Off-Grid with the Texans

Sitting in the shade of a big old Uruguayan tree, in the warmth of a late summer Uruguayan afternoon looking out over scrubby hills littered with rocks and a few cattle trying to find something to eat.  We are staying in the home of Russell and Shirley, an elderly Texan couple with a real southern drawl, and to my delight, say y’all 😃.  I’m looking over my shoulder every so often to make sure Russell isn’t heading toward me, as once he gets someone’s ear, he will not stop talking all about the evil state of the world today, and what are “we” (meaning he) going to do about it?  Sadly he never comes to any conclusions, and winds up with more questions than answers.  His wife Shirley is different, she doesn’t go along with all his mad-cap ideas, but doesn’t have any choice other than listen, and occasionally gently disagree!

They have had contact with truth for many years, through some of our friends in the USA, and Shirley has attended lots of meetings in the past.  About 11 years ago, Russell got the idea that the world is in such a mess, and there will be no food for eveyone, so the best thing to do was up sticks and move to Uruguay, get away from it all, as Abraham did! And get to know God out in the country.  So he sold up and moved down here, and they live on a very isolated ranch in the south of Uruguay.  They have solar power only, and because their system doesn’t retain electricity, if the day is cloudy, there is none.  Shirley has to do all the washing by hand as they don’t have a machine.  She has worked like a slave to salvage what was left of the building that is now their home.  She put down beautiful brick paving, has done plastering, and tiling inside.  What she can’t turn her hand to!  Their daughter and son-in-law and grandchildren all live on the same ranch.  They adhere to some kind of old testament beliefs, the kids are all home-schooled and have weird Biblical names, the only one I can remember is the youngest, Haddassah.  Also on the ranch, is a German couple and their 16 yr old dughter Nellie, who are lovely people too.  They also live off-grid and Nellie has quit school this year.  Just roams the ranch on her horse and helps out with all the farm work - of which there is plenty.   Seems like an idyllic life in some ways… but still, putting their all into this life, with little or no thought of eternity.  

We came and are staying two nights, we thought that might be all we could take of Russell’s ramblings! But amazingly, it opened up for us to have a little Bible read with Shirley all on her own this morning.  First time that’s ever happened apparently! Later Nadine heard Russell snoring, so the Lord must have sent a great sleep over him so we could have time alone with Shirley 😆.  We read John 1 with her, and she said afterwards, “there’s so much more in this chapter than I ever thought”.  

Poor Russell has all the right questions, but never really seems to want answers.  “Man’s wisdom leads into a maze”  pretty well sums him up.  His questions and ideas lead to more questions and ideas, and it is very tiring to listen to!  Anyway, he makes us very welcome, and gives thanks at every meal, so that makes a change from the workers getting asked every time😁

The red roof between the trees in the middle of the picture is their house…22kms along a dirt road from the nearest town.  No cell coverage.  The house itself is probably 3 kms in from the road, bouncing over paddocks.  It was basically fallen down when they bought it 11 years ago.  I don’t know what this house looked like before, but from their description it sounds like it was a typical farm-hand’s house.  I’ve seen a few in Argentina, they are just dumps.  A few crumbling concrete walls, and a concrete floor.  Cold.  Damp.  So this is a total transformation.  

Scrubby old farmland

Part of the inheritance that came with the farm

Shirley making her yummy “biscuits” (American for scone)

These photos from inside the house show all the tiling and brick work, and ceilings and that Shirley and her son-in-law did.

All the paving outside, and little brick walls around the garden is Shirley’s work.  Love the little reminders of their Texan long-horn cattle they had back in the US.  Sadly, it is evident by the state of the garden that she’s just given up.  She had planted a beautiful flower and veg garden, and if it’s not the cattle or sheep that get in, it’s the rabbits.  And if not the rabbits, the ants! They are the biggest enemy to a garden.  Come overnight and devour everything that is green.  She went back to the US one year for a few months, and when she came back Russell hadn’t looked after anything and all her hard work was for naught… 🤷‍♀️

                            Russell-free Bible study with Shirley 😄

Stunning sunsets out in the campo (country)

We get to meet interesting characters in our line of work…there was a knock at the door one day and in walks this shy, polite girl with German-accented English.  This is Nela (Nellie), the daughter of the Germans Steffan and Frida who have been lent a plot of the “promised land” to park their container house on.  She had come over on her mare Mississippi, to let us know they would like us to call on them later that day.  Her dad has an interesting story.  He is from East Germany, and tried to defect to the West, but got caught.  They threw him in jail, and because of the maltreatment, he nearly died.  From time to time, sympathisers in the West would donate money in order for a random prisoner to be released.  This time they decided to release Steffan as he was dying anyway, and the West could have him!  He was sent to hospital where he recovered.  Frida was a nurse there, and they ended up marrying, and at about 9 years ago came to Uruguay.   Not sure what for…looking for fulfillment in life I guess.  Frida’s parents are not happy about the arrangement.  All her brothers are doctors, and here’s Nellie, a bright girl, quit school and roaming around the countryside on her horse!

Note her typical gaucho clothes (the South American cowboy). The boots, pants, belt, knife and beret (and horse!) are all very typical of a gaucho.

The Danners’ container home.  They are extremely hard working, and have their solar-power system working perfectly.  

Frida speaks pretty good English, and occasionally has to ask Nellie (who speaks fluent Spanish as well), what a word means.  It was boiling hot this day, and here we are enjoying a glass of cool water, which had some kind of leaf in the jug, a handful of little rocks, and a silver coin…all good for the health no doubt!  Unfortunately Steffan was not home.  

The Danners’ compound

Russell and Shirley’s three grandchildren rode over to see us.  Funny hearing their very American accents in the middle of Uruguay!  The eldest girl, Hava (I think) was puzzling about how to untangle her horse’s tail so she can put him in the local parade next week.  

Hadassah aboard “Luna”, and Hava on Castillo, she is starting to break the grey horse Nevada…the life of some home-schooled American kids in Uruguay!

Going home to do their afternoon “chores”.

The land that the Lord has “given” to Russell to “be a steward of”.  All it seems to produce are miles of thorny weeds and rocks!  It’s kind of depressing to say the least.  As Russell drove us out of there, taking us to catch our bus home, the whole way he talked and talked and mused and thought out aloud.  Told us about how misunderstood he was, and yet he was so firm about doing the Lord’s will…how many people pleaded with him to not bring Shirley down here…and yet he remained firm in his convictions.  He believes that if he goes back to the US, he will be arrested!  Shirley is going back soon for the duration of the Uruguayan winter… get the feeling she would be very happy to never see this place again! (Y’all 😄)