~An Argentine Grill-out!~

 Our friends Leo and Caro invited us to an "Argentine Asado"  (Grill-out!) that was to be held the Friday before Easter!
Now, this was only the 2nd BBQ we had gone to here in Argentina.  You see, Argentina is known for their meat...and their grill-outs are FILLED WITH LOTS of MEAT!!!  They just KEEP bringing out the yummy meat, which they serve with a Delicious special sauce called, "Chimichurri"!
Earlier in the week we found out the address, where to go, What day it was, and what to bring, only we MISSED one IMPORTANT detail...WHAT TIME it started on Friday!!!  =)
I'm sure that Leo probably told Phillip over the phone, but Phillip somehow missed it.  I kept telling Phillip, "WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHEN THE GRILL-OUT IS!!"  We somehow had in our mind that it was FRIDAY EVENING!
So, Friday morning, having been up late the night before, and slept in that morning, we had just finished brunch, and having family devotions, when the phone rang.
I said to Phillip, "If that's Leo, PLEASE find out what TIME we are supposed to be at the Grill-out!"
Well, it WAS LEO asking us WHERE we were!?!!!!!
You see, the doors of the club they were renting opened at 10:00 A.M., it was now nearly 11:00 and Leo said that they were going to eat LUNCH around 12:00!!!  Talk about PANIC CITY!! =)
 So, we showered, cut up our salad, got everyone ready and by 11:45 the girls and I were in a taxi to find the club where it was to be held!
Jesus really helped us and thankfully when we got there they were still cleaning up the grills and fixin' to start grilling the meat.  =)
~We had a DELIGHTFUL day with our friends.
Our family REALLY enjoyed getting outside and AWAY from the schoolbooks.  =)
Here's 'Lijah...who LOVED rip-sticking and playing soccer... nearly all day long.~

 ~Kimberly, Caro, Sarah and I visiting~

 ~Here's ALL THE MEAT that they grilled!  =D ~

~Love this little man.~

~Everyone eating!~

 ~DEAR Caro and Leo gave Elijah and Noah some coats that their son had out-grown.
We were SO THANKFUL TO THEM AND TO JESUS...for it's turning chilly  here, and we didn't have room to bring coats for hardly any of us. =)  What a blessing these coats are being!~

 ~Mary and one of her many friends.~

 ~Mary trying to ride a scooter.~

 ~The boys rip-sticking and skating.~

 ~Phillip trying to help Leo and his brother prep the grills.  All of the grills were very dirty when we arrived.~

 ~Caro and some of the teenage girls getting the meat ready to put on the grill.~

 ~Phillip trying his hand feet at rip-sticking. =D~

 ~Progress...the meat is now on the grill!~

 ~My dear friend Caro and baby and I.  ~
(Caro is REALLY suffering physically =( ...PLEASE KEEP HER IN YOUR PRAYERS! THANK YOU!)

 ~L to R: Caro's sis-in-law, her Mother-in-law, Caro, a friend from church holding Mary, and I.~

 ~Kimberly and a friend.~

 ~Valentina and Sarah playing Chinese Checkers.~

 ~Phillip and I sitting out in the SUN and drinking HOT TEA...to try to keep us warm.  It was a chilly day...so we were THANKING JESUS for the SUN!! =) ~

 ~Sarah, Valentina, and Mary~

 ~The whole group of us (except there might have been a couple people who already left.)
We had a WONDERFULLY F.U.N. day together and had a DELICIOUS GRILL-OUT!!!!  =D

~I.H.C. 2014~

 ~I can't tell you HOW WONDERFUL it has been to get to watch EVERY service of Interchurch Holiness Convention!  
Many of you know that my parents took me to this convention all my life.  I have WONDERFUL MEMORIES as a little girl with 2 little VERY BLOND pony tails...walking into IHC carrying my little baby dolls, wearing my little Mary Jane patent leather shoes, going to children's services, being with all my cousins, and getting free pens and pads of paper to put in my little purse (so I could write during the evening services. =)  When I was younger I would rather GO TO I.H.C. THAN HAVE CHRISTMAS!!!
And then when I got older, I got to sing with God's Bible School choir for 3 IHC's, and got to introduce my SPECIAL friend Phillip to my friends!
Later...my parents announced Phillip and my engagement in the Datyon Daily!  =)
Up until Phillip and I got married I had only missed 3 IHC's in my lifetime. (One year we got snowed in, and couldn't go. =) I'm not sure what happened the other 2 years.
For the first year or two being away from my beloved IHC as a missionary was NOT EASY!  And then...PRAISE THE LORD...they started LIVE STREAMING all the services!!!  =D
WOW!  How EXCITING to get to set aside everything and watch and listen to all the services of IHC as a family all the way down here in South America!

We were SO EXCITED when we heard that first note on the piano played by R.B. Kuhn (who was my principal and piano teacher when I was younger =) on Tuesday at the "Music around the piano" service. =)
And of course how FUN to see Bro. Sankey, whom we call "Dad II!"
~Here are baby and I on Tuesday!   Tuesday's services were wonderful!~

 ~During the days of IHC I prepare fun quick meals so we can run into the kitchen and eat in between the services, and be ready to be in front of the computer at the first note on the piano of the NEXT SERVICE!  =D  

(I also try to have some yummy desserts on hands to munch on... to help our family feel the "specialness" of CELEBRATING I.H.C. =)
One of our dear Argentine friends gave us this huge chocolate egg...which we saved as one of our "Watching I.H.C. treats!" =)~

~Singing, listening, praying, and worshiping together around the I.H.C. service on the computer.
What a SPECIAL mission's service that was on Wednesday afternoon.  

