Lisboa

Here we are, three days after arrival, though it feels like a week’s worth of experiences has been packed in to a very short time, and it’s hard to know where to begin.  Because we are being housed in a building that serves as both a theological training center – and a dorm - for Portuguese seminary students, our ICS students are quickly making friends with some of the young men and women who are attending the school.  The evening after our arrival, some of these students treated us to an impromptu guided tour of the local metro train system and trip to a beautiful historical town called Sintra, dating back to the Moorish occupation centuries ago.  The climate and vegetation around us give the feel of Southern California, but the similarities end there.  Lisboa, the Portuguese way of saying and spelling “Lisbon,” is modern, yet has old-World charm; busy, yet slower-paced; the food familiar, but different.  The café (coffee) and pastries beg to be sampled in nearby coffee shops (and have been).

Monday morning, the students began what will be a daily routine for two weeks:  a beginning course in the Portuguese language, taught by a lovely instructor named Minna.  They’re diving in with enthusiasm, and throughout the rest of the day, you will find them practicing what they’re learning with people they meet.  The biggest challenges are the pronunciation rules:  why does that same letter sound like a “sh” in that word, but a “z” in this one? Why learn a language for such a short stay (in case you’re wondering)?  Even a few phrases and words of greeting will help build relationships here and in Portuguese-speaking Mozambique in a few weeks, plus it serves as a language-learning “lab” experience for languages these students will learn in future years.

The schedule for the week includes things like cultural orientation lectures, visits to some local Christian ministries and churches, and preparing for presentations and organized activities that will be carried out later this week.  Our wonderful hostess and organizer, Vicky, is making sure that we don’t miss out on any valuable learning experiences while we’re here.  She and her husband, Tom, are with us almost 24/7 despite their own busy teaching schedules.

We want to share a major concern with you so that you can be praying.  One of our students, Tina, wasn’t feeling very well when she left on the trip, but it seemed like she was on the mend from an ordinary sore throat and would soon be better.  But after our arrival, the fatigue from the travel brought things to a head, and a very sick-feeling Tina had to be taken for medical treatment.  She was tested for, and found positive for mononucleosis.  The best treatment, of course, is rest and being isolated from the group; not anything we would wish for a social, enthusiastic member of our group.  We know that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and we trust Him to show us how best to take care of her.  Tom and Vicky have graciously opened their home for her to stay in for an initial recovery time.  So, as of yesterday, Tina is staying with them, and each day and night, we are rotating one of the other girls from the team to keep her company and to help her get down soothing foods and drink. We are thankful for the loving hands to take care of her and a homey place to stay.