mOre On mOnAsTiC LiFe...(pARt 2)

I was replying to David's comment and it end up being too long... so I make it as Part 2, from the previous post :-) :
I wonder the same David...
I do know people who want to live in community, but for different reasons they 're not taking that step yet... I do know some who do live in community (maybe in a different way and context, but they do), but they are in other places, as they felt called by God... And I know people like you who have a similar vision for a monastic community, but for some reason, we're the only ones committed to the places we are...
We're all spread out in different places, which might make us feel "alone" sometimes and ask God " where is the community?"... but the truth is that we are not alone, and we're not out of our minds, as we know God is calling out many people these days to live the same way...
I think people like us, and places like the ones we're living are simply preparations... we are preparing a place for others to come and God is preparing ourselves... sometimes I even think that I'm preparing something for others to live it, not necessarily for me... (it would not be the first time God would do that)... and it's ok... what matters is that we know we are on this place, at this time, doing what we're doing... and only God knows why ...
But I believe the time will come when people will be ready to commit themselves as we are committing now... so we need to embody what we see in the spirit first, so that those who come after us may see that embodiment in us... does this make sense?
I do want a more permanent community here ( I long for that since I came), a small one (between 5 to 10, not more)... I'm waiting and wondering who would those be... I would love that "those" would be some of my closest friends who I know share the same desire... but even that, it's out of our hands, cuz we don't really choose the ones we'll be a family with... I know it will not depend on my choice, but in God's...
I'm grateful for the different experiences I've been having with the different groups of people who passed by so far (some I even thought would be the ones who would commit, but no...)... these experiences are teaching me lots about living in community, about my own role in this place, about my own weaknesses and failures...and it has been helping me a lot to discern more about what God wants for this place, and mainly what God doesn't want... (if I'm allowed to say that)
So, I see it all as part of a process... all my thoughts, meditations and prayers throughout these last 3 years (and not only mine of course ) are birthing in the spirit the shape that this community will take...
When I was thinking about the vision for this place I made a the drawing of a tree... well, and we know trees take ages to shape and mature ... some more than others...
Like the seasons : I see many fruits sometimes, I see many seeds being sprouted, but I also see leaves falling down and an apparent death being exposed and naked... eventually they all pass... and a new season starts...
There is no hurry in nature... actually, there's lots of patience and perseverance... but eventually what is to come, comes... and it's all in God's hands, not ours...
I planted many trees last year... I gave them all the same care... but some died... some are still struggling to survive this hot summer... and some are strong and rooted... That's the same with people... not all who pass by are to create roots here... some are not made for this climate or they are not strong enough themselves to handle the harshness of the soil at this pioneering stage... "only the strong survive"...I'm not thinking the way some people think about humans living in society, but this is a truth among animals and plants...
and maybe some places, those that are breaking ground and opening new paths, need strong people... not in their own strength (not perfect ones either, nor super-heros), but strong in their weakness and vulnerability, strong in prayer and their dependence on God, those rooted On The Rock...
We are to simply obey to the call we received and to try to live each day as a new day... knowing that God is in control...

Some might be resisting the calling... some might be waiting for the right time (as they are in a time of preparation themselves), some might have responded to that call and when faced with the difficulties of it, they give up... we don't know really... and I don't want to say with this that anyone is failing... all the reasons that prevent people from committing to a life of community are valid...
"COMMITMENT" , that's the word... but not all are ready for it... it's a scary thing... it needs to be gradual... like in a relationship... those who fall in love take time till they decide to get married... we need time to process the idea...and some are faster than others... some respond too fast, and along the road they give up...some take ages to decide, but when they do it, they go till the end , no matter what...
we all need time to fall in love with the idea of community, and allow that Love to grow in such a depth and desire for more, that then, we are ready to COMMIT...
Communities, like the church (for me it should be the same), is Jesus who builds up, not us... we cannot force it, we cannot do it ourselves...
... our work will be in vain...unless Jesus builds the community :-)
Does this make any sense ?!!!

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

mY tHoUgThS oN mOnAsTiC LiFe...

I opened the mount of oak blog and I noticed its title : "Monastic, Life-giving, Eco - community"...
It is in itself a prophetic definition of this place as there's not really an established community yet...so far, I'm the only one committed to live here on a long term basis... it has been an itinerant community of different groups of people who come and go... I still wait for those with the same desire to commit to live a monastic life together...
But what stuck out to me was the word "MONASTIC", and this rough meditation started... (sorry for the length and english mistakes)

"Monastic"... what does that mean in my mind ?
yes, this will be simply my definition, or simple thoughts about it as I let my brain storm...and most probably it will not sound as mystic as some people may see monasticism... so, I apologise in the first place for my ignorance and demystification of this term...
When I think about monasteries I think about communities which emerged in times when "the church" was going through some big crisis of identity, when its structures and institutionalisation were suffocating what Jesus intended the church to be (if ever Jesus intended the church to be as it became, an institution)... After Peter said to Jesus that he is the Messiah, the Son of The Living God, Jesus replied : "on this rock (and I'm sorry to say but I don't think Jesus is referring here to Peter but the declaration he just spoke), I will build my church"... So the church should be of Jesus ONLY, and ONLY Jesus is able to build it (sorry "church planters", but you should change your occupation's name) ... If it's not Jesus building His church, gathering men and women who know deeply in their hearts that Jesus is the Messiah, The Son of the Living God (this men and women includes prostitutes, handicaps, thieves, gays, business people, etc...even politicians), then, it is not church ...(I hope you excuse my terms and a bit of humour)... It is easy to do churches, or plant churches, even playing churches, but who knows who is the church of the Living God... only God himself I guess... and I guess we'll all be surprised when we figure that out one day...
Anyway, in times when men and women felt far from being the church, far from being a simple fellowship of broken brothers and sisters, friends of the Messiah, there was a tendency to retreat from the world/system and the institutionalised church, to simply get focused on GOD ALONE... and monasteries emerged ... these were probably people who were well involved in "church activities" and "successful ministries", but who were feeling far from the Source and the simplicity of the Gospel : " to love God above all things and to love your neighbour as Jesus Loves us." (interesting the word "neighbour" in portuguese means both "the one who is closer", or "the one who comes after us"... but I'll leave this meditation for another time)...

O.K, I went too far already on the introduction here, sorry about that...this will be a long post I warn you...

I was reminded by God about why I wanted to live in a community in the country side... it was not only because I love to live in/with nature; it was not only because I wanted to escape the world/system (Babylon) and find a refuge myself; it was not only because I wanted to live together with other people... But, I dare to say , I felt called to live this life this way...
For many years I desired to live like this, but the time was not the right one yet... when I came here I was going through a journey of questioning what "the church" is about and I really felt we were (and are) in such times as the ones I referred before... We need monastic communities to emerge... both in the country side and in city contexts... and I know it is happening already... we need voices in the desert calling out the church to BE the church...
Yes, we need to go out into deserts (where there's nothing to distract us) , to refocus on God ALONE and in what God called us to be in this world...
There is a need of places of prayer and devotion to God where people can stop their busy lives to hear the quiet and still voice that cries out inside of each one and keeps calling us to be who we're supposed to be... children of The Living God...
A sign that this is a real need in our days is that thousands of people are attracted daily to go to places like "Taize" to pray, or walk the "Camino de Santiago" ... even those who say not to believe in God...

