in all you do.

One thing that I pray for you all is that you will be able to experience what God has for you when you are walking by faith in the path that He has you on. It's not always easy, but it is worth it.

There's a lot of social differences in this culture that are hard to navigate through. One of the hardest parts is that they are so family oriented. It's hard to be away from my family when it seems like such an important thing here. Like, they live with their parents until they're married, and even after that they are sometimes in the same house! It just makes me want to go home and never leave! (Not sure how you feel about that mom and dad!) But mainly, our culture doesn't really accept that. We are seen as failures if we are adults and living at home and not providing for ourselves. Neither of them are wrong.. they're just different ways of seeing things.

One thing that I do appreciate though and I can learn a lot from, is that this culture doesn't need to be productive or have perfect plans to be successful... I think this could be a helpful take away as regards to how I relate with God.

I'm a pretty goal oriented person. I like to have something to be working towards and to accomplish. To the point that when I don't have a purpose, I feel like I'm failing. This can be dangerous in our relationship with God because we don't need to do anything for Him to make Him happy. He is perfectly satisfied. And if we feel like we have to work work, do do do, to please Him, then we miss the blessings that we receive by just being able to draw close to Him and be filled by Him in order to serve and be a blessing through Him.

It's interesting being a missionary. Because your job is to serve and share Christ's love with others. But you have to be receiving from Him before you can pour out. So sometimes, I get hard on myself for not being able to DO more, but even the little things, the daily things, bring Him glory when we are doing it for Him. "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord."

Even when I KNOW that this is where God has me and have seen God's hand in bringing me here and how He has used me, the daily to day living can be rough. Life is harder here; things aren't as dependable, I can't always understand what people are trying to say to me, I can't just run to Wal-Mart and get what I need. But! In all this, I am being shaped into His likeness, and I count all I have as loss next to the surpasing worth of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord!

I hope this is an encouragement to you all! No matter where you are, if you are in God's will, He will bless you and keep you. Just keep seeking His face in all that you do!


<3

verbs are hard.

Practicing Spanish verb tenses:
Staci (in Spanish), "I use to eat vegetables but now I'm a fruititarian."
(This was prompted by me telling Staci a story from my runners magazine
about an ultra marathon runner than only ate fruit!)

Staci: "Hablamos con un muchacho en el supermercado hoy."
Lindsey, translating: "We ate a man... errr..."
(Real translation: We talked with a man at the market today."

Lindsey, continuing the joke: "Comeremos un hombre." (We will eat a man.)
Staci: "Sooo.. what we got from all this is that one day we will eat a man..."
Lindsey: "... con pan." (with bread)
Both: "JAJAJA!!" (HAHAHA!!!)

Yes yes, Spanish learning is fun and hard.
Practicing verb tenses is an important thing.
I know this first hand.
The following story is unfortunately true... o_0

Staci and I were passing through the park walking to the bus stop.
This man approached us and started making us rings out of wire.
(It's common for people to come up and try to sell you things,
most times its easy to say no, but we decided to buy the little rings and talk to him.)

So the man tells us that he has been doing this for 6 years and is homeless.

And I say: "Donde vamos cuando esta frio!?"
I... unknowingly said...
"Where do WE go when it's cold?"
instead of "Where do YOU go when it's cold."

And the man points to a park bench and said,
"Alla? O donde querés! Jajaja!" (Over there.. or wherever you want!)

I had no idea what I had said wrong or what he said in response,
but Staci missed my mistake and understood the guy and was like.. uhhh?!
And he said, "What!? She's the one that said it!"

I then realize what happened...

AND that was the moment I decided that I should not talk
until I have a good grasp of what I'm saying....


The End  =)


<3

confessions.

I… have a confession.

I never thought this would become of me...

..Don’t judge..

But…

I’ve become…

A… 

LIST MAKER!

Seriously, I always kind of took pride in the fact that I didn’t make lists. That I could remember what I needed to get or do. But when your mind is constantly on overload, it get's lost in this black hole between trying to comprehend Spanish and the land mine of cockroaches in our dining room area o_0.

Some of my lists.

A list of things I need to do. A list of groceries I need. A list of people to email. A list of activities that are happening in the church. And even a list of things to do if and when everything on my other lists get done! Crazy talk.

Anyways, besides this list making business, Staci and I have been enjoying the tranquility of La Plata on summer vacation. Most businesses close either the first or second “fortnight” (fifteen days) of January to go on vacation to the beaches. On top of that the universities are on summer break so the college kids are gone. It makes the city a lot like Manhattan in the summer (only with a 1,000,000 people rather than 50,000). We get a seat on the buses. Our Spanish classes are on hold. Ha, and our local supermarket is closed for the rest of the month so hopefully we don’t run out of milk!

