Day 6: Free afternoon :)

Hi all,

It's almost time to go back to Blacksburg and because we had this free afternoon, most of us are taking a nap. I'm not really good on taking naps, so I decided to take this time to write this post. The whole week I was avoiding writing a post and the main reason was not my possible English mistakes as many people thought. English is my second language and I'll probably make many mistakes writing this post. However, during this whole week I  just didn't know what I should write.
Yesterday after Chris said Angela and I would have to write a post today, many of us came to play "Mafia" one more time. This was the first time I didn't enjoy playing the game. I realized some people can get mad with others and I don't like this perception. So, instead of "killing" others, my option was try to "kill"  myself. I realized taking this decision, I wouldn't make others upset and could go upstairs to take a shower (my favorite and private time to think about any thing I need to think about).
One more time the Saint Francis Prayer came to my mind. The first time was on Monday while the Sisters were talking to us after dinner. Because this prayer came to my mind after many years without hearing it being prayed, I asked our group to pray it that night. And with them I prayed it with all my heart.
Upset after our game and trying to figure out what do write today, God sent me again Saint Francis Prayer. Why? Making my own reflection, I realized He heard me and gave me this week everything I asked to Him on Monday. So, I cried happy tears. I figured out I lived every single word of Saint Francis Prayer here in Flint. I figured out how blessed I was to come to this place.
Here I heard several stories and saw many problems, quite often related to dysfunctional families. However, I can say I saw the Holy Family living among Flint's people. I clearly saw Saint Joseph through the Habitat group, the Virgin Mary through the Sisters and the Child Jesus through the many kids we've met. Thanks you all for teaching me charity, humility, service and for allowing me to open my heart a bit more everyday.
Yesterday reading Isaiah in our group reflection one word got my attention: flint. I had no idea this was an English word and then I put Google to work one more time: "A very hard, fine-grained quartz that sparks when struck with steel." 

I've received many blessings since I restarted seeking God this year. Flint was literally the spark I needed to revive my faith in God. To finish this post I'll ask you all to keep me in your prayers as I'll keep you all in mine. Renata means "reborn" and after this trip I feel I am reborn. Thanks again for making the difference in my life.

Love,

Renata Carneiro.