My Adventures in Chile!

The World is Just Awesome

2008-05-22T12:54:00.002-04:00

I saw this commercial on my friend Traci's blog and I fell in love with it! Not only is it musical, but it also makes me think about all of the things this planet has to offer. Isn't God just awesome for making the world so awesome? :)

Approved!

2008-05-06T15:22:00.005-04:00

Well, if you can't tell from the title.. Rod's visa was approved yesterday! Now all we have to do is wait for his passport with the visa to arrive in the mail.

For those of your interested, I'll tell the story, for those not interested, feel free to skip down to the pictures!

The interview wasn't difficult at all, but I sure was nervous! We got to the embassy about an hour early, but we couldn't go in until 30 minutes before our interview time. It's a good thing we got there early though, because we were number 2 in line for our interview! When we were called, we went to a window where a lady took all of the forms we brought in, and the supporting evidence we brought. She told us that we had forgotten to fill out two copies of one form and my heart started pounding! However, she just gave us the form to fill out right there. So, Rod started writing and the lady started handing me back all of the evidence we had collected.. without even looking at it! Oh well, better safe than sorry I suppose. After Rod had filled out everything the lady told us to take our seats and they would call our names again. So, we waited a few minutes and then we were called to a different window. When we got to the new window, this time there was a man, and he asked us a few questions. First he asked Rod if he wanted to do the interview in English or Spanish and Rod told him Spanish. So, the guy starts to asking ME questions in Spanish. Then he asked me (in Spanish), "How long were you traveling in Chile?" This made me really confused because... I LIVE in Chile. So, I think I asked him to repeat himself but he asked the same question. By this time I was so nervous that I wasn't able to speak Spanish, except, I asked him (in Spanish) if he could speak to me in English. He kind of laughed at me and repeated the exact same question.. which I didn't understand in English either, because I've been living in Chile, not traveling. So, I had to explain my complete history of when I first came to Chile in 2001 with AFC, then I came back in 2003 for two months.. yadda yadda yadda. I'm sure he got more than he asked for, but he seemed happy with my response by the time I got to present day. I think he was just happy that I had finished talking. Then he said to Rod, "So, you've never been to the U.S." And Rod told him that he had, in fact, been to the U.S. last year. The guy looked surprised and started pulling something up on his computer and he was like, "Oooh. Ok. You're approved." When he said it like that, my mouth dropped open! I couldn't believe after all that we've been through to try to get the visa that it was THAT easy. I was so excited that I seriously wanted to hand him the wedding invitation that we brought as evidence and invite him to the wedding! But, I figured it probably wasn't the best idea. Then he gave us a slip to fill out so that Rod could have the visa mailed to him and we were on our merry way! I still can't believe it!

You aren't allowed to take pictures (or even take a camera) inside the embassy, but I wanted to capture some part of this experience so I could post it on the blog.

Here is Rod outside the embassy after being approved.

Here's me with Rod. Sorry, we had to do the self-portrait thing, but I wanted a picture with both of us. Do we look excited??
We decided it would be appropriate to celebrate by going out for some good ole' American food! Applebees is the best American restaurant that you can find in Chile (in my opinion) so we went there and celebrated with lunch and brownies for dessert! Woo hoo! Can't wait to really celebrate on August 2nd though!
THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers! And Save-The-Date for August 2nd, 2008, OFFICIALLY!

The Final Stretch...

2008-05-03T10:18:00.007-04:00

Hello! Well, it's almost here! Rod has his visa interview this Monday, May 5th at 1:30pm (12:30pm Texas time)! This week we've been double checking all of the forms and organizing everything. Today we're going to print some pictures as further "proof" of our relationship, and then we should be good to go! We're both so nervous about the interview, so please pray for us and be thinking about us on Monday! Rod and I realized yesterday that it was exactly 3 months until the wedding! Unbelievable!! We're so excited, and definitely ready to have this interview out of the way!

Last Saturday, two of our friends, Christian and Diana got married! It was my second wedding to go to in Chile and the first where both bride and groom are Chilean! I had a lot of fun. I don't have many pictures, but I wanted to post some so this post wouldn't be so boring!

Here we are before the wedding. We don't have many opportunites to get dressed-up, so of course we had to get a picture of it!! (And, I know, my hair is SUPER long. I don't really think about it until I see it in pictures! I'm planning a drastic cut for after the wedding!)

Here is Rod, with his brother Cristian. We are hoping and praying that Cristian, and his girlfriend, Perla, can come to the wedding in August!

Here is Cristian Rebolledo (hopeful bestman in our wedding), Christian Moore (the groom), Scott Emery (missionary & future groomsman for Rod) and my fiancé!

And here we are with the happy couple, Diana and Christian. It was such a great wedding! I loved it.. but, I love weddings!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!! I'm hoping to have some more after our interview! Again, please pray for us!

Visa Update!

2008-04-01T15:04:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the long absence from blogworld! I was waiting so that I could post some pictures with my blog of Rod and me at Easter. Unfortunately, we looked horrible and I refuse to post them on here for all the world to see! Ha. As you might have guessed, I'm back in Santiago now, working away and spending time with Rod! But, I have absolutely wonderful news about the visa! We received our 2nd "Notice of Action" back on March 4th, which meant that our case was being forwarded to the United States Embassy in Santiago. And recently, we received a letter giving us an interview date of May 5, 2008 at 1:30pm (Santiago time)! At the interview they will give us an official yes or no (hopefully a yes)! So, things have moved a lot faster than we ever expected! Which is an answered prayer! Another great thing about things moving so quickly is that I will be able to go to the interview with Rod, because I'm not leaving Santiago until the end of May! Yea! What an experience!

Just to help you understand a little more about the visa process, here is what Rod has to do before the interview:

Gather papers proving he will have sponsors in the U.S. that will make sure he doesn't go on welfare.
Fill out visa application.
Gather evidence proving we have an actual relationship and he's not just doing this to get a visa.
Medical Appointment, including a physical, chest x-ray, shots, and an AIDS test.
Get a print out of a Criminal Background Check.
Get a copy of his birth certificate and have it translated.
Pay for the interview.

Whew! That's a lot of stuff, at least he has about a month to do it. Please keep praying for us!

Sorry it took me so long to update you all on this! And again, sorry for no pictures... but.. if you want to see pictures of the CUTEST little girl in the world, you can go here: http://theworleys.blogspot.com. (There are also some pictures of me and my bridesmaids too.) Hope you are all having a wonderful day! Thanks for your prayers, and keep praying, especially around May 5th!

Photo Survey

2008-02-23T02:35:00.002-03:00

I saw this on a friend-of-a-friend's blog and thought it would be fun! Here are the rules: Answer each question. Take each answer and type it into Photobucket (http://www.photobucket.com/).
Take any picture from the first page of results and post. (click on the picture and copy the HTML code) Don't explain, it's funnier that way!

