Foreign Countries are....well, foreign!

We had a full week of school this week! Well, a full week except for Thursday which was Kid's Day again, so public school was cancelled, but we talked the kids into having English and computer classes with us anyway.  (Truthfully, if we hadn't included computer class in the mix, we may have lost the battle. However, either way, it was a good week.)

We also made a trip back to Concordia so Omar could have his urine analysis analyzed. (I'm tempted to say something negative about socialized medicine... so I won't say anything at all). While waiting, we walked to our favorite park and the men were still painting polls from the prior week when we were here. They were even more daring this week in their attempt to get the high parts.

What would OSHA say?


We wanted to buy some groceries, but all the stores were closed during siesta. However, this lady was willing to "keep her store closed" and help us out all at the same time. We simply passed our purchases back and forth through her locked door.





However, just as we finished and headed back to the hospital, we saw another tienda that was open for real. We bought a few more items just because we could.



Another bizarre thing we saw were these cars boxed in so tightly as to prevent any comings or goings.

There was a whole string of them thus there must be a story behind it. We'll keep you posted if we ever learn the reason for this strange activity.


Los Perales:
Vanessa finished her husband's vest and is now working on a cute jean shirt without sleeves that she could wear in the summer.

With summer just around the corner, Amy helped her make the pattern.

The kids are still diligently involved in whatever activity Gregg can come up with.

On the way to and from Los Perales, we dropped off Vale and her family in Federal. Vale's new doll reminds us of the dolls our mother's used to carry. Does the dolly bring back memories anyone?


Later in the week, the cows were let loose to find whatever clippings the lawn men missed. We'd never seen the calves quite this close to our front door before. Perhaps, we are now part of their world rather than the feared new comers.


Tiago's grandpa was visiting the family when we dropped Tiago off at his home. Horses are used for getting around the ranch more than vehicles. The horse below is grandpa's horse thus cluing Tiago into his fun filled afternoon with his jovial relative.

Below is a chunk of meat curing. The kids noticed it and nonchalantly said, "Oh look, meat." Can't say that it is what we're accustomed to spotting on a trip around the block.


The bridge by the school is falling apart again, only this time we have to cross over the gaps.


Vale is scared of crossing the bridge in the truck, so, she and Amy walk across together. Vale's teacher learned of how we were dealing with the problem and asked us to treat Vale like a big girl and not let her get her way. She doesn't look that big to me, and we think it was a very clever way of Vale to deal with a scary bad road. What do you think? However, Vale respects her teacher's advise, so we do too.

Nothing is done small scale around here. These rigs were too big for us to go around so we had to take a different route to our ranch house. With 12-15 thousand cows to feed, there's no dinking around with small stuff.

We had to take a few pictures of these beautiful creatures that grace the landscape.



Spring is here and trees are blooming everywhere.


Happy Birthday, Gregg!
For his Birthday, Gregg received his favorite cookies: Oatmeal Krispies with the added ingredients of raisins, coconut, walnuts and chocolate chips.



Food for thought from Amy:
At times, as a foreigner, there comes a deep sense of loneliness. This week as I was studying the lesson for Sunday School (in Spanish so the process was very slow giving time for deep pondering), I had a strong impression that without the sealing keys that Elijah brought back to earth of which I was studying about, the terrible loneliness that I was then feeling would extend into the eternities.

Christ says that without Elijah's keys of turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers and binding us together, the coming of the Savior would be wasted. I imagined a loving Savior having gone into the depths of despair for us and bringing about the resurrection only to have us then be miserable--alone and loveless. Wouldn't want to live forever in loneliness, would you?

I also imagined the living with a parade of ancestors watching us struggle, cheering us on, and caring deeply for whatever pain we were experiencing. I imagined a reunion with these great people (that would inevitably come one day) connected to peace and deep abiding love. With that understanding, breaking the bands of death can be a joyous event indeed.

I invite you to learn about your ancestors. Let them into your heart and thus allow the spirit of Elijah to add dimension to your otherwise empty future.

Being rained out is worse than being rained in!

During computer time this week, the kids were watching Youtube of different ways of getting out of the mud. Below is a new perspective of what it means to be stuck in the mud. We plan to remember this picture when we are tempted to feel sorry for ourselves for having mud troubles.


Friday, we were instructed to go to Concordia which is two hours away and purchase four new tires. We are sad because the tires were less than a year old, but since one tire was ruined from last week's flat tire experience, we had no choice.

The roads were pretty bad from a rain storm on Thursday, but using the 4-wheel drive, we made it the twenty miles from the ranch to pavement. However, as we turned onto Highway 127, a terrible noise brought us to a stop. Gregg stood on the truck to get a signal and called Ruben at the ranch. Ruben's truck has been in the repair shop for several months waiting for a part, and Yuca was not available so Ruben had to get creative to get us some help.

