Well folks I am not even sure what to write. In 2 weeks I will be home in Richmond, Texas welcomed by the heat and humidity, quite the contrast to the winter that has already begun here. I have already broke out the pea coat yall! I should also add that as I write this I am listening to my HOGS playing baseball at the super regional finals as they make their way to Omaha! We have a special saying for this - OmaHOGS!!! wooo pig! I have to say it is kinda weird listening this... it has been so long. I decided this is good practice to start readjusting haha.

I really can't believe I am really leaving. It is finally my time. After seeing countless students come and go through their respective study abroad times it is actually time for the 10 monther, aka me, to go home too. I don't feel like I am leaving yet but I have also been focused on finishing school and taking advantages of  my last moments here. Today I am happy to report that I finished one of my classes! Wahoo! By this time next week I figure I will be running all over the city to see friends, do last minute errands and visit the last places on my list. So I thought it would be appropriate to call this my last argentine blog. The truth is I can't sum up my experience in a few sentences. I don't even think I could do that in one blog. There has been so many wonderful experiences, memories, friendships, lessons, opportunities, and adventures. I loved my time here. It is still hard for me to believe that I even had this opportunity and am actually here! Sometime in middle school I learned of my Aunt Sara's study abroad to germany in college. I have always looked up to her and needless to say when I heard she went abroad I wanted to do the same thing. From middle school onward I awaited the day I too would be soaking up the rich culture of a latin country, learning one of the romantic languages and taking new adventures. And the time has come and gone! I am here! I am here in Argentina preparing myself to end a dream that started a long time ago.
Cosas de locos pero cuan grande es nuestro Señor no!?
I am a huge believer in that our true desires and passions come from the Lord. When we chose to fall him and put his will first he dosen't forget about those passions. He was the one who put them there. He knows where we can best serve him and he will lead us down paths of righteousness where he sees to it that those dreams are fulfilled. My desire was not originally to do missions while studying abroad. My dream was not even to study abroad for a year! The Lord did that. He started off small back in middle school with the desire to just go abroad and learn spanish. Then somewhere in high school he put Argentina on my heart. After entering college and having a personal encounter with the Lord, my relationship with the Lord went down a whole new path. Then it was him who spoke saying, "Lauren go Argentina for a year but you are not just going to study abroad. I have something else for you."

It is absolutely spectacular to look back and see and how the Lord has brought me to Libertador 6255, Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is always moving. Always working. Yes, it is sad to be leaving; to know that my this time I have been dreaming of forever has actually come and gone. But equally it does not mean that this is the end. In turn it is still just the beginning. With the Lord it is never the end. Who knows where He will bring me next. What I do know is that I will continue to follow him and He will get me there.

I am excited to be coming home. I am excited to see all of you! I am excited to spend time with my family for a bit before heading back off to Hog heaven. I am excited to share this year with you all in much more detail!! The Lord has been so faithful and totally deserves all the glory. I so have appreciated all the support you all have given not only this year but in years past as well. I pray you have been equally blessed through your giving and have grown in your walk with the Lord. As for a few more announcements, in regards to ministry here, when I first got here I wrote that the Agriculture campus where I would be serving was lacking a girl's movement. I am happy to announce that throughout this semester the Lord has greatly developed the girl's movement on AG! We have seen 4 girls come to know the Lord! The movement as a whole has also continued to grow and has taken some huge steps of faith. The Lord has definitely be at work. It has been so wonderful to see how the body of believers works together all over the globe. Thanks for being a part of that! Praise be to the Father!

Well my flight leaves June 24 at 9:30 pm and I roll up into Houston bright and early the next morning. We are talking 6:30ish am people. I am so glad my family loves me :) I would love to catch up with you all and tell you more about Argentina and the year the Lord gave me! Don't hesitate to ask! :D

Until the 25th, Howdy Texas y chau a Argentina.

ps. just in case you were wondering OMAHOGS! We are going to the college world series!

This past weekend was not only Memorial Day but also marked my last month here in Argentina. What?! 