My age on my next birthday:

Place you would like to travel:

Favorite Place:

One of my favorite things to do:

Favorite Food:

Favorite Candy:

Favorite Color:

Town you were born in:

The Town in which you live:

Name of Pet:

Name of past/present boyfriend:

My nickname:

My middle name:

A Bad Habit:

Your First Job:

Your Grandmother's Name:

Favorite Song:

Hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me!

Sneezing Panda

2008-02-17T02:11:00.001-03:00

Just thought I'd share a funny video! Hope you're having a good day!

Engagement Pics

2008-01-23T02:03:00.000-03:00

Well, wedding plans are in full swing! We are making plans to have the wedding August 2nd, 2008 at good ole Airport Freeway CoC. Why, you might ask, do I say ''making plans" and not just "getting married" on August 2nd? Well, if you notice my ticker up above, you'll see we've started the looooong process of getting a fiancé visa. Today I mailed in a big packet full of applications and information about me and Rod in order to be approved for Rod to apply for the visa at the U.S. embassy in Santiago. Now, it's almost guaranteed that we'll get the visa, however, there is no guarantee on how long it will take. So, if you're reading this please add us to your prayer list and cross your fingers! The first step will take the longest (i.e. you can't even call to ask why it's taking so long unless it's been six months), I'm hoping for 4 months at the most. But once our application gets sent to the embassy in Santiago (the second step), I think things will go a little faster. I'll be sure to keep you posted!

And now....

Engagement Pictures! A friend of ours has a really nice camera and was kind enough to take some pictures of me and Rod before I left Santiago for Christmas. We went to the municipality building a few blocks from my apartment. It was a beautiful background, but unfortunately my favorites were the close up pics, so you don't really get to see much of the scenery. Oh well, enjoy!

Miss Ava

2008-01-23T01:57:00.000-03:00

I just couldn't resist putting this picture up. Isn't my niece beautiful?!? I thought this was a cute picture. I actually took the picture, so she was smiling at me! :) What a sweetums!

I'm Engaged!

2007-12-23T16:36:00.001-03:00

I can't believe it, but on December 21, 2007 Rodrigo asked me to marry him!

We had gone out to eat at our favorite restaurant, and then seen a movie, so it was late when we got back to my apartment. But, when we arrived, I opened the door to find pictures of him and me put up all over my apartment. As soon as I saw the pictures, I knew what was happening. We both got so nervous! There was a letter for me on my bed. We read the letter together, and then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him! I said yes!

Here are some pictures of how my apartment looked:

Here's a closer picture of the ring.

Here's a picture of something I've been waiting to do for years! A few years ago, I wrote down all of the qualities I wanted in a husband and I wrote a prayer on the back. I put the list in an envelope, sealed it, and wrote on it, "Do not open until you're engaged." This was my way of giving all of my worries of finding a husband to God. I opened the envelope and Rodrigo and I read the list and the prayer together. As we read what I had written several years ago, it was obvious to me that Rodrigo was hand-picked for me by God and that he is the answer to my prayers!
Here I am opening the letter:

Just thought I'd share the good news!

More Pics of Ava

2007-10-08T11:46:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Check out some more pictures of my niece on my mom's site. Click HERE. Only 19 days until I get to meet her in person!!

Happy Birthday Melissa!

2007-10-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

Ok, so you KNOW I wouldn't cover up the post about the birth of my new niece unless it was REALLY important. So, here it is:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GOOD FRIEND AND FORMER COLLEGE ROOMMATE, MELISSA REEVES!!

It's hard to believe that this gorgeous accountant is 28 years old today!

Melissa is truly one of the best friends I have ever had. She always makes such an effort to keep in touch and know what's going on in my life even though we live thousands of miles apart! I hope you have a wonderful day today Melissa! 28 is my lucky number, so I think this is going to be a great year for you!

Ava Elizabeth Worley

2007-09-30T21:02:00.000-04:00

Here she is with her proud daddy! Ava Elizabeth arrived today at 2:38pm, weighing 5lbs and measuring 17 and 1/2 inches long. She was born about 4 weeks early, so she is technically a preemie, but mom and baby are both doing fine. As for her aunt (me), she is extremely sad that she couldn't be there! Enjoy some pics that my mom sent me!

I read this verse during church this morning and it made me think of my new niece:
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11

It's so comforting to know that the creator of the universe also created Ava and that her being is a result of His will! Thank you God for Ava! I can't wait to see the plans that You have for her!

Ava's On Her Way!

2007-09-30T10:12:00.000-04:00

I got a call from my mom this morning at 7:45 (6:45 Texas time) saying that Jay and Sarah were at the hospital! Sarah woke up around 3am with contractions and then her water broke.. so they headed up to the hospital. I just talked to Jay and everyone is doing good, but they still have a while to wait! Please be praying for Jay, Sarah, and little Ava. You can also pray for me too.. I'm sad that I can't be there! I have a ticket to be home on Oct. 27th.. the day after Ava's due date. I was hoping she'd hold out until then, boy was I wrong! Oh well! Anyway, I'll post pictures when I have them. But be praying for my family!!

Ava's parents and me on their wedding day. Boy are things about to change! :)

Bad blogger, bad!

2007-08-10T18:57:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Is anyone still out there? Sorry, I've been a very bad blogger. It's actually very ironic because I get so frustrated when the blogs I always look at don't get updated for a while! Oh well, I'll try to make up for it now. A big event that has happened since I last updated is the visit of my mom and Becky! They were here for a week at the end of June and it was great! We visited all of my favorite spots around Santiago and, most importantly, all of my favorite restaurants! We had a great time, and I even stayed in the hotel with them most of the time! My mom and Becky both got to spend time with Rodrigo, which I know they enjoyed (and even found a way to communicate through the language barrier). Enjoy some pics!

Here we are at "Los Vikingos" (aka "the vikings" if you couldn't tell by the hats) enjoying some typical Chilean food!

Here is Mom and me on top of San Cristobal hill. We got a really great view of the smog that day!

Mom and Becky in the cable-car on the way up the mountain.

Here are Mom and Becky with a guard at La Moneda.. the building where the president works.

One night Mom and Becky made dinner for Rodrigo and me. Nachos and homemade apple pie! Yum!!! Something I had definitely been missing.

On Friday we drove out to Viña de Mar for some seafood and to get a view of the Pacific Ocean.

We had some time for some other fun stuff too, like:

Starbucks...

Video Games...

And "Once" at Ingrid's...

It was so much fun and I was so sad when they left! Thanks for coming Mom and Becky!

Baby Worley!

