Las gentes de Cordoba (the people of Cordoba)

There's Jacquie, our missionary, who is from the U.S. She is a year or so from retirement. She lives in a town about two hours south of Cordoba, where she has a small bed and breakfast that she runs. She stays half of the week there, and half of the week with Nune in Cordoba so she can work with the church. She's wonderful--she got us a better exchange rate for our money and has been an excellent translator and guide. She's showing us around so that we can manage on our own while she's gone for three weeks. She's taking us to the bed and breakfast this weekend because it will be the last time all 5 of us will be together (she won't get back until after Terrence leaves).

Nune is a lady a little older than Jacquie. She speaks very very little English, but she has been very loving and helpful. Yesterday she took Lauren and Tara to the local university to hand out flyers. Nune owns a big house nearby, where we were all originally going to stay, but the plumbing at the house is deteriorating fast. All of the members of the church and community know Nune. People stop by the church all day asking if she's around. She has a big heart that can be easily seen, even through the language barrier. The church itself is about 10 members, and we've only met Nune and Jacquie. They're hoping to grow, and Lauren had a reader yesterday who said she wanted to come to church on Sunday, so we'll see!

Terrence and I are staying with Cristian and his wife, daughter (6-7ish), and two sons (8-9ish and 15). The only one of the children we ever really see is Ivan, the 15 year old. Cristian's English is pretty good, but sometimes we have to slow down or rephrase things for him. His children know a little English, and his wife tries very hard to say "Hello, how are you?" and "Thank you" and "Here you go", things like that. They are ridiculously hospitable! Terrence and I have to start eating smaller portions at dinner, because Argentines eat a light snack around six or seven, and a bigger meal around ten. Since we get home around 10:15, there is always hot tea, coffee, sandwiches, cakes, and other food set out for us. We eat and watch a little TV with Cristian and his wife, then go to bed. Cristian is a Catholic (most Argentines are, just by birthright). He started as an LST reader a few years ago, and Jacquie says he comes and goes, but lately he has been really struggling with What the Bible teaches versus what the Catholic church teaches. He will be reading with me on Mondays, and he says that he prayed that God would send him English speakers so that he could keep practicing, and then we were sent soon after--to his house! The family is very nice, and Cristian has been teaching me and Terrence where to get on and off the bus, and he has a hired car that picks us up at night from the church. (Travel is 19 pesos a day for both of us--a little less than $5).

Gaston is a local Christian, a little older than us. He is a student at the University, studying to be a doctor. He is very very fluent in English, and yesterday he took us to a Heladeria (ice cream shop--I tried to say it and apparently it sounded like I was asking about the Lotteria...the lottery). We had some great ice cream, and took a little walk around downtown Cordoba. We'll be exploring downtown more on our off days. Gaston treated us to a really fun afternoon, and gave us lots of suggestions for places to visit during our stay. Also, on the mp3 player in his car we heard Death Cab for Cutie, Jack Johnson, and Jay-Z. Crazy!

And then there are the readers that we have had so far--all of whom have been very kind and excited. They are very hardworking, and our first day of lessons went incredibly well.

-Brandon