Ben and Dani Jacobs

2007-09-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Seems kind of weird to have cake and act like you are celebrating when you are saying goodbye to friends, but that is what we do. This was Ed and Jan Alexanders going away service. We are sad to see them go, but happy in the fact that we know they will be a big asset at the seminary.We enjoyed the Mini-coral from our seminary as they sang in our three churches.

Only the brave (or foolish) were willing to sit in this contraption made by my co-worker, Mike, and also to be willing to be pulled around in it with cement floors!

Watermelon race at a teen rally with our three churches.This is a picture that my wife took of her cousin Fernandinho! I think he likes watermelon!?

The watermelon was a bit on the juicy side.
This was a ladies meeting, although Isabela tagged along with her mother. Francisca, the mother, is a new convert in our church, and it has been good seeing her become more faithful in our church recently.

We enjoyed celebrating Brazil's Independence with a small group at a small rented out cottage. We played lots of games from Boche (sp?), ping-pong, frisbee, swimming, and for those who know me well...
I spy!

The teens had an interesting activity in trying to find pictures that were in the digital camera already and finding them in the city of Sorocaba, and then...

taking a picture of their group proving that they found it. This group of 6 (one is taking the picture) were the eventual winners.

2007-08-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

It is good to be back in Brazil. Here is a Brazilian winter scene! Yes, it is winter here in Brazil! :)
A beautiful shot from the camp that the teens participated in. Our first weekend back, we took part in an overnighter at a camp between two of our church plants here in Sorocaba. It was cold, but a lot of fun.

Two teen girls that participated from New Life Baptist Church.

The teens had to meander through an obstacle course with water balloons on a very cold day with their shoelaces tied together!
Two teens, Abby and Leni, from our church, Hope Baptist Church.
This is a neat shot in that you can see some with shorts and barefoot playing soccer with others wearing a heavy coat and stocking hats! :) It was very cold that weekend.

Dani enjoyed the chance to vist her family after such a long time.

Grandmother, Dani, her mom (Marlene), and her brothers Paulo and Fernando.

Early Christmas. Dani couldn't wait to give her mom some presents she bought in the US.
It was neat to celebrate Dani's brother Paulo's birthday while we were there.

Dani's grandparents and mother.

Some of you in the churches will remember the Brazilian chocolate, brigadeiro. The chocolates were used to spell out Happy Father's Day for our Father's Day Banquet.

2006-05-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

OUR PAGE.

HERE ARE JUST SOME EXTRA PICS THAT DIDNT FIT INTO ANY OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES. HERE IS ABIGAIL AND CAIO.

DANI SHOWING OFF HER TIGGER SOCKS!

THE PASTOR´S SON LEONARDO SHOWING HIS DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE AT AN EARLY AGE.

DANI WORKING IN THE NURSERY.

DANI AND HER COUSIN, NATALIA.

DANI´S COUSIN, ELISANGELA, GETTING MARRIED.

ALL SMILES

EITHER MY WIFE IS SMALL, OR THE LEAVES ARE REALLY BIG, OR BOTH!

2006-05-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

YOUTH RETREAT DURING CARNAVAL

WE HAD OVER 60 TEENS FROM 4 DIFFERENT CHURCHES.

LOT OF WORK, BUT A LOT OF FUN.

WE HAD TWO TEAMS, 8 CABINS WHICH WERE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED BY THEIR FLAGS.

EACH CABIN ENJOYED PAINTING THEIR OWN FLAGS.

PILLOW WARS BETWEEN COUNTRIES.

OBSTACULOS CURSOS

ROPE BRIDGES.

WE HAD TWO BANQUETS! THIS BANQUET WAS WITH THE THEME OF CINDERELLA.

THEY HAD TO CHOSE A SHOE WITHOUT KNOWING WHO THEIR "CINDERELLA" WAS UNTIL THE BANQUET BEGAN.

THE FOLLOWING NIGHT WAS OUR REGULAR BANQUET WHERE THE GUY HAD TO ASK THE GIRL TO THE BANQUET. IT WAS OUR MORE FORMAL AND ANNUAL BANQUET.

