Easter Sunday

April 20

Mass. Family Lunch. Futebol!

Easter Mass

Sunday morning, Ana's mom accompanied me to Mass. It was very nice of her, and I learned that she grew up as a catholic too. Now, Paulo Pai and Ana Mãe are 7th Day Adventists. The church we went to Easter morning was really nice, with a big painting of the Last Supper depicted on the wall behind the altar.

After mass, Paulo Pai picked us up and we stopped by a magazine/newspaper store to see if they had any World Cup albums. Around this time of year, an album is released that contains all of the competing teams in the FIFA World Cup. What makes these albums attracting and fun, is that fans (especially kids) enjoy collecting all the different figurinhas (cards) of the different soccer players in order to complete their albums. Pablo Pai told me about this, and I was interested in finding one and starting my own collection. It would be a great way to get in to the spirit of the upcoming tournament, and make for a great souvenir! The albums come in a soft and hard-backed covers. When we arrived at the shop, we asked about a hard-covered album, but they didn't have any. Preferring the sturdier type, I didn't buy one right then and there.

Almoço

Next on the day's agenda was the family lunch. I met more of the family, on Ana Mãe's side, and eat a Portuguese dish: bacalhau - a cod dish that is prepared with a number of things. This one had potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and carrots [hmmmm!] and was baked with a covering of cabbage. The bacalhau is covered in foil there^ (I will show a picture of what it looks like a little later).

São Paulo FC

Paulo Pai and I had to eat our lunch quickly, because we had an engagement to get to... a São Paulo FC match!! Paulo Pai asked me the prior day if I would like to go to "his" soccer team's home match. After asking me which Brazilian soccer club I supported and teasing with me about having to support São Paulo FC from then on, I told him that I would really enjoy going to see them play. I was also interested because the US Men's National Team will be based at São Paulo FC's facilities while they are here this summer for the World Cup. So I already had a kind of connection to the team. Ana mãe and her sister Demetilia drove us to the stadium.

When we arrived, there was a loooooooooooong line of fans, waiting to purchase their ticket and enter the stadium. Paulo Pai and I were surprised at the number of people that had come out one of the biggest religious holidays of the year. We missed most of the first half, but when the fans inside the stadium cheered, everyone outside began to yell and cheer too. São Paulo FC scored two goals while we were waiting in line. They dominated the game and ended up beating Botafogo by the score of 3-0.

Estádio Morumbi

Bacalhau- is to the top-left corner of the plate. 

Late Night Talk

Once we returned home after the game, I enjoyed the left-overs from lunch as supper. I had a little bit of everything on my plate: torta de frango e catipury, arroz, bacalhau, bife, e pudim. I tried cashew fruit juice as well, it was good. 

After dinner, Paulo Pai asked me about my faith. We then entered in to a long, in-depth conversation about Christianity, God, beliefs, and a few differences between different dominations. I learned more about 7th Day Adventists and some of their customs. It was a really good talk and I am thankful that he asked me. There is still so much to learn about Jesus and I have a lot to investigate in order to affirm my own faith and build a better relationship with God.