Ups and Downs
Today one of the LRT trains (which they call metros) was not working for some reason so people decided to walk the tracks or take the bus. This did not affect my area of the city but you can see a video of it at: http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/SaoPaulo/0,,MUL488846-5605,00.html Very chaotic. Traffic problems are pretty bad here. Sometimes people wait for their bus for almost 40 minutes and if the bus is your only means of transportation and you live far from your work place it is common to take 3 or more buses to get somewhere. And I thought Edmonton transit was bad.
Speaking of buses I took the bus on my own for the first time yesterday! Yay for independence! (well, sort of). I seriously miss having a car and being able to go wherever whenever and the independence that comes with simply knowing your way around a place. Like right now I´d love to run to the store for a few things but that is just not going to happen. I could walk but that would take a good half hour and would be downhill the whole way. Maybe I´ll go tomorrow. Even taking the bus to the church involves a good 12 minute walk up or down hill depending on if I´m coming or going. And then once I get home I have to take a little mini-van up to the condominium. That stretch only takes about 7 minutes to walk and is up hill the whole way. Sao Paulo is very hilly.
Tomorrow is a holiday here because of Corpus Christi so in true Brasilian fashion Friday is a holiday as well making it a long weekend (for the schools for sure but not for all businesses or churches). This weekend I am attending a conference called Passion. David Crowder, Chris Tomlin and a bunch of other groups are touring the world and are here in Sao Paulo for the weekend. The conference is directed toward university students and I´ll be going with people from Morumbi church as well as the two American gals who I met this week.
The service on Sunday night was amazing! God gave me so much joy and myself and Rahel (one of the Americans) were asked to share why we were at Vila Andrade and that went really well. The congregation was about 60% kids since the church is sort of affiliated with the Compassion Sponsorship program in the building next door (the pastor´s wife is the current local director). One of my main tasks will be visiting the families of the 120 kids in the Compassion project. That´s where I´ve been helping out this week as I set up my schedule and get situated. Next week I´ll already start doing visitations, teaching Sunday School, being on the worship team, help set-up a library and start planning some youth events for the pre-adolescents. I´m also getting the opportunity to take adult ballet lessons which I´m very excited about! Its just going to be me and one other girl from the Morumbi church staff and the lessons will be one hour on Tues. and Thurs. evenings. There is some cost but as staff we get a discount. The dance lessons are in Morumbi´s dance studio which is inside the church. I´ve been wanting to do this for ages!
My ride home from church on Sunday night was a couple from Morumbi Baptist that felt led to come work with youth at Vila Andrade, their names are James and Suzana. As we chatted on the ride over they heard about my living situation and offered me their spare room (and we just met!). People here are so generous. I think I´m going to hang in there with my current place until the end of the month and then maybe I´ll take them up on their offer. The pastors I work for are letting people know I´m looking for a place preferably in walking distance so that would be something to keep in your prayers. The other American lady who is here with World Ventures (Karen) has a room in the place she is renting but we´d have to ask her land lady so there are several other options at this point. In some ways I am in no rush to leave as my hosts often give me rides to the church, have lent me a cell phone and are not charging me a cent for room or board. I am so blessed. Tonight I was feeling a bit homesick but Karen just called to invite me to lunch at her place tomorrow. Getting there may be an adventure but at least I have something social to do after 3 nights at home. Thank-you for your continued prayers and notes. I did wake up at 5 this morning so was pretty tired all day but that and the frustration over my transportation issues mixed in with some homesickness are probably my biggest issues at this point so I have much to be grateful for. Hugs to you all as they would say here. Tchau!
Speaking of buses I took the bus on my own for the first time yesterday! Yay for independence! (well, sort of). I seriously miss having a car and being able to go wherever whenever and the independence that comes with simply knowing your way around a place. Like right now I´d love to run to the store for a few things but that is just not going to happen. I could walk but that would take a good half hour and would be downhill the whole way. Maybe I´ll go tomorrow. Even taking the bus to the church involves a good 12 minute walk up or down hill depending on if I´m coming or going. And then once I get home I have to take a little mini-van up to the condominium. That stretch only takes about 7 minutes to walk and is up hill the whole way. Sao Paulo is very hilly.
Tomorrow is a holiday here because of Corpus Christi so in true Brasilian fashion Friday is a holiday as well making it a long weekend (for the schools for sure but not for all businesses or churches). This weekend I am attending a conference called Passion. David Crowder, Chris Tomlin and a bunch of other groups are touring the world and are here in Sao Paulo for the weekend. The conference is directed toward university students and I´ll be going with people from Morumbi church as well as the two American gals who I met this week.
The service on Sunday night was amazing! God gave me so much joy and myself and Rahel (one of the Americans) were asked to share why we were at Vila Andrade and that went really well. The congregation was about 60% kids since the church is sort of affiliated with the Compassion Sponsorship program in the building next door (the pastor´s wife is the current local director). One of my main tasks will be visiting the families of the 120 kids in the Compassion project. That´s where I´ve been helping out this week as I set up my schedule and get situated. Next week I´ll already start doing visitations, teaching Sunday School, being on the worship team, help set-up a library and start planning some youth events for the pre-adolescents. I´m also getting the opportunity to take adult ballet lessons which I´m very excited about! Its just going to be me and one other girl from the Morumbi church staff and the lessons will be one hour on Tues. and Thurs. evenings. There is some cost but as staff we get a discount. The dance lessons are in Morumbi´s dance studio which is inside the church. I´ve been wanting to do this for ages!
My ride home from church on Sunday night was a couple from Morumbi Baptist that felt led to come work with youth at Vila Andrade, their names are James and Suzana. As we chatted on the ride over they heard about my living situation and offered me their spare room (and we just met!). People here are so generous. I think I´m going to hang in there with my current place until the end of the month and then maybe I´ll take them up on their offer. The pastors I work for are letting people know I´m looking for a place preferably in walking distance so that would be something to keep in your prayers. The other American lady who is here with World Ventures (Karen) has a room in the place she is renting but we´d have to ask her land lady so there are several other options at this point. In some ways I am in no rush to leave as my hosts often give me rides to the church, have lent me a cell phone and are not charging me a cent for room or board. I am so blessed. Tonight I was feeling a bit homesick but Karen just called to invite me to lunch at her place tomorrow. Getting there may be an adventure but at least I have something social to do after 3 nights at home. Thank-you for your continued prayers and notes. I did wake up at 5 this morning so was pretty tired all day but that and the frustration over my transportation issues mixed in with some homesickness are probably my biggest issues at this point so I have much to be grateful for. Hugs to you all as they would say here. Tchau!
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