wAsHiNg fEet...

I wrote this sunday morning after experience it... and just wanted to share it with you... be blessed, as much as I was...

Jesus wanted to wash my feet this morning...
Somehow it was hard for me to accept it...
I started to cry...and cried... and cried...
Still, I couldn’t take my sandals off,
“my feet are a mess” I thought,
Wounds from thorns, dirt, deep cuts because of dryness...
But Jesus kept speaking:
“that’s why I want to wash your feet...
It’s been hard the path you’ve been paving...
It’s been hard work I know,
and I’m thankful you’ve been willing to walk on it...”
More tears came down my face
As I made myself vulnerable to recognise and feel the hardness Jesus was speaking about...
And at the same time
A feeling of relief...
“I want to take care of you...
And I want you to take care of yourself”,
Jesus continue as I kept weeping...
Finally I took my sandals off
And let Jesus “wash” my dirty, wounded and tired feet...
I kept weeping and He kept speaking :
“I want you to do the same to others,
I’ve called you to serve,
And I’m giving you my example
For you to follow.”
Suddenly everything was so clear,
I was never comfortable with the role of a leader,
Mainly because of the heaviness and discomfort the word itself carries...
And even when I knew God was putting me in places and situations to lead,
I never really assumed that, not to me nor to others...
I always said that I was called to serve,
But somehow at this moment it was sinking deep down in my soul...
Yesterday, as I was speaking with some people,
A couple with whom I was having some problems
(mostly because they were resisting my role as a leader in this place),
I said that I don’t like the role I have to play as well,
And that I have my problems too with the word “leader”
When it comes to myself...
I said leadership is not a bad thing
When it’s understood as a function
Instead of a position...
And submission to others has been
Something I’ve been learning and growing a lot with...


Now, Jesus was showing me what a leader was about...
It’s all about serving others,
Being clear about our own identity...
It’s about caring for others...
I went to read the passage
Where Jesus washed His disciples feet before being crucified...
John 13:1-20
And more revelations came about...
And sank in...
I was amazed !!!
Judas was among the disciples at that moment,
And the devil was already putting his thoughts in his mind...
Interesting, isn’t it ?!!
I never thought about that...
Jesus washed his feet as well,
Even knowing he was “not clean”,
And he was about to betray Him...
This made me realise
That we are to wash EVERYONE’s feet,
We are to serve ALL with no exception...
I knew that, but somehow it sounded NEW again...
I am to serve all people in this land,
In humility and love...
I started to picture myself washing the feet of those I was having some problems with...
It was so relieving and beautiful...


Jesus started to speak about other thing...
In my conversation with that couple,
They also asked forgiveness for being defensive and even arrogant towards christianity...
They said they recognise
They were the ones having problems with it...
This was another refreshment for my soul...
Rejection has been a strong feeling in my life...
I feel rejection among “freaks” for being a christian,
(usually all other ways are acceptable,
But when it comes to Jesus,
There’re lots of apprehension, which I understand, but it still hurts)
Among christians (not all) I also feel rejected
For being a “freak”,
Which makes me very sad,
Not for feeling a personal rejection,
But for knowing they are rejecting so many others in the world
And preventing them from knowing the real Love and Grace of Jesus for them...
So, I felt really glad to be accepted as a christian among “freaks” and “new agers”
Who have other ideas about God...
This made me think about other thing that Jesus spoke,
And I realised it was on the same passage,
after Jesus washed His disciples’ feet:

“I tell you that whoever receives the one I sent
Is also receiving me;
And those who receive me,
Receive the One who sent me.”

It made me think that receiving is about accepting to be served...
Accepting to have their feet washed...

Wow!!! Thank you Jesus for this revelation...
Thank you Holy Spirit...
Thank You for your Love and Kindness God !!!
Your words are truth and life,
Whom shall I follow ?!!!
Thank You !! Thank You!!! Thank You!!!


