update on Tony, etc

Tony is doing slightly better. Day 3 of three weeks of antibiotics, nebulizer treatments, pain meds, and bedrest. He is now eating and smiling and talking without getting so winded, none of which he was doing on Friday. The coughing sounds horrible and is painful, but he looks and sounds a little better. Trying to keep him in bed or in the house has been a challenge, though. I've had to crack down and get militant.

Thank you for the prayers and encouragement and support and verses sent; they so help! We spent most of the day looking over and studying some new and beautiful verses we haven't looked at in a while.

The last post I wrote very quickly in a small window late at night. I should clarify: We are not starving, and we do have this month's rent. It's actually been a good month. But August? who knows. That is life here for us.

We are selling off some big appliances we brought because we can't use them here and we need the money. Yes, we do need to eat and no, we don't have anything after the rent is paid. Welcome to faith missions. You do what you gotta do. Selling appliances works.

Our house is small, and my super sized washer just doesn't fit anywhere. It has been taking up precious space next to the dining room table, along with a dishwasher someone gave Tony back in the States. If we left them outside to free up valuable space, they would get stolen. After many months I have convinced Tony to just sell them - they are driving me crazy, and we have bills to pay. It's simply God's provision.

I haven't said much about our financial situation because I walk a very fine line between being honest and telling the truth of our financial situation and not upsetting or offending someone by doing so. People ask and want us to tell them if we have any needs. We are not like other traditional missionaries in that we have a church, or many, behind us, or a missions organization. We do not recieve regular monthly support that we know will cover all our expenses every month. Our church officially would not support us, officially closing the door for us to go with a missions org, officially leaving us on our own to raise support and do everything else. We left without a church, an missions agency, monthly support, or a job. We trusted God would provide. So far He has. The life we lead, this missions life of faith, is not for everyone. It's not for me either if you were to ask, but what can I do. We live day to day here, month to month.

I think of the story where Paul asks the Lord to remove the thorn from his flesh. He asks three times. Jesus answers this way,

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Cor. 12:9

I am not at the boasting in my weaknesses and taking pleasure in my infirmities part just yet, but we have been able to see Christ's power resting on us. It's pretty amazing. What else could explain us being able to make it this far?

The difficulty in sharing our situation is that every time I do I inevitably get an angry email from someone. I am "criticizing" or "not thankful" or "accusing". They think that I am talking specifically about them (it's more likely I was not even thinking about you when I was lamenting one night at 1am over the keyboard the fact that we can't pay the rent the next day). Or, if I do share our needs, I upset relatives who think we are starving and want us to come home stat. I always inevitably upset someone. Throw some pneumonia in there = fun times.

We do appreciate every single person that supports us. We simply couldn't be here or continue without it. If we have seen one thing, we have seen that it is God's people, the Believers, individual Christians, who make up the Church. The church as an organization can make its decisions, but it is the Church capital "C" through which God choses to work. At least, that is our experience.

back in the slums

Since we've been back from our weekend way away, I've been playing catch up: washing mountians of clothes, homeschooling, cleaning for our Wednesday Bible study, and begging Tony to pleeeeease not invite anyone over for a while or accept any invitations. I'm feeling oversocialized (is that a word?) and overwhelmed, and need to catch up and catch my breath. Moving and living here is a lot to process sometimes.

We no sooner got home, than Tony went back to the slums.



The first day he went to visit Marcela and Ceferino, he found the kids alone and the parents unavailable. So he sat down with our little friends in the dirt, glanced over, and saw one of the tracts we had given them a while back in the trash. He picked it up, dusted it off, and then began to read it, walking them through a kids' version of the gospel. He's so good that way, always so naturally sharing the gospel. He does it all the time... so easily talks about God. Even when we were leaving the Observatory, he witnessed to one of the people walking out with us about how amazing God is, and isn't it incredible that he created all these stars and planets, and Do you believe in God?

When he was done explaining to the kids about God and how we can know him, Camila looked up and said, "I would like a Bible. I don't have a Bible to read and I would like to read it."

Bibles are expensive and hard to come by here, but God always sends a few our way at just the right time.





