Brazil-Cefer

CEFER:

Our last day in the Porto Alegre area was spent in Cefer. We figured out the public bus system and rode it to the very very last stop in the city. Cefer is in the mountains and it is quite dangerous (especially for a couple of gringos who look lost and confused).
{Above} Q at the bus stop/Q at Cefer's version of "Walmart"

{Below} Once the bus driver kicked us off the bus in the middle of ...who knows where, we traipsed around some ifish barrios to try and find a family he used to live with. This was probably the most miserable part of the trip for me because of the heat, humidity, and hills. Before I knew it, Q would be blocks ahead of me and I could tell we were being watched from porches and windows (with no glass). It was kind of scary, especially after we found out about some muggings at gun point that happened recently on the exact street we were wandering.
Finally some cute girls (naked and peeing in the street) showed us a house the men in black with name tags go to and we gladly gave them some cookies in return for their directions. They were delighted!

This is the family Q used to live with. He lived on the top floor {above} and I was left speechless. He says they don't send sister missionaries to this area. Overlooking this part of the city, Q showed me endless hills he tracted every day. At this point, just when I thought I couldn't be impressed with him anymore, I developed a profound and total awe of Q. I repeatedly asked him, "HOW DID YOU DO THIS?!?!"

The Lacerda family is AMAZING! Slowly almost all of them have become active with temple attendance and goals. We sat in this entryway the entire day while they talked with Q. This little boy is Gus (3) and he is crazy and so cute! He kept asking me questions and trying to talk to me. He just couldn't figure out why the American girl wouldn't answer him in a language he could understand.

I had a difficult go of it this day because of heat and hydration. We sat in the entryway for over 7 hours. Q was a bit mad that I let it show but I told him I'm just glad it didn't end in me being unconcious. I can't believe the humble circumstances these people live in and yet they are so happy and full of contentment and joy. I also could not believe them when they said it actually gets hotter! We sat for hours and hours in the heat while I sweated half my body weight off and everyone else (including Q) appeared as though it was all normal, nothing wrong. I am amazed by them.

{Below} They insisted on driving us to see the temple and back to our hotel. We were so worried because their gas tank was a empty and we knew they didn't have any money to get back home. I couldn't believe their selflessness. They didn't care what happened to them, they only cared about Q and helping us. Their faith is inspiring and unmovable. Their tears at the temple grounds were so touching. I wish I could be more like them. It was difficult for Q and I to step back into our 5-star hotel room after spending the day in humble Cefer. The guilt gave us both a restless night. We did leave them some money for gas but we wished we had more cash on us. We gave them all we had and it still didn't feel like enough.