A class that really impacted me..

This week, I’m taking a class called servant leadership. I’m excited because it’s actually a second year class in Schroon Lake. Our teacher, Bruce Peterson, is giving us many profitable pieces of wisdom and knowledge. I’m sure these things will be carried out throughout how I live the rest of my life. Many of them are so relevant to everyday life and just being prepared for the future, whatever it may hold. A lot of life isn’t planned or thought through, it just happens to us. To be honest, much of it can just be a waste of time and we wonder where the years have gone. The other day, I really didn’t have much to do and I realized that I wasn’t productive at all. I began thinking about that later on, I accomplished absolutely nothing as I sat on the computer all day. To have a successful life, it really takes self-discipline, motivation, and commitment. If I want to be a spiritual leader, then I need to do everything with excellence, I need to go above and beyond, while keeping in mind that this work for the Lord will never be in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). At the end of my life, I want to hear the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

A lot of living a life of excellence has to do with relationships. These relationships are both vertical (between you and God) and horizontal (between you and others). The first and foremost, is our vertical relationship to God, which is the base and foundation to all other relationships that we have. I’m called to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind. He needs to be the center of my desires and affections, my whole being and uniqueness, even my intellect. By loving God this way, all my horizontal relationships will be impacted. I’m actually called to love like Jesus did, which makes me feel like such a failure as I compare myself to Him. If my heart is right with God and I have an intimate relationship with Him, the results of my life will fall into place. So many times this past year, the word “legalism” has popped up. In society, legalism focuses a lot on the results instead on the relationships. I think that in order for someone to follow a rule, they first have to have the right heart attitude. It’s the same with results. If we first develop the right relationship with Christ, then the results in the other areas of our lives will not be a problem.

Some challenging questions that I’ve never deeply concentrated on came up during this subject. Some questions that I asked myself were these...what priority level is God in my life? Is there anything else that I’m putting before Him? What do I think about most during my day? Are my thoughts consumed with Him? Each of us leave a legacy. The teacher from this past week brought up a critical question. He said, “If you were to take a survey from everyone in the room, what two words would be used to describe you? Is it good? What do the people around you think?” We don’t realize that legacies are left not only for when we die, but it’s a day by day impression that people get about us. When we lead like Jesus, our legacy will glorify the Lord and build strong relationships. Leave a legacy that impacts others and makes them wonder what’s different.

God gives us many guidelines in the Bible that demonstrate how we should care for one another. It’s so much easier to talk about something than to actually prove what we’re saying by showing it. God calls us to love fervently, be at peace with one another, show respect, honoring each other above ourselves, and accept one another just as Christ accepts us. Loving each other the way Christ loves us is so incredibly hard. We are unwilling to forgive people, and we don’t even know all the sins they’ve committed. I don’t know if I would ever be able to give my life for someone, and yet Christ did this, even knowing all of our sinful ways. What an incredible love, knowing how tainted by sin we are and yet still giving your life.

The process of change to Christlikeness, though an easy concept, can be hard to flesh out in daily life. The teacher this week asked us how often we listened for God’s voice. So many people wonder what the will of God is, but don’t really seek to hear the answer. A lot of times, with the busyness of life, we can’t even hear God’s “gentle whisper” amongst all the shouting. Quality time with God helps us eliminate all the distractions, letting Him speak clearly the purpose and direction He has for us.

Within the human mind, there is a battle going on. Daily we have to live on a spiritual battlefield. We know who our battle is against, but it’s so hard when our flesh has the desires of the old person, while our new self wants to be pleasing to God. Bottom line, we need to think the way God wants us to. The mind is such a hard thing to control, because it’s completely open and always “on”. Unlike a chalkboard that can be erased, the mind remembers what happened in the past. The mind has no delete or backspace button, all the good and bad are recorded until we die. The devil is able to use this aspect of our lives to win the war internally. The mind is so powerful and controlling. One thought or wrong desire can turn a life upside down, ruining it to the point of no return.

