Don't Come To Our Event! Event Video

Here is the video from our Don't Come to Our Event! year-end giving event! Such a fun experience! special thanks to the Malones whose interview you will see in the second section. What powerful insight about the need for, and impact of, member care ministry!


Sorry about the delay in getting this posted, we were having some technical difficulties. 😳  Due to size, the video is in four sections - just follow the links!

DCTOE Event 1

DCTOE Event 2

DCTOE Event 3

DCTOE Event 4

During the event we asked the question - if you were to come stay at this type of retreat center, what are the top few "must haves" you would like to see included? We are very interested in your answer, and would love it if you would post responses in the comments section below!

We would also like to know, if you were to move away to a different country, what comfort food would you miss the most from home?

Quick message about our Event tomorrow night!!

Video from our 2 week Vision Trip to Portugal.

Our Video for our church Hopecity!

Meet the Team!

Early on in our process of pursuing God's vision for our lives, it became clear that His primary method of providing direction and encouragement to us was through relationships. We have been shaped, challenged, and moved through His divine fellowship. We experienced this fellowship in significant ways on our vision trip, and cherish the gifts of love, collegiality, and wisdom we received from our new friends and ministry partners.

Amrei Wehmeyer is our team leader, spearheading the efforts for the member care center. Last summer she came out to visit us in Portland, and in a short time we forged a deep connection. In Portugal she was our family, host, chauffeur, tour guide, translator, and cultural interpreter. Es war auch sehr gut mit Amrei wieder Deutsch zu sprechen! We enjoyed the rhythm of life with Amrei at the center, and left feeling inspired and motivated for the next steps of our journey - we can't wait to join her in Portugal next year!

Amrei and the Hobsons at Multnomah Falls in Oregon

 

Amrei introducing us to Pasteis de Belem

Group photo at Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga, Portugal

Boat ride in the park at Bom Jesus

The first people to greet us on our arrival to Portugal were Pedro and Ana Silva. They are friends of Amrei, and share a similar passion and vision for member care. They are currently helping Amrei get the center ready for guests. They had never met us before, but they and their kids welcomed us with open arms and hearts. They picked us up from the airport, provided us with a local phone, taught us how to cook local cuisine, babysat our kids, and taught us more in a week than we thought possible about Portuguese Hospitality.

Dining in the Courtyard with Amrei and the Silvas

Becoming fast friends

In Lisbon we got to meet with pastor Josué da Ponte, executive director of MEVIC, the only Portuguese missionary agency. In Ermesinde, we met with pastor Samuel Paulo at O Caminho church. Both Pastors were able to give us invaluable insight into the joys and challenges of ministry work in Portugal, from both a professional as well as personal perspective. Our conversations gave us a better understanding of the needs of Portuguese ministry workers, giving us a lot to process as we seek to create a helpful and effective member care ministry. We are deeply grateful for the time the spent with us, and felt humbled by their willingness to openly answer our many questions.

With pastor Paulo and the Malones at O Caminho church

In Braga we were reunited with our ministry area leaders Clark and Yvonne Malone. We first met the Malones three years ago when they were on home assignment in Portland. Our relationship with them marked the beginning of our big step towards Portugal. Amrei and the Malones introduced us to some of our other teammates - Leandro and Priscila Guarnieri with their kids, and Diane Rodgrigues. We even got to meet Diane's parents who were visiting from the US. If you would like to learn more about all of these amazing people, you can check out TEAM Portugal's website here. We were once again warmly welcomed and shared a wonderful meal together. Each person who provided a dish to share even made sure there were options to meet our dietary needs - speaking our love language already.

Leandro, Clark, Yvonne, Risa, Josh, Priscila, Amrei, Diane, and the TEAM kids

We also got to share a delicious meal with Anabela and Gabriel Pereira and their girls. The Pereiras are also friends of Amrei's who are helping to make this retreat center a reality. We enjoyed a long Sunday afternoon talking about food, community, and member care. They shared with us a bit of their own journey, which has a lot of similarities to our own. It was hard to end our time with these kindred spirits, and we look forward to getting to know them more.

Selfie with Amrei and the Pereira family

More new friends

by Risa

Shiny Threads

The last five or six years of our journey have had some difficult spots. Places in time where we felt uncertain and wondered where on earth God was taking us? And now over the last year as God has been more rapidly revealing his plan, we have been able to not only see His current direction, but also the threads that He has been weaving our story with all along.

About 20 years ago Josh and I sketched out what we thought would be the ideal blueprint for a bed and breakfast. A design with a common living space, and wings built around a central courtyard. Fast-forward to a couple of months ago when our teammate sent us a link to the on-line rental listing she thought might be “the one”. It was for a beautiful house that included a homey central courtyard. A building style fairly common in a place that until last week neither of us had ever been before.

And there it was, like a shiny metallic thread woven in with all of the other colors of our story. A thread that had been there all along, but had to catch the light just right in order for us to see it. It is these shiny threads along with other affirmations we have received along the way that help us to keep saying yes and walk through the doors as He opens them.

