Day 6: Our first day of service! Audry and I were so excited and so jet lagged that we did not sleep! It is interesting how service here in the English congregation only meets on Saturdays and Thursdays at 2:30 in the afternoon, so we made plans to meet with another pioneer sister named Crystal at ten in the city square. Oh, how our excitement soon turned into drenched misery! Walking the streets some five miles from home, we got caught in a good old-fashioned, didn't I leave Oregon, downpour. Poor Makenzie experienced the worst umbrella malfunction I think I have ever seen- the gusts of unforgiving wind and buckets of rain left her with nothing but a tangled head of wires and soaked nylon.

So our territory (bottom left picture and the one above) soon became scarce with life as people scurried beneath the ground into the metro stations or ducked into shops along the walls of the buildings that lined the streets. As for us, Crystal showed us the best of both worlds. We hid from the weather in a cute little café within our boundaries, searching for an English tongue and a hot cup of espresso- the ladder of which we found. Taking a few moments to visit and dry off, we soon left the shop and ventured beneath the city into the tunnels of hidden markets (I would have gotten pictures but I was warned against doing such). It's amazing how out of place you feel when suddenly you become the minority- when the world around you is no longer the fishbowl you have always known, Suddenly, the realization of the language barrier dawned on me. These people were not native to the Portuguese language or culture, yet here they were- those from India, the Philippines, China, Africa and more were all there somehow understanding two to four different languages and here we were so absorbed in our cultural comfort zone, unable to communicate with those around us. It was such an eye-opening experience, to envy their ability to learn and adapt to and function in cultures and languages besides that of your own.

Service came to an early end, but the girls and I went back to the apartment and continued our spiritual feeding- after we got into dry pajamas, of course. Studies and looking over territory cards soon came subsided as we awaited for Ellie's return from work. The Hindi meeting was calling us! That was an experience. I remember being so nervous about going to the meeting and not understanding people after being in the tunnels that it almost seemed like a plausible reason to just stay in. But we went! It was amazing to see how, no matter what the language, Jehovah's organization is unified in so many ways. The love for neighbor and for Jehovah is so prevalent despite the culture, the national group, the tongue- and even, as I found out later tonight- the personal background among those serving Jehovah.

After the meeting, the girls and I set off for an adventure in the city. As the events of the night unfolded, all I can say is that I feel even more close to these girls than ever before. Jehovah has blessed me very much with wonderful roommates whom I held in my heart as friends. But tonight my eyes are open to see them in a refreshingly new way- as family. I love my little family and seeing us form right here in Rua de Compolide. It is good knowing that I will take them with me wherever it is we go as individuals come day 89. 

So, day 6 comes to an end. I have my sisters here with me, all safe and read for bed; waiting for our big tour of Portugal with Fabio tomorrow.