This Week - Sept 25

So...there are 3 "major" events happening in my life this week.

(1) I'm moving, which is turning out to be somewhat of an ordeal. From finding a decent size moving truck, to hoping that the gas (to heat the water and for the stove) will be repaired in time, to trying to find a day when everything we're getting from IKEA is actually in stock, so we can pay one small price for it to be deliverd, and that we'll be fully moved by Friday, when I need to give my keys to my former landlord. Please pray that everything will go smoothly.

(2) Katie & Bekah, the other STINT girls arrive - Katie on Friday and Bekah tomorrow. This is GREAT news!

(3) Classes start this week and next on campus, which means our lives go into overdrive. I'm super excited! This is probably my favorite time of the year. (see the pic below of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid - the largest campus in Madrid, with about 200,000 students!)



All this to say, life is a bit crazy right now. I am definitely seeing my need to cling to Jesus and I'm definitely seeing myself get stressed out now and then with details or frustrations, etc., As I've been reading Joshua & Exodus, I've been reminded of how BIG and MIGHTY God is, along with how compassionate and gracious He is. I've also been reminded of my quickness, like Israel when Moses was leading them out of Egypt (in Exodus), to become anxious and to question God's provision. By God's grace, I think I'm learning some patience, to trust HIM and, God-willing, being made more in His likeness. I love the passages that say "Be strong and courageous! Do not be anxious or dismayed for the Lord thy God is with you." and also when Moses talks to Israel after the Passover and when they see the Egyptians coming after them and say something to the effect of "why didn't you just let us stay in Egypt instead of bringing us here to die?" They are IN THE MIDST of being delivered from Pharaoh and not more than a day has passed since they had left and at the closest sign of danger, they fear. Moses then says, "God is going to show up. He is in fact going to do some amazing things! Just sit back and wait. All you need to do is be still (and trust me)." Amazing. This is my prayer - that I would trust Jesus in the midst of the craziness of life, that I would let HIM be God and that I would be still, that I would be bold and courageous, trusting in His power and might not my own. ;)

Tidbits from the Week of September 11

This week has been a whirlwind. Jessica arrived Monday afternoon, we've been intensely apartment shopping, we signed for a piso (apartment) and paid a bunch of money, we walked ALL over Madrid, we've figured out how we're decorating, and we've been praying for our new roommates to come.

(1) Here is a map of where we are. We live (or will soon) right be San Bernardo metro stop, just about smack dab in the center, on the brown or 4 line. I used to live at Avenida de America on the northeast edge of Madrid.



I'll post pictures of my piso after we move in 2 weeks. In the meantime they are painting. But to describe my place... :) It's fabulous! So you walk in, there is a littel foyer, then there are two bedrooms on the right, where Katie, Bekah, and Jessica will live. Then you turn left and walk down the hall for a little ways to find the kitchen on your left right next to a half bath. The next room on the left is a full sized bathroom that is HUGE by Madrid apartment standards and it is a fun 1940s green, kind of foam green. You then turn a corner to the left and find a triangular closet on the right you could walk in, the HUGE (by Madrid standards) living room and dining room, which are surprisingly 2 rooms. I might also add that this room, or rooms, have one full wall of windows, which are beautiful! and which face the outside world :) We're on the 3rd floor so we have a good ammount of light and a nice view. So, now if you go back to the hallway and finish walking straight, you end up in my oddly shaped room, which is between a trapizoid and a rectangle with 2 curved corners and 1 wall that is a bit diagonal.

So that's my new home. I'll add a picture, just because I can, but it will be better once you can get the full effect with our stuff in it :)

(2) Here is a picture of the STINT team this year:



They are Bekah, Jessica, and Katie. I'm so excited to have them both on my team and my roommates for the year.

(3) So, with my staff team composed of people from all the different ministries with Agape in Madrid, we built a tower of balloons as a teamwork exercise. The goal was to build a tall, sturdy, and pretty tower. Well, we did that and the balloons went from the ground to the ceiling. But the problem is that the room we did it in is my living room and I live in an apartment and don't want to make a TON of noise by popping 100 or so balloons. The balloons are FULL, so it's hard to puncture them without popping them. AND there are just so many of them. Here is our tower and, more importantly, our team. ;)



And this weekend we're going to have a little retreat with all of us on this team to bond, seek the Lord, and plan for the year. We're going to one of the couple's houses in a little pueblo in the mountains outside of Madrid. It is definitely out in the country compared to Madrid.

