7 years on the Mission Field.

 Seven years ago today I said goodbye to my family and friends in Florida and got on a plane with my husband Nate and my 16 month old daughter Hope as we made the move that would change our lives forever. I remember being really sick the whole flight partly because Nate and I both had the flu and partly because I was 7 months pregnant with our second daughter Grace. I remember spending most of the flight taking turns with Nate in the bathroom on the plane, and I remember other passengers handing us their barf bags after we filled ours (ugh!). I remember handing baby Hope to our pastor’s wife Patti while I was getting sick and then I remember moments later looking up to see that Hope had vomited all over her. I remember Nate telling me to put on a sweatshirt to cover my big belly when we went through customs to avoid any problems and I remember that it was raining when we landed on the island of Florianopolis that would be my new home.  

 Seven years ago today I fell in love with Brazil. For me It was love at first sight and I loved EVERYTHING about Brazil. 

 I always say that life on the missions field passes through the same three stages of love that most marriages pass through. 1.) There is the Honeymoon Stage where you are in love with EVERYTHING about the country and culture. 2.) There in the Real Life Stage where all of those things that you originally fell in love with in the Honeymoon stage start to drive you crazy. 3.) There is the Real Love Stage that happens after you realize that the country that you are called to serve isn’t perfect but you choose to love it anyways. 

 Seven years into living in Brazil I believe that Nate and I are in the Real Love phase with both Brazil and life on the missions field. We know that Brazil is far from perfect but we are in love anyways. We have been so blessed to live in Brazil and I am absolutely amazed at all the Lord has done in and through our lives in the last seven years. Nathan and I came here as young 21 year old kids with one baby and just a couple of years of ministry experience. We have learned how to become a family here in Brazil, I have learned how to become a mom here in Brazil. We have added SEVEN children to our family and I can not imagine raising them anywhere else. We have made Brazil our home. We have been so incredibly blessed to have made SO many friends that are so close we consider them family here in Brazil. We have seen many people make decisions for Jesus and we have seen lives transformed. I stand in awe of all that the Lord has done and I look forward to all the He has in store for the future. 

 From the bottom of our hearts we want to say thank you to all of you who have been supporting us and praying for us over the years. We know that missions is a team effort and we are very thankful to have you as part of our team. Please keep praying for our family and the work that the Lord is doing in Brazil. 

 With much love, 

 Dani Cate and Family 

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phl 1:6)