Time for me to get back into a rhythm of blogging. I hope to keep it updated with stories of my day to day lovely experiences, which in my opinion are far more interesting than the big picture summary. However, as an introduction to these day to day experiences, I will tell you today about the city and its culture, the congregation I’m working with, and my goals and experiences here. First of all, the city is amazing and BEAUTIFUL! You would love it. It looks like Europe or Paris, but its in South America. The buildings here were built to last and many of them are over 200 years old. In fact, where I’m staying right now (an apartment rented by a church in the States that is intended to be used by missionaries in their adjustment periods as well as by short-term campaigners)… the building is 70 years old, but still in amazing condition!
The city is also known for its education. With many amazing and affordable colleges and universities, Buenos Aires is full of educated individuals with a thirst for knowledge. This is good when it comes to studying the Bible with people because they want to know the truth, but it provides a challenge as well. When studying with smart people, you have to know the material well yourself.
The congregation I’m attending and serving here is gifted in the area of Bible knowledge and studying with people in English and Spanish. We attract many to our congregation who want to learn English, and sometimes they meet God along the way. The congregation is small, about 50-75 members but 100 that attend or are connected in total. Some of those 100 may only be participating in our home bible studies that we hold weekly in several different areas of the city. Because of its small size, my congregation here is very much a family in the way we treat one another. What a blessing to walk with these brothers and sisters every day. In my “house” where I’m staying, we have game nights, pizza parties, girls’ sleepovers, or any excuse to spend time together encouraging one another in our faith and walk. I’m blessed to be surrounded by such great company.
My goals right now are focused on the learning side of things. In the next year, I hope to be fluent in the Spanish language. I’m practicing daily and have many informal ‘teachers’ in the youth etc. I also practice reading and writing in Spanish as well and hope to find someone to edit my personal essays etc.
Similarly, I just completed a TEFL certification course that certifies me to teach English as a foreign language, but the learning continues as I take on jobs at institutes and with a few private students. Within the next year, I also hope to learn how to manage my schedule efficiently and be a very good teacher.
I’m also doing a lot of informal research constantly asking questions of church members as well as non-Christians. I’m trying to learn the societal rules so that I can be intentional about if, how, and when to break them. One “rule” I learned this week is to never leave the house without enough warm clothes. Argentines made fun of me all day when I went out in the rain wearing sandals, but I thought it was intelligent to wear sandals and thus avoid having wet socks J
Aside from learning, my other goals are developing as we speak. Options include participation in the formation of a choir here, but more than anything, I want to continue to be available to help and serve in whatever ways are necessary, needed, or beneficial. I’ll keep you updated on how some of that goes.
Pray that God works in our church in ways that are beyond our comprehension, and I will do the same. Also, pray for our leaders, Osvaldo, Dario, and Thomas: that God will give them strength and that they will be led by the Holy Spirit in all that they do.
Please write me with any questions, comments, encouragement or prayer requests. My e-mail is anm05a@acu.edu.
God bless you and all your are doing,
Ashley Musick
