"Creo En Ti...."

Hello All! Beth again... If you couldn't tell before, I have found that God has blessed me with this innate desire to write and write and write while in Spain. Never before have I had a desire to write as much as I do on this blog and in my journals! So, I will write a bit of what I am experiencing!!

Day 8 brought about the pleasant surprise of Melanie and I taking a short jaunt to the store - by ourselves!! Our first "solo flight!" How wonderfully liberating it is not to feel like a tourist for just a few moments. To say - I need to go to the bank, and then actually walk out the front door with my friend and go down the street to the nearest bank was so refreshing!! Going to the bank - such a simple and mundane task in America, has brought so much purpose to my life after I have needed to depend on everyone else for the last 2 weeks!! I LOVE THE BANK!!! :-)

And so, Melanie and I walked down the street. Everything was going along well and the bank trip was quite a success. And then - BAM! - back to "Americans in a foreign country” mode. We just wanted to buy a phone card...it shouldn't be that difficult, right? Yeah....somehow, it was. Finding the store was not the problem. Getting IN the door, yes - that is where we struggled. We pulled, and it didn't open. Pulled again because maybe the first time was - wrong? Pulled 1 last time for good measure - nope...not happening. Now, we had officially identified ourselves as "Gringos" to everyone inside the VERY OPEN store, and everyone walking by. Awkwardness ensued as we stood outside the door waiting to figure out what to do. It wasn't time for Siesta (Yes, they have those here - from the hours of 1-4 or 5:30 depending on when the locals decide to go back to work), and people were inside the store, but why wasn't it open?! So, we waited, until a random person walked right up to the door, and - PUSHED - and entered. A brief look of "Oh Man...Why didn't WE do that" and then we just followed. As I went to buy the card, the man at the counter said "Yes, I can speak English" even before we asked him to...Oh the joys of figuring out life overseas.

Next up on the list of New and Exciting Experiences – Team Spain’s debut on the RADIO!!! Saturday afternoon, we were taken to the local Christian radio station, (which happened to be located in the very back of a used furniture store) and given a 1 hour time slot in which we talked about our ministry here in Spain, politics (whenever anyone finds out we are from the US, they ask us if we voted for Obama…yikes), and the spirituality of The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus, and whether or not we will ever live in Spain on a more permanent basis. I must admit that some of the questions were a bit nerve-wracking, as I don’t typically enjoy discussing politics with my friends, so thinking about discussing it with people I didn’t know had me shaking a bit, and the girls did a wonderful job of handling The Jonas Brothers question, as I don’t really know ANYTHING about them! Apparently the message we brought, which was that we came to Spain to serve the people and to bring a little bit of God’s love to them, was just what they needed to hear. Someone actually called the Pastor’s house and said that the message was wonderful and was so thankful for our presence in Spain. We later found out that the small radio station was broadcast throughout Barcelona City, the entire district of Barcelones, the entire District of Catalunya, Girona and Madrid. I personally am so grateful that I didn’t know that going INTO the station or my nerves would have gotten the better of me! As it is, I nearly broke the girls’ hands as I was holding them so tight! :-)

Exciting News: We were blessed on Sunday, to have a 45 minute conversation with Chad, as he sat in a coffee shop in China. We attempted to set up a time in which we as a group could talk to them as a group using web-cam, however due to the time difference and not knowing the daily schedule, it didn’t work out this time. It will eventually though!!

Monday’s are our “days off,” however this week our day off consisted of MANY different activities. I spent the morning chauffeuring one of the Pastors from Honduras, Jose Luis and his wife Rosario to the airport. – yes, more driving. (Its getting better now...i might even pass as a European driver much to the chagrin of the girls who reminded me they have to ride with me when we get back to the states...) Sarah and Audrey packed their suitcases (again) and prepared to move (again) to their “new” home! Melanie stayed busy making breakfast for the group. However, before breakfast could be made, the girls were made aware that there was “nada en la casa para desayuno” (nothing in the house for breakfast). This resulted in an impromptu trip to the grocery store down the street. They were told it opened at 9, but in reality – it opened at 9:15 – so 15 awkward minutes outside standing on the street corner. (We seem to find ourselves doing that more often lately…) Once inside, the girls were accosted by a woman yelling at them in RAPID Spanish that there was “NO BREAD!!” Apparently, she was upset…at them? At the store? Who knows… Otherwise – uneventful beginning to an eventful day. The most important task accomplished was the purchasing of winter coats. Prior to coming to Spain, we were under the impression that it was warmer than Pennsylvania at this time of year – even if it is still “invierno aqui” (winter here). However, we have found that the combination of wind, rain, and unexpected hail storms have combined to make a winter jacket quite necessary. We have also found that you can peg an American a mile away – they just don’t wear the same things. We have wanted to discard our warm sweatshirts and hats, for something more “fashionable”. Alas – for monetary reasons, we will remain “frumpy”.

Now, for those moms out there who might wonder if we are eating well - um, the answer would be...YES. Everywhere we go – we eat. And we eat well. We eat Honduran, we eat Algerian, Chinese, Japanese, Albanian, Argentinean and even McDonalds which classifies as an entire food group in itself – grease. Whole chickens – check. Fresh salsa and tortillas – check. Potatoes and vegetables – check. Rice and seafood – check. Thank goodness for needing to walk everywhere. It’s helping with the digestion of the massive meals.

Along with eating all the food, we also get to cook it!! That has always been an interesting task, as for myself, I'm used to an oven. But here - no such luck. Oil or Microwave are the two options. One afternoon, irma bought a WHOLE chicken...now you are probably wondering the SAME thing I was: How on EARTH do you cook a whole chicken iin oil, or in the microwave!? She made it work, and taught us the same process so by the time we come back - we will have a recipe book as well!!! :-) Our favorite job is making French Fries - they taste like Fair Fries (french fries from a fair). Meals are often so varied here but they are always so colorful: Desayuno (Breakfast) is usually Bocadillos (sandwiches made with Grilled Pork and cheese) and Cafe con Leche, Almuerzo (Lunch) is usually HUGE, chicken and potatoes etc., and Cena (dinner) - tapas are common:-)

Okay, so I must be off to help Melanie make Bocadillos. As I write, Sarah and Audrey are on the Metro traveling to get here! :-)

"Creo en ti,

Creo en ti,

Creo en ti el hijo de Dios

Me has dado la vida

Nadie puede salvar

Solo Jesús."