Salt and Light

Over the last week, I have read Matthew 5:13-16 about four times and in both languages. I have a Portuguese Bible that I use to expand my vocabulary as well as practice reading. Last semester in my small group we started studying the Sermon on the Mount and so I thought it would be a good section to study again and work with the translation. I read the passages in English, then in Portuguese and write down my new vocabulary words. I also receive daily devotionals in my email from Insight for Living by Charles Swindoll. I can not deny the repetition of this passage in the last week. I am called to be salt and light in this world, no matter where my location is. My prayer is that I may shine as God desires me to. I only aim to be a reflection of his glorious light. May nothing inside of me hinder the light.

Matthew 5:13-16

 ¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

   ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.   

Week Two

I forgot to mention in my last blog that we toured the UFLA (Universidade Federal de Lavras) campus last week which is HUGE! Their main focuses are biology and agriculture but they have many other disciplines as well. There are so many buildings and trees and flowers...it is quite the spectacle.  

Here is a toucan that we saw on campus, and then we saw 4 others!

This is a very large bunch of bamboo trees

Some pretty flowers

This is how you get a mango from the tree

Mango straight from the tree...can't get much fresher than that!

The girls found some bamboo on the ground during a hike between classes.

Now for this week. On Monday we had class and went shopping around town. In the afternoon on Tuesday and Wednesday, we wrote recipes, went shopping for ingredients, and then had a "cooking show." One group made puppy chow "Brasilian style" - they do not have chex cereal here so corn flakes were used instead. My group made a wonderful salada de frutas (fruit salad) and the boys made s'mores. My teacher filmed us and said that he was going to upload the videos to youtube. I will post the link if he indeed does put the video up.

Yesterday we went to the bus station to see about tickets to a town that has several waterfalls and we are planning on going there on Sunday! I am very excited for the trip! We also stopped at a market and went over the names of fruits and vegetables. We tried some lichia which is a very strange food. It looks similar to a strawberry but does not taste like one at all, you have to peel of the outside and it contains a large seed in the middle. I took a picture but I have not uploaded those pictures yet. I will put them up later so you all can see what I am talking about.

Today we ended class at a churrascaria which is a restaurant where the garcons come around with many different types of meat and cut them off for you if you so desire. It is very tasty! I tried a chicken heart for the first time, and once is enough! I'm not the biggest fan. On the way back one of the other students bought a baby chick at a pet store and some feed for only 4 reais which is equivalent to about $2.28! Oh the things you can do in Brasil!

Never a Dull Moment

Wow, it has been quite the week and I will try to remember all the things that I am wanting to share.

Last Sunday night there was a large storm and a few knocks were heard at the main door of the guest house...we all were a little freaked out to say the least. My roommate Sara and I were a bit nervous about what was going on. We did not want to open the door of our room so we called over to another student, Andy, who was staying in the room across the hall. Once he finally responded and we felt alright about leaving our room and found that there was a telephone ringing nonstop in a room that no one was staying in. Due to the storm, the electricity went out and for some reason the phone was triggered when it came back on. A couple of the other students went to the desk in the lobby of the main hotel to get help. Once the man came to open the door and unplug the phone, everything was fine and we were able to go to bed with only four hours to sleep before our first day of formal classes. Of course while we were sleeping the power went off again and so we all woke up late because our alarm never went off. Thankfully it was not too late and we were still able to grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast and start the trek up to our classroom.

After that drama, we started the 25 minute walk to class so we were a few minutes late but it was not too much of a problem. The formal classes in the classroom have been enjoyable. Our instructor is very good about keeping us involved and interested with various games and videos. Most afternoons we walk around town with our class to try to encourage the immersion aspect. A couple of days this week we toured a republica which is like a sorority and then another housing option through a very nice woman named Dona Cidinha. Although Dona Cidinha's housing is further away from campus and a little more expensive, it includes meals which actually makes it a less expensive option. Dona is a lovely woman who always thinks of others before herself. Currently her brother is in the hospital in critical condition from cancer...please pray for her, her brother and her entire family. She is having a very difficult time right now. We moved into our new house on Friday and it has been very nice so far. I do not have internet access in my house but in the main house where we eat I am able to get online.

Now back to the week. It has rained almost everyday here, when it starts to downpour most people find a building with some sort of covering to stop and wait under, but not us. The crazy Americans just run through the rushing waters and have all of the Brasilians stare! We found that many people hitchhike to campus and there are even designated hitchhiking signs near the bus stops on campus for people to get picked up. This is a very foreign concept to me because I cannot imagine hitchhiking in the US or even in Rio for that matter but I think that since it is a smaller town that it is more common. We have hitchhiked to class a few times from the guest house and the people have been very nice. For all of you who worry for my safety please do not...we travel in at least pairs and God will keep me safe, I have full faith.

