The new one....

SUNDAY:
8a. Help set up
10.15 Service
12 Lunch with families and friends
MONDAY:
9a. Team Meeting
Communicate home
Habitat for Humanity
7p. Babysit for local missionary families in need of time off
TUESDAY:
9.30a. Spanish Class
11a. Work on bunk beds with Nate or new church cite with Monte
3p. Work at the Center (Similar to YMCA)
7p. Womens Bible Study at CIC (In Spanish!)
WEDNESDAY:
Morning. Bunk beds or Church cite
11a. Hang out with Rebekah Youngblood
3p. Center
7p. Church at Johnson's (English)
THURSDAY:
2p-6p. Villa Israel
7.30p. Intern Bible Study
FRIDAY:
2.30p. Fruitillar Orphanage
7p. Youth Group (English)
SATURDAY:
9a. Market
2:30p. Fruitillar
4:30p. Babywashing
7p. Young Professionals Bible Study (In Spanish)

In Transition

As we are transitioning from one schedule to the next, life has been a bit hectic. But I thought I would post some photos of different people in my life here in Bolivia.

I also would like to thank everyone for being so faithful in corresponding with me. I truly love receiving emails and letters from everyone who takes such thought into my trip and how I am doing. God is so faithful to me here, through each of you. And so I thank you.

Enjoy the photos
:)

Samuel from the Center all snazed up at Lily's first birthday party!
love.
Me and Erlon.
The Johnson Family. Minus Mrs. Johnson (Cynthia and Nicholas). Another wonderful family who takes dear care of me.
The Youngblood boys doing a puppet show when I was sick.

The Giving Tree projects. Gracias Por....
Samuel. Kristen is likely to take him home.
Joel and Roberto loving my IPod.
Queso, Te Amo.

Katie, Rebekah, Me, and Kristen hiking up the Christo. After which we enjoyed some Ice Cream

When I made invitations to our Open House I used a photo of Maria and I. She is the one on the right :)
Matt and Elsa Johnson -Who also went to North Park
Its why were here....
Erlon working on his numbers with a worksheet I made him.
Where I bought some fresh tomatoes one day

See ya later Coloradians.

There have been four interns here from Boulder, Colorado for the last two months. Hallie, Lauren, Adam, and Sage. They leave this Friday from Cochabamba and from Bolivia on Saturday.

Not only do I ask for prayer for their travels. And prayer for their transition back into home, but I also want to express my gratitude. Having them here has been absolutely amazing. They are fun, energetic, and so eager to work --it is incredible. Each of the four has a wonderful personality that seems to only build onto others.

I understand that having people come and go is part of this whole deal, but having them leave is still untimely. I thank each of you very much for brining home to Bolivia and for bringing Bolivia to home. Your work and wonderful spiritual gifts have been a blessing to me, our ministry, and to Bolivia as a whole.

I hope to see you soon.

On the opposite note, we have three new arrivals this week. Jen, who I met at training, arrives on Wednesday from Chicago. Jen will be here for an entire year. Jeff, Matt Johnson’s brother, also arrives on Wednesday to visit with Matt and Elsa along with help support our ministries. Jeff will be here until the end of August. And last, but certainly not least, Rachel, Kristen’s sister arrives Saturday. Kristen is almost at her six month mark and is very much looking forward to having one of her sisters here for two and a half weeks.

I pray that everyone has safe travels and smooth transitions whether the transition is from this home or to the home in the states.

Its going to be another airport filled week. J

To Be Humbled...

Usually on Saturday mornings we go to the Saturday Market or ‘farea’ to get fresh produce, meats, and other fun crafts. It is one of my favorite places to shop. There is a lot available and it is not nearly as overwhelming as going to La Concha every week is. This week I went with Mrs. Youngblood as Mr. Youngblood was still at work in the jungle for a few more days.

Every week Mrs. Youngblood’s God daughters meet her at the door waiting and ready to help her shop. They were three beautiful young girls who simply light up when they see her. Not only do they get paid, but Mrs. Youngblood buys lunch and other treats along the way knowing how little they can afford. But this was only the beginning.

There is a little boy who she buys cleaning gloves from every week. And every week she pays more than she should -simply because she can. This week, the little boy (less than 10 years old) told her than he needed new tennis shoes. And it was very clear that he did. Without question she asked what size and said she would have them next week.

As we continued our shopping we stopped to buy some cooked eggs. Another little one came up and asked for some eggs. At this point, I imagine that you are thinking, geeze, there is only so much one person can do. But that is hardly her mentality. It is not that he wanted candy or a toy, he wanted breakfast. And so he ate.

