Challenging First Day

Everyone has safely arrived in Talca. It has been a tiring and challenging day on this end.

Two members of the congregation were supposed to meet us at the airport. We would then take a bus to Talca. Instead, four of them drove two cars to the airport. The flight arrived at 10:00. It was almost 13:00 until we left the airport. There were several other international flights that arrived at approximately the same time. The baggage claim area was backlogged. It took almost one hour to get the luggage. Then the trouble started. A member of the team kept an apple, and a dried fruit and nut mix, in his carry-on. He did not declare it. He forgot it was there. Customs found it. It would take the next 1 hour and 30 minutes for him to resolve the issue with Customs.

The next change of plans: From Santiago we were to go directly to Talca and the homes of host families. We were to go to the mission at Pillay on Sunday after the church service. Instead, we went directly to the church for a small snack. Then we went to Pillay. We will also go to Pillay on Sunday. At Pillay, two of the cars broke down. One had a flat tire without a spare. We still do not know what happened to the other. After the flat was repaired, and someone arrived with a pickup truck, we returned to the church. We did not get back to the church until 23:15. We are exhausted.

Gerry Socha