We Broke in and ate Spaghetti

"Oh my gravy," as my mom would say... it's been forever since a post!

Buckle up, everyone, this is going to be a long one, but I think it will be worth it. In this episode you'll hear some of my favorite Chile stories to date!

Last time we left off after a trip to Chiloe. Since then, we've hiked in the Andes, spent a few more days in Alerce, and now we're all the way in Argentina to renew our visas, and take a tiny rest before the second half of our m-n-stry abroad.

Let's start with the Cordillera (the trip into the Andes). Actually... the day before. Since it was very close to Valentine's Day, my team and I wanted to give our coordinator and his wife a blessing of time with each other. Their lives are so devoted to serving others, that they rarely have alone time together. With a money gift for a nice dinner, and the promise to take good care of their children, we sent them on their way into the city. While they were gone, we helped the little ones make valentines for their parents, and we made cards for each other as well. We had also bought a delicious cake, and the kids enjoyed decorating it with sprinkles. Our coordinator and his wife were so grateful - they said that they hadn't had a dinner out in years! How cool that we could help them in that way!

I occasionally check my e-mail inbox for messages from our directors, and sometimes it awfully tempting to check personal messages, but my allotted time hasn't come yet. The night before our trip, I checked one last time, and I could tell by the subject lines of the messages waiting for me that a sad milestone had occurred for my family - our sweet almost 13 yr. old dog, Kazoo, had died. Kazoo had been a faithful friend to me since she had been born at our house, and she has been my buddy for half of my life. I'm still living in a bit of denial, since I haven't been home yet, but she is already missed incredibly. Not long after I had found out, a family that we enjoy visiting came over and invited us to watch fireworks in Puerto Montt, a celebration of the city's anniversary... it was 11pm. Of course we agreed, and we raced into town to catch only the last few. I pretended they were in Kazoo's honor.

Back to the Cordillera... Our coordinator's whole family (including the 4 yr. old, and the 7 yr. old), packed up, and the 10 of us hit the road early in the morning. A 25 minute bus ride, a 4 (that turned into 5) hour bus ride, a 1 hour boat ride, waiting 3 more hours for another bus (since the one we were planning on was just too full), and finally a last 1 hour bus ride. That made for a looooong day of traveling. During our 3 hour wait, I even met a Chilean guy who was asking us where we are from (very common). When we told him we were from the states, he said, "Which one?" When I told him, "Michigan," he said, "Oh really? I have an aunt who works at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. I'm going there in August." How crazy is that?! We even saw him again on our return trip a few days later.

After our last bus ride, all of us except our coordinator and Jeff were dropped off at the house we were planning to stay at. It belongs to a friend of our coordinator, who lives near us in Alerce. His son was going to be using it before us, so our coordinator and Jeff kept riding the bus to go find the keys, as the house was locked up tight, and so was the gate. The rest of us and all 10 million bags/boxes (we brought all of our food with us for the trip, too) climbed over the barbed wire fence, and made ourselves comfy in the grass while we waited. And waited. And waited. After a few hours of nothing, we were getting tired from the travel, hungry, and just ready to be inside. We noticed a second-floor window that was ajar, and found a rickety (and I mean rickety) old homemade ladder, and Jean shimmied up there, and climbed right in. We heard some clanking around, and she opened the front door triumphantly and exclaimed, "Guys! It wasn't even locked this whole time!" and she closed it behind her to prove her point. Well... it was. It was locked the whole time. SO up she went again. This time, we all entered before the door was closed, and we started setting up shop.

Our coordinator's wife got busy making a fire in the wood stove in order to prepare dinner, and the rest of us started to set up tents in the front yard, while we could still take advantage of the dwindling daylight. Once the spaghetti was ready for our dinner, we all gathered inside, and hoped that Jeff and our coordinator would be back soon to enjoy it with us. Just as soon as we had taken our first bites, Jeff and our coordinator rolled up to the gate (still locked) in a pick-up truck. Some Spanish words were said, but the gist of it was... we aren't allowed to be there. In a hurried frenzy, we packed up all the tents and the spaghetti (still hot), and we fit 12 of us and all of our things in the pick-up truck, and drove to another house. When we arrived, it was dark, and we tried our best to set up our mixed up tents and make things cozy outside right next to the pigs and chickens. Have I ever mentioned how incredible the stars are in Chile?! It's the clearest sky I've ever seen.

We joined the owners of the property in their home for some tea, and heard on their walky talkie (the preferred form of communication amongst neighbors there) that the people who were SUPPOSED to be in the first house were enjoying our leftover spaghetti. Thank goodness they weren't upset!

So basically... we broke into a house and ate spaghetti in it!

The next few days were spent meeting/visiting friends there, which meant a LOT of walking. An hour and a half or more in one direction, with the little kids also. They were such troopers.

During one of our visits, we even had an... exotic food item: brain and heart sausage, sliced like salami. Of which animal, I'm not entirely sure. My guess is sheep. It was kinda squeaky in your teeth. We washed it down with water that had been collected from a waterfall!