Pictured below is the first house that will be home to the member care retreat center. The main house has three+ bedrooms, a large kitchen, and cozy living spaces. Around the courtyard are an outdoor kitchen, a laundry room, and space that is still being developed. At the center of the courtyard is room to relax and a growing garden.  

by Risa

The sign into the village where the center is located

The front of the house

The ground floor living room

The kitchen

Downstairs bathroom

Stairs between the three floors

Hallway between bedrooms

One of the three individual bedrooms

Upstairs bathroom

Attic living/bedroom

Views from the attic balcony of the courtyard, neighborhood, and surrounding countryside

In the courtyard

Holding The Container

When people ask me to explain the counseling process, I most often describe the Existential-Humanistic intervention of “holding the container”, which I learned from my friend and colleague Bob Edelstein. Counseling is the creation of a safe space within which a person can do their work. An integral part of this space is the counselor being an unwavering, unflappable presence. Clients feel free to truly be themselves, and no matter what they bring up in their process, they know their counselor can handle it.  This keeps the focus on the needs and experience of the client.

I think of a retreat center as being the same way – a safe and sacred space where guests can be themselves and feel free to examine their life and ministry with authenticity. For some, this may be a space to rest, relax, and enjoy what the area has to offer. For others, it may be a space for training, coaching, or counseling.  For all, it will be a space that provides opportunity to connect more deeply with God, and to experience the love and care of a community of believers. The focus will be on whatever God has brought them to the center to experience.

As things slowly start to take shape for our ministry, I think a lot about what it may look like to hold the container for God's global workers. I look forward to the unfolding of God’s plan with great anticipation, and feel honored that He has chosen us to be a part of it.

by Risa

The American Dream?

Growing up I always heard about the American Dream… I know that it is about religious and political freedom among other things, but often I related it to the “rags to riches” story where the lowly peasant, through hard work and perseverance, makes it big in the US. They end up with the nice house, nice car, and a great business. Even though my parents often supported and directed me to do what I love, it still seemed as I grew up, that the nice house, nice car and a good career, was what I was suppose to aspire for. I was to go to college in order to get a good job that would turn into a career. As I progressed in that career, I would purchase a house and a nice car, get married and raise my 2.5 kids. This is what the American dream felt like to me. And yet, now, having had that, I find myself working towards a much different direction. I find myself with a different dream.

A couple of years ago, we sold our house, much to the dismay of friends, family and co-workers. Many wanted to know where we were buying our new house. Many were interested in how we were “upgrading”. Many were surprised we were moving into a Christian community and becoming renters again. To give up being a homeowner was like giving up part of the American dream. That thought was reflected in many of the conversations we had. People could not understand how we could leave that sense of security.  What many don’t quite understand is that I am beginning to find my security somewhere else.

Selling our house was just the beginning. I am now looking at leaving a career that I have done for over 20 years. Well, leaving is not really true. I will still be using my skills, but instead of working for a paycheck and promotions, I will be using it to serve others. Many have had a hard time understanding why I would choose to leave a fantastic job. To be honest, I struggle with it sometimes too. I love where I work. I love who I work with. But, to be completely honest, I love God more. He is calling me.

That’s the most important part that I hope to try to explain to people. We aren’t crazy. God is calling us. Our house was great. My job is fantastic. But I believe that God has something greater in store for us! I’m led to a story I grew up with in the Bible. A story of a man called by God, who didn’t know where he was going, or how everything was going to work out, and yet, he went. I’m not comparing myself to Abraham. I only wish I could have faith like that. But like him, I don’t know exactly where we are going, or how it will all work out, but I trust God. My dream has changed from gaining more stuff and building my own security in finances and houses, to leaving it all behind and following him. To serve, instead of being served.

When the disciples followed Jesus, he said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matt 8:20). I find it interesting that the disciples still followed Him. They knew something amazing was going to happen. And so, I leave behind my house and my career, to follow Jesus, because I know… something amazing is going to happen.

by Josh

Called not Crazy

There have been times on this journey into missions, when people have looked at us like we might be just a little bit crazy. Or possibly even a lot crazy. You know that slightly head cocked, furrowed brow, “you’re doing what?” kind of look. The funny thing is, that while there have certainly been times in our lives when we have in fact questioned our own actions or even our sanity, preparing for life as missionaries has not been one of them.

That’s not to say walking this path has always been easy, because it hasn’t. In fact, God has asked us to do some of the hardest things we have ever done. Things that felt like they might push us beyond our limits. Going back to school, selling our home, letting go of people and places and things - so many changes that have significantly altered our perspectives, and life as we once knew it. And yet, He is always there, walking beside us, replenishing our strength, easing our burdens.

The reality is, that when you say yes to Jesus, when you give Him your life, you go where He sends you, and you do what He asks of you. This is living by faith. Trusting that whatever it is He has planned for you is GOOD. Knowing that even when you can’t see the big picture, the next steps, or even two inches in front of you, He is going before you. There is a strange peace about knowing your only job is to say yes and walk through the doors that He opens.  

When we watched this video of Francis Chan talking about living by faith, we were immediately struck by how well it illustrates the heart of our journey. The truth that we are CALLED, and not CRAZY. And so that became the name for this blog about our adventures in ministry. It is our story about choosing to say yes to Jesus - to follow wherever He leads, and to do His work. And right now, that work just happens to be taking us to Portugal.

by Risa