In my opinion, a monastic life should be a calling from God (either for life or for a season), it shouldn't be only for the "mystics", it shouldn't be a thing of the past, but it should be a reality today, it shouldn't be only for institutionalised monks or nuns, subjected to an official Order and obligatory vows and strict structures... (just a note here: I believe we should not make any extra vows besides the one to follow Jesus, loving God above all else and loving all fellow human beings)
Here's my small brain storm on the word "Monastic"...


I noticed that most people who pass by here feel uncomfortable with some of the major aspects of a monastic life (again I remember that this is simply my ideas on a rough meditation)
This things are : REST, SOLITUDE & SILENCE.

A monastic life, in a way, confronts the church and society life styles, which are often very BUSY, LONELY in the midst of crowds (different then solitude) and very NOISY... (so in a way is understandable that people feel uncomfortable... it's not a bad thing, but it is a bit like a cultural shock)

But let me go through some of these aspects:
REST...
It is important and healthy to work (which should also be part of a monastic life), but we shouldn't let the work become overwhelming nor stressful... work should be a blessing, and should never be done expecting anything as an exchange... we should work as a simple attitude of service and love (unfortunately some monasteries become businesses and loose the main focus of devotion to God)

I can tell you that living in a farm in such a pioneer stage, work is something that never ends, we can constantly see things that need to be done... It is a discipline to stop working (and for some that's really hard)...
So, REST is the key to reach this discipline. A rest which does not make you feel guilty or lazy because there's so many things that need to be done... But a rest that tells us we are choosing the best part (see Martha and Mary's story)... there should be times to work and times to stop working... cuz work will never end... I take this really seriously here...

Next one...SOLITUDE...
It is vital for a community to have fellowship with one another (the purpose of COMMunity, right?! something in COMMON which brings UNITY :-)...), but we shouldn't let fellowship occupy ALL the time of the day (some people really like that)... we need time and space to be alone and to be with God (that freaks out some people as well), in order for our fellowship time to be of the best quality... Being always surrounded with other people, or any sort of "noise" is a way to avoid our inner self (sometimes our own emptiness), and to prevent God to lead us into the growth we're looking for. Being with our inner self should be part of a monastic living and our growth into God's likeness (both individually and as a body)... Of course, our relationship and fellowship with others confront us with our inner self too (one of the best gifts of community, but also the most painful sometimes)...but we need to set ourselves apart in order to process the actions and reactions that take place within us when we are confronted with others... our instant and human reaction is to always think it's the other people's fault... but it is not even about who's guilty or not... all confrontations are but opportunities for us to look at our inner self and allow God to show us what to do or change (and not just expect others to change)...
So , for me, SOLITUDE is as vital as fellowship... I often say that if I don't have my time alone, I have nothing to give when I'm with other people...and I've prove this to be true in my life...so, I really take it seriously...
people look for company, that is understandable...but if we don't feel comfortable with our own company, we'll always have expectations that others cannot meet...

And at last, SILENCE... which for some can be seen as lack of communication...
Some people need communication ALL the time... either for lack of self initiative, or because they're so uncomfortable with themselves that they cannot bear neither silence nor solitude... or maybe because they lack patience to let silence speak...
yes, silence also speaks...
I agree some things are to be communicated at the right time, on the right way... but if we communicate things only with our spontaneous emotions we may not transmit exactly what we want to say and this often leads to lots of misunderstandings...
If we allow silence to process the thoughts within us, we will have more discernment of when to communicate the right ideas or words...
I do agree though, that there are things (specially when it comes to issues between 2 people) that should be communicated and resolved as soon as possible (preferably with a mediator)... forgiveness should be the breath of every community life...

So, these are some aspects I have in mind when I think about a monastic life in community:
...Living together with a small group of people who know/desire how to appreciate and live in solitude, rest and silence...
...Living together with people with a loving and humble heart, ready to confront and be confronted in love... to forgive and be forgiven... being honest and transparent...
...Living together with people who seek above all else, to be devoted to God, who makes us One with each other...
...Living together with people who are submissive to the basic structures and rhythms we need to function as a body ... yet, being aware that structures and rules are only a skelleton of the body and should not be what is seen... it should be something intrinsic in the life of the community...

But there are other aspects about the monastic life that I have in mind... The fact for instance, that we are not called to live ONLY inwardly but also outwardly focused... (either simultaneously or in specific seasons)
And this makes me think about 3 other things that should be results of a monastic life ( not the life in itself, but fruits of it) , which are :
HOSPITALITY, TEACHING/LEARNING, SERVING THE POOR AND NEEDY (mercy and justice)...

whatever we have to give/offer to others, needs to come from a place where we have received ourselves : either in our individual devotional lives to God (solitude, rest, silence) or in our communal lives with one another...

We cannot offer HOSPITALITY when we lack hospitality within the community (if we don't love and accept one another in grace), or if we have any doubts that God accept us and welcomes us in "the House" the way we are...

We cannot TEACH/LEARN, if we don't receive it from God with an open heart to practice it in our own lives (again coming from solitude, rest and silence)... In the same way, we cannot TEACH/LEARN if we don't have humble and teachable hearts to learn from one another... that's one of the richest gifts of living in community, that each single person has something special and unique to share with the others...

And at last, we cannot SERVE THE POOR AND NEEDY unless we recognise in our own inner self that we too are poor and needy, and that Jesus is in the poor and needy... Not that "they" are less and "we" have something to offer that "they" don't have, but that WE are equals and WE can be compassionate in our own poverty and need...
This realisation need to be also present within the community... not that there's a need for a vow of poverty ( I already shared my opinion about vows), but that there is a need to constantly acknowledge that WE ARE poor and needy...

In all this (and I know it's getting way too long), my ultimate goal is to reach this balance, between my time of prayer and devotion, my time of work, my time of service and my time of rest... to reach a state when is not a matter of time given to one or other aspect, but that it is all one and the same : my life with God.
I want all this to be intrinsic in my life... for I know God has called me to live this life... And if God called me , God will enable me.

O.K, this has gone too far by now... and I myself will have loads to chew on here...
I hope it does speak something to you too, and be free to comment about it...

It's been great to be alone here for the last couple of weeks and to have the time to rethink about all these things again...to have the time to write...and also to enjoy the company and take care of the animals, of the plants and of myself :-)...
Somehow the last years on this place have been a bit busy for me... too many people coming and going, too many changes, to many "issues" to resolve, too many things to think about... And I realise I haven't got enough time for myself , even though some people think I retreat myself too much and I'm too quiet... but the truth is that I need lots of time alone and with God to be sane and to have something to give to others... I'm slow, and I easily get drained when there's too much action around me, or when people seem to demand action from me... and maybe this is just me and my personality... but I'm ok with it...
I'm finally having time to do things I wanted to do for so long... like taking more time to meditate and write... like organising my stuff that was still in boxes since I left Lisbon 3 years ago... like replying the long e.mail list I have (I'm still working on that)... and above all, I'm enjoying simple things like watching the sun set, reading a book, watching the animals, swimming under the hot summer sun... I was doing all this things in some extent, but there is a degree of contemplation that I was missing... It feels like holidays :-)...

