Over the past few weeks there have been a number of celebratory occasions that have added life to the weekly routines.
The Sunday after returning from Mendoza we had a birthday party for our friends' youngest child who turned 1. I've previously mentioned Mary (whose actual name I have chosen not use) who has three children and works most days, many hours a day asking for money at a local train station. Mary had been working extra hours in order to save up for the occassion- she has been a beautiful example of humility and sacrifice.
We traveled by train, a good two hour trip, to their home. Though their home is quite small (the size of a small room) it was very homey, filled with pictures, a newly received stove, a few trinkets and toys, one large bed that all sleep on, and a towering , though neatly folded, stack of clothes. Out front is a small a yard where tables were set up for the occassion and an asado grille was made from a spring rack. Many of Brandon's (Mary's ¨husband¨ whose name I am not using for his privacy) family came along with all of the WMF staff. We played soccer in the street with the kids, including some half naked neighbor kids, ate choripan (like a big sausage) from the grille and empanadas, drank lots of soda, and danced salsa- some of us being put on the spot to dance (I found my out from pure embarassment by dancing with the birthday boy or his 3 year old sister). The kids enjoyed a piñata that not only produced candy but flour as well when opened.
After a long day of traveling and partying, many of us fell asleep on the train ride back. It put into perspective the task that they go through often daily when traveling either to work or an event that WMF hosts. A few days later when I saw Mary again she asked what I thought about the party. I was able to honestly tell her that it was fun and I wanted to visit her home again.
Less than a week later we celebrated the Deans' daughter Selah's birthday. We helped the night before with some preparations, including, and quite importantly, cheering on Jen and Jer as they stressed over creating the skirt of a dress out of a cupcake for the princess cake topper. They succeeded in throwing a grand party with plenty of food- Jer's barbecue chicken empanadas, and confetti cake topped by princess cupcake dress- a blow-up castle that got plenty of play time by the kids... OK and some of us adults, a piñata, and an improv carnival activity by STM Mateo.
And as a perfect segue, Monday we celebrated Mateo's birthday. We went over to the Dean's in the evening for a thai meal of curry and coconut milk rice and enjoyed a once in a lifetime unique, unlike no other experienced hot tub on the terrace of the Dean's house created by a blow up pool and hose hooked up to the hot water. What it actually turned out to be was a luke warm tub in which we played random water sports, thought up by no one other than Jen Dean who is always looking for fun and randomness. Leave it to the Deans to come up with some ingenius and completely random activity. Amanda helped the situation of the lukewarm water by pouring boilied hot water into the pool. We ended the night with a team favorite activity of playing cards.
Last week was a busy one for me, with alot of preparations for Wednesday's celebration. This past Sunday was mother's day in Argentina so we chose to celebrate with our friends from Retiro who are mothers on Wednesday in a local park. Amanda and I were in charge of a lot of the details and spent the past couple weeks planning and buying little gifts to put together in gift bags. Jen, Adriana Amanda, and I met the girls at the park and passed the kids off to the guys- Mateo, Jason, and David- to keep occupied on the playground while we hung out with the women. We started by singing a few songs on the guitar, which many of the girls have been anxious to do since they found out that many of us can play the guitar. Then we had a time sharing mate and showing off our tattoos before moving on to a time of foot washing and manicures and pedicures. Many of the girls were insistent on washing either Amanda's or my feet and/or painting our fingernails or toenails before we were even able to offer our services to them. We then handed out their gift bags which contained, with other little gifts, a notebook we thought useful for writing down thoughts. They spent their time decorating their notebooks with some crafts we provided for them while we all ate brownies, strawberries, and chips. Certainly we had to make a lot of improvisations with such a group of eager women and jealous dads, who we had to chase off a few times, but more than anything I remember most lots of laughter, smiles, sharing, and the eagerness to serve.
In all of these events I experienced the various aspects of community. Community has been an idea that I had romanticized in the past. Since living here I have seen that while community is a good thing it is also very hard. And yet in the midst of its hardships it reveals itself to be a beautiful lifestyle practice. I share in life with those who have children, with those whose interests are starkly different from mine, with those who have enormously less materially than I have. This community yields celebration as itself is a celebration!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
What spring brings
It has been an exciting week, brought on by the onset of spring. September 21st was the first day of spring here (fall for those back in the states) which brings much celebration to the city. It is not uncommon to find people dressed in costumes and partying at parks around the city.
