July 28 - Aug. 3

July 28-29, 2013

What an interesting, long and exhaustive two days!  Yesterday (July 28th) started off like any other day.  Worship, breakfast, get ready for the day.  I finished packing and was ready to leave for town at 8:30, as was planned the night before.  We didn’t end up leaving until about 9:00, which put us in town at 9:30.  I needed to send some emails, buy some things for the trip, get some lunch, buy snacks for the trip and make some phone calls before being at the bus station at 11:30.  So it was a busy morning.  

Sam and I got to the station on time and were on the bus by 11:45.  We were supposed to pull out at 12:00, but was about ten minutes late leaving.  It was quite hot yesterday morning, so the bus was a bit stuffy.  We made it about 40 minutes down the road before we had our first hiccup.  A blown tire.  So they changed the tire and 45 minutes later, we were on the road again.  We got to the next town and they left the tire at a shop to have it fixed while we got something to eat.  They said we’d leave in about 30-45 minutes.  So, Sam and I went to a small restaurant and had supper.  Rice, salad and fried plantains...all for $1.50.  :)  Also got a fresh green coconut to drink the water in it.  It was quite refreshing!  The driver of the bus told us then that he was going down the road to pick up the tire and would be back in 10 minutes to pick us up.  So everybody stood beside the road to wait on him.  We waited....waited....and waited some more.  While we waited, we met a girl from Belgium.  She just graduated high school and is on a two-month trip through Bolivia, Peru and part of Chile.  Two hours had passed since they said they’d be back in 10 minutes, so we finally walked up the road to the tire shop to see what was going on. The men were still working on the tire.  :(  It wasn’t ready for another hour.  So it was after 7:30 when we finally got back on the road.  We rode about an hour, I guess, and the bus started having some other kind of problem.  They stopped and worked on it a few minutes and, evidently, got it fixed because we were back on the road.  We were on a dirt mountain road with lots of curves, so the bus driver had to blow the horn before every curve so that if someone was coming on the other side of the curve, they would know we were there too, since the road wasn’t two-lanes wide.  The road was very narrow.  So while I tried to get some sleep, the constant sound of the driver blowing the horn did a good job at preventing that.  Then, guess what?!  Another blow out!  So they had to stop and change the tire again.  We finally make it to the next big town.  What should have taken us about 5 1/2 hours took us about 8.  It was almost 3:00am when we got there.  Then we got some more “good” news.  The gas station was closed and wouldn’t open until 8:00, so we had to sit there and wait for them to open because we needed gas!  That meant we would miss our connecting bus in La Paz to the other mission office.  So, at this point, Sam and I decided to skip the rest of the bus ride and catch a ride in a taxi to La Paz.  There were 6 of us in this taxi.  We left a little after 3:00am and made it to La Paz by 7:00 am.  It wasn’t as comfortable as the bus, because we were packed pretty tight in there, but at least we made it safely and were there before the bus was even able to get gas.  

We went to the bus station to buy our ticket to head to Las Delicias, the other mission organization.  The bus was supposed to leave at 7:30 and they said it would take about 4 hours to get there.  This is the part of the trip that would go through “Death Road” or “Death Pass” (as some call it).  If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a very narrow road on the side of several steep mountains.  Several buses and cars have gone over the side of the mountain over the years...hence, the name.  I was kinda excited about going through this area because I’ve read about it several times.  Well, just so we wouldn’t get used to things happening on time, we didn’t leave until almost 9.  The passengers on the bus were starting to get angry about the delay and got out to fuss/yell at the driver, bus owner, etc.  And to make matters worse, there was some kind of march/demonstration this morning.  People were everywhere!  I don’t know what it was about, but they were carrying different posters, playing instruments, had flags and banners, etc.  We almost didn’t make it out of the bus station because the streets were so crowded.  But, thank the Lord, we did and soon were heading out of La Paz.  One nice thing was that Sammy and I got to sit in the front with the driver, so we had a nice view of everything and were separate from all the fussing with the other passengers.  :)

The view of the city upon entering La Paz.

One of the snow-capped mountains just outside La Paz.

Me and Sammy in the bus heading to Irupana.

Wild Llamas (Alpacas) on the side of the road!  :)

Farming on the side of the mountain.  Very typical sight in this area.  What's planted??  Why, coca plants (the plant cocaine is made from), of course!  Many people chew the leaves here.  Wikipedia says, "Fresh samples of the dried leaves are uncurled, are of a deep green on the upper, and a grey-green on the lower surface, and have a strong tea-like odor. When chewed, they produce a pleasurable numbness in the mouth, and have a pleasant, pungent taste. They are traditionally chewed with lime to increase the release of the active ingredients from the leaf."

The trip down “Death Pass” wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  True, the road was very narrow in some places and there were A LOT of sharp curves.  But I imagined it worse in my head I guess.  The real danger wasn’t so much with the road itself but with not being able to see around the curves.  Several times, we found ourselves face-to-face with another car and big semi truck and had to slam on brakes and each one maneuver just right so we could get back.  Again, the driver was blowing the horn at every curve to warn any possible vehicle on the other side of our presence.  As we were riding through this part, several object lessons came to mind and I made note of them for the next time I have to give a sermon.  :)  I will say this, though.  This bus ride was probably the most scenic bus ride I’ve ever been on!  The views on “Death Pass” were absolutely stunning!  The mountains, waterfalls, rushing river...just beautiful!  I really did enjoy it.  

