Iguazu Falls

January 27, 2011

I was spending a couple of days at the most spectacular network of waterfalls in South America, a series of falls that link three country's: Brazil, Argentina, and Peraguay.  I cannot describe the feeling of watching millions of gallons drop so far into a raveen.  It is absolutely breath-taking!  One feels so small standing at the bottom of the falls and so completely helples and useless at the top. 

It is just such places that people seek out to seek out God, but the tourist (like myself) drown out the roaring, rushing power of the falls as they push and argue to get to the rail and look out over the ledge.  The brilliance of the falls seems to be reduced to a mere circus side show as thousands of people push and crowd to the front.  That is what the falls was trying to teach me!

God wanted to show me something here at Iguazu, but it wasn't what I expected, and it wasn't what I wanted to learn.  The splendor of the pounding of millions of gallons of crystal waters reflecting clear mountain light, all rushing tirelessly to their free fall, was nothing comared to the excellence that went into the creation of just one of these "annoying" tourists that were shouting and pushing me out of their way.  God loves each and every person here so much more than He cares about a waterfall, and I should also!  So be it alone with God or in the middle of a crowded attraction, Christ wants me to love others the way He does.  I am selfish but God can teach me to love, and He showed me that through these spectacular waterfalls!

The Human Energizer

The Road to Argentina

Jan 24, 2011



When travelling between Sao Paulo and the Argentine boarder be on the lookout for one, Adamir.  Normally, right then between 11:00 and 12:00 p.m. I would be sleeping especially in the middle of a 16 hr. bus ride.  Yup I said 16 hours.  That would be considered a short ride by the end of my travels, but at that time it seemed endless.

Sleep completely evaded me as I discover the human incarnation of the energizer bunny!  Sure he looks all round and cuddly on the promo's beating his drum and circling the world proving the power of a lead cell battery.  Fortunately for Engergizer, rabbits do not TALK.

You see what the commercial fails to show is what happens after the cameras have all gone home and the lights are out.  As near as I can tell, after the filming the rabbit morphs into a creature named, Adamir, and he talks unstobably to anyone who will listen.  And he goes on chattering about gosh knows what (I was only catching pieces but it was all insignificant tidbits).  He is extremely funny and seems to thoroughly enjoy pleasing people, but it was reeally late.

After noticing that I was trying to read he promises to allow me to continue and remains quiet, for as near as I can tell a complete 40 seconds.  Then he begins his random nonstop questions again.  Interesting to note the chapter in the book I was reading was about loving people, so I answered all his questions to the best of my ability and for the first time sincerely regreted learning Portuguese.


This post is dedicated to my siblings who still laugh as they make reference to this analogy I made over one year ago.

Part 2--The Adventure Begins, Rio to Cape Horne!...

Here are a few of my lessons on the way.

January 22, 2011
Lesson 1:
"I am resolved never to stop until I had come to my goal and had achieved my purpose."
David Livingstone

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation"  Jesus Chrst, Mark 16:15

Excitedly I had disembark the plane; I was back in Rio and on my way around the southern tip of the continent.  My jumping off point was Rio de Janeiro, my home for nearly the last five months.  Now however, I had just finished spending a wonderful holiday with my family, and now visionns of pristine waterfalls, icy glaciers, amazing wildlife, and beautiful treking danced in my head like they would a 10 yr. old boy dreaming of the great explorers of long ago.

We left Rio the next day after visiting a few old friends, we made it to Sao Paulo and spent the night with our old friend Andre--it was really good to see him again.  This will be my last night surrounded by the familiar and tomorrow everything will be new.

New?  The word sounded so excited in my head, as if anything will ever be new.  Isn't it interesting how often we use the word, but in all actuality NOTHING is ever truely NEW.  Somehow seeing or experiencing something for the first time makes it so.  There is so much for me to discover, but it is no longer the why (which was my focus in Rio) it has now become the what and more importantly the how that concerns me.  These will be discovered along with the "New" over the next two months!

So what is my purpose?  I am confident that by the time I discover the answer it will already have been accomplished.  And my trip was not off to a great start as I already managed to leave my hiking boots behind in Rio de Janeiro.  The upside to this was that I was able to spend an extra day with Andre, and catch up with Austin at the Argentine boarder the next day.  Andre told me, "If you are in a position where God can teach you--stay there.  The first and foremost important work is the work Christ does in you, not through you."  Thank you Andre, that was lesson #1!

A Tree Top Devotion

November 16 2010,

At this point, God providend the opportunity for Austin and I to return to the U.S. and spend the holidays in our home state, surrounded by family and friends who we loved and had not seen in quit a long time.  Having been living and working, loving and learning, serving and seeing, we returned to our home soil having completed our work for a season and learning all that God had shown us, we returned.

This is a poem I wrote at age 16, but at this time it has never seemed so meaningful.  On November 16, 2010 it really rang true for my life as it felt so good to come home.  I wrote this while having a devotion out on my families farm and I will never forget penning these words as the sun sank low, deeply and thoroughly it seemed to be swallowed up into a field of pink and reds as the tall grass and neighboring corn fields reflected the brilliant shades of a magnificent sunset.  I had a climbed up into an old oak tree that stands out in the middle of our fields.  Here is that poem titled:  A Tree Top Devotion

Here I stand God, High in this Tree,
Here I stand God, Please draw near to me.
I came here alone, I came here to stay.
And stay here I will As I continue to pray.

I stand here in awe Of all that you've done
As I taste the sweet breeze, Hear the birds, feel the sun.
Your commision to go written all through Your Word,
Commands that I go into all of the World.

But the World seems so cold, And the world seems so dark,
As I stand here so warm Against this old oak trees bark.
You've spoken Your Word so I must obey.  I must shine your light in every way.
One day I'll come back to this old tree my home,
To study again and meet You alone.

Here is my late Easter post.

I have introduced you all to Raiza.  She was one my friends in Brasil and remains a close friend still.  Austin, Sarah, Raiza, and myself would hang out all the time.  Except on days that she was too busy studying, or doing her nails...actually that was most days, but when we did all hang out it was alot of fun.

(from left to right: Sarah, Austin/Narlie Beard, Raiza, Me/Jew fro, and I actually am not sure who the last person is--that was the only night I met her.)

One day while exploring a fort/rennovated restraunt, Raiza told one of the funniest most relatable stories I have ever heard.  Now, to read this story does not do justice, as you probably should see her Ginormous eyes bug out with enthusiasm and her arms flailling around to truely enjoy the experience in it's fullness.  Reading it will be the kareokee version of a Broadway musical, but I shall do my best.