While we were in the mountains, it rained a LOT. By the time we were finished with our 1 1/2 hour walks, we were drenched; and so were the tents. But the visits were definitely worth it. We were able to visit for 2 afternoons with the family of a 16 yr. old boy who lives with our coordinator's family during the school year. He goes to school in the city, and it would be outrageous for him to travel back to the mountains every day. His grandparents and his parents live deep in the forest, and have a small farm. His dad works somewhere else for weeks at a time, and his mom stays home with her 8 yr. old daughter, who has Down Syndrome. This woman, our friend's mom, hasn't left her house in years; it's just too complicated. What a cool opportunity to be able to spend some time encouraging her, and bringing her some fresh faces to talk to. I absolutely loved spending time with her daughter, Luz (Light). She and I danced and sang and just spent time hugging eachother (she was a very forceful hugger). There is most definitely a special place in my heart for the special needs population. Everyone, all people, bear the image of our Creator. Everyone. I am convinced that the most evident piece of G-d's character that is displayed through my Down friends is joy. Joy and completely unconditional love. Psalm 90:14, "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

While we were in the Cordillera, we also saw a rooster in a tree, and a duck bite a pig.

Once we arrived home, we were grateful to be done travelling (another trip that took most of the day... wet), and especially to be dry.
We are currently on vacation to renew our visas in Argentina! A great time to relax and catch up on the mental to-do list. I'll have to save those adventures for another post... be looking for that one soon!

6 Day Trip to Chiloe

So much to tell you since last time! Sorry it has been a while since the last post - my team and I recently spent 6 days on the island of Chiloe (a much more rural environment than usual, as you will soon tell), doing various things for a ch-rch there.

Before we left on our trip, one of my teammates, Kirsten, told me that she had been pr-y-ng that I would feel an extra amount of support. It has been hard for me, at times, being here without the support of a ch-rch body like the rest of my friends. Simply due to my life phase and the fact that that involved a few rounds of moving, and long spaces of time, before this experience, I found myself disconnected from congregations I was close to in the past. ANYWAY… Kirsten told me that, and that evening Jean was talking to her family. They asked her if anyone on the team needed some extra encouragement, because a woman from their ch-rch was wanting to correspond with one of us. Wow! If that weren’t enough, I’ve been receiving some “out of the blue” e-mails from good friends. It’s so comforting to know that not only am I not being forgotten, but I’m being thoughtfully and pr-y-rf-lly remembered! AND (here comes a big one) some lifelong family friends wanted to bless me by supporting me with a generous financial gift! I was blown away by their thoughtfulness and generosity! Even now, about a week later, it is still incredible to me. Thanks be to G-d for all the ways He is using my friends to bless me.

Some interesting conversations have been occurring this week, also. It all began by our coordinator joking with me about the verses in 2 Timothy 2: 11 - 15 that say that women are not saved until they bear children. (Note: He was not being serious, but loves to jokingly jab at me with “women in the church” things. We both agree that there is a cultural context that needs to be considered for such restricting verses. For example, he can often be found saying to me, “Hey you! Submit!” I give him a little Galatians 3:28 - “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, MALE AND FEMALE. For you are all one in Chr-st J-s-s,” and that usually does it for a little while. He also likes to tell me that I’m going to be married soon, and likes to talk about things of that nature in a joking way as well. I replied saying, “That is why I need a husband! I need him to talk for me in ch-rch!” [regarding women being silent in 1 Corinthians 14:34] Kirsten says it well when she says, “G-d created man… then He had a better idea.” J) All that to say… this led to some very interesting conversations about theological differences. I was telling our coordinator that it makes me sad to see so many divisions in the ch-rch. As someone who has experienced w-rsh-p and community with several different denominations, it makes me sad and angry when Chr-st--ns are more focused on their differences than on their similarities. With REACH being a M-nn-n-t- program, I get plenty of non-M-nn-n-t- jokes thrown my way (I do tend to do my share to bring them on, I’m sure). About the ways the B-bl- is interpreted so differently among denominations, our coordinator wisely said, “The B-bl- isn’t wrong/confused, we are.” Chew on that for a while; I will be.

Our time on the island was… interesting. There were 10 of us in all - the 5 of us from my team, plus our coordinator and his eldest son, and 3 other teens from our ch-rch. We were being hosted by a small ch-rch there, but we needed to immediately be split into 2 smaller groups. Clay and Jean went with our friend Camila (one of the teens) to a completely different part of the island, where we wouldn’t see them again until the end of our trip. They have some pretty crazy stories, so hopefully one of them will type them up for you soon! Kirsten stayed with the p-st-r and his wife (such a quirky, funny couple!), Jeff and our coordinator stayed at the p-st-r’s son’s house with his family, I stayed with a family that lives right next door to the ch-rch, and the 3 teen boys stayed in a tent that they set up inside a back room of the ch-rch. Now, when I say ch-rch, I really mean small sanctuary with lawn chairs, and a back room. That’s it.

