Portugal # 5

This weekend has finally slowed down enough to post. Friday evening was invited to the home of a couple with a almost 4 year old boy. ( His birthday is today) Enjoyed the time with them and another couple from the church here. It seems that it rains every day here, whether a mist or a downpour. I am probably getting the wrong impression of Portugal as a dreary, wet place when in fact it receives over 300 days of sunshine per year. At some point went to a mall whose stores hves primarily English names like "The Athletes Foot," "Wink," "Blueberry," and "Jumbo," the last named similar to a Walmart. Saturday evening was asked to share again, which i did on the importance of prayer. I spoke to one living room of people with a second Skyped in. I met a young man named Victor who speaks English fluently although he has never visited an English speaking country or, to my knowledge, taken a class. The secret as with several other young men of my acquaintance in Brazil, is a very early and heavy dose of English language cartoons, video games etc. Today was more formal preaching with a suit and tie, introduction, sitting in the front row etc. Even though I don't see the reason for this, I respect those who do. I am finding that the Portuguese spoken in Portugal is more similar to Spanish ( the two countries share a long common border) than it is to Brazilian Portuguese which uses many different words for the same thing and pronounces them differently. Thankfully i had a good and some what experienced translator. I have already broken in at least 3 new ones on this trip. Spoke again about the importance of a growing personal relationship with God through Christ. Although I could potentially teach about many other topics, this is the one that I believe that God keeps impressing on me. Prayed longer and more often in preparation than I usually have in the past, and judging from the response by some of the people, the Holy Spirit moved in people's hearts. Today's memory verse is Hebrews 1:3 "He (Jesus)is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high." (ESV)