What's a typical day look like?
A Typical Tuesday
Is it your turn or my turn? These are usually the first words Caro and I exchange with one another anywhere between 5:45 am and 6:45 am as Alaina, our 15 month old daughter serves as a reliable yet early alarm clock. For us it seems early in a culture that has activities that end later in the night. Its not uncommon on weekdays for us to be asleep no sooner than 12:00 am.
What a typical day looks like is a common question I´ve had people ask me. I thought I´d pick a day of the week and answer an easier question: what does a typical tuesday look like?
After out typical morning routine: Alaina´s milk, devotional and breakfast (although in this culture we´ve found it helpful at times to have our devotional time in another part of the day - ie early afternoon) I take off to La Plata (20 min drive from our home in City Bell). On the way I usually stop to load the car with natural gas (many cars use this because its between three and four times cheaper than regular gas). Right before arriving to our team office in La Plata I stop at the bakery (very common in Argentina) and buy some medialunas (similar to croissants) for Nico and I to have with our coffee or more ofter mate (an Argentine tea drink).
At the office
Our morning begins with staff prayer at 8:00 am. We enjoy a few songs together hoping no one will hear our lovely voices and kick us out of the apartment complex (we actually rent an apartment that we use as an office). And then we engage in prayer. Its a wonderful way to begin our week (Caro and I take Mondays off). From 9:00 until 10:30 am we engage in what I like to call corporate homiletics. That´s a fancy term to express the fact that several of us prepare together Sunday´s expository messages (Nico, myself and sometimes Miguel) regardless of which of the three of us preaches. It also provides some time for us to be in the Word as a team together. In the future we´re hoping to invite other pastors in the area to be part of this process.
Staff meeting
At 10:30 am we have our more business meeting. We discuss items such as the Bible Training Centers that are in Argentina (new startups, current centers, logistics, finances), our own Bible Institute in La Plata (exams, how different students are doing in various areas of their lives), our involvement with the Union church (long-term planning, leaderhsip development), items related to our team (we have a total of four couples), items related to outreaches in La Plata and City Bell, short-term trips, etc.
Afternoon in City Bell
I usually return to our lovely home (God has blessed us with a great house) in City Bell for lunch around 1:30 pm. Sometimes as a family we enjoy a siesta (nap) around 2:30 pm. My wife Caro usually finishes up her Bible study preparation for that night. I finish preparing for the evening´s elder/staff meeting and help with Alaina so Caro can finish preparing for her study. We usually have an Argentine tea time around 6:00 pm (coffee, tea or mate with toast or cookies). We leave the house right before 7 pm and drop Alaina off with my parents (who live in City Bell). They enjoy watching and being with their granddaughter as Caro and I leave to La Plata.
Evening in La Plata
Caro has her bible study with a group of five college girls and I go to the elders / staff meeting. Lately we have been discussing the values of the church (key beliefs of the church), the doctrinal statement and the government of the church. By the time Caro and I return to our house it is about 11:00 pm (Alaina of course is asleep).
At this time we have a brief dinner before going to bed. In Argentina we have late dinners. Not every day is like that but what I described is pretty typical of our Tuesdays. We enjoy Tuesdays.
Please Pray
1. Kurt and Lore´s transition to Argentina. They will arrive in less than two weeks. We are very excited! Pray for a smooth transition with all that they will face with an international move, goodbyes to friends and families, travel logistics, final support appointments, etc.
2. On December 3rd, the pastor and a few of us gave a presentation to the church on the new vision, values, doctrinal statement, church government that will affect the life and ministry of the church over the next years. Pray that God would use this to bring true growth in His church.
3. Pray for our monthly financial support. God has blessed us with generous (very generous), faithful donors. We praise God for his abundant supply. We´ve seen God supply some new donors over the last months. However, we still are at about 60% of our total budget (we´ve had a margin in our account that has made up for this difference that will run out in the next months). If you would like to be involved in helping us be at 100% drop us an email and we will tell you how to do it.
Posted December 7, 2006 by Greg and Carolina.
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