September 29, 2013
We had our weekly Pathfinder meeting this morning and then I headed to town with the staff that had today off. It was a really hot day...102 degrees without the heat index! :( So we tried to make it as bearable as possible by enjoying some cold tamarind juice. :) I didn’t really have anything to do in town today, other than shop for a couple of items, so Elijah, Ori and I just hung out and enjoyed the relaxed day. It felt good!
Today as also Melissa’s birthday, so everyone was planning a “surprise” dinner for her (although she knew about it because they do it every year. :) ). So when we got back to FF, everything was just about ready. Her day started early when her kids and some friends woke her up with a “Happy Birthday”serenade at 5:00, then picked her up and took her to the creek where they threw her in! :) It’s a tradition down here it seems (in Venezuela too). So tonight, we just had a nice dinner with cake and brownies. It was really nice.
It got even better though...as four of us grabbed Samuel and went to throw him in the creek too, since we didn’t do it for his birthday. :) Now THAT was FUN! lol. When we got back to the house, he was soaking wet...but enjoyed every minute of it, as did the rest of us! :)
After this, Wanetta, Nickisha, Vilissa, Emy, Sam, Elijah, Ori and I played volleyball in the dark! :) What’s the point of having a glow-in-the-dark volleyball if you aren’t going to use it at night, right?! It was the perfect ending to the day!
Another good day in the jungle comes to an end...now to get to some rest. I’m heading out to La Paz tomorrow, on my way to Collana to see one of our other mission schools. It’s going to be a long trip, so I’ll need to get my rest now...:)
God bless!
Maranatha!
September 30, 2013
Elijah and I set out on our trip to La Paz today. We bought out bus tickets yesterday, but when we got to the station, we found out the sold our seats to someone else. :( So we had to wait for the next car to leave. We only waited about 45 minutes, so it wasn’t too bad, but it was inconvenient. We make it to the first stop (2 hours down the road) and then have to wait there for about 4 hours for them to get enough people to fill the car. It usually doesn’t take that long, but it started storming while we were there, so not nearly as many people came out to travel. :( The good news, however, is that the rain cooled the temperature down! (Praise God!) We finally make it on the road again, but had to go much slower because of the rain, mud and pot holes. About 2 hours into the trip, there was a roadblock due to construction. :( So we waited there about an hour. We finally made it to Caranavi (the next big town) about 9:00 pm. We decided to spend the night here and continue our trip in the morning, since we would get to La Paz between 1:00-2:00 am and that isn’t the safest time to be in the capital. :) So we’re in a very primitive hotel...no bathroom in the room, not even a power outlet! lol. Just beds. But hey...for $2.85 USD a night, I guess I can’t complain, huh?! :)
We’ll be heading to La Paz at 5:30 in the morning, so it’s off to bed now. Good night!
God bless!
Maranatha!
October 1, 2013
What do you get when you mix thunderstorms, mud, flooded road, falling rocks, landslides, road construction, Death Road and Divine Protection?? Just another day in the life of this missionary! :) It was certainly an interesting ride into La Paz today! It stormed all night long and all morning and that made for very wet road conditions. And when you’re already driving on a road that isn’t know for it’s safety features, it certainly makes you appreciate dry, paved roads! Add to the mud and rain a combination of landslides and falling rocks and you’ve got a cocktail of disasters waiting to happen. We had to stop several times because of road construction, flooded roads, landslides and/or falling rocks. Three or four times a construction worker had to stop us while rocks fell and then give us the okay to pass by quickly before more started falling. At one point, a rock fell and hit the car in front of us, damaging the tire/axle. Thank the Lord, no one was hurt. We made it safely to La Paz about 11:00 am this morning. It was a very nice reminder of Psalms 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Amen! I must say, though, the view from this road is simply spectacular! Staggering cliffs, gushing waterfalls, lush foliage are a constant reminder of the Grandness and Awesomeness of our Creator. As I contemplated the scenery around me, I couldn’t help but think about one of my favorite hymns, “How Great Thou Art”. Definitely able to see God’s love in nature on this road!
