Borders

 As quarantines continue all around the world, we continue to wait for the Argentine border to open.  We will be returning as tourists since our visa has expired.  Our family is prepared to return just as soon as possible.  We are partially packed waiting for word that the border is open to tourists from the United States.  

We are keeping in contact with people from Jujuy and cannot wait to see them all again after being out of the country for over two years.  Somedays we feel impatient, but are reminded to wait patiently as it says in the Bible in Psalm 37:7, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."  We know that his timing is perfect and that he has a plan in all that has happened in 2020 and will happen in 2021.

Tourists

Living here in Jujuy, we are often asked if we are on vacation.  Our kids stand out, like in the picture (Can you find our daughter in the picture on the left?)  There are a few things that we noticed about other tourists that make them stand out (other than the color of skin).

In Jujuy, the people do NOT:
*start a conversation with people they do not know
*talk loudly - EVER
*point

*use their hands to eat (except for empanadas) or only use only a fork to cut and eat

*touch things in a store without asking (except supermarkets)

*walk around the house without shoes

*throw things to someone who needs something (like borrowing a pencil - you hand it to them)

*complain about lines when waiting for something

*tap a foot in impatience while waiting

*say "hi" to a friend across a room, without going over to greet them properly with a kiss on the cheek

Well, I think that you get the idea.  

Merry Christmas!

 

Finishing Itineration

 

Funerals in Argentina

When someone dies in Argentina, the culture is different than in the United States.  When a person dies, within a few hours a wake starts.  It is a non-stop, roughly 20 hour wake (it can be less, depending on the family).  For example, a sweet lady, 80 years old, died at 8:30 pm.  Her body was prepared, arranged, and sent to a funeral home for the wake to begin at midnight.  The body is placed in the casket without embalming fluid.  People come and go throughout the vigil until the ceremony to place the lid on the casket.  In this case the ceremony was at 4:30 pm.  The family was there the whole night.  She was transported at 5 pm and buried at 5:30 pm.  The whole process is less than 24 hours because the body is slowly decomposing during this process.  

Im-Pacto de Fe Baptism

Last weekend, the church Im-Pacto de Fe (that we helped to plant) had a church service / picnic.  We baptized 6 people in a small creek - these were huge decisions to follow Christ, decisions that were not taken lightly.  We had a wonderful time!

Getting Ready ...

Yesterday, we headed up to a small town north of the capital city of Jujuy.  Volcán, Jujuy is a town of about 2,500 people. We will be having an evangelistic campaign at the end of March, during "semana santa" (Holy Week) leading up to Easter on April 1st.  Pray with us that God will continue to open doors in this small town and open hearts.