On our first night there, Jeff and I were asked to get up and play some songs, which we’ve grown more and more accustomed to since our first experience with this. It was a good thing we brought along the notebook with some handwritten songs we know in Spanish! We ended up having a ch-rch service every single night we were there (our coordinator spoke for most of them), and I even gave a message one night completely in Spanish! Actually… one night our coordinator asked me to pr-y to end the service. As I was returning to my seat he says to the whole congregation, “Tomorrow she is going to be giving the message!” Surprise to me! It must have totally been a G-d thing, because the next night I was blabbering on in Spanish about something from James 3 and Romans 12 and Galatians 6:8, without an interpreter! No way could I have done that on my own.

The family I stayed with was so nice. A mom and a dad, a 19 yr. old son, a 16 yr. old son, an 8 yr. old son, and a 6 yr. old daughter. It was EXTREMELY hard to communicate while we were there. The people on the island speak even faster, and MUCH more mumbly than we are used to (it’s like they try to talk without moving their lips or opening their mouth). Many times, after I asked the mom to repeat what she had said but slower, they would just give up if I couldn’t understand right away. And when I tried to start a conversation in Spanish (which has been going well for me in Alerce), they would look at me as if I were speaking Mandarin or something. Frustrating for sure, but not impossible. I especially enjoyed the company of the 6 yr. old girl, Carlita. We didn’t do a whole lot of talking, but we played with bubbles and kittens and random tree berries. Good friends don’t need to say a whole lot, I guess. J

Funny part of speaking - I was trying my best to describe my teammates to them, and they said, “We know. We have the video.” They pulled out and watched (twice!) a video of my team that had been recorded during our first week in Chile, singing in English at the all-night pr-y-r conference on another part of the island. Crazy. The family and I watched a few other videos during my time there, including a Spanish Chr-st--n ventriloquist, and the whole family (I mean the WHOLE family) was singing along to kids’ songs from “Biper y sus Amigos!” - a kids’ program featuring a group of people in mascot suits with huge heads… in Spanish. Some songs included, “The Train of S-lv-t--n!” and “Mommy” (“mami, mami mami mami, mami no hay otro como tu!” - mommy there is no other like you).

We also learned a few more cultural things during our time in Chiloe. One thing - since I was the guest at my house, that oftentimes meant that I would eat first, before the family, all by myself. This is so that the guest has the best portion (lots of meat and potatoes), and eats their fill before the rest of the food is divided amongst the family. It’s also rude to not accept seconds. That was SO hard, because we’ve grown accustomed to not eating very much in Alerce, and the first portions I received in Chiloe were HUGE! There were times when I was offered more, but I simply had to say, “Impossible, but thank you.”

The house was a bit interesting, too. I thought that I had been missing hot water since being here, but on Chiloe, I just missed water in general. The water that comes out of the tap looks like tea, and smells very foul. To be consumed, it must be boiled, but is then still a funky color. While I was there, the water had been turned off for some reason, which meant that I didn’t take a shower for an impressive 6 days. Don’t worry - I took a nice long cold shower when we got home. J Kirsten was able to shower while we were there, but there were little pigs right outside the open bathroom window. My teammates at the other location, however, got hot baths! Something I’m definitely looking forward to when I get home!

Other than ch-rch services, our team did a lot of visiting to houses, and sharing the Word. This, for me, was not so fun. We did this for 2 days. The first day, Jeff and I went with a Chilean m-ss--n-ry named Rolando, the p-stor’s son, Oscar, and one of the teens, Antonio. Rolando has good intentions and an incredible memory full of Scr-pt-r- and references, but his approach makes me cringe. We would go house to house, to families none of us knew, and Rolando would use us “de los Estado Unidos” (from the U.S.) to be invited into homes. Once we were there, he would tell the people to get their B-bl- because he wanted to share with them a word from G-d. He is nice, but just very forceful. We listened to him tell these people (almost the whole island is Catholic) about the dangers of idol w-rs-p and what kind of fate is awaiting them, in a very abrupt manner. After the first house of this he turned to Jeff and I and said, “Ok, now your turn!” We politely shared different messages of G-d’s love and invitation for a relationship with the people, but before long Rolando was back to his bag of tricks. This day was very difficult for Jeff and I. In 1 Corinthians 13 it says that we can know everything, or do anything, but if it’s not done with love, it’s just noise. At one point I told Rolando that I wish I knew more about the personal lives of the individuals we were talking to. If I don’t even know the name of the person I’m sharing Chr-st with, what reason do they have to believe what I say, or even listen?

The second day I went with Kirsten, a couple of the teens, and the p-st-r to visit people they already knew. This day was much better, but still a little fire and brimstone for my preferences. We did a lot of listening, and politely smiling.

Other highlights of the trip - 3 people were b-pt-z-d on Sunday morning in a nearby lake, Jeff and our coordinator got to help a cow give birth, 2 people came to know Chr-st through a conversation with our coordinator, we all got to ride a horse, touch a pig, pet the day-old calf, see a flock of wild parrots, and play ping pong and soccer with some natives.