The Bible calls us to have a mind that is both transformed and renewed. I have the choice of having the mind of Christ or the mind of the flesh, and I can’t have both. Living on the fence never got anyone anywhere, and showcased a less-than-desirable testimony for Christ. It’s no wonder that Christians are often labeled as hypocrites. In 2 Corinthians 10, we are called to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. It is that important! The temptation will always be there, we live in a world of sin and are surrounded by it. These temptations don’t have to remain and grab hold though. We are to become so possessed with the mind of Christ that we resemble Him and reproduce the life that He lived, now that’s taking control.

It’s always good to realize that we are in a daily war and identify the areas where we struggle. Satan is battling for the mind, not the body. This is because he knows that if he has the mind, he already has the body. It’s so amazing to know that everything we do, whether good or bad, originates here. We have decisions to make, and we need to learn to say no to them. It’s so important that we not rationalize and discount the effects of sin. The more we do it, the less guilty we feel and the less we realize just how fast it’s sucking us in (1 Timothy 4). Consequently, we find ourselves drowning in the depths and we don’t even know how we got there.

In our class, the teacher also taught us about the importance of time management. In Ephesians 5:15-18, Paul tells us to walk as wise people, making the most of every opportunity. The days are evil, and it is important to understand what the will of the Lord is. Lots of time can be spent on absolutely nothing. For example, I know that the internet is an important part of life, but it’s not supposed to be consuming life either. God wants us to be productive and remember that our life doesn’t last forever. There’s always enough time to do what God wants us to do, if we manage our time correctly. I think it’s so important to enjoy life, day by day, and what God is doing in our lives. Lots of times I find myself rushing through life, setting goals for myself and not focusing on the daily relationships and ministry. I don’t want to miss the best part of my life because I was too busy to focus on the present.

Priorities and goals should be set in life. Often people go through life, just living.. and nothing more. I don’t want to live my life just to live my life, I want purpose! Some people spend more time planning their vacations than they do their future. I have the liberty to set my course and direction in life. I want to be the person God wants me to be and I want to do things the right way, effectively and efficiently. (or God’s way)

Another important part in living life is to make sure that God is in it, obviously. If God isn’t the one controlling our every step, we’re not going to profit in the end. It doesn’t matter how successful we are now, eternity is much more important. God’s not going to make provision for something he hasn’t been a part of all along. Lot’s of times the situation is going to be much harder and won’t be as much of a success than if God is in it. Here in Argentina, this pretty much directly applies to my life. A few times I have asked myself, “What am I doing here? This is impossible!” That’s when I remember, well duh, God called you and He’s as faithful as it gets. He’s not going to leave you high and dry because His plan didn’t work out. He’s God, He can do anything. You’re not gonna be the first person He “messes up” on, all His plans always work out. There aren’t any statistics with God, He’ll always get 100%. This has been such an encouragement to me these past few months. As long as I’m in God’s will, then everything is going to work out, but it’s when I step out of what He wants me to do that my life crashes. With God, there will always be a solution.

The world is completely based on results and numbers. How successful you are is based on how much money you make, or how well your grades are. It’s different with God, you can’t measure Christlikeness with statistics. You could be the poorest person that ever lived, but in reality, you are one of the richest because you have the gift of eternal life. This life matters, but in comparison to eternity, it is just a vapor in the air, here for a second and then gone in a blink. The world focuses on the future and sets future goals. God on the other hand, wants us to focus on now, today. God never promised us anything beyond today, so we’re to focus on one day at a time. Don’t worry about tomorrow, it’s not a guarantee. Of course, this is not saying to not plan for the future, but we’re not to focus and worry about it because today is what is important. May we not focus so much on the future that we miss the days in between.

The Bible calls us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks. These nine words could completely revolutionize a life. It’s so opposite our nature, but as a new creation, it’s our obligation. We need to take our abilities, use them to the maximum, and surely life will be an exciting journey. If there’s something we start, but have no peace about, it’s probably a good idea to stop.

