Okay, I really didn't forget. Our internet has been down and we had no internet access!
Anyway, these last few weeks have been great! We took a roadtrip to Portugal to meet with the AYC (American Youth Corps) group that had a 10 day trip to Portugal/Spain. While there we were able to go to 3 churches and I immedietely (sp?) fell in love with the people. They loved us so much and we blessed them so much just by being there. As a gift of appreciation when we left they have each of us a silk flower with a ribbon tied around it. This made me cry. It was just something so small and I know in the states it would've been taken as a joke. But, these people are so poor and they don't have very much so for them to take the time to do this meant so much. As our bus drove away the whole church stood in the middle of the street, okay in the middle of the dirt road that was barely wide enough for our bus waving and blowing kisses. It was the sweetest thing! The country of Portugal still has spiritual strongholds that Spain had years ago. We need to pray for that country. The Collins' are missionaries to Portugal. However, we need more that will obey the call and go. The Collins' in their 60's-70's. They shouldn't be the only ones having to be there...much less alone. It hurts me so bad and I was praying and one of my quizzer friends said she felt a call to Portugal, she talked to the Collins' and she's coming back next year! I was so excited for this news!
We brought the AYC group back to Madrid with us and, of course, they loved it here! Who wouldn't?! We were able to take them to the Royal Palace of Spain where the King and Queen still live. They tour parts of it while they stay in a different part of the Palace. We took them to Toledo and Segovia which are two very old cities. Segovia dates back to 2,500 years back. In Toledo the city still has the old, huge walls up for defense so you can see the whole city up on the hill from miles away because, although you can see it, if you wanted to attack it, you would have an almost impossible mission on your hands!
The AYC group left today and we were all very sad, but we will be able to reunite at Youth Congress which is only 3 weeks away! It was a breath of fresh air for the Next Steppers though. Because we've been touring nonstop with the AYC so Bro. Sones so graciously gave us the day off to do NOTHING! It felt great! Tomorrow starts Week 6 and we will be working for the remainder of our trip and then we head home in 18 days! :)
I think that everyone needs to go on Next Steps at point or another. We have people on our trip from 18-28 singles and a married couple with their 2 year old son, they left the 5 and 6 year olds back home! Even though you don't think you're called to Foreign Missions, soon to be called Global Missions, it doesn't matter. It's a place to get away from all the distractions in the USA, it allows you to go to places with God you never knew existed and it allows you to find your calling in God, if you don't already know it. It's expensive and a major sacrifice but because of that, God blesses it that much more. Really consider it, it's life changing. Thats so cliche but really, I'm not the same person I was when I got here 1 1/2 months ago. Consider it, pray about it, do it! :)
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