Now that we’re all back and showered, things are moving along like they used to. I taught “this, that, these, and those” in my English class this week, and tomorrow we’ll be helping an American m-ss--n-ry family move into a new house (the same one we were painting and sanding a while ago). Next week we’ll be heading into the mountains for the first time with our coordinator and his family, and soon after that we’ll be heading to Argentina to renew our visas, and to rest for a couple days. It’s hard to believe the midway point is approaching so quickly!

Please pr-y for our continuing m-n-stry in Alerce with the youth in the area, our kids’ program, house visits, music, and work projects. Also pr-y that I’ll be able to smoothly figure out our vacation travel plans, and that G-d continues to reveal His plan for my life after Chile. I’m starting the job searching process, which I’m sure is going to be more complicated while a whole hemisphere away.

Time is Flying!

First of all... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom! Such a faithful reader, she is.

This week has held a lot of typical things for Team Chile. Each morning starts at 6 with quiet time (personal d-v-t--n-ls), a group study of the book of M-tth-w, breakfast, a group study of one of the minor pr-ph-ts (Haggai, Zephaniah, etc.), practical work projects, visits, lunch, English class, more visits, more B-bl- studies, etc.

This week the team worked at the new house on the island of Tenglo for 2 days. The house is almost complete, and an American m-ss--n-ry family will be moving in soon. We did a lot of sanding and spackling, and Jeff pieced together some walls. Jeff and I also helped with the music program for the kids again during our visit. It is a very fun, but chaotic time. It is proving VERY difficult to explain music terms in Spanish. At times this is frustrating for me, since I know exactly how I would explain something to a little music-learner in English, but the phrases or terms just aren’t the same in Spanish. We press on. The kids are learning and enjoying their time, so it is time well spent.

This week for our day off (every Monday we have a day off of m-n-stry, and every-other week we spend time as a team on that day), the girls invited some local teens, including our coordinator’s son, to see a movie in town, while the boys and I went to the local marketplace; a day of wandering and talking and seeing interesting sights. The boys were very close to riding some toy horses/zebras downtown, but we decided to save that for next time. J

Before we left that day, a group of J-h-v-h's W-tn-ss-s came to Eduardo's house. I tried my best to listen to the conversation they were having, but it was pretty difficult at times. Eduardo has a great theory on conversing with people of differing beliefs. First, it is important that you know where you stand, and are gentle, but unwavering. He then listens to the people fully, with respect and a desire to learn. When they are finished, and he has asked all of his clarifying questions, he then has gained their respect and attention to respond freely with his beliefs. I can imagine it was hard for him to not be defensive or angry at times, because it sounded like they were saying some pretty spikey things to him. What a good example he has been for our team.


The same stomach virus I told you about last time is still sticking around. Right now the victim is our coordinator’s 4 yr. old son, Josué. When Kirsten was sick last week, she was VERY sick in the morning. Her bug came on quickly and forcefully. The team and our coordinator’s family gathered around her to pr-y, and I pr-y-d that she wouldn’t have to take any more trips to the bathroom (something that had happened very frequently all morning). After our time of pr-y-r, she fell fast asleep, and didn’t have any troubles afterward! No more trips to the bathroom! She was feeling 100% better by lunchtime! Glory to G-d!

This week and last week the team has spent a lot of time at our friend Roberto’s house, constructing an addition. Roberto is a future leader of our ch-rch, and the addition will help him to host groups at his house for B-bl- studies or pr-y-r meetings, etc. Roberto is also a Chr-st--n rapper! The addition will be partially used as a studio, too! Who knew?!

Yesterday had an interesting twist for the guys on our team. In the afternoon, they went to visit a new internet café (as usual, in a typical house) in our neighborhood. During their visit, they met a young man, and they had a small conversation. At the end of this conversation, Jeff and Clay asked if they could pr-y for this man. He declined, but they left the encounter feeling like something had begun. They were excited, and want to go back again sometime. Last night (the same day), our friend Marcos asked Jeff if he could help him with a small electrical problem. Jeff agreed, and was gone for a while. When they came back, Jeff reported that the problem was at none other than the SAME HOUSE! Crazy! We are excited to think that G-d may have something up H-s sleeve for the guys on our team with this house. Pr-y for cool connections there.

Also, last time I told you about the dog we semi-adopted. We’re not exactly sure if she belongs to someone, so when we see her, we invite her into our fence. If she wants to leave, she does. If she wants to come, she does. We like her, and she likes us, and we’re happy to be protecting her from any kinds of doggie injustices. I came in one night and the girls asked if she (oh, whose name is “Hope” now, by the way) was in our fence.  I told them that she was down the street, hanging out with her friend, Dry Ears McGee (this little black dog has the most painful-looking dry ears). Ever since that night, this little black dog, whom we have named “McGee,” has been sliding through the rails in our fence to keep warm with Hope. These two girls are so cute in the mornings, huddled together in a cardboard box. If you ever need a smile, just think of Hope and McGee, relaxing in a cardboard box, next to the house of the gringas. J

At the end of this week, we will be visiting a group on the island of Chiloe. We're excited for a change in the schedule, and are looking forward to meeting new people there. There have recently been some conflicts between this c-ngr-g-t--n and another there on the island. We will be visiting the other in just a few weeks, so please pr-y that we aren't stuck in the middle of something, and that we can be an encouragement to both.

