OK! OK!

OK! I'll give it a try again. As I said previously, let's see what happens! Thanks for your nice comments and e-mails. I know a blog really is useful for keeping up... if the blogger writes new posts for the "bloggees" to read!
Today I awoke to the alarm clock, which only means one thing - it's Sunday. YEAH! My favourite day of the week. Today as I arrived at our beautiful church, we were a few minutes later than usual and I turned behind me to look and see what seemed like streams of people arriving all at the same time. What a beautiful site! Seeing that many people entering the church building was just wonderful. João and I were talking today about the fact that I half-way expected to miss worshipping in English, since that is very much my heart language, but that has not happened. I have experienced rich and deep worship here that has blessed my life. I can understand why people don't want to miss worship here.
Today I had a ton of kids for the children's message. I know because there was hardly room for them and because I had run off 30 copies of the worship guide for them (I prepare questions based on the sermon for them to give to me after church. I read them over and post them on the bulletin board) and I ran out. I am still surprised by the positive reception for this "moment" in the worship.
Tonight João is preaching on the subject "Down with Violence", very apropos for Rio de Janeiro. And our church. Our attendance is dramatically less at night than in the morning service. It's not laziness or lack of commitment. It is fear. Ours is a dangerous city. Our church is in a area of town that is not exactly... what shall I say?... as secure as people would wish for! I still think like an American and just can't get into the spirit of fear! It's true. It's not that I am brave or anything. More like just dumb enough to not know enough to be frightened or worried. I enjoy the evening worship, although I also thought I would find it tiring. How can it be tiring to be in God's house?
Right next door to the church is a large abandoned structure where many homeless families have moved in. What a mission field and challenge for us. Yes it is ugly and we would like for it not to be there. Yet how appropriate that we CANNOT shut our eyes to the violence or ugliness of poverty that surrounds us. We are forced to deal with it. You can see in the photo on the left that it is ugly - physically and spiritually. Will you pray with us for this great challenge?