A Spanish Retreat

     Well, our first weekend in Spain was not spent at home.  Upon our arrival last Wednesday around 6pm Spain time, we were told to rest on Thursday and then we would be picked up at 3pm on Friday to attend a Family Church Camping Trip.  We asked if we needed camping equipment (tent, sleeping bags, etc.), but we were told that a cabin had been arranged for us.  We were uncertain of what to expect, what the weekend would be, or even where we were going to be in Spain.  We only knew we were going camping!
                           
    Our ride arrived at 3:30pm (typical Spanish fashion- a little late), Guijermo (J calls him, Willy) doesn’t speak any English and even the people here can’t understand his Spanish!           
 
It was a beautiful car ride into the countryside up in the mountains outside of Malaga, Espana.
   
                                     
    We were surprised by our camping accommodations. It was fabulous and very traditional in architecture.  Overall, it reminded us of the places we go on retreats with our Horizon Church family.  (However, sharing a dorm room style room with my husband and two daughters was just not quite as fun as sharing a similar room with my Horizon Roomies!)
                              
        
                   
                                              

      We arrived before anyone else.  We hung out by the retreat center’s pool.  As people arrived, they congregated there and all were quick to come and introduce themselves and meet us.  Some members of the church speak English and Spanish which made for easy conversation.
               
                           
      We started the check in process around 6pm. At check in, Rosa (our Pastor’s wife) introduced me to everyone who came and she told them that I speak only a little Spanish but to talk to me in Spanish anyway because I need to learn! I absolutely loved it! It was great being surrounded by the language and forcing myself to pick up on words and phrases that I knew and to learn new things, as Rosa was being a great teacher. (She speaks English enough to communicate with me, keep me up in conversation that I don’t understand, and help me find the words I don’t know…usually!) I really got to meet and know quite a few of the women there and feel so connected to them already.
  Lora & Mikayla (American working in Spain with media ministry outreaching to Spain & Morrocco, Africa)
  Lora & our adopted Spanish grandmas; Rosa (on the left; Rosa, pastor’s wife’s mother) & Aroura (on the right; Spelling?…oldest member of church- 84)  They are beautiful women with beautiful hearts…always giving hugs, smiles, an encouragement.
     Jared was able to fit right in as well.  He was able to spend some time with the few guys he had met at the community center (like Daniel, who works the opening shift in the Fitness Center) and some other men in the congregation (Jesus, the youth pastor; Jose Antonio, who helped plan part of the retreat; Ruben, a Spaniard with Athletes In Action mission organization; Jesus, on the worship team; and some other leaders of the church).  Also, a visiting pastor from Minnesota, Louis, was here as the guest speaker for the retreat.  (We were so blessed by his God inspired teaching and his encouragement to us personally.) 
  Jared and Daniel (works in Fitness Center)   Jared and Hermes (hangs out at center)
Jared, Louis (visiting pastor) & Pablo (pastor of Parque Victoria)
      In fact at Louis’ prompting on the first night, Jared was put in the praise team on the drums. No one on the praise team speaks English.  Praise God that most songs are familiar and that Jared has such a gifting that goes beyond language barriers (and can play regardless of knowing the song or not)!  It was such a joy to see him in his comfort zone, worshipping our Lord and Savoir, and serving our new church family in Spain.  Louis and a few others expressed how blessed they were by his gift and being a part of the worship.
    
     The girls enjoyed their time at the retreat as well.  They met some children their ages.  No real bonds formed yet.  Both girls, however, went easily and excitedly with the children to activities during the adult teaching times.  It helped that a few of the older kids have really reached out to them, can speak to them in English and are encouraging the girls to speak Spanish and make new friends. 
  Jara & Eliel (a youth group member who will be atending university in London this Fall, but for now will be helping in the girls bi-lingual camp they will be attending starting next week and will be Jara’s Sunday classroom leader)
  Jara participating in the pool games. (She’s facing the camera on the right between the taller guy and younger boy.)
They were even brought into a game on evening.  The leadership of the church was put before the crowd and asked questions about the members of the church…to see how well they knew their flock.  Well, if they did not get the answer correct, the person the question was about got to put a plate full of whipped cream in the leaders face.  Someone asked if this leader, Miguel Angel (the worship leader), what were our girls names and their ages.  He got it WRONG!
 
     The retreat gave us our first tastes of some traditional Spanish meals, eating customs, and culture.  Meal time was loud and crazy!  All the food at every meal (except breakfast) was served “family style”  with 6-8 people sitting at a table taking food from dishes and putting them onto their individual plates.  We found it funny to have bread with olive oil and coffee or juice for breakfast. (There were other pastry items as well with jams or butter and some cereals.  But most ate bread with olive oil.)
                          
     The retreat gave us a lot of interaction with our new church family and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We had lots of free time at the pool and in between planned events that allowed for us to share in laughter and fun.  Jared even got thrown into the pool by some of his new friends and was a hit with the younger kids as he was splashing and throwing them in the water.  We were also able to witness 12 new believers be baptized on Sunday morning!!  While that doesn’t seem like many to us in the States.  Here, in Spain, it would like over 100 being baptized in one day!  We were also blessed to take part in a special meal during the weekend.  Everyone dressed in all white (which was absolutely beautiful when we were all together).  It was a meal of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  We, Christ’s Bride, were dressed in white.  It was wonderful to be a part of this weekend!  We were so blessed that someone had thought enough to pay for and invite our family to attend.
 
                           

   We feel like just living here is such a gift from the Lord to us.  The people, the places, and the scenery are just breathtaking and a reminder of God's majesty.  I want to constantly walk around with my camera (and I do because I want you to all see how and what we see), but I have to keep reminding myself that this is now home.  It feels like home but it is also so very surreal.  We are extremely humbled to be used by God and to be qualified by Him to be sent to such an amazing place and a beautiful people to share His love, grace and mercy available to all who receive His indescribable gift!  Thank you for helping us follow the Lord’s call on our lives and for being a part of this adventure.  We pray that you are feeling close to the action via these blogs and updates.  Gracias, mi amigos!