Part of Death Pass on the side of the mountain.  That's the road!  :)

Part of the road on Death Pass.

One of the many close, head-on encounters we had on the THREE bus trips on Death Pass!  I think I need a T-shirt!!  :)

There was one bad part to it, however.  It wasn’t a 4-hour bus trip.  Turned out to be a 6 1/2-hour bus ride!  But we finally made it to the bus station in the town nearest to Las Delicias.  Then, after a 45-minute taxi ride, we finally made it to our destination!!  It took exactly 28 hours and 15 minutes!  :(  Way more than I had thought and hoped for.  I’m totally over these long bus rides, that for sure!  :) 

Me in Irupana, Bolivia.

It sure did feel good, though, to get out of the sitting position!  We were very well-welcomed at Las Delicias and food was waiting for us when we arrived.  They fed us VERY well!  Then we took a tour around the property.  Las Delicias is a lifestyle center and healthy living school. It is beautiful as well!  Babbling brook in the front of the property, fruit trees all over, a thriving garden, chapel, cabins, classrooms....very nice indeed.  

After the tour, we took our showers, talked with the staff here some more and now I’m getting ready to call it a night.  I’ve been working on less than 3 hours sleep for the past 36 hours, so I’m good for much of anything now.  :)  Gonna take advantage of this nice bed tonight because tomorrow we’ve got to head back to La Paz with the paperwork we get from here for me to get my extended visa.  I’m praying all goes well.  Good night and God bless each of you!

Maranatha!

July 30, 2013

Today started early.  Everyone here at Las Delicias gets up at 4:00 and has their personal devotion time from 4:00-5:15.  Then, at 5:30, there’s a general worship service.  They asked Sam to lead that out today.  Then, from 6:30-7:30, they work on odd projects around the property.  Breakfast is from 7:30-8:30.  Then, everyone heads back to work or classes until lunch, around 1:00.  Sam and I toured the property some more and helped in the garden.  Sandra asked me to have the evening worship service tonight, so I spent some time getting ready for that. I also spent some time on the phone, talking with Jodi, and trying to work out all the details on my visa situation. 

Jorge, Sandra’s husband and the director of Las Delicias’, is in La Paz trying to get all the necessary paperwork for my visa application.  Well, Sandra told me this morning he called and said that the governmental office in charge of legalizing the some of the documents I need for my visa is closed all this week. They are having some meetings and won’t be open to the public again until Monday.  So, I called Jodi to let her know what was going on and we decided we’d stay the weekend to get that done then.

After lunch, we had some free time.  Then at 4:00, they have an English (ESL) class and asked me to join them.  I was planning on going just to observe and support.  I guess I should start learning that things don’t usually go as I plan.  :)  The teacher asked me to help her check the students’ homework, then wanted me to teach them the chorus of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” in English.  Then, I had to lead them in singing it 4-5 times.  Definitely got me out of my comfort zone, because I do not sing in front of people.  I just wasn’t blessed with the gift of song.  But I pulled through it ok.  Good thing, too, because they had me up there singing it with them on two more different occasions during the class.  After the song session, the students had a test to take.  It was their first test, as the classes recently started.  They did pretty good.  :)

After ESL class, I was asked to present Familia Feliz and talk about our mission their, the kids, etc.  We showed them lots of pictures of the kids, the facilities and grounds, etc.  They were extremely interested and asked many questions.  This lasted over an hour.  Several have said they want to go and help serve there when they finish here at Las Delicias.  We then ate supper and got ready for worship.  Worship went very well.  We had a good study.

After worship, it was time for bed...but, Jorge (the director of Las Delicias and Sandra’s husband) arrived from La Paz, so we went to talk with him.  Sam knows them very well from Venezuela and they had a lot to catch up on.  He wanted to get to know me as well.  Jorge is a very kind and sincere Christian man...willing to go out of his way to help whoever needs it.  It was a pleasure to meet both him and Sandra.  We stayed there talking with them until 11:00!  Now, it’s time to hit the sack...4:00 was going to come all to soon!  Planning on leaving for La Paz again tomorrow.  We’ll see how things go.  Good night!  

Maranatha!

July 31, 2013

Well, what did I say yesterday?!  Gotta learn that things don’t always go as planned.  I got another couple of lessons on that today.  We were supposed to leave this morning to head to the nearest town to catch the noon bus to La Paz.  That would put us in the city by 7:00.  We called the taxi to pick us up at 10:30.  He never showed up.  Turns out he had to go out of town or something and couldn’t make it here in time.  So we missed the bus this morning.  The next one leaves at 11:00 pm tonight.  So we’ll shoot for that one and get to La Paz around 6:00am in the morning.  That was lesson #1.

