Throughout our month in Chile, we experienced some cool places with kind people.

One afternoon we were lucky enough to visit Escondida, the largest copper mine in the world. It’s located just outside of Calama, in the Atacama Desert.  

 

The miners and their families used to live in an all inclusive town owned and operated by Escondida. However, due to low air quality everyone was forced to evacuate. Now it’s an abandoned town surrounded by mining cakes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Day trip to San Pedro de Atacama

As we planned for a day of adventure, our host checked in on us a few times. Each time he gently helped us see errors in our ways. Before we knew it, he saved the day by coming along with us for a day of grand adventure in the high desert.

 

Pastor Marcos and his kids. Left to right: Valentina, Pastor Marcos, Tito

 

 Ojos del Salar

 

 

Laguna Chaxa at the Flamingos National Reserve in San Pedto Atamaca, Chile.

 

 

Barbecues, Birthdays, and Bowling with dear Chilean friends.

We celebrated 3 birthdays (Tori’s being one of them) with an afternoon barbecue. There was traditional Chilean dance, line dancing, swing dancing, limbo, musical chairs (ended early due to increase of broken chairs), soccer, and a cake in the face. 

 

We had lunch with a family from church and then they took us to Inka poyo and Chui Chui (middle row of pics).

 

We were invited over for dinner and bowling with a kind family that we met at Encima Day. The bottom two collage pictures are of dinner and bowling.

Chui Chui, an indigenous town in the Antofagasta Region.

 

The school hosted “The Americas” celebration day. Each class performed traditional dances from a country or pueblo in the Americas (USA, was represented by country line dancing). Food from all over Chile was represented and DELICIOUS!

 

After school treat, Completos. Hot dogs with the works, even avocado!

 

Thank you.Thank you. Thank you, for following my journey, praying for me, and financially supporting me. Thanks to your generosity I am fully funded for my time with L squad as an alumni team leader. Praise God! Thank you!! 

After vision casting, thought, prayer and counsel from others, I’ve decided to attend The Center for Global Action (CGA) this upcoming year. It’s a school designed to mobilize a generation to be passionate followers of Jesus who live out their faith whether at home, professionally, or church planting overseas. Major areas of focus include knowing self to a greater depth, leading self, and leading others. Some of you have asked about my fundraising goal bar of $5,950, it is the cost CGA. If you would like to give, I would greatly appreciate it. 

We crossed the Chilean border into Peru on the 8th of September and arrived to Arequipa after 48 hours of bus travel.  We are all safe and in good spirits, but  I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather and would love prayer for health. 

More to come on Peru soon!
Much Love,
Catherine