FACeTS of Madeira

News and Views related to the work of Ed and Abbie Potter, Baptist missionaries on the island of Madeira, Portugal since 1976.


 


Funchal Baptist Church
Rua Silvestre Quintino de Freitas, 126
9050-097 FUNCHAL
Portugal
Tel: 291 234 484

Sunday Services
English 11:00 a.m.
Russian 4:00 p.m.
Portuguese 6:00 p.m.
Ask the Tourist Office or Hotel Reception for map or directions.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Well, here we are...wherever that is

We made the big hop, at least one big enough to land us on the continent. I had a couple of days of meetings in the embassy in Lisbon at the end of last week, and we're staying over another week, partly vacation, partly work. There's a translator's conference at the end of this week here in Lisbon that I thought I would join in on.

Not that I need to pick up any business. The last two weeks before we left home, I was turning down jobs because I knew I wouldn't have time to do them. As it was, I still had to spend the first two nights here in Lisbon finishing a job, and I've had to turn down a couple of jobs this week, with the clients wanting me to let them know as soon as I'm available again!

No translations this week. We're here to relax (a little) and be refreshed spiritually. We were offered a place to stay at the Baptist Seminary in Queluz, on the outskirts of Lisbon. Tonight was their chapel service, and I was asked by the director, Pastor Paulo Pascoal, to speak. I challenged the students to think of pioneer mission work when they seek guidance from the Lord regarding their future ministries.

We also had the chance to go up north about 300 km (approx. 180 miles) close to Porto, where Jackie and Jaime are presently staying with her sister before going on to visit other relatives in Australia. We spent the weekend with them and took a drive 80km (50 miles) or so along the Douro River. Here are some pictures we took along the way, mostly point-and-shoot photos taken from the car as we drove past. Not high quality, but you have an idea of what we saw. Click on images to enlarge.



The boats once used for moving the kegs of Port wine up and down the river now carry tourists on the Douro River between its steep banks.






Narrow houses line the north bank of the Douro, and the wash is hung out to dry in the warm October sun.






The south bank of the Douro at the point where it is crossed by the bridge designed by the same Eiffel whose tower is famous in Paris.


Maybe a yellow leaf among the green is not a big, big deal to you, but it's something we don't see in Madeira, where the winters are mild and the deciduous trees that lose their leaves in color are few and far between.