The sun also rises...

Crystal took this picture as the sun was coming up last Saturday, so pretty! Enjoy!

Transitioning...and loving it!

¡Buenas! This is the general greeting we use when passing people in the street, meeting a friend for coffee, or coming into someone's home. I thought it was fitting to greet you with!

Arriving... I can say much joy comes from being in the center of God's will. That doesn't mean that things are always easy; however, my hope isn't in my circumstances or my geography, it's in Him. Perspective is something I've been learning over the past two weeks. Almost everything is out of my control. (But hasn't it always been?) Yes, indeed...ministry, if I'm allowed to stay here, travel, language, etc. I'm realizing what a great position I'm in to depend on the Lord. Being flexible and open to a new way of doing things is bringing me hope and encouragement as I reflect on the mission of God (Missio Dei) i.e. the movement of God toward humanity, through His Son Jesus, to redeem the souls of men and women and bring people into a relationship with Him.

Last Friday...I met with Arturó, the realtor, to sign the contract for our piso! I'll move in Monday! The Lord has provided the perfect place for Crystal and me. (As soon as I have a camera, I'll share more details.) Over the weekend I took a train to Madrid to help with an English Camp, Friday-Sunday. I am amazed at how many doors to ministry can be opened by simply knowing English! Much of my time has been spent these past two weeks meeting with girls (some believers, some not) to help them learn English. I'm excited about the new relationships! This week, I'm looking forward to: spending some one-on-one time with some girls/ladies, settling into a routine, and seeing Crystal! She arrives Thursday!

How are you? Do you have any questions/thoughts about all this? I'd love to hear from you!

Things to praise & pray for...

• Praise Him for all the new relationships!
• Praise The Lord (PTL) for providing: a piso, a place to stay in the meantime, a welcoming church, ease with immigration paperwork, ministry opp's with English, and SENDERS which make it possible to be here.
  
• Please be praying for Crystal and I as we move in together and share the same focus and passion for ministry/discipleship.
  
• Please pray that I would love the Lord first! That everything else I do (language learning, communicating with senders, time with the jovenes) would flow out of a heart of worship.
  

Partnering with you,
Arista

G-20 Followup

Look who's going to Washington! The news here made a big deal out of Zapatero's attempts to secure a seat at the summit. Skits making fun of him were broadcasted on TV that resembled something like SNL--funny!

Spanish PM Happy to be Invited to Economic Summit

MADRID: Spain's prime minister said Saturday that he is pleased to have won a seat at a global financial summit in Washington after weeks of lobbying, adding that it is time the world takes his country seriously as a political and economic power.

Zapatero expressed thanks to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who helped secure Spain a seat at next week's summit, as well as U.S. President George W. Bush, the host of the gathering, which will seek ways to pull the world out of its growing financial crisis.

The Spanish leader told reporters that he had spoken by telephone with U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and that they discussed their desire to meet each other and work together, though no concrete plans were made. "We had a very, very cordial conversation," Zapatero said.

In Washington, White House press secretary Dana Perino said Saturday that the American administration viewed the summit of European Union leaders that took place Friday as a positive development.

Zapatero said he is meeting with bankers and business leaders before next week's summit in Washington, and will call for more regulation to avoid financial crises. Spain's banks have weathered the economic storm relatively well, in large part because the Central Bank discouraged them from participating in risky investments that doomed financial institutions in the United States, Britain and elsewhere.

Spain had lobbied hard for a seat at the so-called G-20 summit of leaders of industrial and developing powers, arguing that by some measures it has the world's eighth-largest economy and deserves to be there. Two of the world's top 20 banks — Banco Santander and BBVA — are both from Spain.

Associated Press Writer Jorge Sainz in Madrid contributed to this article from Madrid.

What does a violin, a cell phone, and a bouquet of flowers have in common?

Well? Any guesses? They are all things that have recently come into my possession!

I'll start with the violin...many people don't know this but I played the violin for five years. Music is an important part of worship during the church service here in Úbeda so naturally, anytime someone new joins, they are asked if they play a musical instrument! John & Jan, both of the elders, and the pastor had all asked me (at different times) if I played an instrument. I jokingly replied that I played the violin for a while. So, after the prayer meeting at church last Thursday night we dropped by a church member's house on the way home. Nothing crazy about that. John and I stayed in the car, and Jan goes to the door...it's pretty dark so I can't see the person inside, but I clearly see a violin case come out the door and into Jan's hands. This is the point when my jaw drops. Jan comes back to the car smiling ands says, "Surprise!" I'm not sure I'll be performing a solo anytime soon, however, we all got a good laugh.

A cell phone...I have one. It wasn't very expensive or difficult to get. And it is a nine digit number (no area code), different huh?

A bouquet of flowers...last Saturday evening, the jovenes (youth) of the church threw me a welcome party! We played games, ate dinner, and had a great time. The pastor and his wife helped organize the whole thing and asked me to say a few words about why I was there and my thoughts so far. I told them about the journey the Lord led me on to bring me here and I told them about the people (my senders) who were praying for them and how they had also made it possible for me to be with them. When I was finished, we prayed and they surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers! The whole evening was an amazing example of hospitality!

Spain & the G-20

This is an interesting (and funny) article that I have yet again found on the IHT. José Luis Zapatero is the Prime Minister of Spain. His party (PSOE) won the election in March of this year and he has three more years in office.

I think the closing words of this article are poignant and have left me thinking, "Mmm...true." Also, if you aren't very familiar with the G-20, click here for more info.

