earthquakes, mate, and Español

Early in the morning on Saturday, February 27 an 8.8 magnitude earthquake shook Santiago, Chile. Here in Mendoza we experienced a magnitude of 5.0. Yesterday a team from our YWAM base left for Chile. Another team is hoping to follow them later this week. Being only about 112 miles away from Santiago, we are hoping to continually be sending over teams to help over the next several months. As of now, I´ll be staying at the base helping out, but planning to be a part of a team that leaves within the next couple months.

The Aconcagua Team made it home safely with four of the ten members making it to the summit of the mountain. Their stories are incredible and challenging. Even before they returned back to the base they were hearing how others on the mountain were influenced by their group. People recognized they were ¨different¨and that they respected and served each other in different ways than previous groups.

More Argentinian culture- Mate
Mate is a common hot drink in Argentina. It is most often shared with family and friends while socializing in one´s home. Like most cultural customs there are several ¨rules¨about drinking mate. I have learned that when you are handed the drink you do not touch the straw and you drink the entire cup full before handing it back to the person who refills the cup for each person. The cup is continually refilled and passed around the circle. I also learned that you do not say thank you after having some, unless you do not want anymore. Saying thank you means that you are done and do not want more.
My mentor has been attempting to teach me Spanish, when we fit it into our days that is. I´m pretty sure I´m the only staff member here who does not speak Spanish, so most conversations are spoken in Spanish. There are a couple current DTS students who do not speak Spanish though. My brain is usually pretty tired by the end of the day, but I´m glad to be having this experience. Even though I won´t be very good at speaking Spanish when I get home I will definitely know more than when I arrived here!

English- Youth With a Mission, YWAM
Español- Juventud con una Misión , JUCUM

This past weekend I was able to sit in on the current DTS classes. The speaker runs a Biblical Counseling secondary level school of YWAM in Buenos Aires. The focus over the three days was on Inner Healing. It always amazes me how God can reveal ways He has been working in my heart even when I don´t feel like anything has been happening. He definitely went deeper into my heart in some areas that He began working on during my DTS lecture phase in Belize. It is one more way that His faithfulness is revealed to me.

Hope you enjoy some random pictures I took around the base. Hoping to add more soon to show more of the base and the wonderful people here!