Encountering Mission in Buenos Aires

Encountering God in Buenos Aires:  

Tiana Dinard-Samuel is an Encounter Worldwide volunteer  placed in Argentina on behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain.

So, I finally made it! After nearly three months of visa complications delaying my departure, I arrived in Buenos Aires a few weeks ago looking forward to 9 months of volunteering with CREAS. I am currently a student of Hispanic Studies and Film at university in London, so this trip is not just the opportunity to experience, learn about, and work for God’s Church in Argentina, but also to improve my Spanish skills! The language is slightly different to what I’d learnt so far but I’m sure I’ll get there eventually; in the meantime, everyone has been so patient with me.

In fact, everyone that I have met has been very kind and welcoming which helps as I adjust. I even got the chance to meet the Methodist Bishop of Argentina! It does not yet feel like home but the first time I visited the Methodist Church in Almagro, I have to say, it did immediately feel familiar. As I walked into the foyer I just thought, “ah, I know where I am”. It was even better when I recognised the tune of one of the hymns (and quietly sang the English words under my breath!)

Then after 11 days settling in and exploring the city, I started work with CREAS which stands for the Regional Ecumenical Centre for Advice and Services. It has various programs; the one I’m volunteering for is called Entrepreneurs of Peace which provides training and support for young adults to undertake projects in their communities that promote peace, equity and sustainability. My role here is to get to know some of the past an ongoing projects and develop content about these experiences as well as developing links with similar projects back in the UK particularly any in our Methodist congregations, so they would be able to share experiences, ideas and resources.

The work that CREAS does is really exciting and important so I am looking forward to being a part of it and I pray that I will do a good job and let God use me to do whatever he has planned.

Please keep Tiana, the work of CREAS and the Methodist Church of Argentina in your prayers over the coming months.