TABLES

We have set up dozens of tables during the last month as we prepare school kit supplies for assembly. Notice what other kinds of tables you see in our pictures this week.

TALCA TABLES

On Tuesday we drove three hours south to Talca for a school kit assembly project with JAS. We took Elder and Sister Lindquist with us. We pulled into town and went straight to Las Veijas Cochinas – the restaurant on the Maule River that President Vasquez took us to in October. We enjoyed sopapillas, salad, and chicken.

After we set up the project President Vasquez and his family took us to a local park to get some Mote- the popular Chilean summer drink (peach nectar with peaches and wheat)

We spent the evening with wonderful people assembling over 400 school kits.

And enjoyed a beautiful Talca sunset.

We stopped by the open market the next morning before heading back to Santiago passing many trucks filled with produce.

SANTIAGO TABLES

On Wednesday we assembled 575 school kits with the La Dehesa Ward in Santiago with the help of Elder and Sister Salgado. This great ward helped us out last minute when the PFJ at Casablanca was canceled this week.

We enjoyed a late dinner afterward at PF Chang’s.

Friday morning, we headed across town on an adventure to buy an industrial floor cleaner for one of our projects. After a 40-minute drive to the outskirts of Santiago, we found a large wholesale warehouse filled with industrial cleaning equipment. Sometimes items cannot be shipped and so we become the buyer and the deliverer. Mission accomplished.

VILLA ALEMANA TABLES

After dropping the floor cleaner off at the office, we drove two hours northwest to Villa Alamana to an entrega ceremony for Acción Social.  Acción Social Parroquia la Asuncion is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers. These wonderful women provide training to homeless people, teaching their skills in hairdressing, baking, sewing, etc. They currently operate 15 different workshops to teach job skills. They teach classes two days each week from March to November to over 140 people each year. The donation of kitchen appliances, barber chairs, sewing machines, and a printer that prints on cloth will be instrumental in teaching job skills that will allow people to be self-sufficient. They also run a soup kitchen seven days a week to provide almuerzo for more than 50 homeless people. The volunteers presented us with placemats they had made. We will think of these devoted women each time we use them.

Ramon Paez, the stake president, invited us to have dinner at his home after the ceremony. We spent a wonderful evening with him and his family. They served steak, roasted potatoes, carrots, salad, and lemon pie for dessert. It was a delight to visit with their two daughters and son who played the piano while we all sang along.

PLAZA DE ARMAS TABLES

On Saturday, after cleaning house and washing clothes, we headed out on a Santiago field trip with Elder and Sister Lindquist and Elder and Sister Crockett. We took the metro to Plaza de Armas. Pedro Valdivia established the city of Santiago at this location in 1541.

FOOD HEADED TO OUR TABLE

We were thrilled to find sour cream in our local market this week for the first time in months. And look what else we found at our Santiago ‘Costco” Kiosk Club. Don’t even ask how much it cost! What looks like corn is choclo (Peruvian Corn) with very large kernels of corn. It may be hard to tell from the picture how large these cobs are!

TABLE THOUGHTS

As we set up these school kit projects, many tables are required for all the supplies. We noticed that as we gathered with others to serve this week, we also gathered with them around tables to eat. As our children were growing up, we looked forward to gathering each evening around the dinner table to share the happenings of the day. There is something sacred about gathering around a table to share food and ideas with people. It has been said, “When you set a place around the table, you invite others to nourishment that feeds more than appetites…it feeds souls.” May your souls and bodies be filled well this week as you gather around tables with those you love!

With love, Elder y Hermana Lamb, (aka Ed & Debbie, Mom & Dad, Pop Pop & Tu Tu)