Finishing The Year Strong

2016 has been an incredible year for us full of changes and progress. Those are two words I could use to describe this year for our family. Change in the way that we are in another country, another continent and even in the other hemisphere! Change in that life and culture are very different. Change in that we are in a new language. Through this change God has proved Himself in us as we have seen much progress. When we arrived in Argentina, Pastor Jorge drove us to our temporary apartment. He says that the 2+ hour drive was spent with us trying to communicate in hand signs with each other. Since that day, I have preached multiple times, I am teaching a 2 1/2 hour long class for 4 Tuesday nights, and we converse for hours daily in Spanish. Progress in that we have completed language school and are still learning. Progress, meaning we are still on the road to fluency. With changes we are adapting and seeing great progress.

Plans For 2017

We are very excited to see how God continues to bless as we enter 2017. We still have much to learn, but are at the place where we can move further into ministry in Argentina. We are so excited for the future! The days ahead are filled with the hopes and dreams of years past that will soon begin to be realized.

Serving Together,

Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry

I am in the midst of teaching a class at the Bible College here in La Plata, Argentina. It is a 4 week class (1 night per week), and last night we just completed the third of the four. The class is 2 1/2 hours long. Obviously it is all in Spanish. This has really stretched me and I think it is going pretty well. Last night we had a visitor (from the United States) with us. He taught much of the class and I did the translating. This was my first time translating and I think it went well (albeit not perfect). Through this class I have learned a valuable lesson.

People have grace. I know I don’t speak perfectly. The students in the class know that as well and have had grace as I have attempted to communicate the truth. They correct me (I asked them to do so), they respond with facial expressions letting me know that they understand and that I am saying things correctly. They laugh with me at my mistakes and allow me to move forward in the lesson. People see that we are trying and have grace as we struggle to speak correctly.

We have one more week to go before the class ends and summer break starts. One of the students actually asked if we could continue the class for a 5th week. I think they are really learning from the class and enjoying it. There is still much to learn but we are at a place where we are able to move forward.

Great days are ahead. I believe firmly that the harvest field here is wide open and God desires to make Himself known to men and women across this country. We are honored to have a small part in it.

 

We have been in Argentina for almost eight months. We love it here. I have been asked a few times what I miss most in the states. Obviously we miss family and friends. Thanksgiving is this Thursday and I am sure we will miss the traditions we have been a part of all of our lives. There are other events that we miss as well. One of the greatest is the annual Summit we have in December. This year the Summit is going to be in a new location, Lanier Islands north of Atlanta. There will be missionaries who are currently serving in Nepal, South Africa, Peru, Tunisia, China, and the United Kingdom! There are also missionaries on deputation who are on there way to Burkina Faso, Turkey, China, Colombia, Indonesia, India, China, Bosnia, South Africa, Chile, Japan, and Argentina! This is going to be a great conference! The dates are December 29-31, 2016. For more information, click this link to VisionMissions.com.

So, what makes the Summit so special? The missions emphasis makes it very different, the time of year is a special time of year, but in my opinion the Summit is so special because during the times between the sessions and services, you are able to spend time with the missionaries. I have been to many good camps, conferences, and retreats. When the services are over, we normally don’t get to spend real time with the preachers. The Summit is a place where you can talk to the missionaries, spend time with them, ask them real questions, and become friends! I encourage you to go to the Summit. I encourage you to take your youth group to the Summit. I believe you will be glad you did!

I grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. There are certain things I think back on with fondness. I can remember playing outside in our yard as a young boy on Friday nights in October and being able to faintly hear the local high school marching band playing in the distance. I share this to give you one very small example of the customs I grew up in. Every nation has different customs. It can be broken down further, into regions (different states, cities, and even towns have unique customs), and even in families (for example, some families have the same meal on Christmas Eve). Our customs make us unique.

We live in Argentina now. We are welcomed by a whole different set of customs. You will not hear marching bands playing faintly in the distance on Friday nights in October. That doesn’t exist here. However there are many new and interesting customs to be learned. Whenever you pass by a car with a jug on top of it, it means the car is for sale. When you greet a friend, you place your cheek to theirs and make a “kiss” sound. When you walk by a table at a restaurant, you may say “provecho”. When you see that 85% of the ice cream flavors include something called “dulce de leche” (a very, very sweet caramel-like sauce). When the biggest part of Christmas is Christmas Eve night when the clock strikes midnight until about 3:00 AM (we will be experiencing this for the first time in just over a month). I could go on, but I think you understand. New customs are not weird or bad, they are different. Perhaps the most important thing I have learned as we continue to adjust is that my attitude determines almost everything.

This is the final post in the series “Living in Argentina”. The truth is we are still learning. There is much to learn. I make mistakes often, and I correct them as I learn what I have done. Living in Argentina is a blessing, but greater than learning the customs of a new and beautiful country is to share the Gospel with others who have never heard!