We wept while listening to the men from Papa New Guinea singing, "Called Unto Holiness!"~

~And we were SO EXCITED to get to hear / see our own DEAR pastor Carl Eisenhart preach on Wednesday night.  We were so happy to see how God moved during that whole service...with 2 altar services.  We were praying together as a family as well.~

 ~When Pastor Eisenhart got up to preach, something unexpected happened in our home.
Our 5 year old Elijah started WEEPING!  When Phillip asked him WHY he was weeping, he responded through SOBS (pointing to Bro. Eisenhart)..."I WANT TO GO THERE!!!"
I think seeing our pastor made him get home-sick.  =(
We assured him that in about 8 weeks or so we get to go back to have our new baby girl.
That seemed to comfort him, but he still wept for several more minutes. ~

We are enjoying the services today as well!
 Today's Bible study and morning and afternoon services were tremendous!!!
~These are the treats that await us during tonight's service!  Another dear Argentine family gave us these cookies. =)~

 

~We had a wonderful Resurrection Lord's day =) (Easter!) ~

 As many of you may know the early Christians used to greet each other on Resurrection Lord's day morning with:
"He is Risen!!"
And the next person would respond:
"He is Risen INDEED!!"
Oh, how privileged I feel that Jesus DIED for my sins, and how GLAD I am that Jesus is ALIVE again!!!
We had a simple but wonderful Easter.
~Our children LOVE dried fruits and nuts.  When they see those in my kitchen, they often beg for a piece of fruit or some raisins, etc. So, that is what we decided to basically give them in their Easter baskets bags.
2 kinds of nuts and 3 or so kinds of dried fruits, some colorful candies, and they each got a dark chocolate candy bar, a choc. ball, and a pack of Tic Tacs.   I put the treats in clear plastic bags and tied them with purple and white polka dotted ribbon for our girls...~

 ~And Blue and white (Argentine) ribbon for our boys.   They got to open their bags on Sunday morning.~

 ~Then Saturday night the kids and I made "Resurrection Cookies" together.  Kimberly sat near by and read our Scripture verses for us.~

 ~Daddy went shopping last minute and came home with some Spanish books and coloring books for the kids' Easter gifts too.~

 ~Their Easter Bags all ready for Sunday morning.~

 ~I got Kimberly and Sarah an issue of an Argentine decorating magazine to enjoy.~

 ~Phillip got an Argentine "Alfajor cookie" and He and I each got a dark choc. candy bar.~

 ~And since our children don't have a lot of toys here...Daddy picked up Mary a little baby doll.  ( I forgot to take a picture but he also found a fun 100 piece puzzle for the boys.)~

 ~After we mixed up our Resurrection cookies (tasting each ingredient and comparing it to the story of Jesus' death, we made little mounds on our cookie sheet and put them in the "tomb"...oven FOR ALL NIGHT!
We "sealed the tomb" with kitchen towels and explained to our little ones that our hearts sort of feel sad leaving our cookies all night...but that it was REALLY SAD for the disciples of Jesus to walk away from his tomb!!! ~

 ~Mary in front of our oven tomb ready to open it and get out our cookies.~

 ~Our cookies all ready to take out.~

 ~We showed our children how the cookies were all cracked and when they took a bite...they were HOLLOW inside...Just like Jesus' tomb!!! =) ~

 ~Then we scurried out the door to walk the 5 blocks to catch the bus for the 45 minute ride to church.  Here are the kids in front of the Chinese church.~

 ~Phillip visiting with little William (who comes to our English classes).  We thought it was neat how the Chinese church prepared and passed out a boiled egg to each one in attendance on Easter. ~

 ~Our family in front of the Chinese church.~

 ~Kimberly got the privilege of singing with the Chinese choir.  One of her friends spent the time to sort of "write out" the sounds of the Chinese characters so that Kimberly would sort of know how to pronounce them.  =)
I got the privilege of playing the piano for the choir.~

~This young man thinks our little Mary is pretty special.  He surprised us by coming to church Sunday with a new little Hello Kitty back pack filled with Hello Kitty hair things and goodies for Mary. =D  How sweet! ~

 ~And this young man's father (and Mother) think she is special too.  =) ~

 ~Here's part of the bulletin board that Kimberly and Sarah helped work on for WEEKS!  Lots of DETAILS went into each picture of the story of Jesus.
They traced and cut out material to put on top of the people as their clothes, the trees, etc. ~

 ~Seeds for the rocks on the ground.~

 ~Hair on each person, etc.~

 ~Then after church, and a delish Chinese meal, the choir and I practiced for their special for the month of May.~

 ~Then we got on the bus and came home.
On the way home Noah mentioned to me how "confusing" it feels to us that it is actually FALL here...and EASTER at the same time!!
I told him, "I know!  One doesn't know whether to decorate with pumpkins or wear white Springy clothes."  =)

 ~Our DELICIOUS Resurrection Meringue cookies in my new little FUN covered cake / goody plate.  That was my Easter gift from my Sweetheart.~

We're EXCITED that I.H.C. starts today! We've planned our schoolwork/schedule accordingly and plan to watch EVERY service if possible!!!  
We are PRAYING that God's sweet presence will be felt during the services!  May we each one be revived!
For those of you who get to go in PERSON...ENJOY EVERY MINUTE FOR ME!!!!!!  =D