During the 2017 spring break, Kiersten Wark, a senior, went to Argentina for a mission trip with Bethel Baptist Church. This year marked the second time she has been to the country. When asked about what Argentina is like, Kiersten described how in Argentina there is a sense of brotherly love which is not as emphasized in America, "You are not afraid to cry in front of someone. You are not afraid to open up," she said, "It could be like that in other countries; I find you just have freedom when you are in a new place." To best describe what the country is physically like, she said, "It is a lot different. In the States there are poorer and richer areas, but at least there is uniformity. In Argentina, it's not like that. There could be nice houses and dirt roads because overall the people are poor. The government is really corrupt, lots of poverty. We have class division but it's so different in other countries and we get so much help and we have so many more privileges in the States."
Kiersten described the work and purpose of why her church goes to Argentina, "Our church, Bethel Baptist Church, goes every year to share the Gospel. Most people go on mission trips to build houses and work in orphanages. We share the Gospel. We go door to door and talk to people who have never heard of God or people who just need encouragement. As Christians, we are called to share our faith. It says this in Matthew 28. The world has painted what God is and it's not always accurate but being a Christian isn't about doing good works but it is about fully trusting Christ. It's amazing to see people accept Christ there."
The situation in the barrios of Argentina differs from life here in Yorktown. In Buenos Aires, they are entering fall, which marks the beginning of school. Many children, unfortunately, will not be starting school in the next few weeks, because there are not enough teachers for public schooling.
Many of these children live in poverty and in living conditions that would seem unmanageable. These students have to struggle to even purchase clothing items such as jeans. It is common for people to just re-dye their blue jeans in order to avoid having to purchase a new pair, since they are expensive. In the States, most high school students own iPhones or other smartphone but good quality phones are rare and expensive to find in Argentina.
Despite their situations, the people of Argentina are extremely loving and caring. You will always be greeted with a hug and kiss there. The people there will invite you into their humble homes at the drop of a hat and serve you food and drinks. They show hospitality to strangers, which is almost unheard of in America.
The work Kiersten's church does is for sharing the Gospel. It puts their group in situations that can be hard for most people to imagine, from everything like sharing the story of Jesus at a playground to sharing Mate (a traditional Argentine tea) in a home of a complete stranger.