mOuNt oF oAks cOmMuniTy...tHe viSioN...

finally the time has come to define what this place is all about...what God has been putting in our hearts even before we came to know this place called "Mount of Oaks"... a vision that got matured with time...
I'm working on a new blog just for the land and the community as I feel it's already having a life of its own, and I'm not the only one anymore to be committed on a long term basis...
At the moment there is me, Ton (who was before in India for 10 years, starting an Ashram in Delhi), Josh and Rosie (an english couple I met on a rainbow gathering who were looking for a piece of land to develop their knowledge on permaculture and live together with other people), Marcia (who's now in Mexico, but soon will come back), and Carli (who came to stay with us for 1 year, but is considering extending that time)...
Of course these are the residents at the moment, but I have to say that the community as a family has many others more who are all over the world...some visit regularly, some pray faithfully, and so many contribute to our "magic hat" to provide for our different needs...
we gathered recently when Emma and Juran were also visiting (they are definitely part of this family) and I presented the vision God had matured in my heart during these last years... it testified in all of our hearts, so we thought it would be nice to share it with others and make a new blog for the community...so...

THE VISION

a MONASTIC, LIFE GIVING, ECO-COMMUNITY

that's the title I put above the picture I draw...I'll explain each part of the picture soon, but I want to bring some ideas first about these 4 concepts :

MONASTIC - ...in the world, but not of the world...
...reaching a balance between prayer, work, rest & fellowship
...an holistic & organic vision, where everything plays its part in order to function as a whole...we can see things separately, but we cannot really separate one thing from the other...

LIFE GIVING - ...Centred on/in The Giver of Life : GOD

ECO - ... in harmony with all creation...

COMMUNITY - ...being a family...
...inward and outward focused...
...caring for one another and those around...
...inclusive, and not exclusive...

Lets see the picture now and the different parts of it ...


-> THE ROOTS...THE FOUNDATION... what really sustains the whole vision...

- PRAYER, SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN GOD :

*Daily & seasonal rhythms of prayer, fasting, meditation and contemplation
*A place for individual & community prayer (communion with God)
*A place to seek God's presence
*A place for rest & healing (body, soul and spirit)
*A place to pray for others
*Keeping a network of people who pray for the land and community

-> THE TRUNK... what holds it...

- THE CORE COMMUNITY OF LONG TERM NURTURERS :

*A place for intimate fellowship...being a family
*A place to grow with each other in character (healing & Transformation)
*A place to find out more about who we are, developing our gifts and talents
*A place of grace & acceptance of who we are and how we are

-> THE BRANCHES... 4 different expressions ...

- NURTURING THE LAND : developing permaculture, self-sustaining living

*Farming : veggies, animals
*Trees
*Crafts : wood, wool, leather, clay, metal, glass, baskets, etc.
*Use of natural resources for energy (sun, wind, water)
*Transforming products (drying, dairies, flour, bread, jams, soaps, medicines, etc.)
*Rest the land and animals (& people), one day a week, one year every 7th.

- NURTURING PEOPLE :

*Provide hospitality, rest, healing & retreat places
*Provide fun :-) for children and adults :-)
*Provide opportunities for people to serve as volunteers
*Serve the villages around (24-7 prayer/service week & other ways)
*Hosting workshops & Seminars : Permaculture, Music, dance, etc...
*Hosting School groups (educational)
*Going to Markets, fairs and Festivals (ways to share)

- SEEKING JUSTICE :

*By the way we live and how that affects others, both locally and globally
*Networking with other communities for a fair exchange of products
*Developing ways to support communities, projects or individuals in poor countries :
-sharing our experience on self-sustaining living
-sharing with others their projects&needs (visiting as well)
-sell their products at fair prices & send them money
*Giving part of what we produce to those in need
*Offer space & voice for organizations/associations or individuals who seek justice, both locally & globally ("social fair" at prayer week or other events)

- MULTIPLYING : by being a model ...

*Encourage and support others to do the same in other places
*Move to others places to start the same kind of community, or visit frequently those in pioneering stages
*Praying for more communities to start or for those who are already starting
*The goal is not to grow big, but to grow strong and steady in our values...being a model to be multiplied :-)...


...trees bear fruits with seeds, to produce the same kind of trees... but of course, there will never be 2 trees who look exactly the same ...

This is also a vision I got before I went to the land... a network which I believe God is building, between Eco-villages, Urban monasteries, and the many pilgrims who pass through both of them all over the world...I see this happening already...and more is to come !!!

gEt rEadY fOr lOtS oF nEwS...

