I still can't believe I am here. The Brazilian people are amazing - friendly, loving, lots of kissing! This morning I slept until 10:00 am (which is so hilarious because I kept telling the girls that I get up really early). We don't get home until about midnight each evening and then I've fallen into a pattern of having half a papaya (enzymes I'm thinking will disenegrate all of the bad stuff I've snacked on for dinner-we can all hope for the best!) and then I write to you. So, I get to bed about 1:00 am which would totally make Adam laugh.
Georgia and I went to downtown Rio today to file some paperwork for the church. The office was across the street from the U.S. Consulate and so we decided to go for a visit. CLOSED the security guard told us. WHAT? hmmm, seems it's MLK day in Brazil for the Consulate too. So off we went to Copacabana (not the New York nightclub the song inspired but the real place) and then for lunch in Ipanema. Yep, me too. All I could think of was the song. And lo and behold, we walked past the restaurant Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) where the song was written, originally named Velosa, but if something works, go with it. I have a photo but not so savvy on the upload yet.
It's been raining the last two days and acting like winter they tell me. This evening (8:00 pm) we walked to Lousia's apartment for the College Small group. Nineteen people aged 14 to 28 were there. I had no idea what exactly we were going to end up on but I started with "Priorities, Purity and Peace". Sharing that when you start your day with Jesus as the number one priority, it will help you stay pure in heart (which will help you stay pure in other areas) and will lead to tremendous peace in your life no matter what the circumstances. Blank faces stared back at me and I thought they were going to get up and walk out! I kept talking and just prayed (while Georgia was interpreting) the Lord would make it work. HE DID! (did you really have any doubt?) Afterwards, one of the girls I thought would leave told me she needed to hear exactly what she heard -Hallelujah! My precious Luciana told me through tears and an interpreter that she thought I had come to Brazil just to encourage her. I started crying and told her how glad I was to hear it because I really didn't know why I had come!
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
Georgia and I went to downtown Rio today to file some paperwork for the church. The office was across the street from the U.S. Consulate and so we decided to go for a visit. CLOSED the security guard told us. WHAT? hmmm, seems it's MLK day in Brazil for the Consulate too. So off we went to Copacabana (not the New York nightclub the song inspired but the real place) and then for lunch in Ipanema. Yep, me too. All I could think of was the song. And lo and behold, we walked past the restaurant Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) where the song was written, originally named Velosa, but if something works, go with it. I have a photo but not so savvy on the upload yet.
It's been raining the last two days and acting like winter they tell me. This evening (8:00 pm) we walked to Lousia's apartment for the College Small group. Nineteen people aged 14 to 28 were there. I had no idea what exactly we were going to end up on but I started with "Priorities, Purity and Peace". Sharing that when you start your day with Jesus as the number one priority, it will help you stay pure in heart (which will help you stay pure in other areas) and will lead to tremendous peace in your life no matter what the circumstances. Blank faces stared back at me and I thought they were going to get up and walk out! I kept talking and just prayed (while Georgia was interpreting) the Lord would make it work. HE DID! (did you really have any doubt?) Afterwards, one of the girls I thought would leave told me she needed to hear exactly what she heard -Hallelujah! My precious Luciana told me through tears and an interpreter that she thought I had come to Brazil just to encourage her. I started crying and told her how glad I was to hear it because I really didn't know why I had come!
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
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