Oh, and last Saturday, we finally received our Christmas letters from our families/friends! Clay, the lucky duck, got 6! Thank you again for all of your support! It is so exciting to hear news from home!

Ciao,

Beth

Quick and Random

This week has gone by so fast, and is full of random things. Likewise, this post may feel quick and random. Stick with me!

The week began on a wonderful note; for the first time since I’ve been here, I was lucky enough to Skype with some friends in the states! It was so extremely refreshing to hear from them, and to feel re-connected. That night, the girls were gone on a visit (see Kirsten’s blog for a descriptive story of those events - there is a link to my teammates’ blogs on the side --->), which afforded me some time by myself. It was particularly great timing, since I would be giving the message at ch-rch in just 2 short days. I had written an outline a few weeks before, but it was great to polish it up and just spend some time in pr-y-r.

The next morning held some great conversations with some of my teammates, and we bought and chopped a lot of new firewood. Ben, the wood stove, gets pretty hungry in the mornings when it’s particularly chilly (chilly in Chile - preposterous, I know). That afternoon was our second of our weekly kids’ program meetings. We’ve had about 7 or 8 kids each time, and they seem to really enjoy the short B-bl- story lesson, snack of fruit, and games with Clay, Jean, and Kirsten. Later that evening, Jeff and I planned all of the music for ch-rch the next morning (a surprise to us), but it was nice to know that we could make it work on a moment’s notice.

The next morning at church went very smoothly. I felt very responsible for a lot of the happenings of the service (all the music, and the message), so beforehand I had gotten pretty nervous. It’s a good thing someone else is made strong in my weakness. My translator arrived just in time, and we had a few more people than the typical week in attendance. I began by telling the c-ngr-g-t--n that I was nervous, but ready, because G-d helps me (I still speak a little bit like a cavewoman in Spanish - always in the simple present tense). E-mail me if you would like to have a copy of the message (written outline, or if you’d like to hear me stumble through reading the B-bl- in Spanish, I also have audio links). I was reassured that my words were from G-d (something I had pr-y-d for) afterward by a few individuals - just for them. Eduardo said that women are typically run by emotions while they speak, and he was glad to see how organized my message was. Gl-ry to G-d!

There has been a stomach bug going around our neighborhood recently, and Jean had left the service early to rest. That afternoon the girls and I took very long naps. Kirsten woke up first, and headed to the internet café. Jean and I were going to join her, and when we left our gate, we saw the boys walking our direction. It was a good thing that they did, because pretty soon after, Jean felt sick and we walked her back to the house. As we were trying to unlock the door, she passed out, slumping over on the trunk of a car. We got her inside, and I had to tap her quite a bit. The kind where you say, “Stay with me, Jean. Stay with me.” She was only out of it for about 30 seconds or so, but that feels like a long time in a crazy situation. It was a little bit scary, but G-d was all over it: the boys were there at just the right time, we had extra time that day and the next for her to rest, and everything turned out just fine. She is 100% healthy now, as is the rest of the team. (Just kidding… it got Kirsten just a little while ago. Please pr-y for a quick recovery for her.)

On Tuesday of this week, Jeff and I went to the island of Tenglo again, this time to help with a music class for kids there. It was a great opportunity to use another skill we have, but it is hard to teach sometimes, because all music is notated in sol feg syllables here. The kids are sweet, and eager to learn. Afterward we helped to put some more finishing touches on the house we painted a few weeks ago - spackling, and sanding and such.

My English classes continue to go well. It’s a little bit difficult at times, because my class contains a 6 yr. old boy, up to middle-aged women, and everyone in between. I also don’t have a lot of consistency in my students, and my lessons tend to build on each other. Still, I’m confident that they’re learning. They have advanced all the way to be able to say, “When do you go to the library?” “I go to the library on Thursday.” “At what time?” “At 3 o’clock in the afternoon.” They know all the present tense forms of “to go,” several places, family members, present tense forms of “to have,” fruits and vegetables, telling time, numbers, and some other things that I can’t remember. I’m also going to begin teaching another English class on Friday evenings to just a few people in Puerto Montt. This one will be a bit different, as I’ve been asked to teach using the B-bl-. A new challenge, for sure.

Our host mom, Juanita, is just so funny. This lady is super sweet, and doesn’t say a lot, but she loves to laugh. She is the kind of person that I just enjoy laughing with. Most of the things she laughs at aren’t particularly funny, but it’s just fun to laugh along with her. This week, Jean was trying to memorize how to say, “everywhere” (“en todos los lugares”), so she was repeating it non-stop. It was bothering Kirsten, so she said, “Pare!” (“Stop!”). Jean stopped after a while, and Juanita picked up right where Jean left off. J Every time she can use it in context, Juanita now says, “En todos los lugares,” and completely cracks up. Every time. J

Also… during our d-v-t--n-l (Man, these words are hard with spaces! This one is the kind of B-bl- study you do in the mornings), Kirsten said (in Spanish), “J-s-s just says it like it is. It’s cool.” Jean tried to say, “He’s not a chicken” (“No gallina”), and it came out, “He’s not a cookie” (“No galleta”). There you have it, folks… J-s-s is not a cookie. Definitely our favorite mistake so far. J We were giving Jean a pretty hard time about it, and Kirsten called her a baby. Juanita piped right up and said, “Justin Beiber.” J So funny.

