Internationalmatt's Blog

This blog is about my international friends and their inspiring stories

A Brazilian Friend is Coming to Lincoln Part 2- Giovanna came :)

A few weeks ago I wrote about how a new Brazilian friend was coming to Lincoln in regards to Giovana the baby girl expected by my friend Gabriella and Thiago from Brazil. Giovanna came to Lincoln at 3am Friday morning after her mother Gabriella spent 46.5 hours in labor.

Beautiful little Giovanna

Giovanna may be small now, but based on having tall parents I think she may grow up to play volleyball for the University of Nebraska. Both of her parents are Graduate students, so perhaps she will be a PHD student someday. One thing I do know for sure if that she will be loved and taught about the love God has for her because her parents live out their love for God and others.

Thiago with his new baby girl Giovanna

It was interesting that while I was at the hospital visiting we took time to pray for her and as we prayed she did not cry. She does have a good set of lungs :) . I went to the hospital for a brief visit to pray for Giovanna and for Gabriella. Thiago looked tired but he was beaming with joy. Gabriella was also beaming, but I believe she was far more tired than Thiago. 46.5 hours of labor makes me think Brazilian women must be tough, but then why do American women usually win in Soccer and Volleyball lol.

Giovanna will have several of her parents friends doting over her as well. There will be her American grandmother Linda, numerous “uncles” who will look out for her, many “aunts” who will be happy to hold her, and of course her real uncle Thiciano who will especially dote over her.

The only thing I am not sure of is whether I should refer to her as my new Brazilian friend or my new American friend because she was born here, so she is an American :) Welcome to Lincoln Giovanna. Just remember until you finish your PHD there are no boys only books :)

March 29, 2011 Posted by | Brazilian friends, children, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A Brazlian Friend is Coming Soon- Baby shower for Giovanna

Last Saturday I went to a baby shower for some friends from Brazil who are expecting their first child. Gabriella and Thiago will have a baby girl soon and have chosen the name Giovanna for her. They are excited for Giovanna’s arrival and I know they will be wonderful parents.

Gabriella and Thiago

It was only the second baby shower I have attended, so I am not sure if I can say anything about cultural universals except what I observed when we made a video story for Giovanna. We went around to group adding to a story about Giovanna and when one person mentioned boyfriend Thiago was overwhelmed with a protective father reaction lol.

There were some nervous husbands when Gabriella’s friends put balloons under their shirts for some pictures. On of them put two balloons under her shirt saying she wanted twin boys.

Gabriella and Thiago may be living far from home and family, but Giovanna will have many aunts and uncles willing to spoil her. I am sure she will get a lot of attention from her aunts and uncles living here Lincoln. She will also have an American grandmother Linda who is excited to meet Giovanna.

Thiago with Linda

Gabriella with Linda

Cristiane and Daniel with Thiago's brother Thiciano

some of Giovanna's "uncles" who will help watch out for her :)

I have a feeling that Giovanna will make a grand entrance in some way such as interrupting her mom and dad during church service or while they are out with friends at a restaurant. When she comes, she will certainly be welcomed by loving parents and all of their excited friends.

me with Gabriella and Thiago

March 3, 2011 Posted by | Brazilian friends, children, Cross Cultural, Experiences of international friends, International Friendships, Internationals, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Wednesdays in México- Weekly Lessons Online with My Little Sister

Last week I told my students in my Wednesday morning class that I was going to go to México 2pm that day and would come back at 3:30pm that day. They were trying to figure our how I would be able to do that, so I pointed to my laptop computer. They rolled their eyes and laughed. Each week I go to México online to study with my little sister Patricia. I call her mi hermana pequena which is little sister in Spanish.

mi hermana pequena Patricia

I always look forward to our Wednesday online classes. I teach her English and she helps me with my Español. We use yahoo messenger, so she can see and hear me. We will get a webcam for her, so I can hear and see her then we can work on pronunciation. Our sessions have shown me how intelligent she is and I have enjoyed discovering how talented she is as well. I knew that she was the worship leader at her church, but have learned more.

