Beauty in Brazil

 

Have you ever met someone who makes it hard for you to forget what your life was like before meeting them? 

I heard someone say once that when you see something beautiful in someone, you want to align your life with theirs and you end up wanting to be around that person more. You want to replicate what they have in their life. Just like a sunset, you sit there in awe of its beauty and you don't want to leave. Simply just the sunset's presence inspires you to create beauty in your life. 

This is what I hop on here to share about today. I saw beauty in the Lord and His heart while we were in Brazil. I saw beauty in the culture and people of Brazil in a way that's hard to adequately explain online. Nonetheless, I am here to try :)

5-3-22

It was morning in São Luis, Brazil, and the sound of coffee pouring into my little ceramic cup added a smile to my face. The ladies at the church made our welcome so incredibly sweet. There were grapes, bread, eggs, chocolate milk, coffee with sugar or milk, and freshly squeezed fruit juice. It was all set out for us to enjoy. There were tables set up with glasses and silverware, along with neatly folded and pretty napkins. This would be a constant blessing for us every breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for the time we stayed there. Each meal felt as though the ladies blew kisses into them. 

5-25-22

It was the last evening service in the village and we were giving our last teaching in our seminar. It was bittersweet. For the past 10 days, we had been teaching every morning and evening. In the daytime, we would go to the river with the local people in the village. Often, the kids would come over and we would paint together. One day, we went over to this little community of homes and helped make cassava. This was a fun and lengthy process for them that we got to be a part of. Each evening, we got to hear them sing in their local language (Guajajaran) for worship. This last evening, they sang us a special goodbye song in their language. Different people stood up front and shared how we had made an impact on them. Then, every person in the church, big and small, young and old, gave each one of us a goodbye hug. I am forever thankful for our time here and for the Guajajaran people. 

5-15-22 & 5-28-22

When I first met her, I didn't know how dear she'd become to me and my team. She spoke English really well and took an interest in caring for and talking to our team. It was not uncommon for you to find Leticia helping out in the kitchen, playing with Norah, or helping take care of Abel. She was often having one-on-one conversations, which most likely started out with her asking you, "how are you?" with a hand on your back and eyes that told you she truly meant what she was asking. Before we left Brazil, Leticia printed out a picture for every single person on our team and wrote a note on the back. For all of us girls, she got a pair of earrings that she thought suited us. She gave us these precious gifts at the airport, when Leticia and her family came to say goodbye to us. Leticia pulled me aside and handed me something wrapped in pretty silver paper with a white bow. She felt strongly to give me this gift and she said it might even have been the Holy Spirit's idea. I opened it up and found a nice, red paintbrush. What Leticia didn't know? I had given away the only paintbrush I had brought in the village. A beautiful friend. 

<3 

I hope that through these moments, you saw a glimpse of the beauty in Brazil. It is to these moments and many more that I say beauty is important and worth appreciating! And it is often around, sometimes we just have to find it. 

~Ash

Dear Mimi,

I know I say this every time but, I really wish I could tell you about this one. You and I could talk until the sun goes down about BSN and Brazil. I've never experienced beauty in relationships quite like I did throughout BSN and in Brazil. I saw how impactful simply the way people choose to treat one another has. If you were sitting there in your blue rocking chair and we were drinking tea together, I think I would first tell you about our translators in Brazil. And then, I'd probably share my testimonies. And then I would talk to you about different Scriptures and how much God taught me about His character. I couldn't go long without asking you all my "why" questions about the Bible. You would patiently listen and smile and share in my joy. You would also share your perspective on things and help me see them in a way I hadn't before. Well, our tea is getting cold so I better go warm them up. Oh heaven must be soon. I love you more. 

*The creation of this blog was inspired by dad, thanks dad!!