Where did the time go? I remember at different points thinking, "I just wish it was May already so I would be going home soon." And now here we are practically in June. My grandpa has this saying that just like a toilet paper roll, the time goes faster and faster as you reach the end. Well I know I am no where near the end, shoot I just turned 21, but I can definitely see the truth in this. Every year, the older I get, the faster the time seems to go. 

After being here this long, I have been around to experience political, economic, and social changes. When I arrived in September empanadas, the staple argentine go-to food, was 5 pesos and if you were lucky 4. Now the are more than 6 or 7 pesos! Inflation is not cool. Currently the inflation and exchange rate of the peso to the dollar isn't even accurate. The dollar is super important to argentine life. All big purchases, technology, homes, rent, etc are paid in dollars. Starting around January, President Christina implemented strong economic protectionist policies. Strengthening over the months, the argentines currently find themselves in an unstable environment politically, economically, and socially. What started out as a restriction on the amount of dollars one could obtain has now turned into an all out dollar blockade. Details on the matter are quite extensive so I will skip to the point. 

We, as american citizens, are beyond blessed. Yes our country has issues, politically, economically, socially and all the rest. I know. So many citizens of other countries look to the US and practically idolize it. I will be honest, this irritates the heck out of me. In my experience here, some many argentines seem to think that nothing bad could happen in the "good ol' US of A". When we both know that is far from the truth. But the more I thought about it and really tried to put myself in their shoes, in my cases the Argentine's, we are better off. No our country isn't perfect and we have our own mound of problems; but when I think about permanently living here in Argentina, where the government could take your money from the bank at any point (happened twice to the woman I live with), not allow you to withdraw foreign currency (even when you are abroad because that much control exists) or where the police are bribed and the government functions on a whole other level of corruption that we as US citizens do not know, I have to realize american citizens are blessed. 

One night as I was walking back to my apartment, the Lord really opened my eyes to see that no matter how much it irritates me to hear people's idolized thoughts of America, the truth remains that if I were them I might be idolizing it too. It is not to negate our country's problems. In fact it is just the opposite. The United States of America is still the land of the free. A place where I can walk the street without fear. A country where our criminal justice system is trustworthy and our elected officials have laws and rules that they abide by. I know there are exceptions. In the middle of my walk home, I realized I want it to stay that way and I started to pray. Over the years I have heard that we should pray for our government officials and our country. However, the number of times I actually did that would probably fill one hand. I didn't see the importance. 

The Lord is the most powerful of all the universe. He can do anything. He loves, better yet longs to hear our prayers. Our government is no less important to him. I can't control people and their actions. I can't change our government. But the Lord can. 

Praise the Lord for the blessing it is to live in the US. It is a huge blessing that I all too often take for granted. But don't just stop there. 

Pray with a sincere heart for our government. It is never to late for the Lord to work. 

Pray for those currently in office, whether believer or not, that they would truly be for the people and not their own interests. 

Pray that those christian brothers and sisters in office would stand firm for the Lord and make decisions that reflect him. That the Holy Spirit would strengthen them in an environment extremely tempting and challenging. 

Pray that the Spirit would prepare future government leaders and they would obey the Lord's call to dive into the battle that is politics. 

We who are in Christ are all missionaries. We have been called to all ends of the earth to spread the good news we have in Christ. All ends of the earth includes the realm of politics. We have a blessing living in the US and equally an obligation to pray for it to stay or even improve its current state. How beautiful and powerful would it be if we, as a body of believers, lifted up our nation to the Lord.  

Well apparently the Lord wanted to tell me something. Last weekend Vida (cru) had a weekend student retreat in the near by city of La Plata. Our students and staff from Buenos Aires got together with the students and staff in La Plata for a weekend together to grow in the word, prayer, evangelism, and more. The first two days of the retreat I found myself serving in the kitchen the whole time. Even when I wasn't signed up to help cook I was in the kitchen. By the second night, I started asking myself why I wasn't participating more in the workshops and such. I could. The other STINTers were serving but were also participating. But why wasn't I wanting to be in the workshops? The Lord whispered that I should look at fear. For me it is easier to be in the kitchen with other english speaking gringos rather than having to work to engage in spanish conversation. It is easier to do something that doesn't require much thought and be in a safe place where the Lord can't convict me of anything. However, next day I stayed out of the kitchen trying to listen to the Lord.