Patricia is also a classical violinist as well as playing the guitar in a group. She leads worship in her church which I observed twice myself when I visited Ensenada last June. Both times were awesome and it was easy to see her energy and love for God. I often see her post on facebook música es vida or music is life. Her talents do not stop with music. She also makes jewelry.

I am proud of Patricia not only because of her abilities, but more so because of what she does with them. She teaches children music in her area. She also takes food to poor children and the elderly.

Next week I hope to add another appointment with another person in Ensenada. I already look forward to Wednesdays because of my time with Patricia online. It is a wonderful way to spend my Wednesday afternoons with a special woman. She is one person who I am confident will hear well done my good and faithful servant from our Savior Jesus.

January 27, 2011 Posted by | children, Cross Cultural, Cultural Ambassdors, Hispanic friends, international fashion and crafts, International Friendships, Internationals, Mexico, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

My Favorite Christmas- Romania 2005

When people think of Christmas, we usually think of time with family, Christmas Eve Services, Holiday gatherings with friends, and shopping. As I reflect back on Christmas, the Christmas that stands out as my favorite was when I went to Romania to serve others one Christmas.

In December 2005 I went to Constanta Romania at Christmas time. My home church has partnered with a church in Constanta for several years. Their pastor and his family were in South Africa studying in a seminary, so my church sent me to Constanta to help them with their Christmas services. The trip started out a bit rough because of snow in Lincoln and Minneapolis that caused my flights to be delayed and I arrived in Romania without my luggage. The rest of the trip was wonderful.

the children practicing for their Christmas program

Once I was in Constanta, my first activity was to help with the Christmas Eve program of the children. It was a blessing to help out. I was also able to give the children some Christmas candy. Their performance was wonderful. While I was at their practice, some college students invited me to a meeting at a Baptist church. I went with them. The meeting was for all college students who wanted to come. There were students from the Baptist church, Orthodox church and Evangelical church at the meeting. On thing that was funny was that because my luggage did not arrive until the next day, I was wearing a sweatshirt with NU on it which is for Nebraska University. Nu is no in Romanian. At the meeting they asked me if I would speak, so the first thing I did was explain that my shirt did not say no.

I also preached their Christmas eve and Christmas day services. After the Christmas day service I was invited for lunch at the house of some members. We ate Sarmale and a lot of other good food. I stayed until January 1st then went to Bucharest to met with a few Chinese students at Bucharest Christian Academy. The highlight of the trip for me was spending time with the children who come from poor families to share God’s love with them and to be able to give them some holiday treats.

December 24, 2010 Posted by | children, Christmas, Holidays, Romania, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

Caring for the Children in the World- Operation Christmas Child

With the holidays coming it is once again that time of year that many American Christians think about the children of the world. There are numerous ways that Christians reach out to help children throughout the world whether through agencies like Compassion International, Mission Schools etc. Each November Samaritan’s Purse organizes an effort called Operation Christmas Child. People can fill a show box with items for a child such a a few toys, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, and other items.

My friend Pat at a table at church to talk about Operation Christmas Child

While the shoebox may not address all of the needs for the child receiving it, it does help them to connect with people Samaritan’s Purse has in the area for the possibility of continued help. In the past I have simply donated some cash because shopping is not one of my pleasures in life. This year I took a shoebox and will actually go shopping to fill it. I plan to also check into what else I can do after Operation Christmas Child is finished.

I have visited orphans in Romania, played with poor children in a park in Mexico, and helped refugee families and their children here in Lincoln. A few months ago I was able to help a girl who is new to America to feel better about her new school. Now I see her smile every time I see her in school. As Christmas approaches it is my hope that the various efforts to help children not only has good response for this year, but continues on beyond this Christmas.