After about an hour and a half wait, four strange Argentine's pulled up claiming that they were here to help. We were hesitant at first until they used words like Yuca, Ruben, and El Quebracho. They went to work assessing the problem and soon recognized the signs of a faulty 4-wheel drive. After removing the troubled piece of equipment, we were told to drive to Federal and ask our hero, Walter, if he had a replacement.

Sadly, Walter did not have our needed 4-wheel drive unit, and it will be at least a week before he can get it. We called Ruben again to get our next assignment and was told that it had rained again at the ranch and there was no way for us to return especially without 4-wheel drive. So we continued our trip to Concordia for the new tires.

We arrived in Concordia during siesta and had to wait a couple of hours, but in our attempt to find a bathroom, we also found a truck wash. The vehicle was a mess having been on muddy roads, and to balance the tires and check the alignment, a clean vehicle was required. The timing was great and just as the car wash was completed (by an Argentine who was not happy and clearly not accustomed to El Quebracho mud), Firestone tire store workers woke from their nap and opened their doors. An hour later the tires were beautifully placed and  we started our hunt for a decent hotel.

The first two recommendations were full, but number three was the charm, and charming it was... and clean, and not far away. Below is a picture of the not-so-wide twin bed. We figured it was only about two and a half feet wide.


We had thrown a few supplies into the truck before we left the ranch in case we got stranded, but we didn't have much. However, we were indeed grateful for what we had and was able to survive the night.

Saturday morning we learned that the roads around El Quebracho were still impassable and would be for several more days so we would be wearing our same clothes for another few days. Fortunately, among the few supplies, we had a change of underclothes and the necessities for staying clean and tidy. To pass the time, we headed back to Federal in search of needed parts to repair our bathrooms (another unending project). That event took most of the morning so our next stop was Feliciano where we would stay two more nights and attend church on Sunday.

(Actually, don't tell anyone, but we tried to drive the gravel road back to the ranch with the expectations of hiking the last six miles of pure mud. However, we only got about 1 1/2 miles before we got stuck and realized it wasn't going to work. It was another missionary miracle that we were able to get out of the mud and then get turned around.)

On the way to Feliciano, we saw wild burros or donkeys on the side of the road. We see many different animals from time to time but only an occasional donkey.







We had dinner in Feliciano along with bugs on the walls for conversation. That's one thing we can't seem to be happy about... eating with bugs that don't even bother to hide out of sight.


Below is a close up of the bug in the picture above. We're pretty sure it's harmless. However, being "pretty sure" wasn't good enough to keep much of an appetite?

Other than bugs, it wasn't so bad, and the food was okay even without our appetite. Actually, it was our only choice during siesta.


After siesta in Feliciano, we looked for a skirt for Amy to wear to church. The norm for the young adults is to wear new jeans to church or actually anywhere dressy. The first store we went to brought out nice pants when we asked for a skirt. When we asked again for a "falda" or skirt, the clerk brought out jeans. Oh heavens!

Even worse, the second store had little mini skirts but that was all. Wouldn't that have made a scene...a senior missionary in a mini skirt? So finally, we found a store with faldas for mujeres (women). Argentine's are typically shorter than we are so by buying a bigger size skirt and adding long underwear (previously used for jamies) that resembled tights and masqueraded as nylons, we had a winner.

When we were shopping for a skirt, we spotted the antique car below for our collection. The owners were getting ready to drive away so we added Gregg to the photo so as to avoid any questions. This oldie but goody was one of our favorites and we are happy to share it with you. Note the unique way the owner is opening the side door.



Gregg showed up at church with his jeans and a dress shirt which is not unusual for ward members, but the branch president immediately pulled Gregg aside and lent him a white shirt and tie. Now he looks like everyone else. Gregg played the piano for sacrament meeting as usual and then taught Sunday school gospel doctrine class. He didn't have his notes since they were back at the ranch, but had studied well enough that his lesson came off without a hitch.


Monday morning with nothing better to do, we took the Espinoza's all the way back to Concordia for a urine test. Yes, you read right. In order to have a urine test, one needs an appointment and an hour wait. Yikes! Apparently, the doctors get paid for all visits so why not stretch out the process as long as possible? Note to self: Do not vote for socialized medicine!!!

While waiting for Senor Espinoza to do his thing, we were entertained on the streets of Concordia.

How do you like the trash collector below? Dad controls the horse while the kids take turns getting the garbage out of the trash holders.

Big brother (who is circled below) is running to the next stop while little brother hangs on for a ride.

The two trash collectors below don't have a youngster to run around for them, but the concept is the same.

We walked this park a few times for exercise. Pueblos in Argentina are so quaint and tranquil. Don't you think?


