Well we had our second party and it was a big success. Everyone participated and had a wonderful time. Our theme was about our home town and Ole Miss. We made up cheers (which we used the team names they came up with for later games). And then we played Bingo. We had cards with football items on them and then had black eyed peas for our bingo chips. It was a lot fun to see everyone get so excited. Then we played pictionary and that was fun too, except it was a little difficult to get volunteers to draw. Dave drew the tie breaker!
We had chips, dip and veggies. We brought the dip mixes from home and they were a big hit. One reader asked for the recipe. Although they thought that the fiesta one was spicy (we are not sure why...but) and they don't normally eat vegetables raw, but I guess they were polite and did it for us because there was not much left.
All in all it was a big success. We all felt that it went better than the first and we hope they keep getting better. We had 8 of our readers join us and 19 church members and then some brought friends.
Some of our readers are beginning to ask questions, so that means they are searching for something! So keep the prayers coming. Please pray for one of my readers, Irma. She told me the other day when I told her I would pray about her situation, she said thank you, maybe your prayers will work because mine don't. I pray that she will not give up and know that since it has been 3 years (the situation she is in has been going on that long), maybe God has answered her prayers just not in the way she wanted.
Today I am thankful for readers searching and having the opportunity to talk to him about God.
I have posted a view pictures of our trip online. If you would like to view them, you can go to http://community.webshots.com/user/gerbdaisies
I hope everyone is having as much fun as I am!
Everyday is a new day in here. Yesterday, we a holiday here in Argentina. So we didn't have any readers. We went to the zoo!!!! I loved it. It was so much fun. It is very different than our zoo at home. They have cows!!! ( took a picture, because I was so surprised), but one of my readers told me that the farm animals that were at the zoo (yes, there were sheep, roosters, rabbits, goats, chickens and other farm animals.), that is there only way they can see them. I enjoyed it very much, seeing the monkeys (my favorite)! They had kangaroos and camels too. Ok well that is enough about the zoo. After the zoo, we went to an amazing art exhibit. We spent about 2 hours there and could have spent a lot more. It was so amazing, there was some very interesting pieces and then some very enjoyable pieces that I would like to have taken home with me. Then we went for ice cream!!! I had strawberry and cookies and cream! It was wonderful!
After touring a little, we were invited to Ed and Carolyn Hance's home. They are members of the Villa Urquiza church and live downtown. It an amazing apartment. There home was definitely not what I think of when I think of Argentina living. We meet the LST team from Cabillito there and then many church members from Villa Urquiza came too. We played biliquial scrabble in pairs. It was a lot of fun. After dinner (which was also excellent) we had a Bible study and singing. It was so moving to hear the songs in English and Spanish. For some reason I like some of the Spanish versions better. I got goose bumbs. I think that there is something so special about traveling around the world and worshipping with people from a different culture. It is so amazing to have something so powerful in common with them that not even the language barrier can separate. I am still in awe! of how great this place is.
I have had some awesome reading sessions. I have four specific readers that are challenging me and it is something that I have needed for a long time. I hope that am able to touch them like they have touched me. I pray that they can see Jesus in me and that I will be able to show them what an awesome God we serve. And what a wonderful life it is to live in him.
I have always said mission work is a special experience. It is not something that you can betray in words, only by experience.
God is working here!
Today, I am thankful for this experience and for the opportunities I have to share God with my readers.
And thankful for all who have contributed to this opportunity whether financially or through prayer.
Wow, I am not sure how else to describe the structures, art and dining. It is all so amazing. I am so fascinated by all the statues and structure that are downtown. Everything is so tall or big, unlike things in the stores. When purchasing things in the grocery stores, everything comes in small packages. They do not buy by the week like we do. It is more on a couple of day basis.
We went to see Star Wars and I got POPCORN!!! The movie was excellent and the popcorn was excellent. I wish I had had a togo box to take the extra with me. The movie cost us $2!! We can't even rent an old movie for that much. It was great. The theater was nice. Then the guys ate at the food court (I was not hungry, after all the popcorn). The food court was a lot like ours. But I did get ice cream! It was good too!
We went downtown to see some of the sites, like the Pink House (it is like our White House), they have a monument similar to our Washington Monument, and then my most favorite thing so far was the art galleries. I wanted to bring some of it home with me. It was so awesome! They have some amazing artist here. The detail was so awesome. But it was near the end of the day when we found these galleries, so I am hoping to go back and look some more another weekend. We went to a fancy restaurant for dinner, and the food was good but it was much more than I could eat, so the boys took it home to eat later. We played spades for a little while, and then it was time to call it quits for the evening.
