mmm ... November, my favorite month of the year. A Brazilian November brings rain and several national holidays. A Ruth November breaks out a pumpkin candle brought especially from home and plans for a trip to spend Thanksgiving with my American family in Brazil.

Yesterday, one of the national holidays, there was a huge meeting of the Presbytery of Goias (the state in which I live). Members of many Presbyterian churches from the surrounding area arrived in charter buses and car pools at a cultural and recreational center in a small city to worship and enjoy lunch together. Churches from Rio Verde travailed about three hours.

Worship began with singing. It is quite experience to sing praises with Brazilians. It is something I recommend you put on your life list. Many of the young adults, including myself, swam late into the afternoon, chatting as we dried off in the sun before loading the bus to travel back home.