LEONARDO DA VINCI'S VITRUVIAN MAN

I have joined the gym. Yes it is true. I have been going for about 3 weeks now.
Every time I leave the appartment to go to the gym, I feel like I am conqering the world! I think to myself 'check me out...I'm in Brazil...going to a gym class where I don't understand the instructions from the front and I look pretty amusing always one step behind as I follow the people in front of me.' but you know what, I am doing it. I sure am.


There's something you should know about Saprianga...there's not much to do here, and so one source of entertainment is to go to the gym, not to work out, but to watch other people sweat and labour away. I am not even joking. So I am not only a source of amusement for myself, but I am also providing quality entertainment for the lost and bored people of Sapiranga. While I am doing my super cool aerobics moves there are people behind me, sat on bean bags, just watching. It has become quite obivous that I am not from these parts. (The hair-cut and one-step-behind-everybody-else-super-cool-moves give it away!) Within my first week of conquering the world (going to the gym) there was a rumour spread around town that Vânia (JR's Mum, also widely known Pastor) was bringing an American to the gym (just to clarify that I wasn't telling porky pies earlier when I said I went to the gym alone, Vânia has been with me once and from thereon in, I was on my own) AN AMERICAN?! I am not at all offended because I have some amazing friends who also happen to be american, but I found it quite amuzing that a girl from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales could be mistaken for an american (and no, my accent hasn't changed THAT much since being accross the big pond)


As I'm doing my super cool excersise moves, I am thinking to myself how this would be one of those aweful times where, when you've become famous and you're on a prestigous chat show like Parkinson, you find out that somebody secretly filmed you while you were at your little gym in Sapiranga, Brazil and has now sold the evidence of you dancing always one step behind everybody else to the press and now the 10 million viewers can be entertained along with the Sapirangonians that made their way out to watch you that night.

These are the things I think about whilest being at the gym...I also think about how the last 5 minutes simply must have been the longest 5 minutes of my life and when are we going to get to the cool down part so that I can lie down and then go home?!

Other news:

I am going to Mozambique, Africa for one month. I leave in 3 weeks.
I am co-ordinating the School of Ministry in Brazil. Next year we will have a School of Missions. You should come (if you're passionate about missions)
I have been translating the PIH part of the website from Portuguese to English.
I am learning Portuganese
I have been teaching English
Jr and I are having fun
I love living in Brazil
I miss my family
I miss my friends
I have painted a few more paintings:




I am learning:
I wrote this in an e-mail to my beautiful friend Andrea:
"I have been learning that Love is Patient. when God is patient with me, it's not patience that is weary, or itching for something to happen, or doubtful that the desire will one day be filled. His patience for me, is strong, peaceful, resting and welcoming. He waits for me with patience. He loves me with patience. there is no pressure, there is grace, it is complete. I want this patience. i want to rest in my love for people. i want to rest in God's love for me. I want to love and for that love to be patient."


This is me right now. Peace and love and all things wonderful