Day 3 ... Monday (Part I)

So our guests didn't leave tonight until well after midnight. At that point, we sent the girls back to their house (with Sam as their escort) and we are all going to bed. We will give an account of our day tomorrow after breakfast when we reconvene ... I will only say that I truly believe we are all in love with Argentina and their people at this point. I am already dreading leaving on Friday. :( 

Buenos noches for now.

Day Two ... SUNDAY!

Well, we just had a really fun time reading the comments friends and family left! Thank you, thank you. We're going to try to give you another summary from each of us about our experiences today. I'll start with what happened after we blogged last night. We got to meet the precious Suarez family who have two daughters -- Rocio and Lucero -- 16 years old and 11 years old, respectively. They were a little shy with us at first, but once Bekah and I decided to make dorks of ourselves and try out our Spanish, they become more experimental with their English. By the end of the night, we had fallen in love with these girls and were making promises to see each other again before we leave. I went to bed last night so excited that, yes, even in another culture, I still LOVE teenagers. And Rocio is really not all that different from my teens at home -- she's into shopping, text messaging, Facebook, etc. No wonder we could understand each other so well. Anyway, please pray for our new friends ... we will hopefully get to see them again tomorrow night and share our faith as the opportunity lends itself.

And now, we'll tell you about today (as chronologically as possible) ...

Chris: So we didn't get up and do our group ru

n/walk/jog because we were just too tired. (We

 actually all decided not to last night.) We got up around 9:30 and got a donut and had a devotion with Ted and Connie. I played with Pebbles, the dog -- that was pretty chill.

Sam: I enjoyed Ted and Connie's insights about their time in the middle east. [We are all agreeing right now.]

Rebekah: Yeah, I really enjoyed hearing Ted's testimony about what led them here to Argentina.

Matt: Around noon, several of us walked to the "chicken place" - meat store - and it smelled,

like, super good. I think the chicken tastes better here. And, no, Mom - there is no Dr Pepper here but the Coke is really good.

Amelia: After lunch, Krissi and I made posters for the skit - we had to translate "Sins Forgiven" and "Free of Charge" into Spanish for the posters. Krissi wrote and I colored while Chris kept trying to take a serious picture of us - but we kept laughing and he didn't like that.

Brendon: When we took the bus to Rawson where the Baptist church is, I slept. We were going to hang out with the "youth group" there which is people from ages 13-30. Brice, Chris, Nolan and I got to go play soccer with a group of them. It was hard because we played on gravel and 

I'm used to grass.

Brice: I scored the winning goal!! (Actually, I kind of hit the ball and was really happy when it went into the goal.)

Nolan: My team would've won if we'd had more time!

Chris: One kid named Christian said he liked Guns N Roses and we were like, "Yeah!" Pretty crazy.

Sam: They tried to make us drink wood chips.

Krissi: Actually, it was called "mate"(pronounced mah-tay) and it was herbs in hot water that you sip through a metal straw that strains the herbs out. I'm pretty sure it was like licking an ash tray (not that I've ever done that before, but I imagine that is what it would taste like!) But it was fun to watch each of us suffer through it -- and we all had to share the same straw. It's the custom. Yep, we shared germs, too.

Emily: I did it first! So I didn't have to drink after anyone!

Rebekah: I had fun talking to Laura and her boyfriend, Axel, who are English-learning students here.

Emily: Yeah, I wear Nolan's ring on my necklace and Laura informed me that here that means I'm looking for a boyfriend. Don't think I'll wear it tomorrow ...

Krissi: After tea and "mate," they brought out a ping-pong table and we taught them how to play Around The World ping-pong with a big group. It was so much fun and a great icebreaker! We were laughing and getting people out like crazy. I think they really enjoyed that one.

Matt: The youth here are pretty much the same as us except they speak a different language.

Chris: But they didn't like roasting marshmallows! I mean, it's just sugar and air.

Brice: But we didn't like their "mate" either.

Krissi: One of the activities was that we made a fire and taught them how to roast marshmallows. We were SHOCKED that most of them didn't think too much of the marshmallows. A few of them really got into it, but the rest were like, "Eh."

Amelia: Connie got all of us together and we each had to choose an Argentine partner. We made the beaded bracelets with the colors that tell the salvation story. We read through it in Spanish. Laura was my partner and I got to learn more about her working through that. She speaks pretty good English.

