"Pronto para ser quebrado"

On the 10th, I will be done with OMS.

So, what am I doing until then? I'm trying to focus more on people. Thanks only to some ridiculous miracle, I am able to talk well enough with people to get to know them better. I am just trying to be involved in as much as I can to give God as many opportunities as possible to use me. Of course He can do whatever He wants, but I'm learning how to make myself more available to that.

Last week I went to the camp to work for 2 days and it was nice to get to know the McKee family better. They are in charge of things at the camp for about a year and a half. They're Irish and Brazilian, but have lived in Ireland for about 15 years or so, so all the kids have these adorable little accents. It was really nice to get to know them and to feel like I was helpful for a couple days. Because they have been here for just under a year as well, they really understood what it was like to be new and to be considered short term. They're leaving in July, so because they're not career missionaries, they were able to offer some insight, and just some "I know how you feel" about the struggles of knowing that everyone knows you won't be here for very long.

Coming back downtown was a little hard, because although I feel comfortable here after living here for 3 months, but even though I pay rent and for my share of food, etc. I still just feel like a guest, and that can sometimes be hard. I can understand the other perspective too, but I am learning now that I really need to step up and make my presence known sometimes. I am easily looked over and forgotten because I'm the small short-termer, and for the first couple months that would leave me just sad and confused. Now, it's really not a big deal, I just open my mouth and no one means anything personally, it's just natural to forget the bottom rung on the totem pole.

Last night I had the pleasure to go to a different missionary church, Jardim Veneza. That church had a picnic at the camp while I was there, so I had met most of the people just a few days before, which made it the perfect time to go. Marcli and Marcos picked me up in their VW bug, which I had heard about, but didn't realize that it was 40 years old. No joke, it was made in 1967. I felt slightly like I would die if we got in an accident, and I am still sure that would be true, but it was certainly an adventure. I went out to dinner afterwards with a very sweet family and Marcli and Marcos and Adriana, who I've run into on the bus a few times. It was wonderful to talk with them and get to know them better, and enjoy the evening with them. I'm sort of sad that I only have 3 sunday nights left, because I would love to go back to that church. Hopefully I can go one more time. When I got home, Pastor Jhonatas, Vanda and Anderson were at the apartment eating some dinner, and Jhonatas asked me if I made sure to tell everyone at Jardim Veneza that I belonged to the Central church, and was just visiting. Ha. I really feel like I belong in the churches and with the Brazilians. But with the Americans, I can't say the same thing. You know what? That doesn't matter at all.

This morning I only worked at the office for an hour, because busy work is done quickly and hard to come by...and Marcli was supposed to come cut my hair at 2, but I finally called her and 3:30 and I think I understood that she'll be leaving soon to come here. However, phone calls are terribly difficult to understand, and she talked very fast. So...whoops.

I'm starting to realize that I have no idea what I want to do when I get home. I'd be looking for something permanent and stable and like "a real job"...but what? Any ideas/guidance is always welcome. ; )