Yesterday, Jeff and I took a long walk for our 1-on-1. I have 1-on-1 meetings every other week with my teammates to check in on how they are doing personally. On our way back, we came across an elderly man pushing a wheelbarrow full of firewood. He had stopped to rest, and Jeff suggested we ask him if he needed some help. The man gladly accepted, and Jeff pushed the wheelbarrow while I walked with our new friend very, very slowly, and tried my best to have a conversation. He spoke very quietly and mumbled, so this was quite the task. We walked and talked with him for about half an hour, until he told us that we had gone far enough. He thanked us, and we bl-ss-d him and parted ways. This encounter was just very spontaneous and encouraging, since it is one of our team’s top goals to be Chr-st-centered opportunists.

This afternoon we visited one of my favorite neighbors. She’s a sweet elderly lady named Erna. She called us “angels from heaven.” Eduardo continues to tell us how very special it is for us to be actually living in Alerce. We are the first REACH team to be in this region, but teams from other similar organizations have been here in the past. Apparently we are the first team who doesn’t live or work with English-speakers, and actually lives in the neighborhood. He says that we are speaking volumes by simply living in Fe y Esperanza and sharing community with our neighbors. What a sweet privilege.

Jean and I joined Eduardo on a trip into the city tonight to have 2 B-bl- studies with friends there. On our way there, we had the craziest bus ride we’ve experienced since being here. At one point, we bounced straight off of our seats completely! During this trip we: met a 15 yr. old with Downs Syndrome who told us all about how J-s-s was in his heart, to his surprise, Eduardo pulled one of his 7 yr. old daughter’s My Little Pony toys out of his bag, and our friend pretended to read my journal. His version is as follows (all in Spanish): “I have a boyfriend. He is 26. His name is Luigi, brother of Mario. He likes to jump.” Very funny.

When Jean and I got home tonight, we found that Kirsten and the boys had invited a dog into our little fenced-in yard. We have seen this poor girl be bothered very much by a gang of boy dogs in the neighborhood. If you remember, there are an abundance of homeless dogs just roaming the streets here. There are probably at least 20 in the block and a half it takes for us to go from our hose to Eduardo’s house. We’ve taken on the new challenge of chasing these boy dogs away with sticks in the mornings (Jean has even chased a few with a towel on her head J), and this homeless girl dog will be much safer and healthier in our fence. Kirsten had even bought a kilo of dog food for her. Stay tuned for next week’s post to learn her name.

Like I said… quick and random. Ok, maybe not so quick - kudos to you for reaching the bottom.

Until next time! Ciao!

Another Week, and a Fresh Start

Wow, a week sure goes by fast these days! This week, we…

… started our Saturday kid’s program. Every Saturday afternoon our team will be providing a kids’ program during the summer months (January and February). There is a short B-bl- lesson, a snack, and game time with Kirsten, Clay, and Jean. The first week was a great success. Just by inviting the kids on our street, we had about 12 students! It’s a great way to make more connections with the kids we see on the street every day, and I can only imagine how G-d is going to use the stories these kids bring home to help us make connections with their parents/families.

… had a waterless evening/morning. The boys think they are SO funny (ok, maybe they are). We’ve been waiting for a water bill at our house (they get put between the slats of your fence), and we hadn’t received one in a while. We asked Eduardo, and even our landlady about it, but were told, “Don’t worry.” Well, one evening as we were getting ready for bed, I turned on the faucet to discover that either the world ran out of water, or our supply had been turned off. No water meant no showers, teeth brushing, face washing, or toilet flushing. We gave it an, “Oh well,” and went to bed. The next morning was very rainy, so I thought I would try to outsmart our situation by putting our biggest pot underneath the downspout and collect rainwater to flush our stale toilet. The boys came to join us for breakfast, and upon their arrival, magic happened - the toilet tank started filling on its own! For the next part of the story, picture a cartoon… maybe like Charlie Brown’s teacher. The three girls stood in the kitchen in our pajamas and uncleanliness, and just yelled and yelled at those sneaky boys who turned off our water (complete with shaking fingers). We were so loud and fast that you couldn’t even decipher what was being said. The boys didn’t care, they just laughed their sneaky heads off. Sheesh. They’d better watch their backs. J I can only imagine what our ruckus sounded like to our neighbors.

… took our host siblings to see their first movie in a theatre! As part of their Christmas gift, we told the kids that we would take them to see a movie, thus giving their parents a very rare day alone as well. On a rainy Monday afternoon, we ventured into the city to see “Gato con Botas” (Puss in Boots), followed by some ice cream cones. It was a very fun day with the kids.