As she tells it, her car had been broken into so she was unable to drive to class because the window was broken.  Let me point out she could not take it immediately to the shop because she had to study for an exam the next day.  With no way to school except a bus ride from a station two miles away, she asked her father to drop her off.  Hoping to enjoy his day off engaging in absolutely NOTHING minus his giant television and video games, (specifically in this case call of duty) her father was none too excited over the prospect of having to do anything as difficult as get off the sofa.  Again let me point out this is the day of the exam it was important that she NOT be late to class.

Grumbling and complaining they latched their seatbealts and began the drive to school.  The entire trip or at least the first part of it was quit boring and uneventful.  Soon however, they collided with another vehicle.  Now it was quit obvious to her and I suspect even her father that this accident was caused because he was simply too busy complaining and arguing over the cruel and unusual punishment to befall him on his day off.  Also this was a result of wearing flip-flops while driving, illegal in Brasil.

This is when the story really took a turn of interest.  Immediately he began shouting and waving his arms again.  "This is Your fault because you were too lazy to get your car fixed.  This is Your Brother's fault because he Couldn't Take You!  Actually, this is YOUR fault because YOU ARE SO SPOILED! And it is YOUR mother's FAULT because SHE SPOILS YOU!"

I have to laugh because only as a man can we manage to make a full circle of blame that touches everyone around us, and still have nothing to do with something that we just caused.

I talked to Raiza early this week, she expressed frustration over the stupidity of the holiday.  I have to agree Bunnies+Eggs (which are laid by chickens NOT BUNNIES)+Chocolate+Jesus=What kind of screwed up holiday is this?  I admit that I have serious reservations about how most people "celebrate" Easter, and completely sypathise with the confusion.  Especially for someone with outside the church.

Then I recalled her story.  The story that always brings a huge boyish smile to my face as I realize that as outlandish as the story seems and as fun as it is to watch her tell it in a way only she can, it does happen to all of us.  We all push blame.  We all point fingers.  So what does this have to do with Easter?

Today, let's focus on the one thing.  Jesus, his example, his life, and most importantly his death.  He lived a perfect sinless life, yet he took our faults and paid the price for our souls.  We will never understand how or why, but He chose to leave Heaven's spendor, much more enjoyable than a big screen tv, come to earth, much farther than our daughter's university, and pay the price for our sin, infinately greater than the repair bill of an automobile.  He did it all without complaint, without expectation, and without saying a single word.

Today, forget the noise, forget the chocolate (ok well I know you cannot completely forget chocolate, but just try to prioritize ok), forget about bunny's, and eggs.  I want to refamiliarize myself with the real meaning of Easter.  I want to understand the depth and the suffering that was experienced because of me.  Not for "all of mankind" or because, "there is so much sin in the world." No I want to face my sin, I want to recognize my depravity, I need a Savior because I have failed, because I am worthless.  He chose me, not the other way around.

Practicing Observation!

I have been discussing Joy and Love, two character qualities demonstrated by Christ that in my humble opinion are any Christians most valuable assets.   One of the points I am going to mention but not deeply explain or expound is that we are never commissioned to go argue and convince, but simply to love one another, and to preach.  Considering that not everyone is given the spiritual gift of preaching then we must use our other gifts as well as loving those around us, patiently accepting their faults, observant to their needs, and humbly accepting nothing in return.

Noverber 8ish 2010,

This is my lesson in observation.  I am anxiously planned for a quiet day alone to pray and practice observation, and I will be the first to inform you if you are ever concerned that a day is going to be boring and uneventful try being more observant.  You will be surprised by how many oportunities present themselves when you patiently observe and are constantly alert.  Here is how my day played out.

6:15 a.m.  I went to the kitchen of the hostel and grabbed whatever breakfast I could find laying around.  I dodge out the back door and make my way to a quiet mountain trail.  I am spending the week on Isle Grande pronounced (ee la,  grun-gee).  I took the wee morning hours because hiking at this time of day allows the viewing of the transition from nocturnal to daurnil animals.  I did not have to wait long before I was able to put my goal into practice.  While walking and praying I nearly stepped on a species of viper blocking my path.  Typically I would scurry him on his way, but today I decided to observe.  I sat motionless as he did the same.  Neither of us flinched, until a beautiful bright blue humming bird apparently mistook me for a new variety of flower and began darting right up to my face.  I allowed the new friend to continue until I feared my eyes were in danger and stood waving him on his path.

My other companion took this oportunity to also continue his routine and left me all alone on the trail, and so I continued.  As the path meandered around the mountains and by waterfalls, I noticed some 130 year old aquaducts.  I had read that they were on the island but I didn't know where.  But sure enough here they were.  I admit that I had every intention of casually observing from the ground as the trail continued onward, but almost in an out of body state suddenly found myself standing on top of them high above the tree line and making my way towards the top of the mountain much quicker than the trail could possibly have gotten me there.

What a spectacular view, these ruins were so fantastic, and so precisely constructed that now 130 yrs. later I can stand atop and observe the whole side of the island and sun takes it's place in the morning sky and a field of blue chases the brillant shades of red and orange away.  My thoughts drifted to home and how in just a few weeks I would be back in NC for the holidays.

After I climbed down I turned toward home.  I was greeted by a squirrel but not just any squirrel this young man seemed intent on climbing me!  He approached with the same curiousity as the humming bird and would not leave me alone.  Is everyone this friendly when you observe them I wondered.  Finally, I chased him away with a stick, and as he seemed to sulk on a rock looking at me I turned my back and again headed back to the hostel.

After a long morning it suddenly dawned on me how much is available for our enjoyment and for our deeper grasp on the amazing world in which we live, if we only take the time to be observant and to welcome these little opportunities.  The rest of the week contained giant 3 feet long endangered earthworms, sea turtles, monkeys, and other exciting opportunities as I continued to keep wide-eyed and observant to all God's wonderful creation around me.

(No animals were harmed in the making of this blog post, but I nearly went over a 60 ft. waterfall that day after my feet slipped in a creek)
But that is another story for another day.  In the meantime I completed as many hikes as possible while on the Island and finally we finished our amazing week in Isla Grande and were but four days from returning to NC for the holidays!

Joyfulness, Look for Joy, It is all around you!

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of Joy." ~Psalm 16:11
"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." Psalm 5:11
"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You" ~Psalm 51:12
"These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." ~John 15:11
Finally, "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." ~Acts 13:52

Let me say first off that in the interest of time and for the benefit of my readers, I have done left out the context of each of these verses.  Please by all means go read the entire passage, it will certainly only contribute to the following lesson which I am going to be discussing.  Secondly, I realize that this is in no way an exhausted list, there are literally THOUSANDS of verses dealing with joyfullness of spirit and gladness of heart.  These verses however are sufficient for the purposes of this article.

