November 8, 2000

I was supposed to be in Rio by now, but flight delays forced me to spend the night and today in Miami. This has been an interesting time to be here in Florida, the day after a Presidential election when all the eyes of the world seem to be focused on this state, awaiting the voter recount here, to see who will be our next President.

 

November 9, 2000

It took me almost exactly two days to get here to Petropolis. Since I have not slept well for the last two nights, I am retiring to bed early. I am quite tired. Once I got to Rio, there were no problems. My bags were waiting for me-already cleared from customs. Currency exchange was simple, at least 10% cheaper here than in Miami. I also rented a fiat; (I believe I paid too much for the insurance $12/day, so as not to be liable for any scratch or theft.) I drove up to Petropolis, easily finding my way. Then spent most of the afternoon looking for a cheap place to stay. The cheapest I could find that was tolerable was $R50 per night. I finally made contact with Pedentrina. We agreed to meet at 8 a.m. to go look at the books and arrange for counting. I am here!

But I must admit that, other than the broad general outline of counting the books and finding other sources and people to help in other big cities, I am here without knowing beforehand how I am going to achieve all this. I see this as being in the hollow of the Lord's Hand trusting that He will lead and guide me through this.

November 10, 2000

A full day. Met Pedentrina at her house at 8 a.m. We found Valeria at 10 or so. She has the key to the storage room, behind a church in Correias. We arranged for my staying in an apartment for free in Correias, not far from the church. The people who own the apartment, Senhor Haiti and Dona Theresa, would not accept payment that I offered, and are extremely gracious. Theresa is an aunt to Valeria. We also spent a large part of the day searching for empty boxes (we are short) and recruiting help. Tomorrow and Monday, we will spend counting the books and putting them in boxes for shipping and generally organizing the shipment.

I should mention here that I am quite pleased with what I see. I do not believe we have a full container, but I believe we have many more books than last time. I don't want to guess how many, but I suspect more than 13,000. (Our full container shipment that is bound for Nigeria had over 13,000. But on average, the American books are twice as thick and heavy as the Brazilian counterparts.) Pedentrina and Valeria have done most of this by themselves. Very seldom do they get much help. All things considered, they have done a fantastic job. But they need more help. Short of divine intervention, I don't know how to solve the labor shortage problem. I am trying to find a couple of good people to help tomorrow. I am even offering to pay them. I am also making this a matter of prayer.

I find I have to adjust once more to the speed or pace of life here. No one is in a hurry around here, unless they are behind the wheel of a car. People want to visit and are very good at it. They enjoy spending enormous amounts of time at it. I keep telling myself, "slow down, be patient. We'll get everything necessary accomplished. But be patient with these beautiful, generous and loving people. They deserve that and much, much more."

November 11, 2000

We worked all day counting and boxing books. By the end of the day, we had 75 boxes full, holding between five and six thousand volumes. But we have only made a good dent. There are at least twice that many left in the storage area. But it is all very disorganized. Sorting through it and packing them in boxes (not made for books) is very time consuming. Valeria was there most of the time, working very hard. Pedentrina was there also. When she was not cooking or cleaning up for lunch, she always wanted to talk, which is very hard to do if you are trying to count. Still, she is very funny, and indispensable. It may take us two or three more days to finish this up, perhaps longer, depending on how much help I can get. I may need to call Paulo Amorim in Sao Paulo to arrange a delay of our meeting if it is possible. (I should also mention that four missionaries came by and helped for a couple of hours this morning. It was good to see them and have them here. I hope we will see them again on Monday.) As for myself, I wore a back brace all day and was very careful so I am feeling pretty good. Thank goodness for ibuprofin.

The little fiat that I am using was below the half-tank mark tonight, so I decided to fill-up. I was curious to see how much it would take. It took 25 liters nearly to top it off, at $R1.49 per liter. That is equal to 5 gallons for about $21.46 or $4.29 per gallon. Compare that to the $1.49 per gallon that I was paying at the pump at home, when I left a few days ago.

I read in today's paper that the race for U.S. President is still undecided. After the recount in Florida, Bush was still ahead by only 327 votes. Bush now considers himself the President elect and is preparing his team for the transition of the Presidency. But Gore seems far from conceding (even though he did so once, on election night.) It appears this is heading for the courts. Now Bush is apparently saying that if this goes that far, he will also demand recounts in Iowa, Wisconsin and New Mexico, which Gore won by razor thin margins. This just gets worse and worse. When will it end?

