Is it really January? I think the sun is confused...

I am at a bit of a loss for words when it comes to describing what Argentina has been like so far. We have only been here for 10 days but it feels like I have lived here for years. We already have developed some close friendships and have had many opportunities to minister both on the street and in the church. There are a few things I am still getting used to though, like being invited to give a presentation at a dinner party at 1:30 am and sweating like crazy all the time. By now we have all gotten used to the fact that we wont have many opportunities to wash clothes or take showers, and really there isnt much of a point to frequent bathing because the moment you step out of the bathroom you start sweating again anyway : ). However, there are definitely some Argentinian customs that I want to introduce in the States; like giving EVERYONE a traditional cheek kiss greeting when you enter or leave a room..it doesnt matter how long you have been gone either (this was rather comical to me the first few times it happened). Also, almost any time you enter a room, there is a maté cup being passed around (basically maté is a kind of tea that is served in a special cup and you drink your fill then pass it back to the server who refills it and passes it on to someone else). I like these kind of customs. They emphasize the fact that everyone is important and should be recognized and included in everything. If you are eating anything here, you are expected to share it, this goes for everything from a banana to bread - there are no ¨germophobes¨ here, you just learn to get over yourself when it comes to being paranoid of pathogens. I laughed out loud the other day when I read in Mark 16 how Jesus promises that those who follow Him and preach the good news will be able to perform signs and wonders, handle snakes, and drink poison without dying. So I thought to myself, if God can protect me from poison, then what is a few germs? (I just hope He never asks me to handle snakes...) There have been a few times we have felt under the weather, mostly because of the heat and eating different foods, but the cool thing is we have been praying for each other and almost immediately start to feel better. It is awesome to see even the little reminders of Gods power and how He cares for us.
Some people have asked me if I am homesick yet considering today marks the longest time I have ever been out of the country. The answer to that is no...sorry Mom...but there are a few things that I miss about home. While I do so love waking up in the morning to masses of mosquito bites all over me and the daily duty of lassoing the enormous cockroaches that gallop down the halls...I do miss having a bed that I can occupy at a decent hour of night. But I have decided that I am going to try this whole -live in the moment-thing while I am here. God has brought us here for a reason so why should i let little things like sweat, no sleep, or unually ginormous bugs bother me? Besides, how many times in your life can you drink maté and get a tan while sitting on a patio still decorated for christmas and new years? : ) I even got to co-lead worship last night with the pastors daughter...we sang two songs half in english, half in spanish. Plus, we recently did a few street presentations and got to see a whole bunch of children give their lives to Christ- what is cooler than that?