Krissi: My partner was Tania and she cracked me up! She loves to laugh and talk, even when I don't understand her. She decided that she should make my bracelet and I should make hers. So, we each made a bracelet with the charm we picked out and then tied it on each other's wrist. Then, we kissed on the cheek and took a picture. I will cherish this bracelet because she made it for 

me ... what a sweetheart! We also sat together during the worship service and I wish I could see her again, but I'm not sure that will happen before we meet in heaven.

Nolan: I have to say, I've never been kissed so much in my life! But it's all good ... so, during the worship service, we got to perform a skit to the Spanish version of "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams. In the skit, I play Jesus and I "wash" people's sins away. I didn't know how people would react to it until I could see their faces.

Teri: During the service, the music was awesome! A lot of the songs were recognizable - like "How Great Thou Art" and "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Celebrate Jesus" and "God Will Make A Way" -- after that, we moved onto the kids' skit and I watched the people as the skit was going on. At the end of the skit, so many of them were wiping tears from their face. It was just awesome.

Krissi: I enjoyed listening to them read the Bible in Spanish - I knew enough words that I could follow along in my own Bible (Tania would help me decipher what book and chapter, though). The whole service was RICH in Scripture reading. Read Psalm 47 this week -- that was one of the ones they read aloud during the worship music.

Sam: They called me up onstage at one point and asked me to share a little bit about our group and our purpose. I talked about our "think glocally" vision (with Grady translating) and when I wasn't sure what else to say, I said the one thing I had just learned in Spanish - "Dios de bendiga!" and everyone laughed and clapped. (It means "God bless you" and they apparently REALLY appreciate when we attempt to use their language.)

Krissi: Yeah, but then you need to tell them how you REALLY messed up the language AFTER the service.

Sam: [sighing] I was trying to ask a girl what her name was [which is "Como te llamas?"] Instead I said, "Te amo" which means "I love you." Good thing Tania was there to correct my mistake. It was definitely ... awkward.

Connie: I know that the church really enjoyed having yall there. It was fun to see it all come together today.

Ted: I just want to say goodnight and God bless! [It's about 12:30am at this point. Ted is tired.]

So, we didn't have dinner until 11:30 tonight and it was fabulous pizza with extra stringy cheese. Mmmm. We look forward to another awesome day tomorrow. Thank you again for checking in and for the prayers and comments. We love hearing from home.

First Impressions

We're here! And we are sitting together in Grady and Claire's living room with our new friend, Eli -- a 24-year-old missionary from Alabama. Connie and Ted - who I must say look GREAT and who we are SO HAPPY to see - are helping cook up some amazing hamburgers -- we are VERY hungry! :) So, here's what we're going to do to give you a quick run-through of the last 24+ hours ... we're going to write this like a screenplay, so you can hear from everyone who wants to contribute. Here we go.

Krissi: Hey, guys ... let's tell everyone about our first impressions. Start with the travel.

Rebekah: I survived my first flight -- even though it was soooo long and impossible to sleep.

Chris: Yeah, planes aren't meant for people who are 6'4".

Amelia: I couldn't sleep, so I used the time to finish a 9-page book report and a geometry test. Go me!

Matt: I got a high score on Tetris!

Brice: Episodes of The Office saved my life. [Chris is tattling on Brice that he actually watched some Hannah Montana, too. Shhh ... don't tell.]

Krissi: I think the only people who got actual good sleep were Sam and Nolan. I got to listen to Teri laugh out loud as she watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

Nolan: Yeah, I slept like a baby.

Emily: I've never seen a sunrise so magnificent!! [everybody is verbally agreeing here]

Krissi: OK, so the first flight was long, but we made it. Now, let's hear about experiences since we've been in the country. I'll start -- I have to say that I knew I wasn't in Texas the moment I saw the vegetation in Buenos Aires -- there are like five different types of trees that look nothing like at home and I was just mesmerized by them! Very cool ...

Matt: The first thing I noticed were the signs all in Spanish but with English underneath. [very helpul, by the way] I did feel like my french fries at McDonalds here in Argentina taste different from at home. The Coke tastes better. [Chris is agreeing with him at this point.]

Brendon: I felt like my Pringles tasted different, too, once I ate them in Argentina. [Krissi laughs at this since they came from AMERICA - she thinks it's all in his head.]

