A Taste of our First Year

We praise God for this year. It has been a year of many transitions. He has carried us through each one. We thank God for each of our supporters that make it possible for us to be here! Celebrate with us and enjoy a taste of our first year.

Making a Joyful Noise

We are so thrilled to have a music school in La Misión. Children from the community and the church come to learn an instrument as well as music theory. Also in one of the "villas," there is also a separate school run by La Misión called "Sonidos de Esperanza,".. (Sounds of Hope).. And that is what these music classes are for a lot of these kids that come from hard living situations. The hope of the gospel, the joy of music and the love of the teachers, all experienced weekly in these classes. Personally, God has used the music teacher, Martha in our children's lives. She has taught them to worship in song not just sing. We praise God for this tremendous ministry. Enjoy some of the clips from the end of the semester recital/program.

Isa has been taking drum lessons for 4 months. Kids can choose from drum, guitar and keyboards to study. Then they have an hour of music theory as well. You should see him learning his notes!

This is my favorite song the children sang. It says "I have so much to be thankful for.. my friends, my parents, and mostly Jesus." It is a great reminder to have a thankful heart!

Following your Call at all Cost

Words can't express how proud I am of my brother and his family.  They are in the midst of leaving the USA and headed to a new land to follow their call.  Join me in praying for them in this season.  It is surely a time of so many emotions.. overwhelming at times I am sure, but I trust that our Father is sustaining them now and will continue to do so!  There is no greater joy than to be in the center of His will watching Him work wonders.  What a privilege to serve our Lord! God speed familia! 

http://sevenmileroad.org/blog/?p=1022 

Learning to expect the unexpected

As you all know we came to BA with a set of goals and ideas of what our time here would be about.  Of course we knew in our minds to expect the unexpected and we were open to serve in any capacity needed or wanted.  Well, after being here several months, we also began to feel a desire to work with the college students at church.  Many of them we knew from when we lived here before and they were teens.  As we began to hang out with them and discuss life, college, theology, we realized that a group was needed to discuss things further and with more of them.

So back in March we had a first meeting where we presented the idea to them to form a university/professionals ministry at La Mision.  It was a  great night of discussing needs, ideas, and service projects.  Since then we have met again to continue planning, and this past week we were able to fellowship with a college team visiting from the USA, chaperoned by a friend of C's.  What a great time of comparing college lifestyles and sharing how faith is lived out in both.  For us it was perfect timing to have them come and spend time with the college students from La Mision; it inspired them to view college as an opportunity to share Christ.. not just a place to go study and then leave.  (It was also great to share our life here in BA with an old friend of C's)

We are excited by this unexpected opportunity God has placed on our laps.  We enjoy this group very much as well as are challenged by them to stay on our toes. Pray for them as many of them come from humble backgrounds and are the first in their family to go to college.  It is an exciting time for La Mision to have about 15 of its own youth attending one of the top universities in  Latin America, the University of Buenos Aires.  In the future we will share more with you about this ministry and the students.

 

The ladies from La Mision  and the missions trip from Ohio practicing language skills and getting to know each other.

C with a friend from her "youth group" and college days, visiting BA with a college team.

K and a youth from La Mision practicing English.

The two groups together.

Thursday Workshops

The dream of the vocational school is slowly coming together.  Phase one is bringing the carpentry classes to the neighborhoods near the church.  These neighborhoods have high unemployment and the residents have very little means to acquire job skills. The Lord has opened a door in the community center in one of the neighborhoods and for now K is teaching every Thursday evening.  For now they are more like mini workshops since new people come every week along with some regular attenders.  Even women are attending that want to build furniture for their homes.  We wait and pray the Lord uses this to draw people to Himself as well as give them a means to provide for their families.   We will keep you posted as the school continues to develop and the vision becomes a reality!

Happy Easter: Celebrate the Resurrection!

USA Easter tradition: Coloring Easter Eggs 




Celebrating Easter.. we constantly remind our children what is Easter about.. Isa will answer "Jesus' resurrection" then we will continue to say "why celebrate it?", "How does it affect you?" After talking about it with him and getting funny answers as always, I am left wondering, why do I celebrate Easter. Do I really internalize what I say I believe? Do I believe in resurrection life and all that Christ did for me on the cross? And if I really do believe it, do I see change in my life brought about by that belief? I long to see the power of the resurrection in my life and the life of those around me. Our prayer is to see that power transform lives here Argentina. We pray you see it in your life today! I leave you today with those questions as we celebrate Easter together in different parts of the world! Felices Pascuas Amigos!

