Well, I am at the end of my final week at work. It's a been a surreal week where I've not really thought that much about it being the last week, yet realizing that it is.
Monday.
What did I do on Monday?
Some friends of mine were renewing their wedding vows, so we all headed off to the farm in the evening to be a part of celebrating that. It was lovely.
Tuesday.
The goodbyes start. Neide and I took the bus to CECAL to say goodbye to a group of 5 boys we know who are in prison there. Boys who I have known practically since I came here in 2001. Boys who participated in the "Open House". Boys who've been in and out of prison for I don't know how many years. Boys, some of whom have even spent time living on the farm. It was strange to say bye to them because I realize that they are now no longer kids, but adults. Two of them are fathers, one with no relationship with his daughter, the other looking to the future hoping to provide for his young family. I hope that things go well for all of them.
As I was leaving the prison the social worker called me over and thanked me so much for what I'd invested in the prison on behalf of the prison, and she even gave me a present. I felt really overwhelmed by the gratitude. I mean, for me it's always been such a privilege to be allowed in, and exciting to minister to the boys in prison.
That afternoon on the farm we had a staff-meeting where I presented "the manual". It sounds quite important, but basically what I've done is write down all I could think of with regards to work in the city centre and organise it in a manual for future staff. I hope it'll be useful for the project, but even if it isn't, it's been a good way for me to bring closure to my time here and in a sense pass on what I know.
Wednesday.
Monday.
What did I do on Monday?
Some friends of mine were renewing their wedding vows, so we all headed off to the farm in the evening to be a part of celebrating that. It was lovely.
Tuesday.
The goodbyes start. Neide and I took the bus to CECAL to say goodbye to a group of 5 boys we know who are in prison there. Boys who I have known practically since I came here in 2001. Boys who participated in the "Open House". Boys who've been in and out of prison for I don't know how many years. Boys, some of whom have even spent time living on the farm. It was strange to say bye to them because I realize that they are now no longer kids, but adults. Two of them are fathers, one with no relationship with his daughter, the other looking to the future hoping to provide for his young family. I hope that things go well for all of them.
As I was leaving the prison the social worker called me over and thanked me so much for what I'd invested in the prison on behalf of the prison, and she even gave me a present. I felt really overwhelmed by the gratitude. I mean, for me it's always been such a privilege to be allowed in, and exciting to minister to the boys in prison.
That afternoon on the farm we had a staff-meeting where I presented "the manual". It sounds quite important, but basically what I've done is write down all I could think of with regards to work in the city centre and organise it in a manual for future staff. I hope it'll be useful for the project, but even if it isn't, it's been a good way for me to bring closure to my time here and in a sense pass on what I know.
Wednesday.
In the afternoon we went with the Urban Missions DTS to Patativa do Assare, the one youth prison I'd never been in, yet. I had such a sense of excitement and just gratefulness to God to be allowed to go in to this prison before leaving. In this prison the boys who have long sentences stay, and it is very hard to get into. So to be able to do a presentation for them and then chat to them in smaller groups was a real privilege. And it was really exciting to see how well they responded and participated also. The social worker who managed to get us in shared a bit with us of how hard it is to get permission for teams to come in. I hope this is just the beginning of many more times of ministering in this prison...although I won't be a part of it.
Thursday.
We were supposed to do a final service in Dom Bosco, the prison we've been going into every week, but on Wednesday they rang to say it wouldn't be posssible because of a national holiday. I felt quite sad at that. It would have been really nice to say goodbye and end well. But then sometimes it's better to just finish without any fuss.
In the afternoon we did a street-walk through Oitão Preto where we said "hi" and "bye" to many people. Then we passed through Praca da Estacão. I saw Maria, Rachel's sister, sat on a buss-stop coughing away. She'd just come out of hospital (against medical advice) where she'd been treated for tuberculosis. Even so she looked a lot better than the last time I saw her (I guess because she's drug-free), even if she wasn't well at all and wheezing and coughing away. She needs a miracle in her life. I also saw Rachel sat on the ground eating lunch, with her little baby sleeping on a matrass next to her. It made me want to cry. I know I've done what I can, and that they have to have free will at the end of the day. But I still feel so sad about it.
Friday.
"Good Friday" in England, "Long Friday" in Norway. The Friday where we remember the death of Jesus. I had a calm day. I ate fish for lunch, because that is what one eats on this Friday here in Brazil. Someone explained to me that it was because some anti-Catholic group would sacrifice to the "meat-gods" on this day, others say it's because of the association to the body of Christ. Whatever the reason, fish was what I ate.
Saturday.
The start of my last day in the project. It's only 8.30 am as I am writing this. This afternoon we're doing a special Easter discipleship with the boys from Oitão Preto. I am planning a small Easter walk where we'll go through the main events of Easter. It requires some preparation, so in a bit I'm off to get some shopping done.
Thursday.
We were supposed to do a final service in Dom Bosco, the prison we've been going into every week, but on Wednesday they rang to say it wouldn't be posssible because of a national holiday. I felt quite sad at that. It would have been really nice to say goodbye and end well. But then sometimes it's better to just finish without any fuss.
In the afternoon we did a street-walk through Oitão Preto where we said "hi" and "bye" to many people. Then we passed through Praca da Estacão. I saw Maria, Rachel's sister, sat on a buss-stop coughing away. She'd just come out of hospital (against medical advice) where she'd been treated for tuberculosis. Even so she looked a lot better than the last time I saw her (I guess because she's drug-free), even if she wasn't well at all and wheezing and coughing away. She needs a miracle in her life. I also saw Rachel sat on the ground eating lunch, with her little baby sleeping on a matrass next to her. It made me want to cry. I know I've done what I can, and that they have to have free will at the end of the day. But I still feel so sad about it.
Friday.
"Good Friday" in England, "Long Friday" in Norway. The Friday where we remember the death of Jesus. I had a calm day. I ate fish for lunch, because that is what one eats on this Friday here in Brazil. Someone explained to me that it was because some anti-Catholic group would sacrifice to the "meat-gods" on this day, others say it's because of the association to the body of Christ. Whatever the reason, fish was what I ate.
Saturday.
The start of my last day in the project. It's only 8.30 am as I am writing this. This afternoon we're doing a special Easter discipleship with the boys from Oitão Preto. I am planning a small Easter walk where we'll go through the main events of Easter. It requires some preparation, so in a bit I'm off to get some shopping done.