Somewhere in a thick, green Portuguese forest, Navigator missionaries Márcio and Alessandra da Silva take a long walk with their friends. An old stone footbridge spans a small stream. Tall trees provide shade as these good friends talk about life, family, work and faith.
Márcio and Alessandra, sent by the Brazilian Navigators as missionaries to Spain and Portugal, take 90-minute walks at least once a week with their good friends in Lisbon. After the walk, they often head to a nearby tasca (pub) for some petiscos (appetizers). Depending on the season, the petiscos might include steamed mussels, fried octopus, chorizo and even snails.
Several times a year, these couples take longer, weekend walks on the outskirts of Lisbon, often spending a night or two in a small, simple hotel. Once a year, the men in the group hop in a car and head north into Spain to take 10-day walks on famous routes leading to the historic town of Santiago. They walk all day and then spend a night in a hostel for a meal and rest. After an early breakfast, they set out for another day walking and talking.
“Walking together with our friends,” says Márcio, “brings us into close contact with nature and takes us away from controlled environments. Rain, mud, snow, heat—somehow the unpredictability of nature helps our friendships go deeper. We become more vulnerable and open. Everything is less artificial.”
God’s creation becomes a powerful help in communicating the Gospel, says Márcio. He sees this truth, often overlooked, in Psalm 19:1-4, which says, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech. . . There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard, yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. . . .”
Intentionality and dedication has resulted in profoundly deep friendships with nonbelievers in Portugal, says Marcio. The Portuguese value depth and loyalty in friendship more than having large numbers of friends. During these walking conversations, Márcio and Alessandra have been able to share their faith in God and demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical ways. One of the women in the group has wholeheartedly begun to investigate the Scriptures.
