It is hard for me to believe that my time here in Portugal has almost reached an end. On Saturday my team and I will be boarding a plane and returning to Canada, for two final weeks of debrief and the conclusion of the TREK program. The last year has gone by so incredibly fast. It has been an amazing time of learning and growing, of serving and learning new things. God has taught me so much about steadfastness - about being firmly rooted in him, and serving out of my relationship with him.
God has done great things here, and I know that his work here is not finished yet. He was here long before we arrived, and he will be here long after we leave. As people come to know him for the first time, or committed Christians take new steps of faith, I see God’s heart for his people here in Portugal. He draws people to himself.
A hard reality of ministry is good-byes. It is sad to say good-bye, and yet I am also looking to connecting with family and friends when I return. I have realized that for every last there will be another first, and for every good-bye there will be another hello. It is still sad, but I know that as God had such good things in store for me over this last year, so he has many more good things in store for me over this next one.
As my time here comes to a close, I still need to fundraise $3,625. Please prayerfully consider whether you would support me in what God has been doing here. Whether it is $5, $50, or $500, everything helps and is a gift from God. No amount is too small - I am so grateful for each donation, and I know God is leading each person in how to give. If you would like to donate to my, you can do so here:
https://secure.mbmission.org/donate/cdn/C7739
Just select “Brittany Reddicopp” under participant.
Thank you so much for all your support and prayers for me over the last nine months. I have truly felt so encouraged and blessed by it. If you would like to hear more in person about what God has been doing in my life and in Portugal, I would love to connect with you this summer! Feel free to email me at brittany.reddicopp@gmail.com - I would love to hear from you.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Highlights of the Month
Well most of the month of March was spent, in addition to our normal ministries and routine’s, planning and preparing for a youth retreat. Our team had the opportunity to be involved in the planning and running of a youth retreat for youth from three of the churches here. We spent a lot of time planning out teaching, worship, prayer, games, team building activities, and meals. It ended up being a wonderful time of refreshing and encouraging, and it was so cool to see people growing and challenged in their faith. Over the course of the retreat, we had time to spend alone with God. It was very encouraging, not only to have that personally, but also to hear about how that was encouraging others, and how God was speaking to them. I want to praise God for all the good work he did on this retreat - we certainly could not have pulled it off on our own, and he definitely gave us the strength we needed to make it through the busy weekend.
The day following the youth retreat was Easter Sunday (Happy Easter!), and we attended and did a DRIME in three different churches, and had meals/large evening snacks after two of them. All in all, it was a very crazy day ending a very crazy weekend! But it was wonderful - and busy or not, we loved it. This last week we had two of our friends visit, who have been working in Germany. It was very encouraging to us to have visitors who are doing something like what we are, just in another country. We spent three days with them as well as Joe and Paula Arrais (leaders here in Portugal) on our mid-term retreat, refreshing, refuelling, and enjoying each other’s company.
Which bring me to now . . . It’s hard for me to believe that I only have two months left here in Portugal. I’m excited to see what God is going to do in these next two months - we’re not done yet, and we want to go hard until the end and not slow down. Please continue to pray for us, that would push hard to the end and not grow weary. Ask God to continue to give us opportunities to serve, and to give us boldness as we encounter people who do not yet know him. Pray that he would give us fearlessness!
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
Thursday, February 7, 2013
A Scattering of Random Reflections . . .
Well today it has been exactly three months since we left for Portugal. So much has happened in the past three months. As such, I have a series of reflections in no particular order and with no particular topic:
1. As a part of my Bible College work, I have been studying the difference between task-focused cultures/people and relationship-focused cultures/people. Simply, one focuses of the relationship above the task - task will stop or slow down in order to make time for conversation, connection and relationship. The other focuses on the task - conversations, connections and relationships will be put on hold until the task is completed, and will be continued after. I have realized that I definitely fall on the task-based end of that spectrum. When there is a job to do, I like to get it done. I like for meetings to run smoothly, decisions to be made quickly, and small talk to happen after the things that need to be done are done. I have been challenged, working in a largely relationship-based culture, to put down my need for efficiency and simply engage in whatever or whoever is right in front of me, and worry about the next thing when I get there.