Here, our driver and a construction worker are moving rocks out of the road that had just fallen.
One of the many waterfalls we saw on the trip.
When we got to La Paz, Elijah continued his journey to Cochabamba and I came to the house of a local doctor/missionary to stay. I got settled in, had lunch and then went out to explore the city. :) I also met up with a good friend that I’ve known for about 4 years now, but never met in person. He went to school in Argentina with my sister-in-law and she introduced us. His name is Samuel. He’s from Peru but is studying medicine here in La Paz. It was really nice to finally meet him in person. He took me around town to look for some things that I needed to check on for the orphanage, then we went to a vegan restaurant for supper. The food was excellent!! After supper, we talked about what’s going on in the world, the signs of the times and how soon Christ is coming. Both of us are convinced He is coming very soon.
A couple of pics of La Paz
Sam and I then called it a night and went our separate ways. I’ll see him again on Sunday. Now, I’m back at the doctor’s house, about to have worship and head to bed. Tomorrow I’ll be making the 3-4 hour trip to Collana to visit the school, assess its situation and see how we can help them. I’ll probably be there through Sabbath.
God bless!
Maranatha!
October 2, 2103
Ever wondered what it feels like to be on top of the world?? Well, today I found out! :)
After a long night suffering with allergies (I woke up at 12:15 a.m. because of my allergies and didn’t get much rest after that...I think it was due to mold and dust in the room I was staying in. :( ), I ate breakfast with Steve (the baker at the school I’m going to visit in Collana. I rode back with him.) and then we set out on the 3-4 hour ride to Collana.
As we were riding up the mountains, I started getting a really bad headache. It was due to the change in altitude. Thankfully, it didn’t last too long. We stopped by a market in Viacha to get some fresh fruits and vegetables. Then, we continued the trip to Collana. We finally made it here about 2:15 p.m. I am literally on top of the world, as I’m 14,000 feet above sea level! It’s pretty neat to think about. :) The air is thinner here and it’s a good bit colder too. The views here in the Altiplano, though, are very pretty. It’s a big plain...no trees, just grass, mountains, sheep and llama decorate the landscape around small villages made up of small houses made from adobe bricks. In the background are the snow-capped Andes mountains. Simply breathtaking! Such a contrast to the drive up here on Death Road, with the jungles, lush foliage, waterfalls, etc. Yet, at the same time, confirms and testifies to the Greatness of our God! I’m extremely blessed to be able to experience both of these “worlds” within 2 days of each other.
Once we got to the school, I got settled in my room and then took a tour of the grounds, talked with some of the staff and students and started trying to see how we can help support this school. It’s really an interesting and historical site. The church that is on the property was the second Seventh Day Adventist church founded here in Bolivia in 1922! That’s pretty impressive! And even more so when I consider what the living conditions must have been like 90 years ago in this remote and arid area of the country. It definitely gives a new dimension to my view of mission work. :)
Tomorrow, I’ll talk to the director, Walter, about their program, needs, etc. I’m also hoping to go exploring the village and surrounding area some. :)
Well, that’s all for now. I’m very sleepy since I didn’t get a good night’s rest last night, so I’m heading to bed early tonight. God bless!
Maranatha!
October 3, 2013
Okay...I underestimated this whole “high altitude” thing. I went to bed at 7:30 pm (I was really tired!) and woke up at 2:15 with the worst headache I think I’ve ever had! It was horrible. And it wouldn’t go away. I tried to go back to sleep, but that wasn’t happening. The pain radiated from side to side and front to back. It was a deep, throbbing sensation. Finally, around 4:30, I was able to find an ibuprofen and took it. Shortly after, the headache wasn’t quite as bad and I was able to go back to sleep. I slept until 6:30, then got up and had my worship. I had fresh fruit fro breakfast (mango, bananas, grapes and apples). That was really nice.
