Well, almost. Mar was in fancy dress as a nun. Possibly the most ridiculous experience I've ever had.
We were going to the airport to see her friend (I have a strong feeling she likes him...) and she wanted to be crazy and be sitting in the airport dressed as a nun when he arrived, to surprise him. In the morning, Joel put more oil in her car, and we thought it was all fine. We headed off down the motorway. Half way there, we start smell burning, and before long smoke is pouring out of the bonnet and into the car. Mar pulls over quickly, starting to panic, grabs her stuff and pegs it backwards. (Remember, she is dressed as a nun!) I tell her it's fine, the car won't explode (although I bring my bag a little bit back, just in cases), and open the bonnet. Bums. The oil cap had obviously not been put back on properly, had popped off and oil had spilled all over the engines and was proceeding to now smoke like a chimney. We gave Joel a call, and he bombed down to us in about 20 minutes. Said it was fine, just stuck some more oil in, and we cleaned up the engine with some baby wipes. He said we could continue (although I thought we needed to wait longer) so we did. About 4kms down the line, smoke starts again, so we pull over again and have a look. Just leftover oil from last time, but the engine refuses to cool down. Joel advises us on the phone to put more water in, but I was convinced you have engine coolant rather than water, and thought the ploace he was saying to put it was somewhere different. After much deliberating, the water went in, but made no difference. We called Mar's RAC equivalent, who found it all very amusing when he eventually showed up. Before he did, all we could do was sit around in the cold outside the car, taking photos of each other, being honked at (Mar - it was one of those fancy dress nun outfits, with a slit up the side, flashing some leg). Absolutely hilarious. The repair man poured a whole load more water into where I'd put some in, so that was good. But it didn't do nowt, because he said the radiator is bust. Rubs. So, Mar was taken to a petrol station to change (her friend was by this time in Porto having a coffee) and then dropped off at Rut's house. I was taken back to the Refúgio with the car, and when we got back I told the guys they were welcome at anytime to come, gave them Reuben's card, he gave me his number. Was great - everything's an opportunity. Joel, Jorge and Tiago were all VERY interested in why the car was towed back, where was Mar, what happened, etc etc! Good times.
That's just been a brilliant end to a brilliant week. So many things have happened. We finished cementing the footy pitch on Friday afternoon which was brilliant (although, we only had a tiny bit to do in the morning, but I'm sure the two guys purposefully did it slowly in order to span the time out till 6pm). Pretty much 'smooth' and level, and all our work is done. Now we wait for the other guys to come and put down the synthetic grass stuff. Very exciting. This is going to be really great for the orphanage - with abit more investment we can get some sort of changing room facilities and so on, and then rent out the pitch to bring a new income to the Home. In Canelas there are two other pitches - mud and acrylic - but the nearest synthetic pitch (which seems to be far more preferable) is near to Penafiel and cost 25€ to hire or something. We'd charge about 5€ or 10€ per hour.
The finished cementingAlso, nine Spaniards from Malaga came to help on a mission trip for 3 days (it's been a special holiday in Spain). They have been so refreshing, and so much fun! I shared a room with their leader - Dani - who is an ex-turned-trainer goalie for Malaga FC! Very exciting. He is such a top chapo. Really energetic helping with the cementing, really kind, very gentle. He reminded me of you, Jonno. One time, one of the blokes doing the cementing was checking out the girls who had come to help. They came near to where we were at one point. He said to me, 'As mulheras, mm' and he said similar to Dani, who then said what I had wanted to say but didn't know how. He swiftly changed the topic from 'those girls' to 'do you have a girlfriend? Why not?' and so on. To banana. The group taught me two things. Firstly, how much I adore short term group mission trips. They reminded me of Hong Kong, Durban, Soul in the City and others all with friends and laughing and loving and serving. Such great community, such great fun. And secondly (perhaps the biggest thing for me) that this really is mission. I guess I'd never thought about it like that. It's difficult to explain, but bassically my only mission experiences have been short term, and since this is so much longer... I don't know. It's felt more like a home than a place I've come specially to do mission. I'm here to be family, which feels different to coming to 'be' a missionary. But then, aren't we all missionaries, whenever we witness for Jesus, wherever we are? Not sure why it's taken me so long to figure this out. Perhaps I thought because this feels more like training than God's final destination for me. Naomi made me view a different perspective and accept the idea that this might actually be the final destination. I've just never seen it as such because my calling has always been to come here to work with the poor - whom I have seen - and I have always assumed this means the materially poor as well and the spiritually. It's complicated. If you want to understand more, feel free to email me or Facebook me or something. I'm still trying to figure it out.
