A Copa!!!!

I should be watching the game . . . it is playing right now as I type. Even the curbing on the streets is green and yellow. It is definitely the Copa do Mundo. My international loyalties are torn between the Elephants of Côte d´Ivoire and the green and yellow of Brazil. It makes it worse that they start play in the same group. Sunday´s game should be interesting. Think Super Bowl for a month. Think March Madness for two months. It´s gonna be fun.

More pictures and info follow the jump.

If you are looking for the definition of abacaxi then look no further than our 1998 Black Chevy Vectra. It spent another weekend in the shop with yet another electrical problem and a $100 fuel pump that went bad. (Abacaxi = pineapple = lemon) It just so happened that I managed to kill the borrowed pickup right out in front of our house. Our neighbor came over and kindly observed that it might be better if I just walked . . .

A quick little prayer request and then I´m done: Friday a group of young people arrives from Iowa. They will be here for ten days and will fill their time with intense ministry. The neighborhood school where two of our church families live has opened up their school for the whole week. More than 800 kids and teens attend this school and each one will have the chance to hear the gospel. It is an incredible opportunity. Pray for them!



An index to the random pictures on this post (top to bottom, left to right): (1) the guris at the gas station across the street catch some of the game today. (2) ElliAnna stays warm at breakfast with the help of her wool cap. (3) The decorations at the dinner for Dia dos Namorados were fun . . . (4) Otávio and Maria helped us organize the Dia dos Namorados dinner for couples in our church. Dia dos Namorados is Brazil´s version of Valentine´s Day.   (5) Rafael and Edinette from Fortaleza came to visit, he looks pretty good in his gaúcho garb. (6) A sleeping toddler. (7) Putting the chocolate on the cheesecake for our banquet was an involved process. (8) Phil Stucky´s best impersonation of President Teddy Kennedy while he tried to read his poem with the gaúcho accent. This was also a Dia dos Namorados activity.