FSY = EFY (For the Strength of Youth = Especially For Youth)

Who knew that as part of our Missionary Experience in Portugal, we would have the opportunity to help with Portugal's FSY program!  We work with Ceu Cavaco in the Perpetual Education office and she and her husband just happen to be the Portugal FSY organizers every year.  We love working with young adults and told her that if she needed any help we would love to do it.  It was 6 weekss before the scheduled FSY week and a couple dropped out.  We weren't exactly 'working with the young adults' we were 'working FOR them' - preparing food, and helping with other odd jobs that needed to be done.  BUT, we had a great time and we were able to witness the 'miracle' of the transformation of the kids when they first arrived to what we watched when it was time to go home!  What a change.  Over the week, the love that was shown them, the Spirit that they felt and the friendships that were made were life changing. 

 All ready and waiting for the kids to arrive!

 The job of transporting and then setting up the amazing multi media equipment alone was a staggering accomplishment! 

The location of FSY this year was in Guimares which is in North Portugal.  They used a college campus in that beautiful city where the kids (150 of them plus 20 young counselors and 10 more staff members) slept, had devotionals, meetings, games, dances and activities.

 This is how every bus load or car load of kids was greeted.  These young counselors danced non-stop for about 2 straight hours.  The music was LOUD and the energy was HIGH.  It looked like a party right from the start!

This is cute Ceu ... her name means "Heaven" - Together with her husband Jose, they put their whole hearts into this event.

Not EVERYONE was dancing ... some of us just smiled with a lot of enthusiasm and took pictures!

Well, it would have been better had some of us NOT tried to dance!  So sorry and embarrassing - but the music was very hard to resist!!