The Joyful Journey

I feel a new joy in my heart for the church. The church as a living "creature" that has survived through all the years since Christ came. Even although it has stumbled so much (and throughout history veered off in ways that make many just want to dump it and throw it away...often for good reason) and will never in a sense be "perfect", I find it amazing that God chooses to use the church as He does.
A group of humans blessed by God, given the power of the Spirit to live life fully, with the vision of bringing heaven to Earth. We are a body, needing everyone`s gifts, all our variety of cultures and viewpoints. In giving up more of ourselves, sacrificing and even enduring pain, we find that this path we`ve chosen is the true way to live. God truly blesses and provides for us when we gather together, praising our creator with all our being. When I give up my worries, my dreams, my talents, my hold on my possessions and even my loved ones, I give them to Christ, and Christ in return fills me with life fuller than I could ever imagine.
I know now that I can`t walk this path of discipleship alone. That isn`t what God intends. As church-body, we jointly draw strength from each other, and God ministers to us through those around us. I have experienced profoundly this year what it is to receive God`s love, counsel, and wisdom through my church brothers and sisters.

The church in Choele Choel now holds a special place in my heart. I love how we gather on sunday evenings, greeting each other with kisses and hugs, a buzzing of warmth. Announcements are read, and we sing happy birthday to those with birthdays or anniversaries, greet the guests. Then, we enter into the time of singing worship, and prayer...flowing from songs of lively clapping with guitars, drums, bass, invitation to worship....to songs of adoration interspersed with spoken prayers offered by members in the congregation. During this time, people often kneel at the front for prayers of healing, and anointment with oil. There is the time of offering, where the youth pass around the basket, and then the message is spoken. Yesterday marked the first time a woman preached in the church (although women often give the message in the smaller group meetings on Wednesday nights). Given by the pastor`s wife, Diana Stabile, it was a powerful word on what it means to be angry with God, and then giving that anger over to God, allowing yourself to be cleaned and freed from it. I can see God continuing to grow the Choele church, and I believe that is one sign of that.

It is a beautiful to witness the baptisms, which take place every few months. The person is called to the front, and a pastor prays and baptizes them with water poured over their head. At the end of the service, most of the congregation gathers around the baptized, welcoming and greeting them into the family.

After almost every service, people linger a long time, chatting and fellowshipping. Us youth linger longer to play ping-pong, share matè in the kitchen, hover around the gas heater because it is freezing cold, or play UNO (the most popular card game here). The other night I was invited over to the youth leader and his wife`s house for soup and pizza after a service. Just the simple things like that...sharing moments of life with my friends in the church, make me aware of God`s presence. I don`t always have to have an agenda to my days or life. I don`t always need to be rushing around, completing a long list of to-dos. After all, Christ showed us the example of savoring life....long meals with friends, talking for hours, just being.

I like that following Christ means I am called to take time to be with my friends, family, go for walks, share coffee with a neighbor, give gifts. These are things that I can do here in Argentina, but can`t wait to do more of when I return.

¡Hola! Apologies to all for disappearing for months. Figured it was time to fill in some of the gaps of things that have been going on in my life here.

Much of the month of April, the four of us were travelling. We took two weeks of vacation, in which we travelled solos to southern Chile, and then various places in Argentina on the way back. We spent a week in a large fishing city called Puerto Montt, staying with an American missionary family that has lived there for 14 years. They have a small house church that we got to spend two Sundays with, including Easter. A lovely congregation, filled with the Spirit, and working in missionary work with people who live isolated in the mountains. Being in Chile, seeing volcanoes, going on boat rides, the Andes mountains, relaxing...in all it was a wonderful vacation.

Ending our two weeks of vacation, we spent one week with the Mennonite congregation in the city of General Roca, in Argentina. There we were carted around visiting many people of the church (over lunch, matè, dinners, women`s meetings, etc) and also taught English three times for children in a poor neighborhood of the city, where the church runs an afterschool program. I ended the week getting very sick with a flu bug (illness that turned into cold, then bronchitis, which I am just now recovering from...quite ugly). The experience of seeing other Mennonite churches in South America was special: each has their own flavor, expression of worship and ministry, but in each we were welcomed with abundant love, and saw Christ working in each of their communities.

