On August 17th, I and six other members of St. Matthew’s returned from a three-week trip to Argentina. When asked by my friends and family what was most rewarding about the trip, my response looked past the immediate pleasure of traveling to reflect on things more meaningful. Now, as I look through the journal I kept during our stay, I found that the most meaningful entries dealt with the work we completed and the people we interacted with.
Our immediate concern, and purpose for this trip in the Argentine forest, was to assist with two construction projects. As we shared with the St. Matthew’s congregation before we left, a number of Wichi villages were destroyed last February when the Pilcomayo River overflowed its banks due to heavy logging further up river. In response, the Anglican Diocese of Northern Argentina contacted us, via John Bothwell, to help rebuild two churches. Upon our arrival, the villagers of Bario Sol and San Martin had already picked new sites for their churches and cleared significant portions of the forest. We were also met by bags of cement, small mountains of sand, piles of brick, and of course shovels.
The foremen, sensing our lack of masonry know-how, placed us in charge of the grunt work that required the least skill. So, we spent the majority of our time mixing cement (without the aid of a cement mixer), transporting thousands of bricks, and drawing water by the bucketful from nearby wells. Naturally, each task presented formidable challenges to our tender Orange County hands. The first few days of work included a lot of explaining and hands-on instruction from the villagers. We were told to add more water to the cement, for example, use less sand, or mix faster. Needless to say, the Wichi workers got their fair share of laughs out of our labor.
However, once we found a consistent rhythm, we saw the walls of the two churches raised by at least three feet a day. At this rate, we were able to raise the walls of both churches to the roofline by the end of our stay. (We recently heard that both buildings are now completed, and that the local pastors are looking for an inauguration date.) In fact, on our last day in the villages we met the local carpenter and watched as he began constructing the ceiling rafters by hand. We were all impressed to see what he was able to accomplish without any power tools.
When we weren’t busy on the two job sites, we spent our time engaging in various ministry activities at another local village, La Mocha. Every evening our group made a short drive to this village where we were met by hoards of smiling children. The local pastor arranged services where we gave and heard testimonies, sang songs, and spent a lot of time praying for each other, Anglicans from both North and South America.
These services became a major focus for our team as we sought to build up the villagers with words of spiritual encouragement. All of our talks focused on the Christian life and its benefits. We addressed the various spiritual struggles that seem to plague the Wichi community, including alcoholism and promiscuity. Our talks were met with eager ears and grateful hearts. Every service ended with a time to sing hymns together with the Wichi in their language.
The few moments of daylight just after these services unanimously became everyone’s favorite part of the trip. It was at this time that we played with the children, played football (i.e. soccer) with the youth, and attempted to talk with the shy adults. Every night, as soon as we stepped outside of the Church, the children crowded around us. It was remarkable to see how easily entertained the children were. Where kids in America often need video games to keep occupied, the Wichi children were happy with sticks and a rock. They wouldn’t think twice about finding an old two-liter bottle and turning it into a soccer ball. Their joy was simple and their smiles were big. It was refreshing to see such simple satisfaction.
As we were leaving the villagers we both worked and ministered with, our team was reminded of the importance of life reëvaluation. After spending two weeks with people who live in adobe brick and mud homes, we began to see that the many luxuries of our lives in America are just that, luxurious. I am consistently amazed, when I travel outside of this country, at how quickly I understand that the majority of things I consider needs in my life are really just superfluous luxuries. The life and faith of the Wichi people reminded me, and our team, that life is often most easily enjoyed when lived in simplicity.
May we continue to keep the Wichi people and the Diocese of Northern Argentina in our prayers as we continue to worship together here at St. Matthew’s.
PHOTOS OF THE RECENT FLOOD, THE INDIGENOUS AREA AND PEOPLE, AND INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP. Click here...