After breakfast, I met with Walter, the director of the school, and we talked for a long while. He expressed their needs, goals, as well as current and future projects. It was a very good and productive conversation I think. It gives me a better idea of how to try to help the school.
Later on, I went for a walk around town. The scenery was beautiful and it was a fascinating little town. I’ll try to post some pics for you to see.
This afternoon, I left Collana and headed to my next destination...Lake Titicaca! I’ve talked about this lake for years in my Spanish classes and, since I’m this close, I figured it’d be a shame not to see it. :) So I bussed down to Copacabana, Bolivia. What a awe-inspiring bus ride! I wish you could see the scenery here! Copacabana is a beautiful town, right on the shore of Lake Titicaca. And the lake itself is a natural wonder! It looks like an ocean, spreading almost as far as the eye can see, with it’s blue-green water contrasting the snow-capped mountains in the background. Breath-taking!
I'm on the bus, which is on a barge, crossing part of the Lake.
I got here just at sundown, so I wasn’t able to do much sightseeing today, but tomorrow I will have a chance to tour the lake and the surrounding area more and will fill you in on everything. :) For now, I’m perfectly content and feel extremely blessed to be able to visit a place I’ve always wanted to visit! God is Good!
Views from my hotel room.
Some pics of my hotel room and the hotel itself.
The dining area at the hotel
Now it’s off to my worship time with my Creator, to thank Him yet again for His many blessings and this beautiful natural wonder that He created! Good night and God bless!
Maranatha!
October 4, 2013
Okay...I know I’ve said it many times before, but we serve an Amazing God!!! What a wonderful and blessed day I’ve had! As I sit here, welcoming in the Sabbath on the shore of Lake Titicaca, and reflect back on everything that I did and saw today, I find myself feeling extremely unworthy of such blessings from above. God is Good!
The morning started out with worship, as usual. Then I headed downstairs for breakfast. Most hotels here don’t include breakfast in the room rate, but the one I’m staying at does. (The name of the hotel is Hotel Utama, in case you are ever in Copacabana, Bolivia. “Utama” means “home” in the Amyara language. I highly recommend this hotel!) I figured it would be a piece of fruit and bread, and I was perfectly content with that. But boy did they surprise me! They served me yogurt, corn flakes, a fresh fruit salad, bread (with butter and fresh-made jam on the side), a pancake, a fried egg with a tomato, a cup of hot tea and orange juice! (I didn’t eat the yogurt or egg, but it was still way more than I expected...especially for not having to pay extra for anything! :) ) It was a great breakfast! The hotel also has fresh fruit, water, hot tea and candies in the covered interior courtyard all day long for guests, free of charge. I’m very impressed with this hotel. And all of this for $20 a night...not bad!
I left the hotel at 8:10 and headed to the port to take a boat to La Isla del Sol (Sun Island). Here, there are several Inca ruins, indigenous communities and natural monuments. The trip was about 2 1/2 hours by boat. It was quite windy and somewhat chilly on the lake...but the views were out of this world! Such Handiwork of our Creator! I really wish I could adequately describe the beauty, colors, shapes, grandness of everything I saw today, but I cannot find the words. And, honestly, I really don’t think the pictures do them justice! At every turn, I was constantly reminded of the love of our Creator through His nature and creations. An Awesome God indeed!
A house built in the side of the island.
A Cholita woman washing her clothes in the lake.
Once we arrived on the island, I purchased my ticket to tour the island ($10 bolivianos...about $1.50 usd) and headed across a beautiful, white sandy beach that rivaled that of the Florida Keys and headed up the mountain. Once of the first things that caught my attention was the clarity of the water! I literally looked like a scene out of the Caribbean. A deep blue and emerald color mixed. And the backdrop of the plain mountains and snow-capped mountains...priceless!
