Wednesday, March 17, 2010
March 17, 2010
Early Friday morning we plan to fly out of Portugal on Easy Jet and head for Switzerland. We are taking only what we can each get into a backpack. The great thing about that is there can be no fashion or hair expectations. Most of our travel during the 4 days there will be by foot, train and bus. We don't want to have to lug suitcases around. There will be seven of us on the trip...Mike and six females...another harem trip. One of the women has been to Switzerland before and in fact has relatives living there. She will be our guide. Hopefully we will have lots of beautiful picts to share next week! N
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
March 16, 2010
This morning we did something that was so Portugese...we woke up and remembered that we had no bread so Mike and Nina headed out to the Pastelliria and came back with...hot, freshly baked bread...which we immediately slathered with butter and ate for breakfast. MMMMM!
Just wanted to share a moment of sunny (yes, we have had 6 days in a row now of sun) Portugal with you. N
Just wanted to share a moment of sunny (yes, we have had 6 days in a row now of sun) Portugal with you. N
Monday, March 8, 2010
On recent weekends, we have been enjoying our AOGGTG (Anne of Green Gables Therapy Group) with Nina and Kati and some friends. We have seen three of the episodes and are looking forward to finishing the complete set before starting over. Meredith and Naomi (series owner) are as much entertainment as the DVD could ever hope to be. It has been great for our girls as well. Kati has been so impressed that she wants to name her dog (of the future) Gilbert. What a good way to spend a rainy Friday night. Wish some more of you would come over for the pizza and a movie...
Last week saw the culmination of a major project at school for Nancy. The Elementary students at GLCA all had a part in a play that Nancy had written about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. She also co-directed the play, did the casting, the set design (with Nina's help), got the props, etc. Colleague Meredith Peters was also a big time partner in this production. They put on two performances on Friday and the kids were great and the play delightful. It was a wonderful addition to the regular curriculum.
March 8, 2010
We keep telling ourselves that spring is finally here! I think if we say it enough it will be...
On Saturday, we went to the annual chocolate festival in a nearby ancient medieval town. We were taking some visitors from Canada so were hoping for nice weather. We woke to another day of rain and fog and promptly cancelled our plans. An hour later the rain had stopped and there was actually blue sky peeking out from among the clouds...so we decided to go and hope for the best.
It was a good decision. The rain held off except for a few sprinkles and the sun actually blessed us with its presence several times during the day. Now, imagine yourself surrounded by all kinds of chocolate from all over the world...chocolate to eat, chocolate to drink, chocolate to bath in...and, oh, the aroma of all that chocolate! Mike will try to post some pictures of the festival. The festival goes on for two weeks so when we got home we decided we had not quite gotten our fill of the chocolate experience and so plan to get to the festival again one day this week after school.
Sunday was an even sunnier day so after church we decided to open up our house and let the winter mustiness out and the sunshine and fresh air in. This, of course, involved some cleaning and scrubbing...but now we feel ready for spring for real! After the cleaning was done, we decided the next thing was to start our spring training regimen and get some exercise. All four of us walked up the steep hill to the park above our house. The girls ran around on the exercise trail while Mike and I trekked along at a bit slower pace. We kept telling ourselves we didn't want to overdo it...it was great to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. The road up to the park is so steep it is difficult to walk down, let alone up. Hard on old(er) knees.
We topped the weekend off by taking our new friends from Canada to "Steak on a Rock". They serve you a tender piece of raw steak that you cook yourself on a steaming hot rock. We like to take all visitors to this place so come on over...the steak dinner will be our treat!
On Saturday, we went to the annual chocolate festival in a nearby ancient medieval town. We were taking some visitors from Canada so were hoping for nice weather. We woke to another day of rain and fog and promptly cancelled our plans. An hour later the rain had stopped and there was actually blue sky peeking out from among the clouds...so we decided to go and hope for the best.
