My name is Leah and I just completed my first year of teaching at an international school in Brasilia, Brazil.  My contract is for 2 years and I will be following the Lord's calling for what He would have me do next at the end of next year.  
This is an exciting opportunity for me to follow God’s calling to not only teach, but teach at an international school with students from over 31 countries around the world. I am excited to serve and share Christ with students and families of both believers and non-believers. I am delighted that God has opened up this opportunity for me and I eagerly await the adventures He has in store for me.

This blog is about:

• How you can partner with me in my mission work in Brazil through prayer or financially.

• Some of the fun experiences I have had in Brasilia thus far. 

Want to get involved and help support me while I'm in Brasilia?  Here's how you can do it!

http://www.nics.org/donate

You can give a donation directly to the students I am working with here in Brasilia or donate to Network of International Christian Schools!  This is a tax deductible donation.  Thanks for praying about how you may contribute to further the kingdom in the hearts of students from around the world!

Instructions:

Go to http://www.nics.org/donate
Click on single donation/recurring donation
Click on missionary support
Type in my name Leah Knoepfel and the number #003785 which is my project number.

Financial Needs:
Due to the Brasilian Real (the currency used in Brazil) weakening with rising inflation costs, there is an even greater need for support for me financially while I live in Brazil.    

Here's how you can help.  I would like to be able to raise $3,000 US dollars for my plane trip to the US at Christmas and for the one at the end of the school year.

If you could help me in this area...that would be a tremendous blessing!  I currently have been saving like crazy this school year.  I was able to not have a car and walk to school or pay a friend to drive me to school this last school year.  This being said, I am unable to compensate for the amount of Brasilian currency (real) lost over the course of the year.  For every R$3 reais spent here, I am given $1 US dollar.  So in essence 1/3 of what I make is what I take home in Brazil.  When I began in August it was 1/2.  I also am not able to transfer money to my US account unless I have support from friends in the states or I come home from Brazil and convert the Real to Dollars.  This is why it can be so helpful to have you partnering with me in this way!  If you have further questions or would like more details I would love to tell you all about it.  Just email me at Leah.Knoepfel@gmail.com

Thanks so much for your help in furthering the kingdom!  Just this year there was a little girl from Bangladesh in my classroom that accepted Christ.  She is from a muslim family and she loves the Lord!  All glory be to God!

Please let me know how I can be praying for you!

Prayer Requests:
Safe travel to the US on Friday, June 26th.
Safety for my students as they travel to their home countries or stay within Brazil during the summer break.
A 6th grade teacher at our school.
For my mom's shoulder to heal after a fall that she had a few weeks ago. (the humerus was broken in several places at the tip of the shoulder area.  She will have it in a sling for several weeks.)
For continued healing for my dad after having some cancer removed a few weeks ago as well.  All was removed!  Praise the Lord!

Faithfully Serving for His Kingdom,
Leah

Want to get involved and help support me while I'm in Brasilia?  Here's how you can do it!

http://www.nics.org/donate

You can give a donation directly to the students I am working with here in Brasilia or donate to Network of International Christian Schools!  This is a tax deductible donation.  Thanks for praying about how you may contribute to further the kingdom in the hearts of students from around the world!

Instructions:

Go to http://www.nics.org/donate
Click on single donation/recurring donation
Click on missionary support
Type in my name Leah Knoepfel and the number #003785 which is my project number.

I will also let you know exactly how the money is being used to help at our school.  I really appreciate you and also your prayers.  I am doing well and adjusting quickly.  My ankle is still healing from when it was sprained back at the end of July.  I will try to do a better job of updating my blog.  It's a little sad lately.  Facebook seems to be easier for me on the go.  How can I pray for you?  Please send me a message.  I want to know what is happening where you are as well!  Also feel free to pass along to anyone else that you think might be interested.  Much thanks!

Blessings to you,
Leah Rae

Isaiah 41:10  So do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Hi all!  Sorry I've been so bad about blogging since I got here.  Wanted to share some things that I've been up to since I got to Brasilia.  I thought I might share some of it in the form of my facebook updates because they'd be the most accurate representation of my thoughts and what I did each day.  It's been a wonderful first week here in Brasilia.  I've fallen in love with the neighborhood and especially the people of Brazil.  They are so loving and kind.  (At least the ones I have met thus far.)  Always wanting to help in any way possible and being very patient with my lack of Portuguese.  I'm definitely working on it but it's been slower than I thought.  