Here are the pics from the Incan Museum on the island.
I walked about 45 minutes up the mountain to the Inca ruins. There was a “magic rock” that they believed to have special powers. There was also a sacrificial table, overlooking the “ocean” lake, where they sacrificed to the sun god. Then, just beyond that, there were ruins of a labyrinth, build completely by local stone, that was just amazing! I got some up-close-and-personal time with two burros that were roaming in the labyrinth too. :)
The "magic" rock
The sacrificial table. A local native american is blessing a tourist.
A guide is giving a talk to a group around the table.
Some pics of the labyrinth:
Some of the handmade artisan souvenirs at the sight.
While I know that the beliefs and practices of these indigenous groups were not correct (and oftentimes were quite brutal and bloody), the history there fascinates me. And as I observed the sacrificial table this morning, I wondered how many still today are sacrificing innocent people to their gods. My heart breaks when I think about it. As the wise king once said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” These human sacrifices were common in Old Testament times as well. I also wondered how many of us are making other “sacrifices”, trying to please God with our acts and works. I’ve been guilty of it. And 1 Samuel 15:22, rang loud and clear in my mind. “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” It was a powerful reminder to obey the Lord in all things at all times.
After staying up on the mountain and enjoying the magnificent views for a while, I headed back to the beach we were dropped off on. The bus was leaving at 1:30 to head to the south part of the island to see more. I got back around 1:00 and had enough time to enjoy two avocado, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Delicious!
I was shocked to see this on the shelf at the small store here on Sun Island. There is barely electricity, but Nutella makes the list of things to have for the tourists! :)
While I was eating, a boy approached me and asked me for $1 boliviano ($0.15 usd) to buy and ice cream with, as well as $9 bolivianos ($1.30 usd) to buy a notebook for school. He sat beside me and we talked for a few minutes. He told me that both of his parents died and he currently lives with his elderly grandmother. Whether this is true or not, I don’t know. I know that it is common for parents to send their children, dirty and with sad stories, to tourists to try to get money. But something about this boy drew my attention. I didn’t give him the money, but I accompanied him to the store and bought an ice cream for both of us and we sat together and ate them. (Btw, this was my first time eating a cinnamon popsicle! That was the only flavor popsicle they had that didn’t have milk. It wasn’t bad, actually, though!).
Soon it was time to go, so I said good-bye to my new little friend and gave him the $9 bs. for his school notebook. He promised me he was going right then to buy the notebook. I can only hope he did...and I really think he did. If he doesn’t though, it’s ok. I was glad to help him. It funny though...I don’t even know his name. But he will be in my prayers.
Once on the boat, I received an email (I know..there’s no escape from technology in today’s world! Not even 12,000 feet above sea level, on a boat in the middle of the lake! :) But I was quite happy to have it at this moment) from a very dear friend that truly warmed my heart and put a big smile on my face! He shared a miracle that God had worked on his behalf. He could hardly contain himself in his letter and, knowing the situation, my heart leaped for him and I thanked God for His Goodness and love. How it does my heart good to hear and see how God is working! It truly increases my faith. So that was another blessing. :)
We got to the south side of the island, which was just as beautiful as the first, and I spent about an hour there before the boat left again. At this spot, there was a beautiful “fountain”. The water came from a spring inside the mountain and the Incan people made steps 60 meters high from the output of the spring to the bottom of the mountain. They believed this water to give long life. It was a truly beautiful monument! I’ll post some pics, but again, they don’t do it justice!
Locals collecting the water for household use.
I bought some souvenirs here, as well, from the local people. All handmade. I love artisan souvenirs! I was able to really talk to two of the ladies that were selling their handiwork. That was nice. They live off the sales of their work. Being able to sit and talk with them really made the trip that much more meaningful.
Finally, it was time to head back to the mainland. The ride back was just as marvelous as the ride out. The water and mountains had a very relaxing effect on me and I was able to spend a lot of time in prayer and meditation.
