December 13, 2005
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Did you know that in Portuguese there is only one letter different in the words “winter” and “hell”? Just thought you would like to know. I manage to mix them up. Always. Imagine that.
I went to the Alcance thinking it was a week like any other. You know how sometimes you are going along your merry way and suddenly you smell something. It is so wonderful it makes you stop everything else and follow the smell. It grows stronger and stronger until you are sure you have reached the source and you never want it to end but you know your nose cannot go on smelling it forever? That pretty well explains my weekend.
I got to the Alcance and found out there was a group of nine Americans there…I’d heard rumors that sometime this weekend someone was arriving, but I knew nothing more. You now…there are so many lovely things about American culture. Like the instant bond you have with them from speaking English…and loud laughing (I am so glad not to be the only one) and frank, friendly openness. I like these things. A lot. I hadn’t even realized that I’d missed them.
Thursday was my last English class and so we celebrated with the last s’mores (that I’d successfully hidden since July, praying to God that marshmallows don’t grow mold) and Luciana made me a cake. Even my friend Susy Danielle (who I met in ’99) came to see me.
That night we had worship. Worship in English is GOOD. Good good. I am always amazed at how God fills the needs I have right when I need them—even before I realize that I needed it. Friday morning we were all waiting to see what our orders for the way were when we began an impromptu to worship session that lasted well over an hour. It was in Portuguese and English and it was awesome.
I ate lunch at Felipe’s grandma’s house and decided I would try everything…including the unidentifiable meat dish. After understanding there was heart and intestines in there…and seeing the liver…I took a bite waiting for the moment where I would need to grab my water glass…and it never came. Oh dear. I cannot believe I confessed that it didn’t taste bad…what is happening to my taste buds? Talking with them about God stuff is so great—it was all in Portuguese and in a different language it seems to be a whole new story…I guess there are advantages to learning another language.
And I must say…there are some very cool Americans in this worldJ. I really enjoyed getting to know everyone that came on the trip. Wow. When I start to write about Saturday…a warm fuzzy feeling comes over me. In the morning we had a party for the Living Stones program (all the poorer kids from three churches). They had mime and puppets and water balloons and relays and a treasure hunt….then sat everyone down for feijoada (the traditional beans and rice and unidentifiable meat dish). Nathan and Amanda were so cool. They went back and traded the cheap cola for the authentic Coca-cola because “These kids are special and need the real deal.” To see these people come to Brasil and honor these children in little extra ways like that meant so much to me. Afterwards was ice cream, which turned into soup—but was still consumed by the sticky, smiley kids.
Giving presents was awesome. Saturday was truly my Christmas day with more holiday spirit than two feet of snow and eggnog can provide. I walked around, trying to capture the joy in my camera and save it for a rainy day. This is the stuff true life is made up out of. The group had brought a bag for each child with toys, school stuff, and hygiene items. The kids kept asking me what the deodorant was (since the cheap deodorant in Brasil this weird crème stuff in a jar). I have been here long enough to know just how much this small bag of stuff means to these children.
After cleaning up and a couple more trips to the Jambo tree (which the group from the US loves alsoJ), Tele called me into the office with Gary, Frank, and Wes (who all work with World Renewal International…which is, if you didn’t know, our mission organization). They wanted to know my heart for Brasil, my goals, and prayer requests. I shared and then they prayed. Wow. They prayed for money issues—raising support, for my family and how amazing they are, for when I return and all the changes, for Visa issues…everything that was on my heart—spoken and unspoken—was directly prayed for. It touched me and moved me in those secret places of the heart. Afterwards Gary blessed me—quoting Numbers 6:24-26. Powerful. The time did something. I’m not sure exactly what, but it is like something settled inside me. When my head begins to swirl with things going on…and coming up in the future, something says “hey, everything’s gonna be alright, because it’s already been prayed for.” It was the kind of prayer where you know beyond anything God heard it and already answered it.
Saturday night we had an outreach in the center of Carpina. An outreach is simply where we grab all the band equipment, set it up downtown, and start singing. When some people stop, Tele preaches—or translates for one of the Americans. Simple. Yet amazing. I ended up singing in Portuguese and English (yeah, how cool is that?) as well as being the music stand (hey, Brasil is about improvising). After the gospel presentation I saw a girl with her little sister and felt led to talk with them…feeling all the regular fear of sharing the gospel on top of my fear of speaking Portuguese with strangers, but it went well and I got a hug from my sisters in the Lord afterwards. I’ll tell you what—outreaches are TWICE as cool when you can speak the language. I was so pumped.
Sunday was in Timbauba and my boys that I’d been teaching here had been practicing to sing “Shout to the Lord” in English. After finding out that “Real” Americans were going to be there, they almost backed out, but decided to humor me—and it ended up being wonderful. I gotta share with you about these guys. I started with teaching English and ended up being adopted as their sister—having chances to goof off, play around, teach them, and encourage them in the Lord. One day Josue came up to me and said “Do you realize you are doing my job for me?” smile. God just plopped those opportunities in my life. And I love ‘em. Being there with them, hearing them sing in English (even if two of them ARE completely tone deaf), and realizing how I’d seen them grow in God these past months—what an incredible feeling. They all have made decisions to be baptized next year. Just before church ended Josue called me to the front and they all prayed for me.
I must be the most internationally prayed for person ever. I am so unworthy. To me it was like my church here sending me off to the US—just as my church in the US prayed for me as they sent me to Brasil. We are one body, working together toward one goal. God’s glory. And you know what? Everything’s gonna be all right because it’s already been prayed for.
I cannot look you in the eye and say this but…”The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Yeah. So I leave Saturday. December 17th. Arrive the 18th. Leave for California the 20th. Mom, don’t forget to bring a coat to the airport because all I have is a sweater. Ouch. I can almost imagine the cold. Almost.