I'm really appreciating these weeks by myself... I do love when people are around , don't get me wrong :-)... but I needed this time to refocus myself...
There was only one guy here this week (he leaves after tomorrow), and I felt a bit sorry for him when he said it is too quiet for him... he walked the "camino de Santiago", but in the end of each day he always had lots of people to chat with... we had to laugh noticing how people are different... here am I, so thankful for the quietness, and this guy is stressing out because of it... oh well, as I said in the beginning, I think a life of solitude, quietness and rest is not meant for all (or not at all times)... some might even be resisting it, but hey, I don't have an answer to that, this is all my opinion anyway...

I'm also really grateful for having so many beautiful people passing by (some for longer or more often than others)... I love serving others and I've been served as well... I've received and learned a lot with all...
Now I really feel God is leading me to think back about the "vision" for this place ...I don't want to claim I have it all figured out, but I'll only speak about the glimpses I've had so far... I might be totally wrong as well...
When I wrote the description of this "not yet" community, I wrote it in faith, as what I've seen in the spirit, and not what I see at the moment...
It's a bit like what I'm doing now with the permaculture design of the land... I first designed the land as it is, and now I'll put the layers on top of it as I want it to look in the future...
It might be confusing for some, but I wanna live by faith anyway...I believe in the God who calls out things which are not yet, as if they were...
And I love this God :-) sometimes I think God is too crazy... but anyway, I trust ...
That's why I'm here doing what I'm doing... being who I'm called to be...

I recently asked people to pray for more faith in my life... so I wanna thank all those who did pray...it seems to be working :-) eh, eh,eh...

Ok, I'm gonna finish now, with some words my good friend Andy
shared with me this morning...

"PEACEFUL IS THE ONE WHO'S NOT CONCERNED
WITH HAVING MORE OR LESS...
UNBONDED BY NAME AND FAME,
SHE'S FREE FROM SORROW
FROM THE WORLD
AND FROM HERSELF"
(Rumi)

A Monastic life should lead us to this kind of peaceful life...
A peace that doesn't depend neither on our circumstances, nor the environment or the people surrounding us...
A Peace that comes in our inner self and it's given by God alone...

BE PEACEFUL...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

hOmE : a pLacE oF VuLnErAbiLiTy aNd gRaCe...

some thoughts that have been crossing my mind today...Home and family...I have many dear friends, people I do admire and appreciate, and I have loads of people I know... and probably even more people who know about me...But feeling totally at home or having a family is something very precious and more seldom to have...

I noticed that throughout my pilgrimage I've been receiving the gift of different families and homes... as if in seasons... I'm really thankful for those...My relationship with my natural family has been always a bit odd... I've always been quiet and introvert... I never learned how to speak or share my heart... as speaking and sharing important things of the heart has never been a common thing in my family... we all go along fine, but my feeling was that we never really got to know one another... conversations were often superficial, or task orientated, or around the TV... (yes, that might be one of the main problems why most of families today don't know how to speak with one another anymore)...

So I learnt to be superficial as well ... "hi, how are you?", "fine, and you?", "fine". End of conversation...

It is a hard learning process, to know how to speak...

Another reason may be because most of people are not really willing to listen... most of people love to speak... sometimes to avoid more "serious" conversations... so we speak about the weather, the dogs, the cats, the children, politics, Tv, etc... always trying to avoid speaking about ourselves and what really matters in our lives...

I remember when I first learnt how to speak and share my heart... And for the first time I felt at home in a family... This was 12 years ago (I was 22 then... a bit late to learn how to speak hey?)... I was in Angola in a missionary community of about 30 people at that stage... people wanted to know me, they wanted to hear my stories, they would ask lots of questions... and I realised I didn't know how to express myself very well... I've always been a thinker, so I never needed to explain myself to... myself...

I would write lots, but I would never share as well...

Anyway, I don't want to go too much out of track here...

What I wanted to say was that it was here that I first found a place I could share my heart... first because I knew there was LOVE... and because of Love, there was Grace... they would all understand this concept as they were for me real followers of Jesus, and so, they knew Grace in their personal lives... we know Grace when we realise our own failures and know we are forgiven and loved despite all... that's when we are able to minister Grace to others too... so there I was in a place I could be vulnerable... I shared the worst of things I did and thought in my life, I was listened, I was understood, people were compassionate and showed me grace and acceptance as I never felt before...

This is still for me the thing that I found most impacting in Jesus Christ... and in those who really follow Him (yes, cuz we can look at the "church" and see nothing of this...but this is for me what church is about...)...

But years passed by, I came to Portugal, communication with that family faded and physical distance made it hard to keep up being the same... I kept communicating, and I still keep in contact with some...most of them I keep in my heart in a very special place...

In Portugal I was some years in another community but it was not really the same, even though I became really close with few people... Then I moved out and became part of another family... Some I referred to in some of my posts... specially the Borden's, Ben and Jasmin... There were others, but these are the ones I could share my heart with again... another place of vulnerability and Grace...

But again I moved... and again communication started to fade... by the way, I'm not moving around for any bad reasons, only because God leads me into new places and seasons... actually, those times to move out of family have been the most painful in my life... but when The Wind blows, I follow... Maybe that's why Jesus said something like this to His disciples: "if you leave your home and family because of me and my Kingdom...I will give you a hundred times more homes and families..."

And again I'm experiencing this to be true... This time is a bit different, as I am at the land for 2 and a half years now...  here it's very seasonal, and people come and go more often... I'm the only one staying in a more permanent basis...But during all this time, and even before that, God was preparing a family for me :-)... I shared a bit about them in this post
It all started in 2005 when I made my 6 month trip in Europe... I met Emma in UK (since then we had become best friends and prayer partners) , then Juran in Germany, then Hanne, Jonathan and Mathias in Freakstock and then Hernhut ... Another nice post about it here ...
To these, God joined Lyna whom we all met in Israel/Palestine and was living here in the land last year to give birth to her child Nolan... by the natural way, the family is extending, by birth and marriage ... Mathias got married with Nora and Juran with Ulli... :-)
Of course this family has many others with whom we relate with in our local communities and network of relationships... but these are the ones I know I can be vulnerable with and share all of my heart... And I'll add here Andy and Vony who I met recently but immediately became family (this happens too)... and of course Marcia, who just arrived from her 6 month trip in Mexico and I can't wait to be with...Edna, my natural sister is becoming more and more part of my family too :-)...

With all these I've shared the most precious of moments... laughing, crying, confessing my craps, praying and being prayed for, forgiving and asking forgiveness, confronting and being confronted, travelling with, working with, having fun, dreaming about future, sharing...

Anyway, just wanted to share my thoughts for today... about family... about the importance of having a group of friends (don't need to be many) with whom we can be vulnerable and find the most precious of gifts, GRACE ... ones who accept you just the way you are, no matter which state you're in at the moment... ones to journey with and grow spiritually into maturity...
Sometimes, family is close... but that doesn't always happen... family is in the heart, and it's spiritual...

I'm really grateful for all sorts of ways of communicating that able me to be in touch with this spread family... e.mails, skype, and mostly the many opportunities we've been having to meet in all sorts of places to be together in the last 4 years... I'm thankful for the constant prayers and encouraging words on the right times...

This is true richness !!!

