along, but things are running on Brasilian time. The building that the boys are working on is really looking great. We are in the midst of building a suite, renovating a games room (which was us girls room) staring another suite and making plans for a barn. Last weekend was Easter so us girls spent a day making PASKA! It was great, not the same as moms or Grandma’s, but considering I didn’t burn the house down, it was great. (It actually turned out really good, the boys were impressed!) For Easter, we went to our church on Friday for a Good Friday service. It was great, we sat around and ate some food, fellowshipped and washed each others feet. Washing feet is always a humbling moment for me. I am realizing I love to serve. Getting down on my knees and washing the feet of a brother or sister in Christ is a moment I cherish. I love watching their face, through this simple act your not telling a person you love, appreciate and value them, but your showing true love to them. It really gets me every time.
On Saturday, we helped out at another church in the area for the day. They were showing the Passion of the Christ that night, so we helped hand out some fliers and talk to some people. The evening turned out amazing. Lots of people and kids came and really enjoyed it. (The kids watched a veggie Tales film) Many adults were truly moved and you could tell there were things that touch specific places in their hearts.
Sunday, we went to church. It was a great service filled with lots of worship and fellowship. That evening we had another missionary family over and we shared a lamb dinner together. I even made mint sauce!
The weekend was great. Easter is such an important time to me. It’s a time to reflect and show the Lord how grateful I am for all he did for me and will do for me.

This week we have been working around the house. This weekend us girls are going shopping with some of our Brasilian friends, while the boys are going hiking to the beach. Were all looking forward to it. One of our dogs is expecting puppies this weekend also. I am SO excited. If I am around, I am going to help deliver them! My missionary hosts are telling me I am a true farm girl even thought I was not raised on one. Its fun riding horses or holding down dogs as they squeeze out maggots from them or pulling out porcupine needles. It’s a hard life, but one I am so happy to experience.

Some prayer items are:
-We only have 1 ½ months left. I don’t want to get to anxious, so please pray that I finish strong for God.
-Our care taker Sebastian fell out of a tree and hurt his back badly. Please pray for a fast recovery and that the Lord would shine through this as he is not a Christian.
- Sickness is going around the family; please pray for fast recoveries and for strength.


Well, I say it every time but I am so grateful for all the love, support, and prayers. I miss home, but I am so grateful for this amazing life changing experience.

With much love
Corryn

Brasil interesting facts:

-It general takes 3 minimum wages to provide a liveable income.
-The schools system in Brasil is run very differently. Young kids go to school in the morning, intermediate go in the afternoons, and highschoolers go in the evening at 7pm. They use all the same building.
- You can tell the class of a Brasilian by the shoes their wearing.
- The top voted ``most beautiful woman in Basil`` was once a man.
- March is Woman Month in Brasil
- Just like in Canada, in Brasil you never ask a woman her age, but here you also never ask a woman her real hair colour. All woman dye their hair till their about 60 or even longer. Women are afraid their husband will leave them otherwise.
-Brasillians are VERY superstitious
- Children call you “Tia” or “Tiao”. Meaning “Aunt” and “Uncle”, Its out of respect.
-From the city to the camp it takes about 45 min. In that 45 min, there are 3 speed bumps every 2 km. This is how they slow you down, and also get you car sick at the same time!

Back with a Tan!

Hello one again family, friends, and loved ones

As I write, I am in a beach house that is about one block from the beautiful Brasilian beach. Our leader from Canada, Luke is here with us for one week. We decided to take him to the beach. We are currently having sessions in the morning and at night. We`re learning about our Spiritual Gifts. I have been looking forward for some time now to learn and get a better grasp on what my gifts are.
It has been so nice to just get away for a few days, and be together as a team. We`re having tons of fun in the 5 to 6 feet waves. It’s really relaxing, exactly what so needed.

When we return home, were going to have a horse whisper for two days to work with one of the horses we have. I am really excited for this as I have been working with the horses for the past month and I really enjoy it.

I love Gods teachings. Sometimes, they are incredibly hard, but I even if I have gone through a struggle, God has always shone thought them.
I was reading through John 21:1-19 the other day. Its always amazed me how God can teach you so much about your life and what he has planned for you through scripture. Many times I lover look the power of scripture and the importance of it.

Anyways, the internet is off and on. Its never steady here.

Thanks for all the prayer and love.

I miss you all and can’t wait to see you soon. Only 2 more months!

