Argentina: To Go Now or Later?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will remember the recent non-epidemic affectionately referred to as the “Swine Flu”. A couple of people died and then everyone started freaking out and closing businesses and schools. My district opted to shut down for a week, only to come back a couple of days later with a “just kidding” call when the CDC announced that it wasn’t as big a deal as they once thought. The kids were told that the remaining days would be excused absences, so, at the high school level, that meant they didn’t have to show up. I spent two days showing movies to the three students that showed up to each of my Geometry classes.
So, once this all blew over, I was relieved and went on with my life … at least until last week when I got this notice regarding the mission trip I am scheduled to go on August 1:
“Both cities where our team works (La Plata and City Bell) are in the Province of Buenos Aires mentioned [in the OSAC report]. Local schools (it is winter there and the middle of the school year) have been dismissed until August 1 and Banks and businesses are closed today and tomorrow. Currently there are 2500 cases of flu there and 60 deaths and they are expecting the numbers to grow (it was 1500 last week). We really need to make a decision pretty soon on tickets and I am asking that we all pray for guidance as this could all blow over there as it did here or could get worse. “
In light of this information, people here where I live are now worried again about something that we all thought was over and done, to the point of possibly canceling the trip altogether. It never occurred to me to think the Swine flu would be an issue ever again!
After days of discussion, a final decision has not yet been made. From what I’ve heard, it sounds as though most people are pretty convinced that the Swine flu scare will blow over in Argentina just as it did here. However, the elders at the sending church are wanting to err on the side of caution. As a result, our trip will most likely be postponed for anywhere from one week to an entire month.
So, now I’m waiting.