La Intendenta Aida

It is a big deal to be the Mayor of Resistencia. How big of a deal? Well for one thing, you get unlimited use of billboards all throughout the city.



And people call you by only one name, "Aida", your first name.

So people here were surprised when I told them I had scheduled a meeting for Diane and I to meet Aida and she accepted. When it was time to go, the head of the cultural society came to our house to pick us up. As we were driving over he turned on his radio and the voices started talking about two new residents to Resistencia, Ramon Heyman and his wife, and the various ways the community could welcome us and which foods they should introduce us to...they had taped this earlier in the day and planned that we would listen to it on our way. It worked, I was impressed.

When we arrived at Aida's offices, we were told that she was out in one of the barrios where a tribe of indigenous residents had shut down Ruta Nacional 11 in protest. So we waited a few minutes outside the office with our host.



I thought Aida's staff was going to cancel our visit but they insisted we stay. So, when Aida arrived, we had a sit down visit and talked about Resistencia, her interest in the Church's good work in the community and Diane's and my roles.

We took the obligatory pictures (she had video rolling the whole time with her press people there)



And then, I presented her with a Book of Mormon and portfolio of Church artwork and doctrine. She then gave us a wooden sculpture from Resistencia (the sculpture capital of Argentina). She wanted another picture taken holding her presents from us and I wanted one with her present to us, so...



Here we are. The sculpture is a traditional wood one with a plaque saying it is from Aida.



I hope things go as well with Aida and the tribe as it did for us!