Positives from the Day:
Sun in the near future
Beatriz showed us where to find peanut butter!
 my backpack is stocked with literature already
 



Day 12: I woke up this morning with the determination to make this day a good one; rain or shine. We all had service arrangements this morning so we all four set out to the meeting place in Marques de Pombal where we would go our separate ways in the ministry. The pitter patter of rain haunted me as I struggled to get out of bed, but I decided against looking out the window to check for fear that what I saw might discourage me from my zealous ambitions to preach in the streets. As we headed out the door, the rain greeted us softly- which was a welcome relief after yesterday's storm (which we later found out was an actual storm named Stephanie that had blown through Lisbon with a vengeance).
Hiding from the rain with the rest of the city, Tenesha and I decided to do informal witnessing underground in the metro station. We walked the tunnels with our literature, stealthily eavesdropping to decipher the origin of tongues that held conversations around us. Finally, I had found a phrase that caught my ear! All morning we spent in the metro- searching, listening, talking and preparing for the moment when an opportunity arose. In the afternoon, Makenzie and Beatriz had met us in the tunnels and we all headed back to our apartment to dry off and get lunch. Beatriz is known here as the "homeless pioneer" because she lives on the other side of the river and often stays in town all day, busy roaming the streets in service until it is time for meeting. So today, we took Beatriz in and sheltered her from the remainder of the storm that inhabited the world outside. We all enjoyed her company very much. As we sat around the table, Beatriz gave us pointers on how to survive the weather and being on the streets for 90% of our service days. So many things we didn't have! Thankfully, we had Beatriz there to take us out on the town and get us set up for pioneer life; Lisbon edition.
With all our conversation today, I have come up with a new resolution- each night I am going to end the night reflecting on all the positive things that have happened throughout my day. Thinking about it, besides the rain and missing people who are very dear to my heart, absolutely everything about this trip has been positive and faith strengthening- so why should I let the few hiccups overshadow what wonderful blessings we have received?
Today's Positives:
Didn't let the rain stop us from going out and being happy to be out in the search work
Found someone from Germany in the Metro who accepted the magazines and let me share a scripture
Got to hang out with some of the best girls in the world all day
Got a cool backpack and bible cover to get all organized and ready for service, Portuguese style
Feeling all excited for the campaign work in August that got announced tonight
Went to meeting until ten at night and felt nothing but refreshed afterward
And now I sit in a warm and safe bed, sipping warm milk with honey and cinnamon, reflecting on all these positive things and feeling content in my heart. I have been receiving so much encouragement from my friends and family back home and knowing that prayers and support are with us makes each day worth every struggle we may face. Although I miss my loved ones very much and sometimes struggle with the distance between us, I know that Jehovah is blessing every effort I am making to stay strong and focus on growing closer to Him. This is Today's most positive point- the feeling in my heart that comes from this beautiful realization that I am leaving myself and all my worries in Jehovah's loving hands.
Another positive for day 12 is that I get to go out in service again tomorrow! Day thirteen is going to be a good one!

 

 

 

 

Day 11: I woke up this morning to the sound of rain falling and wind angrily blowing outside the walls of this old building. My heart grew heavy with disappointment as I realized that service plans were broken for the day. I don't know how to explain, but something very wonderful happens to one's mental state when kept busy doing the kind of work we were sent here to do. Feeling desperate to go out in service and overwhelmed by the fact that this day might be the day that I literally go stir crazy, Audry, Makenzie, and I decided to brave the mini storm and try our hand at informal witnessing. We quickly learned why exactly it is that the locals choose to stay home or do studies and calls indoors on days like these.

We witnessed the death of many umbrellas on this day- walking past bins full of broken ones left behind by some poor pedestrian who was forced to face the spitting rain face on. As we walked, we saw the damage of the windstorm. Trees lay fallen on the sidewalks, people running for cover and disappearing in the corridors of the city streets. It was as if all life was swept by the wind into the alleys and swallowed by the shadows of doors that remained hidden against the city walls. After about an hour of walking in the miserable conditions, we decided to duck into a café in the heart of Marques de Pombal. We sat, soaked, but relieved to be out of the sideways rainfall. Spending some time enjoying espresso and the shelter, we observed people around us, looking for someone who might speak English. We never did get our opportunity, but we got to enjoy the time together, planning for future days like this and having our literature handy in case the opportunity did arise.

The rest  of our day consisted of cleaning, music, studying, talking, and movies. Recuperating from the weather and preparing for tomorrow's attempt at service. The weather report predicts rain until Sunday, though I hope it stops for us soon. Something about it makes me miss home terribly. For now, though, I listen to it fall as the wind sings outside my window, and I rest for what I hope to be a better day. Day 12, please shine a little sun on us.



Graffiti Wall in town
 



Day 10:   Today was a very relaxing day for us all. Some of us, who shall remain unnamed, decided to sleep in until noon, so our day got off to a slow start. Once the household was awake, we decided to go to the café on the corner of our street and read the daily text together. From there, Audry and I set off for the mall. We had groceries to get, time to kill, so we shopped. It was interesting to see all the European brands and stores- some familiar, some not so much. I may or may not have purchased a Portuguese Kimono type of dress while out, but it made me happy.

