Hey, y’all! At the time of writing, it has been about a week since we touched down in Brazil. We spent a couple of days in Sáo Paulo, where we took a tour of the city, got some rest, and enjoyed the amazing Brazilian food. We then flew to the capital of Brazil, Brasília, where we will be spending the rest of our time. In Brasília, we met up with people from LifeShape, a program focused on developing the next generation of Christ-centered leaders and disciples. We received a very warm welcome, and for many, it felt like a massive family reunion. The LifeShapers are extremely energetic and cheerful, and it has been so fun to get to know them. It has been amazing to see how LifeShape and Impact 360’s missions have blended throughout this immersion trip.
From there, we attended a three-day LifeShape conference, which encompassed worship, various messages from guest speakers, and breakout sessions to learn about specific topics such as leadership, discipleship, and vocation. The atmosphere was similar to something like Passion Conference, and Fellows and LifeShapers alike had an amazing time.
However, the days were long, and I was struggling with fatigue. Many of my friends encouraged me to bring my worries before the Lord. I spent time journaling and praying to the Lord that He would continue to reveal Himself and His plan for me throughout this trip. I know that God is working in ways far beyond my understanding, and there is a sense of comfort in knowing I can lean on God.
The second day of the conference ended up being one of the best days of my life, and I felt like this huge burden had been lifted off my chest. Everything from the breakout sessions to the sermons and worship was amazing, and it was fascinating to see the Lord at work in the lives of so many different people from various backgrounds and cultures. Even though there was so much on the surface separating us, we all shared the most important common denominator, our love for God. 
We are currently preparing for Overnighteen, a summer camp for teenagers at Agua Viva in Brasília. I am looking forward to what God has prepared for our team in the coming weeks.
Matthew Shin