Tuesday, July 29th, 2014

Wow! Sleep mask, blanket, pillow, and ear buds. Feeling spoiled. Talk to you on the other side.

Wednesday, July 30th

At my new apartment in Brazil. I only have WiFi for a short time. Waiting for password, but look forward to sharing with you all after I take a nap.

Thanks to Caleb Lugar and Chris Fryar for setting up my internet for the evening. Having a great time in Brasilia! — feeling thankful.  (Caleb is our business manager at the school and Chris Fryar is our director/principal.)

Also a huge thank you to Beverly Beverly B Fryar and Chris Fryar for picking me up from the airport and taking my luggage to my new apartment! Pics to come as soon as it's daylight again. First meal outside of the airport was coffee and 

pão de queijo which is a yummy type of bread roll with cheese in it. For lunch I had some really good beans and rice. Definitely spoiled here. Thanks for following what I'm up to...but what have you all been up to today?  (Beverly is Chris's wife.)

Flags at the Brasilia Airport

This was the plane I flew in on with Delta airlines.  They were terrific.  It was 6:16 a.m. when we arrived.

My first snack and coffee was here at the airport with Beverly and Christina.  I ate cheese bread!  So good. (pão de quiejo)

This is the kitchen at my apartment.

First meal of beans and rice made by our made Herika.  So yummy!

Thursday, July 31st

A look into my apartment here in Brasilia, Brazil. http://youtu.be/hCY4TcDc7aY

A picture of my bedroom.

This just happened! Grandpa skyped and played harmonica for me. Justin and Elisa were there too! Yay! :) — feeling happy.

Friday, August 1st, 2014

Brazilian pizza and a papaya last night. Thanks Valeri and Christina !

Beautiful Brasilia. Looking right out of our living room window.

 

Basil, tomato, garlic, and cheese pizza.  Other is plain cheese.

Saturday, August 2nd

Took my first solo trip to the market today. Bought all you see here for $3.00. Forgot tomatoes and stuff but oh well. Can just add beans to it right?

Went to the movies today and saw "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" in 3D and with Portuguese subtitles. It was really cool! They have assigned seats at the theaters here, much like the fancy ones back home. You also get a discount just for being a teacher! Also ordered a burrito (or tried to) so thank goodness my friend Christina came to the rescue while the lady gave me the deer in the headlights look. 

Sunday, August 3rd

International Baptist Church that I went to today.

The kids fed the monkeys after church bananas and crackers!


Went to the TV Tower market today after lunch thanks to Caleb our gracious friend and driver.


Saw the Brasilia Estadio Nacional where many games were played for the world cup last month.


TV tower in Brasilia-715 feet high


Monday, August 4th, 2014

My new little friend Bet Bet took a selfie today.  She is my director's daughter.

August 5th, 2014
Three of our teachers just made it this morning to Brasilia! Welcome home ladies!  Two are my roommates and one is a new teacher for 3rd grade.
Who knew that putting together a fan would be a bit tricky. It says fácil but I would beg to differ on that. Google translate is my best friend!

 Praise the Lord!  It works!

Let me know if you're interested in supporting me financially and always can use prayer while I am here as well.  Just email me at Leah.Knoepfel@gmail.com and I can give you details.  Plane tickets and living here are definitely not cheap.  But God has gotten me here and I trust that He will provide in all circumstances as He already has.  Thanks for reading!

Brasilia, Brazil!

Oi! (Hello)  I haven't posted in ages.  But since not posting I've accepted a position in Brasilia, Brazil for the next two years.  I will be teaching 2nd grade!  I'm beyond excited and will be posting updates to escapades here.  http://www.brasiliainternationalschool.com/

I will be teaching in a school called Brasilia International School.   It is a small school of roughly 110 students from grades K-12.  I will have approximately 10-15 students.  I can't wait to meet them.  To get to Brazil however requires many documents.  The first thing that was needed was to renew my passport.  I was amazed to find out that I had my passport at the bottom of my pile of "Important stuff" and was able to send that.  

