I get carsick...and train sick...and boat sick.

Today, we went out to the Tigre. It is a town along the coast of Argentina. To get there, we had to take a couple of trains. I have never ridden a train before so I was excited about it! Well, we boarded the first train. What I had pictured to be a glamorous, cushion-seated, reclining seats train was in reality a dirty, uncomfortable form of public transportation. I, however, was still excited, until the train started moving. It was in that moment that I realized this was going to be an hour-long bumpy ride. Those of you who know me well and have traveled with me know that I get carsick pretty easily. Needless to say, I pulled out an empty plastic bag from my backpack just in case. Luckily, we didn't ride on this train too long before we switched to El Tren de la Costa (a more tourist-friendly train that actually does have comfortable seats and curtains on the windows). Also, I left my sweater on the train...my favorite gray sweater. I'm very sad...and cold.

Once we got there, we rode a boat along the delta. Well...SURPRISE! I get boat sick as well. But...I was able to hold it all in long enough to get to our destination. It was so fun today to experience a different part of Argentina. It was so peaceful out by the water and I loved looking at all the boats. Plus, we had really good fellowship with our family and a couple of friends, Pedro and Andres.

And now..for the TERRIBLE NEWS: The Subte workers are on strike. This means none of the subways are running. Just as Val and I were starting to feel that we belonged here and could get around like competent members of a city of 14 million, our preferred form of transportation has to go on strike! We DEFINITELY have not mastered the bus systems yet and our bank accounts will not like if we use taxis all the time. It should be an interesting time until the strike is over. I hope it is soon. This is good news for you faithful blog readers. I can definitely guarantee you some funny 'lost-in-the-big-city' stories.

Well...that's all for now!

peace. love. subte strike.

Alpacas, Camellos, and Canguros, OH MY!

Today, we went to the zoo with the youth. It was fun. Here are some of my favorite pictures..

AGUAFIESTAS!!!

Aguafiestas is my second favorite Spanish word. I learned it in the Spanish class Valerie and I audited last semester. When we read it, we thought it meant a pool party. It actually means "party pooper" we found out. Tonight at the youth Bible study, we were performing some skits based on James 4-5. One guy, Daniel, was acting in the play. Daniel speaks fast and normally I don't even try to understand him because it's a lost cause, but tonight I was listening to him enough to catch that wonderful word: aguafiestas. I turned to Valerie, and we immediately started laughing. We had forgotten about our word until tonight. Don't you worry, Harland Rall (that's our Spanish teacher), we WILL be using that word for the remainder of the summer.

Well, here's what I've been up to since last I blogged:

Pool-- I played pool with some people from church. It was fun. My teammate, Philip, and I won two games in a row (mostly because of him).

Noche de Pelicula--Last night, we had a movie night up at the church. We watched 'Facing the Giants' on the big screen in the auditorium. This is a low-budget football movie made by a group of Christians. The first time I saw it, I will have to admit, I laughed the whole time. The terrible acting and message of the movie all seemed a little cheesy to me. However, last night, I was extremely moved by it. The main message is "Nothing is impossible with God". This message spoke volumes to me last night. This promise has been proven true time and time again this summer in Buenos Aires. NOTHING is impossible with God.

Women's Group--Today, we hosted the women's group Bible study at our house. We talked about being good wives and appreciating the good things about your husband so that the little negative things don't seem like such a big deal. Clearly, I'm not a wife, but it was still such a wonderful experience to be with these women of God and learn from their experiences. I actually understood most of what they were saying and really feel like God opened my ears to allow me to hear and comprehend the messages they were saying. The women of this church are incredible wives, mothers, and servants. I am learning a lot from them.

Youth Group -- Tonight was our weekly Saturday night youth Bible study. We've been studying in the book of James and tonight was the final night of this study. We worked in small groups to come up with skits that portrayed the main messages of several passages in James. It was great! After youth group, we went out for some pizza with a lot of friends. I love being with the youth group! It is so interesting to me. I've only been here 25 days and these people are family to me. I look at them and I truly love and care about them. It's incredible that you can fall in love with a place and its people in such a short time, but I truly have.

Coffee time-- After youth, Valerie, Marisa (one of my sisters), and I went out for coffee. We had such wonderful conversation and I really felt the presence of God with us as we lifted each other up. Once again, it is incredible that I can love someone so much after only 25 days. Marisa is my sister and I am so blessed by the time we have spent together. It is incredible how God brings people together at perfect times! =) I look forward to much more time with my sisters!