2007-06-17T19:33:00.001-04:00

No, I am not pregnant (and shame on you for thinking so)! However, my sister-in-law Sarah is! We found out on June 8th that Jay and Sarah are going to have a little girl in October!!! :) I'm very excited and know that my little niece (Ava) is going to be spoiled rotten!

So, everyone keep Sarah, Jay, and Ava in your prayers! Enjoy the pictures below!

Precious tiny feet!

Can you see her little face?

Here's Sarah at about 19 weeks!

The happy grandparents with their granddog Mojo. Can you tell they're excited??

Mondays

2007-05-13T20:34:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday night, and I'm already preparing myself. I'm preparing myself for tomorrow... Monday. Let me just tell you about my Mondays. I have four classes to teach on Mondays. I know that might not sound like much, but my first class starts at 8:00am and my last starts at 8:00pm. And, as I work for 3 different English institutes, none of the classes are in the same place, and if you didn't know this already, Santiago is a big city! By the end of the day on Monday I have taught 5 hours of English class, spent about 1 - 2 hours planning lessons, taken 8 buses, and walked for a total of about 60 minutes. Needless to say, when I get home at around 10:00pm on Monday nights, I AM TIRED. However, last Monday night when I walked in my door, this is what I found waiting for me...

The table was set, there were candles, there was music, and there was dinner, all prepared and waiting! Rodrigo had made an incredible dinner of Choripan and pebre (my favorite Chilean foods), grilled chicken and vegetables, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, and Black Forest Cake for dessert! I obviously couldn't eat it all.. but everything was DELICIOUS! It was so sweet and thoughtful and definitely turned my Monday around!

*You might be wondering why there is a pill bottle on the table. Well, I have to take a medicine with food, and Rodrigo was SO thoughtful that he put the pills on the table for me, so I would have everything I needed! What a sweetheart!*

Easter Activities!

2007-04-09T12:04:00.000-04:00

Hola everyone! Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I REALLY am going to try to write more. I just haven't been taking many pictures lately, and don't like to post without them! :)

This last weekend was packed with activities for those of us at the Iglesia de Cristo. On Saturday the college and high school students put on "The Bible Adventure!" We created a bible-times market place for kids. There were five stations: writing, music, baking, pottery, and carpentry. The kids were separated by age into five tribes and got to go to each station and learn about how people did things in the times when Jesus was alive. We also had a temple where the kids went to sing songs and see skits of bible stories. A great time was had by all, and there were over 50 kids in attendance, which means there were a lot of visitors! :)

As you can see from the picture above, I was a tribe leader for the tribe "Jose" which was 4 and 5 year olds. I had the smallest group (which worked out well for me!) and we had a great time! The kids absolutely loved the bakery station. They got to make bread dough and get really messy!

They also loved the pottery station where they got to make a plate, or really whatever they wanted, and paint! Camilo was the leader of this station and he did a great job!

Here's a picture of some of the kids in the temple, listening to a story from the Rabi.

And here's our Rabi, Ryan Newhouse, with his fiance, Claudia. I just wanted to include this because I thought it was a cute picture! :)

Our bible times market place even came complete with Roman Soldiers, like there would have been in the times of Jesus. Here's a soldier Christian Moore punishing Rodrigo.

All in all it was a great day! And the college and high school students all did a great job! I think everyone is looking forward to doing this even again next year! Because we did this the day before Easter it gave us a chance to invite the visitors to church on Sunday. There were quite a few kids that came to church on Sunday as a result of the Bible Adventure. :) After church on Sunday we celebrated as a church family with a picnic in the park and Easter egg hunt! Have I mentioned how great it is to have a park right outside the front door of the church? Well, it's great!

I'll leave you with a picture of Rodrigo and me after church in the park. I hope you all had a Happy Easter!!!

Chile, Chile, Lindo...

2007-03-20T13:09:00.000-04:00

Well family and friends.. I don't know if anyone actually even looks at this blog anymore... but I am back! I'm back in Santiago, Chile. I arrived on February 7th and have spent the last few weeks getting certified to teach English as a foreign language. Things here are going great! I was gone for 6 months, and when I came back it seemed like everything was different, but everything was the same. Weird, huh? And hard to explain. I just received my camera on Sunday, so I haven't had time to take any pictures. However, I promise to post some ASAP. Get ready for some bloggage!

Praise God!!!!

2006-09-12T21:43:00.000-04:00

I am so thrilled to say that Camilo Gonzalez was baptized into Christ on Sunday, September 10, 2006. What a day! I know that there are many people throughout the world who are rejoicing along with the angels in heaven!! For those of you who don't know Camilo's history, Camilo used to be an aethiest. But little by little (and I MEAN little by little) he came to believe in God and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Please say a prayer of praise to God for the way He worked in Camilo's life. Although I couldn't be in Santiago to witness his bapitism, I feel blessed to have been able to actually witness God calling out to Camilo and showing Himself to him during my time in Chile. I can honestly say that my heart is overflowing! Praise God! Enjoy the following pictures of Camilo's baptism.

A big victory for the day was the Camilo's family came to witness the baptism! Here is a picture of Camilo surrounded by his brother, mom, and dad.

Camilo hugging his dad.

Camilo hugging his mom.

New members of church family!

2006-09-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

Ok, although I'm not in Chile anymore, the adventures there still continue! I just wanted to update you on a couple additions to the mission team.

Caleb Allan Hatcher was born February 9, 2006, but was born into the Hatcher family on August 10, 2006. Penne and Jeff Hatcher are the proud parents! The Hatchers went through a long process in order to adopt Caleb, and are so thrilled to be new parents!! Please be in prayer for Jeff and Penne!! I know God has big plans for them as a family! Below is a picture of Caleb!

Also, Sebastian Eduardo Del Rio was born on August 12, 2006. Proud parents are Jill and Eduardo Del Rio. Jill is a former member of the mission team, and although she and Eduardo are now living in the Las Vegas area, I still consider them a part of the church family in Santiago! Please remember Jill, Eduard, and Sebastian in your prayers! Below is a picture of Jill and Sebastian just after Sebastian was born!

Chau Chile!

2006-07-27T14:07:00.000-04:00

*Ok, I started writing this on July 27th, and am just now finishing it... Sorry about the lateness! Things have been pretty busy since I've been back in the states! I hope you enjoy my final happenings from Chile!*

As I write this I am sitting in the airport waiting for my flight. I don't know how I did it.. but I managed to fit all of my stuff in 2 big suitcases and 2 carry-ons. Saying good-bye was really hard... but being that Chile is so much a part of my life now, I have a feeling I'll see everyone again. These last few weeks in Chile have been crazy and busy! I figured in this post I would just hit some highlights of my last few weeks in Chile... because if I don't do it all at once, I'm so behind that I don't think I would ever catch up!! :) So, here goes... Enjoy! I'll try to write more on my thoughts and feelings about leaving later!

