Into The Heart of Argentina

We left at 5 a.m. Friday August 15th and arrived at our apartment in Carlos Paz at 7:30 p.m. Saturday August 16th. Two very lengthy layovers in Miami and Buenos Aires made for one loooooooong trip!

Everything is much more expensive than a year ago. I about had a heart attack when we stopped for some basics at the Walmart on our way home from the airport. Yes, there’s a Walmart in Cordoba, a town about half an hour from where we live. AND a McDonalds, too. But after being reminded that meat and produce reflects KILOS, not POUNDS, the palpitations settled down. Still expensive but not as bad as I thought. Sort of like moving to California :-) About 20-30% more than we were used to paying in rural America.

A week ago, while still recovering from jet lag, we went to Aerosilla and took the chair lift to the highest spot in the city.

Have I every mentioned an unreasonable fear of heights that might afflict me on occasion? As in every time I get higher than three feet off the ground? Make that two feet. So. As you can tell, Ivan is in 7th heaven and I’m trying not to throw up since obviously bending over isn’t an option because then I’d be looking DOWN. Down is bad when you are up.

Once we arrived at the top, the panorama was breath-taking! The city spread out as far as we could see. I knew it was a good sized city but I had no idea how big it really was. Wow! This is looking toward downtown.

Thursday Ivan learned that because he still has his ID papers from way back when (we won’t say how long ago that was) he may be able to get permanent residency status right away. Before going to Cordoba to start the paperwork, though, we had to go to the police station here for a “certificate of domicile” that proves we live in Carlos Paz now. Our co-workers helped us with that piece on Friday.

We’ve found a rental house! So let me just tell you how God has provided a house with ALMOST EVERYTHING ON MY WISH LIST…

(1) On this side of town. This wasn’t a deal breaker but it sure was near the top of the list. Especially this first year while I’m taking Spanish lessons with Marcela.

(2) In a great neighborhood and only two blocks from the lake!

(3) THREE bedrooms, each with a built-in closet (an unusual feature here).

(4) Large kitchen.

(5) Living room AND separate dining room. There’s actually enough room in the dining room for a large table and chairs plus the perfect space for an L-shaped desk in one corner where we can set up our “office”.

(6) Covered parrilla and patio area. Argentines take their grilling seriously and you won’t be finding big American style gas grills. Heaven forbid! No, each house has a large brick parrilla with a grill you can raise and lower. This house goes one better and has a built in counter and storage area around the parrilla.

(7) Decent-sized yard with some landscaping [a number of rose bushes along one side of the house!] but also space to plant tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and so on. Remember, we’re going into spring here and we’ll be moving at just the right time to get some things planted. Yeah!

(8) The price is below market rate because the owner wants to rent “as is” without cleaning or painting. This is actually a plus for us—not only do we get to save money in exchange for some elbow grease up front, but WE get to choose the paint!

So a long wish list and just about every item checked off. Thank you Jesus!

We’ll have three weeks or so to clean and paint before the container arrives and Ivan heads to the port in Buenos Aires to get our things through customs. How’s that for timing?! God works everything out, right down to the last detail.

The renting process is very different here. Our co-workers had to serve as our “guarantors” and provide a copy of the deed for their house as collateral. They built two years ago but before that they rented. I asked how in the world they were able to rent in the beginning. They were required to pay six months up front! Glad we don’t have to do that. And before we can officially rent the house, the realtor will go into Cordoba (the provincial capital) and verify the deed.

We’re really grateful for the way God has provided abundantly in so many ways! Not only the house, but in great co-workers. We don’t know how other missionaries do it that have to go it alone. Tito and Adriana have chauffeured us around, helped us with the ins-and-outs of living here, and served as our “guarantors” so we could rent the house.

Here are some prayer requests:

1 For the folks who are currently coming to the Sunday meetings or are having Bible studies with our co-workers, that they would see their need for salvation, would repent and commit their lives to Christ. We’ll be talking about specific ones in coming posts.

2) That we would have all the necessary papers when we go to Cordoba and begin the process of getting permanent residency status as well as the necessary identity cards.

3) The upcoming missionary get-together in northern Argentina. It will be a time of teaching and encouragement. Please pray for safety in travel and for good fellowship.

Our goal is to post an update here once a week. So keep checking back!