On Friday night we went to a club where a Beatles cover band was playing. They were very good but it was probably at least three miles away from our new house with many steep hills along the way. Therefore, after 6 miles of walking, my knee was not very happy with me. That led to another fun adventure of trying to purchase an ice pack. I went to a couple drug stores to try to find one and after asking and having the worker laugh at me because of my inability to understand and communicate, I was able to purchase an ice pack. My knee is feeling much better after a couple days of not walking as much and icing.

On Saturday for the afternoon portion of our class we watched a movie called Se Eu Fossa Voce about a husband and wife who switch bodies (like Freaky Friday). The movie was in Portuguese and we had the Portuguese subtitles on as well so that we could read what they were saying to try to make the connections between their spoken words and what was written. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and laughed at the many entertaining parts. I understood most everything which was very surprising. I have come to find that I am understanding more and more and use the context of the conversations to figure things out but I struggle with the actual speaking aspect. I must continue to remind myself that I have been here for barely over a week and this is a time-consuming process.

Sorry for the novel my friends, now as a disappointed Packer fan I will say goodnight. Week two begins tomorrow!

First weekend in Lavras

Yesterday and today were my first full days in Lavras. So far there have been both ups and downs. We have gone walking around the town both days which has been enjoyable. Yesterday we went to an indoor stadium where some guys were playing futsol (a type of indoor soccer). It was great to watch but also gave me a tremendous desire to play and made me realize that I am still more than a month away from running and a few months away from even starting to play :( I felt very torn as well because soccer has always been a way for me to connect with other people, especially those in different countries who may not speak English. I am always amazed at how the sport is able to cross language barriers. However, this too shall pass and I pray that God will help me develop patience during this time of waiting. 

It is also rainy season here so it rains or rather downpours just about everyday. Today we got caught in the rain a few times but it wasn't too bad since I was prepared with my guarda-chuva (umbrella). I also went to a catholic church service today with a couple of my roommates which was interesting. I was able to follow some of what was going on but they seemed to skip some parts of the program so I was lost during some of it as well. There is an evangelical church in town that I would like to go to but I have not found anyone willing to go with me. Hopefully I will gain the courage to go on my own if no one will come with me next weekend.

Each day we also went to get some acai, which is delicious! I prefer the place that we got it from today because the people there were very friendly and helped us learn Portuguese.  Their names were Amanda, Erica, and Joao Paulo. We spent quite a while talking with them back and forth learning many new words. I look forward to seeing them and conversing more with them as I learn the language. Tomorrow we start our formal Portuguese course which will consist of 5 weeks of 6 hours of Portuguese per day, 6 days a week. Each day we will have 3 hours of classroom work in the morning and then 3 hours of practical class around town. I am excited to start but I know that this will also be a draining process especially mentally. May God give me strength, an open and eager mind, and a joyful attitude as I begin the main reason for my being in Brazil.

Boa noite gente!     

Roots and Wings

One of the last words that my mom said to me as I left the airport was that, as parents, their goal is to give their children roots and wings. I am thankful for the deep foundation I have developed growing up under the guidance of my parents and the encouragement that they gave me to pursue my dreams no matter where they led me. 

I feel as though this experience in Brazil is going to help me expand both my roots and wings. As I encounter the culture first hand, I believe that I will gain a greater understanding of my Brazilian heritage and a greater appreciation for my dad. My wings are sure to grow as well as I go through the many experiences that will come my way.

So far I have had a few encounters where my knowledge of Portuguese was put to the test. I know that I am still lacking a large amount in that area but I have been able to communicate when I need to so far which has been a bit comforting. I also have been recognized as Brazilian by some of the natives which has been a pleasant surprise for me. I look forward to the day when I am able to claim my Brazilian heritage because of my firsthand experiences and the knowledge of the language and culture that I gain rather than just because my dad is Brazilian.

The Adventure Begins

"The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand."
-Psalm 37:23-24

As I prepare to leave for six months to Brazil, I am trusting that the Lord will hold my hand through the many challenges and adventures that I am sure to encounter. I am excited to live out this experience and pray that God will use it to shape me and have me grow into the woman that he has created me to be. Though I am nervous about the unknown and the challenges of learning Portuguese, I take comfort knowing that my steps are already established and that God delights in the journey that I am embarking on.

I invite you to come on this journey with me. I hope to share my experiences: my joys, my fears, my growth.