{Photos: a house in the slums, rebuilding after the fire}

fixed, finally

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work..." 2 Cor. 9:8

The car is FIXED! After almost a month, we have wheels again. I drove yesterday - it felt good. We had to return the borrowed wheels, so I had to follow Tony in the other truck in ours. Had to, you see. Technically I'm not supposed to drive our van (it is being registered in Tony's name, therefore, according to Customs and Registration, Tony is the only one who can legally drive it for the first year)... anyway. I drove it yesterday. It was heaven. Driving is the only time I feel like I'm in any sort of control over anything in my life here. A glorious feeling.


Dani installing the new radiator (in the foreground on the right), and Tony acting as if he's actually helping.


One of the things we are learning here (besides patience) is Creative Car Repair. If it can't be fixed, it can be made. Or ordered from Miami.

The car had two problems: a leaking power steering hose and a cracked and leaking radiator.

For the power steering hose, after talking to about half a dozen locals, we first checked out the local Ford dealer (surprising benefit of living in a city - a Ford dealer). They only carry the hose for the Ford Ranger, not the Econoline. The hose we needed can not, in fact, be purchased here in Argentina. No fear, we went ahead and bought the hose for the Ford Ranger. We took it somewhere else (don't ask where, I hardly know, we went so different many places), and had the ends adapted to fit our car. No problemo. Dani popped it in and it works great.

The radiator was another story.

But, it all worked out. Miraculously. I can't believe the radiator we ordered from the States actually arrived. But it did. It came into town on the same busline we did, down below with all the luggage. Tony had to go to the bus station to pick it up. I also can't believe we didn't have the money to buy it, but then we did. I also think it's amazing that we even know someone that could install it for us (Dani deserves his own post, he really does. He is just amazing, and all he's done for us is just amazing.). God was in ALL the details. We're amazed, as usual.

Thank you to everybody that helped us fix our car. It's our only car. We don't have two like back in the States. It's this one or nothin'.

Next trip: remote mountain village!

So. excited.

goodness

God is good. He really is. I wish I believed it and lived it more than I actually do.

After our prayer request last week, a lot of help came in. We can now pay next month's rent and eat! This is good news.

We want to thank everyone that has (ever) sent support. We wish we had more time to write personal emails and thank yous, but we just don't. It's a struggle just to keep up with this blog as it is. Our system is not stream-lined for that much correspondence, and even if it were, we wouldn't have the time to write dozens of personal mails - although sometimes we try. That's one of the reasons we started this blog - you can get news to 100 people by writing just one post. It's a relief to us and very conducive to our life here. Life is hard and busy and unpredicable in the third world. I wish you knew how much. Most days I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water. You must fight, fight, fight for the smallest things.

Yesterday, for example, we took our car - which is now broken and leaking radiator and power steering fluid (how we didn't blow up or break down on the way home from Bariloche, only God knows) - to several auto parts stores downtown. We can't get the part we need. They just don't sell it here in Neuquen, nor perhaps in all of Argentina. We can probably get it in Chile, though, they told us. You can get just about anything in Chile, lots of port cities and all. Or mail order from the U.S.

Well, okay, then. We'll just hop on over to Chile and get right on that. And, I'm sure people mail order radiators from States all the time around here. [UPDATE: As I was writing this, Tony called to say that that's what he ended up having to do: order one from the States. $650. The power steering part, fortunately, we were able to adapt from a Ford Bronco for use in our Econoline.]

Life is definately not easy here.

But, we are learning that you don't necesarrily need a car to do missions. And Jesus never said life would be easy. For getting around, there are things like bikes, borrowed cars, bummed rides from friends, and walking. When you hear stories of families that used to ride their bikes to church, for years, their toddler falling asleep on the handlbars as they rode 5km one way on a Sunday morning... well, it just puts things into perspective for you. That same family, after I burst into tears at church several Sundays ago over our problems, immediately invited us to their house for lunch, fed us, encouraged us, laughed with us, then sent us home with bags of fresh vegetables, eggs, and fruit. When the dad pulled out his wallet to hand me a hundred dollars (I'm guessing a tenth of his monthly salary), I burst into tears again. I refused to take it. How could I? If you could have seen their humble home...

And you know what he said me?

