Sunday...leaving Maragogi

Woke a bit earlier this morning to pouring rain. As I tried to quietly get my book, Marta again greeted me, (when she first wakes up, she begins spouting off in Portuguese a mile a minute and then realizes who I am and speaks English) but this time since she‘d gotten back to the room at 2am, she was going to try to sleep longer. No problem...I’m in the middle of a good book, so went out on the veranda, listened to the rain and read for an hour before I got good and hungry (and in need of some of their delicious strong coffee). Waited for a lull in the showers and walked between raindrops to the restaurant. I just love that God created so many colors, tastes, and textures, especially in the world of fruits. Had to try one of everything, plus this morning there was juice of maracuja (passion fruit) and mango juice. Who needs orange juice when there’s all this other colorful and tasty stuff to eat and drink?
On my 3rd cup of coffee and after hearing almost an entire BeeGees CD, Marta walked in and had a bit of breakfast too, before we took a very long (2 hours??) walk on the beach. Hopefully the rain had passed, though this morning was so gloomy and rainy I wasn’t so sure. We had both English and Portuguese lessons in the sand, (she writes better with her toe than I do!) gathered some seashells (like I don’t have enough at home from all over the world!) and just enjoyed creation together. We’ve known each other for at almost 20 years...lost contact...found each other on facebook, so we can be talking all the time, (I’m sure this is a huge surprise to those of you who know me well) or we can be silent. Either way, it’s totally comfortable. She is the mother-in-law to Drew’s daughter Shalomir, whom I’ve known since she was a little girl, and Marta’s son’s name is Michael, like mine. (my youngest biological son).
By the time we got back to the resort (I think we walked nearly all the way to the town of Maragogi), the sky was clearing and the sun was getting quite hot, so I changed and read by the pool closest to our building. There is one long, winding pool that runs the entire depth of the resort, from reception to the last bar before the beach and then a couple of others to either side of that one...well thought out and just begging for Kodak moments. Marta finished up some business and began rounding up the kids. Lunch was just a quick bite before I got my bags and came to the reception area, only to find out the bus driver is still 2 hours away! I guess nothing has really changed in Brazil since the last time I was here. Meeting times are merely vague suggestions.
Just outside the lobby is a lovely thatched roof gazebo...actually, it’s a really big outdoor room with comfortable wicker chairs, settees and tables all around an information desk in the center. Since the lobby is not air-conditioned, (or they just don’t turn it on in the winter) I decided to come out here to do the blogging...though it’s probably about 85 degrees, here in the shade with sheer, white billowy curtains I’m enjoying a delicious breeze. When the gal came to work the desk, she turned on some music and the first song I heard was “Here I am to Worship.” The background music in all the buildings here has been a curious mixture of 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s American pop/rock music, religious, and Brazilian.

Turns out we didn’t have to wait as long as we originally thought...driver arrived only about an hour late, so we got on the road, this time up the east coast instead of the inland route Drew, Sueli, and I endured. I'm on the right side of this luxury bus - no, really...this one is very nice...comfortable seats, curtains on all the windows, a TV monitor for videos that actually works...all this and air-conditioning too.
Shortly after we set out, we picked up 2 hitch-hiking soldiers...dropped one off halfway to Recife and the other right in the city. Along the way were more lush, green-covered ‘lumps’ (see previous blog) of earth...lots more sugar cane, palm trees and banana trees. As we neared Recife we could tell there’d been a big rainstorm...puddles everywhere, adding to the horribly pot-holed highway – the luxury of the bus doesn’t quite make up for the terrible bumps. Apparently Brazil DOT is nearly as effective as that of many of the northern US states!
However, bright spot – serendipity – of the day was the FULL rainbow on my side of the bus. Sometimes one just catches a little glimpse of ¼, or maybe ½ of the bow, but this one was bright, full, and “followed” us for quite a few kilometers. Thank you God for color and beauty, and the good sense to appreciate it!

About 6pm our time, I just had to hear Terry’s voice, so I called him for a few minutes till I lost cell coverage. It’s such a blessing to have that man’s voice, so happy and enthusiastic, answer the phone, every time I call, even if it’s just from “the green room” (my office on the 2nd floor of our home) to “the media center” (his office in the finished basement...otherwise known as “the best room in the house” if you’re talking to son Bobby.
We talked for just a few moments, lost connection, and then I called him back when we made a pit stop in a little restaurant along the way. The kids all bought something to eat, but Marta and I had dinner waiting in JP (Joao Pessoa), so we just snacked. Arrived in JP sooner than I thought, and Drew and Sueli were there to pick us up, take us to Marta's apartment to do a quick change and then out to dinner at the best shrimp restaurant in the city. We were meeting Helio, the doctor who volunteers every Monday at Cenca to care for the people there. We all had a good conversation about health and the how the government either is useless or has a case of right hand not knowing what left hand is doing. (sound familiar?) There are supposed to be programs in place for the poor to get free or radically reduced prescriptions, but even if the paperwork is filled out, when you take it to the governmental office, they claim to have no knowledge of it. Ahh, bureaucracy.

They were right...the shrimp dish we had was creamy and wonderful. We parted after dinner and Drew and Sueli dropped Marta and me off at the apartment with the instructions to call in the morning. "Late morning".