I'm grateful to God for all those who have become family for me in every different season... I'm grateful for God's faithfulness and care, which became real to me through all these beautiful brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers...
Thank you all...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

ComE 2 mE all tHosE wHo aRe tHirSty...

I begin this post with some words from Jesus :
" - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take my yoke upon you and LEARN FROM ME, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."...
I write this because of the many feed-backs I've been having since the news started to spread...

It seems like people are thirsty and longing for rest... rest for their tiring souls, rest from a crazy life, rest from other bad news...

And it all made me wonder this morning ... " God, what are you up to?"

I don't know really... As I had no idea all this would happen when I first came here...
a little worry came to my mind...
I do hope people would not see me or this place as some extraordinary thing... I'm not any different than anyone else... this place is not any different than any other...
But maybe it simply mirrors people's expectations... people's longings in the depths of their hearts... people are tired of living life as they are living... life lost its natural meaning... people are starting to question... and that's why they immediately respond when they see what they are looking for... and they realise they are not crazy, they are not alone, and that it is possible to live differently...

I recently finished this book, Jesus for President , by Shane Claiborne, an ordinary radical who stands for Jesus' Kingdom on earth in a country (USA) where Christianity went so off track... he compares this times with Jesus' time, when the Israelis were living under The Roman empire's dictatorship...
well, today we don't really think we're under any imperialist ruler, but if we'd be honest, we'd realise we are living in a kind of slavery, under the Empire of money...
Money is ruling people's lives, and we can't imagine life without money anymore... well, some people in Brazil are already proving that we don't really need money... Check this out....
Often we forget that we are the Government... Instead of simply complaining about our Governments, let us be the Government and be the difference... Shane was sharing how he and his community collect money from all in order to pay the medical bills of those who need... That's the power of community... today I'm in need, tomorrow it's you, and I can give...
there is much we lost when we stopped living in community...
I was visiting some old ladies from the village yesterday and they were saying how their children and grandchildren are all in the cities, working for money and buying flats in buildings... while they have land they cannot work anymore (one of them was 92 years old)... all is left for them is to sell these lands (or their heirs would do it anyway once they die)... their children and grandchildren just want the money, this is sad...
So, I urge, specially the portuguese, to come back to the countryside...for I know most of those who are living now in the cities have their grandmas in the countryside, have their roots in the countryside...
And our countryside is being deserted... it needs to be populated again, it needs life again, it needs to be cared for again... before big industries and chemical agriculture takes over...
We have such a lovely and pleasant country still... we still keep the authenticity that most of the northern european countries lost...
And you know what is happening?!! Most of these pieces of land all over Portugal, most of the farms that our parents and grandparents, and great-grandparents built up, are being abandoned, or bought by foreigners...
I have nothing against foreigners, I don't really care about nationalities, but it's a shame that portuguese people are still so immeshed in the illusion of money and greed...
a friend of mine, Marcia, who lived here and is coming back soon after some time in Mexico, wrote a nice article (in portuguese)about "Making Greed history", in order to make poverty history...
Most of the people that pass by the Mount of Oaks, are foreigners... Even this blog I write, I write it in english, not because I think it's "cool", but because most of the people who read it are foreigners...
All those who come here love Povoa de Atalaia and other villages around, and how simply people still leave... How "remote" it still is for most of them... I had many people coming here who never ate a fruit out of a tree in their entire lives... who are amazed with the old people who still live their lives in the land, instead of being locked and forgotten in old-people's homes... 
Aren't we privileged still?!!

I hope finally portuguese are waking up, and I hope it's not too late for some to change... it is not impossible !!! that's probably what has been attracting so many people by the news... 
we have a richness that no money can buy... and I hope we don't fall into the illusion of wanting to be like the so called "rich" nations... going after the illusion of the "american dream", the "big mac" and a "Coca-cola", seating in front of a big Tv screen watching the days pass by...

We are the ones who choose... and don't come with that lie that farming it's hard... it's not... it's a lie sold by those who want you to believe that... and I love to get in the end of the day tired but satisfied and happy with my work.... working is not a bad thing... it's healthy and it's a blessing...

I was watching some people the other day also making vegetable gardens in the centre of Lisbon, or others who lost their jobs in factories going back to their lands to farm...

this is it !!! 

I hope more follow these examples...

I hope people don't just cross their arms and complain about life...

It is our choice in the end...

And our choices will affect other people's lives as well... 

we are but "ordinary radicals"... and YOU can be one as well... 

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

tHe wOrLd iS dEsPeRaTe 4 hOpE...

The country is desperate to hear something hopeful...
"All the news are about catastrophes, unemployment, factories closing down, the "crisis", blood, blood and more blood...people need to know that there's something good going on..."... that's what the Tv journalist told me when I was still considering to accept or not the interview...


I asked something else before:
"what makes this community good news?" and she immediately said " because it shows people a different way to live life"... I looked at Ton and said : "fair enough!"

Then we simply had a good conversation and she made very good questions to me, Ton and Daniel...
I spoke mainly about how God made the miracle to buy this place, and how we wish it to be a place of rest, prayer, work and fellowship...how we are to be more responsible in the way we use our natural resources, how we should all live more simply so that everyone in the world can have the essentials to live life...
I don't really remember what I said when they were filming cuz we spoke a lot before...
Ton spoke about his time in India and how he came to realize that the best way to fight poverty is if every individual would change their heart and consequently their lifestyle, living more simply...that everyone should realize that all other fellow human beings are our brother and sister, and actually, all other people are like us, that we should see human kind as one...
Like me, he said that if we would all live more simply there would be enough for everyone... he also said that NGO's like UNICEF are a joke, and very impotent to solve the problem of poverty, but I'm not sure they will broadcast that...
Daniel spoke about his desire to live with nature and learn more about sustainable living in order to do something good back in his home country, Zimbabwe... he mentioned that he loved the lifestyle in the countryside because he finds more time for himself and more silence...the journalist was amazed when she asked him his age and he said 23... she was expecting him to be around 30 years old, and I'm sure it was not by the way he looks, but because he shares so much wisdom for a 23 year old man...
In the end we were all satisfied, and I do hope and pray that the Spirit of God (who I believe is responsible for all this) would touch hearts while people watch the national news today...

May it be like a "voice in the wilderness" calling out people to consider their lifestyle and hopefully to change... that is the real hope... we shouldn't expect hope to come from the outside, it cannot be promised by any human Government, but it has to come from within each one's heart... a choice of/for LIFE...

people are looking for heros to come and save them... American's are longing for Obama to solve all their problems... But The Hero we need, has already come, more than 2000 years ago... And we still despise Him, as He was despised then... Because He came to speak of another Kingdom, another kind of richness, that is not stored on earth, but in Heaven...
This Hero is still near us today, calling us into His Kingdom...


I leave you with a passage to meditate on...the apostle Paul wrote this to the community in Corinth (chapter 1, verses 19-31):
19 For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20 Where are the wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe...25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are..."
Yes, we are foolish...
Yes, we do fail...
Yes, we are weak...
Yes, we're not perfect...
Yes, we are sinners...
Yes, we are considered the scum of the earth...
Yes, we are seen as loosers & failures...
Yes, we are poor...
but happy !!! and blessed !!!

