Monday 17 May 2010

SEVERAL ACTIVITIES (U) - 1 - OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN BRAZIL

Lídia and I were in Brazil from March 28th to April 28th to take part in the 60th General Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil – IELB (Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil), to have meetings and to give reports; and we had two weeks of vacation with our family (we did also an intensive medical check-up using our health plan in Brazil).
All our children and some friends were waiting for us at the Porto Alegre airport on Monday evening. (29th March) and we had dinner together there

It was just then Dickson’s birthday (our son-in-law) and we celebrated with him, his parents, relatives and friends.
Our little grandson Henrique (one year and seven months old) was happy when he received some gifts from the grandparents.
We were in Brazil when Henrique was born on 23rd August 2008 and I baptized him.

But after this we were following his growing just through skype. It was so good to see him and to hug him!!!

Grandma Lídia gave him a Children’s Bible and was telling him some stories.
Our son Leo and his wife Carol came from Germany and we spend all the time together with our 3 children and their families: We went to the services together, we visited Martin’s grave (our 13 year old grand-son who died in an accident last November 22nd), and we celebrated Easter together, the Feast of Hope and Life!

Our family on Easter Sunday (from the left): Paulo & Flávia, Carol & Léo, Carlos Walter & Lídia, Henrique + Tatiana & Dickson.

Before Easter lunch we exchanged the Easter gifts: Chocolate eggs and sweets.
Henrique likes music and Paulo played the violin for him. He enjoyed it!
We are so proud and thankful to God for Henrique!
He is a lovely and cute child. We love him!

Our niece Inês Martina, who visited us in July 2009 with Martin, invited us for a lunch at her apartments. Her mother Ruth (my sister) prepared a good homemade lunch for us. In the picture: Lídia, Ruth, her husband Hiltor, Carlos Walter, Léo , Carol and Jairo (Inês’ husband).

My sister Dora invited us for a lunch. Our nephew Heitor and his wife Angelita were also there.

The time was too short to go to my home city Santa Cruz do Sul. So, my sisters, my brother and theirs families came for a lunch to Porto Alegre on Sunday April 11th . Some cousins and their families came as well. It was a nice family reunion and we had the opportunity to see all of them + our nephews and some grandnephews.

The five remaining siblings: Clara, Carlos Walter, Dora, Oscar, Ruth (Else passed away in 1992).
One afternoon we had a café and cake at Paulo & Flávia’s apartment: Our cousin Lia, my sister Dora Lidia’s sister Kuki (Eunice) and Lídia came together. We had a good chat.

Dickson’s parents, Valdir and Marilu, invited us twice to their home for lunch and to be with our common grandson Henrique all the day. It was a lot of fun!

Our cousins Paulo & Lia, plus Valdir & Marilu and Walter & Lizete invited us for a nice supper in a German Restaurant. - We had dinner also with our friends Paulo and Elisa,and with Rev.Arnildo and Amabile at their homes.
Some friends from our former congregation invited us for a lunch as well: Pastor Gustavo Scholze & Hildegard, Vera Cavalheiro & her husband, Dayse Lüdke, Mercedes Müller and her daughter Agnes, and Lori Blank (who took the picture).

Lídia met at Concórdia Service two friends from her youth time: Madalena Rieger and Iris Hegele Kunzendorff. Since 1963 the three of them haven’t been together!

We met also our fiend Elsa Zaffari at her shop downtown Porto Alegre,

And our friend Regina Joris came from the city of Gramado specially to see us! – We met many other friends in the services and meetings. It was so good!

I had also some meetings: The first one was with the IELB National Board. I gave a report about our work and challenges in Kenya and we talked about future possibilities.

Rev. Adilson Schünke invited me to speak to the graduating class at Concordia Seminary, São Leopoldo.

It was nice to share with the future pastors the mission challenges in a foreign country.

My former congregation “Concordia” invited me also to have a presentation about our work, with time for questions & answers.

It was a good opportunity for Lídia and me to meet old friends and to share our experience in Kenya.

Leo and Carol were supposed to go back to Germany on 18th April. But the volcano in Island didn’t allow them to go back that day.

But even so we had a farewell lunch with the children before Lídia and I went to the IELB General Convention. (Paulo and Flavia in the picture).

And we enjoyed the presents of our grandson Henrique with their parents Dickson and Tatiana.
Our family again after the last service we attended together (18th April) before coming back to Kenya: Paulo & Flávia, Léo & Carol, Lídia & Carlos Walter, Tatiana + Henrique & Dickson.

1 comment:

kunzendorff said...

Uaw!! Many years went by Carlos Walter, but me and Julia never forgot the amazing work you did giving us a wonderful gift on our wedding, the ornaments for the church. You were also our "Padrinhos".
Walter and Lidia, nice to see your beautiful family altogether. What a blessing!
I now you are in Kenya. We pray that God continuously and greatly blesses all of you.
I live in Canada-Ontario for about 23 years.
If you got some time come and visit us.
We can be reached at kunzendorff@sympatico.ca
or 1-905-762-9118

Best regards,

Leo & Julia Kunzendorff