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Published: August 7th 2007
After catching a flight from Brasilia to Rio at 7:20am, catching a 9am bus into Belo Horizonte, and arriving to Mark's apartment around 10 - it was time to prepare to head to Ouro Preto.
Ouro Preto is a thriving, colonial style city that began as a gold mining villiage. It is very hilly - and beautiful. I was pretty shocked to see cars zipping around on the VERY steep hills, but it's just a daily thing here.
My visit to Ouro Preto actually had significant spiritual overtones. Hundreds of pounds of gold are plated on the walls of the churches, something so awe-inspiring that even had they allowed pictures, wouldn't do any of it justice. What stood out to me the most was a single little girl. I was sitting on a pew in one of the churches, and a young girl, no older than 9 years old, blew a kiss to a bust of Jesus. Then, as her family walked around, she went to the kneeler at the very front of the church to say a prayer. It seemed as if her family was oblivious to this.
It brought many things to my mind... about the
Pousada villa Rica
My home for the evening.faith of a child, about the things we do when people aren't watching, about the peace and power felt within that church. I've felt a spiritual reawakening here in Ouro Preto, in an old gold mining town.
I have felt alive today in my experiences.
-Crawling in the mines - only for what little lighting there was to temporary go out after I climbed up a steep incline that I did not think I had the guts to do.
-Climbing the steep streets... only 50 more steps... and then another 50...
-The deep conversation about spirituality with Mark, giving me faith that I am not alone in my beliefs about the importance of the true teachings in Christianity.
-Sitting in the church and the coolness in the air of knowing the faithful who have filled it with their hearts and giving.
-The little girl... bringing me back to the importance of innocence and faith in the hustle and bustle of life that we often overlook.
With a stomach full of coxinha, guarana, and a Brazilian coffee, I go to bed in Ouro Preto, in our simple hotel tiled with Portuguese tiles. I am grateful for all that I
In the Gold Mine
My oblivious smile tells me that this was taken BEFORE the power went out! have, for all the people in my life, and the faith that guides me and directs where my life is to go.
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