In Rio one of the things that Austin and I did on a regular basis once we completed several construction projects and developed basic vocabulary, was to play basketball with the children that would come and hang out everyday looking for something to do.

One day in particular, I noticed a boy with an extremely contented countenance.  While all the other kids ran, screamed, vandalized,  used profanities to see if we would notice, tried to remember the things we asked them not to do so that they could do them, and performed minor surgeries on the small, weaker specimens, he was smiling.  He was always smiling.  I realized that I really never saw him not smiling.  I wondered what was wrong with him, and that is when I realized God had an important lesson to teach me and this small boy was the object of that lesson.

Let's face the music this is what we do as humans.  We see someone completely content and comfortable and instead of asking what is wrong with me that I am not experiencing that level of joy or contentment we quickly conclude, "Oh! there's something wrong with him.  I'll just mind my own business."  I do it!  We all do it.  But my question is what if we could allow our minds and our spirits to be transformed so that we live in this state of joy.  What if everyday Christians lived their lives in such a way that people on the outside were forced to ask the question, "What is wrong with them?  Why are they so happy?"

I wanted that joy, and I know that Christ died so that I could HAVE that joy.  I think about my friends, and I cannot forget Dru Holdren, a fantastic friend and truely an inspiration.  Even in difficult situations he always is bubbling over with joy and can make an impact on everyone around him with a constant smile, and ever rejoicing countenance.  I wanted that joy!

Every Christian should not only have this joy, but should actively be living it out.  But how will this affect others you ask.  Well let's face the facts, most likely they are going to do the same thing we do in our daily lives and say, "Oh my, he..well he is just, special."  GUESS WHAT? We  know that we have met the all-powerful ruler of the universe and He has declared us--What? He says He "Knew us." That means WE ARE SPECIAL!

It is way past time for us to get beyond our piousnessly long and stern faces and start enjoying the amazing creations and beautiful treasures all around us.  We are blessed more than any other nation, and we have the opportunity to experience joy and laughter and appreciate God's truth every day.  Yet how many of us are so concerned with work, kids, bills, american idol, or the next top model, that we never take the time to smile?

Do we wonder why churches aren't full?  Are we unsure why fellow believers do not want to sit in a pew for one hour every week?  Do we fail to see why there are so few new believers?  I think have a pretty good answer for all of these questions.

I decided that I wanted to live my life constantly looking for the good.  Always finding the glad and experiencing the joy in the day to day and living each moment to it's highest.  I wasn't sure if I had begun to succeed or not, until the other day someone asked, "What's wrong with you?"  "Why are you so happy?"  I just sighed and smiled.

Actually, I can testify that if you walk down a busy sidewalk with a sincere smile on your face people WILL stare as if you suffer from down syndrome.   The bad news however, is that when you become aware, I have learned it will only make you chuckle to yourself and cause your smile to grow all the bigger and brighter.  Now those around are really concerned.  At this point you will start getting glares...please resist the urge to laugh out loud, the average person has no idea how to handle seeing someone walking along laughing all alone and they are 100% confident at this point that they should call the boys with white suits.

This is what I would like all of my readers to try.  Purpose to be joyful and to actively be aware of those good things around that will bring a smile to your face.  A flower, a sunrise, an ice cream cone, a happy puppy getting into mischief, maybe a Bible verse (who would have thought about that right), a kitty chasing a ball of string, your favorite hymn, a child laughing and playing outside, or quietly with their toys, anything in the day to day that you would normally be too 'busy' to appreciate.  My personal favorite is watching someone trip on the sidewalk.  Usually just a stumble but occasionally you will get an full on squirrel dive!  Make sure they are not injured and then don't feel badly about laughing hystarically.  If you do witness a good trip that can usually last you an entire day all by itself.

Here is a perfect example of how this works.  To the untrained eye it would appear that I am simply enjoying a cable car right through beautiful Hong Kong.

Take a closer look.I am actually truly appreciating one of the most sincerely humorous things around me.

This is your social assignment and if conducted properly I promise you will receive strange looks, peculiar stares, funny questions, and maybe even make a few odd friends.  Either way the world will be more accepting of who you are, and more willing to understand what you believe if each day is lived as if it were your first and brightest, and each night enjoyed as if it were your last and best.  I wake up smiling about getting to cook breakfast (my favorite part of the day), and go to bed each night thankful and excited about the chance to rest.  Each step between the two is just an additional bonus because God is good and has given us so much to enjoy and experience!

The Timid Gringo

Alertness and Awareness


This is a subject that I wrestled with throughout my journeys through Brasil and so I would like to recap for my readers why this was such a difficult lesson to learn.

It is very easy being from rural NC to begin feeling very trusting and confortable in your surroundings.  It was at least for me, but after all the goings on and shake-ups I found myself struggling with too much caution.  Let me explain by first giving a brief summary of the personality shift that I encuntered during this first tour.  Naive tourist-to-comfortable foreigner-to-extremely cautious foreigner-to-American who is always on guard-to-Gringo with balanced sense of caution and interraction.

As stated in previous posts upon arrival I felt completely safe.  I knew there was a reason I was there and nothing could hurt me.  As that curtain was removed, my level of alertness  had to increase as well, but there was a certain lag time between the two and that is when I had a very short learning curve to catch me up to speed.  After the mistake of riding on the back of the bus and loosing many belongings, I found myself subconciously blocking people out.  My attentiveness to my surroundings was at an all time high.  As I walked down the streets I was constantly positioning myself away from open doorways, passing cautiously those who looked homeless or suspicious, and I was finding that my eyes were always drawn to a persons waiste line (checking for possible weapons) and then immediately back to the ground.

One day while coming home from the supermarceta (grocery store) I heard my name being called.  I turned and a small boy that often came and played with me, was standing in the street shouting my name.  He ran up to me and wanted to introduce me to his mother and friends who were playing with him.  How had this happened I wondered.  I had been so cautious to blend in, not attract attention, and carefully watch anyone of suspicioun that I had actually blocked out the people I had been trying to help.  In my state of alertness I had been so cautious and persistent to realize all possible threats that I had neglected to acknowledge the very reason I was there.  How could I be any use in these slums, or serve any perpose at all if I do not open up and give freely.  These children are the reason I am here, and regardless of what happens to me, I must never become to afraid to do everything I can for them during my stay.

