The Simplicity of Love

Well the first week has come and gone and I'd say it's been a success. It honestly feels like I never left. My Portuguese is coming along really well - I am surprised at how many conversations I've had with people who don't speak any English. Though I will admit - it is mentally EXHAUSTING to concentrate on what people say all day long, and then twice as hard to reply to them. I have learned to give myself alot of grace. I have also discovered one of my housemates actually speaks a fair amount of English and is keen to learn more, and so I have given myself the luxury of speaking mostly just English with her. I begin my Portuguese classes with a tutor next week which will help alot.

Two years ago when I was here, I lived in the shelter for teenage boys. I remember wondering what on earth I had in common with these boys, and how I could build any kind of relationship. I didn't speak any Portuguese and they didn't speak any English, but there was one little guy I connected with right away. We spent hours on the rooftop shooting hoops & doing soccer tricks and playing UNO. When I left Brazil, I gave him a picture of us together playing basketball. I remember telling him at one point that I would be back, not realizing how long it really would be.

After I arrived home, I heard some time later he had left the shelter and gone back to the street on his own account as a lot of the boys do. I remember feeling really discouraged and upset at this and asking God a lot of frustrating questions.

Thursday night we had a base service and it was held at the boys shelter. I walked in to find a seat and saw a bunch of new faces, as I knew I would. But then in the corner I heard a familiar, "HEIDI?!" Two years is a long time but I recognized him right away; my little basketball buddy! Only he wasn't so little anymore. He gave me a hug and said, "You're here in Brasil?!" This time round we could actually converse, and I told him I was finally back and had been at home waiting for my visa. He talked about the picture of us together playing basketball and then he said, "Look I've grown! I used to be shorter than you." Haha :)

It was so good to see him back at the shelter with the boys; there was such a softness in his demeanor, and at that moment it just spoke to my heart that there is nowhere else I need to be. It also assured me of the importance and simplicity of love, and that language need not be a barrier. Sometimes it's merely the time and interest we invest.