Special Meetings Travels

Special meetings for us means five weeks out of our fields (we only have meetings on Sundays), with pre-planned visits during the week amongst the people who live in the place of special meetings.  We went to Esquel first (about 700 kms south of Neuquen, over by the mountains). Cold!! Just a little group living in that area. Benio and Rosa Sanchez, and their extended family, and Sara Mereles who was in the work but couldn't continue.  Benio and Rosa came from Chile in the early 80s and have a small hotel in Esquel, whose main industry is tourism.  People go to ski in the winter and for outdoor pursuits in summer.

The last time I was there was in 1996 with Rachel, nice to be back!

Our first port of call was to visit Benio's niece Eliana Riquelme, in the sleepy town of El Maiten ("el my-TEN").  She came from Chile to study nursing 8 years ago (public tertiary education is free in Argentina, even to foreigners. Costs an arm and a leg in Chile). She graduated and got a job in the hospital in El Maiten, a sleepy little town nestled in a valley in the Andean foothills.  She is the youngest of 6 and so far just she and her mum serve God.  She doesn't get to meetings every Sunday, but when she can she takes the bus to Esquel, stays Sat night, and goes to the mtg Sun. There is no regular bus service to Esquel from El Maiten (170 kms), but she's very excited as she's just bought a car.  Now wants to learn to drive it! Don't think it should be a problem... She joined the voluntary fire brigade and helped fight the big forest fires here recently, so driving should be a breeze. I was quite shocked to know it will take her 8 years to pay her car off!! It's not brand new either! 

Some photos:

Love this northwestern arch.  Los Andes in the background.

The pink bushes are musk rose.  They make rose-hip jam from the fruit.

Some of the scenery from bus window

Coming in to the city of Bariloche (just visible on the far shore).

Bariloche

The part of Bariloche that tourists don't see!

More stunning scenery from the bus window

Climbing through the mountains.  You can see the truck crawling up the road to the left.

This map shot shows the topography of El Maiten and Esquel

Was it good to get here after travelling all day!  With Eliana, eating a delicious roast beef meal.

Some photos I took while out walking the following morning.  (not too early, as it didn't get light till 9.20am! - no daylight saving).

Looking towards the town of El Maiten.

"La Trochita" (literally, "the Little Gauge")  is an old steam train that still operates as a tourist attraction.  It was a busy train operating between Esquel and a town further north, with the maintenance sheds in El Maiten.  Top is a monument to the railway workers who laid down the rail in Patagonia.  

Eliana's cute little rented cottage.

"La Trochita"

El Maiten

...And on to Esquel...

Rosa Sanchez in her kitchen.  They have a hostel, and close it down for the weekend, so there is room for all to stay who travel to the meetings.  Rosa Bravo is in the background, she travelled from our field.

Sara Mereles in her little tiny apartment!

Alex and Silvana Sanchez and little Micaela (soon to have a little brother/sister)

Jacky Montoya and I with Mica

Some scenes around Esquel

Rosa's sister Haidee has this cool Chilean-style log cabin in the country.  We all had lunch there one day.

Back yard

Inside

Valarie keeping the fire warm!

Last rays of sun...

Next morning...slight hoar frost.  Behind the fog is a spectacular view of the mountains!

Coffee and a catch-up downtown Esquel with John and Valarie Kells

Love these iced-over spider webs and leaves!

The day of the meetings.  Bottom the Kells with Sara Mereles and I

Rosa's father, Don Oscar - 98y years young!

Daniel Peiretti and I.  Last saw him in 1996!

Daniel lives in a city called Trelew, over on the coast.  I first met him in 1996 when I travelled through here with Rachel Bailey.  He was about 20 years old and had not long professed, having come in contact with the gospel while studying at university with one of our young friends, Valentina de la Fuente.  His father and mother were preachers in some charismatic church, but he was searching for what is true. He went to Valentina’s house one day and saw a Bible there, and began to ask questions.  He began to go to the meetings and made his choice to serve God.  However Valentina then went into the work, and he was pretty disappointed!  He lost out for a few years and the de la Fuente family left that city (leaving noone in Trelew who served God).  They always kept in touch with him however, and the day came when he wanted to come back.  He also brought his girlfriend Janina.  They got married and both made their choices to serve God.  Sadly however, things began to go wrong in the marriage, and Janina started making things difficult for Daniel.  She ended up leaving him and going her own way.  He kind of lost heart during that time, and just this year has renewed his vows.  It was neat to see him at special meetings for the first time since 1996.  Amazingly, he has never lost his vision or understanding of God’s way, and so nice to feel that he still has God’s Spirit.  

Impressive view of the city of Esquel

The group who left for Buenos Aires, at the airport.  Ramona Coria, Jacky Montoya, John and Valarie, Mary Barrientos (Uruguay)