Much love Corryn

February in Brasil

Well, a few weeks have gone by since my last update and I apologize. Life here in Brasil has been very very busy. Since coming home from the project, we have been working non stop on preparing for the Carnival Retreat that we had here at the camp. We were re roofing the bunkhouse where us girls have been staying, as well as making stairs, feeding all the hungry workers and hosting a teams from Swift Current Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and a few from the states.
Life is very much the same here in Brasil. Us girls are in the kitchen preparing the meals and washing and cleaning. The boys work very hard outside. I am so impressed by there servant attitude. Always ready to work hard. Chelsea and Renee and so great to have here. Us girls get along so well. They are always there to talk to and to get a hug from when I really miss home.
We held a carnival camp at the camp this past week. We had about 30 young adults come and it was so much fun! We played games, ate great food, had devotion time and had campfires. We held a very Canadian camp, one that was very new to the Brasillians. We roasted our own hotdogs over the fire one night, the Brasillians had never done this before; it was a lot of fun! We did got one and a half days with out electricity thought which was a struggle. And when you don’t have electricity you don’t have a pump to pump the water into the holding tank. So with 30 campers we had no water and electricity for a while. But that didn’t stop us. The boys just had to hall water from the river uphill but no biggy!
The one thing that has kind of been the bummer over this past week is that I have been sick. I had a really bad cough a while ago and it just kept on getting worse. I went to the doctor and found out that I have a sinus infection. I did keep me from a lot of things during the camp, but I am slowly getting better.
Would you please keep this in your prayers. I would love to get back to 100%. I am always told to rest, but its so hard just to rest when there is so much to be done and I don’t just want to sit and let other do all the work.

Lately, God has been showing and teaching me what a servant looks like and how to serve like Jesus did. Jesus did not grumble, he did not ask why or ask to have a lighter load. No, Jesus took the hardest route. He served the broken and helped the weak. I am really leaning that when I am serving people, I truly and serving God. He has called me here, to serve him in anyway. I want to change my whole mind set of how I serve. I’m still figuring it out, but I feel like I am getting a glimpse of it. In Acts, Paul served God with such beauty. I long to serve like that. I know it might sound silly, learning how to serve. I really believe that in order to Serve God with a humble heart, you need seek what that looks like. Anyways, that is just what I have been learning.

Its almost half way and I cannot believe it. Time seems to fly by and I really don’t know how to take it. I guess all I can do it make the most of everyday.

I have some more interesting facts for you about Brasil:

-Brasillians eat Halls as candy, there not just for when you’re sick
- You pay for Motels by the hour, and a Hotel is what you bring your family to.
- Now I thought that the Kornelson side of my family was loud, but you have not heard anything until you hear Brasillians play a card game. They get VERY competitive.
-At the end of e mails, Brasillians say kisses instead of goodbye (I’m still trying to figure out why)
-Brasillians brush their teeth at least 3 times a day if not more. They love to brush their teeth!

Thank you again for all your prayers. It is so encouraging to have you all behind me.
With much love

IM BACK!!!

Hello loved ones!!!!!

I am sure you all have missed me very much! This past month has been an experience and a half. There is a lot to say, but Im going to try to keep it short.
We started off with a 28 hour bus ride to Rio Grande do Sul. It’s in the south of Brasil. We arrived at a little Mennonite colony called Colonial Nova. From the first moment I stepped off the bus I feel in love with it. It was in the country, there were cows grazing, open fields and beautiful skies.
We started training with 70 other Brasilians. The language barrier was a huge difficulty at first. Not knowing the language, but being in 9 to 12 hours of training in Portuguese was very stressful. We each had a translator which was amazing, but it was still very difficult. We had 10 days of training in Colonial Nova, then the group of 70 was split up in 5 groups and sent out to different churches within about an hour from each other. I was paced in a group all by my self in Colonial Nova. At first, I was really disappointed to be staying and not going to another place. I didn’t really know my team mates very well besides my translator Priscila. She was amazing to me. We became really great friends, and I don’t know what I would have done without her. The time that I spend in Colonial Nova was one of the best times I have had in Brasil. My team was so amazing to me; the people in Colonial Nova were so sweet and kind. During the days in Colonial Nova we evangelised around the town. It was a bit hard because we were in a total German Mennonite little town, where homes were about a mile apart. My group was great; we led a few people to Christ which was a moment I will never forget. We had night services where we would sing worship songs, do plays and have a sermon. I really got to know people from Colonial Nova, I will never forget them.
That time ended sadly, and the other groups came back. Then we were once again split up, this time in only two groups. I was with Andre and Matt. Yup, me and the two boys for 10 days. Let me tell you the Lord heard many prayers from me in that time, actually the Lord heard many prayers from me the whole month. I will get more into that later. So, we were sent to a city 6 hours away called Veamoa. This was a lot different then Colonial Nova let me tell you. We were right smack dab in the middle of the city. Dogs barking, horns blowing, kids yelling, and a huge cry for Jesus. We were once again split into evangelism groups where we would go out to people’s homes and parks and share the gospel. We then had night services at night, where about 10 people would show up. Many parts of our time in Veamoa were really discouraging. But Gods presence was always there. I learned so much about the Brasilian culture in this past month. There was many times where I just asked “WHY”! It was hard to be totally submersed into the culture, but I know it was the best thing for us. We have come back with a much great knowledge of Portuguese. I can actually hold a little conversation with people!
When we were finished our time there, we made our way home back to the great city of Sao Paulo.