2. How far do you go into a culture, before you pull out? This is the question that has been on my mind as Carnival approaches. Carnival is a holiday the originates in Catholicism, and is based on the idea of having a night of complete freedom, before the forty day fast from meat (known as Lent) begins. What I have found interesting is the representation of freedom - drunkenness and ultimately, a free pass for the night to do anything and everything you want, to satisfy every desire before abstaining for forty days. I find it interesting that people turn for freedom to the things that will ultimately enslave them and take away their freedom. This has lead me to the question of do I, or do I not, engage in Carnival in some form? The fact that there are a lot of dangerous, not to mention morally wrong, things that happen at Carnival is unquestionable. But where is the line between what is culture, what is a party, what is a holiday, and what is simply wrong? Where do we drawn the line between what is cultural and what is right or wrong? How much do we, as Christians, engage in the world, before we have to pull back and remain set-apart?
3. Jesus + anything is not the gospel. As we have studies Hebrews as a team, and I have studies Galatians personally, the theme of what is the gospel has come up over and over again. As I listened to a sermon series on Galatians, the point that the Pastor pounded over and over and over again was that Jesus plus anything is NOT the gospel. Jesus plus works is not the gospel. Jesus plus tithing is not the gospel. Jesus plus missionary service is not the gospel. Jesus plus penance is not the gospel. The gospel (or good news) is that Jesus alone saves, and there is nothing we can do to add to that. All my good deeds and efforts are worthless for salvation. Christ alone saves, and the minute we try to add anything to that, we are no longer preaching the gospel.
4. Language studies are both extremely wonderful and enormously frustrating. It is so exciting to be able to communicate more and more in another language, but there are also moments when I want to bang my head against the desk and hurl my notes across the room (the first has happened, the second has not (yet)). I have been studying Portuguese, and will be beginning to study Russian tonight. MB Mission works with five churches here in Portugal - two Portuguese, two Russian, and one African. As we have worked together on different projects with different people and different missionaries from all over North America, South America, Europe, and Africa, the many, many different languages being used at the same time is incredible. It is both beautiful and overwhelming to be surrounded by. My hope is to be conversational in Portuguese and basic in Russian by the time I leave Portugal. Speaking of which . . . I should probably go study!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for the English classes we have been hosting. Pray that God would continue to bring people from the community in, and that we would have the opportunity to be a light, a witness, and an encouragement to those who do not yet know Jesus. Pray that they would see something different about us and the church, and that they would come to know Jesus Christ as Savoir.
- Pray for our work with the youth, that we would be an encouragement to them, and that they would continue to grow in their walk with God and in their involvement in the church. Pray that God would raise them up as strong leaders.
- Please pray that God would provide the remainder of my financial support needed. I still need to raise approximately $3500.*
- Please pray that God would continue to teach and encourage me as I work here in Portugal, and that he would direct my steps.
**If you would like to support me financially, you can donate online at https://secure.mbmission.org/donate/cdn/C7739 for Canadian donations or at https://secure.mbmission.org/donate/us/C7739 for US donations (select Brittany Reddicopp under "participants", or directly to the MB Mission offices. Please contact me via email at brittany.reddicopp@gmail.com if I can help you with any more information.
1. As a part of my Bible College work, I have been studying the difference between task-focused cultures/people and relationship-focused cultures/people. Simply, one focuses of the relationship above the task - task will stop or slow down in order to make time for conversation, connection and relationship. The other focuses on the task - conversations, connections and relationships will be put on hold until the task is completed, and will be continued after. I have realized that I definitely fall on the task-based end of that spectrum. When there is a job to do, I like to get it done. I like for meetings to run smoothly, decisions to be made quickly, and small talk to happen after the things that need to be done are done. I have been challenged, working in a largely relationship-based culture, to put down my need for efficiency and simply engage in whatever or whoever is right in front of me, and worry about the next thing when I get there.
2. How far do you go into a culture, before you pull out? This is the question that has been on my mind as Carnival approaches. Carnival is a holiday the originates in Catholicism, and is based on the idea of having a night of complete freedom, before the forty day fast from meat (known as Lent) begins. What I have found interesting is the representation of freedom - drunkenness and ultimately, a free pass for the night to do anything and everything you want, to satisfy every desire before abstaining for forty days. I find it interesting that people turn for freedom to the things that will ultimately enslave them and take away their freedom. This has lead me to the question of do I, or do I not, engage in Carnival in some form? The fact that there are a lot of dangerous, not to mention morally wrong, things that happen at Carnival is unquestionable. But where is the line between what is culture, what is a party, what is a holiday, and what is simply wrong? Where do we drawn the line between what is cultural and what is right or wrong? How much do we, as Christians, engage in the world, before we have to pull back and remain set-apart?
