After a shed load of bad news, it was a pleasant reprieve to have a few celebrations last week, emotional as they were!
On Wednesday our small group took a trip to the beach to mark the end of Camilo’s chemotherapy treatment. Camilo, who is also Daniel’s nephew, and neighbour of the workshop (!) had started to feel pain in his knee over a year and a half ago. After a lot of testing a three biopsies, he wa told he had a malignant tumour in his knee. He was given an operations and 8 rounds of chemo to treat the cancer. Despite, the difficulties of the treatment and the initial shock of the news, the process was a success. What matter most, though, is how Camilo has grown closer to God in the process and known his goodness in it all.
When the initial diagnoses was given, Daniel said that he’d prefer Camilo with only one good leg, if it meant it carried him to heaven. Camilo had to deal with the diagnosis, go through the operation, suffer the effects of chemo, all the while learning to trust God without a salary for some months and see how God has provided and cared for him throughout. He himself said on Wednesday that he doesn’t see the cancer as a bad thing as he is now closer to God. Luena, his wife, learned, too, how to be strong and supportive, even as the tears fell as she watched Camilo shave his head. What a time for growth and maturing! We trust in God’s care for the future and are so pleased all is well.
The second celebration was Roniston leaving hospital. Roniston is a good friend of the project having worked with us for around a year and is part of our small group. It was a privilege to lead his wife, Janaína in baptismal classes in 2019. Roniston caught covid and initially his symptoms were fairly light but as he grew more breathless, his wife dragged him into hospital where he was admitted and put on oxygen. At one point we were told he was getting agitated, often a key symptom and something we’ve sadly seen in others who lost their lives. However, the medical team are to be congratulated for treating him well and 25 days later, his leaving hospital was quite a treat.
Only in Brazil would you leave hospital with the cake, live music courtesy of the Engrenar band, balloons, a letter to the hospital staff read aloud and a standing ovation. The video on the link below is great!
Thirdly, we were invited to the 9th anniversary of the recovery house, Casa de Davi, or Casa do Pai, as is the official name now. Daniel goes with one or two members of the Engrenar team every Friday morning to lead a bible study and we try to offer a practical learning opportunity to guys who are about finished their time in the house. What a blessing it was to hear testimonies of those whose lives have been completely changed by the house and by the gospel. We even saw 2 married couples who met through the house. Daniel was invited to bring the pagode (samba) band, feijoada (black bean stew) and ended up bringing a word too. Check out the team here! We thought we were only there for lunch but stayed til after 6pm! Just as well Antonio and Stephanie made some friends and enjoyed chasing some chickens and ducks around.
It hasn’t all been fun and music and the tragedies area closeby but, for now, we will enjoy the commemorations.
Daniel and Linsey 