November 7, 2010 Posted by | America to other cultures, children, Cultural Ambassdors, Holidays, orphans, world issues | Leave a Comment

Act of Kindess Returned by the Smile of a Refugee Girl

Today started like most Fridays for me. I woke up feeling like I wanted to sleep all day after a busy week. Normally on Fridays my plans for the evening include a large dose of relaxation. I was also wrestling in my spirit a bit about various things. I had no idea as I set out for my day that the smile of a ten year old refugee girl from Bosnia would turn my whole mood and day around.

I went to the elementary school where I teach in the Family Literacy Program in the afternoons. I teach English for mothers from other countries while their children are in school. As I was walking down the hallway I ran into one of the teachers with a little girl. That is a normal sight in the school, but for some reason I slowed down and found out the little girl is from Bosnia. I had heard that a new family had arrived recently. I stopped to greet her in her language and she smiled.

I found out that she had not smiled all week. Everything is new and overwhelming for her at this time. After school, I saw her in the school office with her teacher, her mother and grandmother, so I stopped in the office to say goodbye. She smiled some more. Her teacher told me that it was the first day the little girl smiled all week and that it broke the ice for the little girl.

Seeing her smile and hearing about how it helped her, returned the act of kindness to me. As I was driving home, I felt lifted up and energized instead of my usual Friday afternoon mood of I can’t wait to get home and relax. It is interesting to me that during a week that crazy people have been in the media supposedly representing God, such as the crazy pastor in Florida and the crazy Imam in New York, that God spoke to me today in a small voice. Actually in the smile of a ten year old who was sad due to going through a huge change in her life by coming here. It caused me to think about what Jesus said when He said, “when you do it for the least of these, you do it to ME”.

September 10, 2010 Posted by | children, Experiences of international friends, International Friendships, Internationals, Refugees | Leave a Comment

Ensenada- Fun in the Park

During our trip to Ensenada we provided a Vacation Bible School for kids in the park. The woman who led that part of the trip, Jill, did a great job of organizing it all. I was impressed by the creativity that was behind the VBS. Some of the young people on the team dressed as clowns. Some played games with the kids. All of them did an excellent job of interacting with the kids who came to the park.

games in the park

Jesse giving a ride

me with Annie

Some of our young men also played basketball and soccer with the kids. A little thing that caught my attention was when Robb one of the adults on the trip, got out some new basketball nets and had the young guys put them on the hoops. Little things can mean a lot to people. The kids noticed the new nets.

We went to the park on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. The young people on the team developed a connection with the kids who came. The last day in the park many of the young women on our team were crying because they had to say goodbye to the kids. They may not have been able to speak fluent Spanish with the kids, but friendship can transcend obstacles. It was great to see how the young people did. I was proud of all of them.

June 30, 2010 Posted by | children, Cross Cultural, Cultural Ambassdors, Hispanic friends, International Friendships, Mexico | 2 Comments

Goodbye with Ice Cream leads to meeting New Vietnamese Friends

On Monday evening I took my friend Paula out for ice cream. We went with her older cousin Phung.We went to Cold Stone in downtown Lincoln. Paula has interesting taste in ice cream which was displayed by what she ordered.  Paula had mint ice cream with gummy bears mixed in which sounds like it could be in the Candy Land game. I wanted to do something for her to say goodbye. The trip for ice cream led to me meeting some new friends as well.

Paula

We got the ice cream and went back to her apartment building. There are several Vietnamese families that live in her apartment building and they like to hang out together. We went to the apartment of a family I have written about before, Khieu, Chinh, Khuong, Khiet and Tram. I saw Chinh one of my new students in my Saturday beginning conversation group. She is a kind woman and devoted mother which I can tell by the love her children have for her. Chinh is a sweet woman who may be little in size but not in life.

me sitting down/Chinh standing up

both me and Chinh standing up

That trip for ice cream led to me meeting some new little friends. Chinh is taller than they are :) . Children came in and out of the apartment. All of the children who came in seemed to like Chinh a lot. She seems to be “mom” to a lot of children. The children were curious about who the man was that was visiting Paula and her family and friends. They asked me a lot of questions. I ate watermelon with them. I watched as Tram played “big sister” for them. When we took pictures they showed the V sign which in means happy in many Asian countries.

