Tons of New Pictures from Sevilla!

We've compiled about 200 pictures from our trip here and there's more to come!

A Story from Gail Pt. 2

I am so thankful for the relationships we developed with our Spanish brothers and sisters in Christ. It was a heartwarming and fulfilling experience the way the church members reached out to us, opening their homes and their hearts. The appreciation and thrill on their faces was all we needed to keep us going, but when they let us know that they considered us family and now see Americans in a more positive light because of us, we were overwhelmed and touched beyond belief.

A Story from Gail

I want to share with you what was for me a highlight of the trip. One day I was sitting on the church steps taking a break, watching as several of my teammates were working outside. I noticed a group of children staring curiously at all the activity. I smiled and motioned for them to come closer. One of them asked what was going on. I told him that we were helping to build a church and invited them to come in to see what we were doing. I explained the different areas of work and Mari, the pastor's wife, gave them brochures that told about free English lessons the church is offering during a special camp this summer. We invited them to attend service on Sunday. One child came to the church service and the pastor received emails from the parents of two other children expressing interest in the summer camp!

Update

Family and friends,

We're doing great! No one has been arrested or questioned by police! ha.

Today we finished our work on the church which included furnishing/decorating their Starting Point room which also serves as Pastor Pepe's office. We finished building the loft/Attic, where their teenagers will meet. They are only missing a staircase to access it. Jeff donated a PS2 for the Attic as well. We can't wait to see the finished product!

We also finished a stage set for the church that they can use and change up. It turned out great! Pictures to come!

The families have been so wonderful and many times the team and the Spainish families have been brought to tears. It's been an emotional trip with lots done in a little amount of time. Pastor Pepe has a great vision of being a relevant church in Seville. His passion is inspiring and insight into what Andy Stanley must have been like when he started North Point.

Yesterday we got to experience an actual service. They had drums for the first time and Brian got to play them. I can't tell you how much that meant to East Park Church, and especially Nono, their Music/Production Director. Jeff played guitar and yes, much to everyone's surprise, Angie lead the congregation in english worship. We sang Amazing Grace in Spainish and then English. It was beautiful.

Before Pastor Pepe got up to speak, just like they do at home, there was a short video played to introduce Part 1 of his series, "Heroes".

We ate lunch at the church with the attenders which consisted of something we are all getting used to: salads with lots of mayo, potato quiche thing with tortilla, cold spanish soup, and all kinds of sandwhich meat and bread!

After church, Pepe and his wife lead us around downtown Seville, where we saw the most beautiful architecture! It was nice to finally have a day where we got to relax. :)

more later!

Apologies

To everyone reading and checking in on us - our apologies for not updating as much as we intended too!

Several factors:
- Long days with no time to
- internet is either slow or non existant (ahh... the joys of life in the US!)

Here is a link to some photos of us:
www.photobucket.com/bcspaintrip08

Sunday

Here is where our Spanish friends took us Sunday night.



The band is called a tuna and they raise money for college by singing. Very cool.

Day 3

Day 1.... close call in Logan airport (cavity search)

All goes well from Atlanta to our connecting city of Boston.

Tim and Mike decided to ditch the second security search at Logan Airport and get some authentic seafood much to the panic of the rest of the team (we were boarding in 20 minutes). It turns out that it did not matter, because Kasey (our leader) got pulled aside for what we thought was a routine and RANDOM security check. But the security folks at Logan actually had a reason for pulling Kasey aside.

Kasey had left a butane lighter in her suitcase from a previous vacation. It was in the shape of a gun. Needless to say, as Big Bertha the security airport chick was putting on her rubber gloves and the blood was draining out of Kasey's face - an angel intervened and told her to let Kasey go. Must of been the 12 church kids gaping at her and praying for her release.
"I'm on a mission trip" we heard her cry.

Good stuff.

Pics of Seville

This is where we're headed.

God is already at work

The prayer team that went to Sevilla in March of this year recently told us that Nono, the music director for the church in Sevilla, has been praying hard, and had them praying hard for God to send him a drummer. Nono has a set of drums, but no one to play them during worship. As it just so happens one of the guys going on our trip, Brian Weaver, is a drummer! Wow! God is amazing! We cannot wait to see what else He will do thru us for His glory!

Team Building Retreat

We spent this weekend in Rome, GA @ Camp Winshape on a team building retreat.  We bonded and learned a ton about one another.  We also got to do some awesome ropes course activities that really got us working as a team.  Pics coming soon...

***UPDATE***

Pics, as promised, and there are more coming.