So, none of this is happening because we're extraordinary or because we're doing a great thing...We are but ordinary sinners... it is only and solely because God decided to choose us (as everyone else who is aware of it), and we were foolish enough to believe :-) ...

"...so that no one may boast before God. 30 It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
31 Therefore, as it is written: "LET THOSE WHO BOAST, BOAST IN THE LORD". "

ALL GLORY TO THE BIGNESS !!! AMEN !!!
--------------------

AS I WAS FINISHING THIS POST, I GOT A CALL FROM MY SISTER SAYING THAT MY GRANDMA DIED...
SO I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THIS POST THAT THIS WOMAN, WHO LIVED MORE THAN 94 YEARS (and she hardly got sick) , WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME IN ALL THIS THAT I'M WRITING ABOUT THESE LAST DAYS...

I WILL NEVER FORGET THE EXPRESSION IN HER EYES WHEN I LAST SAW HER... WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT GARDENING AND PLANTING POTATOES, WHEN SHE LOOKED ME IN THE EYES AND SAID : " YOU KNOW WHAT MY CHILD ?! I JUST LOVE GARDENING !!! " ... her beautiful sun wrinkled face was gliming with joy...

these words kept ringing in heart since then... she lived most of her life gardening... I used to spend most of my summer holidays with her in the countryside and learned lots about living simply... my mom said that I got the "bug" of gardening from her :-)...
I know one day we'll meet again... that's the other kind of hope...
THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH... BUT THERE IS ALSO LIFE BEFORE DEATH... IT'S UP TO US TO LIVE IT, AND ALLOW OTHERS TO LIVE IT AS WELL...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

oF tHeY gO...

the Jones
' family is back on the road with their amazing truck...
we all had an amazing time together while they were here... They're a great family, and a great model for those who think that living on the road is just for singles or couples without children...
well, they have 5 , and they all seem to be ok :-) ...
They're homeschooling while they travel, and imagine the many other things they will learn from this experience...
Andrew and Debbie don't know yet when or where or if they will stop living on the road...I'll keep tracking their journey on Andrew ' blog, I'm sure it will be worth reading ...
Debbie was telling me how they are often kicked out of the places they stop, just because they are BIG...well, the truck is, they are all skinny and tall :-)... they were feeling a bit bad about that, cuz they couldn't understand...and they are such lovely and joyful people...but we were wondering what frightens people today...well, being too joyful can be scary for some...and then, being too much out of the patterns teh world offers can be very frightening...people think they are gypsies, and in people's minds it's assumed that gypsies are "bad" people, which I totally disagree... again, the human tendency to generalize and label people...
Or maybe it's about what I shared in my last post...people are afraid of those who live freely... it can either attract people, or really scare them... cuz most of people today, at least in the so called "developed" countries, are control freaks, so freedom is often associated to "anarchy" (which again has a bad connotation in people's minds, and I don't agree at all)...
Anyway, I'll not start with philosophy again... I had wonderful chats by the way, both with Debbie and Andrew...and lots of fun with the girls...Sam is a bit more quiet, but seems to have a great heart...while here he was busy organizing a summer trip with his friends on the "Camino de Santiago"...
O.k, enough of text, here goes some more pictures from the last days

the "littleskinnykiwi", and "smallskinnykiwi" (correct me if I'm wrong Andrew), children of their dad of course, the tallskinnykiwi, ready to plant a kiwi tree on the Mount of Oaks...we name it "tinnyskinnykiwi", eh, eh, eh, I just hope the fruits will not correspond to the name :-)

strong Hanna...

T.J. stepping it very carefully...

And Abigail came to help with the water...Good job girls!!! I will always remember you here :-)... And I'm sure Nono will not forget you :-)...

And time for good-bye's ... I 'd better say, "see you next time"...I do hope...

Mr.Jones is ready to drive!!!

And Debbie is making sure everything is in place inside...she can't wait to improve the truck and make it more practical and more beautiful...she's an artist, can't help it !!! And a wonderful mom !!!

T.J. showing me the girl's room !!!

So, of they went... next stop will be in Lisbon, to visit the Hurst's, the Uhler's, and the rest of the crew there...

By the way, "JESUS FREAKS" IN KOLN, they will need some help to fix some things on the truck, like putting some windows and external boxes, and I know you're great on that, specially Jo(hannes)...I know he doesn't use much e.mail or internet, so let him know if any of you there happen to read this :-)... but I will get in touch by e.mail...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

wE sEem 2 b "gOoD nEwS"..

Just before the permaculture course started, I had a call from a girl from Covilha (a city 30Km from here)... she was a journalist of a local newspaper and she read about us on a local blog ...
That was funny I thought...

(all photos by Lusa news agency/António José)

So she came and made us lots of questions... it was while Simone and her friends from Berlin were here...
Soon after she published her article...Maren and Emma went to buy vegetables in our neighbour Maria and her husband, Casimiro, was all excited showing them the newspaper... it was a first page new, with a big picture and a big letters title which said "Alternative Christians in Povoa de Atalaia"...inside there was a 2 page article...among other things, she mentioned our alternative lifestyle, our many visitors from all over the world, the story of the land and how I end up here, our aim to be a monastic community reaching a balance between prayer, fellowship, work and rest, our good relationships with the village people and the permaculture course... It was actually great, and it gave the credits to God and the way we try to live with and for God...

I also thought the title was funny (with a bit of drama I would say , eh, eh), even though I made it clear that we don't identify with any kind of labels... Oh well, I guess it's a human tendency to label others, either to divide or to distinguish one group from others... I don't think we're much more different than many other people... Anyway, it didn't bother me so much... I don't like to call this community a "Christian community", first because not all of us consider ourselves "christians", and then because of the misconception the word "christian" so often carries...
But if other people call us "christians" I hope it's because they see something of Christ in us... and that is the best compliment for me :-) ...
As for "liberals", she probably meant that we are open minded and not fundamentalists or traditionalists... that pleased me as well... the word itself might come from "liberty", or freedom (as in portuguese is the same word, "liberdade")... If that is so, it's nice to realise that others see us as followers of Christ (even though you wouldn't see that in few hours), who proclaim freedom...
Isn't that the "Good News" ?!!!

As Jesus said : " The Spirit of The Lord is on me,
because God has anointed me
to proclaim GOOD NEWS to the poor,
God has sent me to proclaim FREEDOM for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the Year of the Lord's favour."

Later on, after Jesus resurrected from death, He said to His disciples:
"Go into all the world and speak about the GOOD NEWS to all Creation."
The Good News is not only about eternal life, but it often comes with a call to "repent", which literally means "change your way of thinking", or change the way you live your life, cuz there is life, even before death...
I hope this is what we're doing... proclaiming the Good News of Freedom to all Creation (with or without words)...and Creation includes not only humans, but animals, plants, the stars, the sea, the birds... I love brother Francis of Assisi and how he took these words literally... :-) ...
I love what the apostle Paul said to the Romans once :
"All Creation is waiting in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the Creation was subjected to frustration... in hope that the Creation itself will be LIBERATED from it's bondage to decay and brought into the FREEDOM and glory of the children of God."

