A first trimester that seems too much like 2020...

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since we've written anything. Between frustrations, waiting, expectations, hope and other emotions, we do not really know what to say. We have the impression of losing control (and it's not just an impression!) We are motivated and suddenly the situation changes again, we believe we have learned something and then we fall back into questioning... In short, it is for these reasons that it has been a while since we wrote anything but that does not mean that we forgot about you, on the contrary! 

But let's go, here is some news:

The slum "Pedreira Prado Lopes"

Let's start with the best! Rachel's pregnancy is still going well. Rachel is doing well but she is tired and really longs for the birth, to feel "lighter". All the examinations and follow-ups show that the baby is doing well. Lorenzo also longs for his arrival, he often tells us "baby, baby" and gives kisses to Rachel's tummy. We can't wait to see how Lorenzo will adapt but we think he will be a great big brother! As for the hospital, we will be able to go to the same place with the same doctor that we had for the birth of Lorenzo and, this time, everything is covered by the insurance that goes with my (Nico's) status as an 'International Solidarity Volunteer'. It is a real blessing and we Thank God to have this status for almost 2 years now through the partnership between the association of my church in Avignon and Défap (Protestant mission organization approved by the state to offer this status). We pray that everything goes well and that with this Covid situation, Lorenzo will handle it well because he will not be able to see Rachel for up to 48 hours (which has never happened to him!). Nico is allowed to stay in the hospital during the 48 hours but if he leaves he will not be able to come back again, which is why we have prepared a whole plan with our friends here so that Lorenzo does not feel alone during these two days and that he will be well taken care of but it may be difficult for him. Please pray for that.

In December / January, all Casa Rocha staff were able to return home for the summer holidays. We therefore decided to also take 5 days away as a family in the nature (One and a half hours drive from our home). But things turned out a little differently than we had expected, the day we arrived there Rachel started to have a cold and a cough and was feeling exceptionally tired, but thought maybe it was the pregnancy. The next morning it was Nico who had a headache but for him it is not really an alert of illness since he often gets headaches... 

In short, we weren't really bad, but on the third day, Nico had a fever. We wanted to be tested for Covid-19 but there was not a single place to do the test in the village where we were. We decided to shorten the holiday to get tested so that if it was covid that we would not pass it on to all the other tourists who were in the same "pousada" (Bed & Breakfast). This was quite devastating as it was our chance to refresh before starting back the work with the team.

But it was a good decision as it was indeed Covid!! We therefore had to isolate ourselves for 2 weeks. For Rachel, it affected her quite a lot and we got a little scared with the pregnancy, but our doctor assured us the baby was fine and she took really good care of Rachel sending prescriptions via phone for medicine. Rachel also took several weeks to fully recover especially from the exhaustion. For Nico it was quite fast and after a week he was fine. The good thing about it all is that the "pousada" agreed to give us credit for the days we couldn't stay and so we were able to go back for a weekend in early March and take advantage of some time as a family.

What about the Covid situation? Well it's the same or even worse than in 2021 here. The political organization is that one advocates a measure and the other is against it. Everyone at their authority level (president, minister, state governor, mayor) do what they want. People are therefore lost! They more or less respect the measures but many cannot stop working because many are paid by the day or the week.

This leads to situations where even when the city is "closed" several non-essential businesses continue to operate with the store gate closed and one person seated in front. When you tell him what you want, either he calls someone inside who brings it to you, or he lets you in and closes the gate. It's a strange way to go shopping.

In the favela where we are, cases are multiplying and it is spreading across the favela, to the point that an entire building has isolated itself and people we know are hospitalized or in isolation. To be honest we are surprised that this only happening now after a year because, as we said in a previous post, the people who live in the favela consider the streets as their "garden" and do not put on the mask when they are in the favela.

When everyone in Casa Rocha came came back from their holidays (and we were out of isolation) we began the year doing visits in the community, continuing to be the only ones who use a mask! It was great to reconnect with the families and we are always received with joy. But with the rising cases, the hospitals to capacity, the city taking new measures and our discovery of just how many are being affected by the virus within the community and not taking the precautions like isolating themselves or using masks, we therefore had to suspend again our activities which were already very reduced! Basically we were mainly doing home visits and food distribution. We have therefore also stopped home visits to avoid contact with the inhabitants of the favela and we have adapted the form of food distribution to limit contact. with the people who receive. 

It's frustrating because in mid-February we were able to do our week of preparation as a team for the year 2021. Each year we go as a team to a Christian holiday centre, 1 hour from home to spend time together outside Casa Rocha continuing to build unity in the team but also to pray together and seek the will of God for what must be done in Casa Rocha. We knew very well that this year was going to be special too and that we were going to have to adapt, but we were not thinking of stopping activities again.

The whole team was super motivated after this week but now we feel cut off in our momentum.

As we say to ourselves (Rachel and I) a few times: if it weren't for the baby to be born here, we would surely be in Ireland or France but we know that this is also not God's calling for us at this time. Also, we know that it will be easier in terms of visas if our child is born in Brazil. So we hold on and we really hope that after 2 years away from our families that we will to be able to return in August or September this year.

If you could pray for all the administrative procedures that will follow the birth, to go quickly, so that the baby is also recognized French and that we can make his Brazilian and French passports to be able to travel.

So this is where we are. But we also take care, don't worry and we don't stop! Since we avoid going out, we take the opportunity to do maintenance work in Casa Rocha, painting and tiling among other things. The house is starting to look really well but there is always so much to do!!

So like we said at the beginning it continues to be a time of ups and downs and we know that it is not just us, it's worldwide! But we continue to trust in Him who is not up and down, He who does not lose control, HE who is still present and knows everything. And that is what continues to give us hope and joy amidst everything.

With that, we'll leave you and probably, the next time you read from us we will announce a happy event ..

Sending you hugs from the 3 of us and nearly our 4th member.