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