MaritimeMercy.com

In the March issue of the AmericanWay Magazine, Gerald J. Arpay, American Airlines CEO, in an editorial entitled “Help From Above” describes how America Airlines and its employs have responded to the Haitian earthquake. “Within hours of the quake, we flew multiples relief missions into Pot-au-Prince. And since then, we have continued to transport relief workers, critical supplies and evacuees.” He says. Tragedies like the earthquake in Haiti, awakens peoples’ conscious to the misfortune of others. Horrific images shown on the TV, the internet and other means of communication confront to a reality beyond ones imagination. Awaken by this reality people want to know: How to give? How to help? How to donate? Like many other organizations Mercy Ships is also helping in Haiti http://www.mercyships.org/content/home. Jesus said that it is better to give than to receive. Each one of us should be a channel in providing “Help From Above”. May the Lord continue to awaken people to the needs of tho

Today Christians everywhere commemorated Easter, Passover, Pascoa in Portuguese. I have many Easter memories growing up with bolt catholic and protestant influence, that ranged from not eating meet on Good Friday, which was not a problem because we expected to eat bacalhau (cod fish) to early Sunday mass or service. An Easter egg was a must, Brazilian chocolate taste really good. In the midst of all this the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus was never lost. So this Easter week here in south Brazil we ate fish on Good Friday, attended an Easter Sunday service with our relatives, got a big Easter egg and celebrated the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

After a long flight that began in Tyler, Texas we arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “O Rio de Janeiro continua lindo” (Rio de Janeiro continues to be beautiful) says the Cariocas, people from Rio. My sister Marli was waiting for us. We had lunch together; however, Rio was not our final destination, at least not for now. The next flight took us to Porto Alegre where Reinaldo, Carla’s brother, was waiting for us with uncle Urbano, and cousins Marlise e Maidi. Reinaldo drove us to Sao Leopoldo where his wife Rose was waiting for us with Felippe e Vitor. At the airport in Rio de Janeiro At the airport in Porto Alegre