Puzzles, pugs and praias

First of all I’m sorry it’s been ages since my last blog update, it’s due to a mixture of me not getting round to writing one and then being ill this last week, hopefully those of you who wanted to got a prayer letter at some point in that time (if you didn’t and would like to let me know!)

So January has been a bit of a strange month so far due to the Brazilian Summer holiday and lots of things stopping/being different for a while. However it’s had lots of great moments, with a particular highlight being our Semana de Leitura (or Reading Week) with the children last week. Each afternoon we had lots of puzzles and games, half an hour of Bible stories, half an hour’s silent reading, some very un-silent running around games and exciting snacks. It went really well and it was really exciting to see lots of the children concentrating so well and enjoying reading; normally most of them would probably have spent all day playing out in the street so it was also great to see them having something productive to do and learning about Jesus.

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We pull up at church and there’s already several children waiting outside, they seem to be getting earlier each day, keener and keener to get to the pool table, or to work on the 500 piece jigsaw we’ve been trying to complete or to play dominoes! Their excitement is infectious and soon we’re caught up in a tense game of Jenga. Little Alexandro is oohing and aahing to my right and hopping around as he tries, and somewhat fails, to wait his turn, dressed up smartly today in a proper shirt to the other children’s delight. 13 year old Diana manages to somehow absentmindedly flick a piece out with one finger and then it’s my go, CRASH, oops! Looks like Auntie Flor lost that one. Soon we’re all sitting round with our 100 Bible Story books open in front of us, even toddler Vinicius (with the cheekiest yet most adorable face ever) is being quiet, as we all listen to Judith reading about Jesus turning water into wine. In the hushed silence It feels almost like we’re there at the wedding too, standing in awe at the miracle this man has just done. Soon the spell is broken by a huge enthusiasm to answer the questions (“I want to read number one” “I want to read number 3” etc) and then we’re off next door for silent reading. I’m expecting it to be harder today but I hardly have to ask anyone to be quiet, there’s just the noise of rustling pages and the occasional chair leg scraping on the tiled floor. I look around in amazement before turning back to Portuguese Marley and Me!

It's a Saturday evening and I'm sitting at the piano desperately trying to practise before the Graduation starts, for once I'm glad for Brazilian timing as it has already long passed the official start. The church is already full of lots of people waiting and I'm flusteredly trying to count, while they all listen to me fumbling around on the keys. I haven't played the piano for the last four months, I don't know the hymns and I've only just seen the music... what was I thinking saying i would play?! I've come almost straight from a day on the beach with 9 girls from Porta Larga, it was a really lovely day of spending time with them but as I feel my bright red legs burning I'm reminded that I've definitely had too much sun. My hair is still wet (yey for a powercut during my half an hour at home) and I'm starting to panic about this piano playing. Then all of a sudden God provides a pretty incredible answer to prayer. One of the graduates appears saying "eu toco" (I play the piano) and to my extreme relief a few minutes later it transpires that the world's best pianist (well pretty much) is among us. Phew. I've never been so glad to be fired in all my life.

At Adrian and Judith's house after a day on the beach

I’m sitting on the sofa at home with a puppy sleeping in my lap, vaguely watching the video that my Brazilian Dad has found of some Pug’s being spoon-fed! Beside me my Brazilian Mum is carefully cutting one of the other puppies nails with clippers, while the other four tiny dogs play in their ball pool (yep that’s right they now have their very own ballpool!) They are growing so quickly and can now all walk, have teeth and have even started eating, or wallowing in, proper dog food. One of them has been nicknamed ‘Morcega’ (bat) due to being a bit darker and, like all of them, resembling a bat, or sloth, or potentially Yoda. They are quite funny to watch now, as they like pouncing on each other and rolling over.

The Puppies' first month birthday party!

I’m at my Brazilian parents’ House Group from church and alongside being fed hot dogs and cake we’re looking at 1 Samuel, chapter 17 about David and Goliath. I might have been here for 4 whole months now, but, of course, there are still moments when I feel small and scared and weak. As we look at how David was prepared to be courageous and was used by God, despite being small and young and weak, it’s a great reminder for me to keep trying to be brave and obedient even when it feels hard. Before we leave the house everyone decides to serenade me, I’m a bit confused but the words of the song are something like “it was good to have you here” so I’m guessing it’s a good thing! On the way home we make a quick diversion to the beach to drink Agua de Coco (Coconut milk) and eat some kind of caramel pie. The moon is huge over the sea and the water looks calm and inviting, although the many shark warning signs are enough of a reminder of the truth.

We're sitting in Diana and Erica's beautiful new bedroom and 10 year old Evilásio is trying his best to read the words in front of him. "barco" (boat)? he guesses hopefully. For the umpteenth time I say "nearly... what letter's this... b? and this... e? so what sound do they make together? ..."be" YESS High Five .... and then what's the 3rd letter?" etc. It feels a bit like we're going round in circles, but I know he can do it. When he finally gets a word right I feel as happy as the grin on his face. As I'm walking to the bus stop, little Ícaro (who's about 8 or 9) comes running out of house completely naked. He stops dead when he sees me then turns around and embarrassed throws himself into a big bucket of water outside his front door, where he hides until I have turned the corner! I laugh to myself and waving goodbye to a group of children, head on my way.

I hope that January is going well for you. I’m now feeling totally better after being ill and looking forward to what the rest of the month will bring. Lots of love.