Blogging

So...the reality is that I'm not quite into this thing we call "blogging." I'd like to be. I'm in awe of some friends who have this skill down, but I've come to realize that I am not as witty as some and that is just the way it is. Now that I've gotten over my lack of wittiness nor wittiness in what to talk about, I'll write when I can and about whatever seems to be on my mind. This all began with a desire to better keep up with friends and family, as a kind of "postcard from Dawn's life" without sending a physical card (although I do think that writing letters is highly underrated in our day and age of "instant-ness").

Chi-town

Chicago, the windy city, and in August the steamy hot city. So, about a week ago I got a call from the Spanish consulate to say that my visa was ready to pick up.

This is amazing on two counts, one because this is the Spanish consulate, the land where things don’t necessarily happen as quickly or as they “should.” But in this case they did, two months after applying for a visa, I was able to pick it up. Praise the Lord! It’s definitely been something on my mind.

So, up on Monday and back on Wednesday (today). Trains, metros, city living, lots of people, Spanish while not the first language, definitely the second. It feels much like Madrid to me. In fact, after coming out of the subway at one point, I honestly felt like I had time warped back to Madrid. I guess you could say I’m a bit homesick and ready to be back at a home, a city that has become mine.

Compassion that amazes me

So, the past few days, as I’ve spent time with God journaling and reading the Bible and praying, I continue to come back to the question, which has a lot of emotion behind it: Lord, why don’t you make all people see you and understand the Gospel? Why must all these people I walk around and order coffee from and live around, why don’t they see? Why have I tasted the sweetness of the Gospel, of being saved by another, when they haven’t, at least not yet? And, why aren’t people quicker to hear? There may be curiosity and there are some who hear the Gospel and immediately believe, but at times it seems that culture and man’s abuses of using the name of God for evil have put big barriers up, at least that’s the way it seems to me.

Now I can’t say that I’ve figured it all out, but I can share how the Lord has met me in this. First of all, I’ve been reading through the book of Acts in the Bible. It talks of the early church. There I see God reveal himself again and again through common men and women of that time – people who had experienced Jesus in their own lives and are quick and very outspoken in word and action.

Secondly, the Lord continues to bring to mind passages in the book of Romans, remembering that in chapter one, it says that the Gospel is “the power of God for salvation for all who believe” by faith. What I’ve continued to read and mull over has been Romans, chapter 9 and 10, where Paul shares the same sentiment with me. He says:

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit – that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh…”

He then goes on to talk about God being God and, thus, although we may not understand it, we’re the created one not the creator. God can do what he wants (which is only comforting because I know his character and know that he is trustworthy and for sure the source of all goodness). But then, at the end of chapter 9, he begins to talk about God’s compassion and mercy and the fact that the only way one can be saved is not through trying to be good, but instead through faith in Jesus Christ.

Then in chapter ten, this is what I love, is says this:

“ ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

What I love about this is that it is for EVERYONE who believes. It is NEAR. And it isn’t about what we do or don’t do. It is based on God’s goodness and us just trusting in Him to carry us. And even more, it talks about God revealing himself even to those who did not seek him nor ask for him. I may not fully understand God’s ways, but He is making people whole and new. In fact, I read Acts 8 and 9 where Paul’s conversion is recounted. Paul, who persecuted the followers of Christ in his day and age, was not even too far away from God, or too much an enemy of God, that he couldn’t be saved. Nope, the Lord revealed himself to Paul and God empowered Paul to tell many about his love and way of salvation. :)

English, Menus, & My Few Hours in Philly

<-- a picture of my brother Drew

I returned to St. Louis last Tuesday night at 11pm, or 6am in Madrid. Before arriving to St. Louis I had a 9 hour flight from Madrid and a 6 hour layover in Philadelphia.

Upon arriving to Philly, I met my brother and we went into town for dinner and a walk around town. Granted, I was a bit tired, but my first impressions of the States were of those in the airport and then those that walked by us as we walked around West Philly, not too far from U. Penn. I was surprised to be surrounded by English-speakers and it took me most of the night to figure out that they weren’t all foreign exchange students.

