June 29, 2009

Unplugging

I am turning off the computer, and will be offline for about a week. Tomorrow morning we will be leaving for the city of Petrolina, and from there to Treasure Island camp where our puppet team will be helping with a camp for street kids. I will be sure to take lots of pictures, and post them as soon as possible. Lots of unsaved kids will be there, so this is a tremendous opportunity.

I would also appreciate your prayers, as I am battling a severe head cold, and tomorrow is going to be a BUSY day. This is my theme verse right now.

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June 28, 2009

Thoughts on Today's Game

Today, Brazil beat the US in a soccer match. Nothing new there. What is new is that the US had Brazil 2 to 0 at the first half, thus providing their fans with the hope that they might actually pull it off.

This was not to be. Brazil showed up in the second half and showed their true colors, and the US team folded like a styrofoam cup in a microwave. Final score, 3 to 2, Brazil.

A few random thoughts:

Random thought #1: In all truth, it should have been 4 to 2. The ref missed what was clearly a goal by Brazil. I was super impressed with the way Brazilians kept their momentum after that.

Random thought #2: Kudos to Brazilian coach Dunga for not putting any "celebrity players" on the roster. One could argue that Kaká is a celebrity player, but as the announcer said during the game, he doesn't act like one.

Random thought #3: Those horns the South Aficans play make the stadium sound like a swarm of flies. Hope that doesn't catch on worldwide.

Random thought #4: If the US team keeps developing the way they have been over the last couple of years, they will be a serious force to be reckoned with come World Cup time.

Random thought #5: God forbid that the US should meet up with Brazil in the World Cup. I don't know if I can handle that kind of stress.

Random thought #6: The most beautiful of all goals scored game was the second one made by the Americans during the first half. It was a work of art. Don't believe me? Check it out:

Random thought #7: I am constantly told by Brazilians "you have to cheer for Brazil, because you are in Brazil". A quick scanning of the statuses of my Brazilian friends who live in the US reveals that they were, without exception cheering for Brazil. Anybody care to explain?

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June 27, 2009

Vintage Post: That Vision Thing

August 16th will mark six years of continuous blogging here at Comings Communiqué. In commemoration of that august event, I am going to resurrect some of the best posts buried deep in the archives of the blog. This one comes from the first month of the blog's existence:

Vision for the Future

When God gives somebody a vision of what He can do through their lives, it becomes an overbearing passion that grows stronger with each passing moment. I thought that today I would take a little time to share with you (and the vast sea of humanity that comprises the regular readers of this blog!) the vision God has given me.

Let me quickly add that this is not the last-night-I-had-a-vision-that-I-must-gather-a-following-of-people-and-lead-them-in oxcarts-to-Utah kind of vision. I say this in case anybody happens to be reading from here or here or even here. This vision is, rather, a deep desire that is the product many years of prayer and supplication. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Click here to read the rest of the article.

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June 24, 2009

Barbalha During São João

The June festivals here in northeast Brazil bring out the creative and decorative aspects of the culture, more than any other event. Though they are sadly steeped in Catholic tradition, they are very colorful and festive--and I enjoy walking the streets this time of year.

There is one street in particular that I have always been fond of walking in June. It is one of the main streets in the nearby city of Barbalha.

Barbalha itself is filled with old buildings, and has an almost European, old-world feel. The June festivals really accentuate this mood. Yesterday I happened to be in Barbalha, and snapped these pictures of that street.

Enjoy.

The Park

Everything centers around the Church

I am not sure what the story behind this guy is. He looks to me like a cross between a Knight Templar and a beekeeper. I asked a passerby to explain, but he was unable to do so.

Old-world feel

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The Difference One Letter Makes...

Last night I was going perusing my student's blogs, and came upon this post. I know he meant to say "encarnação", which would have meant "incarnation". But he left out the letter "r", and so it became "encanação"--plumbing. Thus, the title of the article reads "The Plumbing of Christ".

Upon hearing of this, one of the guys in the class quipped "I knew Joseph was a carpenter, but had no idea that Jesus was a plummer."

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