hours and hours and hours

We left Lookout Mt., TN Wednesday morning at 7.30 am and walked into the Buenos Aires airport at 12.30 mid'day Thursday. You might be able to figure out how many hours we were traveling (the time changes always confuse me) but it was long enough.

En route we had a few hours with Nahum in the Mexico City airport to catch up on his life and happenings in Toluca. Another highlight of the trip was the vista as we flew out of the valley of Santiago, Chile towards Argentina. As I looked down on the snow-capped Andes stretching away till they were lost in the clouds, I was reminded of the priviledge it is to just be up in an airplane since for most of human history people have drempt of being able to fly, to see their towns from the air, to be close to the clouds, not to mention to drink in the splendor of an endless panorama of magnificent mountains.

Our few days here in Argentina are already packed, the good kind of packed which includes catching up with co-workers, getting together with dear friends and helping out with the Eje youth event.
But first we took a nap.

Coming of Age in Mexico

The following quote comes from a N.Y. Times series describing examining young people around the world. It is the most insightful and accurate description of the life of a mexican teenager I've seen.

Alicia Alvarez lives two miles from the American border and light-years from the American dream.

I highly recommend this article - though it does require a free registration. And make sure you click on the "multimedia" link on the right to see photos of Alicia with narration by the author.

Wireless Access in the Rockies

(click photo for biggie size)
Annette and I are sitting in meetings in a high valley surrounded by snow covered mountan peaks (Estes Park, YMCA of the Rockies) - absolutely beautiful! The downside is that we're in 9 days of meetings -- sitting in an auditorium from 8:30 to 5:00. But meals and evenings are fun - 150 from 40 countries all with great stories and a good sense of humor (i.e.: our bed got short-sheeted the 2nd night). Also, there is free wireless Internet in the meeting area, so I am listening to a talk on "internal paradoxes in mission today" while I write you... yay! for wireless access.

Starbucks & Macaroni Grill

After 10 years with our organization (OC International) we were given a nice little diploma and - even better - gift certificates to Starbucks and Macaroni Grill. PRetty generous too! The photo above shows a blurry Annette and me receiving the 10 yearservice award from OC's president, Greg Gripentrog and his wife, Denyse. We are at a conference center in Colorado (triennial leadership conference with people from around 40 countries - sounds boring, but it's really fun when the meetings stop).

home away from home

It has gotten so leaving home feels almost as homey as being home. We’ve figured out all kinds of things that make traveling smoother and less stressful. We call the taxi 5 minutes before it is supposed to arrive to make sure he’s not lost in the neighborhood (our street has no signage); we pack an eye-cover and mellow music to block out the movie on the early morning bus into the airport; we only take carry on bags so we don’t have to worry about losing something or having to wait for it (after living out of one bag for 5 weeks and 4 continents over Christmas, it would seem extravagant to pack more than that for 5 weeks on just two continents.)

But there are still surprises—like the American Airlines counter having been moved from the first to the second floor in the Mexico City airport—and things that remind us to enjoy the journey, like being able to see the tips of the 1st, 2nd & 3d highest peaks above the “haze” (as cnn.weather calls it) as we flew out of Mexico. As we were enjoying the view Popocatapetl (Volcano # 2) let out a small puff…

So we’re off again. Our first stop is Colorado Springs where we’ll be meeting with the design team who is turning the 500 page youth ministry manual into a digital format: both for a CD so it can be together with the digital classes we’ve been creating and “ready to print” so the books can be printed anywhere in the world, as opposed to having to be shipped from Spain where they have been published until now. Then we’re off to Estes Park for an OC “Triennial Leadership Conference.” It sounds a bit too important for us to be invited but I’m sure the views will be great and it will be nice to be somewhere where we bring down the average age for a change. : )

Our May '05 Letter

Click here to read our latest letter.