tImE 4 cOnTeMpLAtIoN

LOUVA A DEUS !!! (praying Mantis)

fEw dAyS iN pOrTo...

I went to Porto last week for a few days to visit my family :-) and also to take Emma to the airport... God is leading us into a much deeper relationship... that's so cool ... she's my best friend, my prayer partner, my journey partner, my sister... in good and bad moments...I´m so thankful for her in my life...

Joshua and Nelson  are getting cuter and cuter...look at them !!!

Edna is a great and proud mom, and Paulo is an amazing dad...Pamela also came for the weekend to see her little brothers...she was all excited telling me that she was dressed in white because that was the worldwide day of Peace...she's so sweet...and she has such a great heart ! this girl is going to make some noise in this world, I tell you...

And I also took the opportunity to get my second tattoo, eh, eh...I will not post any pictures yet, because it's not totally finished ... it will need maybe 2 more sessions...Ouch !!!
but it's amazing already !!! Paulo is a great tattoo artist...I give him an idea and he just does it...


I'm back on the land now...actually I'm in Fundao today to make some stuff and go shopping...our cats and dogs are desperate for food...yes, now they're a lot...Mishu and her 3 kittens (and I think she's pregnant again...oh, no...I'm going to check today for a vet to sterilize her...we can't handle more kittens killing all other animals )...Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer already addopted us as their family and Violeta seems to go the same way...Juran brought her for Bruno's sheep, but he never comes to pick her up...Oh well...They're all free anyway, which is good... we basically just feed them when they come around...
This land is a shelter for all those who need a family...even animals !

ViLlaGe pArTiEs...

During the whole month of August until the end of September all the surrounding villages have their local "festas" /parties... it's often around their patron "saint" or a "theme"... It´s really a family gathering where those who are working abroad get to see all the family and spend money on various things to support those who stay here the rest of the year... There is a special mass dedicated to the "saint", there's a lot of food and drinks, and also folk portuguese music...we call it "pimba" music here, and they mostly have really bad quality and awful lyrics...

There is so many other good traditional music and songs, but the "pimba" music is catchy and cheesy, and that´s what people like... everyone has their preferences...

At least the ones who don´t understand portuguese are lucky this time...

Some may say this is a local folk tradition, but excuse me, it´s more like "rural pop" for me...

This has nothing to do with tradition... if we think of some portuguese music, it has nothing to do with this... In this region of Beira Baixa they have some good drum players, the shepherds with flutes and even bagpipe flute, the "adufe" usually played by women and the "beirã" guitar...There are also folklore dances with nice songs, usually connected to the land... 

Then we have the students, scholars, poets, artists and revolutionaries from the 70's: Zeca Afonso, Janita Salome, Julio Pereira,Jorge Palma and others...

 

where are the revolutionary songs which used to give worth and value to the rural people and their important role? 

songs that would awaken people to fight for their rights, instead of just making them numb and quiet with pretty boys and pretty girls, alcohol and other distractions...

These "pimba" bands are no more than a great business...and it's sad that people think they need these "modern" bands to show they are "evolving"... Even university students support these bands...where is this country going from here?

I wish we could do something here to really promote the more traditional culture... there's so much richness in each district of Portugal... so many traditional crafts and knowledge being lost... so many good artists which are mostly ignored...

Portugal is not only Lisbon... this is a big lie that was sold a long time ago... There are so many riches in the countryside, and so much better quality life...

It was good to go to Povoa de Atalaia and participate in their "festa", but I couldn't handle it for too long... 

It has been a busy month, and with little sleep at night as almost every weekend there was loud music from every village around... I had to sleep many times with ear-plugs, but that's ok...

It's good to keep traditions...it keeps the culture... but culture is also never stagnant, and organically changing... imagine in some years time more people moving to these abandoned lands, mingling with the ones already here , and a new culture emerging...

 
here is a song I like from Zeca Afonso...
for those who understand portuguese... If you don´t, translate it because it´s worth it :

"Quando a corja topa da janela
O que faz falta
Quando o pão que comes sabe a merda
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando nunca a noite foi dormida
O que faz falta
Quando a raiva nunca foi vencida
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é acordar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando nunca a infância teve infância
O que faz falta
Quando sabes que vai haver dança
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é empurrar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando um cão te morde a canela
O que faz falta
Quando a esquina há sempre uma cabeça
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é empurrar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando um homem dorme na valeta
O que faz falta
Quando dizem que isto é tudo treta
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é agitar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é libertar a malta
O que faz falta

Se o patrão não vai com duas loas
O que faz falta
Se o fascista conspira na sombra
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é dar poder a malta
O que faz falta" 

LoOkiNg a Bit bAcK...

I have more things I wanted to share about the prayer week and some very amazing people who were at the land...

I'll just post some pictures and write some comments... 

this was in the prayer woods and now it became a dedicated prayer space for those who desire some retreat place in the land... I love this part of the land... it´s quiet, secluded, mystical, with a water spring and some big mama Rocks...

This was the day Bart left us...Emma and her "wee" presents...she always makes something for people...often they are like prayers, and very symbolic..that's Emma !