November 13, 2000

Well, I didn't write in my journal Sunday (yesterday). I should have. There was certainly time. But I was feeling out of sorts anyway. I also left the journal at my apartment in Correias.

One thing I want to note about yesterday is that some of our discussion focused on retarded children. There are a couple of children who are mentally disabled in the branch where Pedentrina attends. This led to a discussion of some of Amanda's problems and I made the error of using the word "retarded" (in Portuguese). The person with whom I was speaking, Valeria Martins, said, "Oh, you should not think of your child that way. She is a special child." I knew that but I did not think she would understand the euphemism. It turns out that here in Brazil, they are all up to date on the terminology at least. They even have "Special Education" in the schools. (I am writing this part for Mindy.)

As for today, it was really great. One member, Evandro, helped all day long. Another member, Clezio, and Pedentrina helped for half the day. Valeria stayed all afternoon also and did as much work in her five hours as most people can do in 10. The missionaries, nearly the whole Petropolis Zone, showed up in force and worked four hours. They said they needed the service hours. But four of them did a lot more than they really had to. So not counting myself, we had about 12 people working in Correias. We got a lot done. But there is still more to do tomorrow, to finish and clean up.

Whether I leave for Sao Paulo or not is still up in the air. Paulo Amorim and I have each attempted to contact the other. He left a message for me, but the phones have not cooperated. I will try again early tomorrow.

Now that the collection is nearly organized, it no longer appears that we have exceeded the quantities of last year. It looks like it is roughly equal. But we will know for sure when we add everything up in the next day or so. Then I will send an e-mail to Lyle with the data to transmit on the invoice to Mozambique.

November 14, 2000

Tonight, I am staying in the home of the Amorim's and their four children. They are very well off it seems. I have never been treated so well, with so many amenities in a private residence. What a host! What a hostess! Paulo and Delores are incredible, and I feel very much outclassed by them, although it is probably wrong of me to feel this way.

The day went very well. We finished all business in Petropolis and left that city at about 2 p.m. It rained most of the time, sometimes very hard. We passed several accidents on the way, including two separate instances of semi-tractor/trailer rigs in the ditch on the roadside. We arrived in Sao Paulo without any incident, however. I left Pedentrina in the Temple compound where she will stay for the next few days while I attempt to establish a presence for Wings of the Dawn in this city. Paulo is my main point of reference-but only that. He has made it very clear that he does not have the time to be a member, but he has very good connections. I hope they will eventually bear fruit in the form of donations of books, storage space, and maybe even money.

Before leaving Petropolis, we completed clean up of the church premises in Correias and preparing the shipment. When I arrived this morning, I thought I would have to do all of the work by myself, including the carrying into the storage shed of the 85 remaining boxes. But then, Pedentrina showed up and two brothers, Cesar de Silveira and Clezio (his second day). What a boost that was. They were both so happy and willing to help. Their goodwill and jovial comradery lifted my own spirits beyond what I can express. God bless all of these good people, who serve just for the joy of it, without any thought of other compensation. (My offers were always refused. Eventually I settled for maing a payment in their names into the Church's fast offering fund.)

November 15, 2000

Today was a National Holiday "Dia da Bandeira (Flag Day); so everything needed for my enterprise here in Sao Paulo was closed. I spent much of the day resting in the quiet home of Paulo Amorim. This morning I totaled the books collected in Petropolis. There were only 10,885 books this time, a little less than last year. I rechecked all the numbers, then sent an e-mail to Lyle with the data. By pre-arrangement, she is to put the totals into the invoice. I just finished reading her reply stating that she has received the data and will transmit it by e-mail to Mozambique this evening. So shipment #2000-3 MOZ is started. This is our fifth shipment in total and the 3rd one this fiscal year.

The smallness of the shipment to me just underscores why I need to be here in Sao Paulo now. This is very expensive. But we need to find more resources and people to join in our efforts. Tomorrow is a regular week day. I have high hopes of making many good contracts with Paulo's help.

