a moment (Brazil 2014, part I)

i'm finally getting around to writing some of what i meant to write a month ago, or at least fleshing out some thoughts and ideas. 

if anyone has an idea of how to post things like PowerPoint to a blog, let me know.  until then, i'll just have to copy, paste, and keep typing ;)  you know b  now i can't stop after just a paragraph or two!   i spend for-freaking-ever on collecting some of my favorite pictures and memories into a PowerPoint, because i far enough behind in the tech realm to do it any other way, and now i can't find a way to share it with anyone outside my church. i just now- literally, JUST NOW- figured out how to add a couple pictures to these blog-things!! :P
see- look at this!! look!!!!!!

(*savors moment of victory*) anyway. well, here's an effort to put some words into what some of you have seen from the facebook pictures, or if you haven't seen them… here's some words.  :P

one of the many "little" things we saw (or specifically, did NOT see) was the rain.  our first full day in Brazil was completely overcast and featured quite the downpour that several Brazilians said was abnormal, even though this is their winter.  in years past, we have often spent a bit of our first sunday in getting some of the block-laying work done, so give us a head start on monday.  this year, however, it just was not possible.  not at all.  all our organizing of materials happened- indoors in a room the size of a shoebox- as somehow, about 35 suitcases and as many bodies squeezed in there to get sorted and shuffled around.  but 30 seconds outside, and you could forget the idea of being dry.

so instead of working, the other church members we were with brought some guitars and inside the adjacent old building immediately behind the work site, they just started singing.  and we sang along. and kept on singing. and singing.  and then when we had to go back to our hotel, we all took turns with a "popcorn prayer," celebrating the work that we knew would be done, praying the rain stopped soon- but celebrating, knowing that very good work of some type WOULD be done, regardless of whether or not the rain came or went.  and that's all we got done that day.

 

monday morning there were maybe 2 tiny, wispy, little clouds visible, and a couple puddles.  that. was. it.   what a "Hallelujah" went up that morning as we gathered around a pile of blocks, ready to get to work!

at least 2 days, there were some sprinkles while we were eating breakfast at the hotel, but each day it stopped before we were on the bus.  on friday, there was a brief but intense, shower during our on-site devotional when Ms Sue was sharing the gospel with the workers, but the roof was already on the chapel and was doing what every good roof does- keep the rain off everything we needed to stay dry.

and then, on at least 2 of those work days, we looked up and saw the brightest, clearest rainbows i've ever witnessed. and by standing on top of the old building behind the chapel, we were able to see the entire rainbow- almost 180 degrees of color, stretching from one tree-line horizon on the left to the opposite tree-line horizon on the right.  the biggest one was even a double rainbow, that just seemed to be centered right over our worksite.   the work day was almost over, but i still just had to take several minutes to stand up there,

above the trees,

above the work,

above all the other team members,

above the noise,

above the food and friends and fun and VBS and translators and street-preaching/praying  and everything else happening. 

my feet were stuck up there, and i didn't fight it.  i just stood there, free to… just stand there and stare at a giant rainbow.  the rainbow was stuck too, and didn't go away for quite a while.  so i didn't, either.

next time you see a rainbow,- or a sunset, or a flower, or some "insignificant" momentary sliver of nature,- that’s asking to take your breath away, stop whatever you’re doing and let it. 

just let it.

what would happen if you just let it?  what if you really did, literally, just:

put down the book, pull over the car, take the conversation outside- or just stop talking for a minute.  SMELL THAT ROSE- do it.  pick up the pretty leaf… do it.  take the stale loaf of bread and feed that fat, domesticated duck at the pond. just do it. i wonder how much i miss out on because my non-brazilian moments are so full, that i forget the value of having a moment that’s nothing more than me and Jesus sharing a rainbow. 

what else does a moment need?