On the same day Anne left as well after so many months here... it was a great time to have her here and get to know her beautiful heart...

Here are Clemens and Kata when we went to the local party in Castelo Novo....it was fun !

Nanette, Bernard, Ernsti and Isa ... they are such great people...all of them...I really enjoyed all the time with them...they are those kind of people that are so easy to love...really ! And being great humans out there in the real world... They are all very political and activists... They are part of the "Speak" network in Germany too... This is the network that Emma participated in its foundation in  London... That´s why I met Emma, and also Louise in the UK, because I wanted to meet this network... The real deal, not just talk...

They made lots of things in the land as well...one of them was cleaning our drinking water spring...here are Isa and Ernsti filling some bottles to take up to the kitchen...

They also extended the cover to collect wood for winter...and they thinned a bit of the woods that needed thinning...

They are such hard workers... Here´s Isa, learning how to use the chainsaw...
I almost have to "force" them to enjoy siesta after lunch and stop working under the hot sun... by the end, the sun wan and they were starting to learn some more about resting!

Their motto could be " If you want a better world, you better start building it..."

"Shantii, Shantii"... it's a word and an attitude everyone could learn here ... including me... That´s an expression that many people use in India to calm people down (mostly westerners) as if saying " It's ok, things will eventually be done in their due time" ...

 And I will add the words of wisdom that say :

 there is time to work, and there is time to rest..."a time to break down, and a time to build up...  it is God´s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil... I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them? (Ecclesiastes 3:13-22)

Time to work,and time for leisure... they discovered this little river "pool" near Castelo Novo and we had some nice times there too...

And Bernard got to make some of his inventions work ... Look at his face here...like a kid !

speaking of children... did anyone lose a teddy bear? this is the sign in our turn into the dirt road on the N18 road to Alpedrinha...I just found this teddy bear with Emma as we were walking to meet the others at the river beach... 

Nanette and Lucy with the kittens... I really have to be careful to check the bags of those who leave...everyone wants to take them  (I´m joking )...

 it was really nice to get to know Lucy as well...also involved in the "Speak" Network...she has a beautiful heart !

and Marcia also came back for one more week... That makes me so happy! She is a sister already from Lisbon...I guess we know each other over 5 years bhy now...but we're getting to know each other better... she's an amazing woman and a very good friend !

The first sunflowers are blooming... with the beautiful yellow fields in the mountains of Gardunha around us !

"nEiGhBoRs aRe mOrE tHaN fAmiLy..."

these were the words of Tia Adelina, our next door neighbour... she's incredible! she lives in Póvoa de Atalaia and has her land next to ours where everyday she goes to water her wonderful vegetable garden... she often gives us the fruits of her labor and she's always giving us good tips on how to plant our own things... she's a widow, and lives with one of the sons, Antonio I guess is his name...she has 2 daughters, one living in Castelo Branco and comes every weekend, and another living in France who comes here maybe at Christmas and family occasions... and there is one more brother living in France and has health issues...she used to have one more son, but he died in a car accident, very unfortunately ... she raised  all 4 of them, from age 8 to 12, until they moved to live with their own family...she had to work a lot she said, to be able to raise her kids...but proudly she said that she provided all their needs and "they never got themselves into big troubles", she said proud of them too ...now she finds herself alone as they all went away to work abroad... this is just one of many stories of the people from Povoa de Atalaia... loneliness is all they have left after a whole life of labor in this land...

Tia (Aunt) Adelina says she's really glad we are living here and she's even considering moving from the village to her land like us... so sweet... she also said that she's sorry that many of those who come to visit me don't speak portuguese...

It is very important that those who choose to live in this land, that they learn the language of those who were here before... Not only the native tongue, but the native ways... how to do things, how to produce the essentials to live from the land... 

Me and Emma went to them in the morning to watch them making "Aguardente", which is like Schnapps from grapes which were smashed before to make new wine...

There was Bruno, her nephew, whose father just recently died... Bruno´s mom, now window... Antonio was also there, one of Tia Adelina 's sons who is still living in Póvoa de Atalaia...

This is how the drink is made...the rest of the grapes, we call "Bagaço", is boiled in this beautiful copper pot that condenses the vapours through a piped spiral that goes through cold water inside a recycled oil drum... the condensation transforms the steam into " Aguardente"... and that's it... after the whole day preparation... It´s a special thing and we felt honored to be invited...

even for lunch for lunch... a nice barbecue with meat, sardines and peppers...
In the meantime the "Aguardente" was ready and we could taste it...well, just a little sip...it's soooooo strong !!!

Everybody left and it was only me, Emma and Tia Adelina... I had a nice conversation with her...well, more like a listening time...she shared her family history and in the end, as we were saying good-byes, she said what I mentioned before, that she really appreciates that we are here... It´s also a way that she feels safe to come to her land everyday.

as tears were almost falling down her eyes I told her that she now has other people´s children just on her doorstep... they just speak some other weird languages, but those who will stay, they will speak portuguese in order to get to know the amazing local people we were fortunate to have...

we 'll see what God has still stored for this place, for these relationships... May He also bring company to some of these old people who feel lonely without their family around... they have so much to give and teach us ... we're very blessed !

sO mAnY tHiNgS 2 sAy...

