Miracle - Un Milagro

Chris and I got our Córdoba drivers licenses today. 

It truly was no small feat.

We laughed as we drove away when a bicyclist ran a red light and a taxi made a U-turn

(according to the law, they're never permitted) right in front of 3 police officers. 

Chris y yo consegimos nuestras licencias de conductor (de Córdoba) hoy.

No es algo pequeño.

Nos reímos cuando salimos porque vimos un ciclista se pasó una luz roja

y un taxista giró en "U" justo en frente de la policía.

Santa Teresita

Together with Guille Sanchez, Chris has been going to a neighborhood called Santa Teresita which is about 45 kilometers outside of the city.  Guille and Susi (and their daughters) have been serving in Despeñaderos, a pueblo across the highway from Santa Teresita, for over 15 years.  We are so lucky to be their friends.  Seriously, everyone who knows them can only say nice things about them.  About their faithfulness, integrity, sincerity, and genuine Christ-like love.  They have encouraged us tremendously in our work here and it is a gift to have people like them to work with and to live alongside.  It helps too that they laugh a lot, are willing to be vulnerable, love without limits, and are patient with our Spanish.
Con Guille Sanchez, Chris ha estado yendo a un barrio que se llama Santa Teresita que está casi 45 km afuera de la ciudad.  Guille y Susi (y sus hijas) han estado serviendo en Despeñaderos, un pueblo a lado de Santa Teresita, por más de 15 años.  Estamos bendicidos tener amigos como ellos.  En serio, cada persona que los conoce solo puede decir cosas lindas sobre ellos.  Acerca de su fidelidad, integridad, sinceridad, y amor como Cristo.  Nos han animado mucho en nuestro trabajo acá y son como regalos en nuestra vida.  Con la familia Sanchez, podemos trabajar y seguir su ejemplo.  Nos ayudan también que se ríen mucho, aman sin limites, y tienen paciencia con nuestro nivel de español.

Anyway, Chris and Guille went to a CHE capacitación together last May to learn more about community development work in the Latin American context.  In Santa Teresita, they are trying to apply some of what they learned.  For the past 2 months they have been meeting the neighbors and on Saturday began surveying the people asking how long they've lived in the barrio, about their families, and their opinions about what is most needed in the neighborhood.  After compiling the responses, they plan to have a neighborhood meeting to discuss the results and begin the trainings to equip the people to transform their community.  It's all done in the hope and love of Christ.  He can do the impossible...

Entonces, Chris y Guille, fueron a una capacitación de Red ECS Latina en el mayo pasado para aprender más sobre desarrolo comunitario en el contexto latinoamericano.  En Santa Teresita intentan aplicar algo de lo que aprendieron.  Por los últimos 2 meses, han estado juntandose con los vecinos y el sábado empezaron haciendo una encuesta con la gente.  Pidieron hace cuanto han vivido allá, cosas sobre las familias, y sus opinions acerca de lo que es más necesario en el barrio.  Después de compilar las respuestas, van a tener una reunión con todos para hablar y empezar las capacitaciones para entrenar a los vecinos como transformer la comunidad.  Todo está en la esperanza y amor de Dios.  ¡Él puede hacer el imposible!

Happy Day of the Student - ¡Feliz Día del Alumno!

Today we are celebrating the Day of the Student... so there is no school.

It's also the first day of Spring which was celebrated yesterday, in costume as always.

Johnny was a Spring Clown or Payaso de Primavera.

Further words are not necessary.

 

Hoy, celebramos Día del Alumno... así que, no hay escuela.

También es el primer día de la Primavera y los chicos celebraron ayer en disfrace, como siempre.

Johnny fue un payaso de primavera.

No es necesario usar más palabras.

Did you know...? Sabías que...?

...It has been over 13 months since Chris has surfed?  I know he still shreds.  And I also know he profoundly misses the ocean.  We all do.
Han pasado más de 13 meses que Chris había hecho surf?  Sé que todavía es el mejor.  Y también sé que extraña el oceano tanto.  Todos de nosotros lo hacemos.

...Our nephew, Domonick, graduated from High School and is now in college?  We love him a lot.
Nuestro sobrino, Domonick, se graduó de secundario y ahora está en la universidad?  Le queremos mucho.

...In Argentina, to not use a tablecloth is rude?  Unfortunately, we didn't realize this until we'd been here 8 months. 
En Argentina, para no usar un mantel es mal educación?  Desafortunadamente, no nos damos cuenta de esto hasta que habíamos estado acá por 8 meses.  ¡Lo siento, amigos!

...Last June, our hometown, Santa Barbara, California was featured in the tourist section of our local Córdoba newspaper? 
En Junio, nuestra ciudad en los EEUU (Santa Barbara, California) estuvo en la sección de turismo de La Voz Interior?

...We pay all our bills in cash?  Including the car, rent, school tuition, and monthly bills.  There are places called Pago Facil where you pay your utilities and insurance and depending on the day of the month, there can be a lot of people waiting.  Tuition is paid at a bank.  Rent is paid at the property manager's office.  It's, um,  interesting.
Pagamos todas de nuestras facturas en efectivo?  Incluyendo el auto, el aquiler, la matrícula, y los utilidades de casa.  Hay lugares llamado Pago Facil y se puede pagar muchas y depende del día de mes, puede ser muchas personas esperando.  La matrícula está pagado en un banco.  El aquiler está pagado en la oficina de inmobilaria.  Es interesante.

Adenitis y Ecografías

I wasn't joking when I said the boys were sick. Johnny has been home from school since Monday with a fever and body aches.  And although Andrew's fever is gone, yesterday his neck swelled up like he swallowed a baseball. 

Someone mentioned paperas.  Or mumps.  Mumps. 

We took him to the doctor this morning and after a complete exam, the doctor sent us to get an ecografía.  I had no idea what that was, but quickly discovered that it's an ultrasound.  He does not have mumps, thank the Good Lord in Heaven, but he does have adenitis or a severe case of inflammation of the lymph nodes. 

Nasty stuff blowing around here.

And at Johnny's ENT follow-up appointment (we try to do them all at the same time since the clinic is about a 20 minute drive) the doctor said his ears looked impeccable but he is definitely sick.  Glad to hear it about the ears. 

He also pulled out Shrek-sized-wax-bombs from Chris's ears. 

Sick.and.wrong.

David is hanging in there, hopefully behaving himself at school.

There are much better things to post about and I promise to do that in the near future if and when I get caught up on some sleep. 

They're Back!

We are so thankful to have Roman, Bethany, Abi, and Eli back!  They were in the States for 3 months where Roman completed many Linguistic courses at a University, with top marks.  These studies will be very important for their work with the deaf community.  Additionally, they have shared some of their research with us and it will be helpful in our continued language acquisition as well.  Anyway, it is so good to have them back. 

They brought us back some fun treats from the good ol' US of A.  Maple flavoring for Maple Syrup, Chili Powder, and Carmex were among my favorites.  The boys were jumping up and down when they saw the Snickers bars and the Paper Airplane and Dinosaur books.  They'll come in handy today since we're stuck inside with sick kids. 

Did you know September is a time for windstorms here?  Since we haven't had rain for 8 months, everything is very dry so windstorms create duststorms.  And when your windows and doors do not have proper seals, your house becomes very dirty as do little boys' lungs.  All that to say, we're going to make chicken soup, fresh bread, and do a lot of reading today.

Chris is on his way to Santa Teresita with Guillermo to be with the people there.  And just so you know, I'm not complaining about the lack of proper seals on our windows and doors . . . many of the people in Santa Teresita don't even have windows in their cement block homes.

Have a great Sunday and start to your week.