As humans, we are always comparing ourselves to others, whether it be how much money we make, or how we look, but that is such a distraction straight from the devil. We can’t get caught in the trap of wishing we were someone else. Poor self-image is never something that God intended. We need to fulfill the purpose that God has specifically given to us. More than that, we need to use what God has given us to the maximum. I think that our world is changing, we’re getting lazy and sub-standard. We need to stop doing things with mediocrity and strive for the best. Another thing that has plagued us is the skill of listening. Lot’s of times, it is so critical. We need to listen well enough to understand until we can be understood ourselves. As servants and leaders, this is the only way to make things work. We can’t live our lives on assumptions, especially wrong assumptions. Listen. Focus. Concentrate.

If we want to be successful in life and have healthy relationships, we need to invest time in each other. Friendships don’t just happen by a five minute conversation once a week. The world is loosing the personal touch, including speaking in person and writing by hand. So much can be “lost in translation” when we’re not looking face to face. An important part of ministry is edification. This is so key in ministry and church areas. It’s always easy to see the error of others, but not our own thoughts. We need to be judging ourselves with the same standard before we go judging everyone else. Each time we have a personal encounter with someone, we can either build them up, make them feel better, or we can tear them down, or make them feel less worthy. People who add value to others almost always do so intentionally. As Christians, we need to constantly be lifting people up. We need to make it a daily priority to give encouragement and understand life is not a dress rehearsal, you can never get that moment back, so say the right thing! We need to stop putting others in their place and start putting ourselves in their place. Instead of judging, we need to see things from their perspective, maybe then we will understand where they are coming from a little better. Accentuating the positive and not always noticing the things that are wrong are also going to have a positive impact, no matter where we are. Above all, we need to care for the other person and where they are going in their lives.

Are you willing to invest in other people? The return you get depends on how much you invest, giving it your best! Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Technically, a neighbor is anyone I know that has a need. We need to cherish our friendships as a special gift from God. We need to listen, pray, and show them how much we care as often as we can. Be willing to go the extra mile in relationships, and resist doing the very minimum. Our actions toward others are so incredibly powerful in showing how much we really care about them. Make an impact and keep pressing on.

I’ve taken so much away from this class, it’s so incredible that I learned this all in one week. I need to do everything with excellence, no more slacking! I need to reach my potential and maximize my ability for Christ. I need to have proper motives and do things God’s way. By following Him, I’m not going to lose in life, and it will turn out better than I could have ever imagined! I don’t want to walk away or miss the best, God’s best! Breaking life down and prioritizing are so important. While planning is best, I also need to give God the opportunity to change my dreams and desires if it is His will. I can’t be so attached to what I want that I don’t give God any say. I need to ask myself, “What does God want from me and what position in the body am I supposed to fill?“ God has designed us all for a specific purpose. To miss my purpose that God has given to me means completely missing life altogether.

"Surrendering All" and yet keeping some for myself...

October 14, 2009

All my life, God has been trying to teach me that He should be in control, and these past few weeks I’ve finally started to get it. There were lots of times in life that I tried doing everything on my own. I depended solely on myself, thinking that I knew what was best for me. I always was an independent person and thought that I could give myself the best life. Unfortunately, I have lived this way for too long. Not until recently have I changed my mindset. It’s not something that I have grasped completely, but a daily struggle, an on-going battle that has to be accepted with each day. It was here in Argentina that I realized that I really needed God and that He would provide abundantly as well as offer grace as I learn. All these years I have depended on myself for the answers and insight on what path my life should take. Of course, I gave God room for input, but I wasn’t giving Him complete reign over every decision. While supposedly “surrendering everything,” I still kept a few things for myself. I knew in my head that God had the best for me, but my heart was unconvinced and too stubborn to consider.

The other night I talked to a friend who was pretty much in the same position until recently. It’s like this place makes you realize how fragile you really are. I can’t do anything on my own, unless I’m looking for a mediocre life at best. It’s amazing that God still remains faithful even when my prideful, “know-it-all” attitude, hovered over each decision. Sometimes it takes failure in your life to make you realize how unworthy and ignorant of the truth you really are.