Lesson #2 was a bit harder to chew.  It looks as though I’m not going to have any luck with my visa here.  When Jorge got here last night, we filled us in a bit more on the situation in La Paz.  He said there’s some kind of problem in the governmental office and they are not wanting to legalize documents until that issue is solved.  So even if we go on Monday, we probably won’t leave with the stamp we need.  Problem #2 is that I need a residency document and that takes 10-14 business days to process here.  And I have to have that before I can get a local background check done at the police station.  So that puts me here almost 3 weeks.  If that wasn’t enough, the main computer here at Las Delicias crashed this morning when we went to print off some of the other documents we needed.  We haven’t been able to restore it nor access any of the files.  And there isn’t a computer repair shop/technician in the local town.  It will have to be sent to La Paz to be fixed and I’m not sure when they’ll be able to do that.  And I can’t submit my visa application without the documents on this computer.  So...it’s looking like the Lord is telling me this isn’t the path I need to take at this point.  I must admit it’s a bit frustration, especially when I think of how long it took to get here and the expense of the trip (it wasn’t that much, but still...).  However, I know that God is in charge and for some reason, we were supposed to be here this week.  Perhaps it was to encourage the missionaries here, to speak a kind word, to share our testimonies, etc.  And if we have fulfilled the purpose for which God has us come (as I pray we have), then the trip was not in vain.  

So...as of right now (12:32 pm), the plan is to travel to La Paz tonight by bus.  Tomorrow, Sam needs to go to the Venezuelan Embassy and process his Bolivian ID card (since he already has his extended visa).  I’m hoping he can get all of that done tomorrow.  If that’s the case, we’ll head back home to Rurre tomorrow afternoon/evening/night.  We’ll see how it goes....

Now, I’m going to do a little reading I think until lunch.  I’ll check back in later.

Okay...so once again, things do not tend to go as planned.  At 1:30, the taxi driver that was supposed to be here at 10:30 am showed up to take us into town.  :(  So, our plans changed yet again and we quickly said goodbye to Las Delicias and headed to Irupana, the nearest town.  From there, we caught a mini-bus to the next town over, where we took a bus to La Paz.  On the way to La Paz, we had to go through Death Pass again.  This time, the name really hit home a bit more.  A car when off the road a couple of hours before we passed that spot!  The car was still at the bottom of the cliff when we passed.  I’m not sure if the person made it or not.  I pray he/she did.  It appears, though, from what was said, that the person may have gone to sleep at the wheel.  I sure hope they’re ok...

We got to La Paz at about 11:30 pm.  We found a hotel and got settled in.  It’s a bit chilly here in La Paz (a little below freezing), so we made sure the hotel had hot water (a luxury many hostels and hotels don’t have).  A hot shower really made a BIG difference!!  Well, nows it’s off to bed.  I’m pretty tired...still trying to catch up on sleep from this week.  Talk to you tomorrow!  God bless!

Maranatha!

August 1, 2013

What an event-filled day today as well!  We got up and had breakfast at the hotel.  They had a nice little complimentary buffet of fruit, bread, jellies, cookies, teas, cereal and juice.  The food was good and the view was even better!  The breakfast area was on the 8th floor, surround by windows overlooking the city.  It was quite picturesque.  

After breakfast, Sam headed to the Venezuelan Embassy and to the Immigrations office to do the paperwork he needed to do.  I went to run a couple of errands, wash some laundry and use the internet for a bit.  Then, I went back to the hotel and checked us out and went to get some lunch.  There was a fantastic vegetarian/vegan restaurant just a block from our hotel.  The food was amazing!  While there, Sam called me and said that his paperwork won’t be ready until Monday or Wednesday of next week (Tuesday is a holiday).  So, he has to stay in La Paz until then.  I will be heading back to Rurre today, as Warren has to go to Santa Cruz this next week and I need to be there to help with the kids.  

So, I ordered supper to go for later and headed to the bus station.  When I arrived, I found out that there were no buses leaving to Rurre today.  The next one would leave tomorrow at 1:00 pm and get to Rurre around 7:00 am on Saturday morning.  That wasn’t what I wanted to hear!  I wanted to be home by Sabbath.  Plus, I didn’t want to have to pay for another night at a hotel.  Money is tight.  So I found a taxi shuttle that was going to Caravari, a town about 4 hours from La Paz and booked a seat on it.  From Caravari, I could take another  taxi shuttle to Rurre.  It would cost a little bit more than the bus, but I should be in Rurre in about 11 hours instead of 19-20.  So off we went.  

One lsat view of La Paz.

On the way to Caravari, I got a text from Jodi about Janet.  It wasn’t the news I was hoping to hear.  The doctor said that Janet has pneumothorax.  One of her lungs is filled with air and pushing up against her heart, causing it to malfunction.  They have admitted her into the hospital and will do emergency surgery on her tonight to deflate the lung.  The doctor said if she didn’t have the surgery tonight, she could die.  :(  He also said she may have some kidney problems, but he won’t know for sure until the lung situation is resolved.  I feel so bad for poor little Janet.  :(  I wish there was something I could do to help her.  I’m praying, though, and that is the best thing anyone can do for her.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers.  I’ll update you when I hear anything new.