After that instance I purposed to be alert and cautious only to the extent that it did not interferre with helping those in need.  As I have discussed before Christ commanded that we show love.  If showing love means taking an occasional risk then those are risks that I must take, but I cannot live my life in fear of what man can do to me.  I cannot stop interacting or loving those around me just because I had a few 'scary' circumstances.  I am not claiming that we should live out our lives in a state of naivity, I am only suggesting that everyone needs to find a balance in their own life and for their surroundings.

I suppose the lesson I learned today and in the upcoming weeks of reflection are that we must always be alert to our surrounding and environment while being still maintaining a constant awareness to the needs, hurts, and opportunities around us.  I feel this is a critical lesson for anyone wanting to travel abroad or just cross the street.  Be alert to your surroundings, but infinitle more important be aware of those needs all around you.


This is when I realized that Jesus was never suspicious He was simply aware of His surroundings and alert to the needs of others.  He can give strength and courage in any situation.

"The wicked man flees though no man persueth, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."
~Proverbs 28:1

Baisino his nickname means "Shorty" in Portuguese--A lesson in Dedication

I may have mentioned the brief encounter I had with the Brasilian work ethic.  If so I would first like to mention that my oppion is extremely limited as I was only exposed extensively to one demographic of the population and geography of a vast and widely diverse country.

If not then let me elaborate on my experiences.   Any holiday international, national, local, or imaginary is a great reason for a Carioca (native to Rio) to skip work and go to the beach also a futbol game (soccer match) is an unquestionable excuss to skip work, and any boss that is worth working for will close on game day.  Any sunny day it is understood that board shorts and flip flops SHOULD be worn to work in case you can visit the beach before, during, or after work, preferably all three, at the same time as you can sleep in, go to the beach (technically before and during work simultaneously) then leave work a few seconds early to try to beat the "rush".  Actually this became one of my fondest pastimes in Rio, observing people go to great lengths to spend time in the sun if only for a few brief minutes!  Also to note flip flops are always acceptable work attire in Rio de Janeiro.

So there we were one blisteringly hot afternoon, clearing an old room which was full of lumber.  Moving it by hand outdoors to be inspected and put to use so that we could then put the room to use.  As I worked I noticed that it is 3:00, this is a time of afternoon which never goes unnoticed.  At approximately 2:50 nearly everyone working in my favella would begin slowing their pace, and wrapping up anything that had to be accomplished.  Starting anything new would be completely taboo.  Here it was exactly 3:00 and everyone was diligently at work.  Time slowed, my mind staggered, knees weakened, my world began closing in around me.  Had everything I had observed and the steriotypes I forged been completely irrashional and circumstantial.  Now I realize that there are very many hard working individual's in Brasil contributing to the growing economy, but I had worked with these guys for nearly four months now and this was completely atypical behavior.

I shrugged it off and grabbed another stack of lumber.  Despite the heat I would not slow down!  If these men were going to sacrifice their coffee break and continue working then I was determined to work harder.  Finally, curiosity got the best of Austin, "No cafe?" he asked 'Shorty'.

"Que hora sou? (what time is it)" Shorty responded in muttering tones through his missing teeth.

"Trece y Des" I replied, as I was the only one wearing a watch (recall mine had not been stolen because it was so ugly and worthless that even theives snubbed it during each of the robberies.)

At this point without saying a word he drops his lumber in his arms, bolts the door, and while muttering curses and collocials under his breath begins moving faster than I had ever seen this 4' 10" Brasilian man move in my life.  He had a bad leg and walked with a limp anyway, but today he seemed to teleport down the favella, and up two flights of stairs nearly before I could finish saying the time and turn from my project.  I strolled casually to take a cup of coffee and as I picked out pieces of the conversation I kept noticing one major theme, "Maloca, Brinquerra!" (My watch is crazy)

And so my mind was put to ease, his watch had, "Gone crazy!" He had the wrong time, and now he would never get those 10 minutes of extra work back.  Oh well guess my life and jokes can return to normal, crisis averted.  There was however, a 15 minute window where I have never experienced so much confusion in my entire life!

October 20, 2010 Sao Paulo, A lesson in Love

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  John 13:35

This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you.  John 15:12

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God for God is love.  I John 4:7-8

Sao Paulo, a lesson in love:  October 20, 2010

I had just returned from a great weekend with my brother from Sao Paulo, our friend Sarah-whom you will recall from a previous posting-had hosted us in her home city.  It is a massive place, and the financial hub of Latin America.  Her childhood friend Andre allowed us 

While staying with here I had th opportunity to sit with Andre and bouncing ideas and discussing things God had impressed upon us and been showing us.  We began discussing how legalism not only destroys an individual's faith, but also ruins the testomony of the believer.   This keeps people fro knowing Christ in a real way as the message of the relationship with an all powerful God gets lost in a list of 'Do's' and 'Don't's".  

Andre shared his testimony, which in my opinion looked very similar to most "Christians".  He had a resume if you will.  You know what I am talking about, "I have perfect attendance in Sunday School.  I have never touched alcohol.  I go on the mission trip every year, and even help out at kid's camp." Let's face it as a Christian this is about as good as it gets.  I mean this is what a 'real' Christian looks like right?  If Jesus were alive today isn't that what he would be doing, going around making sure to sit in Sunday School every week, and stare down his nose at anyone wearing jeans?  He would invite people to the temple, but if they actually came he would be surprised and try to avoid sitting or talking with them for to long--right?  That has been my experience, and unfortunately the experience of many others who when invited to church respond simply, "Oh I don't really go to church, I have met lots of Christians though."  If we were to truely ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" would we be shocked by the answer, would the world be shocked by the answer.  For some of us we may be called into the desert to eat grasshoppers like John the Baptist, others would be famous and have many supporters and friends like Billy Grahm.  Regardless of the answer, one thing is certain, we would ALL be challenged to follow this one command--LOVE!

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye go to church every sabath day and night, and sometimes wednesday, and don't forget singing in the choir for extra credit. What? NO!  "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another." John 13:35

It is so simple yet overlooked so easily.  Standing in line at the grocery store, stuck in traffic in the heat of summer, how often do we love these neighbors?  The elderly in the nursing homes, the children in the poor areas of town, how often do we love these neighbors?  So simple? Not really, this is a much more difficult command to follow than I could have possibly imagined.  Employers, neighbors, coworkers, even family members and other sunday school attendees can be difficult to love.  

