...Faith is not contrary to reason..


I don't think she meant to, and I definately don't think that she got any amusement from it, at least not to begin with, but when I was making my THIRD trip between the Helsinki Registry Office and the Brazilian Embassy, I was almost in tears and the lady, well she had a smile on her face.


In any case, I forgave her pretty quickly. No matter what happened with the four missing hours of my morning, all my papers have been accepted and my visa is off for processing!!! I am not kidding you. Not at all! Finally. And also she was very sympathetic about the lack of help i had at the registry office and promised to write a letter of complaint on my behalf, and anything that gets me out of doing anymore paperwork is a bonus! I had planned to go into the whole sordid story of trying to get my paper work sorted today. For sympathy you see, but then I remembered that most of you reading this live in the UK, so you probably know how I feel anyway ;)


Because of the Visa process in Helsinki being a little faster, I am almost promised (because I now take nothing for granted when it comes to this visa applications) to have a Visa by sometime next week! And that means that I have proposed to leave sometime during the week begining the 10th of August. That, my friends, is soon! Also had some news today from Adrian and Judith that there is a flat rented out for us spiders (a lovely new nickname...) next to theirs in receife, so that to begin with we will be able to stay together. I'll introduce you more to them as we go along, but Georgina and Ali were with me at All Nations Bible College last year, and were party to getting me 3 cakes on my birthday which I spent there. So as you can imagine I am quite loving my two friends already. Cake being the primary way to my heart. The third, Laura, was not with us at All Nations so I have not as of yet met her, but since I shall be hopefully spending my next birthday with her in that flat, I'll make sure she gets the message about the cake and my heart, and I'm sure we'll get along very well! Without the rambling. This paragraph is meant to say that I leave in 3 weeks!!!!


Something happened today, at work, which then confirms yet again to me that what I'm doing is the right thing. It definately strengthens my faith. We weren't very busy at work, well not busy enough for much to be happening, so i was able to chat away to the couple of tables that I did have. One of these tables had a family from Austrailia, Mother, Father, Son. Not just Austrailia, but Brisbane. And I have to admit that I am quite partial to people from and in Brisbane since Tru, Teegs, Jon, Jon and Wazza (I know, I know, Port Macquarie - but close enough) and Ross and now these lovely people. After the usual food banter that comes with the territory I was able to chat to them a little about familiar places and unfamiliar things I mentioned my mission. The family then on my next visit to the table offered me a donation towards my trip. I was very touched. This kind of generosity is so unheard of in Finland, not because people are cold and uncaring (except I suscpect the ones at the Registry Office) it's just that things like this aren't done in Helsinki. In any case, it such a touching gesture, as it meant that these people who know very little about ME in particular, felt enough about the work of Mission to contribute to someone like me. It's humbling. And I'm greatful to this family and to God for showing me support, especially on a day like today when as I was sitting on the bus the battery died on my mp3 player and i finished my book...(this is my idea of a disaster).


Barcelona the day after tomorrow to get some lessons from Dion and Montse in preparation for Brazil. I'm very excited, although the swine flu thing has me worried. Apparently you are no longer allowed on planes if you look a little sick, or have any kind of temperature, and well...you can imagine what my luck will do with this one.


Love and Blessings

Ems

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