After our time wandering, Audry and I met the rest of the girls at home. We ate, did our chores, and then sat down for a night of family worship. It was our first one together, and it went fairly well- after the hour of goofing off subsided and we all focused. The Bible reading proved to be fairly encouraging for us, seeing how Jacob had to flee from everything he knew and survive on his own because it was what he was told to do- we all felt as though we could relate. As far as our own anxieties about being in the unfamiliar- some nights they hit us very hard. The nights when we think we are alone, or the nights that we are reminded about a past mistake and are feeling so desperate and unworthy of the blessings we have of being here, or the nights when memories of unsettling life events creep into our minds and we just wish to be back in the arms of our families. Then I remember the reading and Jacob, the emails I get and comments from people who love and support us very much, the late night video chats while I cry because I fear I have disappointed someone, the smiles on faces in the hall as they warmly greet us, the four girls in this cold house with me... and of course, the one whom we came here to serve and how happy we know He is with us. At the end of the day- this uneventful day- I feel refreshed and ready to face day eleven with a sound heart knowing that Jehovah is my stronghold and everything is going to be alright. Search work tomorrow is going to be rejuvenating in a whole new way!

Gathered 'round the food, hiding from the rainstorm outside

 

Campolide Girls

Day 9: Nine days in to our Portuguese adventure! It is time to socialize with some of the brothers and sisters. We started the morning at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo- the tile Museum in Lisbon- since all Museums are free on Sunday mornings and it seemed like a fun place to go. It was a lot more interesting than it sounds, believe it or not. The artwork on the tile was so intricate and skillfully crafted, the chapels in gold so ornate, the statues so elegantly chiseled. The tile museum proved to be awe inspiring and we had fun goofing off with each other as we roamed the tiled halls- worth every cent we had to pay to get in!

After the museum and lunch, the group headed over to our apartment for games and snacks. As the evening progressed, we became familiar with our friends. People from Germany, Brazil, France, The States, Portugal, Angola- all under one roof, sharing stories, laughing and playing games without a care as to national borders. We learned about each others' backgrounds, our likes and dislikes, our goals- the little things that make us individuals. Overall, the evening was a lot of fun and very relaxed despite the raging storm outside the building. That was pretty much the day in a nutshell. It was a good day, but not overly exciting which was very much appreciated. Tomorrow- we get to sleep in and take it easy! So excited for day 10!

Day 8: 

"A true friend shows love at all times, And is a brother who is born for times of distress" Proverbs 17:17. Service from 10-6, meeting at 6:15, dinner at 10, and picking up our 5th roommate from the airport at 11. No wonder we had a meltdown in the street tonight! The overwhelming feeling of being a fish out of water- swallowed up by the unfamiliar and engulfed by the anxiety of feeling unsure and uncomfortable hit us tonight like a ton of bricks.

The service day began with search work like I had never done before. Walking down streets and speaking in intercoms, asking in Portuguese if any foreigners lived in the building or if anyone knew if there were native English tongues in the area was frightening at first. As the morning progressed, I learned that once you get past the initial frustration and fear of getting a response in Portuguese, search work was actually quite fun and interesting. In the afternoon, I joined a Brazilian sister, Beatrice, for a study with a college student from Greece. It amazed me how much they both knew about history, philosophy, European authors- I felt so uneducated and very small at that moment and time with my limited knowledge of American history and lack of cultural experience. After a while of their "small talk", Beatrice had asked her student, in a friendly and playful tone, when she had planned to come to a meeting. At this, I was shocked to hear the girl's response that she was scared to go for fear that she did not have the proper knowledge! Here she was, quoting Homer and Socrates, reciting political and historical facts like it was nothing but the Bible and the meetings scared her and made her feel uneducated?! Suddenly, I felt a new appreciation for what knowledge and training I do possess. I did not feel so small. Instead, I felt a certain joy and gratitude to have chosen the path that I have and I was excited to show somebody else the way- to teach them about the most important thing there is to learn.

At the meeting tonight, we were all feeling the effects of the full service day- the frustration from the  language barrier, the miles of walking up and down the cobblestone streets, the hours of searching for somebody who could understand us. It is, in the English speaking congregation, the norm to make service plans on Saturday after meetings for the week. This is because the group only meets Thursdays and Saturdays at 2:30 in the afternoon so any other days are up to you to figure out. Such a desperate situation to be scheduling your whole week; bouncing between people you just met and have some degree of difficulty understanding, passing emails back and forth, trying to read territory maps... I'm pretty sure I had a panic attack at that moment and all I could think of were my friends and family back home- the comfortable and the familiar and the loved. 

So, Proverbs 17:17.  As we awaited the bus to take us back to the apartment, I discovered that I was not the only one in a state of panic. We cried, we laughed, but ultimately- we decided that we will get through this together. Our reliance is ultimately on Jehovah, in His hands, and we are here to support each other and grow stronger despite the struggles. We have made it this far- one week down. Tomorrow, I will get to know Tanisha, the newest edition of our small family and we will tour the historic museums with Fabio, Patrick, and Cassio. It will be a fun and promising day; day 9!

Day 7: Today we got to be tourists! A brother from the hall, Fabio, was taking his visiting friend from Germany around the city to sight see and kindly invited us to go along for the tour. It was absolutely beautiful! We started with a late breakfast (we slept through our alarms) at a famous bakery and café in the heart of the city. The pastries were so warm and fresh- with their flaky dough and custard filling- it was a promising start to the day.

As we walked the streets, the six of us asked questions about each other. I learned much about my new friends and what it is like to grow up in Europe where it is so easy to travel to many different countries and to become so culturally experienced. All the talk of places around the world had intensified my desire to continue traveling so much so that I fear I have created a monster within myself. Europe, Africa, Australia... I want to see it all! But the cobblestone streets of Lisbon, Portugal lay beneath my feet at this moment and I am so intent on absorbing every part of here and now while I can.

Sorry this entry isn't as long or descriptive as the rest but pictures are worth a thousand words so here is day 7 https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.contreras.336/media_set?set=a.617177561683295.1073741830.100001731692011&type=1 The monuments, the statues, the friends, the castle! Lisbon to the best of my abilities. But it is only the seventh of many days to come. Tomorrow we head out for a full day of service and then meeting at 6:15! Day 8, here we come!

 

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.