bye-bye Buenos Aires

Not for good! After 90 days in this beautiful city, we had to make a visa run to Colonia, Uruguay in order to renew our visas. This is a shot from the boat that took us across the Rio de la Plata to the sleepy Spanish Colonial city. We would spend two days of relaxing and playing. It was so nice to step back for a moment and reflect on our time, and look ahead to the four weeks we have left together as a servant team. Please notice Buenos Aires in the horizon on the right.

Somethings I missed, mostly our friends. It was nice to get away the realities of big city life: constant loud noises of buses and people, pollution, feeling unsafe, and of course- dog poop. We rented a nice little apartment with a big comfy living room and a huge terraza. It was so good to spend time with Tina, Megan, Amber, Jen and baby Eli. We ate some good food, encouraged one another, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. In short, I love Uruguay.

Five Women & a Baby

(this photo + Jen)

Eli was in paradise with all of these women, although everyone knows he only has eyes for Tina.

Dinner time

Sharing a great meal together in Uruguay.

Baby Eli

Eli and Jen. Beautiful.

Bicicleta!

We had a gorgeous day to ride bikes all around the city and along the beach. I never realized how much I truly loved riding bikes until this day. We got to play frisbee on the beach, reminding me of my last summer memories in Oregon.

Green!

Seeing beautiful green trees brought rest and relaxation to my soul.

Iglesia

A church right by our Apartment in Colonia, Uruguay.

Papa Robertito

Dadda somehow got his photo up at a random restaurant in Uruguay.

Lighthouse

Hannah

Taking friends with me. Love you.

Sleepy Colonia

My home.

Embarazada

Funny picture at customs. Small being inside woman.

Springtime in Buenos Aires

Beautiful blossoms in the park near our home.

Sabbath

A beautiful time of community every Saturday morning. Breakfast, followed by singing and praying up on our terraza. I am so blessed to know this wise women and to get to share this part of my journey with them.

Call and Response

Once upon a beautiful sabbath we girls wrote down the things that were too heavy for our hearts to carry on little papers. We put them in this little wailing wall, a box Hannah took with her to Kolkata. Soon after we mourned these things, we looked up to the clear sky to see a rainbow incircling the sun. It was a moment of peace that we got to share with one another. A sweet reminder of God's promise.

Sabbath Feet

Preach it, Tina

Tina sharing some inspiring thought or another. She is wonderful, and we all enjoy hearing one another's perspectives or reflections on how we are being challenged here in Buenos Aires.

Coffee!

Getting to share coffee and hospitality with the girls is my favorite part of Sabbath.

Mama Megan

Megan loves her mami mug.

Tina!

Tina's Sabbath mug.

Sos genial, Tina.

Amber

My dear roommate, and her Sabbath mug.

Christ & Sunflowers

If you've read my story on sunflowers, then you know the importance of them and their ability to appear at any moment. The importance is that Christ is central. These sunflowers appeared spontaneously as a gift from my dear friend Jen to cheer me up when I was feeling the weight of sorrow.

It sounds kind of cheesy, but think how might you be a sunflower for someone today?

My Little Bedroom

Cute and homey. Amber and I love it here.

My Favorite Things

Shout out to my dear friend Hannah Harrod-Casper, for sending me quite possibly the best birthday package ever, via David Bayne. Stumptown card, Nest post cards, scroll with $20 for a birthday dessert, small box to function as a whailing wall for my grievances with an Ethiopian crucifix, and a music box. Can't forget the pad thai noodles and two bags of Stumptown coffee. Also pictured is my newly purchased mate gourd with a daisy, or Margarita, on it, as well as one of my favorite snacks- apples and an assortment of cheeses.

Mate

Drinking mate with friends at Encuentro at the church.
So good.