I read a quote today that really stuck with me and I’ve been pondering on it all day. It read,
“We expect too little (from God) and receive according to our faith.”
Wow! Isn’t that profound?! It reminded me of a story I heard a few months ago...
“King Alexander, the great and mighty conqueror, was known as being a very compassionate king. Once a year, he set aside a day where he would show his compassion to the people. Those in need would come and present their humble requests, such as clothing, food, medicine, etc., to the king’s servant who dutifully took them to the king. One by one the kind would grand the requests. It so happened that one individual cam and asked the king’s servant for a palace. The servant thought this was a ridiculous request and began telling this individual that such a request could not be granted. The individual went on asking, “I would like this palace to be fully furnished and, on top of that, I would like a banquet prepared so that I can invite all of my friends and family over so we can celebrate.” The servant decided not to take this request to the king. However, the king later asked the servant what the one individual had requested. Because the king insisted on knowing, the servant shared. The king listened very carefully and then said to the servant, “I will grant this man’s request!” The servant was quite surprised and asked the king why. The king replied, “Most people come to me with simple requests that could be supplied by others. But this individual came with a request that only I, as the king, can provide. This man makes me feel as though I AM A KING!”
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
So the question is, “Am I pleasing God with my faith?” “Am I making Him feel like the King that He is?” If so, then it should be clearly evident in the answering of my prayers, right?? God wants us to make Him feel like a King. He wants s to ask for big things (according to His will, of course) and for us to have faith that He will give us what we ask for. I want to share a quote from one of my favorite books, “Desire of Ages”, that goes along with this. It says,
“The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name. They may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.” (DA pg. 668.1)
Did you catch that last part (that I underlined)?? Go back and read it again. Isn’t that a marvelous promise?! “He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him...they may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.” Amen!! So, if we have the promise of receiving large things from God Himself, why aren’t we?? It’s because we aren’t fulfilling the condition of the promise. It says, “if they have faith in His promises.” Matthew 21:22 says, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Here we see, from the Word of God, the promise of answered prayers, which includes “large things.” But the condition is there too...believing. James 1:6-7 hammers this point even harder. It says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.”
The Lord is more than willing, nay, He is anxious to answer our prayers and give us the desires of our hearts according to His will and for the glorifying of His Name. If we are not receiving that, it is only because we are not exercising true faith in Him. The promise is sure. We must, however, fulfill the condition of the promise in order to receive it.
This was a big blow to me today in some areas of my life. I realize that I need more faith. I need a greater faith. I need to trust God implicitly at ALL times. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If I want to have more faith, in order to receive the large blessings the Lord is waiting to pour out on me, which will prepare me for His second coming, then I must read His Word. I must live out His Word. But that’s impossible. Humanly impossible. But my blessed hope lies in “nothing is impossible for God.” Through the Holy Spirit, I can achieve this. I can live out His Word and, thus, my faith will be increased. And that is my desire today! I want to take God at His Word and claim His promises. I want to receive all the blessings He has prepared for me. I want to put a smile on His Face when He looks at me, for I want Him to see His Son in me.
So...today I recommit myself to God. I seek forgiveness for all of the times I have not possessed the faith that I should have. I also seek forgiveness for not making my God feel like a King and asking Him for only “nominal” things, because I thought the large things too impossible to obtain. From now on, I will strive to remember who God is and, with the help of His Holy Spirit, will exercise a genuine and living faith in Him. I have already asked Him for something BIG, something that seems impossible to the human eye. And, as a small symbol of my new faith in Him and His ability to perform the impossible, I made a purchase today of something that can only be used WHEN He answers my prayer. I want to walk in faith, because, like Paul states in 2 Tim. 1:12, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Amen!
How about you?? Are you ready to ask for your fully-furnished palace and banquet?
Welcoming the Sabbath on the shore of the lake.
Happy Sabbath and God bless!
Maranatha!
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