Climate Change

Montevideo Airport: 4 kids, and 25 pieces of
luggage all accounted for.
photo by Jana Crum

We left warm and sunny California and landed in cold and stormy Uruguay.  The biting cold rain hit our faces and soaked the back of our legs as we walked back to the church with bags of groceries our first day in Montevideo.  Sometimes the wind was so fierce we had to lean forward and push against it.  Without a TV, we didn't realize that residents had been encouraged to stay at home because of the high winds.  When Jana tried to return to her place that night, the bus system shut down because a tree had fallen on one of the busses.  She had to borrow a cell phone and get a taxi.  Our lawyer had to cancel her appointment with us because a tree fell on her car while she was driving.



Photo of storm damage from El Observador. 
Huge trees were down everywhere we looked.

exploring the coast

It was a rough start.  Freezing, dark, and very wet.  The house shook that night with 70 mph wind as power went out throughout the city. 

Thousands lost their electricity and over 100 trees went down.  Finally, the storm passed and the sun peeked out. 

We explored the battered coast, discovering animal casualties: a large rat, baby penguin, and four seals.  Isaiah accidentally stepped on a dead fish, too!




standing room only on the bus today

Looking back on our first week, I am thankful that God has enabled us to work together and accomplish many small but significant start up tasks.  Steve Larson and the Rolim family had the church apartment well stocked and set up for us.  So, after a little more grocery shopping, we had everything we needed. 

We met with a lawyer to get our visas started, exchanged money, bought track phones, took busses to center city, the coast, and Prado with the Rolims, ordered more propane for the stove, toured two schools, met with a realtor, and walked two neighborhoods looking for rentals. As a mom, my life is a little more complicated with different outlets and voltage, and without a car, central heat, a dishwasher, and a dryer, but we're all working together to get household tasks accomplished.

Mark and Pastor Mauricio Rolim discuss church planting in Montevideo

 

 


Julia, Isaiah, and Joshua waiting for Sabrina to unlock the church doors

The main street near the church

Prado Park



Iglesia Presbyteriana del Uruguay

We enjoyed our first worship service at the Iglesia Presbyteriana del Uruguay, http://www.ipuy.org.uy/ ,listening to Pastor Rolim's sermon on the significance of our justification in Christ. 

Later in the week, Mark met with Steve Larson and Mauricio Rolim to discuss church matters, and tonight Mark, Sabrina, and Josh are at a Bible study. 





Tiny and Timber guarding the church grounds

The children seem happy and content, especially enjoying the church's two watchdogs, Tiny and Timber.  They are loyal boxers who can be fierce if a cat or stranger crosses their path.

Julia stands in front of the Montevideo skyline and coast



Clear blue skies swept clean by the storm and sweet fellowship around a picnic lunch of sandwiches and pasta salad

 



waiting for the bus, sitting on someone's front stairway



Spanish Grads

     Not many children get to attend their parents' graduation.  But this night was different.  Mark and I graduated from The Spanish Language Institute in Costa Rica with our precious children in the audience, listening to the long speeches, and clapping politely when required.

     First each missionary student walked into the chapel with the flag from their country of service. 

Then Mark and I had the opportunity to give a speech in Spanish, representing our graduating class.  It was exhilarating and the first time we've ever given a speech together. 

Our teachers recognized our personal qualities and gifts, everyone prayed for us, and we said some more painful goodbyes.

10 "Charlas" a Week = Lots of Great Friends!

     We knew that our FARO conversation class would require a significant time commitment, but we didn't realize it would hurt, too.  On our very last day in Costa Rica, our living room was stacked high with luggage, but it didn't stop our Tica friends from stopping by for one last visit.  We smiled for the camera to bring some memories with us, but we sadly left part of our hearts in San Francisco de Dos Rios. 

"What are these called???" 

Mark's friend eats a Rice Krispy treat for the first time. 

His "New Jersey" ballcap reminds them of their time

raising their children in the U.S. before returning to their

hometown in Costa Rica.

We'll miss Monday night dinner conversation with Rafael.

Serving Jesus.  We were blessed with many Christian friends

who served Jesus faithfully by patiently conversing in Spanish with us and

with many other missionaries at the institute.

It's especially hard to say goodbye to wonderful neighbors.

This sweet young woman loves the Lord and is a faithful

witness at her local public high school.