Kids Small Groups

The theme of this trip is evidently FULL-filling days.  Hard to believe when asked when we arrived it was merely yesterday...wowzers!  Well to conclude last night (as we were able to see the nicer packaged end results today at Saddleback BA) we completed 55 no-sew fleece blankets for the Venezuelan refugees. Just a few more to go in time for distribution on Tuesday.

Alright, now to today's day filled with worship as we praised God. Scott took Team 1 (Palmers, Darmawans, Dudlestons & Chengs) to Tigre while Liza & Hannah took Team 2 (Chens, Wus, Goleys, Minos) to Moreno. 

Team 1 was warmly received by the Tigre team.  An unprecedented event occurred in which the Pastor actually set aside the planned (outline provided to take notes) message as the Holy Spirit led him to do. This was because of the team's powerful introductions which included Scott preaching to the nations.  Always incredible when the Holy Spirit is freely flowing in our Father's house.  After this, Bessie & Eddie accompanied all of the kids (Dylan, Paige, Bailey & Tyson) to be part of Tigre kids serving the kids in 4 different classrooms of about 10 kids each.  Service attendance can be lighter on winter weekends due to the cold weather.  Lots of time building relationships with our Tigre friends capped off with a delicious pizza & hot dog lunch prepared by them while hanging out with the Tigre Teen ministry.  The start of some awesome friendships for sure!

Team 2 then traveled an opposite direction to Moreno where they too were welcomed well with two besitos and lots of hugs.  Similarly the team introduced themselves at the start of church services. It was even an announcement to the congregation that Saddleback Kids was coming to visit in the hopes more families would attend.  Very special!  After introductions, Freddy and Gabriel Mino brought a fortaleza (powerful) word from their testimonies and hearts to share AMOR for God and others...yes there was a very creative AMOR acrostic, of course. And Gabriel received claps & "Amens" after each segment of his teaching as it was all in Spanish. Good job, buddy! Meanwhile, the rest of the team was upstairs with the ISO kids teaching about worship with interactive skits, creative craft, and time to bond.  Team 2 also was blessed with an in-house lunch of rice & empanadas.  Full tummies and sleepy bus ride of an hour back to Palermo.


We were reunited for the evening where we dug deep for the walk to Saddleback BA serving at the 4, 6, and 8 pm services.  The majority of the team attended first, hearing Spanish Pastor Rick, while the Wus, Palmers & Scott served in a smaller SK service.  Then we flip-flopped for the 6 pm service as it is the biggest one.  Very cool to be at Saddleback Church, VERY much like being in Lake Forest, but in an urban center of Argentina.  Pleasure and privilege to watch these SK BA leaders serve so well and so enthusiastically just like their incredible leader Ceci.  After serving from 4-8:30 pm we grabbed a typical late night meal topped off with "vegetables" before hitting the hay.  Getting accustomed to the LATE Argentinian nights...hopefully not too accustomed as it is meaning little overnight sleep and lots of bus ride dozing.

With that, pray for SOLID rest for whatever time we have.  Pray for day #3 to be just as FULL-filling as these first two.  Pray for continued awesome spirits as the team has not complained or crashed despite the long days.  Pray for unity as we get to be together again all day as one strong Body of Christ.  Your prayers are felt and appreciated.