When I arrived in Caravari, I found a car going to Rurre and purchased a ticket.  We left at 10:00pm.  That should put us in Rurre around 4:30-5:00 am.  We rode for about 2 hours before I got the next piece of bad news.  We came upon a long line of cars, trucks and buses stopped and parked on the side of the road, with most everyone out of the vehicles and looking ahead.  It turns out there was a landslide just moments before we got here and the road is completely blocked!  As I type this, I’m sitting on the side of the road, along with about 500 other people, and am watching dirt, rocks and trees continue to slide down the mountain.  I’ve never seen a landslide before, so it’s pretty interesting (aside from the fact that it’s ruining my travel plans!).  We’ve been here over 2 hours now.  It looks like we’ll spend the night here on the side of the road and hope that the city will send someone to remove the debris from the road tomorrow.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed because tomorrow is a holiday here I was told and they’re not sure if anyone will come to clean or not.  So....so much for being home by the morning!  It’s going to take several hours, if not a full day or more to clean the road off.  I am very thankful that it happened when it did and we were not riding on that part of the road when it happened.  I’m also thankful no one else was and no one was hurt.  It could have been a LOT worse.  God is Good and is always watching over His children!

So...quite the day!  It isn’t everyday I get to see a car over a cliff and a landslide within 24 hours!  :)  Well, I guess I’ll sign off now.  It’s almost 2:30am and I’m going to try to find a soft spot beside the road to lay down and rest.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get home sometime tomorrow.  Thanks again for all of your prayers!  God bless you!

Maranatha!

August 2, 2013

Okay...so what an interesting and LONG day is has been today!  Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep during the night.  I was in the back seat of a car between two people with no headrest behind me...so it wasn’t the most idea position for sleeping.  :)  Plus, people were outside walking, talking, etc. all night.  I finally decided it was useless to try to sleep, so I got out of the car around 6:30.  A few minutes later, the workmen arrived to start trying to clear the mess.  Praise God!  They worked for three hours before making a road sturdy and safe enough for cars to get by.  Everyone rushed to their vehicles and were more than ready to get across to continue our trips.  However, only 3 cars were able to get across before the dirt and rocks started sliding and falling again.  In a matter of seconds, the newly constructed road was non-existent.  So they had to start all over again.  :(

Machines at work to clear the landslide.

Not sure if you can tell from the picture or not, but this electricity tower is only about 5 feet from the edge of the landslide.  If this falls, there will be serious trouble!

More work...

A small portion of the people I spent 17 hours with.  :)  Everyone waiting anxiously for a path to be made for us to cross.

Slowly making progress...

It took them another 5 hours before they could get the dirt/rocks moved and a new road “paved” in the dirt.  This time, it was a bit more successful.  My car was able to get across....THANK THE LORD!!  You have no idea how excited I was and happy that we were able to finally head home!!  We were there for more than 17 hours!  Way too long...

Everyone, however, wasn’t so lucky.  We found out later that the dirt shifted again and knocked out the road.  It was too late in the day for the workers to start over, so everyone that was still there had to wait until tomorrow (at the earliest) before they could get across.  Plus, none of the big trucks or buses to pass because the road wasn’t stable enough for that much weight.  They said it would be late Saturday or even Monday before the buses could get through.  :(  I feel so bad for those passengers...

We continued on our journey, however, and arrived at Yucumo (the next town where I would get another car for my final leg home) around 9 pm.  I bought my ticket and we left about 9:45.   I finally made it to Familia Feliz about 12:15 am...31 hours after starting my trip!  Words cannot express my contentment with being home and able to sleep in my bed!  What a blessing!  :)  

I took a shower, unpacked the necessary items for the next morning and and got ready for bed.  Now, my friends, I’m signing off!  If I don’t post tomorrow it’s because I slept through the day!  :)  God bless!

Maranatha!

August 3, 2013

Good morning to you!  As you can see (or read!), there’s an entry for today so I didn’t get to sleep all day.  :)  I got up at 7:00 for breakfast and to find out if we were staying on campus for church or if we were going into town.  It was ALL I could do to force myself to get up, but I’m glad I did.  It was a busy morning and everyone’s help was needed.  

At breakfast, I found out that Melissa and Warren had to take little Crystal (the new baby) to the emergency room in the middle of the night.  She had stopped breathing and was turning blue!  It is only by the grace of God that they made it to the hospital before anything worse happened.  They got her breathing and stabilized, but at this small, rural hospital, they couldn’t find anything wrong with her so they sent them home.  Needless to say, everyone was a bit shaken up and concerned.  With all of that going on with Warren and Melissa, I had to help with church.  We got the kids separated into their Sabbath School classes and I had to teach the 7-8th graders.  Warren had the sermon and asked me to translate for him.  So I kept pretty busy during the morning.  And, obviously, we kept a close eye on little Crystal.

Translating at church.

Immediately after the sermon, Sandra (the oldest girl here at the orphanage) asked me if she could talk to me and Warren after church.  We, of course, said yes and went inside to talk.  She started crying and wanted to thank us for the sermon (which was on the Word of God and it’s importance in our lives).  She said that she had never realized the importance of the Bible and wanted to start making it what it should be in her life.  She also apologized to Warren because she had lied to him last week and hadn’t followed the rules.  She gave her reasons behind it, but said that she knew no reason justified her actions, so she again apologized and ask for his forgiveness.  We had a very nice conversation and ended with a special prayer.  It was a very touching moment for all of us, because of what has been going on with this girl during the past couple of weeks.  It was pretty awesome to see her heart touched and hear her testimony.  God is so GOOD!

