Argentina Team 2 Update #6
Today started with a lesson about Search and Rescue. It was definitely a presentation in the context of fire fighting but Mark capitalized on an opportunity to share about how he was found and rescued by God. It was a heartfelt interaction that was followed by a loud round of applause from a room full of firefighters. The brother and sisterhood that connects us from over 5,000 miles apart is amazing to me. There is a camaraderie that allows us to be vulnerable and accepted in a way that’s hard to replicate. I wonder who came to learn about vocational skills and was stirred by the Spirit of God through Marks personal account? We may never know but it feels like we are part of something actually…real. We have been on the move since we arrived. Minimal sleep, lots of talking, and constantly preparing for the unexpected. But what we are doing is real work that we feel in our souls. We are here to serve, love people, and share how God is working in our lives.
Steve tried fixing the fire truck aerial ladder but there still seems to be a faulty sensor or electrical issue somewhere. He is determined to give it his best shot. There is some sort of strike at the airport, so communication about our jailed gear bags has been minimal. However, in the picture you can see that we were able to replicate most of the rescue bag components. Everyone had a great time hauling Tom Feeney’s truck with a basic 3:1 system. There are actually three members of a regional technical rescue team in the class that are far more knowledgeable than Mark and I. We called them the “red men” because of their red coveralls. They helped instruct the rest of the people today which was so helpful. I asked who learned something new today and everyone but the technical rescue guys raised their hands. Although, I could tell the “red men” were super impressed when I converted an SCBA to a harness and drug Mark around the floor of the classroom. Maybe if our rope rescue bags are ever released, those gentleman can come back and teach a refresher course with them.
Tonight we are recuperating, studying, and planning a final training exercise for tomorrow. We get to play in the soap factory which sounds far more pleasant than it smells. We need to come up with a practice scenario that encompasses most of what we taught. Keep praying for us!
