Metros,Buses,Trains, Oh my!!!

 My HandsOn partner, Hannah and myself have been on one  photo scavenger hunt of local areas around Porto  and we will be going on another on Thursday; this will really help us  know how to get places on our own.We are daily learning the bus and metro systems. I know that we will eventually figure it all out :) As Andy and Michelle put it, " it's okay to get lost a little!" And, This is not to shabby of a place to get lost for a bit.Everywhere I look, I see neat little alley ways, vintage buildings/ homes and people out and about sitting at cafes drinking coffee ...It's just so pretty and laid back!

 I got my metro/bus/trolley pass today!!! Hey look mom, I got a gold card!>>  

Andy explains the metro map!!!

 Also, We are learning new  Portuguese phrases  each day! Our phrase for today was : "Qual é o seu nome?" 

meaning, "what is your name?" 
After repeating it over and 
over and over

 I think I finally
got it ha!! So now I can ask someone 
their name if nothing else!! :)

Michelle getting on to Hannah for not learning Portuguese  

   quick enough. hahahah>>

Also, Andy pointed out some graffiti that broke my heart today.The black spray paint 

writing on the wall said:

"Nós nascemos, nós trabalhamos, nós morremos"  

 which translated in English means :"We are born, We work, We die." 

PERIOD. that is someone's view of their life here on earth, nothing more and nothing less. However, As a follower of Christ we have been given life and life abundant to make know the gift of Salvation and eternal life with Jesus, the King! We know there is so much more than an earthy birth, hard work in this life, and a reward of a coffin surrounded by dirt.No, We know there are two road in this life; one road which leads to an eternal life void of God and the other in His holy presence for eternity surrounded by His unending love and peace. If you have a relationship with Jesus, your purpose in life is to die to yourself and  make Him known so that no one will ever have to face a life separated and in agony apart from Him. It is an emergency!

4.5 BILLION people are living  this life without hope and without the love of Jesus living and breathing  within them, yet does that phase us?? Does that even upset us?? Did you know that there are only about 7 Billion people on earth?? I think it's time that we,  as "Christians," not only read the word of God, but start living it! 

"how can they know unless they are told?"-Romans 10:14 

God is a Creator, NOT a duplicator!!!

So I'm just going to be very transparent and real  in this entry and admit that living in Porto is not always a sunny, breezy walk on the beach for me...

Do not get me wrong, I am falling more and more in love with Porto, the more we venture out, but I have defiantly been dealing with culture shock lately.It's been difficult for me to relate with my mission family.I love them and see our common thread, which is Jesus; I am just not that big of a football, sporty girl and they love  football.( I Sound crazy,huh!?!)
Also,being in a place where English is not the primary language is not as easy as i thought it would be. I figured I would jump right into the culture, learn the language, build relationships with the people, present the gospel and boom...this place would just automatically feel like home to me, however, I have truly had to depend on the Father for help... Which all the while is RIGHT where He has wanted me to be, in complete need of Him, admitting my desperate need for His help for His will to be done and not mine.

So I am learning to learn about the culture, people, sports, language....
I am realizing that just because people do not live just like me, speak like me and enjoy the exact same things I enjoy, does not mean it's wrong... it's just different!! There is not another Jennifer Suzanne White out there... and boy am I thankful for that,and you should be as well.

We are all created By God to do His work, however, the beautiful thing is that He did not make us all the same!!The Father is a mighty Creator who does not duplicate! He only made ONE you and ONE me! Oh praise Him for that. I am learning to adapt by listening and praising the King for the diversity He used to create this universe and the people in it.It's funny how blinded we can get when we are only focused on ourselves and our own comfort...boy, I can tend to be so selfish!

    "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.There are different kinds of service,but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."  

                                                                       -1 Corinthians 12:4-7                                                              



Father,

Help me to see people trough your eyes and love them the way you first loved mankind. I know you have placed me here specifically in Porto, Portugal.I pray that I can listen and learn from others and begin to enjoy the things they enjoy. I am daily learning to strip away this filthy sin coat I am covered in and I am becoming cleaned, polished,molded and made new into your image. I am sorry for not relying on You fully and thinking I could do anything on my own... I can not and I do not want to do so. I pray for my family and friends in Alabama and their mission fields there and I thank you for my new family and friends I have here in Porto.I pray for the lost all around the world, those that are broken and in need of You. Jesus, let me shine your light and show your love to everyone I meet while I am here. Thank you for shedding Your precious blood for us on the tree.You are more than enough for me and more than I deserve. I surrender my life into your hands and trust that You have a beautiful plan.I am Yours.




In your holy name I pray,

amen

Hola from Porto!!!

Hey Guys!