Afterwards, we went for lunch and then told the kids there would be 2 hours of quiet time (for reading, praying, taking a nap, etc.).  Then, at 3:15, we’d put on a Bible story for them to watch.  I was completely happy with this because I needed a nap!  :)

I woke up and got the computer read to show the video to the kids.  When I headed over to the Big House, though, I saw that Warren and Melissa were pulling up in the truck.  I went over to see what was going on.  Little Crystal had stopped breathing again and they had to go back to the hospital.  :(  The doctor here says he thinks she has asthma.  Evidently, there’s some inflammation in her nasal passage which is causing it to be blocked.  Then, when she eats, since she can’t breath out of her nose, her body just stops breathing.  They gave her some breathing treatments and said that she needed to get to La Paz soon to be seen and treated by a specialist there.  So this is the second child in a week that has to be transported to the city for medical problems.  :(

Precious little Crystal.  

By the way, I’ll take a moment her to let you know that Janet is doing really well!  God has heard and answered all of our prayers!  The surgery went well, they’ve drained more than a liter of fluid from her lung and her heart seems to be working fine now.  The swelling in her extremities has also gone down and are almost back  to normal now.  They are going to re-check everything on Monday and, if all goes well, she can be released then.  Praise God!  However, she will need to stay in Santa Cruz for a month to be monitored.  As it turns out, the doctor that treated her is a fellow SDA and works with children with medical problems.  It looks like he is going to keep her, care for her and give her the supplemental vitamins, etc. that she needs.  It’s amazing how God works everything out!  Thank you all again for your prayers!

So, I went and put the videos on for the kids and then went to talk to Melissa about Crystal and the plans.  It was decided that she would leave in the morning on a flight to La Paz.  Liselle (a 19-year old girl that helps Melissa) will watch the younger kids and I will keep the 4 older boys in my house while Melissa’s gone.  We finalized plans and headed for worship.  At worship, I went over to see Crystal.  Her color is not good at all and she was very lethargic.  Her eyes were rolling back in her head.  I’m really worried about her.

We had supper and I was talking with Oriel, Nickisha and Velissa when Warren came up and told us that Crystal’s condition was worsening and he and Melissa were going to take her back to town to the doctor, then just get a hotel room in town to be closer in case something happened during the night.  Then, Melissa would get out on the first flight in the morning to La Paz.  So, I had Melissa’s four boys (Edgar, Efraim, Alex and Clever) get their stuff and take it my house.  And since Warren was going to be gone the night as well, the two boys that live with him had to come to my house too...so I have 6 boys in the house with me until tomorrow, then it will just be Melissa’s four until she gets back (which we don’t know when that will be).  The water was out again, so I sent the boys to the creek to take a bath, then we had worship and got ready for bed.  Tomorrow, we have to go to town early because the Pathfinders have to practice marching, as they will be participating in the Independence Day parade in town on Monday and Tuesday.  We have to leave at 6:30, so I have to get everyone up at 5:00.  So, I’m off to bed now.  I have a feeling it’s going to be an interesting week.  I’ll keep you posted on things.  Please keep both Janet and Crystal in your prayers.  God bless!

Maranatha!

July 22-27

July 22, 2013

Well, I finally made it to Santa Cruz.  I got here at 5:30 this morning.  And boy is it cold here!!  It’s probably 40 degrees without the windchill factor.  I know that’s no New Hampshire winter, but considering it was almost 90 degrees when I left Rurre yesterday, that’s a big change in temperature!  I’m really glad I brought my jacket.  I almost didn’t bring it, since it was so warm in Rurre.  

I spent the day running errands, using the computer and finally, spending some time with my new missionary friends, Tanya and Arturo.  They are here from Mexico and are really great people!!  I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.  They’re planning on coming to Familia Feliz to serve in the near future.  Please keep them in your prayers.  

I must say, though, I haven’t felt this cold in a long time!  I guess I’ve gotten used to hotter weather this past month, but I was COLD today!  It this it was about 37 degrees today...and VERY windy.  The wind got up to 30 mph today...add that to the rain and it felt much colder!  Tomorrow I have to get out early, before sunrise, to catch a taxi and go into town to get my extended visa.  They say it’ll be colder tomorrow.  I’m not looking forward to that.  Thankfully, Arturo and Tanya loaned me another jacked, a scarf and gloves, so I’ll be able to bundle up better.  Gracias amigos!  :)

Well, time to turn in.  I didn’t get much sleep on the bus last night, so I’m really tired today.  I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.  God bless you!

Maranatha!