Honestly,  whose life have you had the deepest impact.  Was it someone with whom you have had a deep theological debate, or someone in your life that you just showed love and kindness towards, someone you were not afraid to love regardless of difficulty or self-sacrifice.  I know for me it has always been those who showed me love.  People who poured into my life selflessly, friends who were not afraid to be my friend even when I was being teased or ridiculed.  With this in mind doesn't it seem logical that if we are to have the greatest impact on the world around us that we should start by showing love?  Often we are so concerned with making people perfect that we never stop to realize that--IT ISN'T OUR JOB!

For Andre, it took getting past church, getting out of religious circles, breaking free from Bible College.  Only after Andre experienced life outside of religion could he appreciate and sincerely believe how radically different Christianity is.  As I explained in previous articles, love is what the world is looking for, love is central desire for which human beings yern.  Love is the difference that should be apparent in all Christians, yet for some reason it is not.  I am under the strong conviction that if Christians followed this single mission that churches would be packed, and the need for evangelism would diminish as people come seeking the difference in the lives of their new friends.  

God is not a nagging mother rattling off a list of rules and schedules, He is our loving, patient, Father.  He is encouraging us, cheering for us, and passionate that we do our best and waiting to help us along the way.  That is the God I serve, that is the grace that sent Christ to redeem us.  That is the powerful life that I want to live for this year and the rest of my life.  My goal for this upcoming year is to love people more deeply and in doing so experience Christ's love in a new, powerful, and exciting way.

Brasilian BBQ and Learning the Samba! September 9, 2010

Planning to take this day to work turned into a completely futile idea.  You see moments after we attempted to begin working, we realized no one else would be around and we did not have the keys we needed to continue a project which we had begun several weeks earlier.

Oh well.  Let the Feridas (Holidays) begin!  Having been invited by our close compadre Carlos (Barra) for short.  Actually, I should mention that it was his idea.  We we first met our friend he wore his hair very long and brushed straight.  Another common practice of Carlos was to complain about the "pretty boy haircuts, worn  by the playboys living in Barra da Tajuca."  Too our great surprise, he soon cut his hair in this same stylish 'do'.  Thus they name Barra was born and to my knowledge he still wears his hair in this same fashion.  With a strong sense of right and wrong, he is a close friend and constantly attended to our needs and helped translate when we had difficulty.  Barra even frequented the mission when he was unemployed and spent time with the children and doing construction, and I look forward to seeing him in North Carolina very soon.  So Brazilians, and friends in th states, if you meet Carlos Eduardo please refer to him by his prefered name, Barra.
Here is a picture of me and Barra having dinner before he cut off his long Brasilian locks!

So to continue my story, Barra had invited us to meet some of his friends who were hosting a Brazilian BBQ.  Being from NC I take great pride in my states ability to make the best barbeque world wide.  This, however, was a different experience entirely.  Meat is chopped very finely and a tiny grill is used.  Thus every 10-20 minutes small portions are finished cooking and are enjoyed while more meat/food is placed on a grill which is only a foot or two in perimeter.


Let me explain the process.  You sit, eat, drink, talk, cook, eat, talk, drink, cook some more, eat more, cook something different, talk more, eat more, more drinking, followed by more cooking, talking, drinking, eating, ect.  You continue this proceedure until lunch, snack, and dinner are long past and it is say 8 or 9 p.m. and that is when you realize that there is no way can eat even one more tiny cut of steak, the very last bite of chicken, or jiblet of sausage  as it comes off the grill.  Yes, I think I have thoroughly explained and everyone can appreciate just how wonderful everything about the experience truely is.

After eating for a solid eight hours we were taken to a back street ally which soon filled with Brazilians, Europeans, and Americans.  A band began playing and soon I was informed that this was in fact the very birthplace of Brazil's infamous Samba!  Although I quickly became aware of the fact that the Samba is one of the most difficult dances to learn and even the most basic steps cannot be learned without much practice, I did practice hard an made a full effort to learn.  Late in the evening as the band became silent, we drifted home.  Knowing the proximity of such an interesting location was incentive enough to practice the samba and return to show off our 'skills'.  Ok so to be honest we never showed off any skills, but we did practice and returned to our new found local secret on several occasions.

FIFA World Cup Destination 2014-Maracana Stadium!

Maracana Stadium! (September 1, 2010)

We had the opportunity to visit South Americas largest stadium just before it was closed for renovations for the next four years in preparation for the 2014 World Cup.  The approximation is that it will be closed for three years.  We were able to go to one of the very last games before the stadium closed.

I will never forget what it felt like to walk into that stadium as the sun sank below the highest row of seating, the lights came on, and the crowd became electric!

 We cheered Cristiano's favorite team Fluminese, to defeat Soa Paulo.  Despite passionate cheering the game concluded after ninety exciting minutes, the result a tie 2-2.  There is a very sacred ceremony which is formally conducted upon the scoring of each goal by one's affiliated team of preferance.  The ritual is carried out as follows:  step 1) remove shirt/any other article of clothing covering one's torso.  2) using said article of clothing proceed to perform your most convincing helicopter impersonassion. 3) grunt loudly in a manner as to most effectively bring attention to yourself and be as obknoxious as possible. 4) thrust chest out and aggressively collide with all others around you and work outward until you have bumped chests with as many people as is possible. 5) return to your seat and humiliate, degrade, and mock all fans of the other team until they score and begin the same ritual in your face.

Here is a picture of Austin and I enjoying such a ceremony!!!

Face to Face with (CV) the Red Command!

So I know what you all must be wondering.  What in the world does all this have to do with drug trafficing, how did this affect your current situation in Asia, and most important, what is the "Red Command"?
Let me begin by answering the last question "What is the Red Command?" then I will back up and begin answering the following questions in chronological order.  I think that is the most logical way of doing this.  Clear...Kind've...A little...Vaguely transparent....ok good enough.

The Red Command is a huge crime sindicate in Rio de Janeiro, they traffic illigal cocaine all over the world.  The are second in size only to the Mafia.  This is the story of how my brother and I were able to get an up close look at their connections and the extent of their organization.