Apparently it needs to sink in a little more because today he spoke again. I hide behind service. Think about it - how many times do we say "Everything is good just keeping busy." I don't know about you but I get tired of hearing that word. We are all busy. But why do we keep so busy? For me, part of the reason is that it is easier to hide behind doing something rather than facing the problem, having to come to God asking him to walk me through my sin. All this "busyness" keeps us from acknowledging our true thirst for love, friendships, truth and thus thirst for the Lord. I heard this devotional a few weeks ago about Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42.

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feetlistening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” 


Martha is so distracted by her service that she doesn't even take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus. She is missing out on just being with him, spending time together, and learning from him. Although small, there are tons of messages packed in this passage. Hearing this passage was the first time the Lord started signaling my service filled life. The Lord asks us to serve and some people are given gifts of service. However for me, my service was stemming from something else, a heart issue that needed to be addressed. I find myself being a Martha, hiding behind my service, "just keeping busy" so I don't have to actually see where Jesus truly wants me. It is hard to do nothing and just be in the presence of the Lord, listening and enjoying his presence. But I am tired of hiding in the service and being busy because it is easy. I want true freedom. And as backwards as it may seem, true freedom comes in Christ. For me it is a big step of faith to drop the busy service where I am comfortable and sit at the feet of Christ as he directs my path. But the Lord has called and I am taking the step. 

Over the past couple of weeks I have been wrestling with materialism. What it means, what it looks like, is it bad to desire good things or as christians are we not supposed to to have "excess" like fancy cars, nice clothes, a vacation home, money to travel or whatever you want. So this is a post just to throw out what has been tossing around in my head. During my time here in Argentina I have obviously lived very differently from what I do in the states. Ok maybe not as different as I would if I was living in Japan or Sudan but it has been very different. I have gone with without and I am surviving. In fact, I am loving it!

There are still those moments when I think "man I could get there quicker if I had a car." Or "clean floors would be amazing." Or "how great would it be to go shopping so I don't have to wear the same clothes over and over." So all of this has got me thinking what is the balance with materialism.

Lets face it, we have a huge consumeristic society in america. I am part of that society. I am just trying to think about what the Lord says in regards to materialism and how that affects what my desires should be. So here are some of my thoughts after a few weeks of reading and praying:

- the Lord DESIRES to richly bless us. 

That is his desire to bless his children. I am not talking prosperity gospel. He blesses in his own way. Most of his blessing is in the eternal perspective but equally he blesses us now. He knows what it good for us. Sometimes what is good is being without.

- it is ok to have a nice car. 

It doesn't have to be the car but lets just imagine here. If I have the money to buy a nice car, but have a car that works just fine, shouldn't I use that money on something else that would glorify the Lord? It could be giving to charity, buying something for someone else or sponsoring a missionary. Well I could do all of those things. Those aren't bad things but neither is buying a nice car if your heart is in the right place. If I am giving to the Lord first what is his and he has continued to bless me above that financially then it equally pleases him just to bless me. (i.e. me buying the car.) If my heart is seeking his will first, if my priorities are in line with his and I am daily striving to walk with him, then I can trust the wisdom and discernment he has given me to spend the money, that is his to begin with but has freely given to me, to buy the "extras".

- ultimately our first priority is in the Lord.
When it comes down to it, this shouldn't even be a question I am having. The Lord has told us his will that we should live in communion with him, in harmony the way he originally designed the world. Until that day arrives we are to "go make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) This is where our hearts should lie. Having a heart focused on making disciples will take my heart away from material desires (well not completely because we are sinners after all. But it will make it easier to fill ourselves with truth and get back on the right track).