O.k, you probably noticed that I've been rubbish in what comes to update my blog :-/ sorry about that !!! so, I'll start from the latest one and go as far as the last post goes ... veeeeeery far !!!
You might have noticed in this picture that my car doesn't look soooo good... well, I had an accident on the high way...I was coming from Porto, where I took Emma to the airport, and it was around midnight...I suddenly lost control of the steering wheel, thank God I was not going fast cuz, besides being supper foggy, I was already sensing the car was not in such good conditions... I was praying already, so there must have been some angels around the car at that time...I don't know how I got to deviate from the right barriers, then went to the left ones, then spun, and stopped turning backwards on the fast lane..wow (Emma would say)...
I 'm glad I'm not one of those dramatic persons that gets over panicked :-) I was calm all the time...
After the car stopped I stayed inside still thinking what would be the next thing to do... maybe call somebody...I was looking for my mobile which was over my lap, but I couldn't find it...actually, all my things inside were out of place...no wonder...I went out of the car to look for the mobile phone underneath the seat, but still didn't find it...
I waited a bit more, thinking what to do...Hmmm, I had my lights off, maybe it would be a good idea to check if I could turn them on...I was parked on the fast lane...great !!! Lights were ok... "Maybe the car still runs" I thought... and it did...
Cool !!!! I turned on the car and kept driving with the hazard lights on... the car was working, wow !!! I still drove about 15 km , trying to get to the next gas station...but it was not feeling so good...so I pulled over and waited a bit more, thinking what to do... I got off the car, put on my "cool" fluorescent vest, and found the mobile phone, in the back, behind my seat...
I didn't know which number to call for the high way assistance, so I thought about calling Emma first cuz I knew it was about that time she would get home after a whole day travelling... and it was just about the time she was getting in home... I told her about it and asked for prayer...after I hung off , the High-way Assistance Car came by... perfect timing !!!
O.k, I explained the guy what happened...he asked me if I had Assistance with my insurance...I checked...I had, so I called them to send a tow car...I waited till it came...then I waited again till the taxi came... I had to go to the land on a taxi...that was funny...I was maybe 200 Km far ...so I arrived around 5am... had a nice conversation with the taxi driver who was curious to visit the land one day :-)
Anyway, I didn't got any damage, thank God !!!... but the car is now in a garage in Povoa de Atalaia and today I'm gonna figure out how much the repair will cost... It doesn't look so bad, but there's lots of things on the outside to be replaced... so, I guess it will be a bit expensive... If anyone would like help on that, I would be really thankful !!! Cuz the car is still useful in the land... let me know if you can help ...


Ok,CHANGING THE SUBJECT NOW...going a bit before that incident ... On the 1st of November I completed 34 years of my LIFE... Yes, I'm glad to be alive still...even though I don't mind dying ...really...when it comes it comes, I will be happy... so, If by any chance I go before you, don't forget to celebrate it ok ?!!! I mean it !!!
Anyway, I had a lovely time in Moses with Emma and the Winters (Andrew, Vonny, Joshua,Elouise, and of course Moses, the dog) ... An amazingly beautiful quiet place... Not many, but very good friends...all that I wished at that moment... we had lots of times laughing and goofing around the fire place... telling jokes and stories of all sorts... the wine was good as well :-) we drank quite a lot...
The next day was pretty relaxed as well... still around the fire... eating, chatting, sleeping, resting, painting... just what I needed... Wow, I Love Moses (the place)...Wow, I love Moses (the dog), Wow, I love the Winters (the family)...Wow, I love life... this was our main joke, making fun of Emma (not to speak about her Irish accent), cuz she loves everything, and everything deserves a good "Wow"... Wow, I love Emma... she spent almost a month at the land and it was so good for everyone of us... we all love her...and she's a missing part of this community...but it's not her time to come yet...

Andrew's rustic style wine opener ...well, Jesus's style...with his carpentry tools :-)...Vonny always wanted to marry a carpenter like Jesus...there you go !!! she met Andy :-)eh, eh... they told us their love story too...but I don't have permission to publish it here :-) but a beautiful one I would say :-) !!! I love you guys... I'm so thankful for this friendship....it's like we know each other for years... I like that...

