This week has been extremely cold with one´s breath hanging in the air, even indoors. Mornings can be a quick scramble from bed to the kitchen to stand by the wood cookstove to warm up. In class, my students tend to like to hover near the gas space heaters or wood stoves, while my hands can become almost too cold to write on the board.
I was asked to come translate last Sunday for some visiting missionaries from the States. This kind of translating is full of all of the same sort of anxieties one has speaking in front of a group and delivering a Bible topic, but also requires thought as to the best words to use. I think it´s easier to deliver a devotional topic! By God´s grace I got through 3 topics and translations for a youth activity in the evening. By the end of the day I felt my brain was turning to mush! All of this took place in the nearby community of Villarica.
At just about sunset, the clouds cleared and we got a wonderful view of the Villarica Volcano. The volcano has been hidden by clouds every time I´ve been there in the past month. Our visiting missionaries hadn´t realized how large it is, nor how close! Though my family was once from this area, on account of my American accent the locals are always anxious to have me see all the sights. Because of the cloudy weather, we hadn´t been able to see much. I´ve been joking with the Chileans "They say there´re supposed to be volcanoes around here!" They just look at me and roll their eyes and chuckle. On a clear day you can see 3 very large ones.
We are gearing up for our building projects for the girl´s orphanage in Santiago this October and November. Volunteers are in short supply this year due to economic strains. This project, though sponsored by the Christian & Missionary Alliance welcomes any volunteers from other churches that wish help disadvantaged children here in Chile. The only requirements are being willing to work hard, express the love of Christ and be flexible. More information can be obtained by calling "Vision for Chile" in the US, (615) 973-9837, or visiting the website: www.visionforchile.org
No comments:
Post a Comment