Where Did the Time Go?

So where did Easter go?  I was thinking today that I haven't written in a while, so I looked that the last time.  It was eleven days ago.  I wrote about some of my thoughts and experiences during Easter.  Eleven days have past, and I have done little out of the normal.  I have played a little soccer here and there.  I have went to my classes.  I have completed my homework, which last week was a hectic week.  I had a lot of homework to accomplish.  There were several essay and projects due on the same days, so I was a little stressed, but lucky the Argentina culture played in my advantage.  That is to say, due dates all less strict.  This saturday we went out to a café to watch the River game, and then later we went to a movie,  well I elected to go home, since I was feeling sick.  I came down with the stomach flu.  I missed church Sunday, but I got to chat with my wonderful parents instead.  I am still recovering, but man do I feel better.

I forgot to say that I was illegal one day.  Friday before my temporary visa expired I went to immigration, but it was closed.  They told me that I could come back monday in the morning, so I did.  When I arrived I talked with someone, went to wait in line, waited an hour and half, only to get told that I was in the wrong line.  So I went to where I belonged and the process took twenty minutes.  I would of been done in twenty minutes, but instead the process took almost two hours.  However, I am not illegal now, which I suppose is the plus side.  Other then that one excursion.  I didn't really do anything those eleven days since Easter.

However, some of the most important things I have been doing have not involved places I have gone, nor people I have met, but literally who I am.  Two Sundays ago, the question "Who am I?" resonated in my mind.  The message did not have this theme, nor did any of the songs, but I found not get the question out of my mind.  As I began to ponder about it, I came to some difficult conclusions.

While I was able to say the truth about my identity in Christ, I did not live day to day with such an identity. I don't know if this makes sense to anyone.  I am a son, child, friend.  I am loved, perfect, holy, and cherished.  I am wanted, desired, fought for, and died for.  However day to day I lived by the opposite.  I am a failure, I am an error, I am unwanted, unloved, and undesired.  I have no value.  How did such lies become the roots and foundation of my identity.  Over the past several days I have found myself confronting the very essences of who I am.  I am learning of the strength I have in Christ, the power of prayer, and how to live on the edge of the Spirit.  I have surrendered things and in the same moment vowed to fight and uplift them.  I have removed things from my life only to replace them with the truth.  I am righting wrongs and repenting.

I am a child of God.  I am HOLY.  I am HIS.

So as I sit in a library, I hear the tapping of keyboards, a man in the corner that reads aloud every day, and the quiet rumblings of the streets outside.  I have written the last letter that may never be sent, and the pain no longer bears so heavy.  Instead the joy of honoring God has begun to uplift my spirit.  I have sat and ponder where my time in Argentina has went.  I have realized that for each one us here, we have all had different experiences.  In many cases we went to the same places, met the same people, but the story that God is writing in each one of our lives is uniquely different.  The small moments of his province, where we can see his face and his hands working are different for each one.

I know this blog was meant to be about what I am doing in Argentina, but I cannot help but write, what He is doing in Argentina as well.  I will say we do have plans to come.  A possible adventure in Uruguay.  Also there might be an Yguazu trip coming as well.  There is only nine weeks left in this show, which I can't believe, so stay tuned for the next episode!

Easter thoughts

Thougths before Easter...

After playing soccer in the park I went home, rested a little, and then had Grupo de Vida.  Felipe, a good friend and a faithful brother, made dinner for us.  We did not sure eat together, but we shared life.  Laughing, joking, and enjoying one another.  Afterwards we took turns sharing things that we are thankful for, things that we adore about God.  I sat SILENT.  I sat thinking about all my sin and all my failures.  I sat thinking about my frustrations with relationships and how I all to often maintain attitudes, which may be best described as ugly.  In those moments that I sat silents, as others shared about people coming to Christ, about how their family problems draw them closer to God, and about how God continues to provide for each one of them, an image came to my mind.  I remembered the time I came crying to my brother asking if I could wash his feet.  I remembered crying with my parents over my sins and failures, when light was shred upon them.  I remembered the cross, which my Lord DIED upon.  

I am an ugly boy.  I refuse to use the word man, because I do not see myself as a man.  I see myself as a wandering boy, confused and lost.  He does not know how to handle the emotions he feels, nor does he understand how to fight the battles in front of him.  So he sits scared.  He sits idol and scared in a corner hoping someone will see him.  Hoping someone will rescue him.  

The lesson that God continues to try and teach me, but my hard head does not seem to want to learn it, is the fact that I have great power.  I have the power to say no to sin, because I have died to it.  I have the power to transform lives, because God uses me daily.  I have the power to live, and live life to the fullest!  All too often I neglect the power that exists within me.  The Spirit, that raised Christ from the dead, lives in ME!  I can live without longing for something I do not have, because I have EVERYTHING I need for this life and the next.  A lesson I still have not yet fully learned.  I have not learned to tap into the power that already exists in me on a daily basis.  