As we sat down to eat, the waiter came and gave of the specials of the evening and Drew (my brother) said that I looked at the waiter with a blank stare, as if I couldn’t fully process much of anything he said. Which is exactly what happened. I’m not quite sure if it’s the fact that I haven’t heard a waiter nor read a menu in English for about a year, or what, but I couldn’t process much of what the menu nor the man had said. So, I asked Drew what he wanted to get and we split a plate of grilled octopus, shrimp scampi, grilled veggies, an avocado and citrus salad, and some tasty red wine. One thing that has never let me down about Philadelphia is the great, gourmet food. And this nice little café lived up to the reputation of fine food, I’ve come to appreciate.

Bono & the One Campaign

“When I was a boy, my first impression of America was a man walking on the moon – Neil Armstrong, 1969. And I thought, ‘These Americans are mad! They are mad.’ For I thought, ‘What can this country do? What can these people do if they put their mind to it? It’s incredible.’

John F. Kennedy is the one in 1963… he said, ‘By the end of the decade, we’re going to put a man on the moon.’ Well… it’s not because it was on everyone’s mind. It just was the right thing to do and it was…

It’s what we’re asking now. President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, and all the other world leaders to do. We’re asking them to do something extraordinary… not put a man on the moon, more like put mankind back on Earth.

We have the technology. We have the resources. We have the know-how… to end the extreme poverty… if we have the will… and I believe we have the will.

Others, you know, the other civil rights movement. Others ended apartheid. Others tore back the iron curtain. That’s what this generation… that’s what’s up to us… our moon shot… our putting a man on the moon – we’re going to end extreme poverty. We’re going to make poverty history. That’s what’s fallen to us to do. And I believe that’s not an impossible venture.

I believe in 50 years, when I look back on this moment,… and they’ll say, ‘there were some people at a time who said:

It’s not okay to have a child die for a lack of a 20 cent immunization.
It’s not okay to have a child die for lack of food in his belly in the 21st century.
That’s not okay anymore.’

Now I now that you know that. But I’d like you to tell President Bush that, Prime Minister Blair that and any other politician you see that. And you can do it quite easily. So… we’re looking for a million Americans to e-mail us to join the ONE campaign, not looking for your money; looking for your voice.”

Bono, Vertigo Tour, 9 & 10 May 2005 – Chicago, IL – prior to singing “One”

“One” – by U2

Is it getting better, or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now
You’ve got someone to blame

You say...
One love, One life
When it's one need in the night
One love, we get to share it
Leaves you, darling,
If you don't care for it

Did I disappoint you,
Leave a bad taste in your mouth

You act like you never had love,
And you want me to go without

Well it's...It’s too late… tonight…
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One...

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head?
Did I ask too much?
More than a lot?
You gave me nothing
Now it's all I got.

We're one,
But we're not the same
Well....we, hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say…

Love is a temple
Love, a higher law
Love is a temple
Love, the higher law

You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl

And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love,
One blood
One life
You get to do what you should
One life… with each other
Sisters and Brothers

One life,
But we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other

One love
One

New Friends & The Joys of Travel

One of my favorite parts of traveling to Istanbul was meeting people from all over. On the plane on the way to Istanbul via Paris, I met a couple from Guatemala who were traveling home from visiting their kids who live in Spain. They are both doctors and we talked about life, the States, Istanbul, Spain, Guatemala, and faith in God and how that affects one's life.

On the flight from Paris to Istanbul, I attempted to talk to the Turkish woman next to me, but most of our "conversation" consisted of her looking at me as if I was crazy and smiling nicely. She did say "Istanbul is very nice" as soon as we got within view and asked if I'd ever been there before. She seemed sweet and I was amazed and her bravery to travel alone when it seemed that she spoke neither English nor French (as we were traveling from Paris). But she got along fine.

My next new friend was a dear college aged girl, who offered me to hold her arm, as I was too short to reach the pole on the bus above my head and the bus wasn't the smoothest ride. As I continued to almost fall over, she then said, "Hold tighter" so I did and we talked for awhile since she spoke nearly flawless english, as do many turks.