In celebration for spring the church we attend and stay at here in the city had their annual primavera difras fiesta (costume party). Having seen pictures from the previous years we knew we were in for an exciting event with much dancing, food, and some intense costumes. I decided to do a repeat costume that I had done in college and went with a Braveheart/ William Wallace look. I was unable to find a working scotting skirt/ kilt so I made do with fellow STM Matt's green and black checkered shirt- it actually turned out to be a really good looking kilt! Also donning a plaid scarf as a sash, sword, random ¨war jewelry¨, and the best parts blue face paint and messy/ attempted dreadlocked hair. Most everyone enjoyed my get-up especially when I would run around yelling ¨¡¡Libertad!!¨ (FREEDOM!) Jason dressed up as Chino-bot, a robot made out of duct tape and juice boxes (he´s of Chinese descent, hence the chino title) and he ended up winning best original costume. Amanda dressed up as the yerba mate brand ¨Amanda¨. And Matt went as Chuck Norris Walker Texas Ranger which he pulled off well and looked hilarious in his self-made cowboy hat and gun.
Some WMF friends came, the couple that I have mentioned before with 3 children, and it was good to be able to spend more time with them and celebrate with them. I can recall a moment holding their middle child as she fell asleep in my arms, even with the music blaring around us. It was a precious moment. We danced and partied til a little after 4 in the morning (the party started at 9pm)! I even tried some salsa dancing. It was a lot of fun, probably one of the best parties I have been to!
We were able to sleep in the next morning, Sunday- church was rescheduled for the evening- before we began our travels for our retreat to Mendoza.
Sunday evening we left on our 14 hour bus ride through the night to Mendoza, a city near Chile and the beautiful Andes Mountains. Since I was a little girl traveling on family vacations, I´ve loved road trips. So even though we would be traveling through the night having to sleep on the bus, I was excited about the travels. We played alot of cards on the bus.
We arrived to Mendoza the next morning and took another bus ride to our cabin, Cabañas Andinas in El Salto. We spent the day searching for food and relaxing at the cabin. After lunch Matt, Jer, and I did slack lining, which has become a new hobby of the team´s. (If you´ve never seen slacklining or are utterly clueless about what I´m talking about let me explain. Basically you hook a slack line, a long nylon rope, between two trees and try walking across the line. Not very easy but fun to do nonetheless.)
It had rained and hailed during lunch, brought on by the snow that capped the mountains in view from our cabin, but the evening was beautiful blue sky and sun which yielded good walking weather as Matt, Jer, and I headed to Potrerillos to find a supermarket to buy the bulk of our food for the week. Not knowing exactly how far it was, guessing 7 km one way, or how long it would take us Jer suggested we try to hitch a ride. So anytime a car came by from behind us we stuck our thumbs out in an attempt to flag down a compassionate driver. After a while of walking a truck stopped to let us jump in the bed of the truck and took us to our destination. After getting our groceries and walking a little ways up hill we were able to hitch another ride with a guy in his VW staion wagon. In the front seat was his sleeping daughter and in the back seat next to a car seat and our groceries the 3 of us stuffed in, me sitting on Matt´s lap. It was my first time hitch hiking and I did it twice in one day. It wasn´t the last time on the trip though.
We made dinner that night and had some spiritual formation time and worship before we enjoyed some time outside. I decided to teach them box frisbee which we played in the dark with a light up frisbee; Jer and I (winners) against Matt and Jason. And of course a day is not complete without a few games of cards.
We slept in the next morning and took our time making brunch and having some spiritual formation time discussing the topic of Obedience (we have been going through WMF ¨lifestyle celebrations¨ each week. Last week was intimacy then Obedience and next week we talk on Humilty) Later in the afternoon we set out on a hiking expedition. We had our sights set on hiking upa nearby peak that had been taunting us since our arrival. Jer was especially anticipating flying his kite where the wind seemed more promising. We were led by a resident to a path that led us down through a maze of thorn bushes and brush to a river no deeper or more forceful than a brook. We made our way along the bottom of the rocky hills, crossing the river many times, before ascending up, hill upon hill, peak after peak assessing our next steps along the way. With each higher ascent we grabbed a better view of the surrounding mountains and lake, which made the tiring effort it took to climb all the more worth it. With clouds threatening our way and evening approaching sooner than later we decided to go to the top of our initial goal- the peak we later found out ot be called El Cerro de las cabras (the peak of the goats). We quickened our steps as we headed up, challenging me physically in an ironically exciting way. With a great sense of accomplishment we arrived to the top Matt and Jer prepared the kite (to clarify, as Matt says ¨this aint your Franklin flying a key kind of kite¨). After a few attempts with less than promising wind Jer was able to get the kite up. Ver entertaining watching it whip around under Jer´s direction.
