Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 21:56:10
Subject: the next few days

Hey guys,
	I know it may seem like I am sending a bunch of long emails, but
I am having so many new experiences and I want to share them with you all.

	My first Sunday here was one to remember.  The church service I
attended with my roommate started at 11:00 so we left the house around 9:30
in order to give ourselves plenty of time to arrive.  We got there earlier
than expected so we sat in on the end of Sunday School.  After that we
went to the service.  Morning services here are casual and evening
services are formal (at least more formal than the morning, but still
pretty laid back).	They had a band that played music.	Most of the band
members were college/teen age people (as far as I could tell).	They had
drums, keyboard, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar.	You may remember
that I mentioned in a previous email that the Brazilian youth like 80`s
rock music.  Well, the electric guitar was like something out of a
WhiteSnake song.  Very long, high notes just like you would hear on
Monster Ballads or something like that (Monster Ballads is a compilation
of songs from the 80`s if you don`t know).	It was pretty entertaining.
After church we went over to this girls house to eat lunch.  They served
lasagna.  It was different than your ordinary lasagna, but it was still
good.  After lunch we played Super Nintendo.  I know it sounds odd, but
they asked me if I liked video games and I said yes, so thats what we did.
After that they turned on some soccer.	My roommate and I were pretty
sleepy (being Sunday afternoon and having full stomachs) and they could
tell.  So guess what, they brought out some portable mattresses and put
them on the floor for us to use.  I was pretty blown away, and felt kind
of awkward, but who am I to refuse a nap on a Brazilian`s floor?  So we
slept for a bit, then woke up and watched some more soccer.  By that time
it was too late to go home, change, and get back before the evening
service so we just stayed there and had a snack.  After the evening
service (which lasted like 3 hours - all in Portuguese) we went back to
their house and had dinner (around 10:00 PM).  Then they took us home.

	Today I moved in with my Brazilian host family.  They are Henry,
Samona, Dominique, and Lucas (Husband, wife, daughter, and son
respectively).	Henry knows a little bit of English, but not a lot.
Samona knows none.	I have been hobbling along with a mix of Spanish,
Portuguese, and English.  I will be here for a month during which time I
will more intimately learn about Brazilian language and culture.

	About prayer requests.	I don`t know what you guys have been
praying, but keep it up.  I have been really surprised by how well I have
handled all this - it has been all God.  I have yet to get stressed out
badly or have any serious signs of culture shock.  I am handling all the
separation pretty well, and have made some good friends with nationals.

	Continue to pray for:
		Language acquisition
		Time alone with God to get recharged
		Building relationships with nationals

	These are all pretty basic to survival.  I am in survival mode
right now, I have no other considerations.	Language acquisition is the
biggest because it will open the door to everything else.  Thanks for your
prayers.  Tchau.

Justin
http://www.keyspace.org