LOS ULTIMOS DAYS OF OFFICE TRAINING
We had several days in the office with Layton’s bringing them up to speed on current humanitarian projects, walking them through the process, reviewing files in CHaS, TEAMS, and SHAREPOINT, teaching them how to create requisitions, budgets, and project development worksheets. The learning curve is steep- we remember well.
EL ULTIMO ROAD TRIP
And then we hit the road. We drove three hours south to the rural commune of Marchigue to meet with the Department of Health director to discuss a future project.
Then two hours further south to Parral to meet with the Department of Health director to discuss their primary healthcare needs.
We spent the night in Talca and attended a ceremony at Escuela Santa Marta the next morning. This school, located in the rural sector of the city has 80 students from Pre-K to Eighth grade, 93% of which qualify as vulnerable. This being an agricultural community, most parents work in seasonal jobs harvesting crops. Homes lack resources, technological means, and materials. Educators requested a container to store Physical Education equipment, storage shelves for classrooms, a floor cleaner, replacement chairs for worn library seats, and chairs with writing surfaces for seventh and eighth-grade classrooms. Blackout shades for the library will allow for media presentations.
The children favored us with Chilean folk dances as part of the ceremony.
We enjoyed a typical Chilean almuerzo in Talca and Elder Layton took the wheel as we drove back to Santiago.
EL ULTIMO P-DAY EXCURSION
After spending Saturday morning in the office, we gathered all the senior missionary couples for an afternoon outing. Nelsons, Shawcrofts, Brulands, and Laytons joined us for lunch and then for a hike up Cerro Santa Lucia. It was a beautiful sunny, clear day.
We finished the day at a ward party. It was a grand fiesta celebrating the first ward conference held the next day in the new Providencia ward that was created in January.
EL ULTIMO SABBATH
Alex and Shelley Hawks invited us to their home for Sunday dinner. Alex works at the American embassy. They have been so kind to us during our mission here in Chile.
EL ULTIMO VISIT FROM GUIDO
Guido Lucas, our director from Buenas Aires arrived late Sunday night. On Monday morning we attended a ceremony in Vina Del Mar. Last December a fire in a forested canyon of Tranque Sur burned into the coastal resort city of Viña Del Mar, resulting in one death, many injured, and more than 350 homes destroyed. Chile’s president declared a state of emergency and catastrophe. The municipality of Viña del Mar has worked with government and private organizations to raise funds to purchase modular homes for those displaced. Our church donated 19 homes.
We enjoyed lunch on the beach before we headed back to Santiago.
LOS ULTIMOS INTRODUCTIONS
We had our exit interview with President Bohn and introduced Laytons to President and Hermana Bohn, the outstanding mission leaders in the Santiago East mission.
El ULTIMO MEAL
When we arrived in Chile in 2021 we had to quarantine in our apartment for five days as a COVID-19 precaution. One of the first things we did when quarantine ended was go for a walk. We found a restaurant down the street called La Biferia and enjoyed our first restaurant meal. We thought it fitting that we eat our last meal in Chile at the same place. We invited the young missionaries in our ward to join us: Hermana’s Dermisache (Argentina) & Hadley (Idaho), and Elders Ribeiro (Venezuela) & Higbee (Utah)
A final trek to our favorite helado shop with the Brulands who also appreciate fine ice cream.
This map of Chile hangs in our office. The first picture shows the map when we arrived in 2021. The second picture shows the map today. Red tags are closed projects, green are humanitarian projects in implementation, and yellow tags are prospective projects. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
We fly home tonight with full hearts, thinking of the scripture in Luke 6:38 that says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over.” What a remarkable experience we have had. Our hearts are full to the brim. To quote our upstairs neighbor and fellow senior missionary Hermana Lindquist, “Has it been hard? Yes. Has it been easy? No. Would I do it again? Absolutely!”
An ultimo “Chau from Chile”
Abrazos, Élder y Hermana Lamb, (aka Ed & Debbie, Mom & Dad, Pop Pop & Tu Tu)
Lambs in Central Europe 