Well, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is church and then off to the ZOO!

Metric system = some really nasty baking

How do you convert grams to cups? kilos to pounds? kilometers to miles?

Yeah, I don't know either. Valerie and I had our first try at baking from scratch in Argentina the other day. We thought we were doing everything right, but something went terribly wrong. The metric system is tricky! What was supposed to be a vanilla chocolate chip cake turned out to be spongy cornbread cake with chocolate chunks in it. It was so nasty! Bless the poor girls hearts who ate it and told us it was "muy rico" (very good).

I was able to redeem myself a little last night. I made cornbread for our Wednesday night cell group, and TA DA...it was a success. I don't know when I'll try my hand at baking again. The cornbread may have been a one-hit wonder. I'll keep you posted!

In other news, last night was our Wednesday night group. It is our English Bible study. I love this group of people. I look forward to seeing their faces in our home each Wednesday night and getting to study the Word together. Last night made me realize that we are becoming family. It has been over three weeks since I arrived here in BA, and the relationships I have formed with the people are growing each day. This truly is a home away from home! I do miss my family and friends and little things about my home in the USA, but there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be at this moment in time than here in Argentina! I know this is where God wants me to be and my soul rests in that! It is an incredible journey that I am grateful to be on each and every day. Thanks for coming along with me. There is still much more work to do and much more fun to be had here!

And...to answer the questions from the beginning (I tricked you--I really do know how to convert), 100g = 1/2 cup, there are 2.2 kilos to the pound, 1 kilometer=.62miles). So..there's really no excuse for my nasty cake! =(

(The pictures attached are of Catedral Nacional. It is beautiful!)

We are locals

Valerie and I are sitting in a cafe right now doing some work. We were looking out the window, and someone passed that we know. We waved and said "Hola!" to him as he passed on the sidewalk. We, my friends, are real locals.

Just felt the need to share that.

Quiero vivir en una casa de muchos colores

I love colors! Most people think that brightly colored houses are tacky, but those people have never been to La Boca. La Boca is a little province in Buenos Aires that is covered in color-pink, yellow, blue, green, red, purple-you name it, it's probably on at least one building. After WWII, some of the Italians who immigrated to South America docked their ships at La Boca. They used the paints that were left on the ship to paint their houses and buildings. Because they had various amounts of various colors, all the buildings ended up being painted different colors! They are so cute!!

Now, my history isn't perfect...this is just what I've been told and what I've read. I'm guessing they've probably had to repaint some of the buildings since then, but I'm assuming they've kept the original colors. Well, the history is irrelevant. Not really, but it is irrelevant to the fact that I love multi-colored houses and would like to live in one someday!

Also, in La Boca, I learned a few tango steps. Yes, that's right. We went to a restaurant for lunch and there was a private tango performance for us. After the dancers performed, they asked Val and I if we'd like to learn a few steps. We, of course, jumped at the opportunity and took a lot of pictures. Needless to say, they asked me to join their dance troupe and travel the world teaching the tango.

In other news, I'm feeling MUCH BETTER! Thanks for your prayers. Hopefully, I will remain healthy for the duration of the summer! =)

What is church?

So...I've updated my blog everyday this weekend. Usually, I try to leave a day or two in between blog posts so people don't get behind on reading it. Let's face it, most people probably don't stalk my blog everyday to make sure to stay current on all my postings (except you, Mom--haha), and when people do check it, you probably don't want to have to read 3 or 4 posts to catch up from the last time. However, I've just had a lot I wanted to write about lately. So, the lesson to learn from this is: Check my blog everyday, maybe twice a day just to make sure you never miss a post! =)

Today, I spent 9 hours up at the church. It was a special gathering of all the Churches of Christ from the greater Buenos Aires area. There were probably close to 200 people there. We started out with a lunch, then had a time of fellowship (which included playing ping pong, visiting, cleaning up from lunch, etc), had worship service, and ended the day with a merienda (the first dinner we have here).

These activities got me thinking: What exactly is church? In my experience, it has always been get up on Sunday morning, go to Bible class (usually unwillingly, I must admit), go to the church service (watching the clock the whole time wondering how much longer this preacher will persist), then rushing out the door to beat all the other churchgoers to lunch. Today was a different experience and felt more like what I think church was intended to be. Church is a family. Families eat together, play together, pray together, worship together, and just enjoy being in each other's presence.

