When Things Go Wrong...Chile

After a bumpy Pluna Airline flight to Santiago I was left with just 90 minutes to make my connection back home. It had been 15 days away, my longest trip away from the family. I asked to be excused the $US61 visa fee.

They escorted me all the way through immigration, customs, baggage and to the check in...only for me to be told I would have to pay, even though I was not leaving the airport! 60 minutes to go.

I had forgotten a couple of large seeds I was carrying and was then reminded it was an offense not to declare them. "Please wait for a 'judge' to determine your fate." 45 minutes to go.

I am told that I have to fill in paperwork. 40 minutes.

An official leisurely tells me that they will not fine me, just a warning and can I fill in a statement. 30 minutes.

Please let me now make 6 copies and I must sign them. 20 minutes.

"Sorry Mr Davis your flight is closed." At 1am I am left at the kerb in downtown Santiago and my driver whispers, "Don't be standing around here alone at night it is dangerous." In anticipation I have my credit cards down my socks and $US50 in my wallet.

Not to worry, found a hotel and spent a day wandering in the air pollution and wondering what the Andes Mountains would look like on a clear day. Spanish architecture, cool musicians, a happy saint, lonely people watching.

Back the next night I am good to go...and things go right, I am upgraded on my Qantas travel buddy to business class!

Spanish Surfers Bible...at last!

After arriving at midnight back at Sergio's home in Sao Paulo we crawled into bed knowing we had a 6am wake up. The Brazillian Bible Society is the largest Bible Society in the world, they produced 6 million Bibles for Brazil last year!!

It was great to meet up with the director and recall God's amazing favor that enabled our first edition of the Portuguese Surfers Bible. Sergio says, "They love me and CS, I can walk in here and know everyone and they treat us with such respect."

I was so excited when I heard the first Spanish versions were coming off the press while we was there. We went down to the packing line and sure enough there they were! It has been a 3 year project to get this far. I am so thankful for Gymea Baptist for believing in this and funding it last year. Now just gotta get a box home past customs.

We debate distribution and marketing. I can picture our 10 Spanish-speaking nations using these amongst their friends. It is a very radical concept for the Bible Society. "The Portuguese Surfers Bible got us the most media attention we have ever had in our history," says the director. I am a happy man lugging 10kg of Bibles out of the place and heading for home.

Brazil Travels

After a detour to Miami to hang out with Eddie, the father of modern sports ministry network, I was refreshed to head for Brazil. Arriving at 8pm with a partner raising meeting already in progress, I was rushed by Pastor Rod to make the tail end of the meeting.

It was good to advocate for Sergio and I am impressed with how seriously he is taking his transition to the South America Regional leadership role. Juggling being a pastor at a local church, the national director of CS Brazil AND our South America Regional Coordinator is way too much. We meet with his pastor and he says, "She finally got it, she gets the purpose of my international role." I love church partnerships!

There is so much Christian presence in Brazil. "Jesus is Lord", "Jesus is my Saviour," even "I'm Catholic and I'm happy." Bumper stickers adorn cars and old and new church buildings are on most main roads. Some huge billboards as well. Sergio is in a new unit, and yet they are still finishing off the building, typical.

Philippe, Sergio's son,  considers me a novelty. We head off to Curitibe to visit Mauri the southern Brazil leader and I am treated to a Brazillian BBQ restaurant. Now imagine an endless supply of every meat possible being brought out to you on skewers. You can pig yourself out immediately, or pace yourself. I cringe at our aussie t-bone and sausage barbie, I hope I never have to BBQ for a Brazilian. One thing we didn't get to eat was the BBQ chicken hearts...shame.

Mauri shows us the meeting room for the local mission, a single room amongst many in a four story complex that make up the Baptist Church. It seats 6000! Bits of reo hanging out of walls and plastic is pasted into windows instead of glass. They will probably outgrow it before it is even completed!

Our breakfast is held there next morning with a great presentation by Sergio and I do my part.

We then head off to Florionopolis and Santa Catalina Island. This is a real treat, beautiful and the ASP World Tour event is held here. A good friend Motaury shares his story of struggle and life, and hosts us wonderfully.

Did you know Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan? Sushi bars there are like Chinese restaurants in Australia.

Feeling pretty tired now, it has been 14 days of travelling and so many late nights and early mornings along with jetlag. Got to read Courageous Leadership (Bill Hybels) again, the best!