Five loaves and two fish

Over and over again today the Lord keeps putting on my mind the story of the little boy who offered his five loaves and two fish to Jesus. If you know the story Jesus was being followed by a huge crowd of people, eager to hear him speak and to be healed. It was sometime in the day when it was time to eat and He called his disciples to him and asked them where they could get food for these people so they could eat. The disciples responded (as I probably would) there is no way that we could find a place out here that could possibly feed this many people (approx. 5,000 men - not including women and children). Somehow in that conversation they found that there was a boy who had a small lunch with him (apparently his mom planned well :) consisting of five loaves and two small fish. It was offered to Jesus, probably more in sarcasm than with the idea the He could actually use it. Jesus took the bread and prayed over it, blessing it. Then He broke the bread and started handing out the food to the people...and it multiplied, giving everyone enough to eat, with leftovers!

I would've loved to have been there during that time! I'm sure it would've been a humbling experience, as it is now...for how often do I doubt God? How often do I look at what I have and think that he couldn't possibly use this measly bit of gifting or skill, or this broken person with all this baggage for his purposes. Sarcasticly I look to Him and say "well, here I am Lord....this is all I've got, do what you can with it".

Here I am stepping off into an unknown, nervous and scared as all get out...and the Lord reminds me that he can take anything that I have to offer and multiply it in order to fulfill His purposes. wow! You know this faith walk is certainly more difficult than I thought it was going to be...(and I've just barely started!) but God continues to encourage me through stories/accounts like this. I'm no giant of faith....but somehow God is able to use me anyway. How awesome is that? What a gracious God we serve.

Blessings

I got my tickets!
That statement alone brings sooo many emotions rushing through me! Excitement, fear, anxiety, joy....I keep thinking of all the people I will get to see again and it brings smile to my face and tears to my eyes. I know that I am going to miss my family, friends, and the comforts of home...but my heart continues to remind me of my love for the people of Argentina...drawing me...moving me...I can't explain it...but it speaks above the noise of my fears.

The other exciting piece of news is that my mom is going to join me for the first two weeks. The English immersion course, where we meet all the students and tutor in English for an intensive two weeks, is what I will start my journey with...so imagine my excitement when my mom said she'd go! Finally someone from my family is going to experience the place that I'm falling in love with :). This will be her first time overseas, and I can already see the anxiety in her that I remember feeling the first time I chose to go overseas way back in 2000. It is a great feeling to know that I can help her in this new adventure .... and I look forward to how the Lord will use this to deepen what she has already known about missions. I know it will be beautiful!

Today is a wonderful day. I may still have stress...I may not have my financial support or my support team put together...I may not have my room packed, or all the little tasks taken care of...but God has blessed me today. He is supplying my needs, one need at a time. I have just enough money to pay for my ticket right now...and I look forward to how God is going to provide for the miriad of needs I have before,during and after Argentina.

correction to Argentina facts

So..one of me dear friends in Argentina informed me that a couple of my facts were not exactly right. So, to clarify:

The population of 14 million is in the province of Buenos Aires....only 3 million live in the actual city of Buenos Aires :) ... that is still a LOT of people (considering I live in a city of only 1/2 a million :)

Also the fact about the people being from other ethnic backgrounds (German, Dutch, etc.) is true, though the article made it sound like the Spanish descendents were less than those of the German, Dutch and Italian, where in reality the Spanish are believed to still be in majority.

Hopefully that clears up any confusion :) ... I'll be sure to check my sources better next time!

I hope that this information peaks your curiosity and makes you want to learn more about this place, I know it does mine!

Fun facts about Argentina...

I realized that some of you may not know much about Argentina. So, I thought I'd list some things I found online, and some things I've experienced while there...since I'm definitely still learning about this culture:

Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world (it is as long as the U.S. is wide) and South America's second largest country.

The capital city is Buenos Aires and is the most European city in Latin America, full of ornate French style buildings fronted along tree lined boulevards with fountains, parks and sidewalk cafes. About 14 million people live in this city, compared to: approx. 8.3 million in NY or 560,000 in Portland!

The city I am planning to stay in is Cordoba. Cordoba is Argentina's colonial capital, a picturesque city of a million on the edge of a mountain range known as the Sierra Chica. Because of its proximity to the mountains, Cordoba is a perfect base for excursions into the natural beauty of the Andes, or even the Pampas 100 km to the south. Prior to the rise of Buenos Aires, Cordoba was Argentina's center of arts and learning, a place of scholars and priests, churches and universities. Though in terms of national importance the city has fallen behind the capital, it still retains and independent spirit and distinctive grace. Its name comes from the surrounding province, which embraces an unusually scenic section of the Andes, the Sierras de Cordoba. (http://www.geographia.com/argentina/cordoba/index.htm)

Although many consider the Argentine people to be of Spanish descent, the majority of them are from a German, Italian and Dutch background. Argentina is home to 40,000,000 hospitable, friendly and fun-loving people. Although Spanish is the national language of Argentina, it is not uncommon to hear Italian, German and Indigenous languages being spoken. (Interesting Facts about Argentina by Connie Earl Robertson www.helium.com )

Argentines love their beefsteak and Argentina is the third largest producer of beef in the world. The largest part of the food eaten by Argentines is beef and vegetables without the use of spices. They use a sauce called "Chimichuri" that is rather plain. The first European immigrants who came to Argentina have had an enormous influence on the food they eat. (Interesting Facts about Argentina by Connie Earl Robertson www.helium.com )


Well, hopefully this helps you understand a little bit more about where I am going.

details...

There are days when I feel that I am totally ready for this trip. I think about all the people I'm going to see, all the adventures I am going to have, the sunshine, the swimming pool, the amazing God moments...you get the idea. Then there are days when I feel that I am sooo inadequate, why in the world has God placed this desire on my heart? Does He really know me, because if He did, I think He'd choose someone way more qualified! Then I start thinking of all the things that I need to get done, and how I only have a month and a half to get it together...and then I freak out! (seriously, does God really know me...cuz if He did He'd know that I get OVERWHELMED beyond overwhelmed with details).

I learned something today (crazy huh?). God is a God of details. In fact, He is the master of detail (just check out creation...or even study His Word and you'll see how intricately He uses detail to tell His story).

In this place, this overwhelmed, weak, insecure, stressed out place that I'm in...He knows. He knows that I am weak in this area, He knows that I stress out, He knows that I am frustrated and overwhelmed (have I said that enough? - I'm overwhelmed!). But He also knows me, He knows my heart, He knows that I am a girl with all kinds of crazy emotions, and you know what...He still wants to use me (not in spite of these things...but BECAUSE of them!). Somehow all of these things that make up who I am and how I function ... every small detail of who I am...is important and part of His plan.

Its still just sinking in...I have heard this before, but somehow today, after struggling to get my support letters out and feeling the time crunch, and wondering if I'm really cut out for this job since I seem to be floundering....somehow God's whisper to me during our Bible study today (on Esther) was: I know you, I love you, and I chose you (not her...not him...not them...but YOU! with all your details).

I'm glad that God doesn't get overwhelmed with details...He knows and He is in control...and it will all be used for His eternal purposes.

I hold onto this truth today, even though I still have a headache from crying, and am exhausted from trying to juggle and plan so many things, and am wishing I could just press a pause button on time so I could accomplish more, and that I could push a '$' button and have my pockets filled with all the money I needed to go, and to be able to spend more time with the people I love and care about. I hold onto this truth that God knows and He is the Master of, and over, all the details.