I like the South American view of church--an all day affair. Did I miss my Sunday afternoon nap? Of course. Did my feet get tired from standing in heels all day? Of course. But, what I enjoyed most about today was not the worship service (though it was good) nor the food, but instead the sense of community I felt. There was a mutual desire to be together. Nobody was checking their clock wondering when they could go home, plop down on the couch, and turn on sports. Nobody was trying to figure out which restaurant would be the least crowded or the fastest. Instead, everybody was talking, laughing, and pitching in to make sure everybody was comfortable and well fed.

This is the type of church I want to be a part of. This is the type of church I believe God intended for us to have. I am exhausted from the long day today, but at the same time I have been rejuvenated by the amazing body of believers that I am blessed to be a part of here in Argentina.

Dios es Amor

Tonight, I went to a youth meeting at Villa Urquiza (a church about 20 minutes from my house). It was a devotional of all three youth groups, along with a talent show and birthday celebration for a woman at Urquiza.

We all sang the song "Love One Another". It was beautiful! The words, "Dios es Amor" brought tears to my eyes. Possibly, it's because I'm sick and tired and so my emotions are heightened. But, I really think it's because the words penetrated my heart like they never have before. The reason is that the people of these three congregations truly know the meaning of the words "Dios es Amor". He who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. The people here love each other like nothing I've ever experienced before. They spend all their spare time together and know each other in a deep and meaningful way. Tonight, this precious woman from Urquiza celebrated her birthday with about 60 young people. That's all she wanted--to be with fellow believers on her birthday. Not only to be with them, but to share food, entertainment, and the word of God with them on this special day. THAT is love.

Other highlights of the past few days:

Pijama Party--yes, that is how you say pajama party in Spanish! Some girls came over last night. It was crazy! Unfortunately, I didn't get to participate much with them since I am sick, but I think it was a great time of fellowship for everyone else.

Empanadas- Valerie and I made empanadas last night for the first time. They are a HUGE staple food here (the picture is on the right...pretty good, huh?) Excuse the nastiness that is me in the picture...remember, I have strep. hahahaha.

Okay...well, I've gotta go get some rest and hopefully get well! Thanks for the prayers...keep them coming!

Would anybody care for some streptococo?

I am currently laying in my bed in Argentina with strep. =( I've been feeling bad since yesterday and realized last night that I thought I had strep. I was really hoping I didn't, but I woke up this morning feeling worse and knew I was going to have to go to the doctor.

We went to this nice clinic and we were treated SO well there. My "mom" went and translated for me, and of course Valerie came along for the ride. This is where I found out that the Spanish word for "streptococcus" is "streptococo", which to Valerie and I sounds like a hot drink to order at a cafe. So, rest assured, even when I'm sick, I'm still able to laugh at the funny daily happenings here in BA.

Well, keep me in your prayers. Hopefully, I'll feel better soon!

Valerie, I need you to get out the phone. VALERIE, GET OUT THE PHONE NOW!

Okay...before reading this, I need everyone to realize that Valerie and I are totally safe here. Mom, this story might frighten you a little, but as soon as I talk to you on the phone, I will tell you all the things I remembered you teaching me about what to do in situations like this one. My life was never in danger...I don't think.

The Subte is mine and Valerie's top choice of transportation. It is easier for us to navigate than the bus and much cheaper than a taxi. Valerie and I have been here for 15 days now and have taken the subway almost everyday. The first few days, we took it the wrong way or got lost a little bit, but in recent days, we have been successfully navigating the subte every time. We have even been making 2 or 3 connections from line to line recently. Well, apparently, Valerie and I lost our heads last night for a little while...and consequently, almost our lives (just kidding).

Valerie and I left the youth meeting last night at church around 8:30pm. We walked down to the subway stop and boarded the subway as normal. However, we both realized that it wasn't normal this time--there was nobody on the train. I got an eerie feeling about this and asked Val if we should get out and check the next traincar to see if there were people on that one. As Val was deciding what she wanted to do, the train began to move. The doors did not close, though. At this point, I got a little worried, but I figured we'd just get off whenever this train stopped and get a taxi to take us the rest of the way home. (You see, the subway closes at night. I didn't know what time it normally closed, but I thought maybe it was closing and we just happened to get on the train. I knew it was going to have to stop somewhere, so at this point, I was worried, but figured we'd be out soon). At this point, Valerie poked her head out the door that was still open and made eye contact with a few subway workers who were standing on the platform. Through the horrified look on her face and the emphatic hand gestures she was giving, she informed them that we had no idea where this subway was going and why nobody was on it (this is an important detail of the story to remember).

