Bethany Hess        Network 21 Missions
 
Day after thanksgiving…

The four of us spent our thanksgiving in Santiago, Chile. We did the usual, got ingredients, cooked majority of the day, ate a lot, but all of this was a bit different in ChileJ .

First, we took a taxi to the supermarket. We spent around two hours there because everything was in Spanish…imagine trying to find cream cheese and sour cream in Spanish. To our delight, we did find a turkey and even a turkey bag! A few ingredients were not found, but we made due. Now back to the church to cook! We immediately get in the kitchen(around 2pm, yikes!) prepare the turkey, and we are ready for the oven! To turn on the oven you have to turn on the gas and then light the bottom with a match. We did it, no continuous flame. We did it again, no flame, and again, and again. We had many new friends trying to help, but still no flame. Oh no! our entire meal has to go in the oven, the turkey, the stuffing, the corn casserole, the broccoli casserole, the crust for the desserts. It looked like our thanksgiving meal was going to be mashed potatoes and rollsJ .

Do not let my short, little sentences fool you, we were starting to hyperventilate, not really but the air was getting a bit thick! Praying over the ovenJ , in walks a lady we have never seen before. She found a way to rig the oven to have a continuous flame! Ok, now it Is 3:30pm and the turkey just found its’ place in the oven. Murtel, the turkey, was so excited!

We cooked and cooked, set the table, and sat down for dinner at 7pm. It was so cool, we were joined by a few new friends from the church. Massiel, a precious, young woman, who was so excited, this was her first thanksgiving! We were also joined by Rodrigo , who is showing us around town in a couple hours, and Andrea, the dedicated, and fun church secretary.

After we filled our bellies, we passed around a candle (one of my family’s traditions), and spoke of the last year, what God had done in our lives, what we are thankful for, and our hopes for the next year. That moment made the entire, frazzled day a blur….this is what thanksgiving day is all about! Giving thanks with friends and family!

ashley your sis
11/30/2009 01:35:19 am

Hey SISSY!! Miss you so much! Got your post card! Thank you! I missed you and the rest of the fam on thanksgiving. I spent it with some friends and their families. I got to hit up two meals ;) I have and will be praying for you all. Sounds like the Lord is really using this trip to show you more who you are. I appreciate that as the Lord shows us who we are, He shows us who He is. We see that we are not . . . but HE IS! so, everything that we are not, He is. Praise Him! He is so faithful! He will keep showing us Himself to meet us. Love you!

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Rodney
11/30/2009 02:05:01 am

Hi,

I am so glad everything worked out with the meal. Nothing is ever easy in new places and cultures is it? We are thankfull for you guys and your willingness to "go with the flow" Every blog I read I wish we were there with you. Thanksgiving is such an amazing american tradition that I believe impacts others when we share it with them. We forget what God has given, and done for us so easily. Our prayers are with you always,
The team back home

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12/4/2009 03:30:45 pm

Hey I miss you guys so much and I'm so glad to read that you had a good thanksgiving. Hopefully I will see you soon and I would like to talk about (If you still needed donations) designing a tshirt and selling it for you guys. I would really love to do this if I still have the chance to help.

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