ABRAZOS, MUCHAS SALUDOS, SUPER BIEN
One thing we love about the Chilean culture is the warmth and love expressed by the people. A typical greeting (even with COVID masks) is an air kiss on each cheek and a simultaneous hug. After we meet people in person their emails and text messages often begin with Muchos Saludos (many greetings) and end with abrazos (hugs). All over the world saints in our church greet each other warmly before church begins but here it is a flurry of hugs and animated welcome. One thing that stands out to us is the interaction between the teenagers and adults in our church congregation. The teenagers hug and greet the adults with affection. It is wonderful to witness close relationships. Another observation- in our seven months in Chile we have not seen a single stressed impatient parent. Not even with tired children in the airport. They seem to cherish their children and care for them tenderly. They hold hands as they walk them to and from school; parents carrying their backpacks. There is an overall feeling of love and warmth between all people but especially children and adults. Another one of our favorite sayings is ‘super bien’. Their enthusiasm for life is contagious.
Our days and weeks fly by – this one without many pictures from Chile! Each week is made sweeter with pictures, texts, and phone calls from our children and grandchildren and from some of you. Thank you!
ANOTHER WEEK AT THE OFFICE
We spent another week in the office. We were busy every moment receiving solicitudes and completing all the necessary paperwork, calling organizations to clarify and refine their request lists; scheduling Entrega ceremonies; meeting with our buyer and supervisor in Buenos Aires to review project progress; making appointments and travel plans for busy travel weeks ahead; balancing our budget and updating spreadsheets that show how our donations are meeting area goals in the areas of education, healthcare, and community support; having zoom meetings with physicians and researchers to lay the foundation of a future project to help in the early diagnosis and treatment of stomach cancer. There are cities in Chile with the highest stomach cancer rate in the world. Cancer just surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in Chile.
AUTUMN
These autumn pictures were taken from our apartment balcony. We found GIANT fall leaves on one of our walks! We turned on our space heater this week. Without central heat, we curl up on the couch in front of it to eat dinner and watch TV in the evenings.
ASSISTANCE
Hermana Lambs weekly Spanish practice with two friends: Marie Isabel & Alondra Friz.
Maria Isabel works in our office. She is a Welfare & Self Reliance Service Missionary (which means she lives at home and volunteers her time) She helps people find employment. We practice English/Spanish on Monday afternoons after her shift in the office. Alondra volunteers as our communications director in Concepcion. We have a standing zoom call on Thursday evenings to practice English and Spanish.
APPREICIATION – DIA DE LA MADRE
We were both blessed with angel mothers who we love and honor. We love and appreciate our daughter and daughters-in-law for the magnificent mothers they are to our grandchildren.
“As aunts, sisters, friends, teachers, mothers—as women, we are called to connect; we are called to love. And if “mother” equals love, then by the transitive property, our call to love means that we are ALL mothers.” Christina Hibbert, PsyD
(Debbie Speaking) My heart has been turned recently to my mother’s best friend, Marcella Gattermeyer, who we affectionately called Gabby. She never married, she never bore children, but she was a mother in every sense of the word. She was at every important event in my life from childhood birthday parties to my marriage. She gave me love and encouragement and courage to the very end of her life.
To all the women in our lives – our mothers, mothers in law, grandmothers, great-grandmothers (through the examples and histories they left us), our daughter, daughters in law, granddaughters, sisters, sisters in law, aunts, cousins, nieces, friends, and teachers who have mentored us, taught us, and loved us along life’s journey – thank you and Happy Mother’s Day!
Abrazos, Élder y Hermana Lamb, (aka Ed & Debbie, Mom & Dad, Pop Pop & Tu Tu)
Lambs in Central Europe 