I don't know where to start...I was just watching the pictures and I realized so many things have happened... I'm only taking the time to process it now... I have to say that these last 2 weeks have been a bit overwhelming for me...

Even though I organize the gatherings, I'm not so good with lots of people around... I love watching everyone excited and hanging out with each other, but I feel I don't have time to be with anyone properly and I tend to hide myself to find a quieter place...oh well...that's me !!! 

Now I'm having some rest...I'm by myself in the land as some went away, others went to Lisbon or Porto... So, it feels nice after the busy weeks...just me and God ...
I've been so blessed with so many beautiful people coming here.... Like Nelly looking at me here at the picture

she just came from Lisbon for a night to see me...and her train even got very late because of a fire on the rail tracks...I was so sorry for her, and Catherine, her friend... they arrived after 11pm and had to go at 1pm next day...I wished they could have stayed longer... but I hope she will come back for longer time...she's studying in the United States, and she was on her way to visit the Borden´s in Tanzania... how I wished to hide in her backpack to go too..

In the meantime we were on the last preparations to start with our week of 24 hours of daily prayer...
A lot of people ended up coming that I didn't even know... I guess it confirmed to me that it was not just one of my crazy ideas, but God´s... with only a few weeks notice and we ended up being more than 30 people... some more germans arrived...a team of 8 people from the organization I served for 7 years also joined us... it was really cool !!! A very interesting mix of people... Ben, Bruno and Marcia from the Matrix family in Lisbon also came with Whitney and Alana, a new family who came from Italy previously
But I better now just post the pictures and comment...it's easier !!!

This was our opening night for the prayer week...my sister Edna came with Paulo, Pamela and my cousins from Castelo Branco, Nela, Catarina and her boyfriend Jorge...

It was so cool to have my family and so many close friends together around the fire...friends who are like family too... we took the chance to remember why we were all here... to pray as Jesus taught us to pray, believing God listens and answers... we shared bread and wine with one another and we had a time of worship and prayer...

The next day was our first day serving the village POVOA DE ATALAIA...the land of the poet...

We went on the way just collecting trash that people dump on the side of the road...it's unbelievable how can people still do that when we already have trash bins in the village...even recycling bins... I guess it's a lack of education on that matter... That was one of the needs we identified that we gladly wanted to be involved...

It was amazing the kind of things we found as well...

Here's Ernsti...almost looking as if he went shopping in a mall 

Funny Bart... he is an angel !

The next day we were cleaning up the street in the village and arranging a bit of the garden... the Mayor, Sr. Rodrigues, gave us some tools for that...

He said something really interesting...he said "- Do you know what I'd like you to do this week?...just reminding people what community is all about... because it seems to be forgotten... everyone just gets in trouble with one another...and most, only come to me to complain"



On saturday we were a lot more...the Matrix from Lisbon arrived...and the team with 8 people from Scotland as well... only a few stayed on the land to cook dinner and water the plants, the rest of us were everywhere in the village... sweeping floors, weeding, arranging flowers and bringing joy... We met Sr. Manuel and D. Maria on their cart while we were walking to Póvoa... They were the ones bringing us joy... 

we didn't have tools for everyone, but we kept working on the garden of the village hall and  cleaned up the school...
we had good fun and then went for an ice-cream at the cafe...

We even had a rainbow... a good sign from the skies ... it means rain is coming...

And it did... Marcia, Alana and Whitney got a bit wet in their tent which had no rain cover... poor ones, they finished their night in the car...

Apart from that it was nice to have a bit of rain...the land needs it, and the plants give thanks... it also cooled down the temperature which was nice for those who are not so used to our heat...

the last day in the village, on sunday, we all went, finished the garden and then had a nice barbecue which was a gift from the Mayor for our service... we made it in front of the village hall and invited whoever wanted to join us...

Juran with Anne and Jonathan...Juran was also making tattoos that night... he's getting so good at it... He has been staying in Porto and living in my sister and Paulo´s house... Paulo is one of the first and best tattoo artists in Portugal... most people know Paulo Ozzy... Juran is learning from him and still finding his own style... Some of us wanted to have tattoos, so we asked Sr. Rodrigues and set up a "studio" inside the village hall...

Bart after getting his tattoo, with the 2 french girls, Lyna whom we met in Israel/Palestine last year, and Cami, her friend from Paris...
the next few days were more relaxed as our service to the village was done...

the sun came back again so we could enjoy a good swim in our big pond...

or a good chill in our hammock...

some of the team from Scotland...

And there were also some good times around the table to chat and pray for each other...

Whitney, Ben and Bruno...

O.k, my battery is almost gone...
There were a lot more nice moments during these days of the prayer week... some really cool sharings around the fireplace ... praying for each other´s nations and regions, and there were many represented here :  Portugal, Germany, Ireland, U.K., France, Brazil, USA and New Zealand...

Shantii