In the late morning, after sending Lyle the numbers she needed, I ventured another foray alone in the big city of Sao Paulo. The Amorim's actually live to the west of the city in a nice home in a nice gated community on a mountaintop. I left their home to go to the temple, nearly 40 Kilometers away, and I got lost. Actually I missed a turn off and went about 20 Kilos out of my way. Eventually, I found my destination, and had a very good session in the Temple. Upon returning to Paulo's home for the second time at about 4:30 p.m., I met Paulo's parents. Actually, it was the second time I had met Athos Amorim, a member of the Area Presidency and the Second Quorum of the Seventy. This man has served as a Temple President and as a Mission President. He likes our project and I believe that he will help us. He is also a retired general and knows many people here.

Oh yes, something funny happened on my way to the temple. I was just back on track from being lost and was just entering into a high-speed turn to re-enter the highway that I had veered off of by mistake, when this jerk came right on my tail, close enough to almost kiss my bumper, flashing his lights signaling me to move over. Well, I wasn't about to do that because I didn't want to go on the wrong track again. Besides there was another vehicle too close on the right. Thus I ignored him until I had completed the maneuver. Then I let this dangerous driver go past thinking I needed to repent of the bad word I had uttered at him. (I was, after all, on my way to the temple.) What was my amazement though, when I learned that the jerk was a Policie Militar (Highway Patrolman)? I couldn't see what he was until he passed because he was so close on my tail. But as he passed, there he went with his lights, radio antenna and police markings on his truck. I was astonished and laughed out loud. I couldn't believe it. As the police truck passed, he continued a wreckless diving pattern of tail gating other drivers, sudden lane changing, cutting off others and driving through that heavy traffic like a 17-year-old punk who thinks there's no tomorrow and that he is immortal.

November 16, 2000

Today was spent mostly in Alphaville, a small city to the west of Sao Paulo and a little south of Santana do Panariba. I visited the following schools and directors in an effort to inspire book campaigns for the next school year as school gets out in December for summer break until February: 1) Objectivo-Wilma and Suily, 2) Makkensie-Olga Bosniae, 3) Internacional-Giselli Fernandes, 4) Pueri Domos (na Aldeia de Serra)-Maria Isabel. I was received well by all the schools. Our project seemed to be greeted with great interest by all the schools except Makkensie. With some cultivation by those who live in this place, these schools could serve as very active and productive collection bases, especially since this place may enjoy one of the highest per capita income levels in the country of Brazil. But the key is to actually find someone here who will command this project.

I may have found such a person. This afternoon, on Paulo Amorim's recommendation, I met Adilson Parrella at his place of business in Alphaville. He has means, friends, capacity and enthusiasm. He is a member of BYU Management Society, Brazil Chapter. This is organized under Brazil law and boasts of 40 members. He invited me to come to the group's next meeting this coming Tuesday. I accepted the invitation.

November 17, 2000

This was a productive day, I think. With the help of a driver, I was able to see several more of Paulo's influential friends. Homer Amato, executive vice-president of Grupo Cather (a head hunter firm) who seemed very interested. I also saw Peter Furukawa, Director of Operations for Submarino, a large Internet book wholesaler like Amazon. His interest was less apparent. But I think we will eventually get some nice book donations out of his company. Also seen were Steve Sorensen and Jo Ribes. The latter is a public relations specialist, who may help us in that way. But to all these contacts I stated that, while commitments of space, money and books were all needed, the thing most urgently needed right now was a few strong and committed people who would head up our efforts here in Brazil. So far no one has stepped up to the plate. Also, some time was spent exchanging the car for one with brakes. I also got my best exchange rate so far of dollars for Reais at the airport in Sao Paulo. (The worst was at the Miami Airport.)

November 18, 2000

Tired though I was, I drove down to Curitiba, Parana to stay the weekend with Alceu and his new bride, Suily. Alceu has been for a time very enthused about our project. I have come to see him to give him direction, encouragement and to cultivate contacts in this part of Brazil. I arrived here without incident, over some very mountainous terrain.

My coming here has been good for me. They have a lovely spirit, they even like the same kind of music I do (as evidenced by some of the CD's they own). The short time spent here has refreshed me. I feel less lonely here.

This evening, as a partial thanks to Suily for her hospitality, I translated the words of a song she was fond of. I think she liked the result.

November 19, 2000

It is early Sunday morning. Alceu and Suily are still in their room sleeping. I spent a very warm and comfortable night in a spare room, and used a mattress laid out on the floor for my bed. They haven't a lot of money obviously; but their small apartment is clean, neat and nicely arranged. It is larger than the apartment that Lyle and I shared when we were first married. Later, I attended church in the Uberaba Ward in Curitiba. It was a very enjoyable day.