It was a good decision. The rain held off except for a few sprinkles and the sun actually blessed us with its presence several times during the day. Now, imagine yourself surrounded by all kinds of chocolate from all over the world...chocolate to eat, chocolate to drink, chocolate to bath in...and, oh, the aroma of all that chocolate! Mike will try to post some pictures of the festival. The festival goes on for two weeks so when we got home we decided we had not quite gotten our fill of the chocolate experience and so plan to get to the festival again one day this week after school.
Sunday was an even sunnier day so after church we decided to open up our house and let the winter mustiness out and the sunshine and fresh air in. This, of course, involved some cleaning and scrubbing...but now we feel ready for spring for real! After the cleaning was done, we decided the next thing was to start our spring training regimen and get some exercise. All four of us walked up the steep hill to the park above our house. The girls ran around on the exercise trail while Mike and I trekked along at a bit slower pace. We kept telling ourselves we didn't want to overdo it...it was great to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. The road up to the park is so steep it is difficult to walk down, let alone up. Hard on old(er) knees.
We topped the weekend off by taking our new friends from Canada to "Steak on a Rock". They serve you a tender piece of raw steak that you cook yourself on a steaming hot rock. We like to take all visitors to this place so come on over...the steak dinner will be our treat!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
March 5, 2010
Being a missionary in Portugal! What exactly does that mean? When we first told people that we were going to Portugal for a year on a missions trip, some of them were skeptical. We got comments like, "Why would they need missionaries in Portugal?" or "Living in Portugal for a year, quite a sacrifice." Well, perhaps many would not consider us "real" missionaries but I can tell you that many of the people we have met here are.
Not every missionary lives in a dangerous place and suffers religious persecution or primative living conditions. Most of the missionaries that we work with here are with an organizaion called The Association of Baptist for World Evangelism (ABWE). They are what is called "church planters," and have felt called to dedicate their lives to that end. Some have lived here for years, raised their families and are winding down their tenure. Others are young families just beginning, raising their children far from grandparents and other extended family. A few are people who have retired from other careers and have felt the call to serve in this new capacity.
Once someone feels the Lord has called them to the mission field, they must raise support for their living expeneses. This means appealing to churches and individuals to get long-term commitments. Sometimes it takes years to gather the necessary support. The first eighteen months after arriving in the country they are required to attend language school full time. They must learn the Portugese language and culture if they are to be effective missionaries.
After language school is complete, they, the missionary, will be assigned to a team of church planters. The specific talents and gifts they bring to the team will be utilized to its fullest. Some are gifted teachers or musicians or they have the gift of hospitality, while others work in the field of finance, organization, counseling, or pastoring.
The goal of the church planting team is to start a church that can gradually be taken over and run by the Portugese people. Once the church is a vital, functioning body, the team will move to another area and help start another church. All of this takes immense amounts of patience. Sometimes churches grow quickly but most often it is a painsteacking process that takes years.
The life of a missionary requires much self-discipline. They more or less make their own schedule and work as hard as they require of themselves. The ones we have met are very dedicated. They become involved in the community where they live so they can have contact with and develop relationships with Portugese people. They must adapt to the culture and live as much like the Portugese as possible. This is not easy in this culture which is very traditional with close family ties. For example, it is very unusual for non-family members to be invited into a Portuguese home.
Many of the missionaries raise their children here. That is where we serve, as teachers in a school for MKs. We are giving these children an American education because most of them will return to the US to attend college.
Every three or four years each missionary family is required to return to the states on furlough. This is not just a time of R&R, it is also a time to renew contact with supporters in the US.
No, Portugal is not a primitive country but it does require major adjustments if one is to make it a permanent home. Since they have left their extended families back in the US, the missionaries become family to each other. This makes for a tight-knit group. They are extremely supportive of each other and we have greatly enjoyed being included in that support system.
We are not considered by some as "real" missionaries but our donation of a year of service to them and their children is deeply appreciated. We are what is known as "short-termers".