Well, the subway traveled for a little bit before it began to slow and eventually stopped...in the middle of nowhere...underground...in the dark. At this point, my heart was pounding out of my chest. It was like something out of a horror movie. Two young girls, traveling alone, get stuck underground on the subway tracks. It was like the point in the movie when an ax murdered jumps aboard the train. So...I turned to Val and said, "I'm about to throw up. You need to get our phone out right now. VALERIE, GET THE PHONE OUT NOW!"

We saw a man walking down the tracks toward the car we were in. You know how there is a "fight or flight" reaction to everything? Well, we found out last night that I have a "fight" reaction and Val has a "flight" reaction. I immediately made my way to the open door of the train and prepared myself to attack this mystery man. Valerie had the phone in her hand, ready to dial Osvaldo, but began to back away from the doors slowly. Valerie said, "Senor? Senor?" The man jumped from the tracks up into the train car. At this moment, Valerie was the one almost throwing up, but I knew from looking at the man's uniform and his face that he was the train conductor and was there only to help us, not harm us or anything. Apparently, the three men Val had seen on the platform earlier had radio-ed to the conductor to tell him there were passengers on the train.

We said (of course, all in Spanish) "What's going on?" The conductor began rattling off in Spanish and the only word I caught was "caminando" which means "walking". I said, "Caminando contigo, por favor? (Walking with you, please?)" I knew I did not want to walk those subway tracks alone. He helped Val and I get out of the subway and led us down the tracks. We apologized profusely and explained to him that we're not from here. We had apparently boarded the train that they were putting up for the night! He just laughed and even let us take some pictures walking down the tracks. He led us up to the platform and made sure we got onto the right train and knew which stop to get off at. Praise God for this man's kind heart!

In summary, I have never been so scared in my whole life. I have no idea what could have possibly happened to Valerie and me down there, but I thank God that everything turned out alright. I only suffered a minor heart attack, so I'd say that's pretty good. But, seriously, only read this story to laugh at the ridiculous adventures we have daily in Buenos Aires. Don't worry about our safety...God is protecting us even when we do REALLY dumb things! I've attached some pictures for your enjoyment! =)

peace. love. subway tracks,
Hannah

GOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL!

Attention all readers (and I know there are SO many of you):

I, HANNAH ANDERSON, SCORED A GOAL PLAYING FUTBOL TONIGHT AGAINST A TEAM OF ALL ARGENTINE MEN!

Believe it because it is true. I have a great cloud of witnesses that can testify to the truth of this statement. Yes, Valerie and I were talked into playing arena soccer tonight with some of the youth and the men from the church. The two of us and Maria Laura (one of our sisters) were the only girls playing (there were two other teams of all men). However, Val and I brought the fire of the USA on those Argentines. We would have made you all proud. I have included some photos for you entertainment (obviously, these are reenactments--we were moving much too fast during the real game to get a clear picture). Ha!

This weekend has been wonderful. It has been relaxing, and yet very productive. We worked more on the billboard. Man, this project is a big one! It's coming together nicely and we should be able to finish it with one more morning of work! Saturday, we got to spend a lot of time with the youth! Our relationships with them are strengthening everyday, and communication is becoming easier! God is merciful! We were able to get together and play cards with them before the youth meeting. Then, we had Bible study, and after Bible study, soccer. It was so wonderful to be with them talking, laughing, and studying God's word! The community between the teens here is incredible. They laugh together, cry together, struggle together, study together, and have so lovingly welcomed Valerie and I to do these things with them as well. Community is powerful! We could all learn a lesson from these teens!

