Baradero trip

Yesterday morning I got up, went for an early run (I just have to throw that in here, I never go on early morning runs and I'm so excited!), and hopped on the train to go downtown. I walked to the bus terminal where I met Nora, a member of the Baradero team. We had a great 2 1/2-hour ride to Baradero as we caught up on her family, my trip, and the lessons we'll be doing at our next La Plata training -- I think she's slowly warming up to the idea of facilitating a lesson, stay tuned.

We arrived in Baradero and went right to the church which they're now opening for prayer on Wednesdays from 7 am to 2 pm. The sign above is outside the church at these times, it reads: In this place we pray for Baradero. Bring us your request, today we're praying for you. While we were there a local pizza shop owner that Horacio and Silvia know stopped in with his sister-in-law. Shortly thereafter it was time to close up. After 2 pm everyone is siesta-ing in this town. :-)

The rest of yesterday and today were spent meeting and praying together and visiting with people. This morning Horacio and Silvia had a meeting with town organizers where, to make a long story short, it looks like they will finally be given permission to present the program No more violence in the school system. Woo-hoo!

Nora came back to Buenos Aires last night since it was her son's birthday today. As I came back by myself tonight I read the two newspapers I'd bought yesterday on the way to the bus station. El Clarín, for me, is an exercise in attempting to understand Argentine politics. There are so many different terms bandied about that I think it will take me years to even begin to get it. Then I read Il Corriere della Sera to brush up on my Italian. The first several pages dealt with a presidential divorce scandal and the reaction of the Vatican. Not something I would expect in Italy. An interesting juxtaposition was the story on the apparently new frostiness in the relationship between the Ayatollah Khomeini and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and how that will likely affect the president's political career.

Return to Buenos Aires

One of my last views of San Francisco (off to the right and covered in fog): on our way to Lorena and Gregor's friend Patrick's to play a game before going to the airport.

I got back to Buenos Aires a week ago Friday after six weeks in the States. I want to tell you about my return:

Killer flight, 26 hours from first take-off to last landing, two nights in a row on planes! Yuck! I still don't sleep on planes, and they actually repeated a movie that wasn't worth watching the first time. But I did buy some Peruvian chocolate (see last posting).

Friday:
Got home, watched an episode of Flight of the Conchords (that Lorena and Gregor gave me) and went to bed at 8:30 am.

Woke up to a phone call from Silvia and Horacio (Baradero team). We chatted about the next day's training in La Plata that they were going to help me with. I reviewed what I'd prepared for the next day and found that I had no more work to do on it!

Went for a run and felt so good after the first round that I went again for a total of 6.6 miles, a new record for me (by far!).

Got back to more phone calls from my friends Nora (also on the Baradero team and helping out at the next day's training) and Monica.

Opened my fridge and found the food that Margarita, the woman who cleans my place fortnightly, had prepared. Pears, plums, carrots (some grated already), lettuce (already washed), tomatoes, and milanesas (breaded meat). What a huge blessing!

Saturday:
Took the train to meet Horacio and Silvia who were driving Nora and me to the La Plata training. We shared mate on the drive as we discussed last-minute plans for the day.

Excellent training in La Plata. All of the participants had completed or at least started the assignments from the last session which were to start spiritual maps of their target communities and do a seed project to help out in the neighborhood. Wow!

Here are the participants looking at the collection of resources in our group. The different colors of post-it represent 1) what we like to do with our hands, 2) what we can teach others, 3) what we're passionate about, 4) what we would like to learn if it were available in our neighborhood, and 5) neighborhood groups we are part of. This is an exercise to help them begin to focus on the resources of their communities (Asset-Based Community Development) rather than on what is lacking.

Leading the group in singing, "Build your house on the Rock."

All in all an excellent return to my new home. I felt mimada (cared for, pampered), missed, and I had an excellent team helping with the training, and really lively, active participants at the training.

Three wonderful women: Silvia, Monica, and Nora.