… saw sea lions! Not much more to say about that. J

… cut a lot of grass with the scythe. For 2 days this week, the team visited a family on the island of Tenglo to help them cut long grass and thorn bushes that was a potential brush fire hazard, and was dangerous for their 2 small children. When it comes to physical work especially, my team is a machine! These people roll up their sleeves and get it done! Kirsten is so strong, she even separated the metal part from the stick part! (Don’t worry… Jeff fixed it).

… visited one of the cutest little old ladies, who just so happened to be sporting the most fashionable Pokemon slippers. This lady, Abuelita (little grandma), is so sweet. I enjoy our visits with her very much. She lives in a little house with her great-grandson, and you can tell that she is pretty lonely. She hugs us extra long, and cries when we leave. I’m very excited to visit her more. Plus, with her eye for fashion, I could be coming home with some new wisdom in my clothing choices. J

… had a great c-mm-n--n/foot-washing at ch-rch. Let me just try to tell you how great of a day Sunday was. In the morning, Jean woke up and said, “This is going to be a great day. I can just tell.” Kirsten and I said, “Hmm. Cool!” Prior to this day, I had done a lot of thinking about our team and the relationships therein. Just like any family, our team doesn’t always see eye-to-eye. At times this displays itself in some less than desirable ways, and feelings get hurt. Knowing that we were going to be sharing c-mm-n--n that morning, I wanted to make sure we were doing what we have been instructed to do, and reconcile our relationships before the service. I offered my sincerest apologies for my contributions to the problem, and proposed a fresh start. The team shared my sentiments, and we agreed to push the reset button. I had also prayed the day before; that the plastic lawn chairs we set up for our service each week would be full (they hadn’t been yet). This week, we didn’t have enough for all of our neighbors who came! It was crazy! Almost all of the people that we have been visiting in their homes for the past month were there for the first time! The service itself was great, too. As each person had their feet washed, E pr-y-d for that individual; such a beautiful picture of community and service. That afternoon, a lot of our friends from ch-rch came to E and J’s house for lunch - completos (hot dogs with avocado, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and sauerkraut). My team and I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the girls’ house where we played cards (a lot! Jeff usually wins.), made a cozy fire, and ate popcorn. A great day.

… started fresh.

Thanks for continuing to lift our team up in pr-y-r. We can feel it.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto...

We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

In Chile…

… if it’s not powdered (most cases), milk comes in 1 liter boxes; unrefrigerated, and mostly whole.

… you may see upwards of 20 dogs in a 1 block walk. Most of them don’t have owners.

… showers are cold (for us at least).

… people greet one another with touching cheeks, and kisses into the air.

… there are sometimes random horses or cows just walking along the roads or on the beaches.

… hosts/hostesses may invite you to partake in a cup of instant coffee that is stored next to their TV in their entertainment center.

… a bus may double its maximum capacity on a regular basis.

… almost every neighbor sells something (popsicles, firewood, photocopies, bread, etc.).

… peanut butter is hard to come by (but VERY much enjoyed by my teammates). Cookies, on the other hand, are very cheap (30 cents on average for a tube of 8), and are enjoyed here on an almost daily basis.

… a family might share dinner at 10 pm.

… traffic laws don’t really matter.

… each person in the home is greeted personally when a person enters or exits the house.

… busses, stores, and even the post office play English music.

… New Year’s Eve and Day are a way bigger deal than Christmas.

… children call their elders “Tio” (uncle) or “Tia” (aunt). It is very common for us to walk down the street and be greeted by our neighbor kids running toward us and yelling, “TIA!”

… potatoes, cucumbers, and tomatoes are eaten quite often, but almost always without peels/skins.

… you must travel 25 minutes by bus to reach the post office where a man will check a handwritten log to see if you’ve received a letter.

… blonde hair, moustaches, and beards are not common.

… food packaging and store names frequently utilize English words (for example: “Easy”  - the hardware store, “Jumbo” – the Wal-Mart-ish store, “Energy Balls” – the Cocoa Puffs equivalent, etc.).

… most houses are surrounded by a metal fence with vertical bars.

… microwaves don’t exist. Neither does Ranch dressing.

… you can purchase a popsicle or ice cream bar from a corner store for about 60 cents.

… there are several basketball courts around, but hardly anyone plays basketball.

… homes are heated with wood stoves, and food is cooked on small gas stoves.

… little motorboat water taxis exist.

… hot dogs, instant coffee, and bread are staples of the diet.

… you tip your bagger at the grocery store.

… people have 2 last names – first the last name of your father, then your mother.

… cheese comes almost exclusively in slices, and is always white; never yellow.

… you might see a snow-tipped volcano in your backyard, or wild dolphins near the beach.

… light switches are horizontal, not vertical.

… the stars are the clearest I’ve ever seen.

