Exploring Portuguese. Learning to speak fluent Portuguese in three weeks was not possible for me, but it didn't stop conversation. There were enough links to Spanish that I was able to understand much of what was being said. The language wasn't the focus for me, it was the medium to meet people. As I swam through the medium of Portuguese, I acquired some useful words and phrases and others that made everyone laugh. While savoring delicious steaks at a Brazilian Barbeque I found myself saying, "Gusto comer bunda de vaca," which means, "I like to eat cow butt."
Coriolis Force. Have you ever taken the time to note which direction your toilet flushes in? Apparently in the Northern Hemisphere it flushes clockwise and in the Southern Hemisphere it flushes counterclockwise. Yet, as I have come to find out, it is a fictitious force that describes the perceived motion of large wind patterns in the various hemispheres. But due to variations in the earth's surface, the Coriolis Force can be altered. On the miniscule scale of a toilet bowl, this effect is inconsistent and pretty much a myth. Really the only thing to keep in mind when flushing a Brazilian toilet is don't flush the toilet paper!
Endless humanity. Standing at the top of Banespa Skyscraper, apartments, skyscrapers, favelas disappear into the smog on all horizons. Many references include Sao Paulo in the top five largest cities in the world. The richest of the rich are juxtapositioned right next to the poorest of the poor. Power and water are pirated into poorer neighborhoods. Some homes are painted in vibrant pinks, royal blues, or golden yellows to break the monotony of bricks and dust.
A Complex System. The national police force and the drug lords have enough respect for each other to keep out of each other's way. There are layers of rules and systems of justice in place that boggle my mind. Drugs, stealing, and sex are cultural norms entangling rich, poor, Christian, and spiritualist alike. Yet by God's grace, Restoration Ministries has favor among people from every background. They are there meeting people where they are at with the daily good news of Jesus Christ.
Hospitable Hope. Through a narrow, graffiti lined alleyway, the woman directed us through a small door into a cluttered but tidy sitting room. She told us how she buried three of her children. One to alcohol, one to starvation, and one to murder. Though she had very little, she offered us refreshment and encouragement. She asked for prayer but glowed as she recounted the blessings of God in her life.
Faithful Friends. I return to the United States after two weeks of serving my brothers and sisters in Christ. They continue. Tomorrow, they go back into peoples homes, gather children for another agita (VBS program), and do it all over again. They experience persecution for what they do, they are pressured to conform to their culture, they are criticized, robbed, and hospitalized. The highlight of my time in Brazil was praying with these men and women who serve here, encouraging them to keep going. I pray that the crowns they receive for their labor bring all the more glory and honor to Jesus Christ!
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