Celebrating Children's day in the Fatima Barrio.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Doctors Return
Last week, we were visited once again by the medical mission team from Global Outreach International. They have been coming now for about five years. We love partnering with them. They enable us to provide a service to the communities that is unique and a change from dealing with the health care system at least for a week. Don't get me wrong health care here in Argentina is excellent, but for those that have less options it can be quite trying just to get into see a doctor at times.
We visited three communities that we are working in and provided Doctor visits and a free pharmacy that gave out what was needed prescribed by the doctors. This year we worked on adding a counseling center where people were also cared for spiritually and we were able to explain why we were there--- to share the love of Christ.
Over 200 people were seen and we praise God for a successful trip. It was a joy to work with them and we look forward to their return next year. Now we pray that the seeds that were planted will continue to grow!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
"Kids like me don't go to university"
Over the past year or so of teaching I have come across many different people and have had many opportunities to speak to and learn from the people we serve here in Buenos Aires. This week was no different as we started a new semester of carpentry classes in the shantytowns.
Today, I had the opportunity to share a little of my journey in life with one of my classes that is composed of entirely youth. As I was speaking to them sharing a little of the hope I have for them and asking what their dreams are, one of the kids (Alan, 12 years old) put words to what I have been seeing over the past two years through my studies and experience of the neighborhoods. I asked Alan if he had the opportunity to go to study in the University of Buenos Aires, what would he study, and he told me that that would never happen because he is from Fatima, one of the shantytowns. I asked why and he continued to say, "people like me, we don't go to university because we have to work and therefore have no time or money for such things". By this he was telling me indirectly that he wasn't good enough nor could he afford the time wasted or the money spent to better his condition. I was also told that it is unusual for the kids of these "barrios" to even finish high school and that many drop out in middle school to work with their families or take care of their siblings. Many are just left to their own devises raised on the streets.
Though this wasn't news to me, his answer impacted me. I had never heard it from someone's mouth that was directly affected by this way of thinking. To see this type of mindset instilled in a child so young was for me, offensive. His words just sunk in deep and reinforced my desire to break this cycle or mentality of poverty. But where to start? How do you change this type of pervading cultural mindset? The scary thing is part of what he said is true, these kids are not sufficiently prepared academically to handle college as well as they are a needed commodity for the future survival of their families. Who else will help carry the workload or watch the younger kids so that their parents can work to put food on the table? There is no one else. Their roles are type casted and they have no choices. Our resolve is to help create a holistic ministry that truly speaks into the entire human condition including this cyclical mentality of poverty. Something must be done.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Camp time
A few weeks ago the older youth put together the first junior high camp in a long time! The youth worked during their summer break (don't forget that Dec- Mar is summer here) to put together a Jr. high camp. For us it was thrilling to see the team of youth we worked with all year come together and organize this event. It was so amazing to see the fruit of a year of disciplship, training and prayer. God is good!
The camp went well. The kids had a lot of fun and were able to for a weekend get away from the city and the shanty towns and enjoy nature, each other and learn more about God and themselves. The focus of the weekend was Identity. The jr. highers heard they were created in the image of God and all that that implicates in their lives. The camp ended powerfully with a time of prayer for each youth as they embraced their identity as children of God made in His image. We praise God for this camp and all that occurred. We continue to pray as the older youth will continue to lead the jr. highers in small groups and monthly meetings. K and I will continue to walk with the older youth through meetings, Bible study and one on one discipleship. We are thrilled to see the different layers of this ministry grow and develop!
The sleeping quarters! Nicely set up!
Pool time!
Worship,sharing of the word and prayer.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Summer- Winter- Summer
10-- Learned to watch for bears when driving in PA (Yes we hit a bear on the way down to TN)
9-- Never tell and show your son what the GPS means by a "sharp turn..," when there is snow on the ground (Car turned and got stuck on the side of a hill)
8-- Chick-Fil-A has the best shakes! (Enjoyed meeting with people while kids played!)
7-- The drive from Nashville to Western PA is breathtaking! Highly recommend it!
6-- Memories made celebrating our kids birthdays from Jump houses to Chuck e Cheese.
5-- Our daughters walk into McDonalds and exclaim.. "They have one of these here too?"
4-- Never take your 3yr old daughter into the American Girl Store in NYC during the Christmas shopping frenzy if you are not planning on buying one right there and then (Mental Picture: my daughter screaming in Spanish, "I want my doll.." sprawled on the floor!!)
3-- Our kids bonded with everyones pets! They still talk about each pet they were able to play with along our visit! (Ellie, Max, Dexter, Bandit, Luna, Lucy, Burren Leo, and Kate.. and the list goes on..)
2-- True highlight of the trip was seeing one of our pastor friends act as a ballerina for a church talent night! Truely priceless! (Even if it meant having to watch the Jets play the Steelers in Pittsburgh!)
Here is a glance at our trip. From visiting dear friends to hanging out in the snow and celebrating birthdays, we thank God for a wonderful time! (click to view bigger)
Monday, November 29, 2010
Not by Chance Meeting
There are times in life when you meet someone that you just know you will see this person again. Well that was what happened today as I was walking home from the mechanics. I had met Pablo about, I would have to say, almost a year ago outside of La Misión one cold afternoon. He approached me and asked me if I could give him something to eat, as is typical for the neighborhood around the church. I didn't think much of it at first but then the Lord's tug on my heart and began to see this man in a new light. As we spoke for about 10 minutes he began to tell me his story, and I noted that he knew much about evangelicals and what they believed. In trying to convince me that he was worthy of my attention he stated that he too believed and he was just in a distant state from God but that there was no hope for him. I reassured him that that just wasn't the truth. It fascinates me how God uses even our own manipulative means to move us to a place He desires us to be...as Pablo spoke and used words to convince me to give him money, his very words spoke to his own heart of Christ's love.
After buying food for him I sat with him on the street and just talked for a while. In that conversation I noticed he was cold and knowing that it was going to be a very cold night I gave him my jacket. That is the moment I believe God spoke to him. He was in shock and in essence said to me, most "christians" I have met have never given me their own personal jacket to keep me warm. Jesus would have done the same thing. I have never met a "christian" who lives like that until today. I could read it in his eyes as if he said it out loud, "sure, I am given a lot of things from people who take pity on me but it cost them nothing. But not you...". As I left him he was telling his other "street" friends what I gave him, saying to them, "he is a real christian, watch over him." My last words to him before I left were, "I am convinced that we have met for a reason." Though I was certain then that we would meet again, I didn't anticipate what that meeting might be like.
Well, today as I was walking from the mechanics I heard a man behind me call out "hermano" (brother), normally I wouldn't turn but there was a familiarity in his voice. And there standing before me was Pablo, but not the Pablo that I met a year previously, this man was a new creation, with a new spirit. I must admit I was shocked! He asked if I remembered him, and I said yes, in unbelief. Not sure how to interpret my shock he then tried to convince me again, but this time with a different message, "I am the same man you helped on the street over a year ago. You gave me your jacket, remember?" I said, "yes, of course I remember you, but something is different." And he proceeded to tell me that from that moment God began calling him back, out of drugs, off the street, back into a relationship with Him. He told me he is now going to a church close to home and that he is being discipled and growing in his faith. At the end our our conversation he apologized that he couldn't return my jacket but that he was so thankful for the many people, like me, God used to remind him of His love for him during that dark time in his life. He asked me to continue to pray for him because he still struggles with his past but that God has been faithful and good to him.
There aren't many times you get to see how God works through you, so we treasure this moment as a gift and an encouragement to carry on. He is at work, in the small things, in the big things, He is at work!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
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