Next began this process:

More complete instructions will be provided as you begin collecting documents, but think of it this way:
1.       Each document (except those that state otherwise) must be notarized in the state in which it was issued.
2.       Each notary signature must be authenticated by the Secretary of State in which the notary resides.
3.       Each Secretary of State Document must be legalized by the appropriate regional Brazilian consulate (the Brazil Embassy website lists the jurisdictions and corresponding consulates).
4.       After you obtain all of the requested documents above, please scan them to me, and then send them to Daniel Lopes in Brazil.  (Daniel will hand deliver your documents to the Brazilian Embassy upon delivery.)

Copy of Passport                   
Copy of Diploma                    
Copy of Teaching Certificate
Copy of Birth Certificate (scanned only – does not need to be notarized or go through the authentication and legalization process)
Copy of Driver’s License       
Local background check       
Employment verification
Resume (scanned only – this one does not need to be notarized or go through the authentication and legalization process either)
Brazilian Work Contract – Daniel will send this to you (notarized only, not authenticated and legalized, since it’s a Brazilian document)

Amazingly, I've got everything back except for my Iowa Diploma.  I forgot to send it to the correct jurisdiction, which is apparently in Dallas, Texas.  (I forget that since I live in Arizona that the jurisdictions are not the same as in Iowa.)  That's a lot of information, but praise the Lord!  After I send off the diploma tomorrow (certified copy of course) and have that return to me, I will have all documents ready to apply for my visa.  This is great since the world cup is in June in Brazil and I will need to have the process started early.  Brazil is known for being extremely slow in processing visas.  I am excited to have all of this completed within only about a month of accepting the position.  

Right now I am working on selling lots of things that just don't need to be moved to Minnesota and starting to close out the school year here in Phoenix.  I will not be telling my students from school about my move until the last week of school.  I pray that this will help in creating less drama for the students.  (Oh I mean for me!!!)  My dad will be buying my car.  I just purchased it in January when he came to help me after being side swiped and needing to purchase something after the totaling out of my poor Chevy Impala.  

So those are some basics.  The school is a christian school and it'll be pretty neat.  I will get to work with students from over 22 different nations.  Well at least so far that's what we have.  Sounds like there are over 100 different nations that are a part of the Network of International Christian Schools thus far and growing.  Pretty neat!  The best part?  I've already talked with and may have possibly met my roommates from emailing the staff at the school.  They've sent me welcome notes just to say hello.  It's been overwhelmingly amazing!  Please let me know what is happening for you in your life.  I want to be able to stay in the loop even if I am miles away.

Blessings to you all.  Feel free to share with others that may be interested in this exciting adventure ahead! :)

Hello everyone.  Now that I know how to upload pictures faster, here's a quick glimpse of the trip I took to St. Charles this last week.  Had a great time with Kyle, Rachel, Lydia, & Isaiah. :)

 Kermit the frog even hangs out at the airport.

 Goodbye 104 degree weather of Phoenix!

 Hello O'Hare and the beautiful 80 degrees :)

 Lydia liked to watch the dump trucks in the morning.  She was upstairs when this one came by.

 Isaiah and Auntie Leah.

 Lydia and Auntie Leah.

 Let's go that way!

 Helping baby minnie go for a ride.

 One of my favorite books.

 Alphabet soup.

 Isaiah likes to play with his animals.

 Mommy and Lydia blowing bubbles.

 Grilling.

 Took a trip to Aldi and saw these pretty flowers.

 Hi there little mr.

 Such handsome men.

 There they are!

 St. Charles at night.

 Met up with friend Matt who had just moved to Chicago from Phoenix a month and a half ago.

 "Goldfish!"

 Mommy and Lydia hanging out.

 Beautiful lilies and the neighbors house.

 Fingerpainting!

What Kyle likes to read in his spare time. :)  

I had a wonderful time and wasn't ready to go back home to Phoenix already.  But will have to come back again and see them soon.  Thanks Kyle and Rachel for having me! :)