Spain Wants to go to Washington for Financial Meeting

MADRID: Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's prospects of an invitation to the White House may well have brightened with the election of Barack Obama.

But Zapatero may snag a more urgent invitation at the European Union's summit meeting Friday in Brussels: a seat at the table next week when the Group of 20 industrialized and emerging nations meets in Washington to discuss the global financial crisis.

Ever since President George W. Bush announced the meeting two weeks ago, Zapatero has been on a very public mission to get Spain, which is not a G20 member, into the meeting. The prime minister, who is not normally known for his globetrotting, has used trips to China and El Salvador to enlist support from various leaders. Behind the scenes, officials familiar with his diplomatic efforts say, he has kept phone lines abuzz across Europe and the Atlantic.

"I can't very well stand up," Zapatero joked with journalists this week, according to the newspaper El País. "I have to sit somewhere."

The decision to invite Spain to Washington lies in the hands of the United States, which is holding the meeting, and France, which has two seats, one because it is a member of the G20 and the other because it holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

A senior French official said Thursday that France was ready to cede one of its seats to Spain but needed U.S. approval. President Nicolas Sarkozy has lobbied hard for Madrid despite jockeying from several other countries eager to attend, including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Arab nations.

"Spain will be there," said the French official, who declined to be identified in advance of an announcement of a decision. "We just have to find a way to satisfy the demands of other countries."

Diplomats briefed on Zapatero's efforts said appeals to the United States have not borne fruit, including a conversation between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Spanish counterpart, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. Spanish officials say they believe that Obama's aides could help make their case if he decides to be part of the meeting, though it is not clear what role he would choose to have.

The scramble for a seat in Washington has turned the G20 meeting into a national fixation in Spain and provided fodder for facile comedy: In a television skit, a gangly Zapatero impersonator bangs desperately on closed doors and showers Sarkozy with kisses.

Zapatero's continued efforts to attend the meeting reflect Spain's frustration with its lack of international presence, especially at a time when, Spanish and foreign officials argue, the world has much to learn from the country's conservative banking practices.

The situation has also revived debate about the relevance of multilateral clubs whose formats exclude important economic and political members. Spain, which bloomed economically over the last decade, missed being included in groups like the G8, G7 and G20, which took shape over the past 30 years.

"It's a bit of a Spanish complex - we're almost in the club but not quite," said Vicente Palacio, an expert in Spanish foreign policy at the Fundación Alternativas, a left-leaning research group in Madrid.

Spain has the world's eighth-largest economy and a banking system that is weathering the storm better than others in Europe. Its biggest bank, Banco Santander, has snapped up entire banks or parts of them in Britain and the United States in recent months.

"Here in Spain we have a very powerful economy with a strong banking sector that is considered exemplary at an international level," Bernardino León Gross, Zapatero's chief foreign policy adviser, said by telephone. "When it comes to discussing the future of the world's financial system, Spain should be present."

Palacio says Spain should stop insisting that its size is ground for inclusion at the meeting next week - and in the future - and lobby instead for reform of the international clubs. Groups like the G7 should be reviewed using benchmarks like overseas development aid, education and gender equality, Palacio said. "Spain should be saying: 'I don't want to be there just because my economy is the eighth largest. I want to be there because I want to change the world."'

written by Victoria Burnett and Katrin Bennhold

safe & sound

Just wanted to tell you that I arrived safe & sound late Sunday evening around 10:00PM. The time change is 7 hours ahead of Texas so I have been adjusting! I am staying with my team leaders, John & Jan, for a few days until we find an apartment*. They are such gracious roomies! We are going to the capitol of Andalucía tomorrow morning, Jaen, to begin my residency paperwork. Please pray that everything goes smoothly. There is so much more to tell about learning spanish, the church, the girls I've met, ministry, the opportunity for discipleship...but I'll save it for later!

Do you have Skype? If you do, let me know!

Arista

P.S. My camera did not make it with me to my final destination (it was either lost or stolen in transit); therefore, I won't be able to send any pictures for a while. Kind of sad, but it reminds me that nothing lasts forever! Haha!


*Some of you may remember that I communicated in my October update that there was an apartment all ready for Crystal and me. However, the economy if suffering some hardships here as well as the U.S., and someone came along that offered more money to the landlord and to take up payments immediately. The offer was much too good to pass up so we are going to be looking at a few pisos (apartments) this week. It will be nice to see the places and walk through them with the Lohrenzs' before making a decision.

Thank you!

Senders,

I just wanted to tell you how thankful I am for you. It would not be possible to go without you. What a journey the support raising process has been! From the very beginning, I have known that there is a specific group of people whom the Lord desires to be part of His work and His church in Spain. It is in His own time that He leads and provides. Thank you for responding!

Most long-term missionaries that I have talked with note that their support raising process helped them to learn things that better prepared them for the field. Through these last months, I have begun learning some great lessons about walking by faith (not by sight), and having an eternal perspective. Oh, the thought of how He’s going to teach me to apply these lessons that I've only begun to learn!

When I have been on mission trips in the past, I am specifically reminded that the graciousness and obedience of others is the only reason I have been given a blanket to keep me warm, food to fill my stomach, or a few coins for a hot drink over a spiritual conversation. Who knew that a British Airways meal could make one cry at the thought of getting what they don’t deserve?

It is a privilege to be sent for you. Please help hold the line here at home and faithfully pray for God’s work in Spain. Thank you for partnering with me in your prayers, gifts, and influence. Here we go. All glory and praise be to Him!

Arista