Full Schedule, Full Weekend

Hello! Thankful for all the prayers and support from back home as I miss my family and friends during the Christmas season. It really is almost Christmas, but it really does not feel like it most of the time. There is a little Christmas tree on our kitchen table and in the living room, some Christmas lights in the town, but Christmas is not advertised as it is in America. In America around this time of year everything surrounds Christmas but it just is not the same here. I miss the Christmas feel of home some, but for the most part it's surprisingly okay. I think because everything has changed the idea of Christmas not being the same as it has been in the past has just been adapted in my mind. I miss home some, but this is a season that the Lord has been giving me peace and contentment in which is a blessing. Our schedule for the past couple of weeks has been changing and full, but our ministries have been good and we are being challenged in new ways like teaching in Kriolu, meeting new people, and will continue to be challenged more and more.

This past weekend my team and I had the opportunity to witness two important events: a wedding, and baptism Sunday.  

Saturday my team and I had a special opportunity to witness the first wedding in a village called Ribonegua in the interior of the Island. The wedding was in the village church, decorated with banana leaves and other green plants and participants of the wedding wore red and white. It was beautiful and simple. my favorite part of the wedding was the vows as the bride and groom repeated the vow Ruth made to Naomi. I had never heard of these vows being said at a wedding but I thought it was so beautiful and strong. It was cool to witness a wedding in another country, and I loved spending time with my team that day. 

Sunday my team and I went to baptism Sunday! I loved the whole day! First a few of my teammates and I went to pick up people, then we arrived at the beach Gamboa. It always brings me joy to see our friends from the churches and I am thankful I got to see everyone yesterday. We began, praised the Lord, then headed to the ocean for baptisms. They took people down to the water two or three at a time and baptized. We stood on the shore and watched or praised the Lord with variations of singing, clapping and of course some dancing. I love the way they worship. It is not just a song to them, it is joy and a way of fellowship and this moment was no different. As the baptisms concluded, we went back to our seats. A pastor preached a short sermon on baptism  and shortly after we took communion. I thought taking communion right after baptisms was beautiful as it seemed to really emcapture the new baptized believers into Christ's family. The day was great and was a celebration even in the heat and sunburn that was a result of being outside.

Late Thanksgiving Update:

Hello! Happy (late) Thanksgiving!!! I know I was not home for Thanksgiving, but our time here was so sweet for thanksgiving. All the American missionary families got together and had a huge, yummy Thanksgiving meal that was awesome! I had a blast as we ate, introduced our friend Michael to his first thanksgiving, played games and got to know everyone a little better. I was apprehensive about the holidays because of the nostalgia the season brings as going through the holidays without my family will be difficult but my team and I have gained such an amazing, loving Cape Verdean family. The Lord has truly blessed us with sweet friends and I am so thankful. 

The past couple of weeks have been smooth ministry wise, a little bumpy emotionally and spiritually but the Lord is still good. I have become involved in a soccer ministry in the morning that I have really enjoyed the past couple of weeks. It has been a great way to start my day with energy and movement along with being another way to be an example for Christ and build new relationships. 

My team and I had a special opportunity to eat lunch in a home where we have a Bible study yesterday. They invited us over for lunch and we had a great time of fellowship before the meal was ready. We played some Bible trivia and sang a lot of songs in order to wait for the meal but this time was great to just spend time with our friends. Having lunch in their home seemed to take our relationship a little deeper which was sweet and special. When the lunch was ready, we ate a delicious meal then began our Bible study. Although it may have been a bit of a long day because we went to lunch right after church, I could tell our relationship with those friends grew deeper and I am excited to how we will all continue to grow this year. I am so thankful for how these people love us as they are kind and warm and genuinely study God’s word even in such a simple home setting. 

Prayer Requests: 

• The holiday season as it will be busy here and my team and I will be dealing with different emotions as we are away from home. 
•  That this week would be focused on the eternal mission and not just going through the motions;
  relying and looking to God this week constantly in my ministry. 
•  For my team and I to continue to grow in our language skills and grow in confidence to practice and speak. 
•  Growing relationships this week.

This Week is Thanksgiving
Hey! The past few weeks have really flown by and I can hardly believe this week is thanksgiving (meaning Christmas is approaching soon!) I am so blessed to be here in Cape Verde to see God here in the lives of these people. God has also been teaching my team and I so much about who He is and who he has created us to be. I am excited for the time to come and I am so thankful to be here building relationships and watching the Lord work, and watching the Lord teach all of us.

Even in difficulty, God is our comfort.
Even in doubt, God gives us faith and grace.
He is a good God, showing grace to us constantly.

Praise the Lord!