November Roberts' Report
HABLA ESPANOL?
For those who may not know, the official language of Argentina is Spanish. Between Beth and I, we have had 7 years of class room Spanish learning. I would like to tell you that we speak well and are ready to jump right into ministry, but that would be a lie! We have a lot to learn and will spend at least 9 months in Argentina in full time language study when we first arrive.

We have spent the last 2 weeks at the PILAT program in Palmer Lake, CO. Our time has been spent on language acquisition (how to learn a language). We have had in depth training on phonetics (sound pronunciation) and other skills/techniques that help a language learner be successful. In some ways it has felt like going back to kindergarten! The truth is, the best language learners are children. The same principle Jesus spoke about in Mat. 18:4 should apply to us in our language study. We must humble ourselves like a child in order to effectively enter into a new language. So becoming like children will be our first task in Argentina!

Yan Na, a language helper, facilitated Beth’s group as they discovered Mandarin.

OUR NEXT 2 MONTHS MAPPED OUT
11/22 Sharing in Mitchell, SD
11/23-26 Thanksgiving in Denton, KS
11/29 Sharing in Norway, MI
11/30-12/ 5 Rhinelander, WI
12/6 Sharing in Ironwood, MI
12/7-12 WI, MN, SD area
12/13 Sharing in Brookings, SD
12/14-17 Denton, KS
12/20-1/1 Holidays in Denver
Late January (Lord willing)– LEAVE FOR ARGENTINA

GIVING THANKS
*Thank you Lord for selling our home.
*Thank you Lord for providing a temporary, wonderful new home with family (Paula & Patrick Williams’ home)
*Thank you Lord for our 8 supporting churches and 47 supporting families. We are blessed to have a solid and encouraging support team.
*Thank you Lord for selling our car.
*Thank you Lord for giving us this holiday season to spend with our families.
*Thank you Lord for an amazing, God-given, eye opening, time of learning and fellowship at our SPLICE training in Palmer Lake, CO.

Our SPLICE family-Love and miss you guys. We are praying that God is working IN and THROUGH you all over the world!

Our goal is late January, however, we are not able to buy airplane tickets until we are 100% supported. We are at 80%. Will you help us reach our goal?

If you were planning on giving, NOW IS THE TIME! Every $63/month committed is 1% closer to our goal!

Prayer Requests
*Pray for safety as we travel throughout the Midwest Nov. 21-Dec. 17
*Pray that we reach our goal of being 100% supported by the new year
*Pray that we draw closer to our Lord Jesus. That our hearts will line up with His will.

Uprooted

Recently I had the opportunity to spend some time in Yosemite National Park. During my time there I found myself stopping to look at some of the huge redwood trees that California is famous for. I was amazed at their magnitude and considered how deep and strong their roots must be. Hundreds of years being planted in the same spot allows a tree to become strong and mighty. Its resiliency allows it to face whatever force mother nature can throw its way. This is something to be admired.Well, I have been planted in Denver, CO for over 8 years now. Not enough time to grow into a redwood, but enough time to become well rooted. There is something attractive to me about spending my entire adult life in one place; to allow my roots to become big, strong, and stable. In 8 years I have been able to root myself in with supportive friends, close family, a solid church community, a career I enjoy, and a state I have come to adore. What a great piece of earth to call home!

Logically, this is not a place to move from. Trees shouldn't be uprooted when their roots have thrived in fertile soil for years. However, our God doesn't seem to follow the principals of horticulture. He is mysterious in His leading and sometimes calls us to the unexpected. It is not out of the ordinary for God to uproot a well-planted tree and transplant it in a new, foreign land for His purpose. The Bible is full of God' people being led in this way. I believe that God is taking my family through this process and Argentina is where we will be transplanted.

My roots began to be loosened this summer when I quit my job. It was the first time that I didn't have an 8-5 job since I graduated college. The process continued as we recently sold our home and moved into my brother/sister-in-law's basement. It is not a stretch to call myself homeless and unemployed. This tree's roots are no longer firmly planted and he is feeling awfully vulnerable. I know that the most painful part of being uprooted will be the final steps of saying goodbye to family and friends. To be disconnected from them isn't something I am looking forward to. I'm a man. I'm not supposed to be emotional, but there is something incredibly humbling about leaving my old life behind and taking my family to a foreign place. My God will be transplanting us into foreign soil full of unknowns.