The thoughts I had about providing and giving myself the best was a complete lie. Little did I know that I would never be satisfied by my own strength, but that I had to allow God to give me what I needed. The other day, I was reading in Ephesians 3:18-20, which says, “[I pray that you] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length, height and depth, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fulness of God. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think- according to the power that works in you- to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations.”

For me, to know that the Messiah’s love surpasses all knowledge is amazing. His love is perfect and sacrificial. It blows my mind, it is so beyond anything I’ve experienced from a human standpoint that I can’t even comprehend it. Why was I depending on myself when He’s the one that can do beyond all I can ask or think? As a born-again Christian, I need to remember the power that is within me. It’s so important that I completely change my thinking and remember that I can’t be focused on me and my provision. God can give me a much better life than I could ever give myself. He has the best in mind and he’s never gonna forget me and then just give me status-quo. God will always give me above and beyond what I deserve- just like He always has. It’s amazing to be assured of this promise, so much that I can depend on Him with my life and each step I take. He can’t just change, He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever....and I’m going to reap the benefits of that!

Lives changed in Palermo!

September 21, 2009

So, I figured I would dedicate this blog to my time spent in Palermo. This past week, I took a class on Evangelism and yesterday, I had to put it into practice at a place near Buenos Aires. Before going, we were warned about the potential conditions that we could face. These were a little daunting, but the Gospel needs to reach everywhere, right? Yesterday, was an official holiday where all the students have off, and they just spend their time outside, in celebration of their first day of Spring (yes, Spring!!). This park that we went to in Palermo is known for drugs and people that are drunk by the time the clock hits 2 in the afternoon. I seriously didn’t know what I was about to face, but I knew that God would do some miracles!

On the way there, I was thinking about how much I’ve changed in this past year. I remember last year when I had to do Open Air Evangelism in New York City... how different it was for me, just a year later. I was beyond freaked out in my mind, scared to even start a conversation for fear of rejection! This time I was much more confident. God really prepared me as I remembered that this had nothing to do with me. I had to keep in mind that all those people were destined for hell, having never heard the Gospel. Unlike last year, I was really able to grasp the concept that they just needed to hear and that God would do the rest. And clearly, that is what happened yesterday! I know that nothing I said was that spectacular that would actually “convince” the lost that they needed Jesus, it was all the work of God. It was amazing to see the faces of those that accepted, their expression changed as it just “clicked” and they knew they had found the answer.

When we first arrived, we split up into groups and set up painting boards that served as an illustration of what we wanted to talk about. For me, that really helped, even though in the beginning I wasn’t really sure. It served as an intro for me, and my conversation could flow right from what was seen. Those that I talked with already had prepared hearts and questions because of the painting presentation. Another aspect of the evangelism course that I was unsure about was using the Evangecube. It was new to me, and I just didn’t know how effective it would be. A class that I took required us to preach the gospel using the cube at least once. This pushed me into giving it a go, and that was a very good thing! The cube definitely kept me on track and helped me to be clear, remembering what I needed to say.

My first experience with sharing the Gospel was a great one! For me, this was actually the first time I shared, having someone trust Christ as their Savior! I was so excited about this, you have no idea! As the Gospel was being presented through the board painting, I stood back and watched as all the people gathered around. A little boy caught my eye, and I was watching to see that he stayed to the end. After the presentation was over, I went over and sat where he was, on the grass (with my wonderful translator). Of course, he was a little scared and nervous about these strange people who wanted to talk to him. We told him a little about ourselves and he became a little more comfortable around us. He was a little shy, but by the end he was answering questions. Up until this point, I knew that the Gospel was very simple, but I guess it never hit me HOW SIMPLE it is. It makes you think, could this really be it? Rest assured, that’s all there is to it! How amazing this gift really is, that even children can understand. I started out the conversation by asking him about what he thought the pictures represented on the cube. On one side there was a man that was to represent all of mankind and surrounding him was all black. This, I explained, was the sin in our lives that everyone has. This sin could range all the way from killing someone to even just thinking bad thoughts about someone. The little boy, after a little bit of time, agreed that he, in fact, had done bad things and that he was a sinner. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) On the other side of the cube was a picture of light and that was to represent God, who is perfect, merciful, and gracious (to name just a few.) I told him that there was no way that God could accept us into heaven because we are dirty, sinful people, while God is completely clean and sinless. That’s where the problem is. So many people think that because they are good people, or because they attend church on special occasions, that they will get to go to heaven. Unfortunately, while God does show mercy and is loving, He is still just. He can’t just accept sinful people into heaven. In other words, the good can never out-weight the bad, we can never pay for our sin on our own by the things we do. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

