Since my last letter to you I have celebrated my 26th birthday! I felt much love from my YWAM-Argentina family, who made me an American breakfast, then prepared my favorite meal for lunch, followed by a fabulous cake complete with candles and presents! (I am in the back center of the picture below, surrounded by a great party of friends!)
These past eight weeks have been very good for all the activity we did not only inside YWAM (Youth With A Mission) but also with the local church. Each weekend in the month of March, we sent a team of “YWAM-ers” to different churches close to Mar del Plata to support the work they are doing. We were able to be involved just as much with outreach activities as well as teachings and ministering to the people within the churches. In one of the mobile teams, a few of the youth from Kings Kids (YWAM’s Youth Ministry) were also able to serve in support of the missionaries in that town, who are recently opening their ministry.
In one of the churches in Mar del Plata, where I attend, we began organizing a Catastrophe Committee, which also involves other churches. Each week we have meetings in which we offer first aid capacitating, and information regarding resources in case of disaster. On the level of YWAM, we have also begun a Catastrophe Committee involving the leaders of the bases in Argentina, and we are seeing what resources we already have in order to organize the best response to any natural disaster. The picture to the right is of Dr. Covelli, the director of the Technical School of Help and Rescue in Mar del Plata, teaching the YWAM leaders at the National Center of Prayer in Buenos Aires. (I am seated at the far side, sporting my bright orange, Help & Rescue uniform.)
The month of March was a month of learning for me. I was put in charge of the kitchen on the base. This means that each day, I determined the menu for lunch and dinner, and was in charge of buying the groceries each week, and the vegetables every day. Thanks to the rotating system we have set up, I didn’t have to prepare each meal; I was simply in charge of informing the people assigned to cook what was available for their use, and how to put it all together. It was a challenge, but also a great lesson to learn! I now know what it takes to prepare a meal for 10 – 15 people, and by God’s grace I can achieve a tasty, healthy dish without spending much money!
A new responsibility I have been given is to prepare Bible lessons with an emphasis on missions to teach to the youth of our Kings Kids ministry each Saturday. I have released my creativity and truly enjoy the challenge of incorporating different ways to involve the kids in each lesson. To the left is a picture of 8 year-old Jósua and 11 year-old Leo, attempting to count the stars in a picture of our galaxy. I used this to help them understand the greatness of the promise God made to Abraham, of the blessing he was to inherit- “’Look up at the heavens and count the starts—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “SO shall your offspring be’ ” (Genesis 15:5). 
In the picture to the right you can see the kids on the left acting as the three visitors, visiting Abraham and Sarah who are seated on the right side. Here I am narrating the story and instructing them to “fan themselves” since the story takes place in the heat of the day (Genesis 18:1).
In the midst of all the preparation for the busy season of the Discipleship Training School (DTS) for this year, the five of us girls who are on staff, along with our director’s wife Norma, went out for a treat at one of the popular restaurants on the coastline.
I feel blessed to have such wonderful friends who are all seeking God and serving Him with their whole hearts! (Photo is from left to right: Estefanía, Vanesa, Marivelia, Mariana and me.)
These past two weeks have been a new challenge for me as one of the translators for the DTS. We have one student from Atlanta Georgia, and one from Switzerland who speak English. The picture below and to the left is of our opening night for the DTS where I was translating for the student’s introductions. If the speaker cries, I cry, and if the speaker laughs, I laugh too!
As of April 9th, I celebrated one year since my first arrival in Mar del Plata! In some ways, I can hardly believe it’s been any more than 6 months that have passed, while on the other hand, considering the growth and changes the Lord has made in me, it feels that at least two years have gone by! One thing is for sure, and it is that the Lord is faithful! He has directed my paths and He has stuck close to me in every challenging situation. He has always provided for me, and continues to lead me step by step, revealing little by little the plans in His heart for my life.
The last highlight I’d like to share, looking back on the year, is that of the missionary calling God specified in my heart at the youth Missions Conference in Cordoba, Argentina this January. Since I was little, I’ve just had a love for Latin America; but in this past year, God has been putting Asia on my heart. Our purpose at the Conference was to teach a workshop titled “Evangelism through Help and Rescue,” but we also were invited to attend the messages preached each night. There, I learned of the many missions’ organizations which are rising up in Latin America, to send missionaries to Europe, Asia and the entire world. I was so encouraged and motivated by the passion in the 2,000 youth present in that conference, that I so desired to identify myself with them as a “Latino” going forth unto all the nations! The anointing presence of God was there in that crowd, as their hearts were so willing to sacrifice their lives for Jesus, stepping out of their comfort zone to carry the gospel to the unreached people groups. As I prayed there that night, I felt God clarifying to me that He will use me to help push this wave of Latin youth into the mission field of Europe, Asia & all nations, and that I too will one day go with them to carry the gospel to the unreached tribes and people groups.
I was reminded of a scripture I had posted on my mirror for a time during college, which says: “I will also make you a light for the gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6b). I pray that the Lord may use me as such a light to accomplish His purposes! The picture to the right is of a pamphlet from this conference which I cut and pasted into the back cover of my Spanish Bible. “Enviar Misioneros” means “Send Missionaries” in Spanish, and that is exactly what I want to do, from Latin America into the world! I love the image, because it is like a wave going out from South America to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth!
I hope this letter has been a blessing and an encouragement. Please write to me so I can be praying specifically for you! May God bless you and I thank you so much for all of your support!
Much love, your sister in Christ, Marissa