You have to take this. I feel in my heart that I want to give this to you. If you don't take it you are denying me an opportunity to bless you, to obey God. Growing up we were taught that a gift is a gift, when someone gives you a gift you are to graciously accept it and just say Thank You.

I took it from his hands through my tears and said Thank You, and that I wouldn't tell Tony until I got in the car, or he would make me give it back. In the car I pulled the money out of my pocket to show him, and teared up again. I think I cried the whole way home.

It's so humbling to be on the receiving end. But as we were driving home (back before we realized the radiator was leaking), I realized that these are good lessons for us. We came here to evangelize and to help the poor, to do anything God asks us to do. How must the poor - the really poor - feel to receive from others? From us? It's good for us to know how it feels to be in need, really desperately in need, to have nothing but prayers to God on High for miracles.

A few days later our friends, another missionary couple here, came over bearing gifts: peanut butter and a jar of molasses! They had discovered these hidden treasures of happiness in a health food store downtown. I don't know which I was more happy about, the peanut butter and molasses (that I can use to make homemade pancake syrup, at last!) or the financial gift that was also inside the bag.

Sometimes it's hard to trust God, sometimes it's just hard. I don't want to trust God, I don't want to need Him, I want to do it all myself.

These weeks have been weeks that I have longed more for heaven than for life here on this earth. Heaven: where there is no need, no trial, no suffering, or hurt, or sin - where everyone already has Christ and we don't have to sacrifice to tell anyone else about Him. But, we're not there yet. Not yet.

We are here.

prayer request!

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians. 3:20-21



Here's a prayer request we just sent out; thought I'd post it here, too, because - as you'll read - we need some prayer. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony still has not found a job, and we have officially run out of money, so things are getting interesting. Freelance work has come to a standstill, and we are needing God to open doors for permanent employment here for Tony. Next month the TV station that is hiring will be hiring ONE person, not five as they originally said. Tony was #1 on the list, but who knows what that means now. You never know here, things change in a moment's notice. Anyway, he is pulling all the strings he has and is also looking for employment elsewhere and has had other interviews, but this job would cover our expenses, the others not really. So we need some prayer! We will be going food shopping today, and then that's it. It's all gone.

Nonetheless, we are trusting in God who is Faithful and believe that He will come through. Missions and ministry is taking off and we have more than enough to do, and have been very busy in that respect. Which is why we came. But we are not without many trials, that is for sure. But Jesus who fed the 5,000 knows we have earthly needs like food and shelter, so we need people praying to the King of Glory on our behalf (and on the behalf of the ones we came to reach here). Needing some miracles and answers to prayer!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For all of you that have just freaked out on our behalf (Mom, Dad), we remind ourselves often of the following:

The only thing that doesn't have a solution is death.

We're not dead yet, so there's a solution. And in my desperation the other day as I was wallowing in bed mid-afternoon with another raging migraine, I recalled, with a glimmer of hope, that God has not left us without options. We could always sell the van and move back to the States on what we would make (last case scenario, because that would be lame and depressing).

So, prayers, please pray with us.

We are children of the King, after all, right? He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and He has always come through. ALWAYS. We don't prefer 11th hour rescue operations, but for some reason He operates that way at times in our lives. We are tested, our faith grows, and He is glorified.


Lord, Your kingdom come.Your will be done... On earth as it is in heaven. (Mat. 6:10)

thank you, more photos, and other stuff

Thanks for all the recent comments and the de-lurking, it really made our day! We were laughing out loud at some of the comments, our hearts warmed. It's so good to know people care. Everybody needs that, even rebel missionaries.

Last night I had a killer migraine, a stomach ache, and a neck ache. I sent Tony off to the pharmacy to get me some drugs, only to look out the window and see half the neighborhood pile into our van: the kids from next door, their friend, Yoli and her husband who just happenned to be walking by carrying a huge bottle (more like a small barrel) of water on their shoulders, plus all three of my kids and Tony. Nine people in a 5-seater van (we're missing a row of seats). I bet that was interesting. But who needs seatbelts, anyway. I guess the trip to the pharmacy was a neighborhood affair. Never boring around here. And all this after Tony spent all day demolishing a building, brick by painful brick, with a pick and hammer. Literally.



