Hebron Baptist Brazil Trip: Saturday Night Culture

Jeff and Blake took our team to a restaurant that would make vegitarians tremble in fear, and meat-lovers leap for joy. The name of the restaurant is Galpa Crioul. Even better than all the meat and sides was the desserts, which include pineapple and some type of tapioca and cream sauce. Needless to say, the food was great, and everyone ate plenty of food!

We also had the opportunity to experience a little bit about the cowboy-culture that is unique to our state in all of Brazil. Dances that are still true to their mid-1800 heritage were performed by a team of 4 guys and 4 girls, complete with costumes from the era as well. This is still a large part of the heritage, as about 60% of the 15 million people in our state still preserve the dress and dance.

The significance of the mid-1800's comes from a time when Rio Grande do Sol (our state) fought a civil war with the rest of Brazil, over the price of salted beef (if you're keeping score at home, that is beef jerkey!). Our state is also known for its heritage of cattle farming, coming from a mix of cultures as it was settled. Ultimately, what we learned from this experience is that the people from this area have a proud past, and many times can be stubborn to a fault. Such information will guide our evangelism throughout our stay. Also, in case you want to read more, click on this link to learn about the particular state we're in - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_do_Sul.

We begin our training in the morning, working with translators and going through the most effective way to share the gospel with those who have not heard. We will visit a craft fair in the afternoon, followed by a church service in the evening. Our team will be sharing testimonies and preaching, so remember everyone in your prayers as we figure out what to do and how to do it best!