I once believed that as humans it is impossible to live a holy life here on this Earth.  My opinion has begun to change.  I believe that we can be holy on this Earth.  (And, yes.  I am taking aobut before the return of Christ.)  “Be HOLY as I AM HOLY!”  We are commanded to be holy.  Living daily and completely in the power of the Spirit we can find holiness.  It is a grand challenge, but it is my challenge.  As a believer it is my goal!

What I have been up to.

So I have past the half way point of my trip.  Still alive!  It is strange thinking I am half way done, when this trip has felt so long.  It seems that every day drags on.  Not that I haven't had fun or haven't enjoyed myself, actually the contrary is true.  I have probably enjoyed myself too much and had too much fun.  I am kind of thankful that the trip has seemed slow.  It has given me a good opportunity to relax, process, and learn.  Hang in there mommy... I will be home before you know it!

So last monday was a vacation day, so I didn't have class.  I took the day to rest and ended up going to a park to play fútbol.  Actually I seem right now to have forgotten what I did Monday.  Not sure if I was even alive that day.  It may come back to me...  Okay I had to draw a diagram of what I did for the week, but I figured it out.  I didn't go to a park Monday.  I went out with the Merinos (Brittney's family), Andrés, Tyler, and his family.  We toured the city a little bit.  Ate lunch, and afterwards I went to soccer practice.  Which is a story in itself.  The subway was not working, so I walked twenty-five minutes to the train station.  My twenty-five minute trip from down town ended up taking fifty minutes, but I arrived although I was a little late.

I went to classes Tuesday.  The classes were kind of boring, but afterwards I went to the house of Fernando.  He had his birthday and we were invited to celebrate with him.  He ate a delicious asado, which is like a cow-roast.  Literally they cook about every part of the cow and then eat it.  I enjoyed most almost all of it haha.  I skipped my classes Wednesday, and then thursday morning we set off for a small town outside the city (San Pedro).  We went camping for the night and hung out.  Just enjoying each other's company, walking through the small city, eating, and drinking mate.  It was a good time, and then we returned home the following day.  Saturday I went to the park to knock the ball around and then once again I helped in the children's sunday school class.  And back to school and soccer practice as normal this week.  

Good times here in Argentina... there is more I am able to write, but for now I will leave it there.
Chau

Entry #17

Thoughts leisurely stroll through my head as I sit in one of the small grey chairs that were placed neatly in rows waiting the entrance of the bride and groom.  A simple melody floats from a piano, which is accompanied by a sweet girl in a elegant purple dress.  Casually she elects each note, and strikes the keys with precision. As if I was constructing those sweet tones out of air, my hands mimic the touch of each key.  Restlessness can be felt in the air as the crowd begins to grow and seats are filled.  There is not a pause in the melody, which continues to stroll amongst the people.  From the back of the crowd, a man emerges, who is dressed in a formal black jacket and pants, which from the creases, I would suggest, have recently been pressed.  He walks to the small stage and greets the crowd through the microphone, urging the crowd to finally be seated.  Moments later with the crowd seated the bride and groom enter, walking slowly to the same soft melody.  With what strength he has, he helps his bride to the stage.  She has grown frail over the years.  The years they have spent working, raising their family, and glorifying God have not always been easy, and in their late years their bodies have begun to feel the wear.  This is not the first time they have been wed.  This is not the last time they will be wed.  Each day for fifty years, they have elected to wed each other.  Each day, while there may not have been a grand ceremony, they were bride and groom choosing to marry.

The golden wedding, which I attended last night was magnificent.  The story of how they were married, found Christ, and raised a marvelous family was wonderful.  The video of old photos with the interruptions from the bride and groom were both funny and lovely.  I fell in love with  with the violin and piano gracefully playing.  I could not help, but thing fifty years is a long time.  My heart began to stir as I thought of same opportunity and challenge, that one day, God willing, I will have.  

After cleaning up and leaving the church at one in the morning, Brittney, Andres, Krystal, Pablo, and Melody, and I went back to my house to play cards.  We played cards and games till five in the morning.  We decided to play Euchre and then a trivia game, which I am no unable to remember its name.  I happened to realized I cannot stand how the U.S. uses the U.S. Standard System.  Why on Earth do we have our own system?  I don't understand.  I am on this rant because the game had trivia questions about distances and area and depth, which obviously I failed at because I don't understand the systems.  