Now there's a man.  Back off, ladies, he's mine.



It's a great story, the brick story. God provides yet again.



bricks



more bricks

Someone from church who works in construction let us know about a farm that was sold and subdivided to be developed. The brick barn is being taken down and all the bricks gotten rid of.
 

the brick barn

We were able to get them for free to give to Ceferino to rebuild his house! This is an amazing blessing. There are about 8,000 bricks, worth about 10,000 pesos ($2,500 or so). Ceferino makes 3000 pesos a month (about $700);  the bricks alone are worth over three months salary to him.

The only catch is, we need to take the bricks down ourselves. One by one. Using a hammer and chisel. No bulldozer available 'round these here parts.

So, Tony and Ceferino and Dani and his brother Kevin are now spending their days pounding bricks.


Ceferino getting the bricks for his new house

Hopefully it won't take more than a few days.

Kevin working hard. Kevin is 13 and a pastor's son.

We didn't let our MK go just yet. He's can be a bit spacey, and these brick walls have been known to just topple over. Construction sites down here are not what you would call up to code. Not even close. You need to be quick and on your toes. 



Ceferino, Tony, Kevin

 
It's pain-staking work, but they are having a good time. Marcela is happy, too. It does her good to be able to get out of the slums and spend a day in what used to be a fruit plantation, surrounded by green and quiet, compared to the brown dirt and trash she is used to seeing.

fresh-picked grapes from the farm!

This weekend we are invited to a Pastor's Conference some 11 hours away. Edgardo wants us to meet all the pastors from all over Argentina, which would be really great. We would love to go, but we are almost out of money, and Tony is still looking for a job. It's either pay next month's rent, or go to the conference. We can't do both. The gas alone will put us under. Not to mention the car is not registered yet. Sometimes - especially at times like this - we feel the strain of not having a missions organization, a sending church, or regular monthly support like most missionaries. [Note: we do have some supporters, and we know who you are... all three of you! Thanks :)].

But God is not bound; His ways are not our ways. God is still God, and He has not left us, nor will he forsake us. HE is our provider, leading and guiding. And blessing. We know it, we feel it, we see it. We ask and pray for God to speed up the registration process with our car and to give Tony a job, but I think that, in the wait, he is doing other things. Being here is not about us. It's about who He wants to reach. In the meantime He is doing many things, like, perhaps, changing us.

love looks like a new old fridge

getting ready to deliver the fridge and more water

¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other. ~John 15:14-17

Ceferino, Marcela, and two of their five children and the new owners of an old fridge

Thank you, Lord. You always provide. You always come through. All glory belongs to You.

Marcela, cold water, and refrigerators

filling up water tanks to take to the slums

Days are full here. None are ever the same. I wonder if that is, in part, because it's summer. It is very difficult to have a schedule when people drop in unannounced every day, some with great physical and spiritual needs, some for lunch, some for dinner, some to just talk and visit. Much grace is also required as temperatures climb back up over 100.

Oh, and the dust. Don't forget the dust! I have never seen so much dust and dirt in a house in all my life. I feel like all I do is clean, clean, clean. And surely, I think, God did not bring me here to just clean all day long day after day, did He?


Dany drinking terere

Yesterday, Tony and Dani went back to visit the families whose houses burned down. The third time this week.

Dani is one of the pastor's sons. He is 17 years old and he is pure genius. He handles all the car repairs for the church, is a master electrician, mechanic, welder, and builds his own computers. And he loves to do missions. He also recently repaired our TV all by himself - the one that Tony (ahem) blew out. Dani is very smart and always busy helping out.

Today my boy asked me why Dani is so white but doesn't understand English.

lol

I told him that it's because his parents are of European descent, but he's Argentinian, so he speaks Spanish.

On Wednesday when Tony and Dani went up to visit the families for the second time, bringing water and the food we forgot to unload (duh), one of the women, the one who has 5 children, opened up and told her story.

Oh boy.

When Tony asked the families why they thought this may have happened to them, all were silent. Then, Marcela spoke up. She said, yes, she had thought about that question many a time since her house burned down.

