On Portugal's Main Tourist Street

That store was a combination of Abercrombie and a Gypsy hut. Mainly Gypsy hut.

In Portugal's Main Square

The wind was blowing my hair like crazy!

Today-What a Day...

Today, a lot happened. We went to one church service at eleven a.m. which got out at two, and met one of the members of the church's daughters and taught them Rock-Paper-Scissors which they became amazingly obsessed with (they were ages 6 and 8). Then someone asked Dad to preach the same sermon that he had just preached again later that night at five at another church. We ate a terribly rushed lunch at Cafe Mel Kia before someone picked us up to take us to the next church. Before the five o'clock sermon, we had to sit through an hour-long Sunday school lesson that was spoken in Portugese. I didn't understand a single word which made it quite boring. After five-o'clock church, we came back to the apartment and cooked a frozen pizza. Now we are watching Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark which has amazing distracting Portugese subtitles. And here it is at nine p.m. in Portugal (6 hours ahead of USA Central time). Bohn Noite (Good night!)!






These were the two girls that we met at the first church. They spoke no English but were very sweet!

At Cafe Mel Kia in Portugal

The Continente

I just got back from the Continente which is Europe's largest mall and which also happens to be about a football field from where I'm staying. We didn't do a whole lot of shopping, mainly buying necessities like bread and water. The place was huge! The grocery store part was bigger than a whole Wal-Mart itself! As I said, we didn't explore the entire place, just the grocery section.

One thing that strikes me strangely about Portugal is that everyone looks so depressed! Droopy faces, need-to-be-shaven beards, and big noses make me realize how blessed we are in America. I'll try to get a picture of an example of this to show y'all. Now for some sleep. The jet lag is killing me...

These salted cod in the Continente certainly were not on my shopping list!

I'm in Portugal!

After a long day of travel, I have finally reached my destination. Lisbon, Portugal. Right now I'm sitting with the people who are showing us around in the apartment! Here we go to the mall to buy the necessities for my two weeks!

I'm in the Terminal!!

Someone's name in my party was spelled incorrectly on a ticket, so we got here two-and-a-half hours early. All that it took to fix that mistake was a simple click. now I have tons of time on my hands. Thank goodness for WiFi! Just two more hours...

New Chat Room

Check out the new chat room!! -------------------------------------->

My Trip to Portugal

This Friday, I will be leaving for the amazing country of Portugal. On the Netbook lent to me by my uncle, I will keep the blog updated on the day's activities. There will be a variety of pictures, videos, as well as stories of everything that I see while I am there.

The Tree

The Tree

By Samuel Crawford

There is a tree that grows all ‘round the globe,

To every corner and high pointed peak,

Down every narrow and winding road,

It grows not by sun, but by those who speak.

I’ve seen it in foreign lands, the beared fruit.

The bright result of many a stretched year,

All for a new place in which to set root.

Because of one man’s redeeming aged tear.

The tree knew Bethlehem and shone its light

On a man and woman, that e’er-glow night.

Its sprout grew to a man, a sacrifice.

The man died so we wouldn’t pay the price.

Gone are the sins of a sinner like me,

All because of that incredible tree!

Rebirth

To the ground fades the bulb,

Scorched by winter’s frosty fire,

To wait, dormant.

When the mind has been swept,

Up from the ground springs the bulb,

Its old white as snow.

Hope

Upon the glass it sails

In search of victory.

Steered by Patience,

The captain of the endless sea.

Onward, ever onward,

Moving, never ceasing, towards victory.

Life

From lofty reserves it drains

To wind about

Surviving the narrowest pass

Somehow to continue.

It breaks and bends off of the course,

Dividing to search elsewhere,

To banks unknown.

Until, upon sun’s faded red,

It joins as one.

Water Boarding and Terrorism: Where the Terrorists are Coming From

I've been watching the television series 24 lately, and, being a show with lots of "government conflict", there is shooting as well as torture (not extremely graphic, however). Anyway, the torture aspect got me thinking, "Is torture right?" I did some watching and reading, and I have formed a what I think is well supported opinion. Torture is wrong because it is inhumane.

The idea of causing someone so much pain that they feel as though they might die is just plain wrong. However, I can see where "interrogators" are coming from. People like terrorists could potentially cause great harm to the United States.

While what they're doing is very wrong and I believe that they have no right to come and kill lots of people, we must remember that these terrorists are just doing what their god (lowercase) is telling them to do. Would you tell God (uppercase) "No, I'm not going to do that." if he directly told you to do something? However, God (uppercase) would never tell you to do something bad like that.

Back on torture, specifically, water boarding. Water boarding IS torture. Not an "enhanced interrogation technique". Making someone think that they're about to die, especially by drowning, which feels scary, needs to be stopped. It seems to me that all of this fancy wordplay from the government is just trying to make us feel like we're doing the right thing when it is totally wrong.

In the end, I think that, in terms of torture, we should remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."