Now I am certain that in just one year earlier if I had been asked about drugs and more importantly drug trafficking, my response would have rung out bodly, "Drugs are bad....MmmmmKay!"  Today however, I am more deeply aware of the hurt they cause and the bondage entire communities face to to their effects.  Most drug leaders it seems are not greedy capitalists trying to gain a quick profit.  They are poor, uneducated individuals who due to the corruption of their surroundings have only one shot at a chance to live what promises and seems as close to a "normal life" as they can imagine.  Food for their families and an education for their children is what they seek.  The problem lies when they discover their is no way out and their life expectancy is only 5 YRS!  They live in fear, anxiety and bondage with no way out.
After working with the children, Cristiano took us up into a favela controlled by--guess who--yup the Red Command or CV (Comanche Vemelia) to celebrate his nephews birthday.  While visiting the family we contacted some leaders and relayed the story and where it happened.  As it turns out the area we were in during the robbery was at the time controlled by CV and they even promised to work toward finding out things.  I know it was only a slight chance, but I felt they were roughly 1000x more likely to recoup are belonging than the policy who had infinately less connections and equally as corrupt.  We did however take the time to file a police report even though it seemed like the time would have been most likely been more productive staring at fly droppings through a magnifying glass.  Imagine these thugs helping a few Americans they had never met.

So I suppose my answer concerning drug trafficing is more complex now.  As we ask around the favela to discover the more popular organization the trafficas or the police, surprising the trafficas are much more popular.  "Oh the police are bad!  The trafficas are ok, they are my friends, they would never hurt me.  They are just providing something for others who want it, but the police will deliberately take advantage of innocent people for no reason except to cushion their already buldging wallets.

I know that all things work together for good to those who are called, and I certainly knew God had sent me to Rio.  So to answer the last question, "What does this have to do with your current situation.  This instance is evidence of everything we felt and experienced on a daily basis.  We were forced to always be cautious and always be on alert.  This was first time that I could so thoroughly appreciate the comforts and safety of rural U.S.A.   This was also the first time that I could realize with certainty that I could react calmly in perilous situations.  Wherever I travel, wherever the road leads, I know that He is watching over me and regardless of situations or circumstances, I rest in the palm of His hand.  Safety or danger, quiet farms or noisy cities, I will travel where He directs.  I suppose this was one of the first lessons which I still carry with me.

So I continued in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro for several more months as God showed me more and more about that city and taught me more about myself!

Trusting the Lord to Provide--An introduction to the Red Command

August 26, 2010

A year prior to this date I would have given a typical evangelical response if asked about my feelings toward drug trafficking.   I would have probably even made elaborate claims about the economical response to such activity, but after this Saturday a year and a half ago my answer is now quit a different story.

Everything is the Lords, He chooses to to give some 10 talents and some but 1.  Everything under my watch belongs to Him and I must bear this in mind in every circumstance which I face.  He can multiply my talents or He can strip them from me.  The widows mill never ran out, 5,000+ people were fed using only a small lunch, and there was plenty of wine at the wedding for all to enjoy the celebration.  On the other hand Joseph lost everything he had, Moses fled to the wilderness after obeying the Lord, and Job for reasons which he could not see or comprehend lost his wealth, family, livestock, and even most of his friends.

Today (8-26-10) I lost something.  Something very small yet more valuable the associated price tag.  Today, I was allowed to see beyond the surface and experience my city the way she truely is.  While on our way to a new favela in the northern part of the city to volunteer with a friend from church (Cristiano and his wife) and meet the children he so diligently teaches every single week, the man sitting in front of my brother and I stood up.  I do not know his name or his situation all I know is that he had a small boy with him.

He stood as if to exit the bus, but he did not pull the cord.  Instead he reached into his pants and pulled a gun.  He pointed at my face and nodded at our backpack.  "Machila, Machila!" He shouted.  I remember looking down at our pack dazed and a bit confused.  I paused processing what was happening and with what response I would address such a rude and demanding threat.

My thoughts wondered only for one frozen moment and suddenly time sped rapidly and my consciousness returned my brothers words broke my concentration.  "He wants the pack!" Austin shouted, "Give him the backpack!"  I am certain Austin thought I simply did not understand as the man was shouting in Portuguese, but I understood perfectly at this point I had developed a basic vocabulary.

My thoughts no longer wondered, I had been in limbo about what I should do, or would my older brother be disappointed in me if I turned over his things as well as mine without even a struggle.  I simply obeyed my older brothers command.  Looking down the barrel of that gun I never felt afraid.  The only emotion I felt was confusion.  Confused about why this was happening, confused about what a proper response would be, and confused about how Austin would want me to react.

Looking back on the what happened this response is where I actually learn the most.  It was as if I were programmed to do exactly as my older brother said.  It was actually the best thing I could have done in the situation, but I still do not completely understand the robotic state that entranced me at that exact moment.

What I did learn for certain is that the Lord is revealing the dangers and evils of this city to me and I must trust  in Him alone.  Also I am learning to be on a higher level of alertness at all times and be careful about trusting anyone.  Trusting anyone to even sit next to me on a bus.  We were always on alert.

The World Needs Love!

My most sincere apologies for delaying this post.  Though I have enjoyed the procrastination, I finally managed to write something that hopefully a few people will find of interest. 

I appreciated the occasion to visit Myanmar because the very next morning we to an outreach hosting Thai Aboriginals as well as, interestingly enough, Burmese refugees.  All of which were children.  These children were so skilled and produced the most beautiful crafts.  I was actually able to procure a few things to send to my only sister Anna.  The children were by far the most lovable kind-hearted and welcoming children I have ever encoutered in any part of the world.  I wanted to stay all week with these kids because they were so thankful for a place to stay and study languages and learn skills.  They loved having foreign visitors and were so disappointed to see us leave.

These children are working and they are happy.  Many children world-wide enjoy countless hours of freedom and leisure, with only minimal if any duties and are so dissatisfied that they rarely even enjoy their lack of responsibility.  Yet here were children who were happy because they were loved.  More often than not we as adults fret and stress over finances.  If we have a child how are we going to do this? How will we pay for that mWhat will we do when ect.?  But in all my travels and of all the children I have met I am beginning to realize more and more that the most content, most pleasant, and even the most successful children are those who have love.

Of course they may never live in a huge home or win a Nobel Prize, but they experience success in their lives doing whatever trade and hobbies are to their taste.  Senior American citizens often confess to me, “We were poor, but we were happy.  We had each other and we all loved each other.”  They grew up in a time when family was what mattered—not money!

I recal an instance several months into living in Rio de Janeiro when Austin and I decided to explore the local community for a pool that had been mentioned.  Having finished a recent project it seemed a perfect opportunity for a leisurely afternoon.

We quickly made our way through the streets and soon found our destination.  As we sat enjoying the warm sun and cool water our quiet solitude was abruptly interuppted by the sound of kids with whom we had played nearly everyday.  This truly was their novelty.  Seeing the ‘gringos’, not at school, but with them at the pool.  After playing and swimming they wanted to show us every detail of their world.