A sunset from my house

Miraculously I got a package from my parents last week! I think it’s a rarity these days because of the restrictions on imports. The Argentines even questioned me on what company I used and that they couldn’t believe I got it (in 18 days none the less!). One gal we talked to said it took a letter from the states 3 months to get to her!

My package full of the essentials: Peanutbutter, cinnamon, chili and taco seasoning 

(all lacking here) and of course a running magazine and some chocolate from Santa!

We have started hanging out with a great group of people who are a lot of fun. We’ve had game night with them and they took us bowling! They have been incredibly patient with us, have taught us a lot of slang, and helped understand the difference between “Hace cantos..” y “Hasta cuado…” ("How long ago did you arrive" vs. "When do you leave”) and the correct way to respond! (It’s hard to hear the difference and we usually end up telling them that we got here in June and are leaving in October!) 

 Staci playing chess against Mario

 It’s an exciting time! Seeking God’s face and serving Him in whatever ways He asks. I only hope that I can praise Him through it all!

A doodle I drew ^_^

<3

festivities and the days after.

Wow, I can't believe all that has happened since just last week!

Fiestas
On the 30th, our church had a end of the year BBQ with the whole church. Yes, picture big juicy burgers, hotdogs on a bun, and a grill. Now take that thought and get rid of it! Haha, yes. This is an Argentine "Asado" BBQ. LOTS and LOTS of steak. Whole chickens! And churizos (which are kind of like brats but not really..)! And, nix any kind of sauce. It's just, steak! And of course great company!

The women preparing the salad!

Alejandro keeping the fire burning!

Everyone eating STEAK!

After the asado, our friend Belen and her boyfriend, Danny, along with another couple, Mario and Denise, and their parents and kids (haha yes, we were quite the caravan!), went to check out the New Years munecas, "dolls." This has been a tradition in La Plata for about 30 or so years where people make this huge dolls out of wire and then papermache them. The neighborhood with the best one wins a prize and everyone gets to send in their votes as to which they like the most!

This is the first one we saw! I think it might have been based off Maleficent.

It all moved and the big tree in the back talked and blinked!

Another display with Looney Toons! Our whole group got our picture taken 

with it but it was with a different camera.

What's crazy, is they spend weeks building these things and then after midnight on New Years they burn them!

More Fiestas
The 3rd was Belen's birthday! We were invited over and we got to have another great dinner, lovely cake and to enjoy the company of friends!

Getting the party started! Me, Staci, Soli, David, and Belen

Belen and the cake!

She brought out some balloons and I ended up making everyone the different balloon animals and things that I know how to make! (Thanks Dad!)

Belen and I with the dog I made her haha! 

I later found out that she got a puppy for her birthday!

Most of the party!

One of Belen's friends knew English really well, so it was fun to understand everything she wanted to say, as well as have her translate some of the things we didn't know. I will say that Spanish has been a struggle, but I have to remind myself that I'm lightyears ahead of where I was when I got here!

Life Be Like
This weekend we decided to plan a day of freedom where we didn't have to worry about language, or what we were going to eat for the next meal, or how to get where we were going, we just decided to find a place to explore. Hahah! We came across this beautiful sign that we had no idea what it meant....

Our interpretation: "Meanering with Máte"

Everyone who drinks máte often has a bag that holds their máte cup and their thermos along with the máte leaves and sugar.

Haha! Turns out, at least we think, it's a school zone sign. But I like our's better ^_^

The other day we went to the park to practice some Spanish and were joined by Coti. She is our barista/waitress at the coffee shop that we like. We had always struggled trying to order what we wanted and then one day she outright spoke in English and had told us that she taught herself by watching movies! (This WHOLE time you spoke English!?! Haha!) We chatted at the park, I wasn't aloud to use English =/ and we shared different things that we like to do. One of her hobbies? Planking!

Today
This morning there was a huge storm! Like, I had to block the door to our room or else it would have been blown open. And I had to sacrifice my towel to cover the gap under the door to keep a flood of water from running across the floor to our suitcases! It was intense.

This month Patricia is in the United States! Once again, God has worked wonders and she is going to be able to visit my church in Salina to talk to them about the projects here and what the team will be doing when they come in October. 

Since she is out of the house, we volunteered to make lunch for the boys a couple times a week. Today we made ham and cheese stuffed chicken and mashed potatoes! It was a hit!

Though the rain has subsided all day, a big thunder just crashed outside our window… Some day soon I will post pictures of where I live ^_^ But this post is long enough today, so I will leave you with one of God’s promises from Isaiah 41:

“I have chosen you and have not rejected you,

So do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Blessings,

<3