Badajoz

Badajoz is a city north of Sevilla, in the region of Extremadura, very near to the Portuguese border. It took me about 4 hours to get there on the bus, although we stopped several times in small towns on the way. The guidebooks are not very complimentary about Badajoz, as it is in one of the poorer parts of Spain and is not as 'aesthetically pleasing' as other cities. But i like it! Because it's about the people... and there are some great people living there! :o)

I'd been to Badajoz a year and a half ago to visit some friends who lead and/or are part of a church there so it was great to see people again. Also this weekend coincided with some very good family friends from England also visiting the church - so i was happy!

So the weekend consisted of much food: at Burger King - i am ashamed to admit, but there weren't any good films on at the cinema - with some of the girls from the church

a picnic in the 'countryside' with Holly where we got surrounded by farm animals! Extremadura is really beautiful... hills and space and big blue skies. it felt good to drive out there.

supper with my friends where i felt very loved!

and a shared lunch after the church service on sunday.

i also got to see the children's choir rehearse (they were really good!) and on Sunday evening just before i caught the bus back to Sevilla i went to a small town outside Badajoz where they are starting a church. It was really exciting to be there, and to discover that we were a mixture of people from Spain, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, England, America and... sat in the back, five guys from Romania! Alot of the people are part of the church in Badajoz but sat in the front were a few old ladies from the town and they are the reason there is now a church meeting there. amazing!

So yeh it was a great weekend. I'll be back!