Jovenes group

Every Sunday morning I go to the apartment where my friends’ family – Theri, Pato, Roberto and Tutu – live. Theri graciously serves me breakfast, and then we all drive to the community center where our church, Iglesia en Casa, holds its services. Theri calls herself my "Sunday Mother." It's true, he family has really adopted me here.

Iglesia en Casa grew out of a Bible study started by some missionaries who have since retired. Though it is small and half-full of gringos, it is a close-knit group and I love it.

A few months ago Samuel and Ingrid, a couple attending the seminary here, came to our church for their practicum. Roberto, Cecilia and I started meeting with them each week for a Jovenes Bible study.

In Chile, “Jovenes” means “youth,” but it refers to anyone between 15 and 30. So we were all “youth."

I hosted our meeting in my apartment a couple times, but typically we met at Samuel and Ingrid’s house so they could watch their 3-year-old daughter Vasthi.

There was usually a small supper, then singing and a message/discussion. When we first started, the meetings exhausted me. It took all of my concentration to follow the conversation, and often they would pause so Cecilia or Samuel could interpret for me.

But as time went on, I got better at understanding, and was even able to contribute to the conversation. Later we were joined by Alonso, a seminary graduate, and Wilbur, an exchange student from El Salvador.

Unfortunately, Wilbur has returned home. Roberto and Cecilia have broken up. And now Samuel and Ingrid have graduated from Seminary and are returning home to Puerto Arenas – way, way south.

Theri hosted a small good-bye party for them yesterday. It was hard seeing them go. I’ve had to say way too many goodbyes in the past couple years.

Now our Jovenes group is down to Roberto and me – and Tutu if she starts coming, which I hope she will. But it’s been great getting to make some Chilean friends here!