The Reconciliation of All Things

No one likes to be the outsider, right? Do you? I remember when I spent three months in Tanzania during college. I was called the "mzungo"...basically, white man, foreigner, "alien"...whatever you want to name it. It's not necessarily a fun thing to always be called and have people stare at you as the kids shout it out while you walk through the market. However, you DO get used to it after awhile, and once you've been there for some time, you aren't a novelty anymore. People get used to you being there, they get to know you, and you become more a part of the local culture/community. In fact, you begin to understand some things about the culture that otherwise you wouldn't. And that's what I want to highlight here: not the downside of being the outsider, but the benefits. For any missionary that's been overseas for a decent amount of time, he or she can relate to this. A missionary's job is to understand the culture as much as possible...

Hi all. Our mission agency has come up with a new website, a large "makeover" really, and we're excited about it. You should check it out! It's at team.org . Anyhow, we soon now begin using Wordpress for our blogging since it's linked to our mission agency's website...and we're hoping to be more consistent too. We'll get that new site to you as soon as it's live...for now, keep checking back here! We hope you'll keep following what God is doing in and through us in Brazil, and how He's growing His Kingdom! Yes, even with us here in the Chicago suburbs for a short time of medical leave, God is using us in Brazil! We don't always understand all the ways in which is is doing this, but we are confident that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it...don't you agree? God's never done with us. Thanks for keeping in touch!

We've now been in Brazil for over a year, wow! We thank God and YOU for helping us through all the transitions...to God be the glory! Please read our latest letter right here:

Yes, it’s the 4th of July, but that’s not the reason for the noise outside as I type this ( Video )! It is midnight, and one of the national soccer club teams here in Brazil (Corinthians) just won the South American championship called “Libertadores da América”…tonight we won’t get much sleep! This is the passion of Brazilians for soccer… But this passion for soccer also permeates the Brazilian believer’s passion for Jesus! What a privilege to be mobilizing, training, and sending these passionate Brazilians to spread the gospel to the Unreached! We want to ask you to be praying specifically these next two weeks. I (Ben) am leaving Thursday, for a conference at our mission headquarters in Wheaton, IL. The first week I will be at the conference. It is an important consultation of our TEAM leaders from around the world July 7-14 in Wheaton (actually at Wheaton College).  TEAM needs the input of all its leaders as we determine how to move ahead in these next years to best help churc...

We continue learning some Brazilian values the hard way it seems. We are finding that most Brazilians will put relationships before other things...even if their kids are sick, they will still go out with friends if there is a previous commitment. Now, there are usually exceptions to the rule, but it is a general observance on our part. Basically, relationships are important!! This might be why our kids keep getting sick...they have had fevers for two days straight and going on the third day...because other kids at school have fevers, or kid at the park are really sick but their parents wouldn't dare keep their kid home from the park and not be able to play with their friends. So, a question for us to ask ourselves is: "if we don't show up for a social event, or Caleb or Becky don't go to school for the day, does that mean we are not good missionaries because we don't value relationships enough here??" Not necessarily. It's a difficult line to walk here in...

It is now June as you read this post...which means a lot is about to happen in the next two months with our family (thus the Portuguese subject line of this email: More changes...). So, would you keep praying for us and the changes to come? Here is a quick update and a few things you can praise/pray about: Becky is on track to finish her Portuguese language program around the end of June/beginning of July--praise the Lord! We know this doesn't mean the learning is over though. Pray for us all to persevere and keep learning. Ben was able to lead a Bible study at our weekly small group and enjoyed getting some practice with Portuguese in that context. He was also able to start playing soccer with some Brazilian friends on a weekly basis, until a tree fell on the goal post this week--no more soccer for a while. Caleb finishes his pre-school in June and will need to say goodbye to all his friends here--pray for him; this is hard to do....

As the days go by in the routine of language school, there are little changes that we don't always notice, but that those of you who keep up with us WOULD notice. So, just wanted to give you a few of those things that you might find interesting...or fun, or just mundane. -First off, David, our almost three month old, is wearing 9-month clothing. This is in keeping with Bacheller tradition...our boys are plain BIG. He's growing very quickly, and loves to hear and see his brothers playing, singing, and dancing in front of him. -Samuel is now saying more words than we can count! Just today at breakfast he said "Superman" and pointed up to the sky (we made him and Caleb red Superman capes!) Last night, he was getting into the car himself and said "Okie dokie!" He counted to 10 in English the other day, and says many words in Portuguese without even knowing he's speaking a different language! -Caleb speaks Portuguese and English interchangeably with Becky ...

During the weekend of the 21st of April, on the 5th anniversary of Noah's homegoing, we went to the beach spend some family time, and to remember Noah's life. We had a restful time and were able to feel renewed enjoying God's beautiful creation! Here are Samuel and Caleb digging in the sand.

It's crazy being a parent sometimes...you walk into the other room for 5 seconds, come back, and there's your kid...doing....WHAT??? UP IN THE WINDOW???

Samuel grabbed Becky's running shoes the other day and started walking around the house!

David is happy to be home...

Baby David was born on Feb. 10th, at 8:08 am, weighing 8.2 lbs and measuring 20 inches. Thank you all for praying!

 What was supposed to be a nice outing with the boys today turned out to be a visit to the urgent care center for Caleb...all because he decided it would be a good idea to jump from one end of the couch to the other...never mind that the "other" end of the couch was practically bare wood that had long ago lost its padding...The worst part? He dove head first...or shall we say, NOSE first? At least nothing broke in his nose or face...just a bad hit to the nose...and it was a relatively quick visit to the historically significant/architecturally attractive hospital!

Today we had a man, José (Zé), do some yard work. I saw him working on the neighbor's yard and we needed work done on ours, but we don't have any tools here, they're all stored away in Anápolis, the city we'll be moving to this next summer (winter here in Brazil—we're in the southern hemisphere!). So, I asked him how much he'd charge to do our front yard, he gives me the price, and says he could do it today. So, anyhow, after he's done with the neighbor's yard, he comes over to ours and starts working. What would have taken me an hour or less took him about 2.5 hours. Now, he did a great job, in fact, a marvelous job! It was so funny to me (not frustrating, but funny, yes!), how as he worked during this time, I could hear him out the front window talking every now and then...to people who were passing by. Was I frustrated at this? Well, back in the US, possibly...I've got that old American hard-work mentality built-into me...after all, I sold Bibles/...