At this point, the boy understood everything that I was saying. The next picture on the cube was of Jesus on the cross. He, like everyone else, had seen this many times, whether it be on the tv or around someone’s neck. I explained that Jesus, who is God’s son, came to earth to die for everyone’s sin, once and for all. He took our punishment so that we might be able to live in heaven. It was here that God proved His unconditional love, by dying for us. It’s not like He was a sinner while He lived on Earth, He lived a perfect life, and yet was willing to die for a bunch of flawed people. That’s love; pure, unfailing, and sacrificial! “But God proves His own love or us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8) After Jesus died, He was placed in a tomb that was guarded and watched. Many people end with this, as though Jesus is still where they placed Him 2000 years ago.

But, that’s not the end of the story, praise the Lord! This is a part that many people leave out, and yet it has such significance. Three days later, Jesus rose again. This is so important, because it shows that Jesus conquered death and sin, the grave couldn’t hold Him! 1 Corinthians 15:3 says, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Bible says that Christ is the only way that a person can get to God after his/her life on earth. It says that our good deeds are like filthy rags and that we can’t do anything to save ourselves. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The little boy agreed with all these things and he believed that Christ died for his sins. That was so great! We let him know that there was a party going on in heaven, the angels rejoicing as another soul was saved from hell! The choice was so easy, not only for him, but for everyone else that accepted God’s free gift that day. They believed that Christ died for their sins, that he was buried, and that on the third day He was raised from the dead.

Everyone has the decision to make as to where they will spend eternity. It’s they’re choice, heaven or hell. Are you going to pay for your sin by spending eternity in hell, or will you let Jesus pay it for you? It’s so easy to push off the decision, but the truth is that our days are numbered. It could happen in a split second, in the blink of an eye, you could be caught up in eternity and not get to make the choice that you wanted. No one is guaranteed another day, not even another minute! Do you know where you’ll go after you die? How do you know, are you sure? If it’s because you’re a good person, I would reconsider what I’ve written again. “For by grace are you saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift- not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Eternity is such a big deal, please don’t put the decision off... you don’t know how much time you have left on this earth. This is the biggest decision in life, why not make the right choice today? I would never want anyone going to hell and then asking me, “Why didn’t you share with me, you knew the truth.” I just want you to know that these things are true, and that everyone has an eternal destiny, whether it be spent in the tormenting lake of fire or on the streets of gold.

Seeing the little boy’s face after He accepted Christ was precious. After asking him a few questions to make sure he really understood, I found out he was only seven! How amazing that was to hear, and that he truly understood! After this first experience, I was ready to talk to anyone that wanted to listen! The day went by super-quick and was filled with decisions and seeds that were planted for the future. There was a woman that I met that was already a born-again Christian, which was an encouragement for both of us. It brought her to tears just knowing that there were other believers out there, and even from a different country! I’m glad that we were able to be an encouragement to her, it was something she really needed. The last person we talked to was an older woman. She came from a Roman-Catholic background, so she already knew a lot about what we were saying. The only difference was that she was held down by the fact that she thought good works would save her. It was so cool to be able to explain to her what the Bible says and really point her to the truth. God was really working in her life at that moment, and she trusted Christ to be her Savior! That was really cool to watch, especially because she came from a background that believed in salvation by works.

It became clear to me, that you don’t know what part you may have had in that person’s life. For me, I may never find out if that person reconsidered the message and accepted Christ later on that day. I can’t wait till I go to heaven and hear all the stories, and all the lives I may have been able to change just by a ten minute conversation. I thank God for all the incredible opportunities that He gave all of us yesterday. In that city alone, there were over 150 salvation decisions! Altogether, including the other places that the students were at, we had over 400 decisions yesterday for Christ!

