Cati (Gayle) is back in Salta and along with her return comes the next edition of ‘The Argentine News’.
I’ve spent the last month helping at and attending summer camps both here in Salta and Jujuy another of Argentina’s northern provinces. After saying our final goodbyes to Cecilia and Pamela we got into a remis (taxi) and headed for the bus terminal and onto Jujuy for our first taste of summer camp Argentina style. The camp Lozano in Jujuy is run by an American missionary couple and is up in the mountains meaning it was a lot colder and a lot greener (I almost thought I was home again). Anyways for the first camp we were campers, it rained and was freezing for the whole week (not good when you end up having to wear the same clothes everyday for a week as you desperately try to keep warm ha ha).Now I’m going to be honest with you all here so you better appreciate it…I absolutely hated the first few days there…because I was scared (don’t tell anyone), to find myself in a new place, not knowing a single person there never mind not speaking the same language ( at least not confident in it) it was absolutely terrifying. So basically I arrived, took a major panic attack and then started to think like someone who actually believed in God and handed the situation over to Him…the week ended up being absolutely brilliant! The guys in my group were amazing and through all the activities i.e drama sketches, writing and performing a song, sports, quizzes, a cross country race thing, worship and sermons I learnt so much. So after a week of very little sleep and a lot of fun on we went to the next camp.
Lapen was a camp for kids and it was back in Salta at the orphanage/soup kitchen where I normally work. Here we were “helpers” and I was one of the cooks. The week was busy but pretty quiet and a real blessing too, as I wasn’t a leader I was able to be a friend to the kids there and not have to tell them off or keep them under control and the time we had playing, messing about and talking about silly things was something I will never forget.
The last camp was back in Jujuy for teenagers and again we were working in the kitchen. Over the course of the week we made some great friends, learnt a lot and for me one of the highlights was the worship, the songs were amazing, praising God in another language is just unreal.
We returned to Salta absolutely exhausted and spent the next few days running here there and everywhere as Hannah (from Richill) said her goodbyes before returning to sunny Northern Ireland last week. Since then I have been trying to catch up on a lot of missed sleep, tidying up the house and starting back to work with the church.
That’s pretty much me for the month of February so if you have a free minute send me an email and let me know how everything is going at home (I feel very out of touch)and stick a prayer list at the bottom. So for now I will love you and leave you with some prayer requests…? ?For “El Redentor” my church, for unity and growth.?For my safety and the safety of the house as I live alone until Cecilia’s return from Northern Ireland.
That God will use me to do His work in my last 3 months here.?That I will learn to seek God more and hear His voice more clearly.?For Cecilia and Pamela’s work in Ireland.?For Hannah as she returns home and for missionary opportunities when she goes to Australia.? ?Thanks so much for your support, you’re all in my prayers.?Dios te bendigo
Gayle/Cati/Caterine
e-mail me at: gaylesteve@hotmail.com