The whirlwind of the past 4 months is much too much to include in an update. From a "here we go - nope, not yet" departure from Brazil in June to a car accident (nothing serious) in Atlanta in August and now to the joys of Fall in October. This update will focus on us as a family in this first stage of transition to the US. The next updates will enter into detail to my transition to the Campus Outreach Serve Center here in Birmingham, AL and our fundraising season.
Departure: June 2023
We attempted to leave Belo Horizonte on June 13th - four family members, 11 checked bags, 5 carry-ons and our 14-year-old cat, Bell. The short version is that we didn't have the correct documentation for our cat to board our first flight out of Belo Horizonte, so we had to regroup and fly out two days later. The longer version includes the vet we hired to prepare the documentation who didn't do a very good job, Delta Airlines calling me from the US AFTER the first attempt informing they had made a mistake (3 individual ticketing agents) allowing me to include our cat as an cabin-boarded pet and that we could not fly with her. Had we boarded that first flight on a Brazilian domestic carrier, we would have been stuck in São Paulo, Brazil with no way to board, our 11 bags likely flying to the USA without us and finding a hotel that accepts cats at 11pm with no litter box. The next 24 hours were spent on the phone and online. God, in his mercy, reimbursed all charges from Delta, and worked out a flight with United and another domestic carrier to fly out on June 15th with no pet limitations. After 30 hours of travel time later (after 2 other delayed flights) we landed in Chattanooga very tired and ready for some showers because we were covered in cat hair and bad moods.
Chattanooga: June 2023
We spent almost 3 weeks in Chattanooga visiting family, unpacking some of our stuff, enjoying summer and resting after the whirlwind last month in Brazil. Since we were waiting on Tathiana's immigration process to be approved, we could not plan too far ahead. So, when her process was approved at the Consulate in mid-May, we quickly had to close-out our house, pack all our belongings, sell the rest, move to an AirBnB for 10 days then fly-out of the country.
Birmingham: July-October 2023
We moved to Birmingham the first week of July. We had two missionary houses lined up in Birmingham, one for July-August then another one from August until the end of the school year - such a blessing! We landed still in the summer and stickiness of an Alabama summer, and it was nice to reconnect with friends here, make new friends and begin to meet more of my future co-workers at the Campus Outreach Serve office.
We took a mini-vacation to Atlanta the first week of August before school started to give the kids some fun memories in the US before the march of the school year began. It was fun. It was a good memory-builder with some activities the kids really wanted to do like Lego discovery Center, The Georgia Aquarium, Jurassic Park Experience, etc. On our way home we had an accident on the Interstate in downtown Atlanta, so now I am amply versed in US Insurance ins-and-outs.
The kids began school in the Hoover City School district, and have really enjoyed it. We decided for both to repeat the grade they just finished in Brazil, and that has been confirmed over and over as a great decision as they transition to English as their primary language. The teachers have been great, the administration even more helpful and the overall feel of the school has been a welcome reality for both kids and parents. We've made some friends at the school, including a young Brazilian family who are still adjusting to the US reality.
The Big rocks:
As we reflect over the past months, we have to rejoice in the fact that the "BIG ROCKS" variables that so many others deal with in this transition have been very smooth for us. Housing has been very pleasant overall, school is a blessing, personal finances have not caused us undue stress and relationships have begun and rekindled in sweet ways. We do thank God for this. It has given us the opportunity to focus on our internal and emotional transition. We continue to walk with our counselors and help from Campus Outreach, as we try to help our children process what they are going through in this big transition.
What's Next?
In the next week, I will send an update more about specifics of our phase in ministry and contribution to the Campus Outreach ministries with CO Serve and the fundraising season I am embarking on as we transition from a field-contextualized budget to a US-reality budget.
Thank you all for your support, prayers and partnership!
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