Maybe some of what I wrote tugged at your heart or maybe have you have questions. Please let me know if you do as I’d love to be able to help!

Thanks for reading about my experiences (if you read this far!), I’m glad that I am able to share a little bit about what is going on here in Argentina while I’m away!

September 16, 2009

September 16, 2009

These past days have gone by so quick! It’s awesome reflecting on all that God is doing.

The Sunday services here are pretty special, and it’s awesome to see how different everything is run here. I really enjoy the time of worship that we have. It’s so cool hearing the songs that I already know sung in a different language. It’s a little bit of an adjustment, but by the end of the year, I’m hoping to have them memorized so that I don’t have to stare at the screen! I’m always amazed when we break into groups to pray for other countries or just pray for prayer requests. Sometimes, I sit back and think, wow, God really is incredible! He can hear each and every one of these people at the same time, with different accents and languages and circumstances...and then to know that He already knows and cares?! Sheesh! I don’t know why He would even want to listen to us..but I’m very happy He does!

Last Sunday night, we had a service for just “English-speakers.” It was so nice to worship in English together, singing, praying, and just fellowshipping without any pressure to understand what is going on. It was so powerful and enjoyable, it made me realize how important worship really is. God has really blessed this group as we work together to do our best and reach the same goal. I’m sure that this will be a great time of bonding for us.

The weather is getting warmer here which has been wonderful! The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous! We actually played volleyball the other day for like 5 hours. It was fun just having fun :) Believe it or not, the Argentines are quite the competition! They killed us! Yesterday, was the first time I started my job here. Tuesday afternoons will be devoted to gardening around the campus for me. I think I’m gonna like it, especially because I get to enjoy the outdoors while making the campus pretty. God blessed my Thursdays with a job doing tech. I was very excited about this, because it’s something I really love. This actually has a neat story behind it because the group was trying to find a girl that could do tech for them. Every Thursday, they have a woman’s meeting, but up until now, there were only guys that could run sound for it. I kinda feel bad for them, stuck in a room with all those women! It all worked out great when I found out that they wanted me to help!

Last night, there was a missionary that came to speak to us for devotions. I really like this time we get to spend. Every Tuesday, they come and tell us about their testimony and if we need to talk at all, they’re there. Sometimes the missionaries aren’t bilingual, so this gives me time to really try and understand what they’re saying, without help. I’m sure these nights will be a good measure of how I’m doing! Last night, I did pretty okay, I was satisfied with what I got out of it, though I know I missed a lot.

My schedule is filling up as the days pass by and I hope my knowledge is increasing as well! This is one of those situations where I can’t do anything without God. It’s not impossible, but I know it will be hard to reach my goal! Thank you for all your prayers! I can’t wait till I get home to tell you more!

September 12, 2009

September 12, 2009

Today, I spent a wonderful day in Buenos Aires! It started out with fruit loops for breakfast, I knew it would be a good day! What a blessing! It was about and hour and a half ride, that we got to spend getting to know each other better as well as catch up on some much needed sleep! It’s amazing all that you can learn about someone once you sit down and take the time to get to know them. Once we got to Buenos Aires, we started our “tour” around the city. Our first stop was at “the pink house.” This, though pink, is comparative to our white house in America. It’s interesting how it got it’s color, which was from mixing blood and milk...kinda gross, but true! It was here, that part of Evita was filmed. I thought that was really awesome, especially since I had seen the movie in Spanish class. We got to take many pictures with the guards and tried to make them smile.

After that, we went to Florida Street, this is where we did some shopping. As you can imagine, it was pretty much like any other tourist place. I got to practice holding my bag close and not looking anyone in the eyes :-p. The city really was beautiful, the architecture was detailed and some of the buildings were ancient. At the same time, some of the streets looked just like NYC which was pretty cool. It’s funny when you are able to forget that you’re in a different country. Sometimes, I need to be pinched to realize it is true!

