La Vida Chilena

Here's some pictures of life in Chile....

Cerro San Cristobal- this is the view from my apartment window. It's a statue of the Virgin Mary.

This is my team outside of our Spanish school... I didn't think I'd actually say this, but I do kind of miss it, and the people there.

I was in Talca (a city about 3 hours south of Santiago) for the Fiestas Patrias celebration. This is the huasos (cowboys) in traditional dress.

Dancing the cumbia. Every city has 'fondas' for the 18th celebration that are basically like fairs with food, games, music, and dancing. It was super fun to see all the traditional Chilean culture.

More to come....

Me with Paty and Anny, some Chilean friends


Last week we had our first English club...only 1 guy showed up, and he turned out to be a 30 year old man named Christian, who was not a student. During the middle of talking with him, he suddenly left. We weren't sure if he was going to return or not, when he showed up again with a big bottle of beer and proceeded to share it with some of the guys on the team. Needless to say, even though we were disappointed at the lack of students, this made a good story about our first English club. I think God has a good sense of humor. Hopefully, more students will come this Wednesday, as we've continued to meet students and invite them to come.

This week was also the first meeting of Raices (roots) at USACH (university of Santiago de Chile). The other STINT team here in Santiago works at this university where there is an established ministry. Raices is for the student leaders to come to to grow in their faith, fellowship, and develop as leaders. It was great to go to it and meet some of the students leaders there, as well as observe and see what the other team is doing with the students. I'm really ready to be on campus full-time!

This is our last week of Spanish school- we've been able to meet students from around the world and develop friendships with them. This Friday, we'll be having a BBQ (asado) at our apartments and inviting our classmates to come so we can hang out with them more, and have one last opportunity to have spiritual conversations with them, and hopefully to share the gospel. There are literally students from all over the world studying with us, and it's been so interesting getting to know them.

This weekend I'll be going to my friend Cote's house in Talca. She is a Chilean on staff with Campus Crusade here in Chile, and I met her last summer on project. We're really good friends, and I'm excited for the chance to spend more time with her, as well as to meet her family. It's so nice to be with families and in homes here when I have the opportunity. This weekend is also the 'fiestas patrias' (independence day) celebration in Chile, and I'm excited to be here for that.

Chile Fact: September 11 in Chile is a very controversial day, as it is the day when Pinochet (the dictator) overthrew the Socialist Chilean government (Allende). It's a little dangerous for us Americans to be out today, as there are many protests, riots, and general chaos in the street, so we stayed at home after language school. I seen a fire burning on San Cristobal, the hill in front of our house, but that was the extent of my excitement for the day.

Santiago

I made it to Chile!

After a week of training in Colorado, I flew with my 6 other teammates to Santiago, Chile. It was a long flight, but we were thankful to make it safely, and with all our luggage too! Doug Holm, the national director of Campus Crusade in Chile, met us at the airport to take us to our new homes. Since all of my teammates are married, I’m living with 3 other girls that are also on STINT, but have been here since January. They are a all a blessing, and I’m looking forward to spending the year together. The photo to the left is of my team- Vince and Holly Hoppe, Clint and Maggie Coyan (the leaders), Jason and Kristi Atkinson, and me.

Last week we started taking Spanish classes at a language school, which we will continue for three weeks. One thing I’m learning is that language learning is ministry and ministry is language learning. Sometimes it feels like I’m not doing anything by only learning Spanish all day, but it is so essential that we can communicate with the Chileans in their heart language, and it means a lot to them that we’re trying. I’ve also been building relationships with some of the other students in language school who are from all over the world and looking for doors for spiritual conversations with them.

My team will be working to reach students on a street called Republica, where there are several private college campuses. We’ve gone there a few times this week to have prayer walks and to ‘decode’ the campus– figure out what the students are like, where they hang out, what some issues on campus are, etc. We’ll be starting an English club there this week.
I’ve been praying a lot that the Lord would break my heart for these students and help me to see and love them as He does. It’s incredible to think about that each one of them has a story and that they are precious to God. That completely changes how I see these students. I’m eager to begin building relationships with them and sharing the love of Christ with them.


Chile Facts
September 18 is Chile’s day of independence. Chilean’s are very patriotic and celebrate for about a week by eating traditional foods like empanadas and having BBQ’s (asados). They dance the national dance, the cueca, and drink chicha, the national drink, as well as dressing in traditional clothing. Viva Chile!

Legacy
This was the theme of our training time in Colorado. It was such an amazing week of being in the beauty of God’s creation in the mountains with 400 other people who are going to the entire world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. For me, it was a time of really being able to connect with the Lord and having him prepare my heart to go serve Him for the year.
I also realized the importance of my team and how I need them. It’s amazing to me that God has called us to be co-laborers with him in the gospel. Whether we sow seeds or have the privilege of reaping a harvest, we are serving with him. We may not see any ‘results’ in Chile for 100 years, but we are being faithful to what God has called us to do now and leaving a legacy here. The results are in his hands, and we know He is doing a mighty work here in Chile.


Prayer Requests
· Unity among our team and with my roommates
· That we could learn Spanish quickly
· For the English clubs- that we could build relationships with the students that come and share
with them.
· Wisdom for how to share Christ with the students– that it would not just come across as
religion, but as something relevant and real
· For God to show us students who will be leaders in this movement– we truly want it to be a
Chilean, and not an American, ministry

My roommates: Carla, Esther, me, and Adriana

My Chilean address...
Carlos Antunez 1867
Edif. 18 Depto. 1007
Providencia
Santiago, Chile

Staff Account Number: 0585600 Phone: 011-562-236-2434 julieanne77@yahoo.com

Thank you all so much for partnering with me in reaching students for Christ in Chile- I appreciate you all so much!