¡che!

The more I learn Spanish, the more I am picking up on distinct Argentine phrases and slang. One word I noticed immediately was ‘che.’ My trusty gringo guide to understanding the Argentines, titled ¡Che Boludo!, defines ‘che’ as ‘hey!’ or ‘hey you!’ Basically, it’s like a combination of ‘dude/bro!’ & ‘hey!’ The guide also defines it as a meaningless interjection in whatever context.

Okay….so, I am slowly figuring out the appropriate and natural contexts to use ‘che’ as ‘hey' or 'bro’! But, I still use it sparely, so I don’t seem too much like a poser. For sure, the ‘meaningless interjection’ part will take awhile without looking like I am trying way too hard to speak Argentine.

Oh, and in case you were wondering….It is also understood that the word was not adopted from Argentine Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, but in fact, the opposite. He received his nickname because Argentine’s frequent use of ‘che’ often distinguishes them from other Latin Americans.

amig@s en buenos aires

This one's from June...friends surprised me for my birthday!

Good times!

inCOMMON

My good friends, Christian & Sonya Gray, are Mission Directors for inCOMMON Community Development in Omaha, Nebraska (formally known as Mosaic Community Development). This past weekend the ministry introduced their new name and reaffirmed their vision.

"inCommon Community Development exists to affront poverty through the cultivation of supportive community networks that participate in the holistic development of vulnerable populations and neighborhoods."

I love what inCOMMON is all about!

To read more check out their website: http://incommoncd.org/

"Hace frio"

“Hace frio” is a daily greeting these days…."it is cold!" These past couple of weeks have been the coldest this winter so far. The days of shorts and flip flops are a distant memory lately. Many nights have dropped to freezing and below with the wind chill. These cold temps make life even more difficult and draining for our friends who live on the streets or in inadequate housing with dirt or cement floors and no heat. Our times with the youth inside the train station are extra chilly these days, as well. We share and drink a lot of warm “mate” as we sit together.

When I return home from being out in the cold, the first thing I do is flip on the space heater and warm up. I also crawl into a warm bed at night with multiple blankets to stay warm. I often think of my friends who can not escape the cold as easily. Next week we will start back up Encuentros gathering at the church after a month break due to the H1N1 virus. The youth have been anxiously awaiting these times, especially in this winter cold. One friend in particular asks every time we see him, when we will start back up our times at the church. For weeks he has been looking forward to it!

Please pray for our friends these remaining weeks of winter cold. Pray that our Encuentros gathering would be a time of rest and encouragement to them next Tuesday and Wednesday.

A friend in South Africa recently posted something on the difference in cold there. He reminds us to pray for those who can not choose to be warm. Click here.