So despite the attractiveness of remaining planted in Denver, despite feeling weak and vulnerable and uprooted, despite all the unknowns that await us in Argentina, we have a Father who is unchanging. He is a faithful gardener and it is a labor of love for him to carefully uproot us and transplant us in Argentina to serve him and make Him known. Our Abba will sustain us through the entire process and he has purpose for us in Argentina. I believe that we will thrive there as we are planted by Him. I don't think that for a minute "thriving" means that I will grow into a glorious, giant redwood tree in Argentina. Instead, I am trusting that God grows my family and I into trees that impact those around them for the cause of Jesus Christ. This is our hearts' desire and all that we are leaving behind pales in comparison to truly making an impact for God's kingdom.

by David

Roberts' Report Sept. 09

UNDER THE RADAR
In 2007, 30,000 Argentines stood outside of Buenos Aires protesting child hunger in Argentina. “Hunger is a Crime” was their slogan. This may come as a surprise to many who have seen the Argentine economy improve over recent years. Many outsiders look at the country’s capital, Buenos Aires and see a cosmopolitan city full of wealthy tourists. However, despite a recovery in many economic sectors, poverty and hunger is still a major issue in this country. It may be difficult to witness while visiting Buenos Aires, but other provinces and rural areas know all too well of the harsh reality. Compounding this problem is a government that spends large amounts of money to manipulate inflation statistics.

Despite general improvements, the average Argentine hungers for positive change in their country. Unfortunately, Argentina has been consistent in its “boom or bust” economic cycle. Even during a perceived boom, many are going hungry in the quiet places of Argentina. Hope must be found somewhere outside of a government that has continually disappointed its people. Who knows what the impact may be of another Argentine “bust”.

FAQs
Why Argentina?
We fell in love with the country, people, and culture of Argentina during a mission trip there through our local church 3 years ago. Our skills can be utilized in a region with a small percentage of evangelical Christians.
When are you leaving?
Our target date for leaving is early January 2010. (That is only 4 months away!) However, we cannot buy our airplane tickets until we are 100% supported.
Do you speak Spanish?
We both have a foundation in vocabulary from our high school Spanish classes, however we will be spending the first 9 months in language school in NW Argentina. We have A LOT to learn. Sometimes we think Zane is speaking Spanish within his toddler jibber...we’re not sure:)
Where will you be living?
During our first year of language school we will be living in Tucuman, Argentina (Pop. 527,000), . We will live in an apartment right downtown. Then we will move 2 hours SW to Catamarca (Pop. 141,000) where we will be ministering. There we will live in a house or apartment close to the church plant we will be working with.
What will you be doing there...EXACTLY?
After language school, we will working along side missionaries in church planting. They have been there for 22 years and have planted multiple churches. We will be strengthening those churches by training leaders in counseling and ministry. That will look like teaching, mentoring, and encouraging. We will also be pioneering new church plants. We will be starting new small group Bible studies. We will find and develop new leaders. We have ideas in our head and we are SURE that the Lord will have HIS way...so exactly??? Some things are yet to be determined.
How can we pray for you?
1. Pray that we get all of our prayer and financial supporters.
2. Praise the Lord! Our townhouse is under contract to be sold on Oct. 20th. Please pray that all of the little things go smoothly, so the sale is complete.
3. Pray that the Lord continues to enlarge our hearts for the people in Argentina and the people we come into contact with here as we prepare to leave
How can we support you?
Send in our prayer card. If you need one, just let me know and we can send you one.
Direct giving: http://www.scene3.org/content/view/1137/138

U.S. Mail: http://www.scene3.org/content/view/1001/138/
Pay Pal: http://www.scene3.org/content/view/993/124/

Some pictures from our August travels.

Sharing at Grace Foursquare's Young adult group. LOVED IT.

Snuggling Grandma at Grace Foursquare Family Camp. Fun times:)
Zane & his new friends, Marie and Sophie Miller. They had a blast playing together.

Your travels to Rhinelander, WI would not be complete without a family picture infront of the HODAG. (If you don't know what it is, just google it!)

To see more pictures of our August leg click here... http://www.scene3.org/content/view/8052/199/