July 11, 2007
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Argentina Update #4
We have had another wonderful week here in Resistencia, Argentina. The Thrift Store has opened! After a few days of sorting and pricing, we had our opening day on Thursday, July 5th. They warned us that it would be a crowd like we have never seen before and they were right. Pictures cannot do it justice. When the gates were opened there was literally a stampede of people running in; half of the people went to the furniture section and the other half came in to the clothes and shoes section. The four shelves of shoes were empty within 2 minutes! The mass was unbelievable. The neighborhood is in real need of affordable goods, so the Thrift Store is a real ministry opportunity in this community. They make use of every item that comes in. Furniture parts and pieces that we thought no one would want were all sold. In three days (only open a couple hours a day), we sold almost everything that came this month. It looks like a record month for them and we were so excited to be given the opportunity to be a part of it.
On Saturday night, we had youth group. It was planned and led by some of the teens who have recently learned to play instruments. They planned a praise meeting; leading worship, sharing testimonies, etc. This was the first time they had been given such a responsibility and they did a great job. Elyse shared the devotional thought at the end. Sunday was another great day at church, teaching Sunday School to the same class we have worked with all summer. There was a baby dedication during the Holiness Meeting and we sang a duet as a special number. Because we have both had colds/coughs for quite a while, we were quite concerned about our voices. But we trust God was glorified and His message shared regardless of voice quality that evening. J
Monday was our free day and was a holiday here in Argentina as well (Independence Day). As a result the DeJesus kids did not have school, so we were able to take a day trip to Asuncion, Paraguay. We are so grateful for the opportunity to see another country and culture. During our time there, we went to visit several Salvation Army facilities in the city. The Army runs a clinic that serves a community in severe poverty. How incredible it was to hear of their ministry regarding physical, mental and emotional health and nutrition. There is a corps in the same neighborhood that has just finished building their own chapel, which we saw. We also went to the main compound in Asuncion which houses a Children’s Home and another corps. The kids were home on winter vacation so we did not see them, but we had a complete tour of the facilities and visited a few minutes with the DC and with the Summer Mission Team from USA West who was there.
We praise God for his continual care and for His provision of time to invest in relationships with our friends and family in Christ here in Resistencia. God is Faithful! Till next time,
Elyse and Viki
Argentina Interns
The Thrift Store opens