Marcela, in the middle, wearing a dress

Marcela uses cocaine. Her husband abuses alcohol, does coke, and also smokes pot. Fortunately, Marcela's husband holds down a job. He works from midnight until 10am loading and unloading fruit crates at a fruit distributor. As she opened up, Marcela also shared that they have dabbled in Umbanda. They have five children. She admits that she feels empty.

Tony and Dani stayed all afternoon visiting, baking under the sun, sharing time, conversation, and Christ. When the guys were getting ready to leave, Marcela asked that they stay. She wanted to talk some more. It did her so well, she said, that they came. She has thought many times of taking her own life. But she was feeling better now that they had talked. So they stayed and promised to come back in a few days. Tony told her that even if we continue to bring food, water, a refrigerator, or any and all sort of material things, without Christ in her life she would still feel empty.

When Tony came home after this visit and announced that we would be buying them a refrigerator, I confess that my reaction was more like, "Woahhh... Hold on there a minute, don't forget you don't have a job yet. We have to pay rent, you know. Refrigerators are expensive. Why don't we wait til Sunday, make an announcement at church, and have everyone give 100 pesos?"

No, he said. They need a refrigerator now.

True.

The construction guys next door have a used fridge they can sell to us for 800 pesos ($200). New ones cost $2000-3000 pesos.

Where are we going to get an extra $200??, I asked. If you hadn't noticed, we don't have much of an income.

Worry, worry, worry.

The next morning fellow missionary Lee came over. We had given them 3 big peices of furniture that literally did not fit into our smaller house here, even after three yard sales and tremendous downsizing. We needed to sell one of the pieces, hoping to help pay for our own rent while Tony still waits for a call from the TV station (they say he is #1 on the list to get a job, but everyone is on vacation now, so we need to wait.). We're living on faith already.

While I was wondering how on earth we were going to give Marcela a refrigerator, when we don't have a job or fixed monthly support to even pay for our own roof, the next morning Lee came and offered us 1000 pesos for the 3rd piece of furniture we were selling.

Not the first time I've felt ashamed of my lack of faith and amazed at the goodness of God at the same time.

Yesterday it was 38 degrees Celcius up there on the desert hill. That is 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Today it will be hotter.

There is no water. There is no shade. There is a not a tree or a blade of green in sight. They do not have ice, or even a refrigerator. One of the women had a headache from the heat and the beating sun, which are brutal here. The low pressure system that constantly hangs over the city, inviting hot winds to blow in, can make your head bound. I know this personally since I've had to take Tylenol or Ibuprofen every single day for three straight weeks for constant headache. Even Tony complains it bothers him.

Today Tony and Dany will be going back to Marcela's neighborhood. They filled two big tanks with fresh, cool, sparkling water.

Our kids ask why they keep going back there. I tell them that the Bible says to Love the Lord God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. Would you want to be thirsty and hungry and homeless and without Christ? Wouldn't you want someone to come help you if you were Marcela?

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." ~Mark 9:41

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you."
~John 15:13,14

Learning to do Good

"Learn to do good..." - Isaiah 1:17

Yesterday we heard about a family of 7 whose plywood house burned down. Mom, Dad, and five kids were left with nothing. Literally nothing.

So a group of us from church loaded up some non-perishable food items (they don't have a fridge), clothing, mattresses, sheets and blankets, a tent so they have somewhere to sleep, and some water in big plastic jugs, and drove our little caravan out to the very edge of town.

Because, the Bible says, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.


Edgardo lent us his truck, onto which we strapped our extra mattresses
(now when people come visit, we will just have to sleep on the floor and give them our own bed,
hardly a sacrifice considering the needs we see here daily)

we half emptied our own cabinets to pile food and clothes and other supplies into our van

 I made my kids pick out some clothes that no longer fit them, and some shoes that still do, to donate to the family of 5 children. Because no one needs five pairs of flip flops when your neighbor has none.