2006-05-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

OUR MOVE TO CURITIBA.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR HELPERS.
RODOLFO AND PAULINHO HELPED US TAKE EVERTHING APART. WHEN YOU MOVE IN BRAZIL YOU BRING EVERYTHING WITH YOU FROM FANS TO TOILET SEAT COVERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO EVEN GET OUR PICTURES UP ON THE SECOND DAY THANKS TO HELPERS LIKE.....
DANI´S MOTHER. WE ALSO VISITED TWO PARKS NEARBY TO SEE SOME OF THE SIGHTS OF CURITIBA.
THE PASTOR AND HIS WIFE WITH THEIR CUTE LITTLE ONE HELPED US IN OUR MOVE.

2006-05-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

PAINTING THE CHURCH.

JOHN AND BEN WENT TO GREAT HEIGHTS TO PAINT THIS CHURCH
A LOT OF LADDER WORK
BEN BECAME QUITE THE PROFESSIONAL BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
SHEBA, MY COWORKER, MIKE´S, DOG TRIED TO BE OF HELP!
THE CHURCH ENJOYED POSING BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL CHURCH RATHER THAN THE OLD GRAY DRAB COLOR THAT IT WAS BEFORE.

2006-05-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES.

THANKS TO THE PARENTS OF ONE OF OUR TEENS WE ENJOYED A DAY AT A CAMP WITH A POOL. EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED MOST OF THE DAY THEY STILL ENJOYED THE POOL.
AND THE CHURRASCO (MEAT).
WE ALSO HAD AN ACTIVITY WITH CHURROS.

CHURROS ARE A HOTDOG SHAPED TYPE DOUGHNUT WITH CHOCOLATE FILLING.
WE PRACTISED AT HOME FIRST. AND I PRACTISED EATING THEM!

2006-05-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

"RETURN OF THE KING"? WE DID THE STORY OF ESTER IN OUR CHURCH AS WELL, BUT MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS MORE LIKE "SUPERMAN II"! :)
ONE OF THE NEATEST BLESSINGS WAS SEEING THE PEOPLE FROM OUR CHURCH IN ACTION.
THE BIG BALL IS ALWAYS A BIG SUCCESS.
MY SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS A BIT BIGGER ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY. THE DIFFICULTY IS GETTING THEM TO STAY FAITHFULLY.
CRAFT TIME!

2006-05-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO!

THIS SHOT IS BEAUTIFUL FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON.

THE CLASSIC SHOT.

THE RIDE TO THE TOP OF SUGARLOAF (PÃO DE AÇUCAR).
MARACANÃ FOR YOU SOCCER FANS. THE BIGGEST STADIUM IN THE WORLD.
PELÉ PLAYED HERE AS WELL.

"LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HIS FEET!" IS SAID WITH A DIFFERENT MEANING THAN AT THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME. :)

UNASSUMING SHOT, BUT THIS TREE IS BRAZIL WOOD WHICH IS WHERE THE COUNTRY OF BRAZIL GOT ITS NAME!

EVEN IN MY DREAMS I COULDN´T BUILD A SAND CASTLE LIKE THIS ONE

TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO

2006-05-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

OUR FIRST MISSIONARY TRIP TO A CITY ABOUT 5 HOURS AWAY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS IN BOTH MINISTRY-WISE AND IN ENJOYMENT.
WE HAD OVER 100 KIDS EACH DAY!
WE REEENACTED THE STORY OF ESTER IN THREE DAYS. HERE I AM PLAYING THE KING WITH HAAMAN AND ESTER THE QUEEN.
WE ALSO HAD EACH TEEN COME IN AS A COLOR OF THE WORD-LESS BOOK EACH DAY EXPLAINING THE SALVATION STORY. THREE MONTHS LATER, THERE ARE STILL 10 OR MORE CHILDREN THAT HAVE STAYED WITH THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THIS OUTREACH. ALL PRAISE TO THE LORD!

OUR TIME WITH THE TEENS ALTHOUGH LESSER IN NUMBER WAS A JOYOUS TIME EACH NIGHT WITH AN AVERAGE OF 8 TO 10 NEW TEENS COMING OUT EACH NIGHT.
THE TEENS LOVED THE OUTING TO THE WATERFALLS ONLY ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE CHURCH.

PAULINHO SHOWING OFF HIS SKILLS.
AFTER A LONG THREE DAYS, THE RIDE HOME WAS PRETTY QUIET. A VERY TIRING TRIP, BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT. I FELT THAT MANY OF THE TEENS REALLY GREW A LOT SPIRITUALLY DURING THIS TRIP. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TWO YEARS IN THE MINISTRY FULL-TIME.