Later on in the afternoon, we went to an authentic restaurant called “Siga la Vaca” (Follow the Cow). It was really good, I had steak, chicken, and salad. It was pretty delicious. Oh yes, and I can’t forget about the flan for dessert, muy bueno! I’m glad we got to eat at a restaurant that served genuine Argentine food, it was quite the experience.

We also took a much-needed trip to Wal-Mart. Seriously, we were in there for like 5 hours. I felt like I was right back home, minus everything being written in Spanish. You can always count on Wal-Mart to be there..wherever you are! As you know, check out was...interesting...to say the least. On our ride home, I got to have a really awesome chat with a good friend. God is teaching us so much, and it’s nice to be able to talk to someone who understands and has been there. I thank God for all the great people He has placed in my life these past few years. It’s amazing to know that I’ve only been here about a week in a half, I just can’t understand that! I’ve made so many bonds already, and with some of these people, I feel like I’ve known them a lifetime.

Proverbs 4:23-27

Guard your heart above all else,
for it is the source of life.

Don't let your mouth speak dishonestly,
and don't let your lips talk deviously.

Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze straight ahead.

Carefully consider the path for your feet,
and all your ways will be established.

Don't turn to the right or to the left;
keep your feet away from evil.

September 6, 2009

Day 6, September 9, 2009

I can’t believe all that has happened in just the six days that I have been here. It feels like I’ve spent a month here already! I can’t begin to explain all that I have learned, there is just so much. I had an exciting experience last night, there was a WOL Missionary from Argentina that came to our room and gave her testimony. With WOL, this is a normal experience, but, for me, it was a very new experience. This is solely because she only knew how to speak Castillano. Of course, there was a lot that I missed, but there was also a lot that I understood! That is a great encouragement to me. From deep within me, I long so badly to speak the language. I can’t wait to fit in and just be able to have a comfortable conversation. I see other Americans that have gone through the PBB program and it makes me so happy! Most of the time, you wouldn’t even know that English was their first language. As I spend more and more time here, I forget english! I wonder how I’ll be by the time I come home in December!

I’ve already started exploring the town with the rest of the group. The town of San Miguel del Monte is about a 25 minute walk away. It’s very cute, quaint, and a nice place to go when you just want to get away. The other day, I had amazing ice cream, best I’ve ever tasted! I also tried Mate the other afternoon, it tasted like really strong tea, but was delicious. Mate is a cultural drink here in Argentina, I’m so happy I got to try it! Some of the American students have been hanging out with us. I actually like that a lot. They can help us learn, but they already know where we’re coming from and can sympathize with everything we face, whether good or bad..or just different!

The food here is very strange. Argentina is known for it’s beef, and I’ve gotten to try little tastes of it. I’m pretty picky, so it’s been a little bit of an adjustment for me. At first, I really wasn’t eating (or drinking) much, but now I’m doing better. They have excellent Cafe con Leche that I absolutely love every morning. It’s so nice to drink something warm on those freezing mornings! One thing I didn’t expect when coming here was how cold it would be! I knew that it was winter, but I guess it didn’t really click in my mind how far south I was. Yesterday, it was a balmy 48! Even the native people were freezing! It was a bit of a shock coming here when we left 85 degree weather. Lucky for us, that is soon to come ;-)

The other night, the gringos got together and ordered food from a place called “Mama Rosas.” It was super delicious and very cheap. There were about 15 of us who ordered, and it cost about 340 pesos (around $100). There was so much food! People got sandwiches, pizza, fries, and soda. It was funny, because the other day at chapel, one of the speakers mentioned that the workers at “Mama Rosas” were praying for the Americans to come here! They knew that we would give them lots of business, and it’s true!

This past week, we’ve had so many classes about the whole program like standard of conduct and statement of faith, pretty much just everything. We also took a few english classes. That was hilarious and humbling at the same time. I found out that I really don’t know anything about my first language. Nothing! It was funny, because our teacher, Gabriel, knew more about english than we did, and it’s his second language! He knows so much more, very impressive!

