Feelin' the love

I cannot not tell you how loved Jeff and I (and the kids) have felt since we have been here in Brazil. We have no less than a dozen phone numbers of people who have told us we can call them anytime if we need anything--from people in our church to random cab drivers, to the porter in our building and our neighbor. We have been invited to playgroups and birthday parties. Our children have been given gifts in abundance. We've had several offers from people willing (and eager) to babysit our kids. It's been amazing. And every person is completely genuine. They truly want to help and to just be friendly. We have been made to feel so very welcome. Unfortunately, American culture tends to be much more closed, with everyone minding his or her own business and not really caring what anyone else is doing. It's been convicting to me being here as I've thought about how I might treat a foreigner living in my country. I'm ashamed to say that I don't even know if I'm capable of showing the kind of love to strangers that has been shown to me here. I do hope that I will come home changed, though, and be a more loving, genuine person, looking outward at the needs of others instead of only and always inward at what's going on in my own little world.