Again, the GOOD NEWS that brings FREEDOM for all... when we live in freedom, we change those around us, we change all nature around us... that's something we heard in the permaculture course as well... if we care for people, they will care for the earth... it's interconnected...
...freedom is not about doing whatever we want, but about living free from all that entangles us... it is to be who we were created to be... this for me it's FREEDOM...

Sorry if I'm "preaching" too much here, but I woke up inspired :-)...
I was also reading a meditation from Henri Nouwen for today...curiously about FREEDOM:
"When you are interiorly free you call others to freedom, whether you know it or not. Freedom attracts wherever it appears. A free man or a free woman creates a space where others feel safe and want to dwell. Our world is so full of conditions, demands, requirements, and obligations that we often wonder what is expected of us. But when we meet a truly free person, there are no expectations, only an invitation to reach into ourselves and discover there our own freedom.
Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be."

Maybe that's what attracted this journalist to come here and see... and maybe that's what people see as a "good new" about us...
Few days after she published her article, I got another phone call, this time from a guy from the Lusa agency (the main news agency in Portugal who distributes news to all the media)... he wanted to come as well...so he did, with 2 other photographers (who took these pictures), and now the news are spreading like crazy in all sorts of newspapers and internet...
Another journalist is coming next week from Porto, and a guy also called from Lisbon and came to visit... he only stayed a few hours cuz he couldn't speak with anyone else (all the others are english speakers at the moment), but he was trying to propose me to be part of a Tv program about "magical places"...he kept saying that this place is magic, and he couldn't understand why so many people would come here when we have so scarce conditions, and in his point of view, so little comfort... Of course that Tv thing was a bit too much, so I said no...

All this triggered my mind to think about all that I'm writing now...
- what is it that these people see in this place that makes a good new, or a place to come and see ?
- what is that they are really looking for ?

At least, among so many other things published in the normal media, which mainly bring fear and hopelessness (like the "crisis" that everyone speaks about now), there is a search for something that is good and positive...
If we'd be more aware, and maybe getting information from other sources than the normal media, we'd realise that there are many good things in this world, that there's hope, and true Love does exist among people (which has nothing to do with corny Hollywood movies or soap operas) ...
maybe people are hungry and thirsty for something that connects with their hearts, something that their souls long for... Maybe places like this are oasis for people's souls... it shows to people that it is possible to live a different life, that it is possible to be content, satisfied and happy with little... that comfort is not only about material things...
Jesus also said ( he actually said pretty cool things, didn't He?) :
" look at the birds of the air, they don't sow or reap or store in barns, and yet God feeds them... see how the flowers of the fields grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these... seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Have you noticed the birds ? They don't seem stressed nor worried... I often see them playing and singing... Even their nests, even though wonderfully made, they are not to last long... and they don't seem to care about that either...
Maybe the problem for many people is that we never get satisfied, nor content, nor thankful for what we have...we are bombarded by all sorts of advertisement which tell us " you need this, you need that, go and buy, you are a looser, go and buy, you are ugly, go and buy, you are miserable, go and buy, your neighbour has a nicer car, go and get a better one, you are out of fashion, go and buy..."
Truth is that we don't need most of the stuff we buy to be happy ...
After the 9/11, the message of president Bush to the Americans was " Go and buy stuff"...Great !!!

I recently watched a dvd during the permaculture course about
the power of community , how Cuba survived peak oil... I was amazed how they changed the whole country lifestyle after realising they couldn't keep up living as they used to anymore...mainly because of the USA embargo and after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990...
" Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. "
Every plot of land was turned into food gardens...doctors, lawyers, engineers were learning how to farm...there was no more chemical pesticides or fertilizers (thankfully), so they had to plant all things organically and without machinery... And what happened ?!!
They end up producing 80% of all they consume...everything is produced locally cuz transport was scarce... cars were replaced by bikes and health improved considerably... universities multiplied, from 8 (I guess) to 50, cuz it needed to be local... every neighbourhood has a local market with local food...

What an example !!!
So, lets stop and think when we hear about "crisis" ... it might be a good thing... maybe the best thing we need at the moment... to wake us all up !!! To make us think more globally and act more locally... to see the power of community restored... to see our values being reshaped ... to stop living in fear and start to live life as it should be lived ... it is possible for all humankind to have their basic needs met... and those who tell you this is utopia, are the same who wants you to live in fear... there is much in the world for everyone, but some want it all for themselves...

The rural areas in Portugal are being deserted of people, as most young people go to the main cities or abroad to work for money... Land is not more expensive than a flat in the city, but still, people get hooked on credits to buy a cement box...
the old people of today will eventually die, and the land will be sold by their heirs...
Portuguese government and the EU has no interest to support or encourage farming in Portugal, as their only interest is to fill our country with eucalyptus for the paper industry (even knowing that this monoculture will dry our soil in the near future)... Our Government gives subsidies for those who don't cultivate their land (strange...Hmm), it gives subsidies for those who uproot fruit trees...Hmmm...They invest loads of money to advertise things like "Come, join the army !!!" , but I never saw so much effort in what comes to encourage young people to come to the countryside and farm...Hmmm...
Where are we going ?!! where do we want to go ?!!
What kind of life do we want to live ?!!! What kind of future do we want our children and grandchildren to have ?!!! Do we think diplomas will feed their stomachs?!! Or do we want them to spend their lives in and out the universities, cuz when they come out there are no jobs...Hmmm...

Being a farmer these days is the same as being a looser, but everyone likes to eat...
Being a doctor gives someone a good status, but no one really wants to get sick...
Hmmm, it doesn't make sense to me...
I don't mean we don't need doctors, but we need them as much as we need farmers... If we look at a tribal group, probably there is one doctor and maybe one apprentice while the rest of the tribe are farmers or shepherds...
Anyway, I don't know if I'm too much off track now ...and I definitely made this post way too long... sorry about that !!!
I will finish with one more thought :
Sometimes what we need, is not that our circumstances change, but maybe we need to look at them in a different way...
the problem sometimes can be the solution !!! (one more permaculture principle)

Let us think and meditate about this...
if you think it's worth it ...

As I was typing this post, Debbie came to me saying that there was a portuguese family who wanted to see me...they read in a newspaper about the land and just came to visit... I had to laugh !!! On the way to the kitchen I was telling Debbie what I was writing about ... this family, Manuela, Antonio and Hugo ( their younger son), came all the way from Marco de Canavezes, up in the north, probably more than 3 hours drive...
People are attracted by Good News... like many went to John the Baptist, a lunatic of the time, living by the river Jordan, dressed in camel clothes, whose food was nothing more than locusts and honey...
I'm far from comparing myself with John the Baptist, but I wonder if the same Spirit is upon this place and in many other places throughout the world... the same Spirit that calls out people to change the way they are living and follow God in their hearts...the same Spirit who was upon Jesus to proclaim Good News of freedom... The same Spirit who descended upon Jesus' disciples to able them to do the same works He did on earth, and glorify God in Heaven...
The same Spirit who says "Come! All who are tired, thirsty, hungry... Come, and I will give you rest...Come and I will quench your thirst...you'll not feel hungry anymore... Come, and you will be satisfied !!! "

For those who have ears to hear, and eyes to read... Come !!!
Not necessarily to this place, or any other place, but to The Spirit that calls you...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

cOmiNg aNd gOinG...