Before I left Chile, I really wanted to see the second largest city in Chile, Concepcion. Unfortunately, I picked the exact wrong day to visit. I went with Lindsey and my friend Ingrid, and we ended up being stuck in a flood! We actually ended up spending the night in our car on high ground. We were very lucky that we didn't get caught in the water. And I will definitley never forget Concepcion, Chile!! For more on the floods of Concepcion, click
here.

One of the sweetest things that has ever been done for me was the surprise "Unbirthday" party some of my friends threw for me! I was in the states this year for my birthday, and so I never got to celebrate with my friends from Chile. So, my chileans friends threw me a birthday party in July and we celebrated my 26th and 27th birthdays (because I won't be in Chile for my next birthday either). It was such a sweet thing to do and I will never forget it!!

Christmas in July!
I'm happy to say we celebrated Christmas in July yet again in Chile! A great time was had by all. We ate turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and even gravy! Yum! The stuffing was a big hit, as most of the Chileans had never tried it! We had over 30 people in attendance. We ate, decorated Christmas cookies, and played "White Elephant" gift exchange. A great time was had by all.. and, as it was finals time for a lot of our college students, it was a much needed break!

My last Sunday in Santiago, the church had a going-away party for Lindsey and me (Lindsey left a week after I did). After church, we all had lunch together and anyone who wanted to was given the opportunity to say their special good-byes to Lindsey and me. Also, Lindsey and I each were able to talk in front of everyone and say our good-byes and thank-you's. The highlight of the afternoon was a slideshow put together by two of my good friends, Rodrigo and Cristian Rebolledo, which highlighted special memories Lindsey and I had made in Santiago. It was a great lunch, and I am so grateful to the Providencia Congregation for making me feel so special and loved! And it also provided Lindsey and me one last opportunity to get some of our contacts to come to church! :) The event turned into a beautiful memory for me.. and I will never forget it!

Welcome to the Family Nicolas & Felipe!

2006-07-14T16:39:00.000-04:00

Nicolas & Felipe are 2 brothers who studied the bible with John and Tyler. Their father, Nicolas, started coming to English class about a year ago, which led to him and his wife, Toyita, going to Marriage Encounter. Shortly after Marriage Encounter, Nicolas and Toyita began stuying the bible with Kelley Grant, and then their children followed their example. Nicolas Sr. has a history with the church and was baptized when he was younger, and Toyita is still thinking about being baptized. This is a beautiful family and all of them have such servant hearts! I know they will do so much for the church here. Please be praying for Nicolas and Felipe and their parents!

University Retreat!

2006-06-27T16:09:00.000-04:00

The second weekend in June, we interns and 6 chileans headed outside of Santiago for a retreat. Although the retreat only lasted for a little more than 24 hours, it was a wonderful experience!! I truly feel that all of us who went feel closer to one another now, and that was the whole point for going! We headed out Saturday morning and started the weekend with a devotional talk on prayer given by Claudio. Then we spent time praying in partners for the weekend and for our group. In the afternoon we did some team building activities, and then listened to a talk given by one of the chuch members, Sebastian. A former drug addict, Sebastian came to talk to us about how his life was changed by Christ. It was very moving. On Sunday morning we worshipped together and Rodrigo talked to us about the importance of praising God with our church family. All in all, it was a great experience! I believe we all grew in our faith and grew in our friendship with each other. Enjoy some pictures from the retreat, and be sure to check out the other interns blogs (links on the side of the page) for even more photos!!

Rodrigo and Perla were partners for a trust activity in which one person had to guide another on a walk to the soccer fields.

Our 6 Chileans who came on the retreat (and Tyler). From left to right: Tyler (intern), Rodrigo, Perla, Claudio, Raquel, Cristian, & Camilo.

A group of us hanging out during some down time!

See how many fingers Camilo is holding up?? That's how many cinnamon rolls he ate! He's holding the empty pan.

A group shot of everyone on the retreat! And it was cold! Can you tell by our coats and hats??

Three of my favorite Chileans in the whole world: Camilo, Cristian, and Rodrigo!

A huge blessing on the retreat was the presence of Raquel! She has become such a good friend to me and it was great to have her there. Raquel recently expressed that she wanted to be a member of our church, and therefore this retreat was great to help her really become part of the group.

Chile, Chile, Lindo...

2006-06-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

So.. what's been happening in your cities?? These pictures are just a glimpse of what went on here in Santiago for about 3 weeks. High School students all over the city went on strike, protesting the fact that the government had not kept promises to reform education. Recently the issue was more or less resolved, as the President made promises of more money for education. If you'd like to read more about the strikes here, just go to any news webpage and type in Santiago, Chile.

Inaugural Service and Voces Concert

2006-05-02T12:02:00.000-04:00

*Sorry for the lateness of this post!!!*
The biggest thing that happened during the month of March was our Inaugural service on March 19th. It was such a special day, and the place was PACKED with visitors (Chilean and North American… we even had a friend come that we met in Peru!). Normal church attendance is usually between 100 -120, but on inauguration day we filled the building with 360 people! We had a great service, full of singing, a sermon on the good news, and even a baptism at the end!

After the service we had a reception where people could mingle and talk with visitors, and the interns were in charge of serving food and drinks (a.k.a. we were the waiters). After the reception a concert was performed by Voces (a group that sings Acappella songs, but in Spanish). The concert was a big success, as many people stayed for it. Many of the Chileans had never been exposed to Christian music, and they all really seemed to enjoy themselves.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO DONATED MONEY FOR THE VOCES CONCERT! IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! THE FRIDAY BEFORE OUR INAUGURAL SERVICE, VOCES PERFORMED A CONCERT IN THE PLAZA IN FRONT OF OUR CHURCH, AND AS A RESULT 2 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, PERLA AND FRANCISCO, CAME TO THE INAUGURAL SERVICE AND HAVE BEEN COMING TO CHURCH EVER SINCE! EACH OF THEM ARE NOW INVOLVED IN A BIBLE STUDY! PRAISE GOD!

All in all it was a great day for our Christian family. And, as a result of all of the visitors, several new bible studies have begun. We are truly blessed to have this new building and had so much fun celebrating that together in our inaugural service.

Voces performing for the church on Sunday afternoon

The crowd watching the concert. In the front few rows are my friends, and English students, Raquel, Carl, Ingrid, Francisca, and Matias. Also, can you spot my dad? ;)

John Mann, an intern, serving trays of food to our guests.

I met Alan (in the Voces T-shirt) during my trip to Peru, and was able to witness his baptism. He traveled all the way from Lima to be with us on our Inauguration day! He is pictured here with some boys from our University group.

