We had quite a busy week with our first Bible Study on Wednesday but Saturday was empty on the calender so we decided to go with one of our classmates and his wife to Avila. The bus ride was about an hour and a half south from Salamanca and we knew we were near Avila when we saw the wall. The wall was constructed in the 12th century for protection but now its just a cool place full of tourists. St. Teresa the famous Nun of the Catholic faith, worked and lived inside the city walls during the 1500's. While Luther and Calvin were doing their thing in the Protestant Reformation, Theresa and St. John of the Cross were a big part of what is called the "counter reformation" here in Spain which brought some new life to the Catholics in Spain. Bird, Thomas and Linda (who have ended up being great friends from our class) and I toured all over the city visiting the first Gothic cathedral in Spain and the catacombs of Teresa's monastery. The catacombs are now a beautiful museum and was our favorite part. Most of the city was full of tourism and I felt a little like Christ and the money-changers at the Temple, but the catacombs had a somber more reverent feel to them.
The sculpture of Teresa is just outside the walls of the old city and this lady might be Teresa herself. It was a great day and full of learning and grieving. Learning about a great and godly woman and grieving about what mankind has done with her legend. Either they venerate her or the profit off of her.
This week we hit the books again for our study of Spanish. One more full week in the classroom and then its hello Spain. Hopefully we will have learned enough to not get ripped off. Our Bible study this week will be on Ecclesiastes 3. There is a time for everything under the sun. Please pray for our group. I've talked to a few more people this weekend who said that they would like to come. Please pray for the hearts of the unbelievers that they would melt before the Lord and that as we read his word, HE would reveal himself to them. May God bless you this week as you live your life for him wherever you are and thanks so much for your prayers as we live our life for him here.
2 comments:
Hi guys! Glad to hear you were able to get out & do some sightseeing & share your faith at the same time :) It is so inspiring to hear about how the Lord is using you guys to teach others about Him anywhere you go. Continuing to pray for you.
Might make you smile to know that in our discussion Sunday morning about heroes (Abraham) you 2 came up as heroes in the youth group - the kids miss you but think what you are doing is pretty cool!!!
How cool. This last year we checked out a REALLLLLLY cheesy documentary on St. Teresa of Avila. It was difficult to sit through because it was so B-rated, and also because I thought the whole time it was about mother Teresa, and so was sorely shocked and dissappointed when St. Teresa died without having ministered to the infirm!
Will be praying for your biblestudy.
Jenelle
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