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| General José de San Martín |
I was pleasantly surprised recently to see a photo of this mural painted by Amalia Rossetti forty years ago. The Rossettis were dear friends from our time in La Carlota. Amalia, the youngest, was a toddler when our family left there.
Reconnecting with old friends and making new ones has been one of the joys of sharing my life stories in blog format. I research to remember and make sense of long ago happenings, locate old friends, learn more about them and uncover interesting stories.
Amalia was married and had a nine-year-old daughter when she became an art student at the Lino Enea Spilimbergo School of Applied Arts, a branch of Córdoba's State University. At the time, she lived with her husband and daughter in Tancacha, and traveled 10 miles away to attend classes in Río Tercero. Not long after beginning this new adventure in life, she discovered she was pregnant again. It was then that an opportunity arose that she could not pass up. Her daughter's school wanted a mural of the national hero. It had been a dream of hers to recreate the mural she had so admired in the school where she grew up.
So the town provided the materials, and Amalia even mixed some of her own paints with oxides and pigments to save money. Then, already six months pregnant, she painstakingly labored over this commemorative mural of the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru. Amazingly, she had to complete the masterpiece in four days! The university would not allow her to miss any more classes. She was able to finish the work just in time for the August 17 holiday, the anniversary of General San Martín's death!
Amalia graduated after four years with a Masters in Visual Arts and taught in an elementary school for eighteen years. She recalls the mural-painting experience as one of the highlights of her art journey.
The town of Tancacha still remembers her contribution gratefully..jpg)
We stayed in touch with several generations of the family. Their faith journey with us in La Carlota, actually started before that in another town.
My father wrote the story of that first encounter for The Brethren Missionary Herald (2.07.1948).
About eight months ago at 10 o'clock in the morning two unknown ladies came to our door. One was a tall, thin elderly lady and the other, smaller and about 35 years old. After a few moments' conversation we learned that they were mother and daughter. . . The mother had been saved in Huinca not so long before, and had made a special trip to witness to her daughter in La Carlota. Not feeling too capable to explain the Gospel just yet, she brought her daughter to our home. There, for some minutes, we listened to the daughter make her defense (for she did most of the talking). After she seemed satisfied with her presentation of worthiness, we said a few words explaining the Gospel and invited her to our meetings.
Only one month later, the 35-year-old daughter and her whole family of four children obeyed the voice of Christ pleading. "Come unto me . . . and I will give you rest."
In her own words Rosa Rossetti, the daughter, tells her story:
Before being saved, I used to think that God wasn't just, when some difficulty, offense, or heartache came into my life. Full of doubt with respect to God, I said: "What have I done to merit this punishment? Where is God?" I though of God only to make Him responsible for my misfortunes, not realizing that I was the guilty one.
I tried to be a good wife and a better mother, and in part I fulfilled my desires. But I was not happy. If I thought of death, an indescribable terror laid hold of me. At times I thought of God, and saw myself as guilty, and then I asked myself, "Where will I go when the hour of death arrives for me" Can God forgive my sins?" I tried in every way to justify myself, and convince myself that they would be forgiven, but my heart always condemned me.
One day my mother paid me a visit. She brought a letter from her pastor, for the pastor of La Carlota. With much fear she invited me to accompany her to the pastor's house to deliver the letter. I accepted joyfully, and we went. Mrs. Hoyt answered our knock at the door. We asked if she were the pastor's wife, and she said she was. My mother gave her the letter and she invited us in.
When she called her husband, who was in his study, I remember how he came hurriedly downstairs and kindly invited us to sit down. He asked us many questions, and upon learning that I lived in this town, asked if they couldn't visit us. I gave consent outwardly, but inside I thought it would be better if they were not to come because I was ashamed of my old ugly house, which was always topsy-turvy because of the children. But on the other hand, I was happy to say "yes," because they were a kind couple.
A few days later—I remember it was a Sunday afternoon, as I was ironing—they arrived. I was unpresentable as well as my house, but I invited them in. In the course of the conversation Mr. Hoyt invited me to the meetings. I offered several excuses at first, but ended up by promising that I would go. A few days later I went, and have been going ever since.
One Sunday night, after the message I made a public confession of faith in Christ. Since then I realize that God is not unjust, but I, who spoke lightly of Him whom I knew not. Now I ask myself, "What did I do that God should choose to save me from among the thousands of lost ones?" My life has made a complete change. I am happy, I'm not ashamed of my house, just thankful to have it and offer it to Christ, as one day I gave Him my life.
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| Early family photo in La Carlota |
Dad's article continued,
Rosita immediately had a desire to know all about the Word of God and to see others saved. Nor shall I forget the times she has spoken a word to the one beside her as the invitation was given. This desire for the salvation of souls is especially keen in relation to her relatives.
She wrote to her sister-in-law and received the following answer.
San Justo, Argentina
August 13, 1947
Dear Sister-in-Law and the Rest of the Family:
It is our desire that upon receiving this letter you will all be enjoying good health. We are all well, thanks to God . . .
Well, Rosita, I received the package with the Bible and I thank you very much. Now I am going to tell you the truth. Our opinions are very different in respect to religion. See here, Rosita, we were brought up practicing the same religion—that which exists in our whole family, and for us there is no other religion than that which our fathers taught us to love and to respect since we were small. For us there is only one God and one church and that is the Catholic.
