Life in the Works

Jeremy and I have been in Spain 139 days- almost five months. That number seems crazy. Some ways, it seems too small and in other ways, it seems too big. The first month and a half we spent living in a seminary dorm. The first three months we spent in language school. And March, well, it was something of it's own.

I had hoped that March would be our month of establishment. Establishing ourselves in the town, with the team and as a couple ministering in Spain. That didn't really happen. We finished our time in language school the very end of February. The first week of March we attended our first team meeting and had our first sessions with our tutor (who we love!). The second week we were in Croatia for a retreat/conference/workshop with OMS. We enjoyed time with friends from HQ and missionaries in other European countries. We heard about ministry and work in other fields and we worked as a team to consider our own field. We were home for another week and then I left for Ireland.

Our friend Megan is in Spain for six months with the Algete team and needed to leave the country in order to renew her tourist VISA. We arranged a trip to tour the OMS work in Ireland. It was an encouraging time to spend with her and with experienced missionaries who shared stories of work and life around the world (including Spain!)

Megan and I at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Visiting Anne (working with OMS through the Y and Innovista) in Dublin.

But now here we are in April and what are we doing? To be completely honest, some days it feels like a whole lot of nothing. With our limited language we are helping in all the ways we are able. We are generally just trying to get involved in the town. Jeremy is working on a new website for the group. I will be working more with an English group. We walk a lot. We get coffee. Jeremy is taking another Spanish class at a community center. I joined the sports-center and survived my first spin class this morning.
Let's just say, life is in the works.

I sit in my window and look out at a huge, 600 year old monastery seated on the mountain and wonder "how will we change the landscape of this town in such an unmistakable way?" But God has reminded me over and over again of the scripture He gave me when I was 15...

"You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12 

Our lives may be in the works, but God's plan is established in Spain and around the world.