What an incredible day this has been! Because we were out so late last night, we had free time until noon. The different members of the group used their morning in a variety of different ways. Many of us slept in or took time to relax at the hotel. Several of us further explored the city throughout the morning. Dr. Bradley was the only person who had to get up early because he gave a lecture about choral music at the Mendoza Baptist Institute of Music. This institution has around 700 students and he spoke to one of the conducting classes. He said that they had a wonderful conversation about both choral and church music and were especially interested in the different types of American choral music. Many questions were asked and answered, and the students were able to gain much knowledge.
We all joined back together at noon in the hotel lobby. From there, we loaded our suitcases unto the trailer and then walked to a restaurant called Las Tinajas to eat lunch. This was a buffet style restaurant that had everything from steak to pasta. The food was INCREDIBLE! The greatest thing that impressed me about the restaurant was the meat line. Behind the counter they had a large grill that had chicken, ribs, steak, sausage, and everything else you could want. Argentina is especially known for their beef, and this restaurant gave good evidence why. Here is a picture of the grill:
After we stuffed ourselves, we sluggishly loaded ourselves onto the bus and drove toward Uspallata. Because of the gorgeous scenery, this two hour drive never got boring. It seemed like every time we made a turn, there was something else to take a picture of. Below are some pictures of the scenery:
When we got to Uspallata, we checked into our hotel and had a short amount of time to relax. Some of us went across the street and bought ice cream. Uspallata is a very quaint town with less than 3,500 people in it. Here are some pictures of the town:
After we were settled at the hotel, we walked a few blocks to visit the local Baptist Church. When we arrived, we were welcomed by the pastor and his entire family. They even had a sign on the front door that said “Welcome” in English. The fact that they welcomed us in our own language signified that they wanted to make us feel at home. There hospitality was meaningful and touching and it gave us a sense of unity in Christ. Here is a picture of a few of us in front of the sign:
The church is actually their home, and the sanctuary is their transformed living room. While relaxing in the sanctuary, the pastor—whose name is Sergio—told us about the work he has been doing in Uspallata. He did not speak any English so he spoke through a translator. This was an incredible story:
Uspallata is primarily a pagan town. Seventy to eighty percent of the citizens participate in idolatry or witchcraft. These people often say that they are Catholic, but if you go into their homes, you would see idols and alters for these gods. The pastor said that when people participate in these forms of pagan worship, they settle in high altitude areas—making Uspallata and the surrounding settlements ideal places for their beliefs. Sergio is originally from Mendoza but he felt called to come here about five years ago. He literally gave up his former lifestyle in Mendoza to learn a completely different culture here is Uspallata. The first year and half he drove the two hours from Mendoza to start making relationships with the people. By nature of the town, the people of Uspallata are not trusting of outsiders. He moved here about four years ago to start the church, and at first he was rejected by most of the town. The trash man would even pass by his house without picking up the trash to communicate that they did not want him here. In response to this, he reacted in a way that most people would not—he continued to love the people.
Sergio has a degree in building and is a skilled electrician and welder. Whenever the town has needed something in these areas, he has done it for them for free. He has been doing this for four years and they are just now starting to trust him and accept him as a citizen. In doing these tasks, he has proved to the citizens that he is here to help in every way possible. This has been his ticket to share the gospel. Currently, there are seven families that he has led to Christ and attend the church. Several of these families walk six to seven miles every Sunday just to attend the services. God is continuing to open doors. Recently, the owner of the one radio station in Uspallata donated one hour every Sunday for Sergio to talk about the Bible. This in itself is a miracle because the owner of the station is not yet a believer and a practicing idolater. The significance of the radio program is that it reaches literally everyone in the town. The people of Uspallata do not watch much television simply because there are only two channels and they only work at certain times of the day. The radio is really their best form (and often only form) of entertainment. Another door that has been opened is that the Uspallata schools are coming to Sergio and asking him to unofficially serve as a counselor to students in difficult situations. If there is a student that is getting into a lot of trouble, has a drug problem, or maybe has a tough home life, they invite Sergio to talk through the situation with him. These are only a few examples of how God has worked through Sergio and the church that he has started.
After talking with Sergio, we walked back to the hotel and had a few hours of free time. When it was time for dinner, we walked back to the church. Many of the church families were there and they cooked us a wonderful meal. The meal that they cooked is a very special tradition in the area. It was called “pollo de disco,” or “disk chicken.” The chicken was cooked in a stew-like gravy, but the special thing about it was that it was cooked in a modified disk from a tractor tiller. Before you make any rash assumptions, let me say that it was VERY good. Here are some pictures of the chicken being cooked:
The man that cooked the meal for us is a Major in what is the equivalent of the United States’ border control. He is also one of the men that Sergio has recently led to Christ. The others that prepared the meal for us were also church members. Sergio told us before that after these families become Christians, they wanted to serve the church in every way possible. This was evident tonight, and it was a great lesson to us all.
After dinner, we got in touch with the inner “choir nerd” in our souls and sang several songs that Dr. Bradley taught us on the spot. Many of these songs were rounds. One of which in particular has become famous through the years of the BUMC. Here is a video of the round. If you are a past member of the BUMC, you may recognize it:
We then exited the church and on the way out, we hugged and kissed each one of the church members that prepared our meal. We deeply appreciate their hospitality and look forward to singing for them tomorrow in the town square.
Check back for our entry tomorrow!
Clint Kimmel