“The greatest art in the world is the art of storytelling.”
I have always loved the art of photography. I love that photographs have the ability to stop time. Photographs capture emotion and art and memories and stories and beauty. They hold snapshots of people and places and things we love.
People say a picture is worth 1,000 words. So what happens when you have a thousand pictures worth of stories? That’s the reality of a World Racer in Month 10 of this journey. We have been so many places and experienced more than we ever thought possible. We have captured stories of heartbreak and laughter and love and freedom in photos all around the world. We laugh at our Month 1 pictures back in India and we cry looking at photos of every goodbye since. The stories captured in these photographs are priceless to us.
Time has been flying here in South America. As I was looking at the pictures from the last few weeks, I was reminded of the gift that the Lord gave me when He brought me back on the field. He allowed me to return to the people that I love, doing what I love, in a culture and language that I love. And I don’t want to forget a minute of it. The Lord has also been using photos to remind me of the many blessings He has provided over the last 9 months. I think we have a tendency to forget where we came from and what the Lord has done in our lives. We need to use the tools we have to remember the Lord’s faithfulness and provision. This month, the Lord has used photos to remind me all of the things He has taught me and brought me through on this journey.
As I think about heading home, I want to invite you into these stories and memories. So why not start now? Here is a glimpse into my first few weeks in South America!
Argentina
Here is our first picture as a team! After my 6 week recovery in the United States, I reunited with my team at the airport in Mendoza, Argentina. We had no ministry host for the month, so our first mission as a team was to find dinner and a place to stay for the night. With our modest budget and expensive airport food, Kim and I ate potato chips and cookies for dinner.
Mendoza is a beautiful city. I left behind the Spring weather in Michigan and jumped right into my favorite season – FALL!
My team welcomed me back with lots of fun and laughs. It was so good to be back with them!
Our ministry in Argentina was called “ATL” – Ask The Lord. This means that we did not have a host or a specific ministry. We prayed and asked the Lord where He wanted us to serve in Mendoza. We spent our last week of ministry at an international hostel and met people from all over the world. We met some sweet people and we were able to share what we were doing in Argentina. Our new friends also did ministry with us! In this picture, we are doing park ministry with our new friends, Juciely and Louise, from Brazil. We offered free hugs and free English conversation.
We also spent the week with Ashley, our new friend from California.
We adopted Ashley into our squad for the week and spent debrief with her. I’m so thankful that my squad radiates the love of Christ and invites everyone to join us in our mission around the world – to love God and love others.
Debrief
We had a few days of Debrief before heading to Chile. During Debrief, our whole squad gets together for a time of rest, reflection, sessions, and fellowship. It was SO good to see these sweet friends again. A powerful group of people that I am blessed to call my Church.
…Off to Chile!
And then we headed to Chile! It was the most beautiful travel day we have had – winding our way through the Andes Mountains. Bumpy-bus-window pictures don’t do it justice, but trust me – we serve an artistic God!
Hello Los Andes, Chile!
Our ministry for the month – teaching! Sequoi and I had the opportunity of teaching English at a technical high school in Los Andes, Chile – Instituto Agrícola Pascual Baburizza. It is a BEAUTIFUL school.
The students combine their studies with practical work in the fields and orchards.
Sequoi and I taught with the English teacher, Francisco. He graciously welcomed us into his classroom. We taught vocabulary and U.S. culture to 9 classes ranging from 7th graders to Seniors. Between classes, we would have conversations about Chilean culture, politics, and motorcycles, while Francisco patiently corrected our spanish along the way.
I LOVE teaching high school students. In the few weeks we spent with them, we learned about their families, their dreams, and their struggles. The Lord reminded me just how much everyone wants to be seen and known. We were able to show the love of Christ simply by listening to their stories, learning about their lives, encouraging them to pursue their dreams, and loving them through laughter and high fives.
Who says teachers can’t have favorite students?
Our students would greet us with a kiss on the cheek every morning. They also taught us all the “cool” high school things like new music, fidget spinners, and too many selfies to count. The students were sweet and rowdy, and they gave us lots of treats and laughs!
In addition to teaching, our team also had the opportunity to make American food as a fundraiser for our church’s mission trip to Mendoza this fall. We pulled off a good ol’ American barbecue, complete with snickerdoodle cookies and sweet tea!
Our biggest customers were members of the church who came to try our American food and listen to American music during our fundraiser. We also sold food in the market.
Life with a Family…
Our room for the month. We slept in a room connected to the church, and it was the perfect place to make a blanket fort! We spent lots of time snuggling under our sleeping bags because it is super chilly in Chile.
Here is our sweet host family! Elvira and Juan treated us like their own children. We laughed and cried and prayed together. They are both doing big things for the Kingdom here in Chile and I am going to miss them so much!
Valentina, our 5 year old sister, had a dance recital in the park!
Here is our 2 year old brother, Samito! He loves to eat, dance, and cuddle.
Here is our church family. These sweet people were gracious enough to listen to me translate sermons to Spanish for them every week and listen to us sing acapella!
Here is one of our favorite sisters in the church, Victoria. She loved speaking English, singing old hymns in Spanish, and loving my team. She is a sassy woman on fire for the Lord!
We also celebrated 2 birthdays this month! And bonus – we found cake!
Happy birthday to Kim and Meredith, both born on June 15. We had fun celebrating these beautiful women with balloons, a 5-star home-cooked meal made by Elvira, movies, snacks, and pancakes for breakfast!
Adventure Days!
Most months, we have one day off every week to explore the area. Here is our adventure day in Argentina!
The beautiful hot springs outside of Mendoza, Argentina.
In Chile, our team took a trip to the Andes mountains! We spent the day throwing snowballs, eating empanadas, and sledding.
My team took a trip to Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar. It is a beautiful city full of street art!
Left to right: Sequoi, Kim, me, Amanda, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Meredith.
I have a thousand more pictures and a thousand more stories to share, as well as a thousand more examples of the ways the Lord has worked in the last 9 months. I am very thankful for grace and patience as I process how to share this adventure with all of you in 2 short months when I return to the United States!
Update:
After 3 buses and 48 hours of traveling, my team is finally in Bolivia! La Paz is a beautiful city full of hills, cobblestone streets, and colorful buildings and shops.
My team will be heading to El Alto, Bolivia tomorrow to work in rehab centers with men, women, and children struggling with addictions.
Prayer Requests:
We will be living at an altitude of 13,500+ feet in El Alto, so prayers for quick adjustment to the altitude sickness that we are already experiencing.
Prayers for a month of building relationships with the men, women, and children in the rehab centers, and pray that language will not be a barrier to sharing the love of Christ with people in the community.
Prayers for my squad as we process the last 9 months and prepare our hearts for re-entry into the United States in August.