We made it down the peak in less than half the time it took us to get up. We retraced our steps down to a trail that would lead us slightly farther away from the cabins but to a road that would be more direct. We had a hearty dinner and some more worship time before heading to bed. Our arise time was set early for the next morning as we planned to head to a national park at Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas.
We caught a bus at 6:45 the next morning that took us down to Potrerillos where we would catch another bus to the park. The second bus ride was to be 2 hours long so I was looking forward to some ZZs to make up for the lack of sleep gotten the night before. BUt with the constant view of new mountains around us, more being revealed with the sun´s rise and grander ones coming into view the further west we went , it was hard to shut my eyes. But my tiredness overcame me and I did nap. We arrived to Aconcagua park only to find out that the park had recently closed due to a chemical spill. So though we weren´t able to enter the actual park we did find a path that took us around the edge of the park for at least a better view of the mountains surrounding us, specifically Aconcagua. The wind was fierce as it whipped around us, forcing a struggle at times as we walked against it. To try and recreate the grandness of the view with words would be short of impossible. Even to bring up the image in my mind falls short of actually standing and looking at the sight of the snow laden mountains. Though it was chilly and windy we did not rush our gazing time. But we did want to get back to the nearest town where we could catch the bus back. We decided to walk along some abanonded railroad tracks that ran along the road towards the town. We came to a point where we were forbidden to cross the road bridge and so instead of taking a course that would lead us down to the river bank only to have to cross the river and climb up the bank to the other side we decided to cross the railroad bridge set more than 30 feet above the water. There were spaces where we could walk along the bridge structure and other spaces where planks of wood were laid across caps in the bridge. We held onto the side railing all the while to steady ourselves across. But there came an a point where we were challenged to cross a plank of wood no wider than 6 inches or walk across the piping that edged along the bridge or shimming along the middle structure section of the bridge. We all chose different paths but made it safely across. It was one of those adrenaline rushing experiences that take your heart a few minutes to slow. So in short, it was awesome!
We made it to the town where they had a little fair set up selling various ¨tourist¨ items. We walked around there for a little while but spent the remainder of our time in a little bar waiting for the bus. We arrived back to Potrerillos by dinner time where we were expecting to go to a little restaurant, only to discover that it was closed (we have great luck with that). So we bought some groceries and hitch hiked our way back to the cabins. We left the next day for Mendoza to begin our travels back to the city. We had a few hours to relax in Mendoza before our bus left. We walked through the city a little stopping for lunch and spending the rest of our time in a park drinking Mate, getting dreads, and slacklining. Wait? What was that about getting dreads?! :) Yes, I ran into a guy who did dreads in the park and got 4 dreads (or what are called Rastas here) for 10 pesos each. I would have gotten more but did not have enough time or money at that point. But it is a porject I intend to finish. Matt also go to dreads.
We arrived back to the city yesterday and have been able to relax the rest of this weekend before we plunge into a new week. It was a beautifully refreshing week and allowed for some great oppourtunities for spiritual and team growth, renewal, and new traveling experiences.
Sometimes It´s hard to believe that I get to experience this beautiful country. Its hard to beleive it´s already October. The weeks go by so fast which causes a sense of desperation to cling to all my experiences and cherish every moment and pursue all opportunites. Even with the hardships of language struggle and the brokenness I experience I fall more and more in love with this place and the people I am in daily interaction with. As I sit and think about the people who I´am in relationship with here I am realizing how evidently present Christ is in these relationships; I am able to see His character more clearly. Not only His beauty in gentleness and love but also His brokennes and His heart´s longings.
What a beautiful opportunity this is. What a beautiful Creator He is!
