Cyla and Megan O’Brien left early Sunday morning and arrived safe and sound back home Sunday afternoon.
The rest of the team, with the Pavoni’s and half the Shoemakers, attended the same church in Belas as last Sunday, enjoying a lunch together after the service.
We helped put on Belas Connection in the afternoon. Belas Connection is a time for the kids to come play organized football and we use the opportunity to share a testimony or Bible story at halftime. Jacob Sepulveda shared about a recent chapter in his life where everything seemed to be going wrong by human standards. But, by God’s grace, it was a time of pruning and growth in reliance on the Lord and trusting in His plans. Jacob encouraged the children to trust in God’s sovereignty, and engage in their community for support, as God calls us to.
We ended the day with a barbecue at the Pavoni’s with most of their team stationed in Lisbon. It was a bittersweet time for all of us. We are so thankful to have the week we did, but sad to leave. And for most of the team we will continue to walk through those hard things and will need to face them head on when we get home. For the Pavoni’s, these weeks are such a sweet time, but also heighten the longing for the community in Redlands, and can sometimes make it harder after the teams have left.
We headed back to the hotel to pack after a teary goodbye. Most of our team got little to no sleep as we needed to leave the hotel at 2:45 am.
We are still in the middle of traveling back home, so pray for our safety and opportunities to share God. We should all be back home by Monday night.
Please continue to pray for ongoing health issues at the Pavoni’s, for encouragement to their hearts in their personal lives and their ministry. Pray for unity in the long term team so they can continue effectively carrying out God’s will and strengthen the local bodies of believers. Pray for revival in Belas and São Marcos, Lisbon, and all across Portugal. There is a hunger for community and the Word.
Thank you for all of your prayer and financial support to make this week as special as it was.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38 ESV
Portugal Day 8&9
