My first week alone in Brazil I spent in Rolandia, a town with around 45 000 habitants. I was there with an outreach team - a group of teenagers who had just been at teenstreet and now wanted to help others in a practical way, and be challenged in their faith. I was the oldest one there, even older than the leader!

Before I went there I was really nervous; I had no idea what it would be like. But in the car on the way there, driving through the beautiful Brazilian countryside, God filled me with His peace - the peace that trancends all understanding. And I knew that it would be okay. No matter what happened, no matter what I had to do, it would be okay cause it was in His hands. I decided to just go for it. I was there wasn't I? What did I have to loose?

A lot of things happened that week. We did different things in the community - kids meetings for the kids on the streets, food distribution in the poor areas, street evangelisation and radio shows. The most powerful thing for me during those times for me was to see how the teenagers gave of themselves, how they stepped out and just went for it. It was amazing to see the freedom they had, and how willingly and joyfully they served the Lord and the people of the town. My job this week (since I didn't know that much Portuguese) was mostly to encourage the team, and just get to know them and pray for them as they did their things.

We did a lot of things, but the most amazing thing to me about this week wasn't the different ministries we did. We stayed in a few different places. I and a few others stayed at an orphanage. I stayed with another girl in the girls building, together with the house mom and her family, two young girls, and four young women. And even though we could hardly speak to each other at all, the connection we got was amazing. I really felt that I was able to minister to them, and bless them in different ways, and they most certainly blessed me. It was really hard to say goodbye to them, a lot of tears. I will never forget what one of them said to me when we left - you are a part of my family. I am so blessed to have met them.