Rafting!

2006-04-26T11:59:00.000-04:00

March was a month full of visitors here in Santiago (with it being Spring Break in the U.S. and the church holding it's Inaugural Service). My parents and my friends, Kristin and Melissa, all came down to visit. You can see a few of the photos from their visits by clicking on the "My Pictures" link. Another intern here in Santiago, Lindsey Peterson, had her brother come and visit for about 3 weeks. While he was here, we traveled about 10 hours south to the city of Pucón for a weekend. If any of you come to Chile.. I definitely recommend visiting this small town! It's very touristy, but a lot of fun. And one of the most fun things we did was go rafting! I would seriously say it comes in #2 of the most fun I've had in Chile (#1 being the soccer game between Chile and Bolivia). So, here are some pics... enjoy!

Matt, Lindsey, and Me in our wetsuits, ready to raft!

In the raft.. ready to go!

So much fun!

What a ride!

A Month of Baptisms!

2006-03-30T22:49:00.000-04:00

In the last month 5 people have put on Christ in baptism at the Iglesia de Cristo in Santiago. Needless to say it has been a great month! It all started with Jose Ramon.... Jose Ramon is a recovering drug addict who has been in contact with our church for quite a while. In January he started studying with Kelley Grant and decided he wanted to commit his life to the Lord. He was baptized at the end of February and has been on fire for God ever since! The next Sunday he brought 4 friends and his 3 children to church with him! His friend Sebastian, who came with him to church that day soon started to study the bible as well. Sebastian was so amazed but what he studied in the bible with Kelley that he started studying everyday... sometimes twice a day! As a recovering drug addict himself, Sebastian was overwhelmed by the thought of being forgiven and starting a new life with Jesus. He was so attracted to that thought.. that when he asked Kelley to baptize him, he wanted Kelley to hold him under the water for a while... so that he would really feel he was leaving his old life of sin behind and raising up to a new life... free of sin and full of God's grace! When Sebastian came out of the water he was so excited and held both arms in the air.. like he knew he had won the victory! It was a great moment.. one that I will always remember! There are just the stories of two of the baptisms that took place, but please be in prayer for all of the people that were baptized this month... Jose Ramon, Sebastian, Roberto, Carito, & Ricardo. Enjoy the pictures below.. and pictures of the inaugural service are soon to come!

Here is a picture of Jose Ramon's Baptism

Here is Roberto & Carito.. a married couple who wanted to start their new life with Christ together. They have already started working hard for the church congregation here. Roberto prepared all of the food for the inaugural service!

And here is a picture right after Sebastian was baptized. It is a moment I will never forget!!

2006-02-28T21:03:00.000-03:00

Coca Cola Sign
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Here's a picture of Lindsey and I in front of a Coca Cola sign that, translated, says, "The hotter it is, the less clothes people wear." We thought it was funny. :)

Summer Fun!

2006-02-28T21:01:00.000-03:00

Well, summer is coming to a close here in Santiago. Most of the schools start back up next week, everyone is back from vacation, and the hot weather is starting to cool off. I know most of the time I put pictures up of events, but this time I decided to just put some photos up of us having fun and enjoying the summer time!! I hope you enjoy! :)

2006-02-28T20:59:00.000-03:00

Mendoza Gang
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

One of the highlights of our summer was taking a trip to Mendoza, Argentina for a couple of days with some of the Univesity students. Pictured here from left to right is me, Cristian, Lindsey, and Kani.

2006-02-28T20:56:00.000-03:00

Mendoza noche
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Cristian, Lindsey, and me hanging out in a plaza in Mendoza, Argentina. I love the summer nights!

2006-02-28T20:54:00.000-03:00

Asado
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Jeff Hatcher was kind enough to host a barbeque at his house for all the high schoolers and college-age students. Sausage dogs and Hamburgers! It was a blast! The two girls on the left are Daniela and Brenda, contacts from English class.

2006-02-28T20:50:00.000-03:00

Dinner
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

For Valentine's Day a few of us got together and made a Mexican feast of Nachos, Guacamole, Refried Beans, and Brownies for dessert! Yum! Pictured from left to right... Me, Camilo, Lindsey, and Rodrigo (Cristian was taking the picture).

2006-02-28T20:48:00.000-03:00

Brownie fight
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Things got a little out of hand while preparing brownies for Valentine's Day... but obviously we didn't mind too much! :)

New Church Home

2006-02-09T13:31:00.000-03:00

Well, we finally made the move to our new building! We moved on January 28th and it was a great day! Over 50 church members came to help, young and old! Everyone is so excited to be in our new beautiful building! Our first church service was very special. We had well over 100 people present! After services, we had a ceremony and watched as several men from our church placed a cross in the tower, and then we had worship time together, praising and thanking God for all He has done for this congregation.

Being in the new building is so exciting! When I see this building, I see hope. I see a future for this church in Santiago. We are here to stay. I get chills when I think of all the things that will happen in this building... baptisms, weddings, celebrations, lock-ins, and so much more! I hope you will take the time to celebrate with me and thank God for what he has done in Santiago, Chile!

Below are some pictures of our move day and the new building, and there will be much more to come (how cool is that?!?). Enjoy!

2006-02-09T13:27:00.000-03:00

Moving Day
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Loading up the truck for the move!

2006-02-09T13:26:00.000-03:00

Moving Day2
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Helping carry some boxes! :)

2006-02-09T13:24:00.001-03:00

Moving Day 3
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Everything ready to be loaded on to the moving truck!

2006-02-09T13:24:00.000-03:00

Street Sign
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Chau Carlos Antunez con Los Leones! (The corner where our old church building was located.)

2006-02-09T13:22:00.000-03:00

New Church
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The new building all ready for the first service!

2006-02-09T13:18:00.000-03:00

New Church
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

After our first church service, we all stepped outside and watched as several men of the church put the cross in place in the tower.

Meet My Storgin!

2006-02-08T13:20:00.000-03:00

I would like for you all to meet Konner Glen Grant. He is the newest member of the Kelley and Julie Grant family, and the newest member of the mission team here in Santiago! What makes him even more special is that he was born on December 28th... my birthday!

Ok, so you might be wondering about the title of this post. What's a storgin you might be asking? Well, you know how when you share a birthday with someone it just seems really special? I mean, twins have the title of twins, so there should be a title for anybody who shares a birthday, right? I was sharing these exact sentaments with Kelly and Sara Davidson and they told me that in their family they did have a word for it... Storgin! My life has been changed ever since! :) So, hopefully you were looking for a title to put on 2 people that had the same birthday. And now you have an answer!

With all that being said, let's all welcome, Konner Grant, my storgin, to the world!

Meet the Newest Member of Our Family!