If you ever get an opportunity to go on a missions trip, whether for a few weeks, a year or longer, we would recommend you go. The experience will give you a new perspective on outreach and will change you in many ways. It certainly has been wonderful for us in many many ways
Not every missionary lives in a dangerous place and suffers religious persecution or primative living conditions. Most of the missionaries that we work with here are with an organizaion called The Association of Baptist for World Evangelism (ABWE). They are what is called "church planters," and have felt called to dedicate their lives to that end. Some have lived here for years, raised their families and are winding down their tenure. Others are young families just beginning, raising their children far from grandparents and other extended family. A few are people who have retired from other careers and have felt the call to serve in this new capacity.
Once someone feels the Lord has called them to the mission field, they must raise support for their living expeneses. This means appealing to churches and individuals to get long-term commitments. Sometimes it takes years to gather the necessary support. The first eighteen months after arriving in the country they are required to attend language school full time. They must learn the Portugese language and culture if they are to be effective missionaries.
After language school is complete, they, the missionary, will be assigned to a team of church planters. The specific talents and gifts they bring to the team will be utilized to its fullest. Some are gifted teachers or musicians or they have the gift of hospitality, while others work in the field of finance, organization, counseling, or pastoring.
The goal of the church planting team is to start a church that can gradually be taken over and run by the Portugese people. Once the church is a vital, functioning body, the team will move to another area and help start another church. All of this takes immense amounts of patience. Sometimes churches grow quickly but most often it is a painsteacking process that takes years.
The life of a missionary requires much self-discipline. They more or less make their own schedule and work as hard as they require of themselves. The ones we have met are very dedicated. They become involved in the community where they live so they can have contact with and develop relationships with Portugese people. They must adapt to the culture and live as much like the Portugese as possible. This is not easy in this culture which is very traditional with close family ties. For example, it is very unusual for non-family members to be invited into a Portuguese home.
Many of the missionaries raise their children here. That is where we serve, as teachers in a school for MKs. We are giving these children an American education because most of them will return to the US to attend college.
Every three or four years each missionary family is required to return to the states on furlough. This is not just a time of R&R, it is also a time to renew contact with supporters in the US.
No, Portugal is not a primitive country but it does require major adjustments if one is to make it a permanent home. Since they have left their extended families back in the US, the missionaries become family to each other. This makes for a tight-knit group. They are extremely supportive of each other and we have greatly enjoyed being included in that support system.
We are not considered by some as "real" missionaries but our donation of a year of service to them and their children is deeply appreciated. We are what is known as "short-termers".
If you ever get an opportunity to go on a missions trip, whether for a few weeks, a year or longer, we would recommend you go. The experience will give you a new perspective on outreach and will change you in many ways. It certainly has been wonderful for us in many many ways
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
February 9, 2010
On Saturday Nina and some of her girl friends from school (GLCA) boarded the metro and went into downtown Lisbon on their own! I never would have imagined such a sceniario when we left Charleston last August. First of all let me say Portugal has a rep for being a low crime rate country. Secondly I made sure she had my cell phone. Thirdly I know the other girls she was with. Still, I felt it was a big step for me, as well as for her. The girls headed downtown to the home of one of the Napalese girls from school. Her parents own and operate a Napalese resturant in Lisbon. Nina is getting quite a cosmopolitan education along with the 3 Rs.
I celebrated my birthday on Saturday by eating lunch while sitting under the lemon tree in our yard...not bad for a February 6! Sorry to all of you back in the states who are digging out of the snow. Spring isn't quite here yet, but we have had some really nice preview days.
We have our first Portugal visitor with us now. Larry Vanderstal who is a former co-worker of Mike's is here visiting us for almost two weeks. We are trying to get him to as many of our favorite Portugese places as possible. It is sort of hard since Mike and I are both working 8-4 each day, but since it is now light longer in the evenings we can do some short trips after the school day is over...and pack the rest in during the weekends. Mike may decide to take a day off this week to get everything in.