How to pack a tent that sets up in 5 seconds...

well, it can definitely take more than half an hour... better do it by yourself than ask for help...2 people trying to interpret the instructions can lead to more confusion :-) eh, eh,eh... I just had fun watching !!! didn't help much either :-) but in the end they managed !!!

the toilet..."poo with a view"...and what a view !!! Isn't Moses beautiful !!!


the weekend before that we had a whole crew from Lisbon coming to help us START WITH THE OLIVE PICKING... we're nearly finished by the way... The Hurst's came, The Uhler's, the Farmer's kids, Jasmin and others kids ... it was a great time...and it was the first time that Marty and Carey came to visit Carly, their oldest daughter who came to stay for a year with us... I love her and I'm so thankful that she's here... she's so gentle, quiet and tender... and so gifted as well... she's amazing...I'm looking forward to get to know her better...I know already that she's an amazing person...

Carly and Jas...

Carey sorting out how to lay the nets :-)...

Me and Jas... It was so nice to be with her, pray with her...oh , and laugh with her... we literally laughed for more than 15 minutes...you know when you can't just stop :-) it was so fun !!! It has been long time since I laughed like that... I love Jasmin...she's such a dear sister !!!

Carly and one of her "babies"... she's been amazing in this last month taking care of 2 little puppies Ton found abandoned in the forest...she's learning lots about sacrificial love...and we 've been learning with her ...wow...she hardly slept the first weeks...waking up every 2 hours to feed them with sheep milk that she went to pick in our neighbours... wow, she's amazing !!!

here, with the one she's keeping for herself !!!


LETS GO TO ANOTHER SUBJECT NOW...
Just before olive picking we had with us an amazing group from Ywam Scotland... Tim who has been last year during the prayer week brought with him a funny group...at least by the names they would call themselves you will think they're funny... Ling-Ling, Din-Ding, Bo-Bo, Bug and Jeff (which was sometimes George as well) ... eh, eh,eh...
Now we use to remember them when we accidently hit our hanging pots...Ling-Ling, Ding-Ding...then we had the rest "Bo-Bo , Bug, Tim-Tim AND Jeff " ...
But they were not only fun... they came to serve us in many other different ways...
I remember many beautiful times in the morning at the prayer shelter... it's so nice when we feel like family with people we hardly know... It was nice to pray with them around the land, together with the ones who came from Lisbon for the olive harvest... we re-dedicated the land back to God, remembering His faithfulness and that He alone is the centre of this beautiful place...
they came to work hard as well... they started our washing dishes place, and cemented our floor in the kitchen...amazing work guys !!! they stayed for about 10 days... and it was such a blessing to have them around...and I 'm sure it was a blessing for them as well...

me, carly and Christian carrying stones on our "super car"...well, he's not so "super" at the moment as you know... it was useful !!!

ton, the "chef"... he went now to India to meet with some old friends, but will be back in December... he's our favourite cook ... as he says he's too old to carry stones !!! Thanks Ton !!!

"Bug" on the preparation of the floor for the "washing dishes place"... we need to give it a better name...like the "treasure island" for our junk shed...

Breaking the floor in the kitchen...me and Bug handled it !!! strong women !!! full power !!!

A little detail...Nonolito feels at home...:-) that's what it means when they lay down and relax... I love him...he's so sweet...and I miss karmit !!! :-/ I'm sure he misses her too...sometimes I sing one of her songs to him , and a tear falls from his eye :-(

Tim finishing the kitchen floor... great job brother Tim !!! and all the others of course who made the cement, even in the dark...

Jeff preparing the floor outside...

And... the floor is finished :-)

Fiiiu!!! And I finished with this post...
I hope I don't take so long to write next time... sorry about that... I also started my "winter" season... so is time to recluse and be more introspective... so , don't worry if I keep some silence .. I need that at the moment !!!

hArd 2 sEe tHeM gO...

Many people passed by this summer, but some really touched my heart in a very special way...
I've been experiencing this lately :
it's good to feel the pain when someone dear leaves... it means I love them.
I just wanted to share a bit about some of those, who left an eternal mark in my heart...
Márcia became a real sister to me during the time she spent here...she came in January and we really became close friends...I cannot describe how much she means to me...she was my friend in good and bad times, my prayer partner, my faithful supporter when it became too hard for me to handle the things I was holding...and a real servant in this place...everyone would say how wonderful and amazing she is...how dear and cheerful... I'm already missing her laugh...and what a graceful heart...I miss her presence...
she's now in Mazatlan, in Mexico, for her 6 months discipleship training with YWAM... be praying for her, that God would fill her heart constantly and show her all the things He has stored for her...you can check her news on her blog (in portuguese)...and pray for her finances too as she still needs 1000E to pay till the end of November.


