On a journey...

Today I've been really really tired all day. I guess it's part of life and also part of getting ready to leave. Today I dragged myself out of bed, and had a cup of tea to get going. And when the mum we were taking to see her son in prison wasn't in, the morning went doing bits and pieces. This afternoon we were at the bussterminal to see the streetkids. It was a good time I guess, but the group of kids there at the moment are really just so lost. Totally drugged, dirty, and don't really care about anything. It's like they've lost all innocence. When I got back I looked through a few past reports getting them ready to do the monthly overview of the kids we've met this month. I felt really sad. One kid said her dream was that her mum would stop drinking, another girl told of a stepfather who molested her and her sisters, and another boy told of how his dad would hit his sister. And I am left with the question of: where is the hope and future for these kids? So

"When in Rome, do as the Romans" there's a saying that goes. At home when the sun is shining, we always tend to try to absorb as many rays of sunshine as we can, because they are few and far between. Here, however, there is rarely a lack of sunshine, and because of the intensity of mid-day sunshine, the sunshine drives us into the shade. When you walk along the street, any bit of shade is where the people walk. Sitting on the bus; the "side with shade" is always filled up first. Now, as freshly arrived Norwegian, starved of sunshine, I used to seek out the sunny bits, and was often the odd one out as I walked along with Brazilian friends. Now I have become "one of them". It's become almost something automatic to scout out the shade and walk towards it. I have even been known to ask on the bus which side is the one with shade. I suppose I could say: "when in Fortaleza, do as the locals do"...

Brazil has this really really cool law that anyone who is elderly, pregnant, or disabled has priority in queues and on busses. It really is such an amazing way of valuing and taking care of these people who already face difiiculties in life. It's amazing to see how people also really respect the principle of this law. If an old person comes to the front of the queue where people might have been stood for hours, there is no complaining. And if a pregnant woman stands at the back, she is quickly encouraged to go to the front. It is also good that the elderly over a certain age get to go for free on the buss, and hence enter the buss at the front as opposed to the back (where paying customers get on). It's good because it means that you know that they are elderly and need a seat. I guess because of genetics, but also the sun and toughness of life, people age much younger here. A woman who is mabye 50 might look to me like she is in her late 60s. I was reflecting on how good this l

Today we were on our way to Lake Catu to swim. We being: Julie, Avis, Denise and yours truly. It was Julie's birthday and this was her chosen activity for the day (the helicopter-ride turned out to be way too expensive). So there we were strolling along through low bushes on a sandy trail, when suddenly we get to a swampy, muddy bit, which we have to cross. Not feeling too thrilled by the prospect of wading through muddy water, especially not knowing what could be in it, I cautiously stepped in. Bad idea. My slow pace made my flip-flop get stuck in the mud, and I was now faced with a dilemma. Either abandoning my flip-flop and getting quickly out of the mud, or enduring the mud-river and digging my flip-flop out of it (having to find it first, as the water/mud was dark and my flip-flop buried under it). Seeing as my flip-flops are original Havaianas, I decided to stop to dig it out. Stood there, vocally disgusted by the mud and searching for my flip-flop, a young chap came over

Today I've heard this phrase so many times, I don't know how to respond anymore. Today we were in two prisons, and in the first one the coordinator for the education part sat me down to voice his concerns as to what would happen once I'd left. He was very encouraging and shared of how the boys really take in what we share. It was nice to hear. And I somehow tried to calm his concern by saying that even if I leave, I believe God has put the prisons on our hearts and that we would be doing whatever our capacity people-wise would allow. Then in the afternoon we went to CECAL where the 18-21 year olds are. I saw 5 boys I've known for many many years. Boys who were a part of the "open house" oh, so many years ago, and some who lived on the farm with us; boys who still feel part of "Casa de Meu Pai". They were asking why we hadn't visited them, and couldn't we visit them because no-one visits them. I tried to tell them that I wasn't going to pr

Today has been quite a sad day as it is slowly dawning on my that I'm not going to be here for much longer. It's now less than a month till I leave, and I feel sad. Sad to leave what has been a life for me. Sad to leave so many wonderful people. Sad to not be able to continue to fight for and invest in all the streetkids, families, prisonkids, and other random people I've been fighting for all these years. I doesn't feel like I'm giving up, but it does feel like I'm going to be left with a kind of void where all these people were in my life. I guess not knowing the BIG "what next..." doesn't help, but I do have peace. Peace that the God who called me here, and has kept me here, is still the same. Peace that He will guide me and walk with me. Even so...today I felt sad.

