Still feeling like a tourist!

Is this all a dream!?

The view out the hotel window in Lisbon, can´t believe we are actually in Portugal.

10 fifty pound bags and 10 carry on bags to get on the train from Lisbon to Porto. Let´s just say the train guys were annoyed with us for delaying the departure of the train...even though we arrived early in Porto in the end. By the way there is no one to help bring the bags up the four long flights of stairs to get to the platform...yes I´m whining.

Here are a few pictures of the area where we are living.This is our apartment, it´s the ones with the open windows to let in all that warm spring air!

A view from the apartment. Oh look, the trees are green! Yes that is another poke at all you winter bound people!

Some of the streets in our area.
Tami is going to start a website where she is going to post the plethora of pictures she is taking.
Adeus!

Life in language study

Hello, here we sit at the internet cafe, which has become a regular hangout since we can't get an internet connection at our appartment. We seem to have gotten into a routine now that we are over our jet lag, I can't remember ever sleeping for 14 hours, ever. A normal day starts with Gary & I walking over to our language tutor's apartment for a 2 hour class on speaking and writing portuguese. We are certainly re-learning our english grammar! Or perhaps learning some of it for the first time....do you know what a penultimate is? I didn't. We have classes every day of the week, with the weekends to practice, or do homework, which seems to take a lot of our time. The kids have an hour with the language tutor, Mrs. Machado, three times a week. They are getting more confident all the time and are working hard at their homework, some days. The past few days they have even ventured out by themselves, once to find some other kids to play soccer with and the other time to go to the neighborhood pastry shop to buy bread and treats. At the pastry shop there is a lady from South Africa who is quite happy to speak English with the kids, I think they will be spending more time there than necessary! In the afternoons Gary & I usually do our homework, this is a huge effort that sometimes takes four hours. We hike about the city to buy groceries and have walked to a nearby mall three or four times. Since we live on a hill, we are certainly getting into shape, which of course means that it is ok to go to the pastry shop regularly! NOT!!!
We have been humbled by the generosity of people here and their willingness to help us as we figure out how to get around and how to just live here. We are equally thankful for those who have sacrificed for us to be here, we keep that in our minds and hearts as we study. Thank you for your letters of encouragement, we miss you all and think of you often. Drop us a note!

We Have Arrived

This is just a quick note to let all of you know that we have safely arrived in Porto! We are recovering from jet lag and will starting our language training in the next day or two. At present we don´t have internet at our apartment, but as soon as we do we will write a better update. Blessings on you all, God is so good!

Ready, Set....

Just a quick note to let you all know that it looks like we will be departing for Portugal on February 10 from Calgary. That's right, our passports have arrived and the flights have been booked, so barring any unforseen circumstances we will be climbing aboard a British Airways Boeing 777 at 8:40pm. It has been an amazing journey to this point and we have been so blessed by all of you. You truly are all playing a huge part in us serving with MAF in Angola. Your prayers and support have encouraged and humbled us as we have continued to seek God's leading in what we are doing. We look forward to serving together with all of you as we head to Portugal for language training and then on to Angola! It will never cease to amaze me how God uses natural human vessels to accomplish His supernatural plan for this world. Isn't it awesome!! Remember, if God can use Gideon, who was hiding, He can use you for His glory as well!