OK guys, I have to make this fast. We are in an internet Cafe and they charge by the hour.

On Tuesday we left Tulsa and flew to Atlanta then Santiago, Chile finally arriving in Mendosa, Argentina Wednesday morning. We came to a YWAM base (youth with a mission) in Mendoza and have been very well-treated. The food is great the people are so friendly. We have been working at the base (like a farm) by raking leaves. Today we went to the city and fed homeless people in a mission. They have a funny custom here of greeting people with a kiss on the cheek. It is not really a kiss because you only touch cheeks and make a sound. I am still getting used to it. After that we went to several stores. Next week we will go to the desert people and camp in tents. After that I don´t know but it will be good. 

God is teaching me so much about patience and understanding. We mostly communicate in Spanish and it gets tiresome. God has a way of putting me in situations that continually challenge me. Many times it would be easier to just sit still and say nothing but the more I trust Him and step out of my comfort and into His peace the language gets easier.

I know you all must be praying for me because there have been many great things happening. I met someone who knows Judy MacDonald at Church. His name is David MacNeil and he is from Glasgow. We met some fellow missionaries in the airport. They live in Mendosa and were able to tell us something of the spiritual condition of the nation.

They say that the large gatherings are sometimes just hype because of the political turmoil and poverty that breeds dissatisfaction. They are looking at the fruits of the lives of the people and see that after the crusade is over most of the people go back to their previous ways.

Obviously this is not meant to discourage ministry but to caution. Lasting change requires relationship and accountability. It makes me all the more glad that I can help with a more low key ministry.

   Wow! Today has been really busy. I just finished loading the car for the ski trip to Colorado with Mark. Three of the guys did not show up and Mark was pretty upset. He said he has had a lot of people promise him things lately but not keep their word.

   I got to thinking about that and realized that it really shows integrity when someone consistently keeps his word even in small things. I really want to work on this and I pray that God will give me the strength to make it possible.

   I watched a good movie with Vince today-To End All Wars. It was about Allied soldiers in a Japanese prison camp that vividly live the life of Christ by turning the other cheek when they were abused. There were some who wanted to fight back and all they got was more torture and finally despaired of hope. The great part was that the only ones who retained self-respect were the ones who turned the other cheek and relied on Christ. There was a lot of cussing that I did not appreciate but I can see how the spirit behind the movie was one of Christ's love not one of perverseness. The result was a strikingly vivid portrail of the love of Christ in the face of real brutality.

   Sometimes I find it really difficult to turn the other cheek even in much smaller ways. I seem to fear that it will make me weak. What I saw tonight makes me think that the actual act of surrender is not what destroys the spirit but the emotional focus on one other than God. Bill Gothard talked about this in IBLP.

   I keep believing God that the emotional foci that have bound my family will be broken and we all will be focused on him. I know it will take a while but I am not giving up and there are many who are standing with me.

I just got back to ORU. Just now go around to fixing the Xanga. I actually had one before break but it was linked to the wrong email address so I could not get to it. I guess I misstyped it or something.

Christmas was restful. I keep telling everybody that Christmas is supposed to be stressful. Actually I have had some pretty stressful Christmases. This time however, my family did not get in any major arguments so it was good.

Severo let me borrow a really good book over break. It is called "The Power of Impartation." I wasn't particularly impressed by the title because-to tell the truth-I kind of got worn out last semester on the whole pentecostal "believer's authority" attitude. I guess Iwas trying so hard to believe God would do what I wanted that I spent far too little time asking Him what He wanted. This book really hit me between the eyes because it came right out and said "you can't give what you don't have." When someone needs prayer, I want to be prayed up and ready to pour out.

In order for this to happen, I will have to keep regular prayer times with God. I want to do this in the morning because there is too much going on at night. I really don't know how I will balance my schedule, but I gave it to God so it is in His hands. Time with people is important-yes, but I am starting to realize my limits. If I do superhuman miracles in my own strength and get burned out, the only legacy I have left is performance orientation. If, however, like mother Theresa, I do only small works with great love, the glory is diverted to God.

I guess I should get off now. I need to buy a book and get back to the dorm to have some "chill time."