3. Jesus + anything is not the gospel. As we have studies Hebrews as a team, and I have studies Galatians personally, the theme of what is the gospel has come up over and over again. As I listened to a sermon series on Galatians, the point that the Pastor pounded over and over and over again was that Jesus plus anything is NOT the gospel. Jesus plus works is not the gospel. Jesus plus tithing is not the gospel. Jesus plus missionary service is not the gospel. Jesus plus penance is not the gospel. The gospel (or good news) is that Jesus alone saves, and there is nothing we can do to add to that. All my good deeds and efforts are worthless for salvation. Christ alone saves, and the minute we try to add anything to that, we are no longer preaching the gospel.
4. Language studies are both extremely wonderful and enormously frustrating. It is so exciting to be able to communicate more and more in another language, but there are also moments when I want to bang my head against the desk and hurl my notes across the room (the first has happened, the second has not (yet)). I have been studying Portuguese, and will be beginning to study Russian tonight. MB Mission works with five churches here in Portugal - two Portuguese, two Russian, and one African. As we have worked together on different projects with different people and different missionaries from all over North America, South America, Europe, and Africa, the many, many different languages being used at the same time is incredible. It is both beautiful and overwhelming to be surrounded by. My hope is to be conversational in Portuguese and basic in Russian by the time I leave Portugal. Speaking of which . . . I should probably go study!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for the English classes we have been hosting. Pray that God would continue to bring people from the community in, and that we would have the opportunity to be a light, a witness, and an encouragement to those who do not yet know Jesus. Pray that they would see something different about us and the church, and that they would come to know Jesus Christ as Savoir.
- Pray for our work with the youth, that we would be an encouragement to them, and that they would continue to grow in their walk with God and in their involvement in the church. Pray that God would raise them up as strong leaders.
- Please pray that God would provide the remainder of my financial support needed. I still need to raise approximately $3500.*
- Please pray that God would continue to teach and encourage me as I work here in Portugal, and that he would direct my steps.
**If you would like to support me financially, you can donate online at https://secure.mbmission.org/donate/cdn/C7739 for Canadian donations or at https://secure.mbmission.org/donate/us/C7739 for US donations (select Brittany Reddicopp under "participants", or directly to the MB Mission offices. Please contact me via email at brittany.reddicopp@gmail.com if I can help you with any more information.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Feliz Natal! Bom Novo Anos! Merry Christmas! Happy New Years!
Well the crazy holiday season has passed, and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! Our team was very busy, but we had a great time. The Saturday and Sunday leading up to Christmas were spent having Christmas services and parties with two of the different churches here. We were all involved in different things, from singing in the choir, to helping with costumes, to preparing food. It was a lot of fun, and I great time to connect with people. We spent Christmas Eve morning in downtown Lisbon picking up the traditional Portugues Christmas cake with Joe Arrais, one of the church leaders who had just arrived back in Portugal with his family after four months of training in Canada. Later that evening, we head over to Otto and Marjorie’s (our host missionaries) house to celebrate Christmas with them. Christmas day we celebrated Christmas with just our team, and on Boxing day we had a larger Christmas with the entire ministry team here in Portugal and their families. We were able to meet some new people, make some new friends, and participate in a good old fashioned game of “white elephant.”
For New Years, we hosted, together with the youth pastor here, and party for all the youth from a few of the different churches. It was then that I learned something very crucial about how the Portuguese celebrate New Years. Now, when I have celebrated New Years in the past, the festivities generally go to somewhere between one and two in the morning. Here, they continue all night. Literally. My team tapped out at about 6:30am, and almost everyone else stayed until 8:00, 8:30ish. It was a lot of fun, but definitely crazy. I’ll be honest, by the time I hit 3:30, 4:00ish, I was absolutely done. But it was a great time to hang out and connect with the youth. The guys barbequed Portuguese style, and I can safely say my mind was blown - it was amazing.
Another thing that has been occupying my time is school. Because I am doing TREK as a part of my BA in Intercultural Studies, I spend one day a week focused on completing assignments, working on required reading, etc. This intentional study of the culture and of how to communicate Christ in cross-cultural settings has really enriched my time here. It forces me to be an intentional student of the culture, and to learn as much as I possibly can.
