Last Days In Gobernador Gregores

We are leaving Argentina. It is going to take major preparation and paperwork, but if all goes as planned we will be flying out of Buenos Aires on November 13th to Florida! We had sincerely hoped the land border with Chile would reopen, but that was not to be. After 230 days of lockdown in Gobernador Gregores, we are getting back on the road. We can hardly believe it. Once we arrive in the United States we plan to spend a few months visiting family and friends before moving to Honduras to start our next adventure as missionaries!

The first leg of our journey is driving 1,600 miles from here to Buenos Aires. It will take us approximately one week to complete if all goes smoothly. We will be traveling through five states, each with their own restrictions and paperwork requirements. We are also unsure of whether we will be able to find hotel accommodations (most hotels are closed). If not, we are prepared to camp. The other complicating factor is the wind, which can be dangerous on a motorcycle. Spring is the windiest time of year in the Patagonia. Just last week we had a day with wind gusts over 70 MPH!!! We were very happy to be snug in our apartment on that day!

We have really enjoyed all the new sights and sounds of Spring as we witness it all around us. One especially friendly dog had puppies! We greatly enjoyed watching them grow up as we visited the mother and her litter each day on walks. Eventually, all the pups found new homes except one, our favorite, which the owners decided to keep. We just found out this week that the dog’s name is “Lassie”! Different languages and different cultures, but some things just seem to cross over. We’ve also seen the return of many migratory birds, including Upland Geese and a number of duck species. And of course I have to mention the flowers…in a landscape that is primarily dust-colored the flowers colors seem to shine all the more brilliantly. Not a bad word picture for 2020; a seemingly dismal canvas upon which we have an opportunity to provide a bright contrast. I pray that we will use it well.

We had a rare treat recently. Oscar and Magui, the owners of the apartment/hotel where we are living, spent an entire afternoon giving us a tour of the town. They drove us to several scenic viewpoints above the town which provided a different perspective of our home, sweet, home. They also brought us to where they attended school and where Oscar later taught as a professor! It is a boarding school that provides a hands-on education in agriculture. Walking down memory lane with them and learning more about their history and culture is a major highlight during our seven-month stay.

And last, but definitely NOT least, Sharon celebrated her 40th birthday here! She really enjoyed her surprise gift of a virtual birthday card. Thanks to all of you who contributed your letters and photos – She loved it!!! Another surprise came from Oscar and Magui, their son-in-law shares Sharon’s birthday, and they happily expanded their birthday festivities into a double celebration. We enjoyed a delicious, traditional Argentinian barbecue in the company of their large family. We ate, drank, talked and laughed together for many hours. As Sharon told our hosts, “This experience is something far beyond what money can buy.” It was delightful.

Things we are especially thankful for…

• Sharon’s had very few migraines in the last week (another birthday surprise:)
• The incredible hospitality of Oscar and Magui and their family
• During all the days since our drastic change of plans we have seen God’s hand providing for us in these uncertain times!!!

Things we would appreciate prayer for…

• Wisdom to successfully navigate the complicated restrictions that we face with our travel in the pandemic
• To remain healthy
• Migraine relief for Sharon