Spain Girls Edition

Hola! I am so glad you have come to visit Spain, my beautiful home. My name is Maria, and I am
happy to be your guide. There are lots of things to see and experience here, so let’s get started right
away!
My hometown, Madrid, is Spain’s capital and largest city. With about 6 million people living here, it’s
a huge place. Ancient, historic buildings combine with modern, new structures to make an interesting
mix.
While you’re here we will go to Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), which is considered the exact center
of Spain. It is the busiest spot in Madrid, so if you want to learn about Spain this is a good place to
start. We will go at a time when you can witness an “On the Red Box” outreach. Assemblies of God
missionaries and national believers gather there regularly to sing, preach, and give their testimonies.
In the past 10 years many people have accepted Jesus as their Savior during these outreaches. I love
going there to feel God’s presence and pray with people right on the sidewalk!
The month of January is an important time in Spain. January 6 is when Spaniards celebrate a holiday
called Epiphany. This day honors the coming of the Wise Men who brought gifts to Jesus. On the eve
of Epiphany, children leave their shoes outside the door of their homes in hopes of finding gifts inside
them the next morning.
Epiphany is one of many celebrations that take place in Spain. People celebrate lots of religious
festivals, while other parties, called fiestas, honor events ranging from harvesting grapes to selling
livestock to the end of winter or spring. At these festivals people often dress in traditional clothes, such
as colorful, ruffled dresses for women and boleros (short, tight jackets) and wide-brimmed hats for
men.
Of course, no celebration in Spain is complete without food. I will take you to places
where you can eat some of my favorite foods. I know you will like churros (sugary
strips of fried dough) and hot chocolate, and you will probably like paella — a
saffron-spiced mixture of seafood, pork, vegetables, and rice. You can decide
for yourself whether to try arros negre — rice cooked with squid ink!
Before your visit ends, we will go to an area of northern Spain known
as Basqueland. The Basques are among Spain’s earliest people. Today
they speak Spanish, but many of them also speak their traditional
language, Euskara. No one knows how this difficult language began.
Many schools in Basqueland teach Euskara so the language will not
die away.
While we are in this area, you will meet two special missionaries, Alister and Lindy Belbin. You
will learn about the work they do and how they are telling people about Jesus.
I hope you have lots of energy because we will be very busy. You may just decide
you want to stay here longer so you can spend more time with the wonderful, warm
people of Spain!
©2011 Gospel Publishing House. Springfield, MO 65802. All Rights Reserved
The Country
The People
;;Spain’s land area is about 195,000
;;Spain’s population is about 46.5 million
;;Located in southern Europe, it shares
;;
More
;;Spain is bounded mostly by the Atlantic
;;The Basques were some of the first
square miles, making it similar in size to
Nevada and Utah combined.
the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal.
Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Its land neighbors are France on the
northeast and Portugal on the west.
Spain also includes the Balearic Islands
off the nation’s east coast; the Canary
Islands far away in the Atlantic Ocean;
and two ports, Ceuta and Melilla,
located in extreme northern Morocco
in Africa.
;;The southern tip of Spain is only about
nine miles from the northern tip of
Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar.
;;
The Pyrenees Mountains separates
— similar to that of California, Arizona,
and Nevada combined.
than three-fourths
population lives in cities.
of
the
settlers in Spain. Their descendants still
live in northern Spain and southern
France.
;;Spanish is the official language. The
most widely spoken form is Castilian
Spanish. However, many people also
speak Catalan, which is similar to
Castilian and French, and Galician,
which is similar to Portuguese. Euskera,
the language of the Basques, is distinct
from any other known language.
;;
About 94 percent of the population
Spain from France. These mountains
kept Spain isolated from outside
civilization throughout the nation’s
history.
claims to be Roman Catholic. However,
far fewer attend mass regularly. A
growing number of people from other
religions are immigrating to Spain and
establishing their own places of worship.
;;Spain’s climate ranges from wet and
;;In the late 1400s Spain’s rulers decreed
mild in the north to extremely dry
with hot summers in the center of the
country. Along the Mediterranean
coast, the climate is generally warm
and dry.