- the great balance of life.
The reason I struggle in wanting more material things is because I am a broken person. We are all broken and living in a world that is not the way it was created to be. One huge thing I am learning here is balance. There is balance in everything in life. Everything! In our brokenness, or sin, we have lost the ability to keep things balanced. We are either planners or procrastinators. Saving everything thing because you never know when you might need it or using it all up at once to meet the immediate demand. All good or all bad. Only the Lord is the master at the balancing act. He is love and justice. He is peace and war. I could go on a whole other rant with this but I will stick with this - my lack of balance has me thinking it is all or nothing. I can either have nice things or I can't as a Christian. It is black or white. The concept of there being a middle ground is hard to fathom much less define. But one does exist. That is what we are all searching for.

So the question is, what is the balance with materialism? Well I think it is personal. Every person has there own limits as to what the Lord knows they can handle. Materialism too has its limits as some find themselves stumbling over having material desires more than others. Remember balance. Our ultimate priority is serving the Lord. So if material things are keeping us from this then we need to look at our scale to see what needs to be let go. Taking the time to search my own heart, see what my motives are for the stuff, and seeking truth in scripture and in prayer about what the Lord says about materialism is something we should all individually do. Materialism isn't going anywhere therefore the way we approach it makes a world of difference.

" Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4 

Summer has come and gone, school is starting back up, and autumn is on its way. This has been my first week back in school. I can't believe it is already time for the second semester! We experienced so many wonderful blessings over the summer!

• 3 Argentine girls starting up a new CRU movement on their philosophy campus
• 2 Columbians and 1 Mexicana who are PRECIOUS and are super excited to get involved in discipleship and evangelism on the Agriculture campus! Woot Woot!
• other students from various campuses stepping up to lead on their campuses
• receiving Kim! - new staff woman who will be serving in the ministry here for 3-5 yrs
• watching the Lord refocus our hearts
• Dad, Mom and lindsey coming to visit!!!
• having time to deepen my relationships with argentine friends
• living with the girls on my STINT team!
• seeing huge changes in the ministry here that testify to the Lord's presence in this crazy city and reminding us this is his movement
• receiving a super encouraging package from the wonderful girls back at the UofA
• in a matter of days God providing a wonderful roommate and apartment for next year
• spending amazing days switching between different campuses around Buenos Aires getting to evangelize with students and see their hearts for the Lord

One of my favorites of these evangelism days was going to a campus, Universidad de la Matanza, outside of the city to help a group of students who, on their own, just following the Lord's call, have started a campus movement of their own. One time we showed up to find 40 students ready to go out evangelizing! It was such a testament to the Lord's power and presence all around the globe.

Do you ever get stuck thinking the Lord only exists where you are? Well I sure do. Seeing these students who felt the call to evangelize just from reading the Word sure brought me down to my knees. All over the world the Lord is moving and bringing his people back to him. It can be so easy to forget but take a moment and think about it.

... ... ...

He doesn't need us. He is working in the hearts of his people all on his own. It is a privilege that we get to be a part in that. Yet so easily I get caught up in myself and the small "world" around me that I forget the Lord is equally present in Russia, currently leading a huge underground movement in China, giving dreams to Ethiopians, showing his mercy to those in Greece, and liberating those living in slavery all around the world. He is the same God no matter where you go.

Let us become more aware of His presence. Let us experience the glory of His goodness.

Summer was great. Refreshing. Full of new things and countless blessings. Now it is time for classes, new friendships, moving back to live with my precious argentine grandma, having a real functioning toilet, and living on the 29 bus. It is an exciting 3 and half months that I have left ahead of me. Who knows what the Lord has in store. But if there is one thing I am sure it is that the Lord is faithful. Always has been. Always will be. May these summer blessings carry me forward into the blessings of autumn and winter.

"I feel the rains of your love. I feel the winds of your spirit. I feel the heart beat of heaven. Let us hear. Open the flood gates of heaven."

This past week I have stumbled upon a new worship band that I am really enjoying. As I write this I am having a little jam session. Despite the ridiculous heat that brought constant sweat all day, today the Lord blessed my team and I with a great day of evangelism. This week and last we have had students step up and organize three days of evangelism on three different campuses throughout the city. These students did all of this with out being asked, prompted, anything. It was solely out of a heart to spread the love of Christ as they continue to experience it more. How cool is that?! That is the exact reason this STINT team is here - to raise up a student lead movement of passionate believers who are experiencing Christ and wanting to share that with those around them. So obviously when we were asked to go alongside and help them we jumped on it.

