Brazil 4:22

Prices for things in Brazil vary as they would anywhere. Here are some recent ones. ( Requires 3.58 reals to buy one dollar) My host purchased thirty eggs for about $2.85. In a poorer neighborhood, one could rent a studio apartment with no amenities for about $130 per month. A nice 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo with a yard and 2 parking spaces in a gated community costs $100,000. This is all in a smaller city. I'm sure prices would be higher in a larger city. Gas for cars is about 3Reals per liter, which is roughly $3.30 per gallon. Last night had dinner at the home of my hosts' married daughter. Quite a spread as the mid day meal is usually the biggest. I don't have the vocabulary in either English or Portuguese to adequately discuss culinary habits. Some unusual things follow: Brazilians put ketchup ( spelled the same but pronounced with 3 syllables instead of 2, i.e. ket-chu-p) and mayo on pizza but eat corn on the cob without butter, salt or pepper. Olive oil is a constant for all meals, and is dribbled onto food. Desserts are generally not nearly as sweet nor served as often as in the US. I have been asked why many N. Americans are obese if we only eat three times a day instead of five or six. This is one reason. My host family apparently only serves dessert on Sundays. It arrived in a pan, was slightly chilled, resembled a pudding, and was made of maracuja, a tropical fruit, and condensed milk. Last night went to a gathering of mostly younger people. About sixty were present, representing seven or eight churches. We met in a tennis court lodged between two buildings in the city. The worship team consisted of a bass, two guitars, keyboard, drums, two female and one male vocalists, and the sound guy. The primary speaker was a man of about 30, the pastor of a church named RED in the city of Sao Paulo. Normally it is easier for me to understand when someone preaches because they are the only one speaking, and they often pause for emphasis. This man was particularly clear. Part of the reason was revealed during his speaking when he said that he had grown up in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil, where i have spent about 25% of my time in Brazil. ( I am still struggling with the Paulista accent.) His preaching was primarily a testimony, centering on Psalm 37:5. He used two other verses at the very end of a one hour plus speech. The culminating point of his testimony was a plane ride in which he had encountered Neymar, the most famous active soccer player in Brazil. Apparently Neymar had invited this man to his house. Afterwards we walked half a block to the church. They have the main building on one side of a cobblestoned street, and an auxiliary one across the street. Here i met a teacher of Portuguese, who spoke good English, and his wife. They asked if i was a pastor, which led to a detailed explanation of the discipleship ministry that God has given me. Another young man, who has just returned from eighteen months studying at a university in Canada, listened in. Also spoke with a man from Angola, a former Portuguese colony in Africa, in both Portuguese and English. He is a very joyful young man named Oseias ( Hosea) who is studying music in Brazil. He is the first person i have met from his country, and I was surprised to learn that I could understand him better than some Brazilians. Also met another man from Cape Verde, a string of former Portuguese controlled islands off the coast of WEst Africa. He spoke some English. This morning was given the opportunity to speak about the Kingsom of God to a small group in a poor neighborhood. Thankfully, my friend translated for me. Half of the group were children, some with their parents, and some without. We had a regular service first, and then a Sunday school. They rent a very small room, so unless it rains, the children are outside on the sidewalk. This does give the possibility that passers by might be curious and investigate. A number of people thanked me afterwards, and welcomed me to return. After the service we went to the home of an older man, who is suffering from large tumors on his neck and chest. He asked me to pray for him, which I did. My host ministered to a number of questions that this man had.