Returning to Argentina

 I didn’t know what to expect after three years away….but it all felt strangely familiar.  Right from the moment I touched down in Chile, with an 8 hour wait for the next flight over the mountains to Buenos Aires.  Suddenly immersed in the Latin world again, didn’t feel as strange as I thought it would.  I had a spare seat next to me from NZ to Chile (12.5 hours) so managed quite a few hours sleep, which was excellent. 

Here are photos from my departure and the days since I arrived.  It was straight into conventions 2 days after arrival (including having to speak first on day one! I hardly knew which way was up, let alone a sermon in Spanish 😵‍💫!!)

Last farewells… it was a great preps at Masterton!

Rhonda’s help was invaluable! Without her I’d still be staring helplessly at all my stuff 😁

Last NZ sunrise…

Last Waikato farewells…

Auckland airport

Don’t forget to come Rachel!

The next 12 hours in that…

Reunited with old friends, Sandra Hazelrigg and daughter Danielle.  Ex USA, they live in Panama.

At Herman and Rossy Olmos’ new home in the country, north of Buenos Aires.  They used to live at the school, but built a new place since I was here last.

Going off to the day’s meetings in the Olmos’ Sprinter van.

 Scenes from the Buenos Aires convention meetings.  There were big hugs and kisses for me after three years away! Nothing like a warm Latin welcome 🤗. This had been my field for three years before I left for NZ 2020.  The meetings were held in a hired hall.

Typical Argentina countryside

Scenes from Rio Cuarto.  Some of the young people who helped us around the place.  We don’t have many young ones, so each one is extra precious!

Sister worker’s sleeping quarters! 12 of us in this little outfit that they set up specially for cons, dismantle the walls once it’s over.  Gets very hot midday when the outside temps hit late 30s!🥵

Me and Sara Mereles.  She was in the work once.

Sara Barjacoba, our eldest worker, and her namesake Sara Mereles

Receiving great counsel from Esteban, who has Down syndrome 😄

The Antipodeans at Rio Cuarto…Bev Loechel, Scott Silverlock (on way to work in Central America for a while), Wendy Cornthewaite

Farewells from Rio Cuarto

On the road from Rio Cuarto to San Rafael.  Driving for first time on other side of the road was a bit scary for my passengers after 3 years away from it!! Very long, very straight roads is the norm here.  Big sunflower crop in bottom picture.  Middle picture is pure desert for about 300 kms.  No fuel stations on that stretch.

Yum! Peach season.  

Six nationalities at Ana and Diego’s table…Chile, Canada, Australia, Peru, Argentina, NZ. The few friends here have their houses bursting at the seams for the convention week, billeting all and sundry and having us all for meals.  A huge ask, but they love doing it.

One of our eldest friends, Elsa Funes, (90) and her daughter Amalia.  

Norwood McGregor from Canada kindly came and helped at Rio Cuarto preps

A very Argentinian way to relax after a long, hot afternoon sleeping the siesta! 😄

Ana Laura and Diego, parents of two boys

This dear lady fed a big household of workers and hangers on all week.  Ana Laura’s mum Maria.

Scenes from days of meetings SanRafael.  They are held in a conference centre, everyone takes their lunch to have between mtgs, then Go home in the afternoon.

Scott Silverlock, fresh from WA, taking to the mate custom of Argentina 🧉 

Some very little Chileans! Miguel and Paola, so lovely.

Meeting room with A/C!!

Lucas and Juan taking their job very seriously!

These two made their choice at Rio Cuarto. Benjamin from Mendoza, Argentina, and Mateo from Chile

Walking home from convention…feel the heat! Those canals look sooo inviting! Clean fresh water from the mountains to water all those trees growing in the desert.

With Shari Stamps (Minnesota staff)

Dennis Morris (Alberta, Can) and Scott with Lucas and Juan

Ana and Diego and boys, plus her sister Marianela and her two.

Look at this long road!! The mountains in the distance is where Pablo lives (when he’s not in NZ). Bev Loechel and I with his daughters, and also a couple of his friends.

Photos taken out of a very filthy windscreen of the area where Pablo lives

After nearly 12 hours on the road, we were glad to arrive to the city of Cordoba where we had a nice restful few days at the home of Nora and Roberto Berbel, and their 11 year old Maitena.  

Early dinner at 9:30 pm! 😁

An invitation to an “asado” (BBQ) at our doctor friend Benjamin’s home in Cordoba.  We were sitting down by 11pm!

Then on to last meeting place, Tucuman.  An 8 hour bus ride from Cordoba, going north.  I’d forgotten what North Argentina is like…😬.  It has a border with Bolivia, and things are poorer, dirtier, hotter! But our little group of friends are just as dear as anywhere.  There were 10 of them in total, including a couple who travelled especially from Cordoba for the day of the meetings.

We were forever waiting in the heat for buses! You waste so much time in places like this, just standing around waiting for buses that never turn up. Our visiting sisters were Adrienne Sinclair (Canada) and Claudia Rodriguez (Mexico).  

Oh man… where’s that dratted bus?? 😃 with Bev Loechel

We went to have a meeting with this blind man.  He’s been in touch for years but only gets about 3 visits a year due to lack of workers.

Scenes from meeting day, Tucuman.

Sugar cane across the road from meeting home

The home of our friends Arturo and Dora, where the meetings were held

The only fan in this hot room and I ain’t sharing it!!

The little group of friends and workers