They found insects, introduced us to a new fruit, picked flowers (I should tell you the pool is situated at an abandoned railroad station).  As we explored the ruins, many courtyards, rusted train cars, all of which were overtaken with weeds and jungle undergrowth.  The once concrete floors and high ceilings were broken up and pulled down.  It really is an interesting place in retrospect.

The boys inevitable intrduced us to a dandillion.  We in response told him of the American tradition of wishing on the weed and attempting to blow each pedal from the flower in a single breath.  Quickly the wishing began and within a matter of seconds the very last pedal released its grip on the flower and was carried off in the gentle breeze.

Casual we asked the young boys wish.  His reply was so simple, so candid, and so sincere that I will never forget his face nor his response.

“I wished.” He began, “that you would never leave Brasil.”  He finished, as he took Austin by the hand.

We stood shocked.  We felt so meaningless. Yes, we had done some construction, and spent a few hourse a day playing games and sports with the kids.  This however, was the last thing I expected.  I had supposed he’d wish for a toy or to go to a soccer game, possibly even new shoes (If he had any I am sure they were worn and probably too small).  Yet, love, attention, and approval is the greatest need and the largest wish of this boy and children world-wide rich or poor.

Myanmar (Old Burma) and Mangosteens!

I woke early Sunday morning full of Anticipation.  I was certain to be up before sunrise to get a first hand look at how Thailand greets a new day.  I was none disappointed either.  First I settled in for what seemed to be a fantastic sunrise as the sky turned red and the mountains to the west seemed to dance with excitement!  Then a cloud rolled in last minute and ruined the whole thing, but not to despair because I found the morning market just n time for dan bing "egg crape", a couple of newly discovered "meat sticks" as I like to call them (nearly life changing strips of pork soaked in egg and curry and grilled while you watch), some local fruit, but nothing new just local pineapple and some oranges.

Speaking of interesting fruit if anyone is travelling to Southeast Asia they must try the mangosteens! Look for a fruit that looks almost like an avocado, but when you split it open, it is burgundy.  The meat is in the center and is snow white. It is so sweet, and slightly tangy, extremely juicy, and honestly I cannot describe my excitement.  By far the best discovery in Thailand to date!  This is a fruit which excites me almost as much as maracuja or Colombian passion fruit.  They are only native to Thailand so must not be missed!  These are a must and are certainly more enjoyable than the fried grub worms I just polished off at lunch.

I digress, back to the story, we went up to the northern most point of the country and as I stood on the banks of a mere stream looking at the Myanmar locals longing to be in Thailand I realized that I had to cross.  Maybe just to satisfy personal curiosity but I needed to cross none the less.  How could I come so close to such a deprived and hurting country and not just enter? I had done my research the night before.  I knew that with a few U.S. dollars I could enter the country and that I would have no problems returning into Thailand. So all that was left was permission, keep in mind when I say, "all" that this is one of the most difficult things to gain when travelling with a group this size.

Interest in gaining access to Burma was mounting.  I had already been approached by several team members insisting that if I crossed the boarder I must take them along.  How everyone always seems to know exactly what I am thinking I still have not quit figured out, but every time someone wants an adventure they seem to come knocking on my door.  Please understand I am not complaining because if they mention it then most likely I am already thinking it.  If I am not, then I always welcome the suggestions.

I did finally decide not to enter a country without permission from from my sponsor.  A difficult decision, but very seldom it is when I regret submitting to authority.  So I waited, and waited, nearly an hour and a half.  Finally, I was granted the go ahead and about a dozen from our team had the opportunity to spend a few hours in boarder crosssings and visiting local shops in Myanmar--old Burma.

I was doubtful I could count this as a country visited, but after over an hour, having exchanged currency, nearly getting in a fight, having waved off hundreds of street vendors, taxi drivers, tour guides, and hospitality worker, attempting to make a quick buck off the tourists, I bought my patch and decided that this certainly was a cultural experience worthy of it's own flag on my pack.

This was just the beginning because what this did to open my eyes was nothing compared to how my gaze would be widened the very next day!  When coupled these experiences would make Myanmar a true journey and allow my global perspective to include all those suffering in such a tumultuous country.

Thailand!

Thailand, Say it again, Thailand!  Can anyone pronounce this name without being mentally bombarded with thoughts of dense jungle, fabulous beaches, spicy foods, ancient civilizations, lost tombs, mysterious temples, or hidden secrets of eastern mysticism?  After patiently waiting for the past three months I have finally stepped out of the back of a Toyota pickup and my boots are on the ground in sacred Thailand!

Our sponsors have sent us into the mountains of northern Thailand as volunteers to a few local schools.  We have the weekend to tour the legendary golden triangle where the British flexed their muscle and expanded control by introducing opium and causing massive addiction to this extremely binding drug.  This area became dubbed the "Golden Triangle" because of the  massive quantities of gold which traded hands and circulated as expensive opium was produced and exported out of this area.  It is called "Triangle" because from this point one must merely cross a small river to enter Laos or Myanmar or Burma.

I have the opportunity to tour this are Sunday and then until noon Monday, and then I will be going West into the mountains for a week of teaching English in one of the villages.

God Always Knows Best!

I was in great spirits just after the fire.  I was feeling great, had been working out, I was meeting with my former girlfriend online, and I had something exciting to talk with her about.  Things couldn’t be better!

That evening I anxiously booted up my netbook, fingers trembling with anticipation.  She was not online yet, excellent, I would be able to think through all the events of the week before she signed on, thus avoiding rambling or talking about useless topics to fill time.  I waited, kept waiting, I began to play on facebook then I checked my email. 

Waiting in my inbox was the explanation of her absence.  I quickly read through an email that exhausted the fact that we would never be more than friends and she was moving on, yet left not the slightest clue as to the reason or why.  I reread and I can not say for certain but I most likely read it a third and fourth time.

I tried to respond, I had so much I wanted to write.  It wall seemed useless.  I knew anything that I said I would most likely regret later so I decided to think it over.  There I was in the favellas of Rio de Janeirowith only my brother, a few English speakers at church, and Eduardo who never really runs out of things to talk about.  I had not talked to Kristin in weeks and Jen will most likely never use skype.

(I would like to mention here that I never did decide how to respond to that email, and so I just never did.)

God somehow always provides just what we need!  In this case what I needed was a Sarah, but not just any Sarah.  God provided a one of a kind Sarah Henrique, I had literally met her at church just days before.  When she came stumbling into church in her usual bumbling fun loving way she was clearly nervous because she was talking at an even faster rate than was common--even for Sarah.  We (or should I say) She talked for quit awhile and we exchanged numbers.  She is a cute, talkative, vibrant, short, talkative Brasilian college girl who had spent time in Canada, and enjoys travel, and talking, she speaks perfect English (at 100mph), and in case I didn’t mention it earlier she is very talkative.  Oh well, I couldn’t sit in the slums all weekend, so Austin made me call her and we all went to Impanema to have a nice dinner.

