Kayla Balangue

Oi from South America!

I’m writing this as a heated 3v3 futsal match unfolds: Team USA vs. Team Brazil (and yes, we’re getting crushed). But beyond the scoreboard, today has been full in the best kind of way, filled with joy, humility, service, and the unmistakable presence of God.

Our day began early at 5:45 am with a few of us taking a run down to the beach to catch the sunrise over the Atlantic. The beauty of the morning felt wonderful like God’s quiet invitation into the day. After breakfast, we made our way to Hope Mountain, where the day really kicked off with ping pong challenges from the kids (a tradition at this point!).

We spent the morning doing some heavy lifting – literally. Our team helped move scrap metal, fridges, and old AC units around the property. Then it was lunchtime, and it was a highlight of the day. Albert helped prepare an incredible lasagna with the staff, and we had the privilege of serving the meal. It may sound simple, but there’s something so cool about serving and eating together, especially when the food is that good.

After lunch, we got back to work on the Pinewood Derby cars. We finally started shaping them using saws, and it was amazing to see the creativity come to life. The kids got really into it, and watching them design and decorate was chaotic but cool.

Snack time brought fresh pineapple, mao mao suco, pão de queijo, and sfiha. All of which were delicious. While we ate, some of the kids gave us drawings they made to welcome us. I was honestly so grateful in that moment. Even without words, they know how to make us feel at home.

In the evening, we visited the thrift store run by Hope Mountain in the city and it was a vibe, then we stopped by a local grocery store to buy rice, beans, and hygiene supplies to bring to a local family who had invited us to see their home.

That visit was an eye-opening moment for me. The family lives in a small, pieced-together house made of plywood and rough brick. A single mother raising five children, with almost nothing, and yet the kids were full of joy. It was heartbreaking and humbling all at once. Watching Phil, our fieldworker, give them groceries was a clear glimpse of God’s love. In that moment, it reminded me of Jesus.

We returned to Hope Mountain for dinner. yes, more rice and beans, and wrapped up the day with futsal and Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the boys. It’s hard to explain how meaningful something as simple as play can be in building friendships across language and culture. Through it all, I’m learning that love doesn’t require fluency. It’s in the shared sweat, laughter shared, and the mutual respect that grows when you serve alongside someone. I’m being stretched especially as I see the sharp divide between Brazil’s upper and lower classes. There’s very little in-between here, and it’s opened my eyes to both brokenness and beauty.

God is working miracles at Hope Mountain. Every testimony, every interaction, every act of service reveals more of His faithfulness. As James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” I see His grace everywhere here.

Please continue to pray for Hope Mountain’s impact, for the families we meet, and that we would walk in step with God’s Word, shining brightly with the love of Jesus.

Tchau for now, and thank you for your prayers!

Tim (aka Chim as the kids call me)

Oi friends and family!

today was an amazing day! we started off the morning with reading our bibles, journaling, and eating breakfast at the hotel. South American breakfast here consists of eggs, hotdog sausage, cheese bread, and a ton of pastries (and obviously multiple cups of coffee!). On the way to Hope Mountain we pick up Anthony (our translator) who is adored by our team. He allows us to communicate with the kids and is such a joy to be around.

When we got to campus we first fueled up on more coffee and practiced our Portuguese as we are learning to become “true South Americans”. Next Philip (our field worker) told us some pretty incredible stories and testimonies of some of the kids and the fieldworkers at Hope. There is so much brokenness, sin, and pain surrounding each of the boys and yet each of their stories are extremely powerful. We are blessed to be able to learn about such a small part of their lives.

Next on the days agenda was Pine Box Derby assembly. We have a bunch of wooden boxes and cars that need to be built and decorated before Saturday where we will race the cars with all of the kids. Sadly we could not finish them today as we needed a specific saw to cut the wood so hopefully we will be able to finish them tomorrow. Next we spent most of the afternoon playing and spending time with the kids. We showed them how to play Ninja, make bracelets, and say phrases in English. They also got to show us how to get coconuts from the trees on Hope’s property. The whole team got to drink fresh coconut water which was very refreshing. It was so fun to watch the kids get excited about showing us how to drink and eat the coconuts as they got to share part of their home with us.

Next we got our hands dirty with some good old manual labor. Hope’s vision is to build a preschool so that the workers can have free childcare for their kids while they work. We cleared out an old storage room where the preschool will be located and tomorrow we will paint the room. Our team loved being able to give back and serve the ministry in such a tangible way.

Lastly, we finished off the day with a massive pool party and dinner in the boys homes. What an amazing experience these past two days have been. These kids are such lights regardless of their traumatic pasts and current life circumstances. It’s so encouraging to be around them as it reveals Gods goodness and faithfulness for all of his people.

Please continue to pray for rest and strength for our team (as we have a busy next couple of days) and for continued opportunities to share Gospel and the love of Jesus.

Thank you all for your prayers! Tchau!
~ Taylor