2006-01-20T17:30:00.000-03:00

I have some exciting news! Gabriel (pictured on the right), a boy who has been coming to our church for about 2 months was baptized into Christ on Dec. 21, 2005! Gabriel is originally from Venezuela and came to our church on his own. He just decided to stop in one day and see what we were all about! It's always amazing to me how God leads people to Him! Not long after Gabriel stopped by, he began to study the bible with Rodrigo, a member of the University Ministry, and John Mann, a University Intern. After the lesson on baptism, Gabriel knew right away what he wanted to do. So, we called his family so that they could come, and filled up the baptistry! Gabriel has been a great asset to our group here. He's already planning a bible study with another friend! Amen! Please be praying for Gabriel!

Christmas with Luz de Cristo

2005-12-27T19:22:00.000-03:00

Luz de Cristo is a home for abused children. The Iglesia de Cristo en Los Leones has been involved with this home for the past several years. This year, I was asked to help plan a Christmas even with the kids from Luz de Cristo. We invited the kids to come to church services and then afterwards we had a feast of pizza, empanadas, and cake! At the end of the day the church gathered around to watch the kids from Luz de Cristo open Christmas presents! We had received a "wish list" from each child and, with the donations of the church, were able to get each child something that they really wanted. It was a great day together with the kids from Luz de Cristo. We're hoping to be involved in their lives even more in the future. Another great aspect of our Christmas party was that it gave many people the opportunity to serve. The pizza and cake that we ate for lunch were homeade by Roberto and Carito, a couple who have been attending our church, but are not yet Christians. This was a great event, allowing the church to work together, and showing us the REAL spirit of Christmas!

The Christmas tree with presents for the children!

Some of the church members who stayed to celebrate Christmas with the kids from Luz de Cristo.

Some of the kiddos showing off their gifts!

The Reason Why I Have NO Thanksgiving Pictures...

2005-12-01T18:01:00.000-03:00

One of our University Students, Rodrigo Rebolledo, officially graduated from his University! Being that it was a special occasion, I let him borrow my camara to take pictures of his graduation, and therefore didn't have it on Thanksgiving. In this picture he's wearing an aggie ring, as every graduate should! Congratulations Rodrigo!

Thanksgiving was a great time here in Santiago. The Grant family (of the mission team) opened their home to any "gringo" that wanted to come. So, we had a huge crowd! About 25 adults and 12 children! But it was a great time full of the usual Thanksgiving foods! We all had lunch together and then spent the rest of the day watching football and playing games. It was like a normal Thanksgiving in the United States. I am so thankful to this mission team. They have become my support system here in Chile. Although I couldn't be with my family in the states, it was great to spend a holiday with my gringo family in Santiago!

Quotable Quotes

2005-12-01T17:52:00.000-03:00

I thought I might share with you all a few quotes from 3 of us interns at the Iglesia de Cristo. It might give you a little insight to my life here in South America. Enjoy!!

Lauren: "I just head-butted the Argentinian a little bit." After saying good-bye to some of our friends.

Lindsey: "Aw, man! Did they get robbed AGAIN?" Lindsey, as we were walking up to a convenience store that we frequent.

While in Lima, Peru:
Jenni: I'm feeling itchy all over.
Lindsey: Well, did you eat or drink anything out of the ordinary?
Jenni: The water?

Lima, Peru

2005-11-12T01:32:00.000-03:00

The week of Nov. 6th - 11th was the annual Pan Am Lectureships. This year the lectureships were in Lima, Peru. Kelley Grant, Lindsey, and I went and represented the Santiago mission team. It was a great time to get to know missions supporters from the states, as well as other missionaries that are in South America. Another highlight was getting to spend time with old friends from A&M who plan on doing mission work in Lima beginning in 2008. On our time off from the conference we got to tour the city of Lima... which has so much history! It was interesting for me to note the differences between Santiago and Lima. I didn't know there would be so many! But it was a great time! I definitely wouldn't mind visiting again. Check out the "My Pictures" link to see more photos of my trip to Lima. Enjoy!

Our Hotel in Lima

2005-11-12T01:24:00.000-03:00

Our Hotel in Lima
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Our hotel in Lima, where the conference took place. It was located in Plaza San Martin. The architecture was beautiful in this area!

Alan, me, and Mark

2005-11-12T01:22:00.000-03:00

Alan, me, and Mark
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

A highlight of the trip was getting to know a new friend! Alan is from Lima and has been going to one of the churches there for over a year. We were lucky enough on Sunday to see him baptized into Christ!

Alan's Baptism

2005-11-12T01:21:00.000-03:00

Alan's Baptism
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Alan being baptized on November 6, 2005!

Me and Linds at the Pyramid

2005-11-12T01:08:00.000-03:00

Me and Linds at the Pyramid
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lindsey and I had the afternoons free to tour the city of Lima. One of the coolest things we saw was the remains of an ancient pyramid, right in the middle of the city! (Be sure to click on the "my pictures" link to see more of it!)

Mark and me... and Chili's!!!

2005-11-12T01:02:00.000-03:00

Mark and me... and Chili's!!!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Pictured here are two of my favorite things about my trip to Lima... spending time with my friend Mark Clancy, and eating at Chili's (a restaurant that we don't have in Santiago.. oh how I've missed it)!!!

Me & Linds and the Lima Team

2005-11-12T00:58:00.000-03:00

Me & Linds and the Lima Team
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

A highlight of the conference was getting to spend time with some friends from A&M! John Mark Davidson, Wes Yoakum, and Mark Clancy are all members of a mission team set to come to Lima in 2008!

New Church Building Progress

2005-11-04T16:48:00.000-03:00

I went by the new church building on Tuesday and was very excited to see how far along it has come! We should be in it by February at the latest (a few additions to construction has pushed the date back). Please be in prayer for our new church home! Below are some pictures I took, so you can see how it is progressing!

2005-11-04T16:46:00.000-03:00

Church1
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Front view of the new iglesia! Hopefully we will have a roof on it soon!!

2005-11-04T16:45:00.000-03:00

Church2
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Sideview of the new auditorium. The bricks are getting higher everyday!

2005-11-04T16:39:00.000-03:00

Church3
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

View of the front part of the offices and classrooms. To the left is the auditorium.

Kitchen Ministry

2005-10-28T13:12:00.000-03:00

Something that every person has in common on this earth is... FOOD! It crosses all cultural boundaries. We can always find a common ground when it comes to food, I mean everyone has to eat, right? Three of our English students taught us how to make "Alfajores" which are chocolate covered, manjar-filled, cookies! It was a great time of friendship building! I'm always amazed at how eager Chileans are to teach us how to make or do something. Please be in prayer for these 3 girls! They are sweethearts, and becoming good friends of mine!

