Hello!

So, over the last few days we have been preparing for our installation that opened on Friday night. Overall the event was a success! The theme was repurposing, restoration and beauty from ashes, so we have been taking items from the trash and turning them into treasure. We took waterbottles and made them into lanterns with plant-esque designs on them, we painted and sketched on envelopes, turning something ordinary into a canvas.  We also painted on the cups and wine glasses that our guests would be using. Rebecca made some luminaries and also decoupaged some old jars to turn into votive holders. In addition to our own work, we hosted a local artist named Daniel and  had him exhibit some of his work- he does portraits in watercolor as well as some other types of paintings. He is quite talented and it was an honor to have him as a focus of our party.

In hosting this party we want to draw the community in and invite them to look at art, ask questions about it and ultimately have it lead into a conversation about the ultimate Creator. At these first nights we are focusing on building those relationships so that in the future we are able to delve into deeper conversations. It has been quite difficult to share the gospel with people that don’t feel as though they need it- in fact, many know about God yet choose not to have him as part of their lives.

An interesting point that Rebecca brought up in a one on one conversation with me is how do you share the gospel with a community that desperately needs it, yet does not have any physical needs that we can come and meet to show the love of Christ through our acts of service.  This is one of the reasons that we are focusing on relationship building rather than physically building.  Spain is a first-world country and therefore the need for water, clothes and shelter is not as imminent- but their need for a savior is just as great as those in other third-world countries.

Some of the ways that I have seen God using me as a walking testimony is through our interactions with the store owners. We have all been intentional about talking with the store workers, restaurant owners, waitresses and gelato workers and through these conversations we have  been able to be a witness. Many of the workers have told us how nice we were and that there are not many Americans that come to visit. I had a very interesting encounter in one of the sotres that showed me how the way I have been interacting with the store owners has been visibly different than normal tourists.

There were a couple girls that were clearly from the states because they were speaking English with an American accent. I had seen them earlier in another store and so in this second store I was all too aware of their presence. I was talking with the cashier and inviting him to our art night and the girl behind me was getting frustrated because I was trying to speak Spanish with the guy and he was obviously more interested in our conversation than making sure she was taken care of. I hear her say, “Ugh I just wanna buy these and get out of here”, She then proceeds to take a couple more deep breaths and then moves in front of me, puts her purchase on the table and then throws her money down. Then without saying “thanks” or anything, she quickly grabs her purchase and leaves in a huff. Quite the experience. There have been a couple more of those instances where people were trying to bargain with the workers in one of the boutiques- and it comes across as serious cultural insensitivity. We would never try and bargain with a boutique owner in the states- yet here, many of the foreigners try and do just that.

So, my focus has been to try and get to know the owners and in my actions show how I care about the whole person and not just about what services they can offer me.  Many of these lessons I can see taking back to the states to be able to be the light of Christ in every day life and not just on a mission trip.

Unfortunately I am still sick :( Diagnosis: ear infection. Remedy: antibiotics, sleep and prayer. So far the first two haven't made a huge difference, so lots of prayer is appreciated! But on the bright side here are some photos of the last couple weeks. 

These are some of the glasses that we painted for our guests to drink out of at the art exhibition

These are the luminaries Rebecca made

One of our guests writing her thoughts and prayers on the papers provided- lit by the decopauged votive holders

Anne and I are airing out our smoking pans from our attempt at having a 4th of July BBQ.. haha  Nothing caught on fire- no worries!

 For Jiska's birthday we all went out for tapas

 and mojitos

 these are the stairs we traverse every day

This is Rebecca playing her electric cello in the plaza to invite people to the gallery opening.