Amelia: On the bus to the second airport, we could practically reach out and touch the cars next to us, they drive so close! And then they get up soooo close on the bumper that it almost looks like they hit. Krissi and Emily and I also had an interesting time trying to understand our taxi cab driver ... all while watching him narrowly miss hitting the car in front of him.

Wendy: I didn't realize that Trelew was such a desert place. It looks like West Texas here! Ted and Connie and Grady and Claire have been so hospitable.

Teri: It has just been wonderful to see old friends who are so near and dear -- and making new friends who we have so much in common with. [We are laughing at Teri right now because she and Claire discovered that they have two of the same bowls that they bought 30 years ago.]

Brice: There are like a billion apartments here -- with dogs running around. You have to watch where you step in case they left you a present.

Rebekah: I got to go to the store with Claire and use my Spanish skills -- that was very cool! And I get my own room -- because I'm special!

Krissi: Yeah, I get to sleep at the guy's house -- Connie, Pebbles (the coolest dog), and me are the only girls. But, it's nice for once to get to be with my husband - that NEVER happens at youth events.

One thing that is worth mentioning is the shock on the boys' faces when we arrived to the second airport ... a group of very manly 20-something men stepped through the gate. The boys were watching them, trying to figure out if they were soccer players. But when these men said goodbye, they all embraced and kissed each other on the cheeks. Our boys freaked. We had to explain that it was the custom here -- that's how everyone greets. They soon had to engage in this kind of behavior tonight as they met new people! I think all of our boys should start practicing this custom with each other while we are here -- doesn't the Bible even say "greet each other with a holy kiss?" LOL. We are already being stretched out of our comfort zones.

So the hamburgers are smelling REALLY great about now ... our tummies are rumbling. Sam couldn't contribute tonight because he is out changing money with Ted while we are doing this. I will say that he has done an EXCELLENT job as our leader -- maneuvering a group of 12 Americans through a foreign country including three different transportation methods. He is tired, though. Go Sam!

Here is our schedule tomorrow (that we know of so far) -- Argentines don't really get up or get active early in the mornings. So, we're planning to sleep in a little bit - and since we have athletes who need to stay in shape [and old people like me who need to get in shape], we decided we would go on a group walk/jog/run around the local track in the morning. Church isn't until the evening, so we're going to drive out to Rawson to meet the teenagers there and practice our Spanish with them! We've got marshmallows and Easter eggs that we're going to introduce them to - fun!! Anyway, there is just too much to tell about the last day or so, but hopefully you were entertained by some of it. Pray for restful sleep tonight and for us to be prepared to talk with the locals about our relationship with Christ. Pray that we can encourage and serve Ted and Connie (and Grady and Claire) while we are here.

Thanks - keep checking the blog!

And We're Off ... Almost.

A COLOSSAL thank you to Katrina for getting this thing up and running! If left up to me, I'm not sure it would have gotten done in time ... 

So I have to say that we are very excited about the trip, despite the busy-ness of getting ready for it. Not only will it be fun to see our friends (Ted and Connie) again, but it seems like we will really get to spend time with the people and community there -- that means meeting other teenagers and children! I'm totally pumped.

We leave for the airport tomorrow at 3:45pm and will not arrive at our destination until Saturday at 6:00pm (which will be 3:00pm here). That's a LOT of travel time - and I am looking forward to spending it with the crew going! Speaking of our crew ... here is a list:

Sam Dallas

Krissi Dallas

Rebekah Fahey

Teri Mullins

Emily Mullins

Wendy Wood

Amelia Wood

Nolan Dunlap

Brice Warren

Brendon Riley

Chris Mueller

Matt Mueller

While there, we are hoping to update this site with more interesting tales of our Argentinian Adventure! For now, we greatly appreciate prayers for safe travel and some kind of satisfying sleep through the night. We don't want to start the trip out exhausted! Pray for Rebekah, too, as she is a first-time flyer. LOL - this will be quite an initiation!

Thank you for the prayers, the support, and the blog visits. We'll see you back here later. And now I've gotta go -- it's 9:00pm and I still haven't finished packing. Yep, it's true ...

(Oh, and happy 50th birthday to Greg Warren!)

Argentina 2009

Seven youth and five adults will be leaving Friday night, March 13, for Trelew, Argentina.
Please pray for safe travel, health, and opportunities to share the good news even before they step off the plane.
Watch this blog for updates!