Then decided to go to Mc Donalds, but we did not eventually go to Mc Donalds.  Well we actually were standing in the drive-thru, but did not order anything.  This is actually kind of an interesting story.  We went to a Mc Donalds, that we thought was a 24 hours Mc Donalds, but it was a 24 hour drive thru, so we thought about taking a taxi through it or walking though it, but sadly we did not do either.  We decided to get a little something to eat and go to the river to watch the sun rise.  As we all sat cold, eating food that really was not that great, we marveled at the beauty and glory of God.  Melo pointed out that we are at the second dirtiest river in the world, and still somehow it was incredibly beautiful.  Thankfully Andres had is camera, because we took a ton of pictures.  Most were good, some were strange, and the rest were simply goofy.  It was a long night, but a good night.  As Andres said in Facebook, we have a new record.  "8 a.m."  Thankfully Monday is a holiday.  I may be able to rest a little then.  

"Toy Story" Soundtrack

I am having a bit of writer's block.  Maybe it is because I am not a writer, and I normally try to present my random thoughts in a poetic prose with sophisticated words.  However, I am a simple man with simple thoughts, goals, and dreams.  More likely I cannot write because I have a tremendous amount of pressure compiling in my head.  The last two days I have not felt well.  Increasing pressure in my head, a nose that can't be caught, and some irritation in my throat.  I would say it is nothing more, then the change of weather and a small cold, but I find it difficult to write these days.

Classes are settling into a rhythm much like normal.  There is homework, classes, homework, class, and the dance continues.  You all understand how it goes.  I have begun to play more and more fútbol, although today I lack the initiative to go.  Feeling ill and wanting to be in good health has kept me sidelined today.  However, playing with the school has become one of my favorite things to do.  It is a different group of individuals that I have the opportunity to know and talk to.  Monday we ran for more then an hour, it is so strange, but I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed pushing myself to that next level when the legs were heavy and the breath was short.  Then we played eleven's.  I had an opportunity to play number "cinco" and "cuatro."  In other words that is defensive center-mid, and left back, but I kind of like the number system better.  Other then fútbol and school, my days do not consist of much.  I am lucky to get a little down time.

Today in my economy class, I had to present a chapter in our text.  Once again I realized that I am meant to be a teacher.  I am in world that I struggle at times to communicate, in front of a group of French, German, and U.S. students, and I am sure that my Spanish was not the best.  However, despite my circumstances, I spoke between ten and fifteen minutes, and was able to convey what the factors that cause the development of the Latin American economy in the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.  I know!  Right?  It was strange though, because I almost felt like a different side of me took over.  I was feeling sick, nervous, and a little scared, and suddenly.  I just started to teach IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE.  It was a victory for me today.  I seem to be able to find little victories a little more often recently.  I have had random conversation on the bus with strangers, successfully bought food on my own, and even at fútbol, I talked to the coach and players all in Spanish.  Little victories are beginning to fill up my life.


Strange, when you are so far from home.  Sometimes you feel like there is the Great Wall of China between you and once close friends.  Simple things like not knowing they took off to Chicago for the weekend, changed their name on Facebook, or even baked cookies, suddenly are transformed into live changing events.  You realize how much you have taken for granted the simplest of relationships.  I am realizing that those conversations after class, those quick "hey how you doing," or the random lunch/coffee get togethers are sometimes the most important times with friends.  Being away, you begin to miss it all.

Oh, and I doubt that many of you understand how the title and what I wrote relate.  Well I watched Toy Story 2 last night, and I thought the songs was a good depiction of my life.  Especially, "You Got a Friend in Me," and "Strange Things" are great interpretations of my life.  Well thanks for your prayers.  Thanks for your thoughts.  I miss you all.

Power in Small Places

I have been challenged recently about the impact I can have on the world that surrounds me every day.  I have been challenged to view my power in a completely different manner.  The last two weeks my church here in Argentina has been talking about the "good samaritan," and how we should help our neighbor.  Interesting enough I am in a foreign country, so my concept of neighbor has been stretched and challenged, but more then my concept of neighbor, my concept of power is changing.  What kind of power does a twenty-one year old in a foreign country, who hardly speaks the language have?

I have viewed myself in that light for years.  How does one small act impact a world that is in pain? The other day I was walking down the street and someone asked me for a Coke.  Simple, but I passed him, saying that I don't have any money.  A lie, but I did not see the benefit in giving him a Coke.  I walked a block, stopped, and prayed.  I was unable to continue.  Something was holding me back.  I asked for the nearest supermarket, and went to buy a coke, obviously to give to the man.  I did not say anything to him.  Simply gave it and walked away.  I have no idea the impact of such a small gift.

What kind of power do we have?