Uria and Titeli...what a lovely couple...They spent 2 or 3 months with us, I don't remember, but it seemed like a really long time anyway...we immediately connected with each other...I have several memories of precious moments with them : celebrating the "Sabbath Shalom" at our prayer shelter (they are both Israelis)...hearing both of their beautiful voices... a night in the "sweat lodge"...both of their incredible smiles :-)... Uria's silly songs in the morning :-)...Their JOY, their LOVE...Their devotional hearts towards God...Uria's prompting to help and make many new things in the land... listening to their dreams about having a community in his home town near the Galilee...Anyway, these were just moments... what really touched me was their hearts...where words mean nothing and a simple look in the eye says everything...
Uria left much earlier because he had his flight back confirmed (I had to hold my tears as he was leaving, and that was weird)... Titeli stayed few more weeks... And on that time our relationship grew even closer... I have sweet memories of times we chatted and prayed together...and I have the most beautiful pictures stored in my mind of those moments... :-)...not to share, sorry !!!
Every time I prayed with her I sensed this immense Love that God has for her... :-)
I surelly miss them a lot...but strangely I feel so close still ...
I would like to go and visit them in Israel next year...they will join a 3 month Walk about Love , backpacking from south to north of Israel with people from all nations...but I'll write about that another time...

And finally Karmit...here in this picture, in the middle, between Titeli and Inbal...the 3 Israeli joyful girls :-)...
Karmit was another very special person who spent more than a month here, but it seemed much more...I felt a special connection with her as well...somehow she reminded me of myself, maybe 12 years ago :-)...she's maybe 10 years younger than me anyway...but I don't know why... it reminded me of my time traveling alone in India...
it was funny the way she came...
I got a call from a woman at the turist information in Fundao (the nearest city)...she told me there was a girl with a donkey looking for a community, and the only community she knew around here was ours...eh, eh, eh...isn't that funny?!...so she came and immediately we all loved her...it's not hard anyway...she's just a lovely person...very simple...always willing to help...and with a beautiful childlike heart...

she was traveling in Morocco for 3 months with another donkey...then she came here and got offered "Nonolito" in Algarve (south Portugal)...she was traveling through the mountains already for 3 months till she got here...It was funny the stories she would tell us about people who asked her why she would travel alone with a donkey...why this?...why that?...a lot of times she thought she might be crazy... but she was happy to know people on the way who would encourage her...
A prophet of the new days I would say... carrying the message as a lifestyle...


As "Nono" is a bit old already, she asked me if she could leave it here with us...Tsss, what a question...of course he was welcome!!!...he's a funny one..."Nono the clown" as she called him...and he surely lives it up to his name :-)... I love him !!!
We all received so much from Karmit (she might not recognize this anyway)...what a beautiful gentle person...I'm definitely gonna miss her laugh as well... and she still makes me laugh with all the signs she left on the land :-)

Now she's on her way back to Morocco, as she felt she should go back there...she got totally in love with the Arab culture, specially the Bedouines in the Sahara desert...
she would like to find someone on the way to join her, but if not, she feels she should go anyway...and maybe this time find a camel to travel with :-)...


Here, contemplating new Horizons...excited with the new things ahead of her on the Journey...
she said she loved being here, and it would be hard for her to go...she said often she likes a place because of the nature around, but here she really felt a strong love for and from the people...
God bless you Karmit...May you be guided and protected by the shadow of God's wings!!!

Yes, it's hard to see those we love going... specially those who get intimate with... but at the same time I know that's how things are to be... we should always be on the flow...coming and going... enjoying every bit of time we are together when we are together...and hoping that one day we will be forever near for all eternity :-) This brings Joy to my heart !!!

wEeK oF pRaYeR, sErViCe & jOy...

Finally I'm able to seat and write about the prayer/service week at the village...it has been almost 2 weeks since it ended, but it still feels like it was yesterday...I’m still in awe as I think about it...
God spoke to me these days on Isaiah 42:1-4
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and He will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.


In faithfulness He will bring forth justice;
He will not falter or be discouraged
till He establishes justice on earth.
In His teaching the islands will put their hope."

