A Walk Downtown Seattle

Neiva and I spent an afternoon in Seattle this week. As we walked downtown we could see the presence of the city all over again in our lives. Different people, young and old; faces that don't have names, thoughts that are not expressed, lyrics that are not sung. An old man was playing an old guitar, singing an old folk song, a coin dropped into his old hat. In front of us, a drunk woman walked back into an Irish pub, barely making it through the door. My heart ached. Such a sad thing.

This is just part of the city life on the streets. I was again reliving the time we lived in Pasadena. We would take our friends and relatives to see Hollywood at their request. After driving back and forth on Sunset and Hollywood Blvd., they would ask, "When are we getting to Hollywood?" I'd answer, "We're here already!" They could not believe it. "But, is this Hollywood?" Again, people walking the streets, looking for some meaning in their lives, trying to overcome their own demons. Same thing in many big cities...

Talk about megacities around the world! Same thing in Rio or São Paulo, same thing in Moscow or London. People walking the streets, looking for meaning, looking for a better life... Megacities, crowds passing through, nomads in search of meaning.

A thought came to me in Seattle: How can we reach those who are walking the streets with the love of God? It is very simple: by showing them that we are also nomads, but on our way to the Promised City, the City of God.

Hasta la vista!

My website is current now

I am trying to update my website and I think I got it pretty much where I wanted it for the time being. Just pay me a visit at www.ediaspora.net and get to know more about my passion for art, especially music, and missiology.

I also would like to share with you the website of Diaspora Intercultural Academy, my personal ministry in the United States, Brazil and Russia: www.diaspora-academy.org. It will tell you what the Lord is doing and what we are planning to do.

A Day in Moscow

This is me in the Red Square, Moscow. The day was gorgeous and I had the opportunity to visit a number of other sites in that wonderful city.

The hat? Well, it was a gift from a dear friend and I promised to wear it in Moscow in his honor... I had a lot of fun taking this picture, though.

In the Middle of the Dream

Today I start a new adventure: blogging! This is a new for me and I hope to honor God with my thoughts as I reflect on my journey as a nomad in the Diaspora. A word must be said about what Diaspora means: it is a Greek word that means "Dispersion." Its use has been applied initially to the Jews who are spread all over the world. Later, both James and Peter use that word for the Christian Church and this is where I find myself. I am member of a Church that is spread around the world. I am a cosmopolitan person, a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Nomad in the Diaspora, I started my journey in Araguari, Minas Gerais, Brazil. After many years in my home country, being a nomad in many parts of that great Nation, my wife (my best friend and also another Nomad) and I moved to North America. We have spent the last 22 years of our lives in the United States and Canada. But as a Nomad, I find myself crossing different cultures, learning new languages, tasting new food, listening to different sounds. There so many Oasis that I have encountered in my journeys so far!

This is my intro to a new medium in search of communicating with you, yet another Nomad. I want you to join me in a wonderful dream, the expectation of a better world, a world of Peace and Justice, a world of eternal values that are not corrupted by the darkness of despair, greed, sinfulness, and prejudice. A world I call, The Kingdom of God, as taught by my King: Jesus Christ.