If there was anyone capable of talking enough to keep my mind off of Ana’s email, it was Sarah.  So she met us and brought a friend along, her best friend Raiza.  Let me state now that though they are great friends they are a bit opposite.  Raiza is a goal driven, results oriented, disciplined student, and carries herself with perfect class.  She also is not as annoyingly talkative (Just kidding Sarah!)  Given the combination of Raizas quiet friendly personality and the sheer speed that Sarah can talk, change topics, and even support arguments which happened hours before I knew this would not be a boring night!

Both have remained good friends of mine over the past year.  I do not remember all that we talked about that night, except I do remember thinking Raiza was Russian haha.  Both are amazing friends and have always been here for me.  There both have earned great internships in their field of study so congratulations Sarah Henrique and Raiza Vasconcelos.  You both were responsible for turning a very difficult week into an extraordinary weekend.  Thanks for always being so much fun! --Except for Raiza who is a workaholic and studies all the time and always ditches early to cram for homework and exams that are due the next month. I know your hard work is paying off Raiza so congradulations!

I love wasting time distracting Raiza from her studies and I love being the excuse Sarah finds to NOT study!  Thank you Sara for always keeping me informed on how God is working in your life, I know He has great things for in store for you!

FUEGO!

I remember that day well.  August 23^rd 2010 the day there was a fuego in the Providencia (fire).  As I was idly sipping cafezina (little coffee, but it should be called tiny cup of sugar) and relaxing in preparation for the last couple of hours of work, I smelled something peculiar.  My nose quickly identified the smell as smoke, but how and from where was it coming.

I ran outside and followed my nose up the favella, and remember the feeling of helplessness as I saw the flames coming down from the piles of liter on the mountain side.  In Brasil it is common practice to dump all garbage in any unoccupied area in sight.  The closer the better, as you would not want to excerpt much effort to do anything in Rio.  As a matter of fact most locals only put forth effort when a) going to the beach, b) going to eat, or 3) cheering on their favorite soccer (futbal) team.  So despite the greatest efforts on the part of the mission workers to keep the hillside clean and liter free, within a matter of months it is completely covered with unwanted boxes, plastics, wrappers, and the pigs who wander through for food. 

To my surprise everyone was hustling and bustling in an all out attempt to put out a raging fire that had broken out amongst the refuse and was quickly making it’s way down the hill toward our little mission.  We were well armed for the war on fire however (note sarcasm), our arsenal included: 2 one gallon buckets, and a water hose with no water pressure.  I joined the futile efforts and even took the front line of the assault on the flame that would soon engulf the orphanage and nurseries.  The fire dept. had been called, but what could they do, we were too high up the favella to be reached from the street, and the streets above were far too narrow and winding for the fire to be fought from the top.  Yes, I feared this would certainly be a devastating blow.

I abandoned my attempts to use the dripping hose to saturate the foliage and began axing down ever stick of underbrush and pulling it away from the buildings in order to create a dead space that couldn’t be jumped because of lack of fuel.  When I looked up I realized that time was nearly up, the flames had crept eerily close and were gaining speed.  I saw the fire truck in the street.  We had all heard the siren for the last half hour at least, we were all relieved to know that professional help had finally arrived if to offer nothing more than advice and a break.

To my surprise however the fire crew came actually prepared and the truck was loaded with a tank of water (having its own water supply allowed the truck to come half way up the mountain) and at least 1,000 feet of hose.  We cleared a line and ran the hose straight up the mountain and held the flame from advancing another foot.  Soon it was completely expelled. 

As I type out the story I realize how cliché it sounds.  Trust me I realized the cliché even as I was participating in this drama, but it certainly happened.  I helped save little orphans in the slums of Rio from a raging fire (I know it sounds like a bad hallmark movie).  Immediately after, I began reflecting on the incident and tried to realize what I could learn.  I was not sure but I was excited about the next day.  It was Friday and I had big plans—unfortunately the lesson I was to learn was not from the fire.  My lesson would be learned the very next day in a test that would be much more difficult, that was a different fire, but a fire that would have to be fought and expelled none the less.

Getting Past Lonely and Into Favellas!

I have decided that 2 blog posts concerning New Years are enough and will not bore my followers with new years resolutions and personal ambitions regarding finances, language studies, travels, adventures, and other personal goals which will most likely only serve to cause readers to fall into a state of deep sleep.  I will instead continue my story and how my travels began in 2010!  I had previously discussed my new found independence and my life as an unattached individual.

At this point I must mention my friend Jennifer and Kristin who played a huge roll in my not turning into a puddle of self-pity and pathetic emotions, but instead allowed me to move forward by always being there for me.  They helped me see past the short term and anxiously plan for the exciting future of international travels.  Anytime I nearly succumbed to the temptation to make a feeble phone call and spew my emotions or grabble in unnecessary dependency they were there for me.  Two friends who were exactly what I needed for the long 4 months of preparation for my journey ahead and getting past the past!

Jen is a strong, independent girl from Virginia Beach, who regardless of where we were, or what we were doing always was supportive and always made me smile.  Her bright smile, shiny black squinty eyes (sorry Jen but you do have those) could make anyone’s day better.  Also she was quick to listen and a great masseuse.  Jen if you are reading thank you so much for always listening, for acting like you understood even if you didn’t and especially for sincerely caring for me when I felt no one did.  I always smile when my mind wanders to you.  Thank you so much for making my 24^th birthday so special, when I was not even going to have dinner with anyone!  I promise that one year I will actually be in the U.S.A. on August 31^st and I will make it up to you.

Kristin can fill an entire post singlehandedly.  She is such a good friend who I share so many secrets with.  Things that went so wrong were always so fun as long as it were the two of us.  Nights that would have been considered disastrous by any other standard were so fun and always managed to make us laugh at our own mistakes.  Regardless of whether we were weekend road warriors, or just trying to find a place to escape on a Friday night so no one would know we were lame, we always had a good time!  Kristin if you are reading thank you for always being there for me and always encouraging me to do the right thing—or the wrong thing if it would make a good story!

These friends were instrumental in helping me make it to Brazil when I otherwise would have rushed back to my girlfriend and possibly been taken back.  But despite thinking that I had gotten over her, I do remember a crushing blow that came about six weeks after my arrival in Rio.  It happened just days after a fire broke out in our favella!