As we’re now heading into the new year, I’m looking forward to having a more solid ministry schedule. We will begin teaching English classes in the next week or two at two of the different churches here. I’m excited for the doors that will open for us - please pray that that would be a ministry that draws people from the community into the church. My hope in that in meeting a practical need and desire, we will be given the opportunity to also talk and share about spiritual needs and desires.
I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Years! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what God has for me next in the new year! God bless.
For New Years, we hosted, together with the youth pastor here, and party for all the youth from a few of the different churches. It was then that I learned something very crucial about how the Portuguese celebrate New Years. Now, when I have celebrated New Years in the past, the festivities generally go to somewhere between one and two in the morning. Here, they continue all night. Literally. My team tapped out at about 6:30am, and almost everyone else stayed until 8:00, 8:30ish. It was a lot of fun, but definitely crazy. I’ll be honest, by the time I hit 3:30, 4:00ish, I was absolutely done. But it was a great time to hang out and connect with the youth. The guys barbequed Portuguese style, and I can safely say my mind was blown - it was amazing.
Another thing that has been occupying my time is school. Because I am doing TREK as a part of my BA in Intercultural Studies, I spend one day a week focused on completing assignments, working on required reading, etc. This intentional study of the culture and of how to communicate Christ in cross-cultural settings has really enriched my time here. It forces me to be an intentional student of the culture, and to learn as much as I possibly can.
As we’re now heading into the new year, I’m looking forward to having a more solid ministry schedule. We will begin teaching English classes in the next week or two at two of the different churches here. I’m excited for the doors that will open for us - please pray that that would be a ministry that draws people from the community into the church. My hope in that in meeting a practical need and desire, we will be given the opportunity to also talk and share about spiritual needs and desires.
I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Years! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what God has for me next in the new year! God bless.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year . . .
I can’t believe my first two months here in Portugal are almost over! It’s been an eventful time. My team and I have been settling into life here, and trying to learn how to interact in this new culture. Things like grocery shopping, taking transit, and talking to people have suddenly become both exciting and challenging. In many ways, we feel like five year olds. We don’t speak the language, and there are many, many basic things that we simply don’t know how to do. It’s a challenge that I love, and we are learning more and more each day.
Here are a few highlights of this last month:
- We helped out with preparing food and serving at a youth banquet.
- We have helped with a clothing bazaar.
- We have served on the worship team.
- We have been helping friends of ours with their kids as they prepare to leave on their furlough.
- We celebrated American Thanksgiving with the long-term team here.
- We have been studying Portuguese.
We hosted a Christmas card making class for some of the women from the church, and we will be helping with the Christmas theatre (backstage - our Portuguese isn’t that good!) and choir, decorating the church, and exploring different ideas for community outreach this season. One thing that I am really looking forward to is beginning discipleship with the youth in this next month. I’m excited to come alongside them and here about what God is doing in there lives, what he is teaching them and how he is speaking to them, and encourage them in their walk with God.
A few prayer requests for the upcoming season: Praise God that we are here, and that we’re learning and growing each and every day! Pray for us as we study the language, that God would give us understanding, and that we would be diligent in our studies and work hard. Pray that God would show us how to best reach out to the community around us this Christmas season, and that God would soften people’s hearts towards him.
Here are a few highlights of this last month:
- We helped out with preparing food and serving at a youth banquet.
- We have helped with a clothing bazaar.
- We have served on the worship team.
- We have been helping friends of ours with their kids as they prepare to leave on their furlough.
- We celebrated American Thanksgiving with the long-term team here.
- We have been studying Portuguese.
We hosted a Christmas card making class for some of the women from the church, and we will be helping with the Christmas theatre (backstage - our Portuguese isn’t that good!) and choir, decorating the church, and exploring different ideas for community outreach this season. One thing that I am really looking forward to is beginning discipleship with the youth in this next month. I’m excited to come alongside them and here about what God is doing in there lives, what he is teaching them and how he is speaking to them, and encourage them in their walk with God.
A few prayer requests for the upcoming season: Praise God that we are here, and that we’re learning and growing each and every day! Pray for us as we study the language, that God would give us understanding, and that we would be diligent in our studies and work hard. Pray that God would show us how to best reach out to the community around us this Christmas season, and that God would soften people’s hearts towards him.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Religion Says Do, Jesus Says Done.
