Day 5: Started the day in the middle. Somehow we all slept until noon, but it's okay because we can still pull the jet lagged card and get away with it. Poor Audry slept until five so Makenzie and I hit the town for a stroll while she rested. Along the way, we were approached by a woman trying to sell us bracelets for charity. She talked to us about the suffering in the world and the sick children who needed our help. I was so proud of Makenzie for taking the perfect opportunity to preach about our own volunteer work as I reached for a "Suffering Soon to End" tract from my bag. After our stroll, we headed back to our apartment and waited for Ellie to get home from work so we could go to meeting.

When Ellie finally arrived, we caught our bus to the Kingdom hall- stopping to view the local culture and the city at night. It was amazing to see the hall! It was literally a door in an alley way that I will never be able to find on my own, tucked far beneath the shadows of the city. The pillars of marble and halls of glass, it was like stepping into a whole other world swallowed somewhere in the pit of the filthy corner of the city. As the brothers and sisters answered, our ears were filled with a plethora of accents from all around the world. It was announced that the congregation of about 40 publishers consists of people from some 19 plus nationalities. We shook hands with people from Germany, New Zealand, Angola and more! Everybody warmly welcomed us to "Macedonia". The feeling of the realization of John 13:35 fill our hearts tonight.

After the meeting, Ellie took us out for the world's best Gelato! We learned a lot on our tour tonight, like how to know when to walk and when to run through certain parts of the city... especially at night. Oh, but how flattered I was when a local man approached me and told me that I spoke Portuguese very well for a visitor. Apparently he liked the way I ordered water and gelato. I am beginning to feel very welcome and wanted here in Lisbon.  Overall, day 5 was amazing and somehow has strung into day 6. First day of service starts in 8 hours! So excited for this, my heart might just explode during the struggle to sleep! Can't wait for the morning!