Time with Ane and then the Portland kids!

My time with Ane was a lot of fun! a lot of it was chilling at home... but we went shopping one day and that was fun... then one day we went and hung out with Igor and Gerald and the Fam as well as Joseba and his wife Joanna! I met her boyfriend... and i am one of the first to do that... and i like him he is quite nice... so after we had coffee together and he dropped us off back at home i told her that i approve ;). But it was really fun... she told me that she wanted her last smoke, so we sat on a bench and she smoked... and i told her how it was really funny because it reminded me of Good ol times when we use to sit out on my pourch when she was in america! and she would smoke and i would talk;).. then we started talking about God and just had a really good conversation... and it was just fun to be with her and Sharing about God again... and listening to what she had to say and her opinions... and it was a really nice time with her. then the next day i left and went back to Geralds... and then that night was the dinner night with the students who came to Portland. So we met infront of MacD's... cuz everyone know's where that is :)! so we hung out got some boccadillo's and and ate at the harbor and just had a lot of fun together... then we went to the water and for a little bit and then we went for some icecream... i told Gerald that i wanted to walk home so.. Paula and leire and Fermine came with too... cuz paula doesn't live far from Geralds.... then maite came too... and we just hung out... Then Fermine took off to go take the bus back to his village... so then we kept on walking us girls.... just talking about good times at camp and other good inside jokes... then we kind of commmited a crime...lol not really but it felt like it because it was late at night and we were trying to go and sit down in this area by the water... so we had to hop this fence... it was fun... we just sat there and talked for a while... then we got up and left... and hopped back over the fence... and well... there was Fermine... owow.... lol... i guess i decided not to get onto the bus cuz he didn't know if it was giong to go pass towards his house... so they walked me back to Geralds and i said good bye!! it was a good time just haning out with them... i really enjoyed it... it was a ton of fun!!! It is always such a delight to see these friends of mine... and just to be around them... it brings a smile to my face everytime that i see them... oh and Paula... since i am sure you will read this... i am suppose to give you a big hug from your american family... but i didn't read there post till after i saw you!! hehe... and for the rest of you... turns out that leire found my blog through the brawlys and then gave it to Paula!! i am being read all over the world;)!! hehehe.... well... thanks again for your prayers... God is awesome and still doing great work in my life everyday!! and i'll pics up like tomorrow or monday... i don't have them downloaded anywhere. (paula i promise soon ;))


Ane and I waite for the bus!

Igor... oh what a kick!

Ane, me and Elle her sister!!

beautiful day!

my feet, Ane´s feet and Elle´s feet!


All of us at the Harbor!

Me, Leire and Paula

Fermine, Leire, Me, Maite and Paula

The girlies

Maite wasn´t quite ready

funness

So yesterday i was at the island with maite and her friends... so it turns out that it was actually like a birthday part for three of the girls who planned it themselves. It was so much fun... we had to do like this scavanger hunt thing and there were 3 different teams!! one team couldn´t see... so they were blindfolded... another team could´nt speak.. and my team couldn´t use our arms! so we started with one card and then we had to go find the clue on this huge island and get the other clue... our first one was on like these huge steps... and it was histericall and actually pretty dangerous... i had to like climb up these wall stairs... with no arms and get this card... i had to like stand on one girls backt o get to the last level... but getting down was really scary... but oh well it was fun.... there were others that we had to find... but in the end my team one!! SO MUCH FUN!! then we went and had lunch together... at the top of the island up like this ginormous hill!!! then we played cards for a really long time, just hung out and had a ton of fun!!!! then we gave the birthday girls their present and we made them find them the way they made us do the scavenger hunt!! it was pretty funny!!! we were there from like 1 to 7 and then i had to leave because i was going to ane´s!! so then i arrived at ane´s and now i am here... its been fun to hang out with her... so far... but its just the beginning of this day!!! thank you all for praying!! i am still learning to grow closer to God everday!!! love you guys...!!
God Bless

