Why am I in Brazil? Why do you work hard and then invest time in others? Because we are called to be Servants to one another. It really isn’t all about us!
Day One
On Saturday morning we landed in São Paulo. We were met by David Huffman, one of the missionaries we support, and took a bus to the houses we were to stay at for the week. We changed into work clothes and went right to the church. This church is called Morales Prado and is the third church that David and co-missionary David Fray (and families) have built in the Southern part of São Paulo.
After eating lunch there we started work. I helped with door framing, while others starting laying out floor tile, varnishing wood tables and cabinets, put in electrical wires, and cleaned the outside of the church walls. For many of the men on this trip this was their fourth time in Brazil and 18th or 19th time on a mission trip. There were a few men that this was their first time. It was my first time to Brazil, but 2nd mission trip, my last one was to Peru.
After about five hours we stopped for dinner. After the first two meals I knew we were going to eat well the whole time. The food was delicious. After dinner we headed back to the houses to get some showers and some much needed sleep. I believe I only slept about three hours on the plane, so I was tired.
Day Two
On Sunday morning we had pineapple, apples, bananas and bread with jelly for breakfast. Then we headed off to Morales Prado for morning Sunday School and then Church Service. I enjoyed meeting new people and the services. We sang songs like Santo! Santo! Santo! (Holy! Holy! Holy!) and Estou Seguindo a Jesus Cristo (I Have Decided to Follow Jesus).
All day I have been writing notes down on a sheet of paper and other people ask why? I like languages and have started learning a little Portuguese. In Spanish to say “Hello” you would say “Hola” in Portuguese it is “Hoy.” There are many similarities between the two languages, but some differences. Some words I wrote translating from English to Portuguese include: (may not be spelled correctly, but they tell me how to pronounce them)
Obrigado = Thank you
Deus = God
Bon jer = Good morning
Lucas = Luke
Felice = Happy
Perdone = Forgiveness
After services we went to a local family’s house (Andreia and kids), ate lunch and talked. It is so easy to see how richly blessed (and spoiled) we are after seeing what they have. We have more “junk” in our garages than they have possessions in their whole house (three small rooms). For lunch we ate fried chicken (no breading and marinated in garlic), beans and white rice, sheppard’s pie type dish, and noodles with tomato sauce. Family members who lived nearby helped prepare the meal for us. I felt a little guilty going for seconds. It was so good and they wanted us to feel welcome. I must have folded 10 paper airplanes for the kids, they loved them.
For dessert we had passion fruit pudding, the whole meal was delicious. At all meals we drank Coca-Cola, Fanta Uva (Grape) and other local sodas. You had to becafeful not to drink the local water and get sick. And there was a lot more we did on day two, I’ll save that for my next post.
Time To Give Back,
Sam Carrara
