Rio de Janeiro Comes to Lisbon

Last Friday June 10th, Portugal Day, our family was here in Braga, but at Carcavelos, the Lisbon-area beach where Drex and I are learning to surf and where I had hoped to spend time every week escaping claustrophobia urbana, about 500 local at-risk youths like those we serve at Crista da Onda forsook their at-risk status, turned professional, and demonstrated exactly what they are at-risk for.

They conducted what is known on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro as an "arrastão," heretofore unknown in Portugal, which sounds like but is the opposite of being arrested. It means running amuck relieving bathers of anything one can lay one’s hands on and attacking anyone who offers resistance. As surprised police moved in to allay the chaos, the youths took their mayhem onto the trains and into surrounding neighborhoods. Four of them were taken into custody. Three bathers and two police officers were injured.

This may mean we need to rethink our claustrophobia urbana strategy. Please pray that Lisbon comes up with other creative ways to deal with its at-risk youth, in addition to Crista da Onda.

What's a couple to do?

If you've been following the news from here for a while now, you may remember Alvaro Azevedo, former construction assistant at Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife, Conceição, care for seven foster children and pray for children of their own. Here they are with six of the seven:

L-R: Hugo, Esperança, Paulo, Bruno, Conceição,
Armanda, Alvaro and Gabriel, out in front of our
house, which may become their house soon.

Now there's a chance Alvaro and Ção may be able to adopt Armanda, who they have cared for the last two years. But if they do adopt her they must give up the other children, the state says. If they don't adopt her they may lose her and they don't want to risk that. They are asking God for a miracle. They want to adopt Armanda and continue to care for the other children as well. Would you kindly pray with them?

Holding On

Sorry I haven’t been around lately. I miss meeting you here, but we’re in moving mode and it hasn’t left time to write. I feel as if we’re living in a centrifuge, spinning all over Portugal, flying around being separated into our component parts, trying desperately to maintain hold of our Center, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. “My soul clings to You, o God; Your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:8).

Thank you for praying that Drex and I would get along without Debbie’s mitigating presence while she works in Lisbon on VisitingPortugal.com stuff. God has been giving me extra patience lately (a lovely feeling) and Drex and I have been having a nice time. But please don’t stop praying. As is required of nine-year-olds, Drex is manifesting his individuality and independence more and more and it will only be by God’s grace that we find that balance between latitude and limit ideally suited to him and to the new adventures each day brings. Because I felt it a cultural necessity for our children to be familiar with it, Debbie got me a copy of the original Rocky film for my birthday (which isn’t until September) and I accidentally opened it in her absence. Drex and I have watched it several times. (It is so quaint.) We’ve agreed to run together up the steps of the Philadelphia Institute of Art some day and bounce with our arms aloft. Drex bought a punching bag and has entered into training. Please pray his interest in boxing remains mild.

Please ask God to give us discernment about involvements in Lisbon. There are lots of things we might do. Obviously, VisitingPortugal will take up a portion of our time, but it is not clear how much. Nor do we know whether Crista da Onda (Crest of the Wave), the ministry to at-risk adolescents with which we are already involved, will get a little of our time or a lot. I hope to continue to be involved with Habitat for Humanity and dream of leading two Habitat Global Village teams per year to Portuguese-speaking countries like Angola, Mozambique and Brazil. I intend to write. There are lots of other possibilities, too. We expect God will clarify to what He would have us hold on and what He would have us let go.

Thanks very much for holding on to us and praying for us. Every spiritual blessing to you in Christ Jesus.