Until next time- May you see His beauty in the faces and plaes around you. Much love!
In celebration for spring the church we attend and stay at here in the city had their annual primavera difras fiesta (costume party). Having seen pictures from the previous years we knew we were in for an exciting event with much dancing, food, and some intense costumes. I decided to do a repeat costume that I had done in college and went with a Braveheart/ William Wallace look. I was unable to find a working scotting skirt/ kilt so I made do with fellow STM Matt's green and black checkered shirt- it actually turned out to be a really good looking kilt! Also donning a plaid scarf as a sash, sword, random ¨war jewelry¨, and the best parts blue face paint and messy/ attempted dreadlocked hair. Most everyone enjoyed my get-up especially when I would run around yelling ¨¡¡Libertad!!¨ (FREEDOM!) Jason dressed up as Chino-bot, a robot made out of duct tape and juice boxes (he´s of Chinese descent, hence the chino title) and he ended up winning best original costume. Amanda dressed up as the yerba mate brand ¨Amanda¨. And Matt went as Chuck Norris Walker Texas Ranger which he pulled off well and looked hilarious in his self-made cowboy hat and gun.
Some WMF friends came, the couple that I have mentioned before with 3 children, and it was good to be able to spend more time with them and celebrate with them. I can recall a moment holding their middle child as she fell asleep in my arms, even with the music blaring around us. It was a precious moment. We danced and partied til a little after 4 in the morning (the party started at 9pm)! I even tried some salsa dancing. It was a lot of fun, probably one of the best parties I have been to!
We were able to sleep in the next morning, Sunday- church was rescheduled for the evening- before we began our travels for our retreat to Mendoza.
Sunday evening we left on our 14 hour bus ride through the night to Mendoza, a city near Chile and the beautiful Andes Mountains. Since I was a little girl traveling on family vacations, I´ve loved road trips. So even though we would be traveling through the night having to sleep on the bus, I was excited about the travels. We played alot of cards on the bus.
We arrived to Mendoza the next morning and took another bus ride to our cabin, Cabañas Andinas in El Salto. We spent the day searching for food and relaxing at the cabin. After lunch Matt, Jer, and I did slack lining, which has become a new hobby of the team´s. (If you´ve never seen slacklining or are utterly clueless about what I´m talking about let me explain. Basically you hook a slack line, a long nylon rope, between two trees and try walking across the line. Not very easy but fun to do nonetheless.)
It had rained and hailed during lunch, brought on by the snow that capped the mountains in view from our cabin, but the evening was beautiful blue sky and sun which yielded good walking weather as Matt, Jer, and I headed to Potrerillos to find a supermarket to buy the bulk of our food for the week. Not knowing exactly how far it was, guessing 7 km one way, or how long it would take us Jer suggested we try to hitch a ride. So anytime a car came by from behind us we stuck our thumbs out in an attempt to flag down a compassionate driver. After a while of walking a truck stopped to let us jump in the bed of the truck and took us to our destination. After getting our groceries and walking a little ways up hill we were able to hitch another ride with a guy in his VW staion wagon. In the front seat was his sleeping daughter and in the back seat next to a car seat and our groceries the 3 of us stuffed in, me sitting on Matt´s lap. It was my first time hitch hiking and I did it twice in one day. It wasn´t the last time on the trip though.
We made dinner that night and had some spiritual formation time and worship before we enjoyed some time outside. I decided to teach them box frisbee which we played in the dark with a light up frisbee; Jer and I (winners) against Matt and Jason. And of course a day is not complete without a few games of cards.
We slept in the next morning and took our time making brunch and having some spiritual formation time discussing the topic of Obedience (we have been going through WMF ¨lifestyle celebrations¨ each week. Last week was intimacy then Obedience and next week we talk on Humilty) Later in the afternoon we set out on a hiking expedition. We had our sights set on hiking upa nearby peak that had been taunting us since our arrival. Jer was especially anticipating flying his kite where the wind seemed more promising. We were led by a resident to a path that led us down through a maze of thorn bushes and brush to a river no deeper or more forceful than a brook. We made our way along the bottom of the rocky hills, crossing the river many times, before ascending up, hill upon hill, peak after peak assessing our next steps along the way. With each higher ascent we grabbed a better view of the surrounding mountains and lake, which made the tiring effort it took to climb all the more worth it. With clouds threatening our way and evening approaching sooner than later we decided to go to the top of our initial goal- the peak we later found out ot be called El Cerro de las cabras (the peak of the goats). We quickened our steps as we headed up, challenging me physically in an ironically exciting way. With a great sense of accomplishment we arrived to the top Matt and Jer prepared the kite (to clarify, as Matt says ¨this aint your Franklin flying a key kind of kite¨). After a few attempts with less than promising wind Jer was able to get the kite up. Ver entertaining watching it whip around under Jer´s direction.
