"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." - Flannery O'Connor

Note: the following was written Monday morning with every intention of finishing it that evening. That obviously didn't happen. The evening got a bit crazy with plans and actions related to my flight out of Recife at 12:15 a.m. Monday. 
"OK," I thought, "I'll finish it during my 3-hour layover in L.A." (My layover in Panama City was only 60 minutes, barely enough time to get off the plane and to the next one.) But getting through customs took an hour. Then I had to re-check my bag at the Alaska counter, go through security again - a hassle at LAX - and get a bite to eat. That used up almost all my time and the little bit of motivation I had left after two 7+ hour flights. 
So here's that aborted post, to be followed by one written this afternoon and evening (Wednesday).

I'm officially done as of last night's sermon. Today I'm laying low, trying to stay out of the way and working on tasks for things at UFC. We'll head to the airport about 10 p.m. for my 1:30 a.m. flight to Panama City. (Ugh) After a seven hour flight I have a one hour layover, just enough time to get to the next gate. Then another seven hours to LAX where I'll get by suitcase and go through customs. I'm hoping that won't take long because I have a three hour layover there. By that point I'll want to get something to eat. Then my final flight to Portland where Pam will pick me up for the two hour drive home.

Church last night was fun. In Brazil congregations have a celebration each year on their "birthday" and last night was that date for my host church. They had a special community choir (Christian) sing about six songs. Two of the gals who attend the Boa Viagem church are in the choir and the church lets them use their space as a practice facility. They were very good.
Then I preached. That was fun.
Afterward there were cakes - about eight of them - and lots of visiting. I had parting conversations with many and was blessed by their kind comments.

OK, a few unrelated and random observations:

• Water going down the drain swirls in a clockwise direction here. I'm going to check when I get back into the Northern Hemisphere to see if it is, in fact, the reverse there.
• Based on my experiences in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and now twice in Brazil, people are a lot more physical in their interactions. If you don't like being touched, hugged, or sometimes kissed, don't come to Latin America. And it has nothing to do with the person's sex. Men are just as likely to hug me as a woman. Once I got over my European sense of personal space (I did that after about two days in Costa Rica) I found I like the Latin way. 
• Brazilians are Latinos, but do NOT call them Hispanics. 
• Brazilians drink a pop called Guanara that's something akin to ginger ale but much better. It's made from the guarana fruit that grows here. Coke has an imitation on sale but from what I'm told nobody drinks it because the Brazilian version is so much better. 
• Brazilian women wear spike heels. That they can pull that feat off is amazing given the state of sidewalks and streets here. And there is a Brazilian "look." I'd explain it, but I've been married 48 years and plan to make it to 50. 
• The population is made up mostly of people of Portuguese, African, and/or native descent. Joe says you can tell a Portuguese descendant by his/her body type. The amount of African descent can typically be gauged by skin color. Most people here are a blend.