Adeus Ilha Terceira

By the time this is posted to my blog site, we will be nearing the end of our stay on Terceira Island. This thought leaves me with a heavy heart, as I know I will be leaving a part of myself behind. There will always be a tug on my heart to return, and God willing, maybe I will be able to one day. In the meantime, I’m planning to spend my last couple of days soaking in the sights, sounds, and scents of our beloved island…memories to tuck into the recesses of my mind when I need a special “treasure” to gladden my heart.

I want to thank Captain Tim Stoner for the memories of Lajes Air Force Base. Because of his generosity, we were able to tour the base and see where my father worked many years ago when he was stationed at Lajes. Just a block or two off base, we saw the small little home (#10) where my mother and father lived after they were married and where I spent the first few months of my life. I also saw the chapel where I was baptized as an infant on base.

I also want to thank Senhor e Senhora Henrique Mauricio for making me feel so welcomed at church services today in Praia. I first made contact with Senhor Mauricio through email. He explained to the congregation today (about 25 members) the story of how we first communicated after I found his name and email address during an internet search. At first he thought my letter was junk mail and he almost deleted my message. After opening it, he discovered that I was visiting relatives on Terceira and wanted to find a church family I could worship together with on the Sabbath. It amazed him to have someone write him from so far away and he eagerly shared the story with everyone.

Because they had recently moved their services to another location, I didn’t have the new address. So after calling and making contact, he met me at a known location and drove me to the church. This was an interesting story too. He told everyone that he was expecting a blond American woman to get out of a car with an American license plate. Instead, I hop out of my uncle’s rental car from Terceira, and behold….I’m Portuguese!!

I had a wonderful Sabbath with the brethren here in Praia. It’s so amazing to me that no matter where you may roam on this earth, you can find brothers and sisters who love the Lord and welcome you into their fold. God’s spirit binds you together is such a special way. The church provided me with a translator who sat next to me and translated the sermon. It surprised me that I could understand a good deal of the sermon and I was even able to sing praise songs in Portuguese. I loved that I was greeted by everyone with a kiss on each cheek. Tears welled up in my eyes when Senhor Mauricio prayed for me and for safe travels for my family. What a blessing today was! I’m thankful to God for helping me to locate my Portuguese brothers and sisters in Christ. I told them that I would keep in touch when I returned home. I will never forget this day!

This evening we attended the “running of the bulls” at the Praia festas. We sat up on a high stone fence and watched as the bulls were led through the streets, one at a time, tethered on a long rope. Vendors walked up and down the streets selling treats and balloons and musicians played their instruments between bull runs. Tomorrow (Sunday) is the final day of the festas and they will conclude tomorrow evening with the bulls on the praia (beach). We will be there!

If it’s sunny, I want to spend the morning hours walking along the waterfront and going for a swim either here in Porto Martins or on the praia. I want to spend some time alone reflecting on all this trip has meant to me. I want to capture as much of it as I can in my memory. The next time I write, we will probably be on the east coast with our cousins in Connecticut. I know the tears will flow as we say good-bye to our loved ones here. My Tio Armando worries. His diabetes is difficult to manage and he has other health concerns. My Tio Elmiro has had a kidney transplant and will be undergoing a biopsy for prostate cancer. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and it saddens us to part. The good-byes are always hard, but I’m thankful for this time I’ve had. I will treasure the memories forever, until the day we are together again.

O meu coracao sempre esta em Terceira!

Dorothy