We finished our first semester of school and are into the second...time flies when you are having fun. Nina's grades were good but to take the stress off her we suggested she drop her computer aps class. This gives her a study hall everyday instead of just one day a week. She is way ahead in what she knows about computers anyway...it seems the program at CMS has served her well in that area.
Kati has a new student in her class. Sara and her family arrived here from Brazil last week. She and Kati are already fast friends. There are now 4 girls and 1 boy in her 5/6 grade class. Kati loves making new friends and is surprisingly good at it. It is nice to see her going out of her way to make a new student feel welcome and a part of things.
We now have heat and can use our clothes dryer...our latest frustration is that our internet service was accidentaly shut off...so we have been without internet service for over two weeks. Luckily we can use it at school but it isn't as conveniet as having it at home, especially for the calls that need to be made later in the evening (due to the time change). I guess we wouldn't feel like real missionaries if everything was too easy for us.
Later...actually February 11...we finally have internet again...no excuses now! We had two days of solid rain but today the sun is out again...yeah! We put our guest to work. He taught one of Mike's government classes ( that was what he taught when he and Mike were co-workers) and he even subbed for another teacher who had to be gone for most of yesterday. Maybe that is why no one else has come to visit us...they are afraid we might put them to work!
Today or tomorrow we plan to take a sight-seeing trip to Fatima. For those of you who might not have read about it...that is where 3 little girls supposedly saw the Virgin Mary back in the, I think late 1800s or early 1900s. Ever since then it has been a Catholic Shrine. People (Catholics) go there for healing. We haven't been there but our guest, Larry, wanted to go see it.
That is all for now. We will try to keep the blog more up to date...after all we don't want our followers to stop checking in to "what's up in Portugal!"
N
I celebrated my birthday on Saturday by eating lunch while sitting under the lemon tree in our yard...not bad for a February 6! Sorry to all of you back in the states who are digging out of the snow. Spring isn't quite here yet, but we have had some really nice preview days.
We have our first Portugal visitor with us now. Larry Vanderstal who is a former co-worker of Mike's is here visiting us for almost two weeks. We are trying to get him to as many of our favorite Portugese places as possible. It is sort of hard since Mike and I are both working 8-4 each day, but since it is now light longer in the evenings we can do some short trips after the school day is over...and pack the rest in during the weekends. Mike may decide to take a day off this week to get everything in.
We finished our first semester of school and are into the second...time flies when you are having fun. Nina's grades were good but to take the stress off her we suggested she drop her computer aps class. This gives her a study hall everyday instead of just one day a week. She is way ahead in what she knows about computers anyway...it seems the program at CMS has served her well in that area.
Kati has a new student in her class. Sara and her family arrived here from Brazil last week. She and Kati are already fast friends. There are now 4 girls and 1 boy in her 5/6 grade class. Kati loves making new friends and is surprisingly good at it. It is nice to see her going out of her way to make a new student feel welcome and a part of things.
We now have heat and can use our clothes dryer...our latest frustration is that our internet service was accidentaly shut off...so we have been without internet service for over two weeks. Luckily we can use it at school but it isn't as conveniet as having it at home, especially for the calls that need to be made later in the evening (due to the time change). I guess we wouldn't feel like real missionaries if everything was too easy for us.
Later...actually February 11...we finally have internet again...no excuses now! We had two days of solid rain but today the sun is out again...yeah! We put our guest to work. He taught one of Mike's government classes ( that was what he taught when he and Mike were co-workers) and he even subbed for another teacher who had to be gone for most of yesterday. Maybe that is why no one else has come to visit us...they are afraid we might put them to work!
Today or tomorrow we plan to take a sight-seeing trip to Fatima. For those of you who might not have read about it...that is where 3 little girls supposedly saw the Virgin Mary back in the, I think late 1800s or early 1900s. Ever since then it has been a Catholic Shrine. People (Catholics) go there for healing. We haven't been there but our guest, Larry, wanted to go see it.
That is all for now. We will try to keep the blog more up to date...after all we don't want our followers to stop checking in to "what's up in Portugal!"
N
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