Your Observations (The Results)

Thanks to those who commented on this photo. Your observations were intriguing to read.

The photo was taken by Jodie Kunnari several weeks ago on her trip to Iquique (northern Chile). More specifically, the photo is of Alto Hospicio (suburb of Iquique).

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Here's what some people said in their comments (with my additional comments following in red)

-I see a park with no grass, but then an area with a bunch of grass and nice landscaping. In northern Chile, it is common to have small parks with no grass, due to the shortage of water and no rainfall all year. Parks that have grass are special places and are watered everyday.

-I see a house that looks like all one house with aqua, purple and blue paint. You don't see that much in the states! Although our kids would think that was cool! It's true, Chileans seem to love the bright colors. It is common for several houses to be built together (or their walls connecting).

-The houses all look very uniform - the only difference seems to be the color, which is very bright. Yes, housing is very similar in these new developments.

-It also looks dry there, and the mountains look majestic! Very dry indeed! No rainfall all year is the norm.

-Where are all the people? This picture was probably taken during the middle of the afternoon (which is the hottest part of the day). The ozone layer above Chile is thinner, thus causing the sun's rays to have a harsher effect. Once the sun starts to go down the city comes alive. It is not unusual to see little children out playing at 11 pm or midnight.

-The houses look pretty close together to me with no yards to play in. There aren't many cars around. Having any size of a yard in Chile is a luxury...let alone keeping it green. As for the lack of cars...that is also normal. Many Chilean families do not own a car, but rely on public transportation.

-Awfully nice tennis facility. Who plays tennis in that neighborhood? Besides soccer, tennis is a very popular sport in Chile, partly due to the fact that it is cheap. Tennis is mostly played on clay courts in Chile.

-I noticed the rust spots on the roofs. Since it hardly ever rains in northern Chile, roofs are not totally sealed. It is common to use metal sheets for roofs.

- I see no visible church. Interesting observation here. There is a distinct lack of non-Catholic churches in northern Chile. If you see a large steeple, it is usually a Mormon church. Catholic churches dominate Chilean cities. There is a huge need for established Bible believing churches to share and teach the Gospel to their communities.

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Thanks again for your observations. My goal here is to get you thinking about Chile, Chilean culture, and how would one minister in the Chilean context. In the near future I will pick another picture for you to post your observations.