Sorry it has taken me so long to post a blog, but I am finally in Portugal and I can already tell that the Savior has amazing things in store for this city;I have been here one full day now! I spent the past five days in Kingston, London having Oreintation with other HandsOn students going to several places in Europe such as Germany, Russia, Paris,and staying in the UK.I enjoyed London and grew closer to the Savior in my time there.It was nice to get away from all technology and just focus on preparing my heart for His work.I stayed in the Kingston travelLodge and each morning at 8am,we would walk to the Baptist church and have breakfast,quiet time,and sessions until 6pm.Sunday was our last day in London and it was our day to explore and be tourists; I saw Big Ben,Westminister Abbey, Hampton Courts and so much more, it was a great experience.
When my HandsOn Partner, Hannah and I arrived in the Porto airport,we did have some trouble going through customs and were afraid that we may not able to enter the country without work visas,however, praise the Lord... WE MADE IT THROUGH!

Now, I am in Porto and I am so joyful, I have been preparing my heart for this place and it feels like home. Today has been my first full day here and the missionary family we are serving with (The Milams)took us on a tour of the area and boy oh boy is it BEAUTIFUL!!! Above is a great view of the city from a huge brigde we walk across today.

Our ministry here will official kick-off in about two weeks and until then, Hannah and I are learning how to use the metro and bus systems.Please pray that Hannah and I learn the Language quickly so that we can build relationships. However, God has the ability to break down all walls!! He is an awesome Father that provides all we need.
I look forward to sharing all that He is doing here in Porto. I love you all!!

Malachi 3:10 Let this journey begin!

Gulp! or Gasp! is the first reacion I still have when someone asks me how I feel about spending my semester in Portugal, I guess I have yet to fully wrap my mind around it.For those of you who do not know, I will leave August 16,2011, to serve as a HandsOn missionary in Porto ( the O makes an oooo sound), Portugal until December 2011.Boy Oh Boy does time fly...
   
    It feels like just yesterday that I was sitting in my dorm at Faulkner,in the Spring semester, thinking to myself,"What on earth am I going to do next!?!"I sat and prayed in a state of panic,tears and worry that I would have no future after Faulkner;you see, what I was truly doing was venting to the Almighty God who all the while was whispering to me,"just Be still and know that I AM God!" I seemed to quickly forget the well known passage in Jeremiah 29:11, that promises the Savior does "knows the plans He has for you and I, plans of hope and a future." Oh how easy it is to remember that verse when all is mapped out before us... ha, little did I know the plans He had in store.

   That very night,around 1AM, I began to search the internet for a University that the Lord might want me to attend in the Fall. After reading through about twenty or so university info pages, I decided to give up and finally get some rest.However, before I hit the escape key,my loco computer ( that often does what it wants) decided to take me to the International Mission Board's website.The very first thing I read on the website is," Are you a college student wanting to go?"I responded to myself, "well, yes I am and yes, I want to go and do for the Lord!" I decided to click the go button and a list of opprotunities and places that college students could serve popped up. I read about the HandsOn opprotunities and just knew that the Lord was tugging at my heart to fill out an application, so I did... I started my application at 3:00AM!When it came time to choose where I would want to be placed in the world, I looked up information on people groups and places and began to pray about where The King would have me. I had to choose five places where I would like to be placed, however there were no promises I would be placed in even one of my five choices.I listed Portugal as my first choice, after reading the description I knew I would love the people and culture there; The Lord immediately placed the people and their spiritual needs on my heart.

          Three months later I had almost given up on hearing back from the IMB, I was sure that I had been denied and they chose not to tell me.Yet again, in all my sin-filled doubt, worry, and complete lack of patience, the Lord worked everything out and proved me oh so wrong. I discovered that I had been placed to serve in my first choice of field... Portugal, and not only would I be there, I would be there with a young woman named Hannah who is also from Alabama.I have learned to never doubt
and test the King of kings, He does have a plan for my life and for yours. He will do as He pleases with our lives because He created our lives for Himself. We are made to worship Him.My purpose in life (which I have often wondered) is to bring Him Glory in all I say and do,it is to surrender to His will.

      He has provided in breathtaking ways and I can not believe that I will leave in eleven days to work for Him in Porto.Through many prayers and financial support of the Lottie Moon christmas offering, amazing family and friends... all the funds for the this trip are now covered.I am literally in awe of all the ways God has worked. I know that He does not need me for His service, but that He does want me;I am in desperate need of Him.Anywhere you go, as a follower of Christ, is a mission field;if you have a pulse, you are a missionary!

      If you are ever doubting the Lord, please read Malachi 3:10 which says:
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.
Test Me in this,says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

There is an old Hymn that I love.. It says, "Trust and Obey, for there is no other way!"