Warm greetings from cold Argentina! The snows are finally melting and the temperature is rising…slowly. The novelty of the cold climate hasn’t worn off completely for us. Having lived in Florida, coastal California and Honduras, we have never experienced a traditional winter before! The cold weather also encourages us to stay inside in observance of the government-mandated lockdown measures (only one hour outside per day). For those with inquiring minds; we have been stuck here for 160 days thus far. There are still zero cases of CoVid in Gobernador Gregores, for which we are thankful. The numbers have gone up in the state, but the majority of cases are located in the capital.
We have really enjoyed exploring town on our daily walks. The sparkling snow on the surrounding hills and piled high on every flat surface create a beautiful white landscape. The river that winds through town is transformed into an icy playground for children and families alike. Knowing when and where the ice is thick enough to hold your weight is a tricky calculation. A calculation I got wrong on more than one equation and ended up with a cold, wet foot! All part of the fun. We were particularly fascinated with the myriad of icy designs and fractal patterns that formed along the water’s edge. Some of the most delicate formations were as thin as a sheet of paper and appeared to have been created by the strong Patagonian winds. So incredibly beautiful! We were not the only ones enjoying the winter weather. During our walks we observed large jack rabbits, flocks of geese (and other birds that I can’t identify…well, except the pigeons), sheep, lots of snowmen, and one minion!
We were also invited over for a BBQ get-together with a local family. This may not sound that exciting; however, since this was our first social interaction in five months, we were genuinely thrilled! Jorge and his family treated us to a traditional Argentinian Parilla (BBQ) with all the delicious accompaniments. Exceeding the pleasure of the meal was the many hours we spent in conversation! We learned much more about the history of the town, as well as, their families’ story. We shared an abbreviated history of our motorcycle trip and some of the adventures we encountered. We also expressed how much we have enjoyed exploring Argentina and the incredible hospitality of its citizens. Speaking of hospitality, we have to say again how grateful we are to Oscar and Magui, our very generous and accommodating hosts. They have made our pandemic lockdown as comfortable as possible and far better than we ever expected.
Now for the change of gears…we are starting to make preparations for our move back to Honduras this year (when CoVid permits) to renew our work as foreign missionaries. Originally, we were not planning to do this until we returned to the US; however, since that is taking much longer than expected, we decided to get started. What that means is that we will start focusing on communicating more about our future Honduras plans and less on our current travel (or lack thereof:).
We’ll be talking a lot more about our plans in the future, but here is a quick overview…Sharon will be working as a Nurse Practitioner at the Jungle Hospital and Chris will be working at Give Hope 2 Kids orphanage in an educational capacity. We plan to remain there indefinitely. We are excited about this next phase of life and hope you will continue to travel with us on the journey. We have appreciated all of your thoughts and prayers on our behalf and know that we will need them more than ever as we make this major transition.
Chris & Sharon
Doug and I just read your recent entry. Welcome to thaw and transition! The pictures of the ice and the snow, even the minion, are so incongruous to what we’ve been experiencing here, that it seems like you’re showing us pictures of long ago. But it has been winter in the southern hemisphere!
We bless you and support you going forward and are anticipating news about your upcoming work in Honduras. Your lives are a testimony to those who serve “the least of these my brethren”.
Love you guys, Doug and Hannah
Hey Hannah and Doug!!! We have really enjoyed winter! Thank God we have heaters in our apartment or we would not have enjoyed it nearly as much. Thank you so much for always thinking of us and all the prayers you have made on our behalf.
We are very excited about sharing our plans for Honduras. Love you both and miss you! Sharon & Chris
Keeping you in prayers and long distance love and hugs…love your stories, your life and your incredible dedication to God and our fellow brothers and sisters ALL OVER your travels !!!
Love Always,
Nancy and Larry
We love hearing from you Nancy and Larry!!! Thank you for your kind and encouraging words (we feel those hugs and prayers)! We feel so blessed – both in our travels and in our friendships. We hope you are well and miss you both (and the rest of the clan).
Love,
Chris & Sharon
Sharon and Chris,
I admire your patience and perseverance throughout this extended and quite stringent quarantine! And now add FLEXIBILITY as your plans and timing change from your original plans. “In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9.
Hugs to you both. Miss your smiles and cheerfulness Sharon (albeit your bright lipstick colors would be hidden behind a mask).
Love, Charis
It’s so wonderful to hear from you!!! Yes, it is miraculous how well we are doing with the restrictions. Getting to go outside for one hour each day is definitely hard, but it is also the highlight of our day. But we feel extremely blessed and we are using the time to get things accomplished. Just today I finished my 175 hours of CEUs to do my NP certification renewal!!! And now that we are working for Honduras preparation we are getting excited about the big change. The verse you mentioned is perfect for these turbulent times. I miss you too!
Love, Sharon
You both are amazing! Cant imagine all those days quarantined! God bless you!
We love hearing from you Carol. God is amazing and we are enjoying the life he has gifted us with (with all its ups and downs:). Sharon’s dads self-quarantine is nearly as strict as ours! God bless and keep you!
We think of you guys all the time.
I don’t know if you have heard of the fires in Santa Cruz county. Among other locations Scotts valley is evacuated. No evacuations in Santa Cruz. You can google it by czu complex fires. June and I are cozy with a friend in Mountain View and down the street from el Camino hospital. Everyone at CLC who has been affected are fine. Only one person that you might know thru CLC might have lost their home and I’m not sure of that.
CLC has a new pastor. JB Powell.
Hang in there. Steve Barber
Hey Steve! We are honored to still be in your thoughts – though much distance and time now separates us. We did hear about the fires and are glad that you found a place to ride out the evacuation. I don’t know if you remember, but Sharon used to work at El Camino Hospital!
We are so happy to hear that CLC has found a new pastor!!!
Be safe and stay healthy,
Chris & Sharon
Didn’t remember until just now when reading Steve Barber’s post that you were living in Scotts Valley. Fire fighter locally, from other parts of California, other states, and even other countries are working hard to save as many homes as possible. We have never quite seen anything like it. So glad you are able to make you plans for Honduras.
Hey Andrea!!! Fortunately, our friends in Scotts Valley did not lose their homes and those in Ben Lomond also seem to have made it through unscathed. They were all evacuated of course and even took some of our prized possessions (that they are safekeeping) with them when they evacuated! Just wanted you to know that I have been thinking every day about your husband being home with you again; how wonderful! We are enjoying working on our Honduras plans and can’t wait to share them with you…soon. Love, Sharon
Sharon & Chris,
Thanks for getting in contact with me and giving me ‘the hook up’ to you blog. It’s so great to learn more about the woman behind the smile and the man beside the woman! I look forward to reading about your future work (and play). You both have huge hearts and those who come in contact with you are blessed for knowing you. Love to you both. Monica
I am truly thrilled to reconnect with you! We love to share our experiences, and they become richer for it. I am very proud of my wonderful husband and love to “show him off”! Thank you for your kind words, they are an encouragement to both of us! Love to the two of you as well! Thank you for joining us on our next adventure!