I hear the statement quite frequently, “oh, I’m not religious.” This is usually given in response to my explanation of who I am, why I’m in Portugal, etc. I’m not religious either; I have a relationship. The thing about religion is, it’s all about us trying to get to God. The thing about relationship is, it’s all about God reaching down to us. As a team we’re studying Hebrews, and we recently read through the book together. There’s a passage from Hebrews 10 that really shows this concept of religion vs. relationship.
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” (vs.1) We can’t be good enough. We can’t follow the rules - as imperfect humans, no matter how hard we try, it never works. And we can’t “do” anything to make up for the things we do wrong. We can’t do good things to try and make up for the bad things.
“Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.”(vs.2-3) Doing things, making sacrifices to God, making deals with God, doesn’t work. If it did, we could do one really good thing, and then we wouldn’t feel guilty for our mistakes. But trying to do things, to in a sense “buy” our way out, only reminds us of how broken and flawed we really are.
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (vs.4) It is impossible for us to do or give anything that could be enough to make us right before God.
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” (vs.11) How many people are caught in the lie of trying to be a good enough person, thinking that will make up for all the things we do wrong?
In the Old Testament, priests would make sacrifices to make up for the sins of the people. Today, we often try to do good things to make up for our sins. And yet, this passage says that that’s not good enough. It’s never been good enough, and it never will be good enough. You see, religion is all about us trying to get to God. It’s about trying to do something that will somehow make us better, and make us able go to heaven after we die, or rest in a state of peace. But the thing is, that doesn’t work. No matter what we do, we can’t do enough to make ourselves right with God. Give me a list of rules and, let’s be honest, odds are I’m not going to be able to keep all of them. Religion is about keeping all the rules, and trying to make up for it, to punish yourself or do something good in exchange, when you don't. That's not possible. That’s where the relationship comes in.
“But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time once sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”(vs.12-14) Jesus did it. He made the one sacrifice. I love the expression “Religion says do, Jesus says done.” Jesus made the one sacrifice and he said “it is finished.” (John 19:30) It’s not about religion - we’re not trying to reach up to God. He already reached down to us.
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” (vs.1) We can’t be good enough. We can’t follow the rules - as imperfect humans, no matter how hard we try, it never works. And we can’t “do” anything to make up for the things we do wrong. We can’t do good things to try and make up for the bad things.
“Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.”(vs.2-3) Doing things, making sacrifices to God, making deals with God, doesn’t work. If it did, we could do one really good thing, and then we wouldn’t feel guilty for our mistakes. But trying to do things, to in a sense “buy” our way out, only reminds us of how broken and flawed we really are.
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (vs.4) It is impossible for us to do or give anything that could be enough to make us right before God.
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” (vs.11) How many people are caught in the lie of trying to be a good enough person, thinking that will make up for all the things we do wrong?
In the Old Testament, priests would make sacrifices to make up for the sins of the people. Today, we often try to do good things to make up for our sins. And yet, this passage says that that’s not good enough. It’s never been good enough, and it never will be good enough. You see, religion is all about us trying to get to God. It’s about trying to do something that will somehow make us better, and make us able go to heaven after we die, or rest in a state of peace. But the thing is, that doesn’t work. No matter what we do, we can’t do enough to make ourselves right with God. Give me a list of rules and, let’s be honest, odds are I’m not going to be able to keep all of them. Religion is about keeping all the rules, and trying to make up for it, to punish yourself or do something good in exchange, when you don't. That's not possible. That’s where the relationship comes in.
“But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time once sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”(vs.12-14) Jesus did it. He made the one sacrifice. I love the expression “Religion says do, Jesus says done.” Jesus made the one sacrifice and he said “it is finished.” (John 19:30) It’s not about religion - we’re not trying to reach up to God. He already reached down to us.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Don't Forget to Laugh
Well today marks the one week milestone of my time here in Portugal. Thus far, I can safely say, I am loving it! Getting to know Otto and Marjorie (the missionaries we will be working with) has been wonderful, and it’s been great to start getting to know people in the different churches here. I’ve been constantly encouraged by the little coincidences God has put in my path simply to encourage me and remind me that he will use who I am and the things I’m passionate about in this upcoming season.
