On to the third update from Brazil. If you haven’t read the previous two updates, you might want to go back to the archives and pick up on them …

I guess this update will be mostly about the meetings, people and conference here in Florianopolis. I wrote some quick notes about the first Lord’s Day, so I won’t go back over all that. Instead, I’ll start with the New Year’s Eve dinner at the house of one of the local brothers.

You should see the “dinners” of the locals. The amount of food and dessert is truly staggering. It was enough that they invited everyone back over the next day to help them eat it all. So back to New Year’s Eve …

Anyone can buy the most deadly and powerful fireworks at the local grocery store apparently. Throughout the day you get used to the gunshot like sounds every hour or so with a little more often at night. At 11:30, we headed down to the beach (50 metres away) for fireworks spectacular. Up and down the coast, for the following 45 minutes, as far as you could see, was one continuous fireworks show. Although there was an official show by one of the local hotels, it was no more or less spectacular than the fireworks display that you did not watch, but were immersed in by standing there. Apparently, everyone contributes and it truly is amazing …

In a heavily Catholic country, there are some traditions that have pagan origens. Firstly, everyone wears white on the beach and it is a seething mass of white. On the stroke of midnight, everyone runs into the water and jumps the first seven waves to bring good luck in the coming year. They also let loose little rafts with idols and roses on them and burning candles …. It was haunting to watch all these float out to sea …

The conference this past weekend was much like American conferences. One of the chief differences was that there was only 15 minutes between meetings instead of the usual 30. John Kemp was there and the meetings were half in english and half in portugese (but translated). The meetings were excellant with the readings taking up Hebrews 2.

I’m going to have to end this here because I’m getting kicked out of the cafe (closing). There will be more to come later. Smile all …