"He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Luke 3:11

heading out to the site

"If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15


on the way we stopped to pick up Dora, who lives 4 blocks from where the houses burned down
 - she goes to our church, and lead us to what was left of the homes




getting closer - the brick houses turned into plywood lean-to's



finally there



one of the three houses that burned down

Fires are common here, they either start with electrical shorts or from sparks that fly off of wood fires or gas stove used for cooking.


one of the burnt houses is already being rebuilt

 

the woman in the red shirt lives in the gray tent

 

her "home", a tent

The neighborhood sits on the very edge of the city. It's a squatters village and it's sprawling and huge. It seems to go on and on and on. People who have no place to live and no money to rent or buy land just "take" a small plot of land on the edge of town, sometimes in public squares or parks, and build ramshackle houses out of plywood, scraps, or brick if they can afford it. The government put up a fence on the edge of town to stop the squatters from taking any more land.

right next to the burnt houses was the fence (behind me), beyond was desert



unloading the mattresses and supplies

It was about 100 degrees and there was not a tree in sight. There was broken glass, dog poop, charred wood and ash, and trash mixed in with desert grit. The kids who live here were filthy and were walking around in underwear and bare feet. Bare feet! My mommy instinct wanted to just stick them in a bathtub, scrub them up, comb their hair, and put some shoes on them. But there is barely water in the neighborhood. The government hasn't extended the pipes to this edge of town yet.


Keren playing with the kids







Mario, one of the pastors, comforting the families with God's word



after unloading everything, we prayed with the families that lost everything
the woman in the middle in the dress will be sleeping in the tent we gave her until they can rebuild



afterwards, conferring about the possibility of coming back, and what kind of help is most needed

and, of course, the truck wouldn't start (it has had battery problems) so we had to push it to pop it into gear

Afterwards, when we were driving Dora back to her house, we drove by some little kids playing outside -two adorable little girls, maybe 4 and 6. I smiled out the window and yelled, "Hola Hermosas!" and they waved back. Dora said, "Oh, if you knew the things those girls have lived through..."

Oh, no. What? What things??

Their mother is mising one leg, so has trouble taking care of them. Last year, some men broke into their house and raped the mother and her daughters.

This is the neighborhood that Jorge and Monica do the Happy Hour outreach. We were told that 90% of the people who live here are alcoholics or theives. There are a few that work hard and don't commit crime, but they are not the majority.

Tony was following me and told me later that he thought I was probably scared driving one of the cars by myself through this neighborhood. I wasn't. At all. I attribute that to prayer, and God's grace, ONLY, because I am a bit of a scaredy cat. So thank you, friends, for praying. We definately feel your prayers.

Our night did not end there. Argentinians are lovers of the night. The youth/young adults invited us back to Edgardo's house for pizza. All I really wanted to do was get my three-year-old into a bathtub stat, and myself into a cold shower, but we said yes and went. Our three-year-old fell asleep on the drive back into town with dirty hands and filthy feet. Dinner wasn't until 10:30. But it was delicious - they made pizza from scratch and torre de panqueques (stacked crepe sandwiches). Yum! Sorry no pictures of that - our cell phones were already full of pictures.

:)

the gift that keeps on giving

Sometimes, especially these days, as we wait for things to happen, I can feel frustrated. Frustrated because we can't leave town with our unregistered van. Frustrated because we could be doing so much more if we had plates for it. Frustrated because so much here seems to be a waiting game. Americans are not used to waiting. And it's been two whole months since we started the process to register the Mission Mobile.

Then, one day - as we drove out of our neighborhood, and through the one next door - I remembered the verse. The verse on the back of our van. The one everyone reads as we drive slowly by. And I was encouraged.

Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  

A strange verse, I thought. Why not John 3:16? Or something more.... gospel-y?

Tony shook his head No. You can not come straight at Argentinians, I know. Trust me. You can not bludgeon them over the head with religion or talk of God or even the Gospel. Slow.... This verse will get people to think. Everybody in Argentina loves to sit down with friends, family, and have a good meal.

This is the way... This verse.

Everyone reads it. We look after them in the rear view mirror and watch them stare. And then, mouth slightly parted, you can see them reflecting. Eyebrows raised. Some furrowed. Squinting. Some puzzled. All affected.

No rocks thrown yet.

Thank you, Alvin, for this gift, for kindly putting this on. A gift that keeps on giving.

When we are frustrated, feeling stagnant, waiting for things to happen over which we have no control, Gods Word continues to go out somewhere in Patagonia.

