The £500 coconut that symbolises peace.

Crazy Love

Hello All, happy Tuesday!

Hope one and all are well. This week has been one where I have been sat in front of a computer and fried my brain to try and finish bible studies,  the budgeting course, and daily devotionals. Where I have studied microfinancing, and crafts for kid’s clubs and translated lyrics to children’s songs. I have prepared English lessons based on prominent characters of the Reformation (for the 500-year anniversary), planned games for teens clubs and tried to fix light fixtures about the new stage.  When I stop and think about of how varied my work is, and how I can make my own schedule, I remember how grateful for the path that my life has taken! Despite having to learn organization, scheduling and discipline the freedom that making your own day brings is a huge blessing for someone with as itchy feet as I have.

            Here in Brazil I have begun to relax into my surroundings. I think that the first time I lived here, well firstly, things weren’t quite so serious as they are now, but more than this, I was quite a lot more naïve. Although that naivety was a gift, as I wondered around without a fear or a worry and was able to throw myself into my work without a second thought. This time it has taken me this long to get a good night’s sleep, when I hear a loud noise in the night, I assume it’s just a book falling or the fridge making noises, when there are bangs outside of the house, they are now fireworks instead of gun shots (mostly), when I hear hooves, I finally think firstly of horses, rather than zebras, as goes the old adage. But perhaps this has yet again led me forget my caution, as I think of my £500 coconut. This week, I went to withdraw money to deal with bills and such, and whilst I was in the bank I was panicked about having so much money on my person. So I divided it up into smaller amounts and stuck it in about 5 different places, so if I were to be mugged, at least they would only get a part of it. This included my shoe, my bra, in the lining of my shorts, in one pocket and more in another. Once I had done this, I suddenly was quite at peace, and instead of walking straight home, I got a hankering for coconut water. And what follows was a 45-minute walk around my community trying to find an open coconut stand. Why? I couldn’t tell you. I got home, minus a coconut, as nowhere was open, only to hear two days later that the reason that the stands were all closed was because there had been a robbery on the street only about 20 minutes earlier. When I heard that, I realised I had been silly. Because although I do love me some coconut water now, it is for sure not worth my whole months’ worth of support! But, this is just an example to let you all know that I am well and have re-adjusted! Thank you for your prayers.

            This week I have been running a budgeting and finance course here at the church, and I thought that I would briefly share with you some thoughts that have come out it, that I was very encouraged by. A part of the course is the idea of being content with whatever our situation is. Of being thankful for all that is around us, and trying to recognise the things in our life that make us happy that don’t require us to spend a lot of money. There is a wonderful passage in the bible;

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

This can be found in a letter that Paul, an incredible evangelist, in the new testament, wrote to a church in Philippa. In simple language, Paul is saying that in all situations he has learnt to be content, sometimes he is poor and starving, in prison with a snake bite, at other times he has all a person could ask for, riches and power, but he doesn’t take comfort in the situation, but in something bigger than that, so that in any situation he can find contentedness. I find this such a hard concept to comply with in our times, when we are constantly waiting for the next thing, striving for more, or at least striving to not have LESS, but what I find when I ask people to think about the things that they can do for little or no money, I have discovered that a great deal of what makes us happy, does not require much money at all. What a cliché! But what a wonderful, truthful Cliché!

My personal list looks something like this:

A Barca - Teens Ministry

-       Playing water polo in a borrowed pool with my Brazilian family. (this is new, as of yesterday)

-       Reading Gone with the Wind (currently – insert any worthwhile book here) on my couch with the fan going.

-       A Brazilian avocado.

-       Slow mornings with strong sweet coffee, and a phone call from a friend.

-       Playing games at our teens ministry (be it here or in Scotland, but Legacy is up there as favourite all time things to do)

-       Board games with friends who always beat me (Matthew)

-       Evenings where the world is put to rights with iced coffee in my garden.

-       Fire-pits, fireplaces, bonfires and the Harrison’s living room. (Marshmallows a plus)

The people in my group added many of their own ideas here:

-       Sunsets with family

-       Film nights with home-made popcorn

-       Writing a new song/ poem/ journal entry

-       Running

-       Cooking

-       Nights with family

-       Building forts in the kids rooms.

The lists are as varied as the people who are writing them. I think that it is an important practise to try this. To write down and schedule things into your life that don’t cause you anxiety, that you don’t have to think too much about money and that don’t exclude people in your life that perhaps don’t have the means to keep up with your economic status.

Today I just want to leave this with you. I have been at my computer for a long time, and I want to go appreciate the day outside, an escape the tide of little ants that seem to have found their safety in my kitchen sink.

The church is looking more and more ready.

Another piece of good news is that in 29 days, 9 hours and 11 minutes Rebecca and Maria will be here to spend some time getting to know this city that I love and to bring me more chocolate.