Yesterday, we went to Recoleta. It is a market and artesy area. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. I had a New York Strip and it was awesome!!! We went to the cemetery, to see where Evita was buried. The cemetery was a cool experience, but creepy at the same time. Sean took lots of cool pictures, so I am going to get him to share. Then off to the market, Mom and Dad, don't be surprised if I stay, since I can't ship home all the things that I liked in the furniture stores. The furniture and other home furnishings were so modern and simple. It was so cool. I loved it! I am still trying to think of ways to get it home. Dad you know the bed we started making, well we have to finish it. I know exactly what I want it to look like! (I hope we still have the supplies). I wish you all could see this! It is incredible!
We went to the church about 7:15, to hang out with the youth for a little while. There singing is beautiful. And it is cool to hear the songs we sing in a different language. (reminds me of Rome and Urkraine) I hope we can sing Soon and Very Soon!
The teens played soccer, but I didn't (not really my thing). Jeremy is getting the hang of it. Sean and Dave have colds so they don't need to be playing.
I am falling in love with this place already and I haven't even been here a week yet! The people are so friendly, the building are so awesome, the transportation (has its ups and downs) and I am getting lots of exercise! I think I have even lots a pound or two! (which makes it even better). The only thing I haven't gotten used to yet is the fact that I keep thinking about what time it is at home. So every time, I get up in the morning I think it is 6 AM at home! (but then I have to remind myself that I will be going to bed when it is 10 pm at home).
Today, we are back at the church meeting with readers. I don't have any today, so I am catching up on email and doing a few things to get ready for the week. The guys all have at least 2 readers today. We have worship tonight at 5. I am looking forward to meeting the church members.
Today I am thankful for how blessed I am!
I am also thankful that the Lord has blessed us with many readers and the help of The Hentons.
I can see great things coming out of this experience!
Are we in Argentina? That is the question. For some it doesn't feel like we are really away from home. We can get most anything we want here. There is one that is different, we met the butcher at the supermarket and he is going to come to church on Sunday and offered to cook us dinner. I don't know that that would happen in the states. The people are very friendly. I am making friends with my readers already.
I have 13 readers and lots of them want to read often. It is so exciting. A lot of them speak English very well. I asked one of my readers if he believed that God could do anything and his response was I am not married I don't know. He is 26 years old. I told him that I could relate on the married situation, but to not give up on God sometimes we have to wait for His time and he said he hasn't given up. He thinks he needs to grow up a little first and finish school. I feel that this is going to be a wonderful experience, especially since we have so much in common already.
We had our first party, with 26 people in attendance. We played pin the tail on the donkey (or whatever you might have called it, it didn't look much like a donkey. But it made for great laughs), hangman (in English) and we made smores. The smores were a big hit! I had 3 readers come to the party and they all said they had a great time. Next week, we will have a Party in the Grove. For dinner, we ate pizza. It tasted a lot like American pizza.
We have our first weekend off starting tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the city.
After an interesting night of having a surprise visitor (a cat), when I thought I had closed the doors good. But all in all I slept very well. The guys are jealous because I have the best quarters for sleeping (we all have it really good, I just have it a little better). I told them it is just a privilege of being the only female. But there are two apprentices coming soon, so we are going to have to move around a little to make room for them.
I had my first reader this morning. His name is Fredrico. He attends the church here, but is not a Christian. He is a law student and wants to read often. We had a very good session this morning and he plans to attend our party tomorrow.
Things are off to a great start and I know that it is going to get better. We have had lots of calls this morning from new readers! So we have added about 4 or 5 more. Keep the prayers going! Pray that we are able to say and show them things of Christ and that they will want to know more!
Today I am thankful for this opportunity and that we are blessed with such a wonderful support system.
Already had my first adventure. We went to the mall this afternoon (instead of taking a nap) after meeting with the missionaries and getting things organized with the team. Sean and I decided we wanted some ice cream, so we went back upstairs, while Emily (our translator) and the others waited downstairs. We thought how hard can this be, well we found out. It took us about 20 minutes or so to decide that we were just going to wing it. It was fun and entertaining trying to communicate. You are probably asking so what did you end of getting.. amazingly exactly what we wanted. He got chocolate and I got vanilla. We had enough money to buy it too!!(thanks dad for the pesos before we left) I shared with the whole team (the others got something to drink)
Our information meeting went well. We got several readers! Dave and I have 8 and Sean and Jeremy have 5. But we had 72 on the list so we are going to call them tomorrow.
Well I am going home to rest and take care of stats and getting our schedules ready for tommorrow. God is working here! Keep praying for us!
Just wanted everyone to know that we made it safely. Tne flight was long but we didn't have any problems along the way.
We are with our host families and will be meeting later this afternoon to get everything square away to begin. We have our information meeting tonight.
There will be more posts as I have time and am near a computer.
Feel free to post comments.
Love you all!
Well the day has arrived. We will be boarding the plan at 6:02pm to head to Atlanta then to Buenos Aires.