Argentine Easter Tradition: Making Easter bread called "La Rosca de Pascua."  S and I got to make one in her preschool.

 

Celebrating Easter in the neighborhood, Los Pinos

 

A choir from Puerto Rico visited and ministered in Los Pinos.  La Mision's children's choir also sang!  

Invisible Children

www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php

I was checking my Facebook as I like to do so periodically during the day, and I was hit with a link a friend posted. It is the story of three college aged guys who went to Africa to make movies and their lives were changed forever. What they saw affected them in a deep way. They saw first hand the children abducted to become children soldiers for an evil man named Kony... A man whose agenda is purely power. He is described as pure evil, changing innocent children into monsters. Needless to say, I was impacted by this video all that they show and tell about the history of Uganda. Then I am further impacted in a different way, by the thought that 3 young guys, saw an injustice and for the last 6yrs have been doing all they can to fight it. They have created a worldwide movement to stop Kony. I was also hit by the reality of what one man can do, one evil man. This man has 5 countries in Africa living in Fear!

Now think about it. One person, controlling 5 nations through fear, abducting children. 3 young college kids in the forefront of bringing peace and change... WOW.. what can I as one person do? Even more so, what can I with the power of the Holy Spirit living in me do? I ask you the same thing? What can you as one person do? A LOT! I know this has not much to do with our work here in Argentina, but at the same time it does. It has given me a kick in the pants.. to get working, get praying to open my eyes to see how can I use my gifts to bring change. I challenge you in your life, in your sphere of influence to do the same. It has given me a bigger burden to challenge the young youth here in La Mison especially the college kids to be inspired. We have been feeling a burden to start a college group at La Mision, and this has confirmed it for us. We want our college kids to use their gifts to be an impact on this world for God's glory. Pray with us that we all would hear God's call and rise above ourselves!

March forward

Hee hee.. did you catch my play on words... it is finally March and for us it is time to "march forward."  Arriving to March has been a goal of mine since we started packing our house in Buffalo.  I knew back then that it would take at least six months to get settled in and a year to feel at home.  I knew that would come in the Fall (which is in March here), we would have some kind of routine in place once the kids were in school and things at church would go into full swing after the summer.

And so it is... Isa has started school on the 2nd. He is loving it, though I worry about how long his school day is.  He leaves about 7:45 and doesn't get home till about 4:45. He is going to a bi-lingual school and is enjoying his new friends.  I totally respect him.  He began school at the end of the school year last year.  He was there from Oct. to Dec.  He began without speaking any Spanish.  Now, he speaks and communicates well.  I am amazed and blessed by his transition.  Thank you for your prayers, God has answered them.  Keep them coming for a good school year =).  "S"  will begin pre-school next Monday.  She will be going to a school nearer to us and is only in Spanish.  We also had the option to send "A," but we have decided to let her stay home and enjoy one more year with her mommy.

On the ministry side, things are starting to pick up.  "K" today will be visiting one of the "villas" that is predominantly Paraguayan. He will be going with the director of the social service ministry as well as one of our youth (that is no longer as young as we remember hee hee).  In this location there is a group of carpenters that want to learn to make kitchen cabinets, so it is a perfect way for "K" to make contacts into this community as well as laying the groundwork in this area for the vocational school.  Please keep all this covered in prayer!  Keep his safety in prayer as violence in the villas is very high.

For me, "C", I have met and will continue meeting with my cell group weekly and we are now doing a book study.  I am excited because I also have started meeting with a key leader to plan out the Bible school for the leaders in the church.  We are preparing the curriculum and classes and hope to begin meeting with our teachers in the next few weeks and then kick off soon after. Again keep this in prayer.  The church is in a very hard place and is walking through many transitions.

Ok, this blog entry has gotten long.  We will attempt to write more often. Still getting used to  the whole blog thing... Feel free to send questions or ideas of what you would like to see discussed on the blog.  That will help me with entry topics =) Blessings!! 

Un dia con Jesus/ A day with Jesus

"A day with Jesus" was the name given to the day we as a church, La Mision, went to spend a day outdoors.  It was a mixture of retreat, church picnic, church outdoors and so much more. It was a time to eat and fellowship together.  Many enjoyed playing sports, others enjoyed the sunshine and conversations, some lucky few even got an outdoor nap.  My favorite was having our Sunday service outside!  There is just something about worshipping God outdoors; I love it.  I love to sense His creation around me as we sing to Him and hear His word. I think there is just a little kid in all of us that just likes to be outside.  It was a wonderful time for all.  Isa even got to have some birthday cake with his church buddies.   "A Day with Jesus,"  a day with His followers, His creation, His presence...  

