Sonidos Serranos

Sonidos Serranos: Sounds of the Sierras...
Reflecting some of my family's interests: God's wonderful creation (especially mountains and hills!), music, and language...

Psalm 121:1-2 (NASB)

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

28 April 2016

“Praise the Lord!”

A couple weeks ago, I tagged my blog post“Gotta love the (rare?!) rewarding moments in (young) parenting...”

Here’s another one:

On our way to church one Sunday afternoon, we stood at the bus stop for what seemed far longer than normal – probably because of the rain coming at us from all angles – as we waited for a bus.

As I explained later to the Little People: “Waiting for a bus in the rain is just part of normal autumn and winter living for most people in Montevideo.”


The first bus going in our desired direction was an unfamiliar number, so we asked the driver if it stopped at the airport, our intended destination. Receiving an affirmative answer, we piled on.

After passing several key spots in the general vicinity of the airport and then realizing that we were in fact on a route going away from there, JM went up to the front of the bus and asked the driver if he intended to head back to the airport.

“Oh no! I forgot... And actually, this is my first day driving this route, and I didn’t realize that we no longer go by the airport...”

So, we had to get off, cross the highway, and stand in the slanting rain – which was managing to wet us even under the roof of the bus stop shelter there – waiting for another bus going back to our intended destination!

“Who knows how long we’ll have to wait at this bus stop!” I exclaimed. (My mood matched the weather at that moment...)

In a few moments, however, a bus came – and it was going our way!

I got on with DJ; he sat (uncharacteristically!) quiet next to me. And although the ride was short, I wondered if he was falling asleep.

We got off and, as we were walking into the airport, DJ said to me – solemnly and quietly but with conviction: “Praise the Lord, Mommy! [But sounds like: /Pwayz duh Lohd/]! We didn’t have to wait very [/beh-wee/] long for the bus [foh duh bus] to come!”

♥ ♥ ♥ 


Thinking on all this later on, I remembered another (similar yet opposite) “miserable” experience, walking in high heat and humidity up a dusty dirt road in Lavalleja with the 1997 Uruguay Mission Team. Potable water was at least a kilometer’s walk away; though the sun was shining very brightly, my mood was dark and gloomy...

One of the other team members came alongside and quietly and simply made a comment that pointed me to God. I forget his exact words, but I remember feeling convicted. He then proceeded to bump into me and exclaim: “Will you please watch where I’m going?!” Involuntarily, I laughed. As we walked on, I thought: “I like him. This is a man I can respect...”

[My Mommy had fallen in love with him the minute she met him...]

“And the rest is history! 

[Edited to add: Except that the journey from that ’97 Mission Team
to the picture above was long – and full of both mountains and valleys!
Lots of valleys... Kind of like life itself!]

25 April 2016

Remembering again...

Reposting... Remembering... Grieving... Rejoicing... Rejoicing in certain hope... Longing for Heaven... Thankful for Christ and for how HE shone through Jona’s life...

I you, Jonatán David Torres – more than ever...

Five years ago about 1000 people attended Jona’s memorial service. This picture, however, was taken almost seventeen years ago, the day of my Mommy’s memorial service. My little buddy, Jona, didn’t understand all the implications of that day, but his tender little-boy heart knew how to comfort all the same...

And a friend’s post from five years ago sums up the evening of Jona’s memorial service...

I attended a most beautiful and touching funeral this evening. Sixteen-year-old Jona basically preached his own funeral via pre-recorded testimonies. The principal, Steve Tompkins, did an excellent job, and God was truly honored. I’m praying for grace for Esteban, Esther and Marcos... God was truly honored and Christians were encouraged to Bow the Knee.

21 April 2016

Pensamientos sobre el sufrimiento cristiano

Cristiano, ¿estás sufriendo hoy? Tal vez te encuentras en dolor físico o en las garras de una enfermedad terminal. Tal vez tu sufrimiento es interno, un profundo dolor emocional o una cicatriz interna que nadie puede ver. Quizás tu dolor es una lucha teológica entre la bondad de Dios y el mal que ves en el mundo a diario. Tal vez estés perseguido, avergonzado o encarcelado en oscuridad a causa de tu fe. Existen tantos tipos y niveles diferentes de sufrimiento.

Para algunas cosas no “vale” la pena hacer una comparación (a base de su “valor”). Por ejemplo, no se puede comparar en serio el Diamante Cullinan (con su valor de 400 millones de dólares) con un anillo de “diamante” de caramelo (con su valor de 79 centavos de dólar). De igual manera, la gente no compara en serio una casa de playa, situada en diez acres con vistas al paseo marítimo sobre el Pacífico, con una ficha de plástico verde en un lugar codiciado en el tablero del juego de mesa Monopoly. Hay cosas que no tienen comparación. La gloria de lo que es mayor hace que la comparación parezca ridícula e incluso insultante.

Entonces, ¿qué de nuestro dolor, sufrimiento y angustia? “Considero que los sufrimientos de este tiempo presente no son dignos de ser comparados con la gloria que nos ha de ser revelada” (Romanos 8:18). La intención no es minimizar el dolor que realmente estás experimentando en este momento, sino magnificar la gloria que nos aguarda a todos los creyentes en Cristo. Lo que estás experimentando en este momento “no es digno de ser comparado” a aquello que está por delante. Esto requiere fe, fe en Dios y en sus promesas, fe para seguir mirando hacia adelante hacia aquello que aún no se ve. Hay algo que ya es cierto pero que aún no se ha realizado que ni siquiera se puede comparar (o incluso ser comprendido en este momento) al sufrimiento que experimentas personalmente y observas a diario en este mundo.