Availability, dependent on the Spirit of God, humility, empathy and perseverance...
That’s what we’ve seen in Jesus during that week, and that’s the example we wanna follow...
For sure not by our own strength and means, but by the power of the same Spirit which God filled Jesus with ...

Yes, it was supernatural... Me and Marcia hardly slept during the week... Ton couldn’t be much in the village cuz he had a serious burnt in his leg (he's still recovering), and besides that, it was too many people at the land and it was hard for him to handle it...
But still, each day we were filled with lots of energy, joy and love which could only have come from the Spirit of God in us...
We kept saying “the joy of The Lord is our strength”... And yes, I’m sure God rejoiced in every single moment :-) and we rejoiced in all the things He was doing...our hearts were filled with awe, even though we know that we only saw a glimpse of what was really going on...

God was announcing His will to all peoples... There were people from many different nations among us : Portugal (of course), Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, U.K, Germany, Israel, Iran, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Angola, Italy, Austria and USA...well, as far as we know...if we consider Ton who lived the last 10 years in India and Rachel who lives in Czech Republic for more than 12, than we could add those as well... Anyway, this was just a curiosity we noticed...
There was also people from different spiritual beliefs or backgrounds : christians, jewish, muslims, buddhists, hindus & all sorts of new agers...I guess even skeptics were among us...
Yet, Jesus was not shouting, nor making speeches on the streets...He was not crushing any reed which was already broken, He was not snuffing out any wick which was already fading away...

The opening was amazing, as I shared on my last post...it was just sweet to see all those black dressed old ladies coming in to open up the prayer room...eh, eh, eh... It was a very different environment for them, with all the wall paper, paints and brushes, a mattress and pillows on the floor, a creative tree with the fruits of the Spirit, a whole wall with many people group’s pictures, etc... But there they were, these sweet old ladies...we brought chairs for some of them and I ask them to sing the “our Father in Heaven” as they sing at Mass on Sundays...it was beautiful...and powerful...after that we kept praying and worshiping God as many people were coming in and out... 2 hours passed like 10 minutes...
There were no one signing up during the night shift, so I stayed for the night and slept over...Marcia signed up for every morning, from 6 to 8am, and during the day different people were coming to fill the slots... We didn’t cover the whole 24hours a day (as most of people were not fully aware of the concept), but it was nice also to have some times when people could come in and just have a look...

The second night the “Leeds’ Crew” (from UK) arrived: Ed, Steve, Beth, Tania and Olivier... They are such amazing people...they just came for few days and they were at the ocean when we open up the prayer room... But you should have seen their enthusiasm to pray as they got back in the evening after a day driving... They immediately signed up for the whole night...They only stayed a few more days after that, but it was so touching for us all to meet them... They came to serve, and we definitely felt served and loved by them...what a “crew”... thank you guys !!!




While they were in the room, me and Marcia were downstairs at the “welcome area” ...3 young people came in and said they came because the priest, Paulo, told them about it... We had such a nice conversation... 2 of them, a couple about to get married, will soon go to Principe, an Island in Africa, part of S.Tome... They will help 2 nuns who are there alone in a mission work...they want to take some solar ovens and see if it would be viable there for the people to use there... The 3 of them are part of a perish in Lisbon...They came next day and signed up for a 3 hour slot...

Paulo joined them as well and then they all went to have lunch with us at the village Hall (we had all our meals there cuz there were big pots and all we needed)... They all had a nice time at the prayer room, and I was speaking with Paulo about a Bible study he wants to start in October, once a week :-)... So cool !!! I'll definitely be part of it !!!




During the week we mainly clean around the Primary school (which hosted the prayer room) and collected trash from the woods...even “Nono”, the donkey came to help :-)...









"- Well, can I eat at the table with you guys?!! Hey, why not ?!! I don't understand this humans...Tsss "

Meanwhile the “Boom Festival”, which took place 40Km from here, was over ( the biggest Trance Festival in the World, with more than 60.000 people), and many people came from there to chill down at the land... I guess we had around 40 to 50 people at the land at the moment... Wow... Me and Marcia hardly went to the land on those days cuz we needed to focus on the weekend ahead... And THAT WAS AMAZING !!!


Ton gave a seminar in the morning and many from the land came (I guess people in this area are not used to that)...Anyway, it was amazing the way Ton addressed poverty... he got so overwhelmed with the needs in India while he was there running an Ashram (a spiritual community for the destitutes) for 10 years... He got to the conclusion that the way he found to fight poverty is to live simply and not waste the resources that should be used by others...and he came here to live with us...There would be no poverty in the world if all people would live simple... Anyway, I don’t want to extend this more than it is already...sorry !!!