Me, Ingrid, Carla, and Raquel

2005-10-28T13:11:00.001-03:00

Me, Ingrid, Carla, and Raquel
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Me and the girls with the finished cookies. Yum!

Linds & her alfajor!

2005-10-28T13:11:00.000-03:00

Linds & her alfajor!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lindsey was proud of her creation. She used icing and a toothpick to make a cool web design on her cookie!

Trip to Siete Tazas

2005-10-28T12:37:00.000-03:00

Lindsey, her friend Kirsten from the States, Jill, Eduardo and I took a day trip about 3 hours south of Santiago to visit "Las Siete Tazas." It is a series of 7 waterfalls on a beautiful river. It was great to get away from the rush of the Santiago city life for a while. Here are some pictures of our trip. Enjoy!

Siete Tazas

2005-10-28T12:36:00.000-03:00

Siete Tazas
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The "Siete Tazas." A series of 7 waterfalls really close together. It makes for beautiful scenery!

Me & Linds

2005-10-28T12:34:00.000-03:00

Me & Linds
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Me and Lins infront of the "Siete Tazas." Notice how it's springtime, and we're still wearing sweatshirts and jackets!

Eduardo

2005-10-28T12:33:00.000-03:00

Eduardo
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

We all got a kick out of the "Danger" signs.

Linds

2005-10-28T12:31:00.000-03:00

Linds
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lindsey reminiscing in front of "Salta de la Leona."

La vela de la novia

2005-10-28T12:29:00.000-03:00

La vela de la novia
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Kirsten, me, and Linds in front of "La Vela de la Novia," a beautiful waterfall.

18 de Septiembre

2005-09-29T14:41:00.000-04:00

The 18th of September is Independence Day here in Chile. There were lots of celebrations throughout the week! A main event is what's called a Fonda. It's like a fair where there is a rodeo, typical chilean arts & crafts, and, of course, lots of food! September 18th was on a Sunday this year, so there was celebrating both the week before AND the week after! Our church even got in on the celebration and help a day of olympics at a local sports club. We played games, ate empanadas, and celebrated Independence day as a church family! It was great! Be sure to check the "My Pictures" link for pictures of the event!

Linds & Me

2005-09-29T14:40:00.000-04:00

Linds & Me
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lins and Me enjoying the wonderful chilean food... asado (grilled meat) and chicha (a drink only drunk around the time of Sept. 18th)! Sidenote: ignore my hair... the wind was blowing!! :)

Jill & Linds

2005-09-29T14:38:00.000-04:00

Jill & Linds
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Jill, one of the missionaries, & Linds enjoying choripan (a.k.a. sausage dog) and an empanada! Yummm!

18 de Sept.

2005-09-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

18 de Sept.
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Linds & I with our new chilean friends we met at the fair, helping them cook traditional chilean goodies!

The Iglesia

2005-09-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

The Iglesia
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Our church hung a flag to show our Chilean pride! During the week of Sept. 18th there are flags everywhere!

Lauren & Me

2005-09-29T14:34:00.000-04:00

Lauren & Me
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lauren & Me at the Fonda with the Andes Mountains in the background.

Missionary Talk

2005-09-16T15:13:00.000-04:00

"Are you going to dress up like baby Jesus?"
-Kelley Grant, talking about Zane's sermon on Christmas day.

"Go over there and ask him what type of cigarettes he's smoking."
-Scott Emery, telling me how to start up a conversation with a stranger.

"We're not evil! We're fun!"
-Jill Grove

Just thought I'd share some laughable quotes from some of the missionaries here in Santiago! It's a great group to be with day to day!

Church Ground-Breaking Ceremony!

2005-08-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

July 30th, 2005 was a momentous occasion for the Los Leones Church of Christ. This was the day we had our Ground-Breaking Ceremony! This means that construction has officially started on the new church building! If things go as planned, we will move into our new building in December. Right now we have 2 services because of the small space we have to worship in, so, it will be great to be able to be all together again! During the ceremony, Kelley Grant reminded us that this church building is very significant. It signifies that this congregation is here to stay. This building will be there for years to come. It also represents hope and a future for this congregation. After Kelley’s talk, church members took turns shoveling dirt, starting with the first person to be baptized in this church Julio Sandoval, and the oldest member Rebecca Bustos. It was a wonderful and very emotional ceremony!

Here is the beginnings of the new church building, set to be ready in December 2005!

Some of the missionaries' children next to our sign which states, "Here, the hope is restored."

Julio Sandoval and Rebecca Bustos take turns shoveling dirt on to the new property.

It was a great day for Kelley Grant, who did a lot of the fundraising for the new building, and also planned the Ground-Breaking Ceremony.

Young Friends' Photos

2005-08-09T13:16:00.000-04:00

For pictures of the Young Friends Campaign, and I warn you, there are many, click here. There are a few of me, and many of the Southlake youth group! Enjoy!

Randomness

2005-07-28T12:16:00.000-04:00

Ok, this is pretty random. But, quite a few times I have seen this dog while walking to the church. Yes, it is strange that I see the same stray dog every few days, but what is even stranger is that this dog could be my dog's twin! I had to put a picture up for anyone who has seen my dog. The first time I saw this dog, I thought, "What is Belle doing... oh wait! I'm in Chile! She couldn't be here..." Anyway, just thought you might enjoy knowing that my dog has a twin here in Chile. (By the way, I'm sure every Chilean on the street thought I was crazy for taking a picture of a stray dog.. oh well.)

Merry Christmas in July from the Interns!

2005-07-27T17:04:00.000-04:00

Merry Christmas in July from the Interns!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Christmas In July!!

2005-07-27T16:29:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, it is winter down here right now. So, what does Winter make you think of, or at least make me think of?? CHRISTMAS!! I decided to have a Christmas in July party and share a little bit of our "gringo" culture with the Chileans. So, we planned a Christmas in July party for the University & High School group here at the church. They were a little skeptical at first, but everyone who came had a blast! And several of our contacts (i.e. non-church members) came to share in the festivities with us!! We had a Christmas feast complete with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls! And for dessert: homeade fudge (thanks to my mom who sent me the recipe and all the fixin's) and we all decorated our own Christmas cookies! Also, there was hot chocolate with marshmellows and candycanes (thanks again mom)!! It was a new experience for chileans in that they tasted food they had never had before. Some of them hadn't even had a candy cane! Who knew?? After we had stuffed ourselves with the holiday feast, we played "Chinese Gift Exchange." It was a great time, and all of the Chileans really got into the Christmas Spirit... in July. :)

Fudge!

2005-07-27T16:27:00.000-04:00

Fudge!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Me and Lindsey with the fudge and the icing for the Christmas cookies! We had to take a picture of the fudge BEFORE the party, because it went FAST! The Chileans loved it!

