Communion in Community

Church was absolutely packed today, with the typical Alentejano thing of loads of men standing outside chatting, which you hear every time it goes quiet. It was the delayed (by the pandemic) First Communion, plus other rites which I didn't really understand. Dona Francisca was giving out flowers for them to hold in one hand, along with the candle in the other. The extended families and friends will have gone off for huge meals afterwards. Cecílio was catering for one of them.

We wended our way to the Adega, as usual, where Sr Manuel immediately ordered us wine and meat petiscos, and insisted on paying.

Gratefuls:
- a positive outcome to the situation with our friends in Brazil; truly a miracle and we are so grateful; lots of peacemaking still to do, but the immediate crisis has been averted
- Sr Manuel's generosity; he is not a rich man
- that we are going to Sem Fim for dinner in a bit, with Bengt and Gunilla, first time in months, plus, I'm hungry!