the Snowball Effect

No, it's not snowing here in Spain. It's very rare that it would ever. BUT, I can definitely feel a snowball effect as a result of the Lord's wonderful movings (is that a word?) here in Caceres.
Your prayers have definitely been felt! Since my last post (sorry it's been a bit), we have had a couple of really great conversations with Josu and Danny about what we believe and about differences in types of religion and about the Bible. Praise the Lord for Luisi, who was hanging out with us that night and was able to answer most of their questions in Spanish! And praise Him for nudging me to put my Spanish Bible in my purse that night too, because then we were able to see things from both sides of the language barrier! Danny tends to be somewhat of an attacker of issues, while Josu sort of sits back and takes it all in. Please pray that we can tend to both of their needs and meet them where they are at.
Enter snowball effect: they are always inviting us to hang out with their friends, and it seems they know everybody! It's new people every time, and it's great! There are a few regulars, and we have gotten to know Canario better. Canario says he used to go to church when he was younger, but he's not into that now. But he is learning English very rapidly, and is really excited to come to our English club in the next week or two! Please pray for conversations in English club to turn to the Bible and our Lord. Also pray that a connection could be drawn between English club and Bible study that starts this next Monday; I'm hoping they will feel welcome to come to Bible study if they have been hanging out with our friends from English club.
More snowballing: many people here are eager to learn or improve their English, and we have made a number of friends simply as a result of being native English speakers. Praise the Lord! We met with some girls, Rosa and her friends, who accidentally rang the wrong doorbell at Paul, Daniel, and Timon's apartment, and found out there are English speakers living in 2B. We practiced Spanish/English with them last week, and they want to meet again this Friday. Pray for conversation to turn to beliefs there. The Lord shoved me in the direction of a girl, Fanny, in my facultad on campus who offered me her email address so we can practice language sometime! (I've since emailed her with no response, and haven't run into her again; please pray for opportunities!) Finally, a new guy in our residencia, Fernando, was an exchange student in Chicago for a year, and his English is very good- he has opened himself up to me and David as a result. We got to have a cool conversation about books, which turned into religions, which turned into him being very excited about Bible study this next Monday. Please pray for the convictions of his heart.
Finally, I am constantly amazed how the Lord can create a snowball out of nothing. We have been playing basketball usually once a week with a group of guys that Chris usually plays with. Just us being there sparked a conversation for Chris- Paco wanted to know why there were more American friends all of a sudden, and Chris was able to tell him why we're all in Caceres and what we all believe. Pray for Paco's interest to grow and for it to spread throughout Nacho, Luis, and our basketball friends.
Sometimes when the day is uneventful, I feel somewhat useless, so please pray for encouragement and realization that this has nothing to do with me and everything to do with our Lord and Savior. We just have to pray BIG. He can do anything, so let's continue to petition Him for a huge movement! Thank you all so much for all your prayers and encouraging words and notes. I am blessed beyond measure.

Hugs all around!

Then sings my soul... how great Thou art!

Its been a great week! Last Saturday our Spanish class got to take a trip to Merida, a nearby town with some ancient Roman ruins, so that was really neat to see. Class is coming along nicely, and we are all blessed because the student-teacher ratio is awesome, so we get a lot of specific attention!


Got to hang out with Luisi a couple of times last week, watched Kung Fu Panda one time, haha, and played frisbee at the picnic after church. Yea! for girl time.


Josu and Danny (it's Danny, not Jonny, but we discovered that before he figured out we had it wrong, thankfully) have been calling a lot, so we've been playing board games and basketball and hanging out. Our relationship with them is snowballing into new friendships as we meet their friends, so please just pray for opportunities to bring up our Lord, for open minds and hearts, and for His words on our lips.

It seems I was meant to minister to boys here, which doesn't make much sense to me, but as long as it's in the Lord's plan, it doesn't have to. I have been around more boys than girls, as the rest of the team is all boys, and have only met like three or four girls, really. I am feeling a little lonely, needing that girly togetherness that only girls automatically have between each other!! So I guess that's a prayer request. I also haven't really been frustrated with the language barrier until just like yesterday or the day before... which is strange, because I feel like I am learning! But I guess as I improve, people don't talk as slowly, and all of a sudden I don't understand them again, same as when I first got here. So prayer for that, for patience, would be great. Honestly, to be all-encompassing, prayer that I would be willing to stay out of my comfort zone and not wish to be back in it and prayer for boldness in His name are what I would appreciate so very much.

Finally, I have a different sort of prayer request, not for me, but for a friend also in the field in Europe: he and his mentors had the chance to break the fast of Ramadan with some Muslim friends earlier this week in the local mosque and were amazed to see God working in many of the Muslim men they encountered. They had the chance to talk about their Christian beliefs right there in the mosque! They are hopefully returning both Wednesday and Thursday this week, and I would like if everybody could please lift them up at the same time... it will be about 1:00 p.m. American Central time. Please pray that the Lord will provide words and opportunites for the men sharing, and for the men receiving to feel burdened and to open their ears and hearts and minds.

God is sooooo good, all the time!

Life's Really Rough in Spain

...okay, so life's actually really great here. This week was really productive and encouraging! The Lord's been working crazy all over the place. He's so good.
Started language class this week, and so I feel like my Spanish is coming along a little bit. There are times when I can't even come close to say what I want, but at the really important times, the words just come spilling out, and somehow the Lord lets the other person understand my gibberish. :)
David and I made a couple new friends, Josu [Yo-soo] and Jonny. I was just reading on the Plaza de Mayor, and Josu came up and asked me if he could borrow a pen... and we started talking (all the Lord's words, not mine!), a little about God, a little about sports and the university, etc. It was really great, and they both speak some English, which helps. David and I have gotten to hang out with them a few times. Yesterday we went to the pool and then played some basketball... yeah, really rough life. :)
When we got to the gym, we ran into our friend Nacho, who we had played ball with only once the week before, and we recognized each other AND remembered each other's name! so that was really encouraging. We all played some three on three, and once again, the Lord gave me all sorts of words, and they just came pouring out... mostly just basketball talk, but I feel like there are really some relationships being built there.
I have been trying all week, and finally got ahold of Luisi [Loo-ee-see] on the phone today. I was nervous about trying to talk on the phone to her, because I was afraid I wouldn't have the words (you'd think I'd learn to stop worrying! haha) and no gesturing help on the phone, but the conversation went really smoothly! and she's planning on going to La Dia de las Iglesias (the day of the churches- just all the area Protestant churches getting together) tomorrow with us, so I am very excited to get to hang out with her! Hopefully we'll get to have some chill girl time later this week, too.
Thank you so much for all your prayers; they have definitely been felt! The Lord is doing amazing things, and the only culture shock I've really had is that there is no Kraft macaroni and cheese here... :) Please continue to pray for these relationships and for our team, that we will look to God first always, for His will, His opportunities, and His words!

I'll try to post some pictures next time, when I'm winning the battle against my internet. :)
With love.