Raleigh and Cassie Hill are coming down for their survey trip. They are in the midst of deputation and will be here for the next 13 days. In these 13 days, we will take them to Córdoba (the second largest city in Argentina), Mar del Plata (another large city on the coast), La Plata (the city we currently live in), and of course Buenos Aires and the southern zone of Buenos Aires (where we have planted Faith Baptist Church). This will be a time for this couple to learn a little about the culture, meet some of the great people we have come to know and love. They will be arriving in just a few hours. In fact, as I am typing out this blog, Raleigh and Cassie are in Lima, Peru awaiting their flight to Argentina. Here are a few things you can pray about concerning the Hill Family.

• God will keep them (and us) safe with all of the traveling that will be going on in the next 13 days.
• God will keep their children safe as they are back in the States with their grandparents.
• Raleigh and Cassie will learn more about the culture and will enjoy the time they have here.
• They will get an idea of day to day life here as missionaries in Argentina.
• They will return to the States excited to complete the remainder of their deputation so that they can arrive to the field for language school.

After 13 days, the Hill family will be returning to the States. That same day we will be welcoming the Jason King family, but this is for another post (one that will be coming very soon).

This weekend starts in just a few hours, like most every weekend. My wife and I will be sitting around the table of a couple who is faithfully attending the church. We will be continuing our weekly discipleship. I am excited about this opportunity. This couple is special to us, I believe God is working in their hearts in a very special way. Tomorrow morning I will be at the church for another time of discipleship with another man who is attending the church. Sunday we will be learning about Barnabas in the morning service and Abraham in the evening service. Although there is not anything special going on we still believe it will be a great weekend!

One cannot address the many cultural adjustments as a missionary planting churches in another country without addressing the most obvious adjustment, the language! A foreign language is the largest adjustment that must be made and is the hardest to overcome. Why? Because learning a new language does not happen over night, nor in a week, month, or even a year. Learning a new language is really a life-long effort. We are learning and will always be learning. Tonight I was with a family talking over a few things that are coming up and I learned two new words. It is just something a missionary must commit himself to. One of the greatest misconceptions I have come across from others is, “Spanish is an easy language.” To speak Spanish correctly, it is anything but easy. There are certainly other languages that are harder, but that doesn’t mean that Spanish is easy. I entitled this post “Say what?” That is basically what you feel like saying for many months. I will start to think I am getting the language and will meet someone who speaks with a slightly different accent or perhaps they slur their words ever so slightly and that little difference becomes near impossible for me to understand. I am a firm believer that learning the language is also the most important adjustment that a missionary must make. Without the language we just cannot communicate effectively. Translators can help, but only so much. It is a beautiful thing to sit down and talk about the truth of Jesus to others in their language and watch them as they begin to understand. In addition to this, living in a country where you cannot understand anyone would be horrible. It isn’t so bad on a vacation or on a 1 1/2 week missions trip. But when someone is trapped inside a place where they are not able to communicate, they cannot adjust to life there! How do you by food, pay bills, answer questions, work through any immigration issues, etc? Learning the language is a must, and it is absolutely worth it. I still have a long, long, LONG way to go, but being I love the fact that I am at the point where I can talk freely and listen freely in this language.

A famous saying here in Argentina was coined by a futbol (soccer) coach named “Mostaza” (meaning “Mustard”) Merlo (he received that nickname because he has “mustard” colored hair). “Paso a Paso.” This saying means “Step by Step”. He was referring to a team he was coaching. They would improve “step by step”. Meaning it is not an overnight thing. It takes time. I realize that in America we also use this phrase, but Mostaza Merlo made it famous here. That is how you adjust by learning the language, “paso a paso”, step by step, little by little.

All the work and struggle to learn the language is worth it!

This Sunday is “Día del Niño” here in Argentina. Yes, we actually celebrate a “kid’s day”. This is another opportunity for us to have a great Sunday. For the next few weeks we will be concentrating on how God used specific people in the Bible and how God desires to use each of us. This Sunday we will be focusing on Stephen and Hannah. These are great days for our young church!