You were telling me that all they say in the Catholic church is a lie. It may be, but we could say the same about the Evangelical Church couldn't we? I do not want to argue about anything in the Evangelical Church. It may be very good, but for me there is only one religion, Rosita, and it is the Catholic. With that religion I was brought up. I have defended it, and I expect to follow it all my life For me there is no other religion, nor do I want my children to have another. I do not know what you will think but neither I nor Felix are willing to change religions. We are baptized. We have taken communion. We have married and we have our little daughter baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. Why should we change our religion now to be Evangelicals, which is a religion contrary to what we have practiced all our life.
No, Rosita, I am sorry that I must tell you we do not share your opinion. My husband says it is difficult for him to believe that you, above all others of the family, have made this decision.
I spoke to your brother, José, and he does not share your ideas either. He is a Catholic and doesn't care to know anything of the Evangelicals. He does right in defending his religion. Therefore we do the same. Do not take offense at what I have said. Everyone has his own ideas and I believe that is the only true liberty we have in this life. If we could converse about these things we would have many points to touch, but it is better to put it to one side.
Furthermore, I will tell you that it has always been my great ambition to send Betty to the school of nuns where they practice the true Catholic religion. If God will, next year I shall be able to do it.
With nothing more to say, and hoping that I have not offended you, I send you best wishes and kisses.
Anita
Rosita responded immediately, assuring Anita that she was not angry or offended, only sorrowful and sad about their unwillingness to read the Bible and learn the truth.
I do not want to insist. I shall only add that if it is the purpose of God to save you by means of the Gospel, although you resist, He will save you. . .
Furthermore, I am not the only one who has understood that the religion of their fathers was not the best. Don't be so surprised, Felix, because father and mother were the first to understand. Odilia has also been convinced of the truth of the Gospel. . .
The thirty-first of this month each of us who is studying in the Bible Institute here in Carlota will have a little part in the evening program. There will be three talks—one treating our state in sin, another, life eternal, and the last, the means of obtaining this eternal life or salvation by grace. The last topic is wonderful and will be my part. I am very happy. Perhaps I shall send you what I am going to say . . .
Fifteen-year-old Odel added a note at the end urging his aunt and uncle to attend.
I also am baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church, but I went to the Evangelical meetings just the same. You can do as I and you're not going to lose anything. To the contrary, you are going to gain. It will make you think very much.
Tragically, Felix died not long after in an explosion at work and his thirteen-year-old daughter also. She had just stopped by to bring him some refreshment, a mate (an Argentine beverage, like green tea). Such a deep, heavy loss for Anita who was left with a one-year-old daughter. She was a good woman. Only God, who sees the hearts, knows how she responded to the peace and comfort He offered her.
Rosita, or doña Rosa, was baptized in 1948 during the annual conference in Río Cuarto.
On the back of the photo:
When Amalia was only four, the family moved to Buenos Aires to join her grandparents. Once again our families were relatively close. She writes about visits to our home in Don Bosco. I referred to one of those times in the chapter titled 1954.
I have such happy memoreis of your family when you were in Don Bosco. Mom and I would go to your house because my mother used to sew and mend for your mother and I played with Lynn and Aldo, Pick-up-sticks I loved and many others I can't remember. And your mother made that delicious salad (seems I can still taste it) with lettuce, banana, sour cubed apples and that dressing, not make of mayonnaise but sweetened condensed milk, vinager and oil, so delicious!
My brother Lynn in his hand-written memories, made mention of these friends.
Because so many of our original friends in Buenos Aires had roots in the interior, we retained close ties with the interior people, so we had opportunities to visit in some of their homes.
One of those families who were especially dear to us as a family were the Anselmino/Rossetti/Tognoli family. The old folks, the Anselminos were the patriarchs of the family.
They all lived on another branch of the train line, which went through other towns and ended up at the same destination, La Plata. Early on Dad started a Bible study in their home. I often went with him, possibly because I was too much of a handful for Mother. We had to take the train to Plaza Constitución then come back on the other line, then take a bus to a destination about two blocks away from their home. I always enjoyed the visits there.
They had a quaint living arrangement. The old folks lived in a little house in the middle of the lot, the Tognolis in the house at the back of the lot, and the Rossettis in the front of the lot. We had the Bible study at the Anselminos, as both Mr. Rosetti and Mr. Tognoli were not very interested in it. I usually played with the Rossetti's very young daughter, Amalia, who was about my age. Her brothers and sister were much older, in fact her sister had been my baby sitter in La Carlota where we lived the first two years of my life.
The Anselminos kept a vegetable garden which occupied every inch of the lot with the exception of the 18inch walkway which connected the living quarters.
My recollection of the trips over there were that they were long, the equipment was totally worn out, and there were at least three times as many people on the bus as would fit even with the least of comfort. The busses in those days were not only crowded, but, now that I know something about mechanics, I realize they would not even begin to pass a safety inspection; the clutch was worn to where there was almost no friction surface left, and the exhaust system was probably non existent.
My parents were privileged to attend Humberto and Dominga Anselmino's 50th wedding anniversary celebration, March 17, 1960, where several generations were present.
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