O.k, I promised I'd be back to you soon, so here I am :-)...
day by day, we're less and less people on the land...signs of a new season :-)...
some go, others come...right after the permaculture course was finished, most of people left...
Chris, Amelie, baby Shiloh and Maren went to Holland on a rented car...Dane and Jillie went to Lisbon to spend Easter with Dane's family...Jared and Steffi went to Germany...
Me, Ton, Daniel and Emma were left, but not alone...

Brother Tom and Hanna arrived to stay for a week...Another Hanna, Ton's friend, from New Zealand also came to stay for a week...
The Borden´s, Byron, Lisa and Heather came on Tuesday, and Colin came next day with Christian from Lisbon... Only Jesse and Trevor were missing... It was nice to see them here, even though it was so short (2 days) and we all seemed so exhausted for different reasons...
Ulli and Juran also came for the weekend after, along with my sister Edna, with Pamela and the twins...
Like I said, some go , some come...
But soon, all these left as well...
I went to take Emma to Faro (south)...the initial plan was for her to visit Edna, Paulo and the kids there, but as Edna went to the land instead, I drove anyway...It was a long but nice journey and we end up in a nice place at the sea...Oh, how I miss the sea...
On the way back I slept in the middle of the journey cuz I was tired...it's nice to have this van and just park anywhere to sleep...
As I arrived, Juran was on his way to the mass with Ulli, so I went with them...it was nice...after we went to the land and I just had time to get to my house when suddenly I hear a voice calling : "Hello!!! Hello!!!"... I couldn't really discern the accent...I went outside and there was a man from the village together with Andrew Jones, whom I was expecting in a week... the man was trying to explain me that they couldn't get in the land with the bus they brought so I went with them to see... they were parked 10 minutes behind the land...
only when I saw the kind of "van" they were traveling with I understood why they were having so much trouble... :-)
It's huuuuuge... and beautiful...
It was so nice to see them all...Debbie, Andrew s wife, Sam, Elizabeth, Abigail, Hanna and Tamara...Yep, 7 of them ...tall and skinny :-)...
I'm having great times with them...It's nice to have a family around...and they are all characters...

Nono, joins the circus as well :-)
And as it has been raining all week, we're taking lots of time to rest, read, chat, play cards (lots of times), making crafts, specially Debbie, she got all excited to see our big bus full of fabrics , eh,eh, she 's great ...

Here's Debbie showing Abigail and Tamara how to make certain stitches on the beautiful vest she was making for Tamara...

But I still have more news...for other time...we seem to be "Good news"... you'll understand later...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

aBoUt tHe pErMaCuLtuRe cOuRsE...

I have loads of things to share with you, but for now I'll simply post a link for our new blog where I just wrote about the permaculture course...
I cannot stand so long online to write more in one day...I'm here more than 3 hours now ... sorry about that :-)

Andrew Jones and his family are here at the moment too, so I'm sure you can find something in his well known blog tallskinnykiwi

But I'll get back to you soon...

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!

nO tiMe 2 bLoG, sOrRy...

I have so many things to share, but recently I haven't got the time to seat and post on my blog...mainly because many things have been happening, and then because my computer battery is not lasting long anymore, so I have to come to this little cement cabinet, 5 minutes behind our land... it's a blessing that our neighbor lets us use it to charge our electrical stuff, but is not the most comfortable place to seat and write for long time...usually it's not a problem for me, but recently, in the end of each day I'm really tired of physical or emotional work...so, I'm taking part of my rest day to do this... it is a rest for me to remember and process things that have past...so, I'll be doing that as I share it with you...





So, after I last posted, I went on a small trip to the Islands of UK to meet some friends who are part of a network called SPEAK ... a beautiful group of friends, mainly students, activists in behalf of different justice issues, free spirits, artists, prophets, nonconformists, peacemakers, active children of God... I arrived at the end of the "dance for Justice" party on saturday night...Jo was at the door and she welcomed me in...I immediately felt at home, after a looong day journeying on buses, metros, trains and plain... but it was worth it to see some of the familiar faces I've known since my "tour" in Europe in 2005...some people were chilling out in couches, others having nice conversations, others dancing, others sleeping :-)....here in the picture is Louise, who started this network, and Mike Love giving a workshop on prayer and repentance...It was nice to see Mike, even for a short while...we had a nice conversation on economics, and "leadership" in communities, even though none of us like the word in particular :-)... He's a common friend of the Winter family , who live on the other side of the mountains in another community... he got us in touch actually...and I'm so blessed by that... I wish Mike gets around here one day...

It was nice to see Brother Tom from Scotland, get to know Hannah... Lucy was there too...they actually made a "talking circle" about the land the day before, and many people got interested... Patrice from Poland was another surprise to see, and the Dutch guys, Rik and Gerrard, who did a wonderful job with multi media and music...they are simply great!!!
It was nice to see Hannah and meet her husband Johny, and to share a bit about the land...they may come for the permaculture course, but still not sure...
It was a nice day, hanging out with friends, listening to good workshops, and simply being...
The day after it finished we had a nice "after party" hang out with those who were still around... I slept at the Speak office, had a wonderful sleep, and a rested morning in a nearby park... In the afternoon few of us went to an alternative place called "passing clouds"...amazingly decorated as you can see a bit on the picture... we shared what we're involved in at the moment in our lives, we shared songs and poems, we welcomed "strangers" in our circle, and shared a bottle of Port wine that I brought with me... a feast of friends !!! Louise suggested to take me to eat some curry down town, and of course I wouldn't refuse it... I had a bus to the airport at 11.30pm , so , me and Louise hanged out a bit more after dinner in a nice cafe we also went last time I met her in London... we had nice conversations, as always...

Next morning I was flying to Belfast to visit Emma, my best friend... she was not in such a good form...I mainly wanted to be with her, pray with her and support her... At the same time I arrived, another friend of hers also arrived from Manchester... it was perfect...Mareka, is a Dutch woman who is living in Manchester for 20 years now, knowing that that is the place God wants her to be... definitely a gentle and wise woman with a heart to pray... we had a lovely time together, sharing lives and praying for one another... isn't it beautiful to be part of the family of God ?!!!
I had a lovely time in Belfast with Emma and some of her new friends...It was nice to meet Miriam, who will also come to the permaculture course...they have been farming a piece wasted abandoned land in between buildings in the middle of Belfast, and they have lots of dreams to impact the city and hopefully challenge people to live life in a different way...even within a city context... it was nice to go out for a "pint", and listen to their dreams...