And a promise goes with it,

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ~Isaiah 55:10-12

the church here

Is awesome.

Look what they gave us - a welcome to Patagonia house-warming box filled with goodies!

our own mate carrying case and thermos engraved with our names and the church's name, Bible verses attached to little gifts, kitchen stuff, a metal colander (I've always wanted to replace my plastic dollar store one!), and on and on and on...

There was even an envelope with money in it, and a verse. Joshua 1:9,

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Very humbling. We are in a developing country and they give us money? The church even paid our first month's rent until Tony finds a job.

Can  you believe that?!?

We can't. I told Tony it's just not right. How can they do that?? We hope we can bless them in return someday, somehow. The other night at the table (our little plastic table that has plastic stools), Tony just shook his head and said, "We are so blessed. Do you realize how blessed we are?". I know he was talking not of the material blessings they have bestowed on us, but of who they are as people, as Christians.

God really hooked us up. We love it here, and we love the people.

working as a cameraman again

working again as a cameraman

Tony worked one day last week freelancing for a local production company that produces marketing videos for oil companies in the region. They drove an hour north to Anelo (sorry, can't do the little squiggly thing over the n on my laptop), and he spent the day out in the hot desert sun filming trucks or something like that. He loved it. He can't believe he is working as a cameraman again after all these years. He also said the place was beautiful. The guy liked his work and said he has more work for him this week.

But not today, because he is on two different interviews with two different TV stations here! Praying he gets one of them, we do have rent to pay and food we need to eat! Gas for the mission mobile and trips to do evangelism would be good too!

Our New Projector and Other Amazing Goodies!

Many months ago when I contacted the JESUS film people about how we could show the movie in Argentina as part of our ministry (that sounds so weird to say... "our ministry" - like, who are we?), the Latin American director located in Bolivia told us the best thing to do first was to just go ahead and get the equipment. Okay.

When I researched it and saw that a projector, laptop/DVD player, screen, speakers, and the movie cost between $4000-$5000 dollars, I sighed, stared at the computer screen, and pretty much gave up that dream for a while. I sat there, pretty disappointed (I mean, we don't have that kind of money!) - and prayed that somehow God would provide so that someday we could show the JESUS film in Argentina. Someday - I was thinking, after we'd been there a while.

Last night we got to see God answer that prayer (and then some!).

Here is our new projector (THANK YOU Dave & Terri, and our gracious and generous Heavenly Father!)

 setting up the projector in our kitchen

the DVD player that connects to the projector 

projecting a movie onto our kitchen cabinets!

Dave, a teacher, gave us little training session on how to set up and use our new little friend. He brought two boxes of all sorts of excellent evangelistic and teaching DVDs. He explained that we could even project onto the side of a building and have a 20ft x 20ft screen - the picture quality and audio is incredible! He also gave us two additional speakers and a 6'x6' screen he had in his basement!

Tony's head was spinning with all the possibilities, and so was mine! Traveling movie ministry, neighborhood movie nights, VBSs, Christmas outreaches... As Dr. Seuss says, "Oh, the places we can go!"

I'm a little disappointed that I don't have more time to play with our new friend - the container comes in 3 days and we have to get it ready for shipping. My greatest prayer at this point is that it just makes it to Patagonia without any sticky fingers stealing it! Please pray with me!

There have been so many more generous people that have come along side us these past days and months... I wish I had time to mention them all right now! But, it will have to wait - back to packing. We are in serious crunch time!

on finances: how we're doing it

How we're doing it... lol

That's funny. I still have no idea how to answer that.

The following is an excerpt from an email letter we sent out this week to everyone we know that might be interested - in an attempt to answer that very question. Many have asked us how we are going, if we have support, and how to send support to us in Argentina. After leaving the specifics of where to send checks and how to do Paypal, this was our answer:


"To clear up some confusion: Our home church will not be supporting us financially on a monthly basis in Argentina [We're sure this was an atomic email bomb of nuclear proportions for most... there was a lack of information shared of the exact parameters and limitations of church support - but, alas, that's another story. Suffice is to say, it was poopy to have to tell everyone this ourselves]. [Things at church are] only set up for one-time donations before we leave, not after; [the church] will not be serving as a vehicle to channel support to us once we are in Argentina. Even though we did apply to a missions organization, when we asked our home church to be our official sending church, they said no. That is why we are not going with an organization, which makes it difficult for us to provide any donors/regular supporters with tax receipts, a billing system, or a liason at this time. We are sorry for this, and hope that this does not discourage people from being a part of what we are doing. We believe that making these specifics as clear as possible will serve us all best, and help avoid any further confusion. All support of our mission work must be handled directly through us at this time.