Our trip to Gualeguaychu

 

Our time in Gualeguaychu with the youth was wonderful.  We want to thank everyone who was praying for us and the youth.   The youth did a tremendous job each day in the heat.  They lived and worked in one of the schools in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the area.  Each day the youth did work in the school and then prepared for an outreach event in the different neighborhoods in the area.  The evening events had crowds from 40 people to 100. Then the  next day they would meet with contacts made the previous night to speak further and connect them to the church  we were working with.  We were so impressed with the youth's commitment and drive as well as hard work.

When asked what impacted them the most; the youth shared that the time of "evaluation " each day is what impacted them.  This was a time set apart each day to share and clear the air within the group if anything needed to be discussed.  Here the youth were able to work out differences and minister to each other.  It always  amazes me how we always receive more than we give when we go on these trips.  The youth were able to grow as a group and truly learn to love each other more.

For us this trip was unique in the sense it was the first in which we were balancing family and ministry.  We thank God that we were able to do both and incorporate our children where ever possible.  Isa and the girls loved attending the children's festivals and they got very attached to the clowns.  K was able to build some shelving for the Pastor and C enjoyed helping wherever needed as well as encouraging the youth throughout our time there.  

We praise God for all the seeds that were planted, the lives that were touched and the hearts that were changed!

Preparing for Gualeguaychu

It is amazing to me to sit and write about a trip to Gualeguaychu.  Mostly because six years ago, almost exactly to the date (off by a few weeks) K went with the youth on a mission trip to this same city and this same sister congregation.  I was not able to attend because I had just had Isa two days before the trip and was recovering from a c-section; not to mention I had a newborn to adjust to.  (needless to say I was clueless in thinking it was fine to let K go and he was clueless for going, nonetheless it all worked out=)  Anyways, I remember being left with the sense of "man I wish I could go"  Well, here we are 6 yrs later and it is the night before we join the youth in Gualeguaychu as a family. We are so excited to see what God will do.  

We wanted to post the schedule so that those that could and were willing to commit to pray for each day and the events could do so.  So here goes:

Monday

Travel time

Evangelistic Outreach in Zabale

Tuesday

Visit contacts made at the outreach in Zabale

Working on fixing a local school

Evangelistic outreach in La Cuchilla

Wednesday

Zim's travel

Visit contacts made the previous night at La Cuchilla

Continue working on a local school 

Evangelistic outreach in Sagrado Corazon

Thursday

Visit contacts made the previous night in Sagrado Corazon

Continue working on a local school

Children's festival in La Cuchilla

Friday

Children's Fesitval

Work projects at the local school

Evangelistic outreach in Plaza San Martin

Saturday

Free time during the day

Youth meeting during the evening

Sunday

Church service with our sister congregation

Return to Buenos Aires

An Event "Full" Weekend

Happy 2009 everyone!  Ours has begun with quite the event filled weekend.  We are enjoying the summer here in Buenos Aires. this past weekend we spent time with our church friends picnicing.  Friday we had a wonderful time with some young families with children; our kids litteraly climbed from tree to tree.  It was a great time of fellowship. Then on Saturday, we attended the annual presbytery soccer tournament!  Now this is a big event; the youth and the not so "youth" play on teams representing their church.  The winner gets a trophey, but more importantly the joy of beating the other churches.  We had a great time watching the matches and cheering for La Mision. K played and he did pretty well considering he hasn't played for six years.  Our kids just so enjoyed being with the youth.  We had some great qualitiy time with the youth as well as the adults that attended.  It was good to continue to build these relationships especially as we prepare to head on a mission trip with them in about a week.  Of course no picnic in the summer is complete without a good ole water fight, and boy was it a water fight.

Our weekend ended with an event of a different type.  We share it only to give glory to God for His protection and to ask you to continue to pray for God's protection on our family.  Coming home from church we pulled into our driveway.  I had come into the house already and K was getting "A" out of the car when two men came up to him and asked him for the keys to the car.  K was able to look into their eyes and told them to leave with authority.  Meanwhile the other guy tried to get his wallet out of K's pocket.. again K told him to leave.  Thankfully K had noticed the gun he had was fake, thank God they didn't grab A, thank God they didn't come in the house since both the gate and the door were wide open! God was here watching over us. Then when we called the cops, the cop that came to take the report was named Angel!  We got such a kick out of that.. we knew God was here and His angels were protecting us!  

We praise God for this event Full weekend and we know He was in it in every moment! May we continue to see him every moment of 2009!