Coming back to Choele after travelling for three weeks was hard at first. The four of us each shared at that point (the end of April) strong desire to be back home home, with family and friends again. It was sort of like, "well, done what we came to do in Argentina, ready to return"-attitude. But, God has profoundly shown me lately that there is a good reason I am to stay here in Argentina until the end of June. God`s plan for us continues here...there is still learning to be done.

As our time here in Choele Choel is coming to an end soon, I am realizing that our being here hasn`t just been an experience for us to take in. We have had an affect on this community, as we have made dear friendships and relationships with people here. From our adopted "families", the neighborhood children we teach English to, neighbors whom we greet daily, the youth group--all these connections hold a piece of our hearts. Although 8 months now seems like a short amount of time, and there are people I wish I would have spent more time with, no matter how short a time we share with people in our lives, connections that are made can have impacts that last a lifetime. And especially when we are part of the body of Christ, we are never really apart.

I see this connection/relationship building as something so important to the spreading of God`s Shalom in the world. Last Friday, the four of us went to a high school class studying the United States in geography, and we answered their questions regarding life and culture in the States. One of their last questions was what we thought the solution to wars and violence in the world was. Since it was public school, I couldn`t exactly share that true peace wouldn`t come until Christ returned. I shared that travelling to other countries like we have done, building real relationships between people of different cultures, and seeing that we are all humans and quite alike, helps correct stereotypes and ignorance, thus helping build peace in the world.

Other sharing we have done recently included giving the "message" at one of the small church meetings in the north zone. Our theme verse was Matt 10:39. Leah and I did a mime, and each of us shared our reflections on the verse, and want it has meant to us throughout our life and especially this year. I was moved by the testimonies of my dear friends, and aware of how real God is. God really has worked in each of our lives, and sitting in the small, cold cabin that we helped build (well, mostly the boys), I was struck by the priviledge I`ve had to love and be loved and worship with God`s children in another part of the world. It may not have been the most polished presentation ever, but it was from our hearts. And we did it in Spanish. Kudo points.

Each day I feel more and more aware of God`s blessings. I feel more connected with the church here, and am receiving more vocal appreciation for our presence. People beginnning to realize we are leaving soon, and are saying how they have seen God in us, and are going to miss us a lot. I certainly am going to miss them--it is annoying how often it happens in life that you don`t realize how much a blessing something is until it is almost gone, or over. Yesterday, a young mother married with one baby died. Her sister and her were involved in a motorcycle accident. We attended the funeral last night and this morning at the cemetery, which was a very moving time of feeling the intense pain in the community. Such tragic loss, and yet the message of praising God and having hope continued. I`m yet again humbled to share in all aspects of life here with this church, including celebrations and times of mourning.

I will stop there for now with the note...but will try to write shorter ones more often here at the end. Got to take advantage of my time to tell the stories as they happen!

Good day, Brother and Sisters...

I have the desire to give thanks to God for the blessings in my life right now, and have decided that one of the best ways for me to do that is to show love to those around me here. And, it is not only our words that count, but our actions. Everyone needs affirmation and to be acknowledged as a beloved child of God. I like Romans 12:10..¨."love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor". If we are the body of Christ, God`s hands here in the world, the tools for God`s Shalom plan for the world, then we need to first show that love to those around us. It is easy for me to live being helped and blessed by God through the people around me, and be too lazy or distracted to really realize that God inhabitats those people. What an opportunity there is to come into union with God if we can love and honor God by loving and blessing those around us--our family, mentors, pastors, caring neighbors, strangers who help in times of need. I`ve been realizing that my serving is empty if I am not in a loving, seeking relationship with God. And my relationship with God is blocked if I am not in loving, giving relationships with my fellow companions here on earth.