We are praying Tony will be able to find a job in Argentina so we can help support ourselves and fund our own work. We trust that the Lord will open this door for a job for him. Please pray he finds a job soon upon arrival. Keep in mind that the average salary is about $1000/month, so any support coming in will enable us to do so much more.

These are unchartered waters for us, so please be patient with us as we work out the details of administrating our own support, as well as our own correspondence. Internet access may be limited in Argentina, so any questions, please ask them now.

The best way to keep in contact with us and to hear of our news and work is to sign up for our monthly email newsletters... Our newsletters are also the best way to see where your support is going. For more detailed news and pictures of missions and life in Argentina, you may also visit our blog.

We are trusting in the Lord fully, and we are so very thankful to see how He has already moved in the hearts of many to provide us with everything we need to do what He is calling us to do. Thanks for being an important part (the sheer number alone of people interested in receiving news from us has been a tremendous encouragement!) as we join the front lines of third world missions!"

So that about sums it up. The way it's played out has given my mom a whole lot of peace of mind as her daughter, three grandchildren, and favorite son-in-law move half-way across the world to work with poor people (not really, that's sarcasm - sorry, cranky pants again.).

We never thought it would look like this, and we certainly never thought we had the faith to go "in faith" (ie, without anything - like a job... or regular monthly support) - but, well, I guess God wants to grow us or something. Whatever. We've been through enough heartache this past year that all I can do anymore is shrug. It's in God's hands. We're in God's hands. I give up.

We're going. *shrugging shoulders*

The very person that told us no, our own church will not be our official sending church, nor will they support us in Argentina, also defined leader for us in this way,

Leader = one who takes initiative for the good of others

(sssiiiiiiiiiighhhhhh.)

I love that definition. And I guess that's what we're doing: taking inititiative for the good of others... who are dying without a chance to hear... just once. I could care less if anyone follows, I don't want anyone following me... Good God, no, that would not be good. - I just want people by my side. That's all I need. That's all we need.

That's all we want. That is all we ever asked for or expected. We've never asked anyone for money - ever. And I don't think we ever will. We hate money, prefer to not even talk about it - but it can't be helped. People want to know. What can you do? It has to be talked about eventually. Now is the time, since we are running out of time.

I guess it just hurts {shameless disclosure}. It hurts to know there is a million dollars in the bank and none of it is for you... to do missions [okay, that's not fully true. We were gifted our tickets, and a little more.]. This is deeply grievous to us. And it should be to you, too. Isn't the mission of the church missions? What did I miss? What have we come to? What are we doing with the abundance and riches God has given us? What?

Jesus calls us friends. He sticks closer than a brother. Thank God. Because frontline missions can be really lonely.

Just saying... in case you ever think you're crazy enough to do it. Think again. You may give up everything to follow Him. And then He asks you to give up everything else.

The Mission Mobile: new and improved

I said I'd put up pics, so here she is: tinted windows and all. Briefly considered rechristening Big Blue, aka The Mission Mobile, the "Narcomobile". It looks like we should be conducting illegal and clandestine activities in there or something.

You can't see in AT ALL. It rocks. No hot, 105 degree, Patagonian desert sun beating in on delicate missionary skin (okay, me - everyone else in this family has some serious melanin but me - wah).

I like that no one will be able to see the kids in there. Or our projectors, film, laptop, and other such tools of the trade. I like that A LOT.

Front windshield... super. :)



It's actually kind of scary to drive at night. You can't see out the side windows at all unless there's a car coming or very well lit streets - or enough to reverse without running over a tree. It'll take a little getting used to.

Thank you, Tim!!! We still can't believe you did it for us for free!