After few days it was time to get back to the land, and keep on the work I was doing with the prayer shelter... but I knew that "going back" was not only about working...was mainly about being with those God has brought to this place at this time...
while I was in Belfast I got an e.mail from Ton, who was a bit disturbed with some things that were going on... It was not a surprise for me, as I was already feeling that could happen... I was wondering why this kind of things come up every time I go away... it makes me sad, and makes me question what might be the reason... we had a "talking circle" the day after I arrived, and I expressed my sadness to everyone... I had 2 thoughts : each person need to realize who they are in the community and which are their individual roles...for me, the strength of a community is when each individual live up to who they are...people need to realize that they need to play their role in order for the community to function (As Paul speaks in Ephesians 4), and the absence of one part cannot disturb so much the function of the whole... I know I have an "overseeing" role, and I'm also aware we are in a very pioneering stage of laying foundations, but all other roles are as important as this...it's not about positions, but about functions... that's how I see a body or a family functioning well...
The other thought I had was that some people might have a problem with the role I have here...maybe they are the ones seeing it as a position, which they have problems to deal with... and this is a great problem... because I have experienced how it led people to gossip and faction among us...people afraid to come and speak with me, people speaking in my back ,etc... it might be my problem as well, but then I don't understand why I would be a problem for some, but not for all...Hmmm, anyway...I'm still processing about all this... still learning...and there's so much to learn...
We spent the whole morning in our "talking circle" cuz I wanted to hear from each one what happened when I was away... And mainly it was all because of bad theology being "preached" at the morning prayers by one person only (basically there was no time for nothing else)... besides, that there was misjudgments and false accusations that needed to be cleared out... people got hurt and there was a need for forgiveness... the first step was made during that morning, but more needed to be made the following days...
All this became a bit exhausting... but needed...
These was all around a new couple who came... they sincerely want to follow Christ, but he spent the last year in the "12 tribes" community in France, and that's where his theology comes from... it's mainly legalistic and judgemental (in our point of view)... portraiting an image of a strict and judgemental God and little of the Loving, Graceful, Merciful God we know...
I usually don't like to judge people's opinions on God and the way they follow their faith, but saying that ONLY in the "12 tribes" there is salvation, is a bit too much of a obvious heresy...
he himself was quicked out of the "12 tribes", because he was in love with his girlfriend, and too busy in his mind with that...so, in his belief, he's not saved as well, because he's "out" of the "12 tribes"...
One of the main problems for division and faction among the body of Christ, it's when we start to think we are the only ones knowing the truth... our human nature tends to think that "we got it all", "now we know the right way", etc... and I hate it... this happens with most church denominations, movements, with most religions...I believe there must be many good things in the "12 tribes" communities, and they must have started with good motivations ( I guess it was to call out the church to be the church)... but when pride comes in and doors are opened for deceptions such as the one mentioned, and that's when it becomes dangerous, and I would dare to say "heretic" ... they lose the vision of the kingdom of God, they separate themselves from the rest of the Body, thinking they are better than others (they stop having the space to speak to the rest of the body as they intent to, and they don't give space to be confronted as well)...they make the same mistake as the jewish made, seeing themselves as the "chosen ones", missing the point of it all... to be a blessing to all peoples, and not to be better than others...and this is not the problem with jewish only, it's the problem of human kind... it's our problem if we let pride take control...
But there were many other things that didn't quite sounded like the God of Love we know... like believing that the holocoust was just God's curse on the jews for killing Jesus...that we should obey human authorities even if they are against God (like killing others in wars, like obeying Hitler to kill jewish people, etc...)...
Most of the "preachings" were totally out of context... too much speaking and not much willing to listen other opinions...and this is what has been leading many christians throughout the history to support slavery, racism, wars, homofobia, anti-semitism, gender inequality, etc...
And against all this, we are to stand for as followers of Jesus, the friend of the poor, the opressed, the ones who suffer all sorts of unjustice in this world... Jesus, who proclaimed freedom for all, who offers eternal life as a gift to all those who believe, the one who justifies ALL before God, the one who claims no accusation against us... This is The Jesus I want to follow... The One who accepts us the way we are, and daily transforms us in who we will become...
Anyway, we learned a lot during these days, even though it was exhausting...we learned about the way of forgiveness...we learned about unconditional love... we learned about confronting the truth with Love... and most of all, we learned about God's sovereignty... it's not up to us to judge... only God sees the heart...
we do love this couple, and we know their hearts are sincere... that is what makes us sad with all this... they will leave us next tuesday... not because we told them to leave (I believe all those who are here are brought by God for a reason, so it's not up to us to invite anyone to leave...we just need to trust God), but her grandma died some days ago, and she wants to go and be with her sister...
Be praying for them... May they see the Light as they seek The Light...
Darek , our friend from Czech Republic also left last monday... here he is helping me with the prayer shelter... it was so nice to have him with us... he's such a nice guy... he was really sorry he had to go...he almost cried when me and Jared took him to the bus station... But he wants to come back for the winter... he has a tea tent, and during the summer he goes around to many festivals with a "mobile community", another group of nonconformists called "GodArchy" ...they have reggae music, nice tea, coffe and other products fairly traded, and they also challenge people in issues of Justice and living a different life style not conformed to the world we live in... a convoy of "john the baptists" calling out people to "repent", which literally means "change your way of thinking" and live out differently...
And here's Shiloh... isn't she cute ?!! And she knows it :-) ... we started to call her "scar face", cuz she's always falling and getting scars...poor one... she's in that stage... she's lovelly... she's the daughter of another lovely young couple, Chris and Amelie, who came from California to travel a bit and get a different perspective on their lifestyle... it was too much for them having Chris always working and not having much time for Amelie and baby Shiloh... Amelie was telling me how this few weeks since they have been here seem longer than the 1st year of Shiloh, when time seemed to fly away... They are such nice people, with such nice hearts...and it's wonderful to have a baby around... they want to travel some more before going back to the US, and they are praying about what kind of life will they have back there... they would love to have a piece of land and live in community, but that is really expensive in California...anyway, they are praying, and I'm sure God will lead them...
Amelie with Shiloh on her back, Stephi (on Nono's back ) who's also visiting again from Germany, and Dane...they all went shopping veggetables with the donkeys...it's always fun !!!
Here is Dane trying to make Zebrita move :-)... by the way, Line gave out Zebrita to a man in Fundao who has more horses and one donkey... so, now we're left with Nonolito !!!
Back to the prayer shelter...that's pretty much what I've been working on these days... I wanted to put the dirt on top before the permaculture course starts...it's not done yet, but at least the wind will not blow off the roof cover...
I still need to make this kind of edge all the way around... I only made it in the front so far...
It looks like a giant mushroom !!! eh, eh :-)
Jared helped me a lot, digging out the dirt from the floor and throughing it on the roof...
Ah!!! and here's our new car...a mitsubitshi pick up L200, from 1991... another blessing... it's perfect for the work we need to do here...Edna and Paulo (my sister and brother in law) lent me 3.500E to buy it this week, and I made the insurance for a year for 223E from the donations I received from some of you... the guy who made the insurance knew this car from the other owner and asked me how much I paid for it... when I said the price, he told me that it was a very good deal, cuz this cars hardly have problems, and this one has not so many kilometers... it was from a hardware store who needed to have less expenses...they bought it knew and never had big problems with it... I felt at peace, and I'm really glad with it...Now we can get many building material we will need for this year... it's gonna be a building year :-)...
I need to pay my sister back as soon as possible, and I also got some friends who would be willing to lent us some money for a year...
SO, if you would like to send some donations to pay it back, it would be much appreciated... let me know...

There's a group of 8 people coming from Germany with Simone, who was with us in the beginning...so, I might post about it next week...
And the permaculture course starts next saturday... it's gonna be great...let me know if you still wanna come... we can still have more 3 people to attend the course...

O.k, I'm off now... it was a delight to share all this with you, and process for myself all that has been hapening around me...
Much Love

PEACE

Enjoy a good REST

cUriOuS ?!! cLiCk 2 fiNd oUt mOrE!!!