I was happy to find a McDonald's less than a block from where we were playing soccer. Pedro, William, Maria Laura, Valerie, and I went to the glorious golden arches and I had a Big Mac. Yes, a Big Mac, and I ate the WHOLE thing! (see pictures)

Today, Valerie and I went back to the province, Recoleta, to do some more souvenir shopping at an artisan fair. I bought lots of cool things. When I say I bought, I mean Valerie bought because I'm still waiting on my debit card in the mail. Pray that that arrives safely! We got lost...go figure. We got on the 92 bus going the wrong way. We rode it until the bus driver yelled at us to get off (apparently, it was the final stop). We were in a pretty shady part of town and it was starting to get dark. Valerie and I never panic when we're lost--we always know we can find some way home, and worse case scenario, we'll take a taxi. We walked and TA DA...there was the Subte! The C line...normally, we only ride the A line, so we were excited to ride a new line! We just rode the C line until it met the A line and made it home with no problems. So, Mom, don't worry. Even though we might get lost, we're competent travelers, and we always find our way home!

peace.love.futbol

Did you say bulletin board? I think you meant BILLBOARD.

Hola! So...Val and I have been working on a project for a little bit now. We are making a bulletin board of all the church ministries and activities for the area wide meeting next Sunday. We've been printing out all these pictures Osvaldo gave to us. Everyday, he gives us more pictures. Val and I kept saying to each other, "There's no way all these pictures are going to fit on a bulletin board". Little did we know that the bulletin board was a billboard. Seriously, it is massive. (A picture of the beginning and the progress we've made so far are at the right). We are still not finished, obviously, but are actually printing more pictures as I write this.

An update from my last blog entry: Things are definitely looking up here. I think I was looking for something tangible to be able to see that my work here was making any sort of impact. I have realized that this is a selfish desire and a sign of an immature faith. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). Although I do not see or have a tangible thing to recognize that God is working here in BA, I have a faith that is certain of what I do not see. I am certain that God is working through me and within me to transform my heart and the hearts of the people here. What more do I need to see or know? Nothing! Thank you all for all of your prayers...keep them coming!

And I will leave you with this picture...Valerie and I found Oreos and Chips Ahoy in a supermercado here. Also, we found Lay's potato chips, but they aren't pictured. It was a good day! =)

peace. love. argentina.
Hannah

Triple Dog Dare...vos sabes?

The triple dog dare is a manipulative tactic used especially by Valerie Hanneken. Don't get it confused with the dare, double dare, or even the double dog dare. These have no effect on me. Dare me to punch a brick wall, I won't. Double dare, I will say no. Double dog dare, I will refuse still. Triple dog dare, however, and I will have to reconsider. I recently told Valerie my philosophy on the different levels of "dare" (bad idea). Today, over lunch, we had butternut squash, a delicacy Valerie enjoys but I do not. I figured Valerie would eat it and so I would not have to. She, however, did not. I made facial expressions across the table to her to eat the food so I wouldn't have to, and she still refused. Then, she looked at me and mouthed those 3 fateful words: Triple dog dare. I looked at her with a look of impending doom, grabbed the spoon, and ate a heaping pile of butternut squash. Thank you, Val.

Yesterday was our first private Spanish lesson. It was crazy! They don't speak Spanish here in Argentina; they speak Catallano (I think that's what it is called). The tu form is not used here. So, all the lessons I learned about tu aren't useful to me anymore. They use the vos form. Not the vosotros form like they use in Spain, but the vos form (a form only common to Argentina). So.....I'm learning a totally new form of Spanish that will no longer be useful once I get back to the states. Gotta love it! Haha! But...now I can say I'm sort of tri-lingual. Maybe that's cheating.

Anyways, the past couple days have been interesting for me. I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to miss home a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I still love it here and still definitely want to be here! It is hard for me right now because I haven't quite discovered my purpose here. Most of the ministry I've ever done has been with little children. That's where I'm comfortable. That's where I feel God has equipped me to work. In BA, I'm working with teens and adults mostly. I haven't quite found how God can use me in this way, and I have to admit that it is a bit discouraging. I want to be used by God in powerful ways. Please keep praying for me. Pray that I will be used in powerful ways here. Pray that I will trust in God's perfect timing and plan. Most of all, pray that I will have a great enough faith to realize that God IS using me even when I feel completely useless.

Mission: Possible!

Yes, believe it...I have conquered the Subway! Valerie and I rode the subway system today and switched trains twice successfully. Basically, I'm a pro at living in the big city soon and should be completely self-sufficient on any public transportation in any city worldwide. Just kidding. But seriously, you should have seen us today!