The Christmas in July Tree!

2005-07-27T16:26:00.000-04:00

The Christmas in July Tree!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

What Chrismas is complete without a Christmas Tree?? It really made it feel like Christmas and was a great place to put our presents for the chinese gift exchange!

Hot Chocolate Table!

2005-07-27T16:24:00.000-04:00

Hot Chocolate Table!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The holiday-dessert table! The Chileans loved the Hot Chocolate and marshmellows! Megg was so creative and arranged the reindeer mugs in the shape of a Chrismas tree!

Reindeer Mugs!

2005-07-27T16:22:00.000-04:00

Reindeer Mugs!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

From left to right: Pablo, Rodrigo, Christian, Ryan, and Raquel showing off the reindeer mugs my mom sent from Texas! Thanks mom!

Enjoying the Christmas Feast!

2005-07-27T16:20:00.000-04:00

Enjoying the Christmas Feast!
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Lindsey Peterson, Vanessa, & Betsabe (frequent visitors) enjoying the Christmas goodies!!

Chinese Gift Exchange

2005-07-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

Chinese Gift Exchange
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

We played "Chinese Gift Exchange" with gifts that valued 1 mil (less than 2 dollars). The chileans had a lot of fun stealing presents!

Young Friends Campaign

2005-07-27T15:35:00.000-04:00

We had a group of High School students come from Southlake Church to do a Young Friends Campaign. Young Friends is a shorter version of "Let's Start Talking (LST)." It's teaching English through reading the bible. We had plenty of Chileans come to the reading sessions and as a result have made quite a few contacts! The group held a total of 16 reading sessions throughout 3 days and then we had a retreat! It was a great time to get to know new people and help Chileans with their English, and watch them learn about God! My favorite moments had to be when we sang Christian songs in English. I can't even decribe what it felt like to hear people singing to the Lord in English, people who probably had never sang to the Lord in Spanish! What a great experience! I am so thankful that the youth at Southlake chose to come down here and spend time reading the bible with our Chileans!! They were a great group and made quite an impression on me!

Flyers

2005-07-27T15:33:00.000-04:00

Flyers
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The interns and church members passed out A LOT of flyers in preparation for the Young Friends campaign. Here is a picture of Lindsey & Camilo in La Plaza de Armas, a busy park downtown.

Honey, if you love me, smile

2005-07-27T15:31:00.000-04:00

Honey, if you love me, smile
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Part of the fun of having the Young Friends group here, was that we had a game night every night! This game was called, "Honey, if you love me, smile!" The Chileans loved it! In this picture, Milton is trying not to smile at Lindsey.

Retiro

2005-07-27T15:29:00.000-04:00

Retiro
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Angelo & Betsabe posing by the schedule for the weekend retreat! It was a great time!

Reading Groups

2005-07-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

Reading Groups
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Two of the five reading groups. We had 4 sessions of reading during the retreat. And notice the beautiful background! It was a great retreat site!

Logan & Marco

2005-07-27T15:26:00.000-04:00

Logan & Marco
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

One of the Southlake teenagers, Logan, helping Marco (a frequent visitor) with the English reading.

Eating Challenge

2005-07-27T15:24:00.000-04:00

Eating Challenge
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The LST retreat was full of fun games! This one was to see who could eat 4 pickles and drink a diet coke the fastest. I almost won, but was no competition for Scott! Oh well.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2005-07-05T17:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I hope everyone who reads this had a very happy 4th of July! I actually celebrated twice in one day! Fireworks are illegal here in Santiago, so we all compensated by extra food (ha ha). Our day started with lunch at Zane and Tae Perkins house. We ate brisket (complete with BBQ sauce), potato salad, baked beans, chips & salsa, and ICED TEA! It was great to be able to spend a day with other Americans and eat all the foods that we've been missing. If I couldn't be with my family and friends, I'm glad I got to spend it with my fellow "gringos" here in Santiago. As soon as we left the Perkins house ("we" being the other interns and myself) we went straight Lindsey Peterson's apartment and started preparing for our 2nd celebration for the day. We invited our University Students over to celebrate (aka eat American food) with us! We cooked hamburgers and had apple pie for dessert (which was everyone's favorite). We decorated the house and played games, and a good time was had by all! I have to say, it was a very fun holiday... even without the fireworks!

Missionary 4th of July

2005-07-05T17:03:00.000-04:00

Missionary 4th of July
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The missionary crew (minus the Deans who are on furlough) surrounding the 4th of July FEAST! YUM!

University Interns

2005-07-05T17:01:00.000-04:00

University Interns
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

The University Student Interns: Lindsey Peterson, Me, Ryan Newhouse, Traci Eicke, and Lindsey Pierce. Aren't we cute all in our red, white, and blue??

Victoria

2005-07-05T16:59:00.000-04:00

Victoria
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Just to make Cassie jealous! :)

4th of July group

2005-07-05T16:56:00.000-04:00

4th of July group
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

We had a special 4th of July celebration with our Chilean friends! We made hamburgers and ate apple pie! Yum!

Presents from Ingrid

2005-07-05T16:54:00.000-04:00

Presents from Ingrid
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Ingrid (my awesome roommate) surprised us gringas with gifts... American food! It was so sweet of her!

Que Paso Camilo?

2005-07-05T16:51:00.000-04:00

Que Paso Camilo?
Originally uploaded by JWorley28.

Camilo REALLY surprised us with his new haircut!

Chilean Culture 101

2005-06-24T15:55:00.000-04:00

Ok, so here in Chile people don’t really “think outside the box.” As Americans, we’re used to getting what we want, they way we want it. Not so much here in Chile, especially when it comes to restaurants. When Chileans order food, they rarely ask for something special. So, when we gringos ask for something to be changed, sometimes it is met with resistance, and a lot of times it won’t be done at all. The other day I was at a restaurant and ordered a hamburger. However I was going to share this hamburger with another girl. The other girl wanted cheese. I did not. So, I simply asked the waiter if I could have cheese on the side. The response I got was a blank stare and then a “no.” I thought to myself, “Did I use the wrong word in Spanish?” But I checked and I hadn’t. The waiter just simply couldn’t comprehend cheese on the side. Another example is when we went to Starbucks. Lauren, another intern, ordered chocolate cake and asked if he could heat it up for her. He said, “No, it will melt.” She said, “Even if it’s only for 10 seconds?” The man would not do it. He insisted it would melt and wouldn’t warm up her cake. So much for “the customer is always right.” It just goes to show that we are a product of our culture!

New Pictures

2005-06-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

Be sure to check the "My Pictures" link. I added a section of pictures of the University Students. So, I hope you enjoy! And check the link periodically because I'll be adding more pictures as I get them! Have a blessed day!