As we drove back down to Iquique after the service in Alto Hospicio tonight, we witnessed a flare light the sky in the distance as the sounds of honking car horns began to echo on the city streets. The reason? One of the most emotionally charged soccer games of the year had ended with Chile's victory over Peru.
Rivalry between the neighboring countries is alive and well, and nowhere more than here in the northern part of Chile. In colonial times, the city of Iquique was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru; however, as an outcome to the War of the Pacific in 1879 it became Chilean territory. There is a great deal of immigration here in the north (both legal and illegal) and on a day-to-day basis Chileans, Peruvians, Bolivians, Colombians, etc. live and work side by side. But on game day - watch out! Loyalties and emotions run high. :)
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We had our own cause for celebration today. This morning, our neighbors came to church! The kids actually saw them first and excitedly squealed, "MOM! Our neighbors are here!!" We created a minor ruckus as I tried to hurry our kids out of their seats se we could give our visitors a place to sit.
In the end, all six kids ended up sitting on a small step together because chairs weren't available. This gave Owen and his buddy ample freedom to jump up and down and dance around during the songs without their parents being able to do much about it! Our neighbors' two-year old walked circles around the aisles and stood at the front of the church swinging her little dress and doing a two-step to the choruses, much to her parents' chagrin and everyone else's amusement.
I think that they enjoyed the visit - I know the kids did - and I hope they'll return. We are so excited to have been able to share this morning with them and pray that God will use His Word to speak to their hearts throughout the week. Now that is a reason to celebrate!
Rivalry between the neighboring countries is alive and well, and nowhere more than here in the northern part of Chile. In colonial times, the city of Iquique was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru; however, as an outcome to the War of the Pacific in 1879 it became Chilean territory. There is a great deal of immigration here in the north (both legal and illegal) and on a day-to-day basis Chileans, Peruvians, Bolivians, Colombians, etc. live and work side by side. But on game day - watch out! Loyalties and emotions run high. :)
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We had our own cause for celebration today. This morning, our neighbors came to church! The kids actually saw them first and excitedly squealed, "MOM! Our neighbors are here!!" We created a minor ruckus as I tried to hurry our kids out of their seats se we could give our visitors a place to sit.
In the end, all six kids ended up sitting on a small step together because chairs weren't available. This gave Owen and his buddy ample freedom to jump up and down and dance around during the songs without their parents being able to do much about it! Our neighbors' two-year old walked circles around the aisles and stood at the front of the church swinging her little dress and doing a two-step to the choruses, much to her parents' chagrin and everyone else's amusement.
I think that they enjoyed the visit - I know the kids did - and I hope they'll return. We are so excited to have been able to share this morning with them and pray that God will use His Word to speak to their hearts throughout the week. Now that is a reason to celebrate!
4 comments:
oh steph yeah!!!1
Praise God. I pray that God will open their eyes to the Gospel.
Yahoojalujah!!! :-D
Very sweet. Praise God for the privilege of pointing others to Christ and loving them in Christ.
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