God has been blessing me during this time of my life, as always. I praise Christ, because lately I`ve had some more awareness of those blessings. The blessing of being able to communicate in Spanish (understanding the sermons more!), and have friendships that are becoming more meaningful. The news from Caleta Olivia (where we went on our week-long evangelistic trip) that the small congregation down there has been growing and blossoming rapidly, with great joy and praise to God. Coffee and prayer time with my fellow RAD friend Leah Yoder, and new friend Danielle, a high school junior from Wakarusa who is here for 6 months attending the secondary school. Small reminders of God´s love like the little kids all around the city that seem to know my name and come up and give me kisses. Letters and emails of encouragement from friends back home. An afternoon by the river with a friend who confides in me. Laughing and bonding with the boys and two men from the church with whom we are constructing a new church building. Hugs and wet kisses from my three-year-old hermanita (little sister).

Borrowing from the imagery of a friend of mine, God is an ocean. The tides come and go--leaving the shore dry at times. But, if I just sit in the sand long enough, the water of the Spirit will once again wash over me. To let God´s presence wash over my life, I must come into the presence of the Creator daily...waiting, thanking, praising...faithfully.
That is the kind of worship God desires. Praise-giving that seeps into every ascpect and second of our lives, and isn´t confined to Sunday morning thanksgiving-times.

May God give me the strength to love and the patience to wait.
--Andrea

RAD at the penguin colony, Punta Tomba

imitating penguins

enjoying waffles on the beach, las grutas

Delbert, Frieda, me...picinic on the beach

a source of joy and support to me...my friend leah yoder and I facing the Atlantic

sunrise down South

waiting for the sunrise with friends in Caleta Olivia

sea lions (or are they seals) on the beach in Caleta Olivia

Kevin Roth working on the church construction project in Choele

Greetings, friends and family!

News from the South: I am recovering from the flu bug, but the Month of February and the beginning of March so far have been filled yet again with experiences of God growing, challenging and blessing me.

Here´s a recap:

-The joy of being nurtured by my fellow RADers in my faith...as we continue to study and discuss what it means to have a spirituality of service...as we share weekly how God is working in our lives...deeping friendships over ice cream in our favorite heladerìa

-I continue to feel more a part of the youth group here in Choele Choel, and more comfortable praying and sharing during our weekly meetings. We (RAD) participated in a day long youth retreat here, which included worship time, talks about staying pure in Christ and living different from the world, field games, and a talent show around the bonfire which helped strengthen relatioships.

-Getting to know people in the village of Belisle, which we visited on a Sunday morning a few weeks ago (and from now on will visit every 3rd sunday morning) has been a blessing. God continues to surprise me, and remind me that all I need to do is trust in Him. Before we went, I still had nervousness over how to talk and meet with people we hardly know, but we were warmly welcomed into homes and had chances to share our stories and God`s vision for the town over rounds of matè. We have an invitation to make Chilean empanadas with one lady, and to stop for matè any time we choose at various other houses.

-It isn`t easy to invite a stranger into your house for 8 months, and likewise it hasn`t always been easy for me to know how to be a part of the family. But, I`m at a point now where I feel truly cared for--my physical and spiritual needs taken in consideration too. I`m grateful that God shows me love in this way...helps make being far from my "real" family easier.

-A visit from Darrell Gauscho, the RAD director, was a joy. We showed him around the town, the different activities we do each day, and each had a chance to host him in our houses for matè or a meal. Also my first real time acting as a translator (he doesn`t really speak Spanish), which I really enjoyed. As usual, he asked us lots of questions that made me reflect on the ways God is at work in my life, here in Argentina, and on my future. And, as he is a foodie (has worked as a chef and has great appreciation for fine cuisine), we ate out for the first time in a lovely restaurant here in Choele, "La Aguada". Delicious food and great company!

