Let's start with the bad news...
Today my team and I were going to the bus station to catch our bus from Mendoza to Santiago. However, when we arrived we discovered that the snow storms have moved in and the pass is closed - we can't get through. So David, one of our contacts, and I went back into the terminal to see about getting our bus changed. We were gone about 10-15 minutes. We returned to see police talking to our van driver. As I boarded the van someone said 'everyone check to see that your bags are here' - immediately I saw my big backpack was no longer sitting in the front row. In fact it was no where to be found.
What happened was... My team who had been sitting on this bus said that 3 guys boarded the bus making a lot of noise (their distractions totally worked) while one of them snagged the bag. At the time the driver of the bus was talking on the phone leaning up against the back bumper. A nearby woman saw the thieves scatter as they left the bus and one of them dragged my bag away and got in a taxi.
My big backpack with all my stuff in it was stolen.
We then went to the police station and filed a report. Most valuable things I lost... external hard-drive, sleeping mat & sleeping bag, vaccination card (record of all my shots)... and everything else I needed to live out of a bag for 5 or more months.
The good news...
In my other day bag, which was on me, I had my Bible, journal, computer, charger, camera, iPod, all credit cards, passport, and connection cords for the gadgets. Praise the Lord - all the things I most need were on me.
Upon returning to the YWAM base we discovered that the entire base had been in a meeting and they announced that I had had my bag stolen so ask God how you can help out. Within the first half hour I was given a modern, nearly new high-tec backpack (smaller than my old one, but I needed to downsize!), a sweater, a sleeping bag, new toothbrush, toothpaste, and makeup (one of the girls sells it on base!), and a little money to go buy some underwear. Since that time some cloths have been given to me as well. This is such a giving base! God is faithful to provide for our every need!
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