A storm was coming, as I was walking home form the university.  I passed by a elderly woman, who probably had eighty or more years.  She was walking with a cane and a bag of food or something.  I passed and turned back around to ask if she need help.  "Mi amor (my love)," she responded with affection, but she declined my offer since she only had a block to walk.  Again, I cannot understand what she really thought, or how a small gesture impacted her life.

What kind of power do we have?

This morning I was not in the best of moods, but in the midst of it I received a letter.  As I began to read this simple letter about life at home, about how she loves being a Grandma, about what she is learning from God.  However, the letter brought me to tears.  Feeling that I am loved, that I am not forgotten, and that someone cares enough to send a letter around the world to me was incredibly special.

What kind of power do we have?  What kind of power do we have?  In the smallest of actions, in the quietest of prayers, in the moments we feel the smallest, what kind of power do we have?  God is big, his strength is tremendous, and we have the same power.  So what kind of power do we have?

Mountains, Trains, and a Journey to Mendoza

As the week ends I have had plenty of hours to reflect in the back of a pick-up truck.  I went to another part of Argentina, which is a little more then twelve hours away.  I was accompanied by our trusty Argentina friend, Fernando, Andrew, and Brittney.  Mendoza is known for its wine that completes with the best from Italy and the Andes mountains.  However my adventure starts even before our trip.

As we planned the trip planes continued to change.  Finally we had a plan, which we finalized.  The morning of something happened with the pick up truck we had planned to take.  I am sure it was not a mechanical issue because the truck is practically brand new.  However, we were not able to take the truck tuesday like we planned.  It turns out it was a bit of divine planning.  Tyler, who originally had planned to go, and would of gone if we had left on Tuesday, came down ill.  He had an inflection in his intestines and was bed ridden till Friday.  He is better now thankfully, but he was unable to journey with us.

Along this journey we had fun, including a game of Euchre with our Fernando, who at the time was driving.  That did not last long, but I also encountered two robbers.  About ten o'clock we stopped to use the restroom, and I went in to buy a sandwich, Fernando bought the same sandwich as I did plus a pop and paid 21 pesos, while I somehow had to pay 23 for the same sandwich and a small piece of candy.  I am pretty sure the cashier just plain and simple robbed me.  Afterwards as we were driving, we encountered check points at the bounder of each province, and as we entered one the officer asked to check our truck, Fernando showed him and was asked if we had fruit.  I of course brought fruit to snack on, so Fernando showed him, only to be met with the response "Bon Provecho," which in the simplest form means bon appetite.  I never saw my fruit again.

Despite the slow and frustrating start, the trip turned out to be incredible.  As we drove through the mountains, which are the highest in the world outside the Himalayans, all I was able to think of is how God created these, and how he is able to move them without effort.  It was a magnificent time of reflection and thought.  The first day after Fernando and Andrew did not sleep and I only was able to manage a few uncomfortable hours, we did nothing.  Rented a hostel, rested, rested some more, slept, and finally went into town to have a nice dinner.  The next day we set out for the mountains.  We drove past lakes blue as the sky, cold-crystal mountain streams, following a fast paced river into the heart of the mountains.  There was an abandoned railroad, which casually strolled along the mountain side over hills and through tunnels.  The railroad might of been my favorite part, watching carefully how it travels through a dark tunnel only to emerge again on the other side, seeing the it travel over bridges, and tracing it out into the distance only to see it disappear behind a grand mountain with a sharp curve.  Must say it made me long to travel on it, but sadly at times the tracks lay broken and the bridges appeared unsure.

We arrived in the mountains to see two national landmarks: the Bridge of the Incas, which is a natural bridge that over time has been formed from ice and hot springs, and Aconcague, which is the highest peak in the world outside the Himalayas.  We had a chance to walk around, take some photos, and spend time in the beautiful weather.  It was definitely a place I would love to return to and do some more serious hiking (I lacked proper boots, backpack, and other equipment that would be necessary).  Something that I have learned in my time in Argentina is that there is always an adventure.  As we returned we stopped to make a dam in a mountain stream and drink its fresh water.  As we continued retracing the train and night set in, we passed our road by 40 kilometers.  I will let you do the math, but it is not a short distance.  We returned home with goods to make pizza, a poncho, and hat (I bought the poncho and hat, because I was close to Chile, and that is what people do in Chile.  NO?  I thought everyone in Chile wore ponchos... oh well I have one now :) ).

The next day we began a long trip home, which we took slow and steady.  We made several stops.  One in Mendoza, in San Martin, and along the way.  Arriving home I was refreshed and encouraged, however, I was still tired (almost wrote tried.  I guess I am tired now too lol).  It was a great trip.

Classes have now began and I am settling in well with those.  It is great to have Cameron here with us now.  I have missed that kid and I am sure he is going to grow tremendously, while he is down here.  Well that is all for now.