We made it down the peak in less than half the time it took us to get up. We retraced our steps down to a trail that would lead us slightly farther away from the cabins but to a road that would be more direct. We had a hearty dinner and some more worship time before heading to bed. Our arise time was set early for the next morning as we planned to head to a national park at Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas.
We caught a bus at 6:45 the next morning that took us down to Potrerillos where we would catch another bus to the park. The second bus ride was to be 2 hours long so I was looking forward to some ZZs to make up for the lack of sleep gotten the night before. BUt with the constant view of new mountains around us, more being revealed with the sun´s rise and grander ones coming into view the further west we went , it was hard to shut my eyes. But my tiredness overcame me and I did nap. We arrived to Aconcagua park only to find out that the park had recently closed due to a chemical spill. So though we weren´t able to enter the actual park we did find a path that took us around the edge of the park for at least a better view of the mountains surrounding us, specifically Aconcagua. The wind was fierce as it whipped around us, forcing a struggle at times as we walked against it. To try and recreate the grandness of the view with words would be short of impossible. Even to bring up the image in my mind falls short of actually standing and looking at the sight of the snow laden mountains. Though it was chilly and windy we did not rush our gazing time. But we did want to get back to the nearest town where we could catch the bus back. We decided to walk along some abanonded railroad tracks that ran along the road towards the town. We came to a point where we were forbidden to cross the road bridge and so instead of taking a course that would lead us down to the river bank only to have to cross the river and climb up the bank to the other side we decided to cross the railroad bridge set more than 30 feet above the water. There were spaces where we could walk along the bridge structure and other spaces where planks of wood were laid across caps in the bridge. We held onto the side railing all the while to steady ourselves across. But there came an a point where we were challenged to cross a plank of wood no wider than 6 inches or walk across the piping that edged along the bridge or shimming along the middle structure section of the bridge. We all chose different paths but made it safely across. It was one of those adrenaline rushing experiences that take your heart a few minutes to slow. So in short, it was awesome!
We made it to the town where they had a little fair set up selling various ¨tourist¨ items. We walked around there for a little while but spent the remainder of our time in a little bar waiting for the bus. We arrived back to Potrerillos by dinner time where we were expecting to go to a little restaurant, only to discover that it was closed (we have great luck with that). So we bought some groceries and hitch hiked our way back to the cabins. We left the next day for Mendoza to begin our travels back to the city. We had a few hours to relax in Mendoza before our bus left. We walked through the city a little stopping for lunch and spending the rest of our time in a park drinking Mate, getting dreads, and slacklining. Wait? What was that about getting dreads?! :) Yes, I ran into a guy who did dreads in the park and got 4 dreads (or what are called Rastas here) for 10 pesos each. I would have gotten more but did not have enough time or money at that point. But it is a porject I intend to finish. Matt also go to dreads.
We arrived back to the city yesterday and have been able to relax the rest of this weekend before we plunge into a new week. It was a beautifully refreshing week and allowed for some great oppourtunities for spiritual and team growth, renewal, and new traveling experiences.
Sometimes It´s hard to believe that I get to experience this beautiful country. Its hard to beleive it´s already October. The weeks go by so fast which causes a sense of desperation to cling to all my experiences and cherish every moment and pursue all opportunites. Even with the hardships of language struggle and the brokenness I experience I fall more and more in love with this place and the people I am in daily interaction with. As I sit and think about the people who I´am in relationship with here I am realizing how evidently present Christ is in these relationships; I am able to see His character more clearly. Not only His beauty in gentleness and love but also His brokennes and His heart´s longings.
What a beautiful opportunity this is. What a beautiful Creator He is!
Until next time- May you see His beauty in the faces and plaes around you. Much love!
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