I am currently sitting in the Lima Peru International Airport, waiting to board a plane enroute to Asia for month four of the World Race. My heart is heavy and my mind is burdened as I begin to process leaving this now familiar and warm home… South America.
As I process waving goodbye to this chapter of my year’s ministry, I wanted to share some beautiful moments with you, or as my team and I call them: “momentitos,” meaning “small moments, big impact.”
Number One: Learning from our ministry partners. The blessing of our first month in Chile is hard to capture in words. But one of the best experiences and memories I have from my journey thus far is learning from Pastor David. Watching him serve his church and community with every ounce of effort he obtained, provide for and lead his beautiful family of 3.5 (pray for their growing baby boy!!!), and take time out of every day to sit down with us to teach, encourage, challenge and speak truth to us. To this day, my teammates and I make calls to Pastor David for encouragement and wisdom as we navigate the ministries of South America. Thanks for all your hard work Pastor. Each month has been rich with wise leaders that we have partnered with and learned from. I have learned lessons about being a missionary that will carry over into all other areas of my life and that I will remember forever!
Number Two: failing as we learn the South American way. There are many specific cultural ways of living specific to here in South America. Greeting, eating, language, living, it is all very new to my team and I. While all of these were so enjoyable to learn, my team and I definitely struggled to make them our habit. We laugh as we remember moments such as accidentally flushing toilet paper down the toilet, causing an uproar in the pluming system and learning greetings such as one kiss on the cheek vs one kiss on each cheek (Chile vs Argentina). As we have learned, we have failed, making for hilarious stories we will forever remember.
Number Three: DANCE! Dance is very close to my heart and definitely a connection point for me with people across all cultures! It has been one of my favorite cultural blessings to watch, learn from and take part in. In Chile, the national dance is called the “Queca.” In this dance, the man mimicked a rooster, and the woman a hen. As they prance about, the twirl towels in their hands and smile flirty smiles at one another. This dance is magical to watch, whether in the basement of a church or the on the stage in from of thousands! In Argentina, they dance the Lorro, which has much more fierce stopping and clapping. And when I asked what dance is the typical or national dance in Bolivia, I was always met with the response “todos!” Bolivians love to dance the Tango, the Salsa, the Queca and even some American Hip-Hop! Each performance or lesson was such a a treat to watch and experience!
Number Four: Expect the unexpected. Here in South America, nothing is out of the ordinary, no one is considered a stranger, and a timely schedule is unheard of! These three ingredients call for a beautiful three months of laughs, tears, powerful ministry moments, beautiful communities and life-long memories. Whether it’s being presented with a party and gifts after leaving a month of ministry in Chile, being asked to share your testimony to people passing by in the city plaza, or getting on the city bus and sitting next to a man that is feeding a chirping baby parrot, ALL of these moments play an important part in the big picture.
Number Five: Our Family. The hardest part about leaving South America is, hands-down, leaving the family we now have here. My hope and plan is to return to these ministry sites with a youth group or even some girls from my team, and continue the relationship and the ministry. Our South American family has taught us powerful lessons, encouraged us in necessary ways and, most importantly, met us with the love of Jesus by being quick to forgive, slow to anger and immediate in love. And to our family here, I want to say “Nos Vemos.”
“Nos Vemos” is my favorite phrase to say here in South America. It simply means “we will see you.” We learned this phrase in Chile, as we often said it while kissing goodbye to many of the older women of the church. However, as we continued in our journey, I continued to use it. Even though it was not as common in Argentina or Bolivia, it was well received. I love this phrase. Saying “nos vemos” is not a question, it doesn’t have an “if” or a “but” attached to it. It is a statement. A strong statement. We will see you. It works super well as we would go out into neighborhoods evangelizing or inviting kids to the children programs. As the statement was heard, people looked at me with wide eyes. And as they slowly processed, a strong grin came across their face as they slowly nodded and responded, “nos vemos.”
This phrase reminds me a lot of how Jesus addresses us: “I will see you.” As he leaves Earth, he doesn’t mention an “if” or a “but,” he strongly insists and reminds us that he WILL see us again. This eternal hope is something we can cling to every day. His death on the cross ensures the “when” and defeated the “if.”
So, I say to South America: Nos vemos. I am so thankful for the three months spent here and I look forward to when I will return. God bless Chile, God bless Argentina and God bless Bolivia.