November 20, 2000

This was a full day in which I covered much of Curitiba with Alceu as my guide. We were successful in obtaining commitments for substantial quantities of material from Wisdom (a franchiser of English language schools in Southern Brazil), Collegial Estadual, Collegio de Redondesa (IVO), the Catholic University (PUC), the Federal University of Parana, and the Public Library of Curitiba. We also saw Cesar Xavier, the general manager of Brazmold, a manufacturer of molding for floors and doors, who exports his entire inventory to the U.S. He was recommended to us as someone who could be of some assistance. He said to come back and see him in ten days. So I have requested that Alceu follow-up.

I spent much of the day as we drove through the city instructing Alceu about the general principles of our operation, and how to go about getting things done, what to do with money received, if any, and the need to get storage space as soon as possible. Alceu wants to get 30,000 books for us this fiscal year. Today, the federal university gave us our first 30 books (a set of classics.) That is a good, symbolic beginning.

After the day's end, I took Alceu and Suily to a nice restaurant. They are a sweet couple of newly-weds without much money so they never get to do this. In fact, over dinner, Suily confided that their idea of a good time is to go to Walmart together and just shop around without spending money. Later, we had Family Home Evening together. We talked about the things that matter most until late into the night. Perhaps this is the real reason for my being here. Perhaps the books are really secondary. I am really here to have my faith strengthened, and to strengthen the faith of others and to give comfort where I can.

November 21, 2000

I took my leave of Alceu and Suily today and headed north from Curitiba to Sao Paulo. It was an uneventful drive through a mountainous region. The sun was shining. The day was bright, warm and beautiful. This region is well known for a large tree that grows very tall and looks sort of like an umbrella. It is a conifer called the "Araucaria". It is similar to a somewhat smaller version that I have seen in Rio, called the Pinheiro. One person told me it was the same thing as a Pinheiro, but I am not sure that is true.

I arrived in Sao Paulo in the early afternoon. I cleaned up and then tried to see a member of the Area Presidency about our project. But it was not to be. Time ran out. I will try again tomorrow. Tonight, I went to a meeting of the Renaissance Hotel in the middle of Sao Paulo. I spoke briefly to a group of BYU Alumni about our project. Several approached me afterwards, expressing interest and offering to do whatever was necessary to help. Particularly affirmative in expressing his interest and desire was David L. Drysdale.

By the time all was done, it was nearly midnight. Part of the time consisted of getting lost in the middle of downtown Sao Paulo late at night and finding my way again in the rain. What a mess.

November 22, 2000

I attempted again to see a member of the Area Presidency, but again was unsuccessful. Instead, I spoke with one of the directors of Welfare Services for the Church in this area, Marco Aurelia Parto. He took great interest and I think he can be a good point of contact. I did not exactly strike out so far as the Area Presidency was concerned. I was successful in meeting Athos Amorim and his wife at the home of his sone Paulo last Wednesday. He promised to put a notice in the Liahona, requesting volunteers to help with this project. I will follow this up and suggest to President Amorim the form of this announcement and its contents. (The Temple Recorder, Sergio Cardoso Munhoz, said he could help in this regard.)

At about 10 a.m., I departed Sao Paulo with Pedentrina. We arrived in Rio at 3 p.m. and went on to Petropolis and Correias. There, I met with Luis Carlos Garcia, the Bishop of Correias. He said he would help and assist as the point of contact for the shipping company in Brazil. I sat down and explained to him with specificity what this would involve. He agreed to do this for us. I also had a key made for him to the storage place and delivered it to him. I will need to finalize a packing list and send one to both him and Pedentrina.

From Correias, we went on to Sao Jose do Vale do Rio Preto, in driving rain to visit with Odilei and his family and stay the night. It was a good visit and I saw everyone. Odilei would have talked politics with me all night if I had let him. I did not.

November 23, 2000

Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. I arose early and departed just as soon as I could persuade Pedentrina to leave to return to Petropolis. Passing through Correias, we got a bad key fixed for Pedentrina's use, collected and delivered a few more books, and then dropped Pedentrina off at her home. After saying goodbye to her and her family, I was off to Rio where I turned in the car without a hitch. I am now awaiting my flight home. I have several more hours to wait.