After writing this, I went to have a good bath :-) !!!
I spent more than 2 hours, scrubbing my feet and taking the old skin away...
I felt soooo good... :-)

2 LaZy 2 wRiTE...sOrRy...

yah, I know...I've been lazy to write on my blog...and also on taking pictures, but I have some I'd just like to share and they will also help me to share a bit of what has been going on here at the land...
It has been a bit intense with new people coming... different rhythms, many ideas, defining priorities and a too strong sun, which gives us only few hours in early morning and late evening to do something... I guess nature marks the rhythm :-) eh, eh, eh...

So, here is Ton and Nolan, Lukas and Marcia... Ton is away for more than a week now...he went to Poland to Slot Art festival and he was supposed to go up north for a workshop in "hearth-bag house building" , but he missed it...he's now on the way back to the land :-)... we miss him...he is such a presence here :-)...
Lukas is back in Germany as well :-( we miss him sooooooo much... it was such a pleasant time with him here and he's such a special person... definitely part of this family... no chance Lukas !!! WE LOVE YOU TOO MUCH !!!! eh, eh COME BACK SOON !!! WE ALREADY MISS YOU !!!

Lyyyyyyyyna , telephoooooone !!! eh, eh...yes, she has many phone calls all the time from family and friends who cannot wait to meet this little precious baby Nolan...he is growing everyday and it's such a pleasure to have him among us :-)

Ton , Lukas and Imre (a visit from hungary) on a water mission !!! yes, watering the garden and the trees has been the main mission on the land at the moment...it has been very very hot..arround 35- 40 degrees ...Fiiiu !!! Nice to have some good swims in our pond...Thank God for that !!!

Lukas catching some fish...he and Josh had great fun !!!

Chris, Carli and Dane Uhler came to visit us for some days...it was soooo fun to have them around... Dane has just arrived from a long trip in Asia and Carli just came from California and was looking for a direction of where to stay this next year as things didn't work out for her to go to Mozambique...well, she knows now she will stay with us in the land for a year... soooo great !!!!

we drove together with Marcia to "Moses ", where our friends are... Andrew (Memphis) prepared a surprise party for Vonny's (River's) birthday... read their post if you want to understand these names changes :-) very cool !!! we had to wait in Amieira's "cafe" till all came and we were ready to go down and surprise her :-)... we had such a nice time with them and their friends from Oleiros...
we slept over and had another wonderful and resting time the next day... I was needing it !!! I love this family... finally I got to meet Peter (Sunshine Dundee) and Sue (Moonbeam Pocahontas)... Peter is just a character !!! I couldn't stop laughing with his jokes... I love this community, Zion...and I'm sure I'll be there many times when I need a rest, or simply to hang out with this beautiful new friends :-)

Chris getting some "Nesperas" from the tree the next day :-)...

Chris and Dane "walking on the water"...eh, eh,eh...

making the raft...yes...and it was not for our pond...these guys are my heroes !!! they actually went back to Lisbon on this raft down the river "Tejo"...sooooo cool !!!!

we took them to the river in Willi's van...

and they finished the details on the water :-) eh, eh, eh...


doesn't he look like Tom Sawyer :-)

we also had a nice day at the river...it was last sunday for Lukas...and Stephi was also visiting...nice family picture :-)
they left on sunday from here (near Castelo Branco) and arrived on thursday to Lisbon...
they got stuck on one of the barrages on the river, but Carry and Marty (their parents) went to rescue them and drop them down the river so they could finish the trip... they also run out of food supplies, but Carli said everyone they would meet on the way in other boats would give them all their food :-) so cool !!! God provided all their needs :-)


"row , row, row the boat
gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
life is but a dream..."

IT IS NICE TO DREAM...
AND SEE DREAMS COME TRUE...
EVEN WHEN PEOPLE MAY THINK YOU ARE CRAZY :-)
they are a good example ... keep going Chris, Dane and Carli... live your dreams !!!