Back Home Again

One last Portuguese coffee and Pasteis de Nata

Once again I am grateful for the man made marvel of the airplane.  I do not understand how it can fly so high and stay in the air across so many miles, BUT IT DOES!  I am grateful not for the nearly 15 hours of time in the air, but for the safe arrival back home again. 

It is hard to believe that we were gone for nearly 7 weeks, but the many pictures I took prove I was there.  My heart has been enriched because of those I was able to spend time with.  My life has been filled with experiences I am truly grateful for. 

When in Portugal, people ask me what I miss most from home.  I miss my children.  I miss our silly old cat BT.  I miss so many conveniences I have at home.  And in all honesty, I miss American bathrooms.  That seems rather silly, but one really does become accustomed to simple conveniences and familiarities that make life so easy. 

When I return home, I think about what I will miss in Portugal and France.  I will miss our dear friends, old and new.  I will miss the rich worship experienced in the two churches we attend there.  I will miss working side by side with M in her kitchen and always learning new things.  I will miss the round-abouts that make driving to places so much easier without all the stops and stop lights. 

I have realized that by being away and “missing” what is behind you, is what you look forward to when you return.  I am grateful to be home again, but I look forward to the next time we travel to Portugal and France.  

Our journey....

Leaving SD July 8

Our Anniversary July 19

Leaving Lisbon August 27

And what a good journey it has been!!!

Two Groups of People

There are two groups of people that I have come to love and each time have a harder time saying goodbye to. 

One group I shared with you in a previous post, the individuals that make up the church in Massama.  (See the sardine BBQ post.)  Because it is August and many of the Portuguese people take vacation either the entire month or at least several weeks during this month, the group was small.  The people go and come back as the month of August progresses.    

Massama  Sunday service

Pastor J

Massama 

O, sharing from the
Word

Worship and fellowship together was warm and sincere as they gathered each Sunday afternoon.  Working together and meeting together throughout the week binds this group tightly. 

On this trip I had the wonderful experience to learn to know R a bit better.  She is a young woman – a wife and mother of two teen boys – and a true servant in the church and in her community.  R speaks only Portuguese with a few words of English.  My heart was drawn to hers as we worked side by side several days on a project of the church.  Her love and worship of her Lord is evident to all she is in contact with.  Thank you R, for enriching and blessing my life so!  I look forward to our next time together. 

R and myself - Portuguese and English Bibles open together

The other group of people are the individuals that together make up the church in Loures.  Many of these lovely people we have known since our first trip to Portugal years ago. They have warmly welcomed us into their midst and lives.  They always greet us with smiles and “beijos e abracos” (kisses and hugs) and want to know when we will be back.  Their worship is joyful and energetic and fellowship is affectionate and authentic

 each week. 

Loures Worship service

Baby dedication at Loures

Pastor M

Both groups are distinct, both are warm and welcoming, and both seek to share their love to God with others. 

Sundays as we spent one last time together, I again realize that there is a wonderful familiarity, genuineness and love that I will miss.  I look forward to seeing those I know when we return and also those I have yet to meet. 

I can’t end without expressing my gratitude to O & M, two people who spend countless hours and days loving and giving to the people of Portugal.  All that know O & M respect and love them deeply.  We are honored to call them “friends”! 

Muito obrigada, O & M!!!

O & M

More Than Candles Burning

A short stop and time at a place that always causes me to stop and think…

and to pray… Fatima.

Fatima is a very important place for many looking for spiritual renewal, strength and forgiveness.  In short, Fatima is a place that three children are to have seen the Virgin Mary appear to them and reveal various secrets.  See www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/tsfatima.htm and htttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Fatima

for a more detailed story of the event. 

Each time I have visited Fatima, I leave not really knowing what to think or feel.  Similar to my previous blog on Santiago de Compostela, people are coming to find something within themselves.  But unlike Santiago which was a place of celebration, Fatima has a solemn and serious nature as people of all ages come to pray to Mary for all aspects of life.  Many come laboring on their knees, taking the path to the chapel and back.  Others come for mass.  And many more come to offer prayers with candles.  The larger the candle, the more serious the prayer. Candles in the form of body parts can also be purchased to offer as prayers for a particular illness for someone.  The fires burn the candles with intense heat and the smoke is thick.  And still the people come close.

Fatima

Fatima - large square and paths 

Candles burning

Candles - various shapes

Thick smoke from burning candles

Chapel 

Place Mary is said to have appeared to the three children

Cathedral

Inside cathedral

Painting of Mary's appearance at the front of the cathedral

Around the corner are the electric candles.  Simply put a coin in the slot and a candle lights up…  but there is no heat or smoke.  They are not used much.  It seems all want to “feel and see” that their prayers are really being heard. 

Electronic candles

Every time I leave Fatima, I feel confused.  On the one hand, I have great personal difficulty with paying homage to Mary and anything that lessens Jesus our Savior.  On the other hand, I see people with great sincerity grappling with personal problems in the only spiritual way they know.  I want to be very careful to not criticize too quickly what I see in other countries.  I have learned to love and respect the Portuguese in many ways over the years and Fatima has a very deep and mysterious hold on the people of this tiny country.  They feel Fatima is something they can hold on to tightly as belonging to them, it is unlike anything I have seen or experienced in the US.  I am saddened to see the abundant commercialism that surrounds Fatima and takes advantage of so many visiting.  

Many many trinkets and images sold in numerous booths

Candles for purchase

It is a powerful and insightful place to visit, walk through and experience.  It allows me to be deeply grateful to God for the privilege of knowing Him and His Son, Jesus Christ personally.  I can pray, knowing my prayers are heard.  I am grateful that my relationship is much more than candles burning.  

A Quinta in the Douro

I have to share about a place we visited only briefly, for an afternoon and one night.  As we traveled back home from Spain, we drove through the Douro, the northern part of Portugal east of Porto.  The Douro is a mountainous region in which grapes are grown for the delicious wine Portugal produces. 

The views are spectacular as the vines and quintas or farms, seem to cling to the mountain sides in.  I am familiar with vineyards and the many acres of grapevines I grew up around in the midst of in the central valley of California, but these vineyards are planted on the sides of mountains, terraced with stone walls.  Olive trees are interspersed with the grape vines causing a beauty almost indescribable. 

The grapes, as in California will be harvested in the next weeks producing wines and ports that we have come to enjoy very much. 

The quinta we spent the night at was built in approximately the mid 1800's by a Viscount, and was an official government residence.  A relaxing afternoon at the pool overlooking a valley of vineyards, rooms that had originality and character, a breakfast that was so delicious, and a walk through the main house (I need to say "palace"), and many huge banquet rooms used currently for numerous  weddings, filled our short stay.  As we enjoyed our morning walk around the quinta, we realized it was much larger than we thought when we first arrived.  

Again, words are hard to describe what my eyes and senses experienced.  A few pictures will have to do… Enjoy!

Douro region

Terraced vineyards with stone walls

Vineyards and olive trees

Arriving at the quinta

Long driveway.... lined with apple trees

Welcome!

Our rooms in the former stables/out building/work area

Our room, beds upsatairs

O & M's room (notice wine and olive oil press to the left)

Quinta gardens



Walking down to the pool



Arbor -- almost ripe



View from pool area



View from the porch

Inside one of the many living areas inside the Quinta

Small chapel

Quinta in middle of picture (all the buildings)