I am in a restaurant at the Galiao Airport in Rio, awaiting a flight home. To the left, I see the familiar skyline of the main city. A little to the right is Corcovado. Then there are the rolling hills covered with buildings that make up most of the city. Just behind to my right is the distinctive outline of the Church of Our Lady of the Penha, sitting on top of that rocky precipice. This is where the pilgrims arrive on their hands and knees in penance. This amounts to just about the most sight seeing I have done since arriving.

Well, the question is "Was this trip a success? Was it worth the money spent by Wings of the Dawn-an amount approaching $2,000?" The answer is a qualified "yes". The only definite thing about it is that we have counted and ordered this year's collection of books from Petropolis and it is ready for shipment. With nearly 10,900 books, this is about 1,000 less than last year.

As for the work for Wings of the Dawn in Sao Paulo and Curitiba, we have a young man who seems both willing, eager and capable to take this on. He knows I will be following-up in a month. I refer to Alceu Cruz. (I must send him some maple flavoring that he has requested.) There seems to me in this city of 2 million people and 16 stakes, a very good chance for our having a good operation in the coming year. One that will surpass in one year what Petrópolis did in two. We will see. Sao Paulo is a different case. We have no one yet who has stepped up and said "I want to run this and make it go." What we have are several very highly placed capable men and one woman who have offered to help out. These include: Homero Amato, Paulo Amorim, and his father, Athos Amorim (both of the LDS Area of S. Brazil), Peter T. Furukawa (of Submarino), Jo Ribes (a communications specialist), Marcello M.da Silva (Ford Motor Company), Marco Aurelio Porto (LDS Church Welfare Services), Sergio Cardozo Munhoz (Registrar of the Temple in Sao Paulo), Adillson Parrella (O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt do Brazil-the car armorer), David L. Drysdale (Grupo Cathos), Jose' Carlos Becari (President of BYU Management Society, Brazil Chapter), and Eduardo Cruz (Johnson and Johnson). I also have a reference for an Adventist Church group that might help. I have identified 3 large and rich schools in the Alphaville area of Sao Paulo who have expressed a willingness to run campaigns next year. They are: Objectivo, International and Pueri Domos. I have also identified two large publishing houses/book wholesalers who may make donations.

Within the next two weeks after I get home, I will write each of the twelve people that I have identified about who the others are and urge them to coordinate under Adillson's or David Drysdale's direction, seek more volunteers, begin canvassing for donations, arrange for transport and storage of contributions, obtain volunteers to count and box the contributed materials, and do all that is necessary to get a full container ready to go by next August. I will again request Adillson for storage space and Homero Amato to follow-up on storage space and ask for contributions from book wholesalers. I will remind President Amorim of his suggestion of an announcement in the Liahona Magazine and suggest that he coordinate with Sergio Munhoz. To each of these persons who read English, I will send an annual report. Thus I hope that by all of these actions, I will pull all these strings together, and cause an organization to arise, take shape and begin operation. This won't happen though without divine assistance which will lead one or more capable people to step forward and bring this all together.

November 24, 2000

I am now on a flight heading back to National Airport in Washington, D.C. and home. There were no memorable anecdotes from this trip. However, on Tuesday night, I attended a meeting of a management society. After I gave the group a short explanation of our project, the balance of time was taken by a two-hour lecture from a featured guest about how to succeed in business. He was quite impressed with himself and long-winded. But there were a couple of memorable remarks that he made which have application here. He said, in essence that success in business does not depend on luck. (If that were so, then the successful man of business would not need to engage in business at all, but could rely wholly on lottery winnings.) Rather success depends on good planning, work and perseverence. One who plans well, works and perseveres will eventually succeed in his endeavors. He also said that real success that is lasting depends upon adherence to correct principles of honor and behavior. A man with no principles may have some successes; but those will be ephemeral and will not endure.

So we will stay the course that we have marked. Whether or not these trips to Sao Paulo and Curitiba this time will turn out to be successful, remains to be seen. We will pursue this, however, until success is in hand and our goals achieved. We will plan well, work and persevere and hold fast to correct principles.

I would rather be ashes than dust I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow-

Than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of a man is to live! Not to just exist. I will not waste my days in just trying to prolong them. I will use my time-----Jack London

 

Brazil Journal - 1999