Greetings from our link diocese of Northern Argentina
[endif][endif][endif][endif] Dear Down & Dromore,
"Harsh, hot and like Hatfield" were the words used by Stefanie to describe her impressions of Argentina when she and Sam came out to spend Christmas and New Year with us. (I'm not sure she’s ever been to Hatfield, but it was a third H!) There were other impressions less easy to put into words, including the immediacy of detail in things artistic and musical, and the rather “in your face” way everything Argentine is promoted!
We did have a great time as a family, and managed to get into the wilds of the Chaco as well as the wilds of Salta and Buenos Aires. Do look at our photos on http://picasaweb.google.com/catleti or www.ampey.wordpress.com (sorry if we told you that a thousand times already!)
Many thanks to all those of you who have sent gifts or cards/letters - they were much appreciated as we enjoyed a rather unusual Christmas and New Year. Sam and Stefanie are now back in the cold of the UK continuing their respective studies, Sam at Roehampton Uni and Stefanie in Guernsey at the College of Further Education. They seem fine and getting on with life. We do thank God for them both and especially of their support and encouragement with regards to our ministry here.
Meanwhile words are at the forefront of our minds as we go at our different speeds with learning to understand and speak Wichi, the mother tongue of most of our church members. It’s quite hard anyway, and made more so by the intense heat, which continues despite the occasional break for rain! But we have had encouragements, and a few relationships forming as part of this process. We don’t have classes or a teacher as such, so it is a question of discipline and opportunities to practice – there are often more “pressing” needs, or the people prefer to speak to us in Spanish rather than go through the torture of figuring out what we are saying in their words...
There are also words that spring to mind to describe our first four months’ experience of the church here in the north: “muddled, inaccessible, and mistrustful”. (This must be prefaced by saying there are any number of delightful exceptions which are “faithful, pioneering and relational”.)
In the last ten years the church scene has changed completely. A lot of groups and movements are now around with very different ways of approaching ministry, theology and other established churches. Responses amongst our churches range from uncritical acceptance of all offers to wholesale rejection of everything that isn’t exactly “how the missionaries taught us”. Discernment is needed as the issues are as often about power and selfish gain as they are about spirituality and blessing.
At the same time it is often difficult (at least for us) to grasp exactly what IS going on, not just because of differences of interpretation, but through lack of basic information. This is always going to be difficult over such large distances with such poor communications, and sadly much has been lost or dismantled in recent years, if it ever existed in the first place!
Add to this a legacy of both leaders and followers forgetting how to trust each other, and we have a bit of rebuilding to do. So our prayer would go something like: “where there is muddle may we bring clarity and truth, where there is inaccessibility transparency and communication, and where there is mistrust love and friendship.”
In the midst of all this there are so many encouragements, not least an awareness of your prayers: so little can be done in our own strength!
May you be inspired by the “joy that is set before you”.
With love and blessings,
Nick and Catherine Prayer pointers:
Give thanks for our family, time together, safety in travel. May our home be a place of peace, welcome and security.
Ease and ability in learning Wichi: for good understanding and fluency, and enhanced relationships as a result.
Clarity in the muddled church situation, for wisdom as to how and when to speak into it.
For our own church leaders, transparency and a growing trust at all levels.
The next few months, as business and travel begin to take over from language learning: (we will travel to several Indian communities as well as Salta and Buenos Aires).