Paula and Tram with one of my new little friends

Tram with my new little friend

When I visit or see these families, there is a lot of joy. They work hard and live modestly, but there is a lot of joy and laughter. The children were a blast to be around. They came in and out of the apartment freely and took turns asking me probing questions like “where do you live?’, “do you like ice cream?” and “why did you buy Paula ice cream?”.

I plan to visit my friends again. They are fun to be around, but I also want to make sure every one is okay. They are good people trying to make a new life in a place that is not native to them. You would never know by the laughter when you hang out with them,

June 2, 2010 Posted by | children, Cultural Ambassdors, Experiences of international friends, food, International Friendships, Internationals, Vietnamese friends | Leave a Comment

Why Lincoln is a Good Place for Refugees- Opportunities for Children

Many refugees experience horrific cruelties that we cannot fathom going through. I have heard their stories of being tortured, family members being killed, houses being destroyed and much more. Others come from places where they experience discrimination due to the people group they are from, their religion, or other reasons. When refugees are resettled, they are in need of healing moments in their lives. The adults are often happy to do any work so they can provide a better future for their children. The promise of a better life for their children is what keeps many of them going in life. That is one of the reasons why Lincoln has been a good relocation site for refugee families with all of the opportunities for children here.

The schools do an excellent job of educating the children. There are other opportunities for children here such as the Children’s museum and the Children’s Zoo. They are two examples of what Lincoln has to offer to children. There is a nominal fee, but there are also numerous opportunities for low income families to be able to go for free to both places which gives refugee children a chance to explore both places.

the train at the Children's Zoo

The YMCA has soccer leagues for children. Pioneers Park has a Nature Center. There are Parks in almost every neighborhood for the children to play in and for the parents play with their children. Lincoln is definitely child friendly. That means a lot to refugee parents. They tend to have the attitude that it is too late for them, but if their children are happy that is very meaningful to them. If their children have a chance for a better life and are safe from the wars and the fighting, the parents are able to get up and face a new day full of the challenges of trying to live in a new culture with all of the painful memories they carry around.

May 26, 2010 Posted by | children, Experiences of international friends, International Friendships, Internationals, Refugees, Uncategorized, victims of crime and violence, world issues | Leave a Comment

Lunch at Mongolian Grille- A Conversation with a Hispanic Girl

I went to Mongolian Grille for lunch today with one of my friends from Vietnam. I enjoy going there and seeing all of the different nationalities eating lunch or dinner there. It is fun to have brief interactions with them whether at the Buffet or just walking around in the restaurant.

 

My friend and I were seated next to a Hispanic woman and her two young daughters. The youngest one who I would guess to be about 3 started talking to me in Spanish. She was very cute and wanted to say something to me. I do not know why I captivated her attention but she persisted. Her older sister who is probably about 6 told me “She does not speak English”. I said that is okay. Next the 6 year old informed me “I can speak Spanish and English”.

I told her it is great that she can speak Spanish and English. I told her she can feel proud to speak Spanish and of her culture. I told her Spanish is a beautiful language and to keep learning both. She smiled and went back to her lunch which consisted of chicken strips and fruit. That brief conversation made me think about what bi-lingual children experience in life.

Many times they have better English than their parents because they go to school and their parents came here as adults and are busy with taking care of the family. The children often identify more with American culture because they are in it all day at school. This can cause them to feel their native culture is not as important. They can feel torn between the two cultures. It is a shame they would feel that way not only for them in their development, but also for us. There is so much potential in bi-lingual children. Think of the possibilities for America after bi-lingual children grow up and become bi-lingual adults. It can only lead to positive outcomes for America. Sometimes they only need a little encouragement to feel good about their language abilities and the culture of their parents.

April 19, 2010 Posted by | children, Hispanic friends, Internationals | Leave a Comment

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