amazingness

So last week i finished school... and that was really nice to be done... i really loved it because it helped me learn and refresh with more spanish... but i am so ready to be able to sleep in again :)!! Right now i am at Gerald Griffins house because maite's sister and her boyfriend are spending the week here. but tomorrow i will be going to ane's house!! so that willbe really nice! But even thought i have been at geralds that has not stopped me from going and hanging out with maite ane her friends at the beach!!! on saturday i walked to the beach well the beach where maite stays... and from Geralds.. its about at 34..40 minute fast paced walk... but absolutly beautiful i must say!!! in ways i walked to the beach and hung out there for a little bit with them... then we all left and i needed to get myself some food because the griffins were actully camping in France so it was me at their house by myself! so after going shopping we went to maites house... she got ready and we went to another dinner at her friend patri's house!! it was a Italian theme dinner!! and it was actually really nice because when i was at the beach the asked me if i was comming and i said i don't know... and they told me that i had to and that i had no choice;.. well i wasn't gunna go agains that :) so we got to Patri's and the girls cooked the food... amazing i must say... i am quite impressed!! so anyways we were sitting aroung the table... and the topic of prayer came up... one girl was explaining to me how her family prays before every meal... but then another girl... said it's a lot different with christians though... when they pray its a lot more personal... and then all of the suddent he girls asked for me to pray for the meal! holy COW... i was shocked and totally blessed!! i prayed... in English because they asked me to!! At that moment i definatly knew that you guys were praying and i felt extremely blessed!!! my whole way home that night i was listening to worship music... skipping and stopping everyonce in a while just to look out on the beach and how beautiful it is!!! i was definaly excited to call my family!!
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and so next day... i went to go eat lunch at maite's house and that was really fun... it was crazy because i was with the whole family... mom, dad, sister, maite and sisters boyfriend!! but it was fun!! then we watched a movie... and then i went with maite to the beach... i said hello to her friends... then i took off... cuz i was really tired and kind of needed to relax!! so at about 11:00 AT NIGHT the power went out... and it was just in my house so i figured it was a short circuit ... but when i finally found the power box thing... alll the switches were up...so i didn't know what to do... and i couldn't call Gerald from my cell phone... so i ran to maite's!! it was long... but it was a nice jog... i got there at like 12:15 and maite's mom answere and was like jackie whats up!! why are you here so late... and so i told them what happended and i tried to get a hold of Gerald but he wasn't answereing his phone (probably sleeping)!! so them made me spend the night there... which turned out to be really cool,... i slept on the floor in maite's bedroom... and i asked i=her i could read here bible because i didn't have mine and she was like yea of course... then we talked for a while about the praying and then just about things that her friends were going through... and about God... it was a really nice time together... then i was reading the bible... then i started to pray... but it looked like i was trying to sleep and then maite was like arn't you gunna go under the covers... and i was like actually im just praying right now... and she was like oh sorry... it was no problem ofcourse... but then she was like pray for me... so then i started to pray out loud and just thanked God for her and for her family... i didn't know if she could here me... so well if you know me... its pretty typical... and so i just made a joke with God to see if she would laugh and sure enough she did!! so that made me feel good!! i was glad the power went out cuz i got to spend some more time with Maite!! the next morning i called Gerald and figured out how to turn the power back on... so aita drove me back and then i went back to sleep cuz i was tired... i watched some tv... then i cleaned the house for the family and then they came back... and now... i am here... don' you love the and then and then storied ;)!!!! Thank you all so much for your prayers... and tomorrow i am going to the island all day with maite's kuadrilla... so just pray for that!!! love you all!! and i am loving it here... maite's friends are great... and so is this country... so beautiful!!! but i miss home too :)

Prayer

So in the last few days not to much has happened so i don´t have all that much to write about... so this post is a cry for prayer.... There is no doubt that i am having the time of my life here... everyday i see God more and more and my relationship with Him continues to grow stronger... I know many of you are praying and that helps me so much! i believe that i have written this but i will say it again... I came to Basque country with not much in mind in what i would do or really even knowing why i was here... i knew i came because i wanted to learn spanish and hopefully be able to help out Gerald and his family if they needed me... as well as visit those who have visited me in the past! I had know idea what God had in store for me. I have had the opportunity to do things that most americans or any person really would be able to do... and that is be apart of a Basque kuadrilla and participate full on in Basque events! I have been able to hang out just about everyday with this kuadrilla and build my relationships with them! I have been able to pore my love on them and christs love... though i have not been able to mention christ yet... i know its coming as my spanish is improving... yesterday i got to tell the story of how my parents met... mentioning them being missionarys... and i pray everday that God will give me opportunity and that when the opportunity arrives i won´t be scared... but that i will know im not doing it alone but that Christ is with me! and i ask that you to will pray that my relationship with Christ will grow stronger and stronger everyday... and that i will see him more and more and be able to lean on him 100% knowing that i am nothing and i can´t don´t anything without him!

Yes i love it here a ton and yes it has been amazing... but not going to tell you that everyday has been perfect and that i feel 100% every second of the day.... there have been so many times when i would have to go to my room and fall to my knees asking God for strength in many different ways... I am in a beautiful country that is so dark... and at times i feel so alone... because there is not one christian around me... but then i remember to pray and remember that God is with me and he is the light and that some day his light will be spread in this country and soon Basque country will be more beautiful then anyone could imagine! I see God working through Gerald and other families here... and i see him working in Maite´s life... as well as i see him in My own life! to me.. i only have 3 weeks left... so i could really use prayer... that i will be more outgoing... and less afraid to use my spanish and to talk with maite´s friends... and also that i will have more opportunity to see miren, paula and leire and further my relationship with them... as well as pursue more discussions about christ!!! Thank you all so much for your prayers!! it means a ton to me... God is working in ways... i never thought he would... and he is changing me a ton... as i learn to be more loving and caring and more dependent on him!! so thank you and THANK YOU GOD, for changing me and being with me and carrying me... with every step!!! God bless everyone!! and thanks again!!

