Youth Congress this week

Last Sunday evening, at the end of Sunday worship, we noticed that the church was particularly full – lots of chairs had to be set up in the back. We realized that the crowd must be due to the youth conference starting here (across the street at the Bruno Radi Convention Center on the Seminario grounds) on Tuesday. Right away, Daniele and Rafa, 2 young people we had met here almost 4 years ago, ran up to us and we knew just who they were! When we met, they were in a group of Brazilian teens serving at Extreme ’08 with us! We had immediately connected with Dani, even though we could barely communicate with her. She had declared that we were another set of grandparents to her and that she wanted to come home with us in our suitcase!

A few months later, Dan had been invited to give some Bible Quiz training at a youth conference in Campinas, Brazil, and this same group of teens was there also! So we were able to meet Dani’s parents and reconnect with her and some of the other youth. It was a very special time! And now, a group of 15 of them are here with their youth pastor, a dynamic woman named AnnaMaria, for this 2012 Argentina Congreso de Jovenes! I’m so excited to see what this group will do (they have quite a repertoire of dramas!) and how all the young people will be challenged this week.

Monday night, Dan had 2 conference call meetings scheduled, for 10 pm and 11 pm. The wind came up outside and the electricity flickered 5 times! Then we had to wait for the Internet to come back on! Thunder and heavy rain followed, but the electricity stayed on so the internet phone calls were not interrupted. It’s really a blessing that this kind of communication is possible and that we can take advantage of it!

With Ricardo, the office driver, on vacation this week Dan got to be the driver Wednesday morning for Mirna’s trip to the money exchange. And I went along to play with Luana while her mama was busy. It was a fun change-of-pace from the office!

Dan is working on the security cameras still, with much to “tweak” using the recording software and camera placement…

Wednesday night, we drove to the seminary for the scheduled 10:00 PM JNI (NYI) Congreso service, but the worship began at 11:15 and would probably last 2 or 3 hours. We enjoyed the band’s first song, then decided we had better just go back home… we just can’t stay up that late when we must work in the morning; maybe Friday evening!

Friday evening was THE night to be at the Congreso! It was Fiesta night with Argentine folklórico – lots of gaucho music and traditional gaucho dancing!! It was wonderful! Janet helped with at the literature sales table with some of her coworkers, and we enjoyed the culture! We got home around 2 AM and slept in on Saturday!

We’ve slacked off a bit on walking 6 times around the compound this week, but are keeping up with our Spanish classes and homework!

Praying especially this week for Thea, adjusting to a limited diet with the resulting limited energy, and for our friend, Dawn, who’s having surgery for a brain tumor on Tuesday…

Another week of full schedules and urgent prayers, but God is Faithful.