July 23, 2013

Well, I was on the side of the road, waiting for a taxi to drive by to take me into town before 6:30 this morning.  I was very thankful to God that is wasn’t raining and not quite as cold as yesterday (or perhaps it was and I just didn’t feel it underneath the TWO jackets, scarf, gloves and thermals! :) ).  I was at the mission office by 7:30 to pick up my visa paperwork.  Then, I had to head to the cell phone company headquarters to register my phone here.  If I don’t register it, I can’t use it.  That was a quick and smooth process.  Next stop, immigrations office to apply for my extended visa (Bolivian Residency).  I was told to plan on standing in line for several hours and that this would be an all day thing.  So I took my ipod loaded with hymns and sermons.  I didn’t even get a chance to pull it out!  I wasn’t there 5 minutes before they called my number!  :)  I presented the agent with my file full of almost every paper you can imagine.  He looked through it all very carefully, then handed it back and said that he couldn’t accept it.  One of the pages in a photocopy of the mission’s equivalent to our tax id number.  Well, the government has recently requested that all organizations file for an electronic number (which the mission office has done).  Ours is in process.  But he said I have to have that new document before I can apply for my residence.     :(  There’s no timeline for how long it will take for them to process it.  So that means I have to make this long trip all over again when it does come through.  And on top of that, there’s a daily fine of US$3 per day that I overstay my visa without having the other one in process (which expires tomorrow!).  :(  Not exactly what I wanted to hear today.  But it’s out of my control and in God’s Hands.  He knows what I need and will provide it at the perfect time for me according to His will.  Please add this to your prayer list though.  It doesn’t just affect me, but most of the missionaries here, plus the student missionaries that will be coming in the next couple of weeks.  We really need this paperwork to come back soon.  Thanks for your prayers!

After immigration, I went to the Adventist book store and picked up some books for the orphanage.  Then, I went to “Abastos”.  It’s this HUGE open market here in Santa Cruz...everything from fruits, vegetables, grains, meats to pots, pans, clothes, toys, electronics.  It was a neat experience.  Pack with people!  There was lots to see.  But I had my mind on one thing and one thing only....almonds!!  You can’t get them in our town and I really wanted some to have some almond milk, since I’m not a big fan of soy milk (no offense, soy milk drinkers...:) ).  Well, not only was I able to get almonds, but also brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and golden raisins!!  I felt like I had hit the lottery!  :)  I was one happy camper.  

Now I’m back at the mission office, using internet for a while.  I’m trying to download some sign language teaching material for Rebecca.  She’s the deaf orphan we have.  She can’t really communicate with anyone other than very minimally and we’d like to change that.  I’m praying that internet speed will increase so I can get it all downloaded before I leave, which will be tomorrow night.  I’m going to leave my computer here for it to continue downloading, so I’ll finish this entry up now.  Take care and God bless!

Maranatha!

July 24, 2013

Today was a very laid-back day.  I leave tonight to head back home, so I had all day to kill.  I spent most of the morning reading.  After my morning worship, I started reading a very interesting book...Understanding Daniel and The Revelation.  I read 7 chapters of that before lunch.  I’ll finish it when I get back to Rurre.  

For lunch, Tania and Arturo invited me to eat with them.  And what a treat that was!!  Not only was the company fabulous, but they made me MOLE!!!!!  :)  I haven’t had authentic Mexican mole in years, so I was thrilled!  Not only did we have mole, but also whole-grain rice, homemade tortillas, potatoes and strawberry crepes for dessert!  Who says missionaries don’t eat well?!  :)  It was very nice and I appreciate their kindness very much.  (¡¡Muchisimas gracias Tania y Arturo!!)

After lunch, we sat and talked until about 4:30.  We talked about the orphanage, the mission project there in Santa Cruz, how the Lord has worked in our lives, future plans, etc.  It was a very pleasant afternoon.  It’s always a joy to meet and talk with like-minded people, especially about spreading the Gospel.  

At 4:30, though, it was time to say good-bye to my friends and head into town.  I had to go back by the mission office and pick up my computer, then head to the bus station.  Those two errands took about 2 hours between bus changes.

I got to the bus terminal at 7:00 and bought my ticket to Trinidad.  We leave at 8:30 and should arrive in Trinidad around 5:30 tomorrow morning.  I hope I’ll be able to sleep pretty good tonight on the bus.  Tomorrow’s going to be a long day in a packed car from Trinidad to Rurre, so the rest will do me good.  Miguel - signing off!  God bless!

Maranatha!

July 25, 2013

What a LONG day!!  We did, in fact, arrive in Trinidad at 5:30 this morning.  I woke up several times in the night because the bus made several stops at other stations, as well as appeared to have some mechanical problems...but thank the Lord, we made it safely and on time to Trinidad.  As soon as I got off the bus, I went to reserve a space in the car that goes to Rurre.  To my surprise, the guy that sat next to me on the bus is also going to Rurre, so we’ll be traveling together again.  He’s a nice kid...about 18 years old I guess.  Anyway, we bought our tickets and were told the car would leave at 7:00.  So we waited...

7:00 came and we were still waiting on two passengers.  (These cars won’t leave until they are full.)  We finally pulled out about 7:40.  The car was pretty packed between the 7 of us and our luggage.  We drove 5 hours until we got to San Borja.  There, my traveling buddy and I had to change cars.  That second car would take us the last leg of the trip to Rurre.  It was set to leave at 1:00.  But guess what?!  You guessed it...had to wait on some more passengers.  :(  So we didn’t leave until 1:45.  Now, 45 minutes may not seem like a long time, but I was passed ready to be home at this point and every minute counted!  Once we were on the road, it took us a little over 4 hours to get to Rurre.  So I finally got home right before 6:00 pm.  Another 22-hour trip.  And let me tell you, I don’t know if I’ve EVER been so ready to get out of a car as I was this afternoon!!  I mean, really!  But, thank the Lord, I made it safe and sound.  As I was walking up the driveway at Familia Feliz, I wondered if the kids missed me as much as I’ve missed them this week.  