The other seminars were nice as well...Another one about “poverty”, another about “genetic transformed seeds”, and on Sunday another about “Fair Trade” ... Josh and Rosie were giving one about “Permaculture”, but we thought it would be better a presentation with some basic concepts and a nice banana cake cooked in our solar oven...eh, eh :-)...
In the afternoon we also had workshops for the youngs...Graffitti and circus...


Josh and Rosie went on high stilts, dressed and painted, along the streets to call out people...the old ladies were having a good laugh at them... Even “Nono”, which second name is “the clown” join in the parade...
We had a really good connection with the guys who came from Lisbon to give the seminars...they were amazed with all the things...Bruno and 2 girls who came with him from POBREZA ZERO, and Joao and Pedro from GAIA... they were all really nice people...

...as they finished the seminars on Saturday afternoon, the party started... They were not yet finished and a traditional group with big drums came in playing... I love this local groups... After, the traditional folk music came in, dancing in a big circle ... The “freaks” (us) joined in the circle too and it was a funny mix...the audience was quite funny as well...old people, families with children and the “freaks”...
Josh and Rosie presented a fire show too...It was like a big family party... we made the traditional soup "Caldo Verde" for all and the Mayor was prepared a nice barbecue...mainly for us and the groups who came to play...he just likes giving :-)...


The day after was the same, but at 8pm we were closing up the prayer room... The “fair trade” workshop, given by Liliana from COOPLANETA, a Fair Trade shop in Tondela, was not even finished when this very strong wind started to blow... It was crazy and wild... I just wanted to leave everything and go to the prayer room... it was like God was calling us to gather...
















Karmite and Cami holding our tripod before it would all collapse :-)
Others were there as well...we could still hear the wind blowing like crazy through the windows...we stood in silence...some of us gave thanks to God for the amazing time we had with Him during that week and the amazing things He has done...

I stood and picked up the bread and wine we had at the foot of the cross...then I read this passage in Revelations 5:1-10
"...Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."
...and suggested that we all could share the wine and the bread saying to one another “we are one”...

It was beautiful... After a time of silence, strongly feeling the presence of God, I picked the guitar and started to worship God...everyone joined and the presence of God was more and more strong... Well, I cannot really describe it... After 2 hours maybe we stopped... Everyone was filled with Love... Honest hugs were given..
I was exploding with awe and Joy...and I guess not only me :-)... The party was already going on, so we all went there to join it...the same like the night before...

I was sat, speaking with my sister Edna, when the Mayor came by... All he said was “Only God”...I smiled and said the same :-)
Everyone was filled with Joy...
O.k, I’ll not extend this any longer...Fiiiu !!!
Thanks for reading it...I hope it blessed you as much as we were blessed...

THANK YOU GOD, FOR ANSWERING ALL OUR PRAYERS...AND BEYOND !!!!
ALL FOR YOUR GLORY !!!
here some more pictures...

here's Mafalda on the circus workshop :-)
...the graffitti workshop...

kids loved it !!!

Sarita always helping of course...here washing some dishes !!!

"Ganda" Timmy !!! here going on the details...I still have to take a picture of the final stage !!! "remember your Roots"...I loved that !!!

others preferred the circus things !!!


mom's and grandma's preferred to watch :-)

it was nice to have the Moses 's around too... they are such a lovely family...Look at Andy's big smile !!!

he is trying hard to be like a little child :-) ...you're on the good way Andy !!! keep going !!!

Belarmino, Ton and Daniel pealing peanuts for the "Crepe"... somehow it was hard for some to pronounce it well... like "crap"..Hmmm...

And here's Stephany, the "crepe" queen...for sure they were not "crap" at all...there was always a line waiting for more... :-)

The freaks and the folk dancers...what a colourful combination!!!!

"-O.k, we came to serve too !!! "...aren't they sweet ?!!!
And now some random prayers which were spread all over the prayer room...



















this one we offered to Liliana from Cooplaneta...we had a cool time with her when we went to take back the products she left to sell... she feels quiet alone because she doesn't want to live like "everyone" does...

and this one we offered to Rodrigues, the Mayor..."Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth;give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.."Psalm 86:11

...and tear it down...

we took all the prayers outside and made a nice bonfire..."they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints"...

... and the cross was left on the way from the village to the "Mount of Oaks":-)