“La esperanza que se ve no es esperanza, pues, ¿por qué esperar lo que uno ve? Pero si esperamos lo que no vemos, con paciencia lo aguardamos” (Romanos 8:24-25). Sigue esperando y velando porque ya falta poco y ¡nuestra realidad futura en Cristo no desilusionará!

[Traducción de pensamientos de Steve Hafler]

20 April 2016

Remembering...

Five years ago, at almost midnight on April 20, we kissed our beloved Jona goodbye for the last time on this broken earth. Esteban’s and Esther’s and Marcos’ lives had been consumed with his care during those last twenty months; our family had the privilege of assisting with hospice care during the last month. Adjustment to life without him is long and difficult...



We appreciate those who pray for us as we miss him – more than ever! But we rejoice that Jona is in the presence of his Savior, whom he loved and served with joy during the sixteen and a half years he was given here with us. And we look forward – more than ever – to the Day when all wrongs will be right and all tears will be forever wiped away.

Today we cling to Truth!

I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying:
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Then He who sat on the throne said:
“Behold, I make all things new.”
And He said to me:
“Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
(Revelation 21)

Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
(John 11)


Please visit the website set up by friends and family and read how God changed Jona’s life and enabled him to face the most difficult of circumstances with contentment, trust, and joy. And today He can do the same for you!

16 April 2016

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

Al igual que el año pasado, a JM y a mí nos tocó enseñar anoche. Entonces hicimos como antes y celebramos con torta, compartiendo con la Familia FEBU aquí presente.


¡No hay torta de cumple como la uruguaya!

Y mis peques me hicieron regalitos, ¡preocupándose muchísimo con todo lo de su presentación!

Me encantan los contrastes... J

¡Son mis estudiantes favoritos! 


Al cumplir otro año y al contemplar el comienzo de uno nuevo, sigo meditando en las mismas realidades que el año pasado...

En realidad, prefiero no pasar mucho tiempo pensando en lo rápido que pasa el tiempo. ¡Incluso prefiero no contar velitas en una torta! Pero, cuanto más vivo cuanto más me doy cuenta que las dificultades de esta vida me ayudan a apreciar el valor de pausar para celebrar esta vida. Y los cumpleaños, sin duda, sirven como recuerdo de que esta vida es meramente un vapor.


Entonces ayer compartí lo siguiente por fb:

Hoy celebro la vida, compartiendo pensamientos del Salmo 43:

Envía tu luz y tu verdad; que ellas me guíen,
que me lleven a tu santo monte,
y a tus moradas.
Entonces llegaré al altar de Dios,
a Dios, mi supremo gozo [lit. la alegría de mi gozo];
y al son de la lira te alabaré, oh Dios, Dios mío.

14 April 2016

“Practically Perfect in Every Way!”

In a conversation about the importance of developing good habits, struggling as adults with habits formed as children and so on, I confessed to E and DJ that I still struggle with habits formed early on.

“But!” I said. “Daddy’s practically perfect in every way!”

DJ protested: “But only people who are already in Heaven are perfect!”

He grinned, pleased to be showing that he had correct information. (JM and I couldn’t help smiling behind our coffee cups.) Before we could laugh out loud, DJ said with great sincerity and serious thoughtfulness:

“But Daddys pretty good, though!”


Truly a heartfelt compliment!

And this evening, as we were sharing another laugh over it all, I reminded JM to consider the (extremely frank and unsophisticated) source! This is the Little Man who confessed to me (in a conversation about sacrificial love) earlier this year:

“When I give you flowers, it’s because I don’t need them...”

05 April 2016

Pray for us! (April Ministry Report)

Please join us in praying for lasting fruit from January’s and February’s camp ministries, for the continually developing Bible college project, for new opportunities and ongoing challenges in K-5 and 5th grade, for daily ministry to and with college students, and for success in ongoing and in new outreaches...

Pray for the children’s class, newly begun in A’s neighborhood!

You can read details (and see pictures!) on highlights from the camp season as well as updates on our various ministries at: Good News from a Distant Land.


Please continue to pray for our involvement in what God is doing in Uruguay! We rely on your prayers!

Thank-you!

03 April 2016

¡Feliz Cumple, Abu! ♥

We managed a 3-way international Skype call!
(Thanks, Flor, for the picture!)

And we also “skyped the church service today...

¡Feliz Cumple!

And we even shared birthday cake  long-distance! J

01 April 2016

Quintessential Uruguayan Culture!

Last week we got to experience several aspects of our Uruguayan culture – all in only one full day!

We started with jineteadas at Parque Roosevelt on the outskirts of Montevideo.




There were some very young participants!

Does DJ go for the candied apples?!
We know that E goes for the horses...

Success: A family selfie with the Canon PowerShot!

And we got to try asado con cuero (beef grilled with the hide still on!) at one of the outdoor restaurants there!


We ended the day with a late night soccer match – a classic! Uruguay tied 2 to 2 with Brazil in Recife, Brazil. It was as good as a win for us, especially with Brazil scoring only 43 seconds into the game, giving us an uphill battle from the git-go – and in that tropical heat. Our goals came from our top two favorites: Edi Cavani and Luis Suárez! It was a very satisfying end to a culture-packed day!

On Tuesday, Uruguay hosted Peru in our own Estadio Centenario. We won 1 to 0 with another goal from Cavani!

¡Golazo!

Flags are everywhere on game days!

Click the picture to see the current standings!