March - April 2025 Update
Easter Sunday
Six Months in Portugal – God Is So Good
It’s hard to believe we’ve already been in Portugal for six months. So much has happened in that short time, and God has been so faithful. He led us to a neighborhood that was never even on our radar, yet we’re confident it’s exactly where He wants us. We’ve begun building beautiful relationships, and we’re grateful for how He’s guided us—even when the path looked different than we expected.
One thing this journey has taught us is that God’s plans often don’t match our own. Every time we thought we knew the direction, He seemed to gently turn us another way. For example, our original plan was to begin deputation this past June—and yet, here we are, already living and serving in Portugal.
Immigration Update
One of our biggest victories so far has been attending our immigration appointments. The process here is extremely backed up, often taking years. I stood in line with a young man from Columbia who had been waiting over three years just to get his appointment. By God’s grace, we were able to have ours after only four months in the country!
From what we could tell, the appointments went well, and now we are waiting for our residency cards. Please pray that they arrive soon. These cards will grant us two years of residency, after which we’ll renew for three more. Then we’ll be eligible to apply for permanent residency.
In Guarda at our Immigration Appointment
Language Learning
Our main focus continues to be learning Portuguese. We’re so thankful for your prayers as we tackle this mountain. While we’ve been able to do quite a bit in English—including connecting with some young people at a local café who want to learn—it’s clear that not knowing the language has limited our ability to build deeper relationships. Please continue to pray for our progress.
Cultural Highlights
Along with learning the language we’ve been learning the culture—and that’s been a joy. We recently celebrated Portugal’s Independence Day on April 25. I attended my first soccer (futebol) match and even got to see the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo play—he’s basically the Michael Jordan of Soccer in Portugal!
Another day, we stumbled upon some fishermen working along the beach. It was a reminder of the deep cultural roots here and the hardworking, humble spirit of the Portuguese people.
Easter Celebrations
Easter is a major celebration here, just like in the U.S. It was a blessing to celebrate Christ’s victory with the church. We had two services on Easter Sunday and saw record attendance. There were new guests and some individuals that others had prayed for over many years. It was a day full of spiritual victories.
Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers. It’s a joy to partner with you on this journey. God has been so good to us, and we know your faithful prayers play a big part in that.
For a printable version of this please click here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xj5F_RSBXrVaR-YeaeLDf12sgOp6gc3h/view?usp=sharing
Portuguese Fisherman at Work