I believe that it was that night that we went to a restaurant where there was a woman making the tortilla-like bread that went with our meal. As we walked in Leanne, our friend and fabulous tour guide explained what the woman was doing. I can't remember what she said, but she blinked at us (with both eyes, a long blink), which in turkish culture mean "I like you" (or a bit more than a smile. We went and sat down and then talked to her a bit before we left, blinking at ehre and telling here that the food was really good. As we were leaving the woman making the tortillas told the owner, "I love them!" Another amazingly kind turk. Everytime we passed the building we waved and blinked at her and she did the same and blew us kisses.

The next day as we went to see the big sites of Istanbul, including the Aya Sophia Mosque, I found two kind old men who would pose for me to take their picture everytime I ran into them. Very fun, particularly since I love taking people pictures.

The following day as we went on a boat ride up the Bosphorus sea up to the Black Sea and then back to Istanbul, we stopped in a town known for freshly made yogurt. Instead of ice cream shops there were yogurt shops with deliciously plain yogurt. As I went to the bathroom I met another dear, dear old woman waiting in line with me. She smiled at me, patted my face and said "choke gazelle," or you are beautiful. She said some other kind words, although I'm not exactly sure what she said. As she entered and left the stale before I entered, she came out and kissed me on both cheeks before leaving and said to have a good day. She definitely endeared me to the turkish people.

Next were some saleswomen where I bought a jacket. The told me I had beautiful eyes, which definitely made my day.

On Easter we went to an International Church in downtown Istanbul. There we met people from all over - including Iran, Iraq, England, Scotland, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Romania, Turkey (of course) and the US. It was fun to be with such diverse group of people.

After church and lunch, we visited Starbucks to journal and relax. There another girl, see the picture above, named Esin came up to me, asked if I spoke English and asked if I could help her with her English homework. I said yes and she asked me several questions about myself as she trembled from having to speak English. Basically her assignment was to talk to a native speaker.

The last day we were in Istanbul we stopped into an amazingly large Christian and English Bookstore. There we met a college aged girl who shared here story of how she had come to know Jesus, after having grown up in a Muslim family. And we met two older women. All three asked us about ourselves and told us the names of everyone in their family that hasn't yet made Jesus their Lord. They asked us to pray for them, taught us some turkish phrases, and told us that they would pray for us to find husbands. They were very dear. They also asked us to pray for Turkey and pray that Jesus would come soon. It was great to be with them.

On the plane back, I talked to a woman from San Francisco who had gone to Turkey for her spring break, as she is a 5th grade teacher. And then after a 5 hour layover in Paris full of suduko puzzles and lots of people watching, I sat next to a German man going to Madrid on a business trip. We talked about some of the fun cultural diffences between France & Spain with Germany & the US, particularly as it relates to business and working together.

All and all, despite some digestive issues that resulted from the trip, I wouldn't change a thing about our trip and a highlight was both meeting neat people who showed me much sweetness and then seeing how God is at work in people's lives in Istanbul and how he's even using Spaniards there to tell people about the love and freedom found in Christ alone. :)

Visiting the Bosphorus

Over Easter break, or Semana Santa, I spent a few days in Istanbul with my friend Katie and some friends there.

Istanbul is a great city of warm, delightful people, who say things to you such as "choke gazelle" which means "you are beautiful" or give you besitos or offer their arm as you are about to fall over on the overly crowded buses (actually that is a HUGE understatement).

It it a city divided in two, part in Europe and part in Asia, by the Bosphorus sea. It is a city where the fashionable and modern mix daily with tradition, religion, and modesty. It is the city that was once known as Constantinople, the Eastern capital of the Christian world.

Da Vinci Code & Granada

So...I just started reading the Da Vinci Code. I'm about halfway through it and will write more when I get done. It's definitely a quick read and a novel that holds your attention. (As a side note, some great thoughts on the book and it's validity in a historical context, are on www.gepc.org)

I'm going to have to get into this blog thing.... Right now I'm in Granada, Spain, visiting another stint team and enjoying a little get-away. :)

You might look close to see the rosy cheeks on these figures.

Again, here are several pictures of one piece, so that you can see more of the detail. As a note, the first photograph of the "little feet" is actually taken from another work of heatheR's that was done with fabrics with a quiltesque effect.

Here are several pictures from the same piece. The figures are peuter.