I walked to my house and didn’t see any movement anywhere.  It was kinda strange.  Then I realized that both trucks were gone.  That explained the silence...the kids and staff were out and about.  I put my stuff in my room and headed to take a shower.  A few minutes after I got out of the shower, I heard the truck pull up.  I walked outside just as Sam was heading my way.  We talked for a few minutes and he caught me up on things here.  Evidently a big cold front came through this area as well.  Sam said it got really cold.  (This area of the country doesn’t get cold at all very often.)  Evidently it was cold enough that the county cancelled all classes for the week!  (What do you think about that, Jenney??  :) ).  So the kids have had another week of vacation.  I told Warren later that I’m taking my extra week of vacation next week then!  :)

After talking with Sammy, I went to talk with Warren for a few minutes, also to catch up and to let him know the status of things with the visa situation.  Then, I headed to the dining hall for supper.  That’s when the boys saw me.  David, Juan and Armando stopped playing and ran over and almost knocked me over hugging me!  I guess they did miss me.  It felt really good.  Then, the rest of the boys saw me and took turns giving me a hug and asking how the trip went.  It feels really good to be home!

Supper was delicious and very much appreciated after traveling all day!  (Thanks Wanetta!)  After supper, while the other kids were playing, Rebecca was sitting by herself at the table.  So I went and got my laptop and put on one of the sign language videos for her.  She LOVED it!!  She watched it twice and did all of the signs.  She catches on very quickly.  Some of the other kids came over and watched for a while too, practicing some signs with her.  She wanted to watch some more, but it was time for their worship and to get ready for bed, so I told her I’d show her another one tomorrow.  I’m really glad she likes it.  I’d really like to see her able to communicate and express herself better.  

So that was my day today...now I’m laying in my bed, all bundled up (it is a bit chilly.  Nothing like in Santa Cruz, but chilly nonetheless), writing this entry.  I’m going to close out now so I can have my devotion and then head to bed.  I’m tired.

I’m very thankful to God for getting me home safely.  I’m also thankful for the place in which He has placed me to work.  Having been in the city these past few days was a nice reminder of how much I LOVE living in the country, away from the traffic and cement walls, working with kids.  Don’t get me wrong...there is definitely a large work to be done in the cities and there are very special people that undertake that mission...and I praise God for them.  But I am very happy here in the jungles of Rurrenabaque.  I really missed being able to see all of the stars this week.  I had to take some extra time tonight to take in the sight.  :)  Again, it feels so good to be home!

I pray all of you are well and that you have taken time to thank God for all of the many blessings He’s bestowed upon you today.  If not, why not take a minute right now and do it.  All to often we only go to God when we need something.  I’m trying to be more careful about thanking Him more.  My blessings outweigh my wants/needs, so my praises should outweigh my requests as well.  I want to live out Psalms 34:1 - “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”  So, I leave you with this challenge...for every request you make to God, praise/thank Him for two things.  Let’s make it a point to be more appreciative to our God for His many rich blessings towards us.  One more thing I’m thankful for...the sound of a bunch of kids signing hymns to God as part of their evening worship.  It’s priceless!

Good night all!  May God bless each of you in a special way!

Maranatha!

July 26, 2013

It felt SO good to sleep in my own bed last night and awake to the local sounds here in Rurre!  Even though it got pretty cold during the night (we don’t have glass windows here...just screen, so air always flows throughout the houses), I slept like a baby.  :)  I was pretty tired after the long trip.

I had my devotion, had worship with Sam and Oriel and then went to breakfast.  After breakfast, all of the staff were talking about this problem we’re having with the visa.  Then, we had an idea.  There’s a sister mission organization based in La Paz.  We figured we’d call them and see if they had all the papers and documents necessary to request the extension and, if so, see if they’d be willing to let us use their name to solicit it.  It was worth a try!  So Sam called, since he knows the director there.  A few minutes later, Sam came with news...they have everything we need and are more than happy to help!  So, after discussing it together, it was voted that I’d go as the guinea pig to see if all works smoothly before everyone else goes.  I don’t know how I get myself into these situations!  :)  Actually, it will be a tremendous blessing if it all works out like it should.  So, I leave Rurre at noon to board the bus for the 18+ trip to La Paz.  (I’m a sucker for these long road trips I guess.)  But the good news this time is that Sam will be going with me.  He has to go to the Venezuelan Consulate in La Paz to pick up some papers he needs, so that works out nicely.  I’ll have good company and maybe the trip won’t seem so long.  I do ask that you all keep us in your prayers, that we arrive safely.  Part of the trip to La Paz goes down the “Camino de la Muerte” (Death Road).  It’s a VERY narrow, one-lane road on the side of a steep mountain.  From what I’m told and what I’ve seen online, it’s way to narrow for two cars to pass beside each other and cars and buses have gone over the side of it (hence the name).  But that’s the only way to get to La Paz.  So we are leaving ourselves in God’s Hands and know full well that He will get us there and back safely, because we have asked Him to do so.  But we thank you for joining us in this prayer.  :)  I’ll keep you posted on how that goes...