My Surprise!

I woke up after Bataplan at about 4 in the afternoon.... i ate and then matie got up... and we just layed around... then she told me we were going to have dinner with some of her friends... whom i have not met... so i was like okay... and a little irrated... kind of... kind of not... just like oh okay.... but then we went... she doesn´t really know where she lives... finally we make it to the house... the person answeres the door... and but was like hiding behind it... so i was like... okay weird friend... but sure enough on the couch was miren and behind the door was Paula!!!! and coming soon... who i guess maite saw miss the bus... was leire!!! WHAT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!!!! We went out to eat dinner... just talked about life... and a little bit about missing families in america and things like that... after dinner... we we took the bus back by where maite was... and then we went to some bars to hang out... and dance...but it was hard because me and maite would run into our friends then paula and miren with their friends... so we split up after a while becuse it was too difficult... but it was a really nice time hanging out with them and such! Then the next day... They had this huge lunch with all of maite´s friends and their parents so there were like a total of 60 people eating lunch together... it was crazy but a lot of fun!! it was also the last day of Grande Semana!! so at night we went out for a little bit.. but maite... was kind of in a bad mood! so we went home earlier... then expected... So for those of you praying... it was would be awesome for you to pray for maite... and continue to pray for me and my relationships with people here and my relationship with God!!

Today I went to Geralds for Bible study... well actually we walked over to Deryks because his wife is gone and he has all the kids! so it was a really good time with Gerald and his family and Deryk and his family... then also Ana Sancho... who is a Basque Christian that i actually met 3 years ago... then another girl living here... and also... Lana... a girl who was apart of the American Kuadrilla!! so it was a good time getting into the word and praying for eachother... It has been really awesome for me to really be able to lean on God in a whole new way and in a way that i have never done before and totally trusting in him and giving him my all...My Faith and my relationship with Christ has grown much stronger... it really has been amazing!!! Thanks again for prayers... Have a marvelous day!

Basketball and Bataplan!

So here i am... beginning to become apart of maite´s kuadrilla and am feeling absolutly blessed. not only did i get to be apart of the boat competition but on wednesday... i play in the 3 on 3 Basketball tournement with her friends... it was me, maite, miren and patri... we were just about the youngest team there (four our braquet cuz we were in the oldest one). It cracked me up because they named our team "Jackie´s Team"... and they called me the captain! we played three games... and lost them all... but it was a lot of fun... and for the most part they were close and intense games... but it was so funny because all of the kuadrilla was there cheering us on and the boys as well... it was funny because i probably had more fans then anyone else... It was so much fun.... and really just another time to really be apart of this culture and apart of maite´s kuadrilla!!! The next day we watched the finals of the basketball tournement.. our boys made it to the final game but they ended up not having a good game... Then after that maite and i went shoping... well because of course i needed shoes for the night which was the all night party!! So finally we found shoes... then we went home ate dinner and began getting ready... first i did my hair... then i did maite´s hair... we got make up and our dresses on for it was a fancy party... we met up with her friends who were also going... then we all headed over to the Disco... Bataplan!! Seriously it was so funny.. because i walk into this place... and ya know its like the top hollywood type party... ther are the security guards wearing all black and you have to have your pass and everything... it was so funny! and then we danced the night away... it was interesting... somethings very interesting.. a lot of couples... well at least by the end of the night i should say... and it was interesting being the only one sober.... But it was really fun... just dancing with them... having fun... its just me being apart of their culture ya know and not judging them because they do things that i don´t and that maybe i think arn´t necessarly correct. But it´s not my place to judge them or say there wrong.. but only be there living in their culture and just loving it... and allowing christ to shine through me by the choices i make!!! probably the best part of the night was toward the beginning... we were standing around kind of... and all the sudden the heal to my shoe breaks... i had had them for like less then 5 hours and they broke... so then the girls are like break theother one... so here i am trying to break my heal on this table and it won´t break... so they are all laughing and im laughing. then another girl tries and she can´t them someother girls try and finally they wripped it off.... and they gave me my shoe and i started laughing because there were like these huge nails sticking out of the bottom... so the girls try and fix that problem but smashing the nails in... but of course that only led them to be sticking out inside the shoe... so that would make it painful to wear... eventually someone had brought extra shoes so we went to go get them and i wore them for the rest of the night... but i have to say it was pretty funny and really a great bonding experience and a good story that all the girls love to tell!!!! We left at about 8:30 in the morning... and i began walking home... painful... we stopped maite had some breakfast...and then aita came to picks us up... we went home... and i was asleep before you know it.. maite said she came in to say "good night" and i was already asleep!! and that was my crazy day and my crazy experience... and if anyone knows me... they know... im not much of one to pull an all nighter.. i like my sleep :)!!! And in this mess... in the midst of things that are crazy... and even from the couples and drinking and crazy dancing... and when i so could have gotten sucked into it all because that is what everybody else was doing... i found God... and i was still me ... loving and loving God!! and while im here i continue to see him more and more everyday!!!he´s working in my life... and i am learning to draw near to him... like i have never done before!!! Thank you God!! I love you all and thanks for the prayers.. ´