Phase 2

Phase 2

We’ve begun phase 2 of our Chilean adventure. A new schedule has begun. Below is a new typical day for us:

·         6 – 7 quiet time

·         7 – 8:15 devotional

·         8:15 – 9:30 breakfast

·         9:30 – 10:30 Spanish class

·         10:30 – 1 visits

·         1:30 lunch

·         2:30 – 6 work projects

·         3 – 4 English class

·         6 intercession

·         8:30 – 9:30 internet

·         10 bedtime

With this new schedule, we’re waking up much earlier, and getting our hands a little dirtier. For me personally, this new change of schedule also includes preparing the meals for my team (something I’m enjoying very much so far, but always an adventure with an extremely limited budget, varying tastes and preferences, and random ingredients with labels that aren’t always easy to decipher… and a one functioning gas burner), and planning and executing the teaching of a bi-weekly English class to about 10 – 12 neighbors. It’s been great to utilize a few of the tools from my past in a practical and helpful way. For a mental image, picture me standing in a dining room, facing my neighbors who are gathered around the table, and I have a small dry erase board (about the size of 4 pieces of paper) to utilize. They repeat me as I say, “My name is…” It sounds a little bit like, “Maiee naima eez…” J

We are also now receiving our Spanish lessons from our coordinator and his wife. They are a lot of fun, and very understanding and patient teachers. Our lessons are very practical and can be applied right away. We are even learning culturally sensitive ways to ev-ng-l-z- (phew, that word is hard without vowels!) also. This month I’m also preparing to give the message at ch-rch on the 15^th, so you can join me in pr-y-ng that communication goes smoothly, and that my own words or thoughts don’t get in the way of the words of G-d. Thank goodness we’re hoping to utilize the help of a translator.

On a practical note, we’ve also adjusted our internet policy, which means that blog updates and e-mails will come on Friday evenings from now on, between 8 and 9 pm – my hour to utilize the computer. That is when you’ll be able to find me on Skype or Facebook, too (e-mail me beth.k.hale@gmail.com for more information if you are interested). While we are on the topic, I absolutely cherish any e-mails that come my way. I would love to hear from you. Snail mail… now that’s a different story. We’ve had some difficulties with this thus far. I’ve been expecting a Christmas card from my family for over 20 days now. To check for its arrival, I hop on a bus for 25 minutes, and go to the post office downtown. Once I get there, I stand in a long time. When it is finally my turn, I ask the man behind the counter, in the best Spanish I can muster, if I have a letter. He then leafs through a handwritten log book to search for your unfamiliar name. It’s never there. J Trust me, e-mail works great, and is a much faster means of communication.

For the week following Christmas, my team and I visited a nearby island, Tenglo – the same island where we spent Christmas Day. We enjoyed employing a different set of muscles (arms and legs instead of brains and handshakes) through some hard work in the sun, and loved supporting a nice m-n-stry there. The property we worked on serves the children of the island, and a house is being built to house a new m-ss--n-ry family as well. We weeded a greenhouse and several gardens, painted the outside and roof of the new house, swept a lot of sawdust, dug a trench for a septic system, cut long grass with a scythe, and did some small cleaning jobs, too. My team worked very hard and had great attitudes while they were working.

We also became better acquainted with an American m-ss--n-ry family while we were there, too. It was a nice rest for our brains, and I remembered how much easier it was to hold a simple conversation (though that is becoming easier in Spanish as time goes on as well). This family has been in Chile for a very long time, and has seen a lot of great things happen during their time here. Their two youngest daughters (13 and 11) spent a lot of time with us as well. They were very generous to us, and even invited us back to their home to enjoy hot showers for the first time since we’ve been here! A true luxury.

While we were in Tenglo I also saw a cow walking on the beach, wild dolphins, a funeral procession that wheeled a coffin down the beach, was locked in an outhouse (another story for another time), took my first water taxi ride in a motorboat, and went swimming in the bay (a whole 20 yards from our front door). Incredible. We are hoping to go to Tenglo for some more practical work, and I have been invited to help with a children’s music program as well; right up my alley.

The New Year holiday is a very big deal in Chile; much more than Christmas. On New Year’s Eve, we enjoyed a large meal with some friends from ch-rch (which began at 11 pm), watched the countdown on the TV, and clapped for the kids while they danced the night away. There was loud music in the streets until about 4 am, and the next day, everyone goes to the beach. My team had our day off that day, so we ventured into the city to eat at McDonald’s for the first time, and found most stores to be closed, and absolutely empty streets; the same streets that are jam packed every other day of the year (from our experience so far). We had a great time nonetheless, enjoying food that almost tasted American, and hogging the deserted sidewalks.

On most days, I truly enjoy learning more about the culture of our new country and the lives of our neighbors, but it would be dishonest for me to say that I don’t miss the familiarity of home. Please continue to pr-y for cultural adjustments, trouble-free communication, edifying team relationships, a smooth transition into a new schedule, and ever-increasing m-n-stry opportunities.

Thanks to you, faithful readers. I don’t always know who you are, but I trust that you are well and enjoying all of that American winter snow for me. Be looking for pictures to match these written descriptions on Facebook very soon!

Ciao!