;;The only European country with a higher
altitude is Switzerland.
;;Spain produces more olive oil than any
other nation in the world.
;;
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
sponsored Christopher Columbus on his
voyage to the New World in 1492.
;;
Cadiz, a city in southern Spain, was
founded around 1100 B.C. and is said
to be the oldest city in Europe that has
always had people living in it.
;;Spain’s climate is perfect for growing
olives, figs, and many different kinds of
fruit.
;;Spain’s flag is a wide yellow stripe
between two narrower red stripes. The
nation’s coat of arms is on the left side
of the yellow stripe.
that Catholicism was the only religion
allowed in the nation. People who
practiced other faiths were expelled
from the country, imprisoned, or
executed. This time in history, called the
Spanish Inquisition, lasted until the mid1800s.
;;From 1939 to 1975, Spain was ruled by
a military dictator, Francisco Franco.
During this time, Spain was kept
isolated from other nations, and only
Catholic churches had legal rights to
hold services and buy property. A new
constitution approved in 1978 granted
freedom of religion to all faiths.
;;Children between the ages of 6 and
16 are required to attend school,
and students must pass an exam to
graduate. Many students then attend
a university or technical school.
;;Soccer is the favorite sport. Bullfighting
is widely popular, but it is viewed as a
cultural event instead of a sport.
;;Food in Spain is not hot and spicy as most
people assume. While each region of
the country has its own special dishes,
three foods are common in every area:
olive oil, eggs, and chorizo (a type of
sausage).
;;Spain is part of the European Union,
communicate by whistling in various
tones that echo across the valleys. This
unique language is known as silbo.
;;Tomatoes, potatoes, and avocados were
introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers
who brought them from the New World.
and its currency is the euro.
;;Lunch is the main meal of the day and
is often followed by a rest time, called
a siesta. Dinner is rarely eaten before 9
p.m. and sometimes as late as midnight.
Did you know?
;;Cape Finisterre, an area in western Spain,
comes from two Latin words — finis (the end)
and terre (the earth). Early Romans gave
the city this name because they thought it
was the farthest edge of the world.
;;The
dragon tree, a native tree of the
Canary Islands, produces orange fruit
with an inedible, red juice that early
people called dragon’s blood.
;;The
guitar is Spain’s favorite instrument.
Instead of drums to keep rhythm,
traditional musicians often use castanets,
which they click with their fingers.
;;A
favorite festival in Spain is the Festival
of San Fermin in Pamplona. Each morning
for a week, six bulls run through the streets
of Pamplona to a stadium where daily
bullfights take place. People run ahead
of the bulls to prove their bravery. This
celebration is called the “running of the
bulls.”
;;At
a festival called La Tomatina, huge
carts of tomatoes are rolled into the city
of Bunol. Thousands of people gather
to throw the tomatoes at one another.
Afterward the fire brigades hose down
the participants and the streets.
;;Spain’s
national anthem has no official
lyrics.
;;
Sagrada
Familia, a huge cathedral
in Barcelona, was started in 1882 and
remains unfinished — mostly because
builders cannot understand the designer’s
original plans.
;;
On
Gomera, one of the Canary
Islands, descendants of early settlers
The Assemblies of God
in Spain
The first Assemblies of God missionaries to
Spain faced many difficulties. Persecution
was strong during Francisco Franco’s rule,
and people were reluctant to accept the
Pentecostal message. However, these early
missionaries kept praying and working, and
today churches are growing. Believers are
reaching out in inner cities and to immigrants
coming to Spain. A media ministry based
in Madrid is producing programs for use
around the world. Ministries to children and
youth are also growing as young people
look for meaning in life. Churches are being
planted across Spain and in the Canary
Islands.
Say What?
Castilian Spanish is the main language of Spain, but Catalan and Euskera are also spoken
in certain areas of the country. Here are familiar words in all three languages. How are they
alike and how are they different?
EnglishCastilianCatalanEuskera
HelloHolaHolaKaixo
GoodbyeAdiosAdeuAgur
YesSiSiBai
NoNoNoEz
ThanksGraciasGraciesEskerrik asko
You’re welcome
De nada
De res
Ez horregatik
PleasePor favorSisplauMesedez
Good morning
Buenos dias
Bon dia
Egun on
Good evening
Buenos noches
Bon vesper
Arratsalde on
How are you?