My roommates have been very nice to me as I get settled. There’s one girl that speaks only spanish, but took a few classes in English a while ago. She remembers only a little in it. That has done both of us very well, I’m able to teach her english while she teaches me spanish. We both make on that deal!

It’s time to get ready now, I have something called UME (uh-meh) tonight. It’s a student led program where we get together and learn about a specific country of our choice. We also spend time together just praying for them and their ministry among the people. This will be my first time going to one of these meetings, so it will be a new experience for me. I’ll also get a chance to be mixed in with other students :) Can’t wait to see what I learn!

September 4, 2009

Well, it has been quite the day already. I’ve had MANY orientation meetings. I’m glad that I’m not getting overwhelmed like I would if I was here for 1st year. I guess there’s a lot that I can expect since it’s a Word of Life Organization. I went to breakfast this morning with a new “friend” across the hall. She speaks a little english, so we were able to get by between the two of us. It was the first time I drank cafe con leche! It wasn’t that bad, to be honest. I never really liked coffee, but I could definitely get used to it. I’m sure it tastes much better when it’s raining and freezing! It was sooo cold today. I would guess around 50. It was pouring too. It finally stopped a few minutes ago.

This morning, Joe Jordan did a little chapel with the PBB group, it was nice. He let us ask him any questions. I’m getting to know the group better too. I’ve memorized a lot of names! I got my internet today, it’s gonna cost $11 a month! I think that’s crazy, but it’s totally worth it. Tonight, they’re having a banquet, I guess it’s to welcome all the bilingual students. I thought that was nice as well, I wonder how we’ll be recognized! I’ve been trying to sit with some of the regular students during meals, just so I can learn quicker. Many of them don’t mind, they can teach me a little while improving on their English. You’d be surprised at how many people speak English here. To tell you the truth, sometimes I can’t even tell apart those that are Argentina from those that are American/Canadian. It’s crazy. The people that came here for the bilingual program and have stayed are really good at spanish. They really know the language so well, that (to me anyway) they sound like they’re from here! That’s both exciting and encouraging for me to see. Yesterday, I was feeling a little bit like I wasn’t going to be able to pull this off. Today, I’m feeling a little bit better as I listen to testimonies and such. It is such a huge thing to accomplish in so little time. All I keep hearing is that you gotta get out there and not care if you make a fool out of yourself. You just gotta be able to laugh at yourself...while everyone else is laughing. Practice is so important, that they place it above even learning in the classroom. Who knew?! I can’t wait till I can hold a decent conversation, only by God’s grace!

Let the Adventure Begin!

Day 1, September 3, 2009

It has been a crazy experience so far, I don’t even know where to start. I’m exhausted and excited at the same time, my emotions have hit the max today! I arrived this morning at Buenos Aires around 8 in the morning and have been going ever since. Today has been overwhelming, just because of the language barrier and not understanding a word they say!! They speak so fast! I was in the airport till one waiting for my classmates to arrive. It was actually a nice time to get to know each other. We all sat there in a circle and went around telling about ourselves and trying to remember all the names. It was good. There are four of us that went to WOL Schroon Lake last year. Even though we didn’t really know each other then, we do now! There’s a special bond just knowing that one fact..weird.

There’s not much room in the dorm where I can put my stuff, and as always, I brought way too much. Once I get to wal-mart, I can buy a crate or something that can provide “shelving” in my “box.” My roommates are nice, I have 4 of them. Two of them speak English (one is from NJ) and the other two don’t speak any. The food really isn’t terrible, it’s just as I expected. I’m so picky that I’m pretty hard to please. But, I am eating, and they ALWAYS have “pan” (bread)!! No doubt about it that at every meal there will be “pan.”

Last night, we had a little birthday/bienvenidos (welcome) party. It was really nice! We all sat around and just talked about things...in Spanish. I did my best to understand. The two girls that only speak Spanish we asking me questions while I did my best answer. I think I did okay. I’m learning so much already. There are just little bits of vocabulary that I hear and try to hold onto. By the end, I’ll have a lot of bits...which should make the language...maybe!