New Friends

Everyone we've met so far in our apartment has been super friendly and helpful. We've been blessed so much.

People have welcomed us and told us they are here for us if we ever have a need. People speak and are friendly when we pass on the stairs, in the garage or in the elevator. That isn't always the case in our big city.

Giovanni already has a girlfriend. It's a woman who lives above us. She has grown teenage kids and she just fell in love with Giovanni the first day she met him. They went for a walk together on that first day and she came back the next day wanting to see him. To make it even better, she told us she is our sister in Christ.

Anderson already has a new best friend that, sadly, is no longer here.

Our first day here my girlfriend met a woman named Ana. She is Brasilian and said she was married to an American.

Later that same day we met the American. His name is Don and he is a retired school teacher/principal. He and Ana live half the year in the states and half the year here in Porto Alegre.

Anyway, Don and Ana have an English bulldog named Fiona. They used to have another one named Shrek. Now it's just Fiona.

Fiona and Don go to the garage every day to play catch. When we met Don the first time it was in the garage with Fiona. Carys and Anderson were with us and so they stayed and played. They LOVED Fiona and Don.

The next day I saw Don and Fiona in the garage, came upstairs and told Anderson about it. He sprinted down to the garage to play.

The next day I saw Don and Fiona again in the garage. Don asked if Anderson was around. I told him he was upstairs and he asked if I could tell him that they were playing in the garage.

I went upstairs and said, "Hey Anderson, Don wants to know if you can come down to play."

Anderson's response? "I've been waiting all day for Don to call me."

They have obviously become fast friends.

Sadly, Don and Ana left on Wednesday to go to the states to take care of Don's sick dad. Ana told Benay that it might be a year before they get to come back.

We'll miss those guys and Anderson, for sure, will miss his playing buddies but I know they will be right back in the garage playing again when Don and Fiona get back.