-Between two cars, the four of us in RAD, along with Delbert and Frieda Erb, three young adults and one gentlemen from the Choele church (10 people in total) drove about 12 hours south, for a week of missions work. We took the highway (2-way paved roads, in decent condition) along the coast, stopping overnight on our way their in Puerto Madryn. The church in Choele has a church plant their, and we squeezed into the missionary couple`s house for the night (along with an unannounced family that was traveling back to Choele). I continue to be amazed my the hospitality of people here in Argentina, in opening up their homes to anyone who needs a place. Definitely has made me want to always keep my home open to those who need a place to stay!
The next morning, we took an hour or so detour on gravel roads that followed the coast, until we reached our destination...a penguin colony. It never crossed my mind that their could be penguins without ice, but these tiny Magellan penguins migrate to this refuge every year. There were marked paths for the turists to walk on, but the penguins who have their nests in the ground all around the area disregard the painted stones. They walked right in front of us, and when one of the guys in our group got too close to one, it pulled on his pant leg, as if saying, "Excuse me sir, could you please move out of my way?" Being so close to these incredibly creatures, watching them play on the waves, I was struck by the beauty of God in the creation.
Back into the cars, we continued south, with one quick visit in Comodoro Rivadavia. Working there as a teacher is a young single woman also from Choele Choel, 23 yrs old, who is the sole pastor of a small church in the city. Amazed by her bravery, but then again, why should I be surprised when God is at work?
An hour and a half later, we arrived in Caleta Olivia, province of Santa Cruz. We stayed a week in the farthest south mennonite church in the world (and certainly the farthest south I`ve ever been in my life), with the Choele missionary couple Andrés and Fabiola. They moved down to the large oil-mining-ocean town four years ago, without knowing a soul. Now, Andrès runs a house-painting buisness, and is the pastor of a small congregation (about 10 people). The task given to us for the week was to do a survey regarding the purpose of our lives, using the small questionnaire as a means of evangelizing and sharing the Gospel. We divided into pairs (one RADer with an Argentine youth) and hit the beach every afternoon. I`ve never particpated in anything like this before, and it wasn`t easy to get over my fears, especially with the language barrier. The questions asked: Have you ever been asked what the purpose of your life is? Do you know what is the purpose of your life? Are you interested in knowing more about the purpose of your life? We left alone people who showed no interest, but the majority of people we talked with seemed eager to share their beliefs, and hear what we had to say. I never have liked the practice of handing out tracts to passerbys, but we only handed a photocopy from the church after talking with people who showed interest. It was an experience that widened my perspective on evangelizing, and made me wonder why I don`t share my faith more, in all times. When God is at work, you don`t have to worry about words. I say God planting seeds of thirst for faith in the two young adolescent girls we chatted with, who wanted to know about the purpose of their life; the young man who was almost ready to commit his life to Christ, but still burdened by questions; an older man who had been sucked into a life of drinking and bad decisions but decided to come to our church service one night, hungering for the hope that we spoke of receiving through Christ.
As I felt the frustration of not being able to express myself fully in Spanish, and not fast enough to respond in the moment, I found much of my purpose that week in being a presence of prayer. My partner, Ramiro, did most of the talking, but I was encouraged by remembering that God is greater than any language barrier. I certainly know God was testing and refining me through this experience.
p.s. (for

-Most recently, we had a brief visit from a group from the Mennonite Mission Network (Lynda Hollinger-Janzen, Ryan Miller, Denver Steiner). Apart from video-interviewing us on how we have grown and what we will bring back to our home congregations from this time in Argentina, I was remined how small the world is. I feel connected to everyone back home, and the wider global church, because we are one body in Christ. That is a special, holy thing.

Looking forward:

- School has started up here, which means the church`s activities are also warming up. We will be teaching English again to children, after the summer break. I may be getting some odd painting jobs in the church, and will continue visiting people (particularly elderly) in the congregation. I have also signed up for a class that the Bible institute at the church offers---My Experience with God (in Spanish, so it will be double learning for me...language and spiritual). Still our monthly missions trips into the campo, Belisle, a week in another city teaching English, and two weeks of vacation.

As these 3 1/2 months will surely fly by, I am gearing more of my thoughts toward this summer, my return home and some sort of internship at Prairie Street. Not sure what form that will take still, but I hope in part to use my language skills in connecting with Spanish-speaking neighbors in our community. Also, trying out differernt ministry skills will be enriching learning. Not to mention introducing matè to all who are interested...

Thanks for taking the time to read, pray, and care for me.
My love is sent your way.
Andrea