"Adopted" countries


My friends in South America understand why I am excited today!
Meus amigos na América do Sul entendem porque estou animado hoje!
¡Mis amigos en Sudamérica entienden por qué estoy emocionado hoy!
I love epic encounters! There is one today. Some of my readers will be aware, and others probably couldn't care less. Meanwhile I am beside myself, divided in loyalty, but eager to observe.
I fell in love with soccer while I served as a missionary in Brazil when I was 19 years old. You almost HAVE to love soccer in Brazil. It's the national passion, kind of like baseball, basketball, and football in the USA all put together into one. It has been fun in the years since then to follow Brazilian teams in international competition.
When Bonnie and I served together in Argentina, we recognized there is a passion in that country as strong as the one in Brazil. They have their one-named national heroes just like Brazil, and the mood of the country can swing up and down dramatically depending on the team's showing.
So tonight is the "2021 Copa América Final" match, the championship of South America, with my two favorite teams meeting each other in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has Neymar, Argentina has Messi - two superstars who have been close friends but will be intense rivals for an evening. Fans throughout the two countries will be cheering until they are hoarse.
I #GiveThanks for the experiences that have allowed me to "adopt" countries to have a special place in my heart and thoughts; for the fun of soccer, that gets better and better the more you understand it; and for the chance to know that at least half of me will be happy after tonight's game!

And the final result was....



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