Today I was really excited to go out with the students to evangelize but me and my teammate Jill got off to a late start due to a few unexpected setbacks. When we were finally on our way we were almost 2 hours late but that still left us 2 hours on campus. To get to the campus we had to take 2 different buses. We got to the second bus stop and waited for 45 minutes.... that is Buenos Aires for you... ok so honestly during this waiting I was seriously wondering if it was even going to be worth us going. By the time we would get there we would probably only have an hour. However, as I thought this I also heard, "that is exactly what the Devil wants you to think. If you go home you have given him the upper hand"

Well I wasn't about to let the Devil hold that over my head. "I don't care if I only have 30 mins. The Lord will use whatever time I have there and I am not letting the Devil smile today as I give into his seductive ways."

We get to the campus with an hour left. Jill and I head off to the first girl we see sitting outside and what a conversation we had.

That hour we had - we spent it all with her. Back and forth we went as we asked her questions and she asked us back. This can be a rarity. But the questions on both ends just kept coming. Finally she asked but how do you know that God is real, that he is there? It hit me so naturally. After having a team assignment to write our testimonies in spanish last week, this was the perfect time to share my testimony, something we had yet to do in spanish. Perfect.

So hear we go, Jill and I. I go first and share with Vanessa how I know the Lord is real through the change that He did in my heart a few years ago when I went to California. 45 minutes we talked and shared our testimonies. In SPANISH! How great is our God?! We left the conversation having shared the Gospel and praying Vanessa would continue to ponder the news she heard.

Think about it. We could have given in to the Devil and turned back when buses seemed to be few and far between. But we gave the Lord control knowing that He will use whatever we are able to give Him. And He did.

Isn't it the same in our everyday life? There are tons of opportunities when we can turn back, letting the Devil have victory. But that is not how we are to fight. The devil can come in the first person, in disguised ways that blind us to even seeing that it is him all along. We fight with truth and Christ on our side. The Lord isn't asking for numbers or quantity in whatever way that looks for you. He merely asks you to follow Him and give Him all you've got. We fight from victory for victory has already been won on the cross.

For me, it is the little things the Lord does; the little ways He puts things together where I see His faithfulness and am overcome with His presence. Today was one of those days.

The past week and half students from all over Argentina got together to celebrate Christ at Effecto M summer camp. Effecto M stands for the mobilization, magnification, and multiplication effect. We had such an incredible time. The camp was situated in the foot hills of Cordoba. There were around 260 students and staff from all parts of Argentina. It was such an encouraging week to see students truly praising and loving the Lord. I had some great opportunities to talk with students and hear about how they started their walk with Christ.

It probably shouldn't, but it continues to amaze me how big our God is. He is same God everywhere you go. The same things he teaches me in the states or wherever I am, He is teaching others all over the world. During the week we focused on finding the purpose for your life. Matthew 28:18-20 says "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"

Our individual plans may be different but our overall purpose is the same. We are all called to serve in lifting up the name of the Lord. That will look different for every person, whether that is speaking with co workers in an office, being a teacher, working overseas, being a missionary full time, or being a student and friend. The week had me asking God what His plan is for me. What is the way in which He has called me to serve and share of the grace and love He has freely given.

One night during the week was focused on missions. It was a neat experience as I am currently hear on mission and I was able to see others being encouraged to move and mobilize others. Afterwards, I talked with a girl studying medicine who feels the Lord calling her to medical missions after she completes her studies. God is moving and it is not just in our neck of the woods. It is so easy for me to forget that there is life happening outside of my life.

Overall camp was a great success. I heard so many students talking about the ways the Lord spoke to them. As a STINT team, we received so many "thank yous" for our service here in Argentina. The thanks goes out to you all as you have supported the Lord's work in Argentina.