PICTURES

The seventies were very good for agriculture in that region, accelerating business with fertilizers. The fertilizer plant was growing rapidly, as well the employees’ quality of life.

Near the Bus Station grew a neighborhood with simple but bigger houses, and the family went to live there, after two years. The house they rented had three large bedrooms, a small shack and a cemented yard with flower beds near the walls, where the mother tried to grow spices, lettuce, and tomatoes.

The older son, at the age of fourteen, had to study at night, because he started working on the fertilizer factory with his father. The other boy poorly advanced to the fourth grade, since he had no interest in books. The girls now used to attend the local elementary school early in the morning, but still had the afternoon free for their games and fantasies.

In front of the house there was a porch which was protected by railings with stars drawings. It always became the girl’s spacecraft that "flew them in many planetary explorations".

Once, they received a visit from a photographer. As the mother selected the best sets of clothes and shoes to pack the kids, the younger girl did not hesitate. She wanted to be very nice for photo sessions, so she ran to the bathroom, grabbed a scissors and cut a part of her hair and bangs. Luckily, she thought she only needed to trim the locks on one side. So, all her photos are of a single profile.

The other girl did not like this idea of pictures and left her mouth shut in all poses, ashamed to show the gap-toothed smile fit for little girls of her age.

As the oldest son was discharged from the photo sessions, thanks to his daily responsibilities, the other boy had to be photographed alone, with one sister, with the other one, and with both. He was shinning even wearing unfashionable pants made by his caring and proud mother.

CONQUERING THE LAND

Some round tables carefully decorated with towels and floral arrangements announced that there would be a meeting with women in that room.

The folder containing the schedule of that mini-conference in Boca Raton was accompanied by a beautiful bag full of gifts that every woman loves to receive: creams, lipstick, nail polish, manicure kit, scented candle, etc, etc…

After a minute of euphoria exploring the goodies, the meeting began.

A beautiful young woman in her thirties began to recite the entire letter of Paul to the Philippians. No kidding ... she not only knew the entire letter by heart, but she gave it life declaiming every sentence, as if the apostle Paul himself was there talking to us ... Wonderful!

Then a few more women shared their testimonies of life and dedication to Jesus.

Like Rith. She lives and works in India, and was there with her second daughter Kim-Kim, barely 2 years old. The little girl explored everything, and the thing she loved most in US was "ice".

That because where she lives there isn’t enough power. So, the little girl did not miss a chance to suck all the ice cubes around.

Rith coordinates two ministries in Manipur:

1) WETE (Women Empowerment and Transformation Enterprise) that works with women involved in prostitution to survive, leading them to the Gospel and empowering them in new professional activities.

2) AMAZING GRACE that works welcoming abandoned babies.

This, of course, besides serving as a pastor's wife. Her husband, Pr. Khen takes care of many churches in India.

If nothing else, in her culture all relatives use to live in the same house, hence, her private life does not exist.

Yet, there she was grateful and fulfilled to be serving the Lord.

In her photo you may notice that she is not a Wonder Woman. Sure, she often felt overwhelmed (a few tears rolled down her pretty face during her testimony to us). But, I have found out what makes her able to bear this burden with joy.

Let me share it with you, now that you had the patience to read this far...

Follow my reasoning: in the history of humanity, we see men constantly trying to conquer the world with power. Since BABEL, going through Genghis Khan, Alexandre_o Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, and so, and so, all desired to conquer the Earth, created their empires through force and power, but were unable to keep them ... Empire after empire ended in ruin and decay.

Now, look at the proposal of Jesus, the Lord:

"Blessed are those who are meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)

Contrary to popular belief, meekness is not weakness, but rather "strength made gentle." To contemplate a meek person is like seeing a tall, elegant domesticated horse that has been taught to master its power by applying it to the common good.

Rith seems fragile at first. But therein her heart lies a strength that many of us dream to own. A force under meekness and obedience to the Sovereign One, who faithfully will grant her The Earth for an inheritance!

SOLI DEO GLORIA

First Love

In the middle of the year they received a visit of their uncles and grandmother. And that was reason enough for celebration, family reunion  boosted with "tutu" and crusted ham, cheese and guava, cheap wine and country music.


At that party the older boy found his first and great passion. He sat in the circle of men formed around the uncles who came from Rio de janeiro and were showing their skills in guitars. He watched astonished the hands movements creating sounds and rhythms while the uncles played together the "Bachianinha".

Realizing his interest, the younger and patient uncle decided to teach him some basic positions and rhythms, and discovered that his nephew had a real talent for music. The more the boy learned, the more the uncle felt motivated to teach.


The boy began to ask his father to buy him a guitar. As his son's passion did not diminish with time, the father ventured.


A month later, the boy came home from school and saw on his bed a old and black Gianini guitar, with brand new nylon strings, and even out of tune. 


That guitar would be his partner for hours and hours, and the very first of his future vast collection!

Coffee and Milk

The new house, near the fertilizer plant, was quite large with good neighbors.

The baker usually spent his morning delivering bread and milk at his client's doorsteps. He kept a notebook for each family that would only pay the bill later, at the end of the month.
 
The boys, one 12 and the other 7,  were studying in different schools, all mornings.  
The girls now played together with their new neighbors, too sisters who lived next door.
 
They used to wake up early in the morning to play with their "Susis" dolls, exchanging each other's doll's clothes in make-believe tea, birthday or wedding parties. As they had only one doll, each one, they didn't get confused with the trades. They also enjoyed playing hide and seek, and chop-chop-top, sometimes.

Once, they discovered that some neighbors had moved and forgot to tell the baker about it. Then, as he left the usual order on the empty house's door,the girls did not resist the temptation. It was an adventure to secretly catch the bread and milk and use them at their parties and picnics, for fun.
 
Thankfully, it was almost the end of the month, because the baker took almost a week to realize that their customers did not live there anymore...

Coffee And Manure

The small town in the east of Minas Gerais was hidden in a great valley and was surrounded by many farms of coffee.  


In the rain seasons , the manure store used to have good profit. The coffee-growers have started the planting in the vast and beautiful hills, covered of rows and rows properly plowed, forming impressive geometrical drawings in the scenery.  


In the middle of May, the hills used to be green and ready for the harvest. The farms needed to employ temporary works. 


The store began to be small for so many demands. That was the moment to expand their business!  


The father, the mother and their four children moved nearby, to a little bigger and promising city, then. He went of manager of a small warehouse to the administrator of a small factory of manure. 


Now, he could buy presents, real ones, for his children in Christmas, and place them on top of their small shoes, beside their bed, pretending to be Santa Claus.  


The biggest joy, however, was when he arrived home one day in a "Brasilia", a green-avocado car, pulling the horn and inviting all for a turn in the city. 


In that day they ate ice cream in downtown, and returned home for a fresh coffee, to finish the celebration with golden key!