Como estas?
Com estas?
Zer moduz?
Sayings from Spain
Here are some Spanish proverbs. Why do you think they are wise sayings?
;;Truth and oil always come to the surface.
;;In a calm sea every man is a pilot.
;;What belongs to everybody belongs to nobody.
Foods From Spain
People in Spain do not like to eat alone
and enjoy having meals with friends.
Here are two Spanish treats you can
make to share with your friends.
Churros
This treat is eaten at breakfast or as
a snack — usually with Spanish hot
chocolate.
You will need:
;;1 cup water
;;One-fourth cup margarine or butter
;;6 tablespoons sugar
;;One-fourth teaspoon salt
;;1 cup flour
;;2 eggs
;;Oil for frying
;;Zip-lock bag
What to do:
1. Combine water, butter, 2 tablespoons
sugar, and salt in medium saucepan.
2.Bring mixture to a boil; remove pan
from heat and stir in flour.
3.Beat with wooden spoon until mixture
forms a ball and leaves the sides of the
pan.
4.Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture
is smooth.
5.Pour oil into skillet to a depth of about
three-fourth inch.
6.Scoop batter into a resealable bag;
snip off one end of the bag.
7.Squeeze five or six short strips of dough
at a time into the hot oil. (You may
need an adult to help you.)
8.Fry three or four minutes, turning once,
until golden brown.
9.Use a slotted spoon to remove from
the oil and let drain on paper towels
10.Toss warm churros in remaining 4
tablespoons sugar.
Spanish Hot Chocolate
You will need:
;;4 cups milk
;;1 teaspoon cornstarch
;;8 ounces milk chocolate
What to do:
1. Pour milk into a saucepan and add
cornstarch. Whisk to dissolve cornstarch.
2.Heat mixture until it just begins to boil;
remove from heat.
3.Add chocolate and stir until melted.
4.Return mixture to stove and cook over
medium-low heat, stirring constantly,
until it begins to thicken. Pour into cups
and serve warm.
(This hot chocolate is especially good
when you dunk a churro into it!)
Pies Quietos (Stopped Feet)
Here is a children’s game played in some
areas of Spain.
You will need:
;;A ball
What to do:
Clicking Castanets
Castanets are a popular instrument
in Spanish folk music. Make your own
castanets and use them during a song time
at a club meeting.
You will need:
;;Two very large, identical buttons
2.The girl must throw the ball into the air
;;Craft foam measuring ½ by 1½ inch
;;Glue gun
;;Two 6-inch lengths of round elastic
3.The named player must catch the ball
What to do:
1. Choose one player to start the game.
Give that girl the ball.
and call the name of another player.
before it hits the ground and throw it
into the air again, calling the name of
a different player.
4.
This continues until a player cannot
catch the ball. When this happens,
all the girls scatter while the player
retrieves the ball.
5.When the player has the ball in her
hands, she calls “Stopped feet.” At
that point everyone must stand still.
6.The named girl (from step 4) is allowed
to walk or jump no more than three
steps toward another player and then
throw the ball. If the ball hits another
player, that player receives a penalty
point. If the ball misses its target, the
thrower receives a penalty point.
7.
The game continues until someone
gets three penalty points. That player
is then out of the game or must doing
some activity, such as sing a song or do
a funny dance, before she can play
again.
1. Stack the buttons with their flat backs on
the top and bottom.
2.Cut one ½- by 1½-inch rectangle from
craft foam.
3.With an adult’s help, use a glue gun to
attach one ½-inch-long edge of the
foam to a flat edge of the top button;
glue the other ½-inch edge to the flat
edge of the bottom button.
4.After the glue hardens, insert the two
ends of the round elastic through two
holes in the bottom button. Knot the
ends together, leaving enough space
for you to fit your thumb comfortably
between the button and the elastic.
Repeat with the top button, leaving
enough space to fit your index finger
between the elastic and the button.
5.Clack the buttons together to keep time
to music.