Our recreation break before heading to Campinas was spent in Rio de Janeiro.  This is a very beautiful area and home of several notable landmarks including the statue "Cristo de Redemptor" high on a mountain overlooking the area, Sugar Loaf Mountain, where you can ride an aerial tram to the top to have another grand view, Epanima (you remember The Girl from Epanima song), and Copacabana beach.  So we boarded a small tour bus and had a guide called "Gus," short for Agusto, take us around and teach us about the area.  Soccer is very big here in Brazil and there was a "big game" going on while we were here. Of course some fellow from the Vatican was also in town!  The Pope brought in huge numbers of followers.  They estimated over 3 million people appeared on Copacabana Beach, a record breaking event here of wall to wall people.  We saw many young people in attendence from all over the world on what is called World Youth Day.

Our group at first stop on the way to top of Sugar Loaf

 

Night view from Sugar Loaf of Rio

Sunday morning we attended the church where Earl was baptized as a youth, called Itacuruca Baptista Church. We worshiped through the same music we are accustomed to, but you could sense the Lord smiling at us for our attempts to sing to Him in Portuguese!  The congregation was very friendly and several people came by to greet us as we were identified as new visitors.  Our tour bus guide even came in and helped translate the pastor's message, having to do with using our money wisely.  We pray that a seed was planted in him in the process.

Church where Earl was baptized.

We also went on a brief visit to the Botanical gardens here.  It was a nice cooling off time.

Botanical gardens

Garden residents...

We left for Campinas on Monday and arrived safely again.  Tuesday we met our hosts, Alex and Dyanni, and toured the City of Youth (Cidade dos Meninos), the facility here.  We spend lunch with the children and played with them afterward.  The children were very happy to see us, show us their rooms and giggle at our use of their language.  Afterward, we went to two thrift shops owned by Hope Unlimited to buy a few decorations for their rooms. Today we start painting work and any other items that may arise.  Thank you all again for your prayers.  God is keeping us in His capable hands!