CRIBS - Rio de Janeiro

Ok everyone, here is a quick glance at our "apartment", really it's not an apartment complex but in a pousada or hostel-type inn, but we do have our own kitchen. And guess what the coolest part is? It's on an island! The Ilha da Gigoia to be exact, and on Google maps you wouldn't even know it's inhabited unless you saw the satellite view because all the streets are only for people so they're unmarked. We have to take a short 2-3 minute chalaga ride (mini ferry) to go to/from the island every day for our various activities, but there is a little grocery store, dinner service, and a yummy pizzeria that we can walk to.




God really provided for us in a miraculous way because we did not even know about this place before we got on the boat to visit the island. Luciane, Jay's wife, knew someone who rents apartments on the island so we were going to look at that apartment. But when we got on the boat she got to talking with this lady next to us and that lady said she has lived on the island for years and she knew of a place that was furnished! Some of you know that has been one of our biggest issues is finding a place that is furnished and in a good location. There was one that we thought might work but it was much more expensive than we had anticipated, so praise God for the good deal we got with this apartment (thanks to Luciane's brilliant bargaining skills!!) We went to look at it and it seemed like a perfect fit for us, and a great location since it's only about 10 minutes away from Jay and Lu and a short boat+bus ride away from the church.

We're excited to get to know the island and figure out where the different ports take us to. All the people that we've met have been very friendly and inviting, it seems like a really neat community there. Hopefully we'll write soon about our first friendships that we make there. This has been a huge answer to prayer and I hope that you all can be as encouraged as we were about this story of God's provision. THANK YOU for partnering with us in prayer for this! Tonight I am going with Luciane to Rio das Pedras again to help with the kids ministry during their church service, and Giulian's tagging along with Jay who's driving to a church a couple hours away to preach. We don't have internet in our apartment yet so bear with us in the coming week.

Thanks again,
Christy

We're going to put pictures up once we get all unpacked!