Being a new culture has involved many wonderful little surprises. For example, when I logged on to write this blog post, I suddenly exclaimed “Oh my word! My blog is in Portuguese!” Not the actual blog posts, obviously, but all the little login buttons are no longer in English. The trial and error process that followed of attempting to figure out what was what very much resembles the rest of stepping into another culture. In so many ways, I feel like I am five years old again. I don’t know how things work, I can’t always communicate effectively, and I have a constant stream of questions running through my mind. Over the past week my team and I have been making our way through the murky waters of jetlag, braving the dangerous new world of the subway, and struggling to communicate using only the words “thank you” (obrigada) and “no problem” (no fashmal). It has been crazy and wonderful all at the same time. One of my favourite moments was on the train when someone got off after staring at us, and I turned to our language teacher and asked “are we that obviously different?” I immediately noticed the young man beside her start smirking. As our conversation continued, the smirk turned to a “look-away-and-chuckle-quietly,” to an outright chuckle, to just plain laughing at us. Before I knew it, we were all laughing at ourselves together. This is probably one of the most valuable tools we have as we try to figure out a new culture: laugh at yourself, and don’t take yourself too seriously! Remember that other people aren’t laughing at you, they’re laughing with you - just make sure you don’t forget to laugh!
We are learning about the Portuguese culture and history, which fascinates me. I love studying history, so I have felt completely in my element. We have been able to begin meeting people from a few of the different churches, and start to build relationships with the youth here. I’m looking forward to getting to know people on a deeper level over the course of the next seven and a half months.
I love new cultures. There is something about going grocery shopping, figuring out public transit, and trying to speak a new language that excites me to no end. I am excited for this upcoming season. It is going to hard and it is going to be challenging, probably more so than anything else I have experienced up to this point, but it will also be good. I eagerly anticipate what God is going to do in and through me.
Prayer Requests:
- For the ability to learn the language quickly and effectively - this will be critical for the majority of relationships we will have.
- That God will set up divine appointments for me to meet and connect with people, and that I will be mindful of those opportunities.
- That God would give me his eyes to see the people around me.
- For diligence as I continue to do school work while I’m here.
And I would also love to hear from you! Please email me anytime and let me know what’s going on in your life, and how I can be praying for you. My email is brittany.reddicopp@gmail.com. Talk to you soon!
Being a new culture has involved many wonderful little surprises. For example, when I logged on to write this blog post, I suddenly exclaimed “Oh my word! My blog is in Portuguese!” Not the actual blog posts, obviously, but all the little login buttons are no longer in English. The trial and error process that followed of attempting to figure out what was what very much resembles the rest of stepping into another culture. In so many ways, I feel like I am five years old again. I don’t know how things work, I can’t always communicate effectively, and I have a constant stream of questions running through my mind. Over the past week my team and I have been making our way through the murky waters of jetlag, braving the dangerous new world of the subway, and struggling to communicate using only the words “thank you” (obrigada) and “no problem” (no fashmal). It has been crazy and wonderful all at the same time. One of my favourite moments was on the train when someone got off after staring at us, and I turned to our language teacher and asked “are we that obviously different?” I immediately noticed the young man beside her start smirking. As our conversation continued, the smirk turned to a “look-away-and-chuckle-quietly,” to an outright chuckle, to just plain laughing at us. Before I knew it, we were all laughing at ourselves together. This is probably one of the most valuable tools we have as we try to figure out a new culture: laugh at yourself, and don’t take yourself too seriously! Remember that other people aren’t laughing at you, they’re laughing with you - just make sure you don’t forget to laugh!
We are learning about the Portuguese culture and history, which fascinates me. I love studying history, so I have felt completely in my element. We have been able to begin meeting people from a few of the different churches, and start to build relationships with the youth here. I’m looking forward to getting to know people on a deeper level over the course of the next seven and a half months.
I love new cultures. There is something about going grocery shopping, figuring out public transit, and trying to speak a new language that excites me to no end. I am excited for this upcoming season. It is going to hard and it is going to be challenging, probably more so than anything else I have experienced up to this point, but it will also be good. I eagerly anticipate what God is going to do in and through me.
Prayer Requests:
- For the ability to learn the language quickly and effectively - this will be critical for the majority of relationships we will have.
- That God will set up divine appointments for me to meet and connect with people, and that I will be mindful of those opportunities.
- That God would give me his eyes to see the people around me.
- For diligence as I continue to do school work while I’m here.
And I would also love to hear from you! Please email me anytime and let me know what’s going on in your life, and how I can be praying for you. My email is brittany.reddicopp@gmail.com. Talk to you soon!
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