On Wednesday night we had such a moving time, listening to a version of 'How Great is Our God' and watching a cute little video for the children over and over. God really touched my heart that night, and we also watched a video to the song 'I Can Only Imagine' which mostly consisted of exerpts from that documentary about the dad who runs the triathlons with his disabled son. The love overflowing hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was so moved. Such a great time. On Thursday night, with the Spaniards, we had a big prayer session. Three areas - confession (red), supplication (white) and written prayer (blue). Really connecting time.
The Spaniards and me, just after I finished the pitch and just before they left.It was Joel's birthday on Monday. And Margherita's (one of the cooks) on Wednesday! So Wednesday afternoon we had a big spread of food outside for him, and in the evening went to Guita's house for food and drink and stuff with all the Canelas ladies haha! Good fun :) Guita's sister was dissappointed when she found out I have a girlfriend - she wants Marta (her niece) to have an English boyfriend/husband. They really are all like my Portuguese mums ha!
Joel's Birthday PartyAnd we went to a DISCOTECA on Monday night! Epic. Free entry, but you were given a card with the amount of drink you had to buy. I had to get 5€ - Mar said it's because I'm a bloke. Got a double vodka red bull at the end of the night for 5€! Rip off city... Everyone was dressed up - I was a Pharoah and Mar my queen, we had nuns, little red riding hood, someone in blue, and a french maid. There were red indians, monks, cowboys, goths, strange other things, vampires and other ghouls, and even Santa showed up! My goodness it was surreal. Totally different to any club I've been to. Live guy on synths, the place jam packed with middle aged people, everyone dancing together in pairs, doing a special Portuguese dance like a Waltz or something. I tried to learn. Mar and I also got the floor to ourselves at one point, and we canced ALL OVER it, getting some funny looks, for about 4 seconds, before it was flooded with people again, who seem to think they have the only right to be there, and barge into you! This consequented in Mar, myself and one of the other ladies with us being stamped on with stilettos. We left after that. What a night!
A Pharoah, Little Red Riding Hood and a French Maid? It must be CARNIVAL!I have been sent Floyd McClung's book in the post by the great Katie Plumb. Such a great gift - I can hardly put it down. If you can, go and get a copy. It's called Living on the Devil's Doorstep and is one of the most inspiring books I've read! Finished 1 Peter this week, and will spend this next week going back over it. Keep remembering Chapter 1 v 19 'We put our trust in Jesus Christ. And since God raised Christ up from the dead and gave him great glory, we can no put our faith and hope confidently in Him.' Yes yes yes! Also, was reading some of John 7 and 8, which are all about knowing God, and Jesus being sent from God, and his words and teaching not being to further his own status, but to point the way to his and our Father. Good stuff all round.
I hope you're all reading this in good health and confidence. I'm not sure of my work this week, but apparently the rain is coming. Probably a good thing, since my arms are getting a little sunburnt. I know I start my English lessons with the teenagers, which is REALLY exciting. Naomi's been helping me figure out how to do them. Any ideas, anyone?
In some sad news, Vitor will be leaving on Monday. I really like him, and it's such a shame. But it's best for the Refúgio and the other children because he's very disruptive. Hopefully I'll be able to meet up with him at other times or something. I'd like to see him grow in his faith, putting his trust and hope in God and Christ.
Blessings and love to you all. Please keep praying for all sorts. My language skills are improving daily - I can now understand quite a lot, but I don't feel confident enough to speak fluently. I need to shake the nerves of getting it wrong. I will usually sit there for a good few minutes trying to figure out the order of words and so on, and then the moment passes to say the right thing. Please also pray that God clearly tells me what He wants me to do - stay here? go to the slums? work with the homeless?
Do keep in touch - I'd love to hear all sorts of what you guys are doing back in England, in Dubai, in America, perhaps in Hong Kong...
Aidan xxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment