You don't need to bother to read this. It was just a letter to a friend that covered today's activities and I finally decided to offer it to you, too.
I have not felt fatigue until today… and fortunately, for the first time
since arriving here in Argentina, I have 3 nights in succession without a ministry
appointment.
Tuesday I ministered in Pastor Emilio Figueroa's church. What a blessed time!
My first visit here with him at the southern tip of South America was in 1966.
They are meeting in the basement of their new church building which is under construction.
My first visit here with him at the southern tip of South America was in 1966.
They are meeting in the basement of their new church building which is under construction.
Last night, Wednesday, after a marvelous service in our other AG church in Rio Gallegos... a service that lasted until
after 11 PM, plus 30 minutes of hugging time, Pastors Segundo and Graciela
Gamin insisted that I follow them to their home for dinner. Usually I excuse myself from these midnight
dinners, but they had prepared something for me and they are such dear friends
that I could not refuse. But it was
after 1 AM when I left there. So I
hurried to the hotel and retired at 2:15 AM.
I awoke as usual sharply at 7:15 AM.
My body seems to refuse to “sleep-in” but really 5 hours is not enough
for me… especially since I had over 250 miles to drive today. I had a 10 AM appointment with Pastor Gamin who
wanted to show me the new church he is building. So I arose, did my usual push-ups, 124 of them
and 64 stand-ups from a squat. (I have
been increasing one more each day and yesterday I was up to 123 and 63.) Then showered and ate a good “self serve”
hotel breakfast… (bowl of cereal with yogurt, orange juice, bowl of fresh fruit-salad,
“lagrima” which is a couple of drops of coffee with hot milk, "media luna" croissant
and small apple tart.) Next returned to
my room for my devotional time and checked out of the hotel at 10 AM.
Pastor Gamin was waiting to take me to see his new church building. It is about 10 miles out of town near a new neighborhood
where many new houses are going up. Long
ago they purchased an entire city block (100 meters by 100 meters) and are
building a huge sanctuary to seat 2000 people!
He claims that the city is moving that way and hopes to have his first
services there sometime near the end of next year. They will also keep their present sanctuary in
the heart of the city and continue to have services there as well. I never cease to marvel at the incredible
vision of these Argentinean pastors!
At the building site I embraced him and prayed a special blessing over
him then immediately left heading north.
After less than two hours of driving I was getting dangerously drowsy
and having difficulty staying alert. There
are many herds of guanacos near the road and occasionally one will cross the
road forcing you to slow down from 135 kph (80 mph) to a near stop.
Every time I would stop to take a picture of
the them or the ñandús (ostrich-like fowl, also known as rheas) they would run
away.
I fought off sleep until I reached
Piedra Buena at 1:30 PM and stopped for lunch.
While eating at a roadside restaurant a tow-truck pulled up with a what
was left of a wrecked car. He said that
the driver had hit a truck. The three
occupants had apparently survived, but were in the hospital. During a class to receive a drivers license in Buenos Aires they tell you that these are the third most dangerous highways for fatal accidents in the entire world.
From there I still had 130 kilometers (80 miles) to go to my hotel overlooking
the bay here in San Julian. I was
fighting sleep again during the final 30 minutes and upon arrival here in the
hotel in Puerto San Julian I thanked the Lord again for his protection and took a full hour siesta.
I shot this from my hotel window. It is a full-size mock-up
of the Victoria, one of Magellan’s five ships that wintered in this bay in the year 1520. Three ships attempted mutiny and their captains were executed here by Magellan.
Ralph
