Being home the first 24 hours after we returned, my head wouldn’t stop spinning.  Not the bad type of spinning when you have so much to do, but a different type of spinning.  This spinning is joyful because I cannot stop smiling thinking about all the memories made with the people of Rio De Janerio, Brazil and my teammates.

One word that keeps coming back to me is love; love for Jesus Christ our Savior, love for the kids and people we met throughout the week, love for the interpreters, love for my teammates and coaches, and the amazing love the kids showed towards us while at their schools.

Looking back on the week, my favorite part was getting to love on the kids every day as well as worship with them.  Seeing their smiling faces was something I cannot put into words.  Bringing kids to Jesus Christ and giving them hope is also an inexpressible feeling, and that by far was the most rewarding part.

Seeing the Christ the Redeemer statue was something I will never forget because of the symbolism and history behind the statue.  However, the memories I cherish most were holding the kids in my arms and teaching them all about God and His plan for their lives.  This trip was definitely life changing and I am so happy I got to share it with my best friends and teammates.

In the words of Chris Tomlin, “His love never fails, it never gives up and will never run out on us.”  This is a perfect example of what this past week in Brazil meant to me.  The love I have for our Savior, the people of Brazil, interpreters, and my teammates was accentuated during the week in Brazil.  All of the people I met in Brazil will always hold a special place in my heart.  We showed them God’s love and they in return showed us love that I will never forget.

We were there to change their lives but they most definitely changed ours.