Finally I'm able to sit and write about the 24-7 prayer/service week at the village...it ended 2 weeks ago, 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 was seen in Jesus during his life and that´s how I felt Jesus among us during this week, through the power of The same Spirit that is also in us...
It was supernatural... Me and Marcia hardly slept during the week, yet we were filled with energy... Ton couldn’t be in the village because he had a serious burn on his leg (he's still recovering), and it was good that he stayed at the land as there were too many people and it was hard for him to handle it...
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 The Spirit was doing...our hearts were filled with awe, even though we know that we only saw a glimpse of what was really going on...
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 were also people from different spiritual beliefs or backgrounds : christians, jewish, muslims, buddhists, hindus, new age and even atheist... it seemed like the kingdom of God, as the local priest mentioned when he came to Mount Of Oaks for tea ...
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... But he was definitely among us... this is the kind of people and environment he loves... the misfits and outcasts of today´s societies...
The opening was amazing, as I shared in my last post...it was just sweet to see all those black dressed old ladies coming in to open up the prayer room... 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 pictures from people of different ethnic groups, etc... There they were, these sweet old ladies, the ancestors of these lands giving us their blessing...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 was 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 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 the UK) arrived: Ed, Steve, Beth, Tania and Olivier... They are such amazing people...they just came for a few days and you should have seen their enthusiasm to pray as they arrived 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” ... three 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 local people to use... They are part of a parish in Lisbon...They came the 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 were having all our meals there because 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 cleaned around the Primary school (which hosted the prayer room) and collected trash from the woods...even “Nono”, the donkey came to help...
I think he wanted to join us at the table...
At the same time, the biggest Trance Festival in the World, with more than 60.000 people, the “Boom Festival”, was happening just 40Km away from here, and after its last day many more people came from there to chill out at the land... I guess we had around 40 to 50 people at that moment... Me and Marcia hardly went to the land on those days because we needed to focus on the weekend ahead... Ton was just about copping with all the crowds.
At the weekend we had our special programme.
Ton came to give a seminar in the morning and many who were at the land came... Unfortunately there was no one from the village, I guess people in this area are not used to participatory workshops and talk,,, we could have done it differently, maybe in the cafes, but now we know...
It was amazing anyway the way Ton spoke about poverty... he got burnt out with the needs in India while he was there running an Ashram (a spiritual community for the destitutes) for 10 years...
He came 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... That´s why he came here to live with us...There would be no poverty in the world if all people would live in a simple way...
The other seminars were nice as well...Another one about “poverty”from the portuguese organization OIKOS, another one about “GMO- genetic modified seeds”, and on Sunday another about “Fair Trade” ... Josh and Rosie were giving one about “Permaculture”, but we thought it would be better to show a presentation with some basic concepts and a nice banana cake cooked in our solar oven...In the afternoon we also had workshops for the young people...Graffitti and circus...
Josh and Rosie went on high stilts, dressed and painted as clowns, along the streets to call out people...the old ladies were having a good laugh at them... Even “Nono”, whose second name is “the clown” joined 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 these local groups... The traditional folk music and dance came after 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 Sr. Rodrigues, the Mayor, prepared a nice barbecue...mainly for us and the groups who came to play...he loves giving... His family was also serving beer at the bar...
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... I was not the only one having that impression...
Karmite and Cami holding our tripod before it would all collapse...
Some came to the room as well and 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 during this week and the amazing things God has done...
I stood and picked up the bread and wine we had at the foot of the cross...then I read this prophetic vision that John of Patmos tried to describe 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 the one 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."
The Lamb of God who was slaughtered by humankind without resisting or using any violence to defend himself, in order to destroy evil once and for all... God proposed this Lamb to be the ultimate sacrifice to end all the demands for sacrificial religious rites and to grant forgiveness to all peoples, of every tribe, language and nation... God brought an end to all the priesthood systems who seek to control innocent people, making us all priests in this new kingdom of Love and justice...
I broke the bread and took the wine and suggested that we all share it with one another saying “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 stronger and stronger... I cannot really describe it... After maybe 2 hours we stopped... Everyone was filled with Love... Honest hugs were given..some were crying with emotion...
I was exploding with awe and Joy...and it was not just me ... The party was already going on, so we all went there to join it...
I was exploding with awe and Joy...and it was not just me ... The party was already going on, so we all went there to join it...
I finally sat down, speaking with my sister Edna, when Sr. Rodrigues came by... All he said was “Only God...”.
I smiled and said the same...
Everyone was filled with Joy...
Everyone was filled with Joy...
I hope this reading blessed you as much as we were blessed...
THANK YOU GOD, FOR ANSWERING ALL OUR PRAYERS...AND BEYOND !!!!
ALL FOR YOUR GLORY !!!
here's Mafalda on the circus workshop
THANK YOU GOD, FOR ANSWERING ALL OUR PRAYERS...AND BEYOND !!!!
ALL FOR YOUR GLORY !!!
here's Mafalda on the circus workshop
...the graffitti workshop with Timmy...
The kids loved it !!!
Sarita is always helping of course...here washing some dishes !!!
"Ganda" Timmy !!! I still have to take a picture of the final work!
"Remember your Roots... Póvoa de Atalaia"...I loved that !!!
others preferred the circus activities !!!
mothers and grandmothers preferred to watch
it was nice to have Andy and Vonny with us too...
Belarmino, Ton and Daniel peeling peanuts for the french "Crepe" that Cami volunteered to make...
There were always people waiting for more... We also made a big pot of soup to distribute and all these things were for free... from us and the "Junta de Freguesia".
The "freaks" and the folklore dancers...what a colourful combination!
Joshua and Nelson always prepared to help..
Now I leave you with 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 quite alone because she doesn't want to live like "everyone" does...
this one we offered to Sr. 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 we tore it all 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 side of the track from the village to the "Mount of Oaks"
