gEt rEadY fOr lOtS oF nEwS...

There is a lot of news to share, so get ready for a long post...

I'll start from the latest one and go as far as the previous news, which is a long way...

If you noticed this picture, my car doesn't look soooo good... well, I had an accident on the highway... I was coming from Porto, after taking Emma to the airport, and it was around midnight... I suddenly had no control of the steering wheel, and thank God I was not going fast because it was super foggy and I was already sensing there was something not good with the car... I was praying already, so there must have been some angels around the car at that time... I don't know how but I hit the barriers on the right, then hit the ones on the left ones, then spinned, then stopped facing the opposite direction on the fast lane.. oops...

I 'm glad I'm not one to panic... 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 phone which was on my lap before, 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 had my lights off, maybe it would be a good idea to check if I could turn them on...

I was "parked" in the fast lane facing the opposite direction, so that was not a great place to be... Lights were ok, phew!... "Maybe the car still runs" I thought... and it did...
Perfect! I turned on the car and kept driving with the hazard lights on... the car was still 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 out of 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 highway assistance, so I thought about calling Emma first because 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 home... I told her about it and that I was fine and asked for prayer...after I hung up, the High-way Assistance Car came by... perfect timing!
O.k, I explained to 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 until it came...then I waited again until the taxi came... I came back to the land by taxi, that was funny...

I was maybe 200 Km away, around Viseu ... I arrived around 5am...I had a nice conversation with the taxi driver who was curious to visit the land one day...
Anyway, only the car got damaged, I didn't, thank God !!!... The car is now in a garage in Povoa de Atalaia and today I'm going to 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... I guess it will be a bit expensive... If anyone would like to help on that, I would be really thankful !

The car is still useful in the land... let me know and I can share more details...


ANOTHER SUBJECT NOW...

Not so long before the 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 the day comes it comes and I will be happy... 

If by any chance I go before you, don't forget to celebrate it ok ? I mean it !!!

I had a lovely time in Moses with Emma and the Winters, Andrew, Vonny, Joshua,Elouise, and of course Moses, the dog ... What an amazing, beautiful and quiet place to celebrate my birthday... Not with many people, but with very good friends...all that I wished for at that moment... we laughed a lot around the fireplace, telling jokes and stories of all sorts... the wine was good as well and 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...

I Love Moses (the place), I love Moses (the dog) and I love the Winters (the family)...

I love life...  We laughed a lot with Emma and her funny little ways and her beautiful Irish accent... she loves everything, and everything deserves a good "Wow"... I love Emma... 

She spent almost a month at the land this time and it was so good for everyone... we all love her... she's a missing part of this community... but she´s about to start a new job she loves with the Peace and Reconciliation community "Corrymeela", in the north of Ireland...

Andrew's rustic style wine opener ...a screw and a hammer... they told us their love story too and obviously I will not publish it here... I just say it´s a magical one... I'm so thankful for this friendship.... it's like we´ve known 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... I just had fun watching ! I didn't help much either... in the end they managed !!

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

The weekend before that, we had a group from Lisbon coming to help us START 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 already know 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, and laugh with her... 

Carly and one of her "babies"... she has been amazing in this last month taking care of 2 little puppies Ton found abandoned in the forest...she's learning a lot 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´s milk that she went to collect from our neighbours... she's amazing !!!

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


ANOTHER SUBJECT NOW...
Just before the olive picking we had with us an amazing group from Scotland... Tim, who was last year with us 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).

They didn´t come just for 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 God 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...not to mention all the expenses came out of their funds...amazing guys !!! they stayed for about 10 days... and it was such a blessing to have them around...

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... but it was so useful !!!

Ton, the "chef"... he is in India now, meeting with some old friends, and he will be back in December... he's our favourite cook ... he's too old to carry stones, he said ! Thanks Ton !

"Bug" on the preparation of the floor for the "washing dishes place"... we need to give it a better name...

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

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 to him one of the songs Karmit taught me, and a tear falls from his eye...

Tim finished the kitchen floor... great job brother Tim ! great job everyone  who was mixing cement, even in the dark, so it would be finished...

Jeff preparing the floor outside...

And... the floor is finished ...

And I´m 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 it is time to recluse and be more introspective... don't worry if I keep some silence .. I need that at the moment !!!