Just thinking about this weekend makes my feet itch…. Actually, my feet are constantly itching. Yikes! We left Friday for the farm, which is about an hour and a half away from Cesar’s mom’s house. It was nice to get away from the bickering and bustle of the town. Nobody was coming in my room without knocking (nobody was even knocking) and there was a lot of peace. I got to ride a horse (twice), ate fruit off the tree and made fresh juice, ate a pig the guys killed (I stayed in my bedroom for that one), took lots of pictures, drank fresh caldo de cana (made by pressing all liquid out of sugar cane), and got eaten alive by ants. As you can tell, it was a decent experience (aside from the getting eaten alive part) that I would happily repeat. I’m trying to figure out a way to exterminate all bugs from the premise because Audrey is even more full of bug bites and rashes than I am. We’ve considered living there, but for the time being, the condition of the house isn’t suitable for long-term living for Audrey and I. If I could have a social life and then return to the farm for nights and weekends, it’d be nice. As it is, Cesar and I have yet to fight like I want to. haha. Seriously. I wish I could openly discuss things with him, but no matter where we are we can be heard by whoever is passing or whoever would wish to hear.
We’re hoping to have some serious conversations though that I hope will be helpful. Keep me in your prayers as I consider the right time to approach each of Cesar’s sisters and their mom to talk about a woman’s worth and family things. I want to be sincere and helpful, but I don’t want to step somewhere that’s not my place to step. This family is very direct, so I feel like a time will come where I’m not only able, but obligated to speak my mind and take some sort of leadership as a representative of Christ in this family. His adopted sister, Karol (age 14), needs someone she respects to stand up to her and tell her what is and is not acceptable, but also someone to tell her what she could really do if she could only recognize her value and God’s plans for her. His other sister I won’t mention what I’m going to talk to her about for her own privacy, and his parents live mostly separated (his mom divided between three cities and his dad mostly on the farm.
Keep us in your prayers– our process and God’s plans for while we are here. I hope to adjust better and get over the initial complaints (and I already am in part) before I step up to the plate. I’ll need God’s guidance, as we all really do.
Sending love to you all from Brazil!
p.s. I now have a new wishlist. I want a horse, cowboy boots and a cowgirl hat. Who knew these things had such a useful purpose (boots so the ants don’t chew away at my ankles, the hat for a loose protection from the hot sun, a horse… well, because I loved riding a horse and my father-in-law said he can get me a nice calm horse for less that $400). I’d also like loose, practical linen pants. It’s so hot!!!