oh my goodness...it's been FOREVER.

so...i'm pretty sure it's been over 2 months since i last posted. i fail at blogging. sorry y'all.

school ended last friday! woohoo! it was probably the easiest academic semester i've ever had, but the professors assigned a ton of papers and exams at the very end. so darrah and i were basically shut up in out apartment for 2 weeks reading, writing, and studying.

to celebrate the end of school, the international student program at our university threw us a big party at a local bar with sweet hats (pictured above) as party favors.

also during the last couple weeks of school, we were busy planning our week-long trip to patagonia (southern argentina). we were all set to fly to ushuaia (southern-most city in south america--the closest you can get to antarctica without actually being there) the saturday after our last day of school.

so we arrived at the airport early saturday morning. we soon found out that almost all flights to the south were delayed because of weather. so we waited. and waited. and approximately 10 hours later a plane finally arrived to take us to ushuaia. BUT...it was broken. there was something wrong with the jet. now let me tell you...when you have a large group of argentines who have been waiting all day for their flight and are then told that they won't be able get one until later in the week...it's not a pretty picture. people were crying and screaming and i learned some choice 4-letter words. i know now not to mess with angry argentines.

so after the ruckus died down and we were assured that we could get a refund on our tickets, darrah and i went back to our apartment and went to sleep.

and here's what we did during our week NOT in patagonia...

there was a mission team at our church (La Mision) this week from Memphis, TN. we got to help out with them every day this week in the different neighborhoods where La Mision has a ministry.

this week has been amazing. darrah and i both agreed last night that this has been our favorite week in argentina. God is SO faithful! he took something that seemed like a horrible situation (our trip getting canceled) and turned it into something better than we could have ever imagined.

this week was awesome for a few reasons. it was great to get to know the team from memphis and to see their dedication to the Lord and his mission, it was awesome to be reminded of how the Lord's plan for us is perfect, even if it's not what we expect, and it was wonderful to see the scope of La Mision's ministry to the poor in Buenos Aires.

La Mision has four neighborhoods that are it's main ministry focus. the way they do ministry is so cool. they are trying to transform these neighborhoods from the inside out...painting an awesome picture of the holistic gospel that transforms every aspect of life. they are discipling people in each of these neighborhoods with the idea of raising up leaders who will move the neighborhoods toward to gospel. they are combating the poverty in peoples' hearts and their physical poverty (which is enormous to say the least). they have soup kitchens, clothing drives, activities for children, medical teams, etc. all for Jesus.

darrah and i are so thankful for this church; for this body of people who live like their only hope in life and death is Jesus. God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams through these people. please join us in praying for this church and for the kingdom of God that is relentlessly spreading throughout the world.