“Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired”

Good evening All!

Surprising, or rather, not so surprisingly, this week flew by yet again, and I have to admit that for the first time since coming out here I was hit with Missionary Fatigue on Saturday, but it was all my own fault, and I have already combated it with an afternoon nap today which has already got me feeling right as rain(ish). The weather has been really up and down, and the news has been showing some devastating pictures of Rio de Janeiro. Some of the people we know also have lost friends of theirs to the floods. Young children who cannot swim and are carried away by the sewage waters that are streaming through the centre of Rio. Sad news, and we are praying for them, and hope that you might as well.

The children this week have been a mixture of surprising blessings, and unsolvable problems. I find myself often between emotions with them, some of them have come so far just in four weeks. One of our adolescent boys, when we first had him in the project, was likely to be chucking the other kids about, taking their things and hiding them, or flushing them down the toilet, but this week, after several chats with him about how he is to take care of the others and not wind them up, we are seeing really surprising changes in him, and he's been more of a help then a hindrance. SCORE ONE!!!! Then there is a younger girl who we just can't seem to find away to get too, every time that we think that we might have got through to her she turns up the next day and has reverted back to her usual self. Usually it's just simple things, such as she refuses to leave the project, and we have to talk her into leaving, for a good 40 minutes. She also 'looses' things and demands that we buy her new things because while she is at the project. Today she spent the service trying to suggest that me and one of the other adolescent boys are dating (!!! ADOLESCENT!!!) and then went on to suggest that I looked like a street walker, and hung off my arm and refused to let go. So we have our hands full with that one!

On our one evening off this week we decided to go and try out another alternative service in town (that's what do here for fun, go to other church services...) At a church that is called SNOWBALL. I thought it was pretty odd, but there are many things I don't understand about Brasilians, so I've decided not to ask about every little thing. It was an interesting service with a lot of 'alternative' youth (read: they had dreadlocks and tattoos - which classifies you as alternative here). It was good to go see something new, but this week on our night off we are going to do something a little more wild (like play a tournament of UNO or something equally thrilling :)

We also finally had our first HOUSEWARMING party this week (yes that's right, first out of many, the house is not very big so we couldn't invite all the people that we wanted too, so other parties to come). It worked really well. We finally managed to buy some more furniture, so we now have table and chairs, a coffee table and two 'puffs'. We also finished painting our walls, the brasilians find our painting a little funny. They don't really like silhouette paintings and also don't understand why butterflies would be in coconut trees. Oh well, at least we like it. The housewarming went well, it was great to see the other striders and Latin Linkers, unfortunately I was battling with my Missionary Fatigue so I wasn't much of a hostess. But luckily Hannah and Becky saved the evening! Instead I sat in the corner and had a interesting discussion about demonic possesions in the amazon, which in itself felt a little like a party game.

Had a lovely little Sunday today, although I had not really prepared for my Sunday School. I asked the kids to draw pictures of who they thought Jesus was, and more than one kid drew a picture of an ark, So I obviously have my work cut out for me! I had a great little group today, nobody cried, which is a first, I didn't make too many pronunciation mistakes that generally make the kids roll about the floor laughing for the better part of the lesson. I'm getting very attached to my Sunday School class, I am hoping none of them grow up in the two years I'm here so that they don't have to leave my class. Here's to hoping. We got fed lunch in our bricklayeres house today. Assuero (or Manuel as I call him, because it's easier) works with my Brazilian Father as a builder and tiler, lovely older man, invited us to his house and his wife and daughter made us an amazing meal. And then fed us to breaking point. Was not helpful to have Fatima there saying that I was the girl who ate the most, so just to keep piling it on. I very nearly was about to make a massive social faux par involving food returning to the plate, but luckily it was all good in the end! Had a service in the evening and the church was actually looking quite full of the older children (still very few adults, but we are loving it), two of the adolescent boys affirmed their faith, and Becky was being her usual overdramatic self, and started crying (I kid, it was very moving, although I wasn't there so I wouldn't really know. I was watching Joshua with the youngest children).

We are taking next week a little easier than this week. IE I am just going to watch Romulu paint rather than paint myself, whenever I can, so I'm not quite so worn out towards the end of the week. I have also managed to hurt myself and have limited use of my left hand. So I'm hoping that that will get better quickly, it's quite an important body part for capoeira unfortunately.

I must let the others use the internet. Our access recently has been quite restricted, so this is me signing off.

Love having Becky here. Do you think it would be ok if we could keep her. Aberdeen doesn't need her back do they?

Much Love

Send emails please

Emma