ABBA Updates

DECEMBER 1

We arrived safe and sound yesterday morning in Buenos Aires. After meeting up with our local missionary, Randy Whittall, we set out for our hotel. The hotel is more like an apartment building with furnished rooms. Each of us have a room with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. In foreign countries the standards are a bit different, but it is nice, clean, and the water is hot for showers.

Yesterday afternoon we had a time for rest and in the late afternoon/evening we had a time of orientation by another local missionary couple, Jason and Kelli Frealy. We discussed all aspects of life and missions in BA. After the orientation, we ate dinner at a nice restaurant - Argentines typically don't eat dinner until very late
(think 8 PM and later). We ordered our food at about 8:30, and didn't eat until after 9:30. Even though we had 3 missionaries with us, the communication still broke down. Rather than 1 large pizza for 3 people, we somehow ordered 3 large pizzas for 3 (small) people. It was a bit of a mess.

Today, we are going to one of our barrios, Chacarita, to prayerwalk. Prayerwalking is "walking with insight, while on sight." Tomorrow, we will be prayerwalking another of our barrios, Villa Ortuzar, in the AM and then hosting a program in the PM in a park to generate names for follow up evangelism.

This trip is to put to the test our methodology.

Pray for us as we go today, that we will gain further insight into our barrios. Pray that on Monday and Tuesday, as we do our follow-up there will be a family representative at home and willing to hear the gospel message. Pray that we will be discerning about our methodology and able to learn how to best reach and disciple the people of Villa Ortuzar and Chacarita.

Pray that God will do "immeasurably more."

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21D

DECEMBER 4

The last couple days have been a blessing. On Sunday night, our team held an outreach at a park in one of our barrios, Villa Ortuzar. Jim McKay and Gary Strother played excellent music which garnered a lot of interest for a Family Bible raffle. Over 40 families registered for the family Bible. We were very excited about the interest and it encouraged our Buenos Aires Missionaries a great deal as well.

Yesterday, we broke into our teams and followed up with those families that registered for a Bible. One of my biggest prayer requests for the week was that Janet would have the opportunity to share her faith and lead someone to Christ. That request was filled yesterday afternoon.

Also yesterday, Charlie Nelson's team met a woman who is a believer who would be willing to host a Bible Study/Church in her home. This was also an incredible answer to prayer.

About half the people were not home yesterday, so we called and set up appointments to meet today. In a couple hours we are headed back to Villa Ortuzar to make the appointments and share the love of Christ.

Buenos Aires is full of people with closed homes but open hearts to the gospel. Pray that today their homes will be open so that the gospel may be shared and received.