oh and don´t be afraid to leave a comment everyonce in awhile.. its good so that i don´t feel like im just writing to the computer :)... and it´s great knowing when you have people supporting you :) just a thought:)

God Bless

Hmmm...its been awhile

So i am definalty so sorry that it has taken me so long to write... i have been quite busy with school...sleep and fiestas!!! eheheeh... so now i can´t exactly write for the day to day basis... but you want to know what i have been doing. WEll last saturday... the 9th was the begginnig of BIG WEEK!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.... so... at night time first we went out to watch the fire works!! they were oh so beautiful!! Then we (me, maite, patri,miren and others) went to the beach to meet up with the rest of the friends... there we listend to music... cuz a band was playing not to far away... and well ofcourse they were drinking that is what all the kuadrillas do at like midnight... then we got up walked around to see the things that were going on... and they had like this huge carnival... adn to me it was very funny because it was very american :)!! Then we went to go dancing like bars... but his one street was so incredibly full of people it was rediculous... so then we went to the disco and danced there... and we got home at about 4 o´clock in the morning... oh boy!!! hahaha.... on sunday we just kind of hung out at the beach with the friends and stuff like that.
So i have to say that on sunday night... before i went to bed... i was praying that God would... help me put away some of my shyness and that i wouldn´t be afraid to speak to maite´s friends in spanish or even in english... and that i would just be myself... and i just really prayed tha the would give me opportunity so that i could really be there in the sense that i was serving him by building relationships with these girls... and monday came...and it was perfect in it´s own way. First off class wasa lot of fun an di was more outgoing then i had been before. then i got to be apart of something that probably no american... let alone foreigner as ever been able to be apart of before. I joined maite´s kuadrilla in the "boat"competition. where we had to build our own "boat" and then row it from the harbor to the beach. and before we did that we had this huge lunch that was like with all the kuadrillas and there were like over 1000 people there... and i had never seen such a huge pot cooking food.... it was about the size of the center circle on a basketball court... it was HUGE!!! so anyways... we ate lunch... then went back to our boats... fixed them up a little then got in them and the GUN went off... and it was time to row!!! it was so funny to see all the boats that people created... and we were trying to get out of the harbor and it was so funny cuz i could have sworn we were never going to make it! but we has like these bottle of ketchup and mustard that we would squirt at other people and splashing water in everyones face! it was so great... and the boys... friends of maite´s kuadrilla were always tring to get on our boat and break it... so it was funny always trying to push them off... and then we would try to flip there boat... and everyonew as out to break everyonelses boat... and we finally tipped over the boys boat... and well eventually bit by bit our boat split in half... it was great!!! and so we just swam the pieces to shore.... and what would have take us like 15 minuts to swim... to us 1 hour and a half at least to get the boat to the beach ;)!!! Being apart of this competition got me a lot closer to maite´s friends it was really great!
that night i got to hang out with Natalie a girl who was an intern with summer in the USA and i met her this year... she was leavin the next day so we hung out...we talked about what it was like beingin san sebastian... and the difficulties and the beauty of it... it was really fun... and i had felt just so much lighter.. being with her and i know also just really feeling God´s presence... then we watched the fire works again... oh my goodness... they always said that the fireworks in Donostia were so much better... and after the first night i wasn´t so sure... but that night of fire works... there was not dought about it... i litterally while watching them was thinkin about how i was going to explain it on here... i really wanted all of you to be there... because they were really Beatiful... just sittin on the beach watching fire works... nothing like it!!! natalie and i went to the beach to say hello to maite´s kuadrilla and then we hung out with maite and miren... and then split cuz i was tired andhad class in the morning!!! and that was my perfect day :)!


people preparing there boats

we made it!

almost time to start

who´s gunna flip first :)

the harbor!

also there were so many watching... fun fun fun... and crazy!