Mission Trip to Salta 2005-Part l

I am a member of a Christian university student movement called “Vida Estudiantil”, which is the Spanish equivalent for Campus Crusade for Christ down here in Argentina (a Christian Organization worldwide). I have been collaborating with them since I became a Christian. Tons of times, I had the chance to go to Summer Camps and Mission Trips but I never took those chances till this past year. I don’t really know the reason for this decision but never mind at this point.
Summer Camp was an experience I am not ready to “think out loud “yet. I am cool though with the idea of sharing what happened three weeks ago in “Los Valles Calchaquies”…in Cachi (province of Salta) to be more accurate.
I don’t think it really matters when we left from La Plata (Bs As) and when we got up there. What really matters is my time in this small but stunning place called Cachi…
I’d like to say that even when I had never been to Cachi before I was really aware of the social situation this province and this small place located 2000 mts over the sea are going through. Now that I think about it, I should have kept a journal (like Nathan did), I am pretty sure many memories will vanish from my mind while writing this blog.
The first two days were pretty hard for me. Although I was with some guys from my same place, I got to know new faces. Extroverted as I may seem, let me tell you that getting to know a lot of new people all at once, makes me not shy, but it takes me a while to open, mainly when I think that I probably wont see most of those persons again…Once in Cachi, the whole group that was sent there, was divided into three smallest ones and I got to stay there with only one person I knew…I felt kind of lonely sometimes, but it was not a big deal…I tend to be a “whiner” sometimes. However, I had no time to think about me…I didn’t want to think about me this time….I was there not for me, but for the people…
…Its weird…I was there for them, I was focus on them…but at the same time, I was thinking about myself…something I don’t usually do because as I see it, it is a clear example of selfishness…not this time though. I followed Martin’s piece of advice: focus on your job and on the Lord…not on people I would be working with, and it worked.
Mariano (a guy from Tucuman) and I were in charge of the sports stuff, ironical if you know me…I am not much of a sports person…I like few of them though. Anyways, we used soccer as the “bait” for the new contacts. That was hilarious, I aint no clue how to play soccer…but I had to do it. I was in the goalie…needless to say…I suck! Mariano played like a real player or at least he tried to do so…seriously, he is good at playing soccer. We got to talk to a couple of guys that were kind of respected among all the “cachenses” that were there.We were part of many other activities, but soccer was our area.
Evangelism was the main point and that was what the whole group would do late at night…because most of the young people hang out in La Plaza after 10:00pm. There were many that accepted Jesus in their hearts during those nights.
Natalia, Lidia, Mariano, Hebe, Mel, Teo, Hernan , Leticia, The Miller’s, and me remained in town for the first week. What a team! We had a great time together, but apart form them there were Cecilia (the lady that cooked for us), Carlos her husband and Elias and Ezequiel their children.