Simple things really. She truly believes that to whom much is given, much is expected. By the end of the morning I was exhausted from the number of times I choked back tears watching her kind actions. Mrs. Youngblood gets it. She walks Christ like in all that she does. A short trip to the market opened my eyes and humbled my heart in ways that I had not expected.

July 12, 2008

It’s Our Two Month Anniversary!

Can you even believe it? Bolivia and I have been together for two months. And a wonderful two months it has been.

-I have only been sick once and was cared for very well.

-Erlon nearly knows how to write numbers 1-5

-Maria still has a beautiful smile

-Each week The Center becomes more and more organized and creative

-I have created a beautiful bond with some of the youth through the CIC Youthgroup

-Relationships have been created. With the Wilsons, Youngbloods, Hedvalls ect.

-I saw the Harlem Globe Trotters. Ha.

-Grandma and Grandpa met the Bolivian Bishop in the states and gave me his contact information

-I am also in contact with some men at the Zurich here in Bolivia

Life in Bolivia is wonderful. I continue to struggle with Spanish, but I pick up more and more every day. God is so wonderful to me and gives me a number of different options for my lack of Spanish (yes, including sign language). Although I have missed home more than I thought I would, I also have realized how not ready I am to leave. It was within the last few weeks that I thought about leaving and what that would look like. As of yet, with 5 and a half months to go, I would be devastated to leave. This is a beautiful feeling. This makes it worth it.

What is it to be Christian? To walk with Christ. I get that. But I want to walk so close with Christ that those around me would know I was Christian. That without asking strangers would know that I belong to Christ. I recently made a CD for Carla, my friend who works at the internet.

She loves English music but can only listen to it on U-tube, with terrible quality. She loved it. She cried. I wrote her a letter and Kristen translated it for me. It was amazing. I say this not in pride, but this is how I want to be. Walking and saying hello to those around me. Helping someone onto the bus. Living in such a way that I am Christian. Not simply nominally. Two months in Bolivia has shown me that being a missionary looks different that I expected. Ministry is different than I expected. Ministry can occur with the lady you buy your bread from (her name is Jenny) or the one who helps you print at the computers, Carla.

Two months without my ‘home’ has been tough. But I’m not ready. I’m not done learning. What a beautiful feeling.

July 4th.

Amazing. Although I found myself missing home and Chicago quite a bit, we through an amazingly American party here in Bolivia. The Youngblood family and I spent hours cutting out red, white, and blue stars, decorating star shaped cookies, and finding all the treats Americans have on the 4^th of July. Mrs. Youngblood even imported baked beans!! It was so wonderful.

We decorated the whole house with everything we could find in red, white, and blue. They rented a giant inflatable slide of the little kids. And we played American patriotic music. It was incredible. I few of the local orphanages came as well. What a blessing to be able to watch them enjoy all the fun treats and play with one and other. It was a great day.

The Interns enjoying the fire.

Meet the Youngblood Family

It is about time I introduce you to the family in Bolivia that takes such dear care of me (Well at least half of them. Devon, Craig, and Katie –the oldest three- live in the states).

This week I was incredibly blessed to stay with the Youngblood family with Mr. Youngblood was out in the Chapari on leave for work. Although I think Mrs. Youngblood enjoyed having the extra hands helping with the 4^th of July party and playing with the boys, I was the one who truly blessed.

Monday night I became pretty sick. Mrs. Youngblood, Rebekah, Thomas, and Eoin took wonderful care of me all week. It was pretty crappy to be so sick away from home, but quickly I realized that I was home. It was a huge blessing. So here they are: The Youngblood’s:

Mr. and Mrs.
Eion was not feeling very good. That is sweet Rebekah on the right.
Thomas
Thomas and Eion putting on a puppet show for us when I was sick.

I can hardly express to them the gratitude I have for the care for me, their desire to seek change, and their beautiful hearts. They are a blessing not only to me but to the missionary community in Bolivia as a whole.

My Heart is too Heavy

This is Victoria. She is Nine days old now (July 5^th, 2008). One of the local orphanages Casa de Amor (House of Love) took her in this week. She was found on the streets.

She is in need of prayer as she has a fractured skull. Although doctors are pretty sure she will seek a full recovery because she is so young, but because she is so young and only weighing five pounds, we ask for prayer.

This week Villa Israel was given two additional boys in their home. We also ask for prayer as this is a transition for the home and for the boys themselves. They do not speak Spanish, they only speak the native language. This creates quite a barrier for the parents, the psychologist, the other brothers, and for the relationships to be built. Keep these sweet boys (Ishmel & Erilon) in your thoughts and prayers as we transition with them.


This is beautiful Victoria.