I am packed.. but not sure about ready to go. I don't feel like that it is time to be going yet. Time as flown by and we will be well underway by this time next week.
Everything that I can think of it taken care at home. Bills are being paid (that is an important one)
Hugs have been given and good byes and see you in 6 weeks have been said.
And we are off... with the many blessings of the congregation and love from those around us. We are going to be blessed and God' seed it going to be planted.
What an extraordinary mission!!!
Thank for this opportunity and will be more thank when we land in Argentina (don't like to fly)
See you guys in 6 weeks!
Take care of the home front and have a great summer!
I would go swimming and lay by the pool but there is a private party for the weekend (so I am a little disappointed)
So we are leaving Oxford at 1:30 on Monday to head to Memphis. And then the trip will officially have begun. I am excited yet nervous. I am not a big fan of flying so once I get there I will be fine.
I am going to try and post on here while I am on my trip so that everyone will be able to read it, without forgetting email addresses and that sort of thing.
Summer break is only a day away!!
I am thankful!!!
My mom's test came back showing nothing. She is still numb on her left side, but the tests didn't show anything, which could be good or bad. But we are thinking about it in a positive manner and thinking of ways that she might could help this problem.
My adopted parents are wonderful! I was worried about paying for things while I was gone.. the worry is gone! It is true the Lord will provide. I keep remembering what Bob said about giving to God even when you have nothing to give. Well it works, the last couple of weeks I have given money when I didn't have it (not bragging...I just don't always give at church like I should and I have tried to give more) and God has provided. I have not gone without food, new clothes have come for my trip, expenses of living have been taken care of and so much more! I am just in awe!
God is amazing and I get to share that will lots of people in a special way starting next week! I have a new story to tell!
Nothing is impossible with God!!
Two more finals and I can have a break for a few days! I am thankful for that too.
DON'T GIVE UP ON GOD, HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU!!!!!
A lot of different thoughts going through my head the last couple of days. I am really appreciating my friends more and more. They have been there for me (as always) but especially the last few months. I have been stressed and frustrated more than I think I have even been, but things are getting better. I have completed three exams and have 3 left. I am praying that I get the results I want. But grades come out after I am on the plane to Argentina, so I might be waiting a while....
We had out last work day for LST today... we leave on Monday, so the time is never. I have begun to get things together to pack and working on getting things square away bill wise so that I will not have to worry about that.
But when you think things are looking up... i think the devil comes in and tries to ruin that for you. I have mixed emotions about Argentina and they are not all positive, but I need to get the devil out of my way and make them all positive. (still working on that)
I am not a home body... I am not much of a family get together type person, but I do love them. And I realize it even more in times like today... I found out that my mom is having a cat-scan done tomorrow and she is very scared about the results. Her dad died of a brain tumor after having the same symptoms she is having. I know that it is most people instinct to think the worst, but we are trying not to... we don't know the results so we are staying positive. I think the thing that scares me the most is that she will get the results when I am in Argentina. I know that is the devil getting my way. He is causing me to question myself about going and leaving my mom behind. But I am trying to stay strong and PRAY! God is in control. My family is close, so I have faith that we will stick together through this good or bad. Gena called me today and said I want to be there. It is times like this when you realize that we don't know what could happen and we want to make things right. We are keeping in touch and she will come if she needs to. Mother's Day was just a few days ago and I told my mom I loved her, but today that has new meaning.
On a happier note, Friday is just around the corner and another semester will be behind me. Baseball is in the agenda for the weekend and a lot of packing and rest ( which is baseball).. might even get in a little pool time (depends on the weather).
I hope that everyone is surviving finals .... there is light at the end ... I see it!
Today I am thankful for:
Family and Friends
God being in control
Tracey's ( and Casey's) thoughts on God's answers... it made me think
Well the end is near, so it is time to get organized and relax. The end is coming whether I like it or not, so I better be prepared for it. I have the next few days to get my notes together and begin studying. I have to start making a specific schedule and managing my time.
I have started working for my dad again (got a raise... that is always nice... you would think they are trying to keep me for something), so I am trying to bet organized and get my system down to be the most productive. But my sister will working in my place while I am gone to Argentina so I have get things organized for her too.
We have a least one more work day for LST before we leave in a little over a week. There is organization needed there too.
So as you can see there is a theme to my life right now, but I feel pretty good about it because organization happens to one of my gifts. ( at least a feel like it is.... I am detail oriented)
But I feel like things are starting to come together and I know it is because God is at my side and he has put people in my life to help me along the way.
Today I am thankful for
a good job
the guys I work with making me smile and laugh which is something I feel like I haven't done in a long time
my friends that are patient with me and who put up with me when my attitude is not very pleasant... You guys are AWESOME!
the avenue of pray... I have been seeing God working lately (not that he doesn't always... but it is really obvious right now)
the extension the my class received on our final assignment
a new day to try and do better