Mondays are days off for the Valdez family and, therefore, days off for Val and I as well. We went out to Plaza de Mayo this morning. It is basically the political and historical district of Buenos Aires. The Casa Rosada is there. It is where the president works. It is much like the White House, but the President doesn't live there. We also saw Catedral Nacional and some other federal buildings. This plaza is also where Big Ben is (No, not the real Big Ben. Clearly, that is in England). The British gave this model of Big Ben to Argentina, so it looks pretty similar. The Casa Rosada is also where Evita addressed the working class, and the location for Madonna's famous rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina!" Those pictures are here for you to see!

Tonight, we went to a movie with the family. We saw Made of Honor. Movies here are in English with Spanish subtitles. So...I was able to understand it. Also, I read most of the subtitles to learn some Spanish! Then, we played DDR at the arcade in the mall. It was so fun!

Well, tomorrow is Valerie's 22nd birthday! Actually, it is already happening here since it's past midnight! So...FELIZ CUMPLEANOS, VALERIA! I think tomorrow will be a fun day!! =)

My blood pressure is at the maxi when I'm riding in a taxi!

Oh wow! The streets here are out of control!! In the past two days, I have ridden in 4 taxis and 4 buses. Each time I get in one, I just close my eyes and say a little prayer. I can't watch the road or any other cars around me because the vehicles get so close to one another. My heart basically stops beating every time I look. The streets have no lanes; they just fit as many cars right next to each other as they can. I mean, I know I'm not the best driver, but I have NEVER been that close to another car!

Anyways, there are many things to note from today and yesterday. Everyday is such a cultural and spiritual adventure. I'm going to make a list and briefly describe each. Hopefully, this doesn't become a 3-page post.

Running in the park: Valerie and I decided to start running at a park about 3 blocks away from the house. We went yesterday morning for the first time only to find that this park is rather small and doesn't really have a good layout for running. We still decided to run since we wanted to exercise. We ran kind of in a zig zag pattern, probably 10 laps in like five minutes. Apparently, people don't run anywhere in this neighborhood. Maybe we'll try to find a new place!

Argenchina: For lunch yesterday, we ate at an Asian vegetarian place in Argentina. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet...very interesting! Don't think I'll be going there again. Steak, por favor!

Grocery shopping: We went to the supermercado with Laura yesterday. It was the biggest one I've ever seen and even had an escalator in the store! You can bet Val and I were snapping pictures left and right. (I've posted some). Laura may not ever take us anywhere again! Haha!

Recoleta: Today, we went to an arts and crafts fair in another part of the city. I bought a hat and a ring and found a lot of other souvenirs that I'm going to buy later! Here, we also went to a cemetery where lots of rich and famous people of Argentina are buried, like Eva Peron (Evita). The design of the tombs and memorials is incredible! (I've posted some pictures of that as well, but the photos just don't do it justice).

These are just a few of the funny and wonderful memories from the last couple of days! Tomorrow, we are going to Sunday morning service for the first time! I'm excited! More to come!

Medienda = Sonic Happy Hour

Yesterday, I went out for my first ever medienda. Medienda is like tea time in Britain, but here people get coffee, tea, or mate and sometimes a little snack (medialunas). Laura, Marisa, Valerie, and I went out for medienda. I got a cappuchino and some medialunas (To the right, you will see a picture documenting my first ever medienda). And for those of you who are wondering, yes I do drink coffee now. I also drink tea and mate and eat lots of things that I don't eat in the states normally. As Valerie always tells me, "This is a growing summer for you". I feel like medienda is like Sonic Happy Hour. It is the pick-me-up you need in the late afternoon to be able to make it through all the night's activities. So, I'm feeling right at home! haha!

Yesterday was a good day. We were able to relax some and really spend time with our mom, Laura, and sister, Marisa. We had such great conversations. (To the right is a pic of Valerie, Marisa, and me after our medienda). It is such a blessing to be living with the Valdez family. We already feel right at home with them and we are able to be so open and honest with each other. There is never a dull moment with 5 women, 1 man, and 1 bathroom! =)

Each day gets a little better as far as understanding and speaking Spanish goes. Last night, we had a Spanish cell group. I was able to understand a lot at the beginning, but got a little lost after the first hour because focusing so hard on understanding the words is exhausting! Valerie and I are starting our Spanish tutoring next week. We have a woman who teaches ESL here in Argentina coming to the house for 3 hours a week. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to being able to speak more and more! Continue to pray for us! Pray that God would help us overcome the language barrier and open doors for us to minister through actions more than words! Love you all!