God took me through an obstacle course this last month. Up, down, around, thought the hard times and the good times. I can tell you that there were many tears this past month. Being totally immersed in a new culture, hearing Portuguese every way you looked and only knowing a few people was hard. But God was always there and always faithful to me. The one thing I really loved about this mission trip was that we had a set aside hour of time with God. I loved this time, because it was just me and God and we only spoke English to each other. Faith was the topic he wanted me to seek. The Lord is so good, even when you have little faith. He is always there, even when you don’t feel him. I rested in him so many times this past month, because I did not have the strength to stand up by my self. My heart is so broken for the people that don’t know him. My prayer is not only for Brasil, but that our nations will one day see how Great our God is.

Our time with internet in very short in the city and our phone and internet is not working at the camp. Im sorry I can’t go into more detail now, but when I get another chance I will.

I will keep you posted as best as I can with all that God is taking me through.

Thank you for all the prayers, love, e mails and support you have given me this past month.

I miss you all and am thinking of you often.

Much love
Corryn

A Brasillian Christmas

Well, my first Christmas away from home... and only a few tear were shed! Im still in awe of the wonders God can do. I never thought he could send a totaly emotionally unstable girl, half way around the world from all she knows, and only have he shed a few tear on one of the most inportant days without her family. GOD IS GOOD!

We went out to the camp on December 23. We spent ALL christmas eve in the kitchen. I finally know whats its like to be a housewife! We made over 500 cookies for the 38 poeple we hosted for Christams. We woke up on Christmas morning (Not under the christmas tree, but it was ok) had breakfast, then read the Charistmas story. Since I have grown up in a Christian home, I have heard the story many times. But I asked God this year, to reveal soemthing from the Christams story that I have never really thought about or realized. To me, chritmas was all about spending time with family (other then the birth of our saviour). Something I look forward to every year. But this year God took me away from all that. He took me away from all I knew and loved. God wanted to strip me clean of the sterotype I had put on Christmas. Christmas is not about being jolly with our family on Christams, Christmas is the birth of our redeemer. The man who hung on that cross, so that I would be able to live. Christams is God sending his ONLY son, from a beautiful perfect place, to an ugly, unclean place where sin blazes. I need to see this, and God knew that. I don't know if I can ever go through another Christmas without feeling the true understanding God wanted me to see. Praise be to God.

So, Christmas was great if you were wondering! On boxing day, we had a great relaxing time. Just swinging in the hammics, and loving Gods creation.
Yesterday, I had to get out of the kitchen, so I out on my gum boots, wrangler jeans, mens gloves, and my john deere hat and headed down to the swamp with the men. I shoveled dirst, hulled logs, sank in some mud, and even hucked a loogie once or twice!! It was a great day, it was nice to work in the rainforest and really help out. I spotted a trantula, but held my girlish scream! The boys said they were inpressed and proud of me... Im know my dad would have been too!

Well, we leave for our mission trip on Friday for a month. We will probably not have internet access for that month, so I will update you when I get back.

Please keep me in your paryer as I throw my seld into the Brasillian culture with 70 other Brasillian!

Thank you for you love, support and prayers. I appreciate them so very much!

Much Much love
Corryn

Merry Christmas

Well, I have to make this one short as we have portuguese lessons this morning, then were off to the camp to get ready for the 30 people we will be having over for Christmas.
It will be fun to be around all these people, and share Christmas with them.
When I return from camp, I will tell you all about Christmas in Brasil.

Thank you for all the love, prayers and support.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Much much love
Corryn