However, poverty is rampant. This is actually a nice house below in comparison to some of what we saw. It breaks your heart to see the living conditions. But the truth is, the kids are still kids...always happy... always playing wherever they can...not knowing that their situation could be much better. It's the weary look in the eyes of the adults, and the sorry condition of housing that alerts us to their dire situation.


More antique cars:




So far, the one below wins the prize. What do you think?


This bus skeleton is pretty creepy looking, but doesn't count in our antique vehicle collection since it's obviously not running. The others are all being used. In fact, some of the best antiques are moving on the road, and we aren't quick enough to get a picture for you. It's incredible what Argentine's can keep running.


Spiritual Thought:
Well, we've entertained you a bit with tidbits of life on a ranch when it rains in a foreign country so let me (Amy) tie it together with a spiritual thought. I just finished the series Prelude to Glory. Remember the 9 book series on the American Revolution? If I didn't know the series was historically accurate, I would say that it was bad fiction where the author set up impossible situations over and over and then just before the ending, came up with some miracle or impossible happening just so the words, "The End" could put the reader out of his/her misery.

Do you remember the events that took place in and around that war? Crazy! Impossible that we won! Unimaginable how it all came together for our benefit! If I didn't believe in a Father in Heaven who played a part in our lives before reading this series, I would do so after. There is simply no other logical explanation.

Time after time, battles were lost and all seemed doomed for an American victory. But it didn't matter how many battles were lost as long as we won the war--right! So it is in life I think. We have set backs, losses, and challenges mixed with some wins and successes. Sometimes big set backs are simply part of the process that flings us forward and prepares us for success with another challenge. We loose lots of battles like with our boss, our unfriendly neighbor, our health, a natural disaster, a rebellious child, and the list goes on and on. But none of it matters as long as we win the war.

To win the war we simply don't give up. Stay the fight. Get back up when you fall. Keep repenting when you blow it. Remember trying counts so try again and again, and then ask in prayer for help. Do what you can and rely on the Almighty to know when to intervene. It may not make sense all the time (maybe even most of the time). The Lord's timing most often will not be according to our desires, but none of it matters as long as we win the war.

Business as Usual

One morning, we saw this leach crawling on the OUTSIDE kitchen window.

Here it is again as Gregg is putting on his rubber boots.


We didn't know for sure what it was until Gregg sprayed to remove it. As it fell to the ground, we recognized it for what it was and was happy that these types of critters are no longer able to find their way into the house thanks to the many rolls of tape, caulking, and cement patch that have filled the holes.

Los Perales:
We were able to go to Los Perales this week. It was the only time this month that we were able to go. Two Wednesdays the roads were too muddy, one Wednesday our truck was being repaired, and the two Fridays that were suppose to be make-up days were either unexpectedly muddy or Ruben wanted to repair the truck again.

So finally, we were able to help the chicas with their new projects. Carina is working on slippers for her boys. I used her daughter's slipper for a pattern and cut it down to make two different sizes.


Vero is making a double thick jacket for her 12 year old son.

On the way home from Los Perales, we took this picture of the sunset. It's so beautiful, we can't stop ourselves from taking more pictures.


Internet:
Wednesday, we came home from Los Perales to find the internet workers putting the antenna on our roof. Finally! The miracle of the whole internet story is that we had a connection as often as we did. We have had problems since last February when the office was shut down for renovation. Sometimes it miraculously worked and other times for no explanation, it didn't. We are thrilled for the new missionaries that shouldn't have to struggle with the isolation of being cut off from the world. That's a big-time bummer.

Hallelujah! This man is our hero!


Friday, we went to Feliciano to bring home two high school kids back to their families on the ranch. Remember, during high school years, the kids are boarded in town so that school can be more consistent.

Anyway, German noticed that our tire was low when we picked him up. He was the one that caught the problem several months ago as well. We drove to the closest gomeria but the tire was already ruined.


Below, German, and David wait and watch patiently as their friend's father works on the replacement. Aren't they smart looking Argentine boys! Love the red tie and gorro hat on David.


The gomerias don't have many tools, but enough to do the job. We need an open pipe used for better leverage, and some kind of mallet like you see below. Without those tools, we are useless. We're going to ask for them at the Ferreteria Commercial in Federal. They too have been our heroes in getting us the tools and supplies we need.


Ancient cars:
Don't you love these beauties? Sorry though...they aren't for sale.






Sister Cerno on the left, below is being transferred to Concordia this week. She has been in Feliciano about 4 months, and we think the world of her. Our goodbyes include, "Have a good life!" What are the chances we'll ever see them again? It makes parting extra hard.


Office update:
Yuca and Ruben are moving back into the renovated office. The internet antenna on our roof, was the capstone and the men started moving their stuff back into the completed beautiful building.




We'll have to show you pictures of the inside next week since it's Sunday today and the office takes the day off.