My suspicion arose as I went into the kitchen at the project, and saw that the pink bin had been raided. However, since it was still early I just gathered up the rubbish and went to put it in the green bin. It was quite startling when the bin started to move as I opened the lid. The shuffling noise together with a glimpse of a grey tail gave me enough information to briskly put the lid on again and sit down in disgust. There was no doubt about it- a rat was trapped in the bin, and it was still alive. I was trying to deny what I had just seen, especially the fact that only a few meters from me there was a big, ugly, disgusting, alive rat trapped in a green rubbish bin. Even so, my mind kept returning to what I was to do with the situation, slowly facing the fact that I might have to be the one to kill it. Luckily for me (and not so luckily for him) one of our faithful male volunteers showed up at that moment. So I informed him of the fact that we had a rat in the green bin, and that i

The time has come when the "last time..." of things is starting to happen. Yesterday was my last time meeting with NUCLEO, which is a network of all the governmental and non-governmental organisations in the city which work with streetkids. We were doing our anual evaluation and planning and spent the day together. Although a busy day, it was good to get away and see the positives and the potentials from last year. As I was listening and talking to these extraordinary people, I realized just what a privilege it has been to be a part of this network. Even if it has meant years of productive (and unproductive) meetings, and maybe not always as much efficiency as would be desired, it has meant that I have gotten to know some really inspiring people. People who really stand up for and go many extra miles to see change and restoration in the lives of the streetkids. People who don't give up, even when the kid goes back to the streets again and again and again. People who have

As I was sat with the group of mothers, fathers, grandmothers, aunts, stepdads and sisters, at our family meeting, my last family meeting, I felt a sadness and also a greatfulness well up in me. I realized just how much I really love these families. As we shared what we were grateful for in our lives, I could say with deep conviction that I am grateful to God for the privilege of knowing these families. In each and every one of them I can see something of God. I see men and women who are warriors in their own way. Every day they are faced with struggles and battles; "where will the next meal come from", " my husband just left me", " my 12-year old is starting to go to the streets", yet they keep going, and don't give up. And each one had something to be thankful for. I feel privileged to know them and I feel privileged to be considered someone important in their lives. Spending time with them today gave me a small glimpse of how being here, and a

Well, come to think of it, it wasn't really as much an adventure, as a time to learn patience. Yesterday evening as Avisi and I were happily driving home from church, little Harriet Fogomobile, as the ministry Gol has now been named, decided that she wasn't feeling very well and stopped. We got her going a few times along the way, but when we were a mere 4 blocks from home, she decided she'd had enough. And so, on a peaceful Sunday night in March at approximately 9 pm it was up with the mobile phone to dial the insurance for help (how did we survive pre-mobile phones, that is  my  question). They very swiftly (and I mean it was surprising how quickly the technician came to our rescue) sent someone to help us out, who used about on hour and a a half to get poor little Harriet started again. We got her started and managed to get home, kindly escorted by our little mechanic man, and with me basically trying to not take my foot off the gaspedal while at the same time break at t

Yesterday at the base meeting the speaker spoke about how in missions we're constantly having to sort out "pepinos" (meaning cucumbers), which is a figurative word for small problems. That led to met thinking about "abacaxi" (meaning pineapple), which is used when a problem more complex.  Interesting and very useful ways of describing problems and messes. Today was another one of those days. I woke up tired. I went through the morning tired; choosing to be inspired and focused. Then I slept a bit at lunch-time, and went to the community this afternoon choosing to be motivated. To add to that we nearly got hit by a very drunk-driver as we were driving past McDonald's on Beira Mar this morning. We were driving leisurly along, when suddenly the car in front of us starts to reverse heading straight for us. Then the driver moves forward, stops at the red light, and comes out of his car. He sways a little, and comes over to us to ask why we were hitting his car (n

Yes, I know it sounds random, and it was random. As I driving home this afternoon there was a huge truck blocking the road, obviously trying to maneuver himself back onto the road (which was not easy, I can tell you that). As I was patiently waiting for him to accomplish the task, I took a look at the load in his truck. At first it seemed like your regular load of donkeys, but when I took a closer look I spotted a small bear stomping around in a semi-covered cage, and a llama mixed in with the donkeys. I do wish I had my camera with me. Finally the driver got on the road and I was on my way, smiling to myself as I thought of how random, yet not surprisingly unusual the whole situation had been.

For those of you who think that Brazil is the place where the sun always shines. Well, you are wrong! This past week it's literally been chucking it down almost every day. And not just outside. Due to some problem with the rooftiles (I think, but I gladly confess I am no expert on construction) we also have rain inside. The front house where the project functions gets flooded every time it rains. The other day I was in the kitchen when I heard a sound which was a bit like a shower being turned on. Knowing that there was no-one else around, I went to investigate where the sound was coming from. To my great surprise I found that in the reception area of the house the light-fixture in the ceiling had been turned into a "natural" shower, and water was pouring out of it, consequently flooding all the floors (rinsing away any dirt that once was on them). I quickly and coragously (although I didn't really consider the risk) switched off the light, and did so without getting

This week fear is our topic for discipleship. As we talked with the younger boys yesterday, a little 5-year old shared that he is afraid of gunshots...it really brings home to me the reality he lives in. He's only 5, but still violence is so real in his life. And today in the prison one of the boys shared about how he's afraid of dying when he leaves prison because he's doing time for killing someone and is afraid of vengeance. As he shared I could tell it was really deep. I shared with him the promises of God from the Bible, but said that although God is our protector, we need to allow God to take charge of our life. He was very moved by what we shared and we led him and some others to receive Christ in their lives. A powerful time, which I am still feeling impacted by. The urgency and reality of these boys I think will always touch my heart. It is something I will carry with me even after I leave; and I know I will miss being able to go in and minister to and get to know