You Say Hello, I Say Goodbye

Well, it's official. It is the last week of my Summer Project in Brasil. We will be going out like ususal, but it just seems surreal that it has already been about six weeks since I have been here. It'll definitely be weird coming back. I have a close knit community here and not as much of one when I go home. I will be searching hard for that, but I think that I am now more prepared for it than ever. God seems to work so much more mysteriously than we always say He does. He has changed me a lot on this trip. For example:

-I now have more of a heart for missions
-Sharing the gospel and what I believe are not as hard as it used to me
-I have a different idea of what it means to truly be sharing my faith
-I delved a lot deeper into myself and reflected than I ever have before (Read "Emotionally Healthy Spirtuality." It is great)
-What God has planned for my future, I still am not sure. But I am not as scared anymore.

Those are just some of the different things that have developed though I am sure there are more.

So what has been happening since the last time I have talked to you. Well, much of the same thing really. My group was finally able to attend one of the Alpha e Omega meetings (Campus Crusade for Christ in Brasil). That was really cool. A lot of students showed up that we had talked to. I was able to meet some pretty cool Brasilians there and overall it was just a great experience. It is small, however. They have about 30 members and they all fit into a small room. It is the same type of meeting that we have in the U.S., but with more interaction because of its size. Afterwards we have those tapioca things that are delicious.

We also went to a Brasilian friend's house to meet his family and that was really fun! His family was cool. They brought some pizza and had other Brasilian food. All of it was delicious. We met his 74 year old grandfather that just had a baby with a 50 year old woman. It was really awkward. He made a lot of jokes too that were funny, but made us feel so awkward; a great night really. Aside from that it was a lot of fun. Most of what was said had to be translated by Andre (our Brasilian friend), but not much was lost in translation.

Now our focus is on continuing our ministry for the last week. To not give up even though we are leaving back home. That is something great to remember for me. And today was great. I only got to talk to one guy, but he was Chrisitian and moving to France within the week. I'll be able to help him to pursue his faith by setting him up with CCC in Paris! Great things can happen through God!

Well that is all I have for now, but I will update again on this trip before I leave. Sweet, I will talk to you all later!