I could have gone to a ward closer to my hotel, so I decided to venture out into the "bairros" (neighborhoods) and attend the Tancredo Neves Ward. I decided to take the bus, so I headed to Terminal 1 (T1), the city center bus station. I asked how to get to Tancredo Neves. "You can't get there from here," the moneytaker said, "but you can get there from T2, so catch a bus to there." T2 looks out of the way on the map, but I trusted this advice and waited a long time for a bus to T2. Arriving there, I asked how to get to Tancredo Neves. "You can't get there from here," the moneytaker said, "but you can get there from T4 or T5, so catch a bus to one of those."
At that point I realized I was going to be late for the 8:30 church meetings, but it could have been much worse. I waited and along came a bus going to both T4 AND T5. "Either way, I can't lose," I thought. Besides, I had Google Maps on my bricked Android, which is not a brick when WiFi is available, and it caches maps! Yes! So before I left this morning, I cached up all the maps I would need. The GPS works without any signal or WiFi, so I could see where I was going. This bus went to T5, which was getting close to the church. I confirmed with the driver where he was going after T5, and sure enough, the bus went right through the neighborhood where the church is located.
I got off the bus and started walking up the side street where the church should be. When I was here, it was a rented warehouse, with temporary dividers and a portable baptismal font (we always went down to Coroado to do our baptisms though). But they don't meet in that warehouse anymore. Now they have a chapel next door.
Capela da Ala Tancredo Neves
Capela da Ala Tancredo Neves
Basketball/soccer court and satellite dish behind the chapel
The warehouse that used to be a rented chapel for the Tancredo Neves WardI was very happy to know there were enough members in the area to justify a meetinghouse. I went in and found two brothers in suits. I asked if there were meetings, and they said it would be stake conference. It's a stake center. I thought I was 15 minutes late for 8:30 meetings; it turns out I was 1 hour 15 minutes early for 10:00 conference. I chatted with a few people for a while, none of whom I knew or knew me. One is a bishop who has been in the Church for five years. Another is a stake presidency counselor who has been in the Church for four years. It's different here, where the Church grows by leaps and bounds in every demographic except adult males. If you're a man and active in the Church, they're going to put you to work.
I sat with some missionaries and an investigator of theirs who was going to be baptized that afternoon. They don't have a Portuguese-only rule anymore. And each companionship has a cell phone now. Other than that, it sounds like missionary life is very similar to how it was for me.
The conference was really nice, though when they turned on the fans it became too noisy for me to understand the last couple of speakers very well. I saw someone who I thought I recognized but turned out to be someone else. After the meeting, two or three people approached me to say they recognized me. I had to apologize for not recognizing them. But it's okay. When people get too attached to the missionaries, it can cause problems. If people become converted to the missionaries instead of converted to the gospel, they can lose their testimony when the missionaries leave (and they always leave!). I served, worked hard, helped a lot of people, and then faded away. I knew that with great members in Manaus, my converts were in good hands. (I did try to keep in touch with a few people, but that was before widespread email in Brazil, and when people stopped replying to letters that was pretty much it.)
I noticed more kids and youth at church than I remember. I also noticed that in general, everyone looked healthier and better dressed than in 1997. Also, the parking lot was full. Yes! Granted this was a stake conference, but when I was here usually only one or two families per ward had a car to drive to church. I noticed this outside my time at church too. It looks to me like the people of Manaus are turning a corner and making a better life for themselves.
After conference and chatting with several people, I took a walk to see the house where I lived in that neighborhood. I didn't take a photo because there were people in front and they probably would have thought it awkward. But I snapped a shot of a little market a few doors down:
I sat with some missionaries and an investigator of theirs who was going to be baptized that afternoon. They don't have a Portuguese-only rule anymore. And each companionship has a cell phone now. Other than that, it sounds like missionary life is very similar to how it was for me.
The conference was really nice, though when they turned on the fans it became too noisy for me to understand the last couple of speakers very well. I saw someone who I thought I recognized but turned out to be someone else. After the meeting, two or three people approached me to say they recognized me. I had to apologize for not recognizing them. But it's okay. When people get too attached to the missionaries, it can cause problems. If people become converted to the missionaries instead of converted to the gospel, they can lose their testimony when the missionaries leave (and they always leave!). I served, worked hard, helped a lot of people, and then faded away. I knew that with great members in Manaus, my converts were in good hands. (I did try to keep in touch with a few people, but that was before widespread email in Brazil, and when people stopped replying to letters that was pretty much it.)
I noticed more kids and youth at church than I remember. I also noticed that in general, everyone looked healthier and better dressed than in 1997. Also, the parking lot was full. Yes! Granted this was a stake conference, but when I was here usually only one or two families per ward had a car to drive to church. I noticed this outside my time at church too. It looks to me like the people of Manaus are turning a corner and making a better life for themselves.
After conference and chatting with several people, I took a walk to see the house where I lived in that neighborhood. I didn't take a photo because there were people in front and they probably would have thought it awkward. But I snapped a shot of a little market a few doors down:
This is typical of what you see in the neighborhoods. People sell stuff out of their house. Something I never realized about Manaus is how hard people work. Everyone is selling, working, going to work, etc. Like I said, they're turning the corner. This is a special place with special, hard-working, kind, generous people. I am overjoyed to see the improvement since I was here. Yes, there is still poverty, but there is a rising tide lifting all boats.
I caught a VERY full bus directly back to the city center. I don't blame the guys at T1 and T2 for not knowing about it. You can't know all the buses here. But any bus that says "T1" or "Centro" makes life a lot easier.
Late tonight, I go to the airport to fly to Rio de Janeiro, where I will work at a conference for the week. My time in Manaus is nearly done. I have had a great time, and I would be remiss if I did not thank a couple of those who helped make it that way:
- Go Inn Manaus. It's a hotel with a funny name but has everything I needed (except shampoo). My room was small but clean and neat, with two comfortable twin beds, a safe, a mini-fridge, (drumroll please) hot shower, and (another drumroll please) American-style power outlets (220V but all my chargers work with 220V). The hotel was modern, and I felt very safe and comfortable. I have a view of the dome of the Teatro Amazonas and I'm convenient to lots of shops, supermarkets, and the T1 bus station. Note: Google Maps has the wrong location for Go Inn Manaus. It is on Rua Monsenhor Coutinho, but it's between Rua Ferreira Pena and Rua Eduardo Ribeiro.
- Clive Maguire of Maguire's Guesthouse, whose Visit Manaus guide was invaluable. All or almost all the info in the book is available on his website, but having a printed copy is a good idea. Clive ended up shipping a second guide at no charge when the first was lost in the mail. I only regret that I did not have time to stop by and thank him for his help. I suspect a stay at his place would been even nicer than the Go Inn, but it's pretty far away from everything that I came to see and do.
2 comments:
I am glad you were able to see Manaus and experience it outside of mission life. I am happy that overall life has improved there in recent years.
PS Love you tons!
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