After lunch, we headed to town to buy our bus tickets and to make the arrangements for the week.  We got back just in time to make a peach cobbler for tomorrow after church (per Jodi and Warren’s request.  :) ).  Then we all had worship on the center lawn and went our separate ways for the evening.  I know I’ve said it several times already, but again, it feels really good to be home and to receive the Sabbath with my family here.  Melissa and Charlie were right there waiting for me so they could sit in my lap at worship, as has become their custom.  :)

Well, I’m off to have my worship and to head to bed.  I’m looking forward to tomorrow and all the blessings the Lord has in store for us.  Good night and God bless!

Maranatha!

July 27, 2013

I knew today was going to be full of blessings!  The Lord never lets us down.  :)  When I woke up and had my devotion and headed to breakfast, I immediately saw something strange...a car parked by the big house.  We only have two trucks, so a car here is something that you don’t see every day.  It turns out a family traveled from a very far distance to come and visit Familia Feliz.  They had heard about it for a while and wanted to come and spend a Sabbath with us.  They got in at 4:00 am!  I felt really bad for them because they slept on the hard, concrete floor because they didn’t want to wake anyone up for us to get them some mattresses.  They ate breakfast with us and we headed to church.

The girls had picked fresh flowers and palm leaves to decorate the church.  It looked really nice.  The girls also planned the Sabbath school service and every child had a part.  They did a special song as well.  It was a blessing indeed!  

Little Abigail announcing the opening song.

Sandra giving the mission story.

The girls singing special music.

Samuel (far right) and our two visitors lead out church service.

Church service went well.  Sam had the sermon and talked about the parable of the sower and the seeds.  The kids listened attentively and answered the questions he asked.  I think they really liked it.  The guests enjoyed it as well, and the two sons accompanied Samuel on the pulpit to help with the service as well.

After church, we all had lunch together (excellent meal, by the way!  I’ll try to post a pic.  Kudos to Wanetta!).  Then, I went for a walk with one of the older boys on campus.  We needed to have a talk about some issues and he needed some advice.  We walked for about an hour and a half.  I think it went really well.  He has a really good head on his shoulders and wants to make the right decisions.  I’m praying for him and ask that you add him to your prayers list as well.

We came back and got ready for evening worship on the lawn.  It was a blessing as always.  We’ve started trying to memorize two verses per week, as a group.  So we took advantage of this time to repeat them a couple of times.  Then we closed worship and spent time together talking.

Evening worship on the lawn.

Supper was next, then the kids had free time until it was time for their personal worship time, then bed.  After the kids went to bed, the staff popped popcorn and watched a movie...In Front of the Class.  It was a good movie and we all had a really good time.  

Now it’s time for bed.  Tomorrow’s going to be a long day, as I start the journey to La Paz.  Please pray for safe travels and that I can get everything done that I need to get done and get my visa extended without any problems.  I know God will come through!  :)  Thanks so much!  God bless!

P.S.  Oh!  Please pray for Janet (the girl that was found in the dumpster last year).  She is really sick.  We are going to take her to the doctor tomorrow, but she isn’t eating, has lost weight, her hands and feet are swelling, etc.  I feel so bad for her.  Please keep her in your prayers.

P.S. 2 - As promised, here are some pictures of the baby that was left here a couple of weeks ago.  She now officially has a name...Crystal Hadassah.  She’s doing really well!  

July 14 - 21

July 14, 2013

We spent most of the day in town today.  Before heading out, I had about 6 of those apple bananas for breakfast.  It’s so easy to get hooked on them because they are so sweet!  Although Jodi told me today that they are nothing when compared to the bananas in Guyana...so now she’s got me wanting to go to Guyana just to taste their bananas.  :)

In town, I had to run a couple of errands to pick up some items that I needed.  I also had to take my dirty clothes to the laundry mat since we haven’t had any running water this week to wash them with.  Then, I spent the next few hours online, talking to family (or trying to at least...the internet connection was really slow today.  Sorry guys!) and uploading pictures from the trip this week to my blog.  That took about 3 hours.  I had lunch at Narguila’s...a falafel sandwich, with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes and avocado and a side of french fries.  Then I splurged and had a brownie (vegan) and a fresh peach/strawberry smoothie.  That really hit the spot on this hot afternoon!

At 4:30, everybody met and we headed back home, stopping on the way to get gas.  When we got home, we had supper, then Jodi, Warren and I had an informal meeting about classes, the new student missionaries that will be arriving in a couple of weeks, duties, etc.  I found out I’ll be supervising all of the male volunteers, as well as teaching Math (7-8 grades), Spanish Language (3-8 grades) and English (5-6 grades).  Classes are supposed to start tomorrow, but that may change still.  All schools in Bolivia have been on winter break for the past two weeks, but we heard today that the government has extended that break for another week.  If that’s the case, then our break will be extended as well.  If not, then we’ll start tomorrow.  But we won’t really know for sure until tomorrow when we see if any of the town kids that attend our school show up.  I’ll let you know how it goes...

Oh!  I forgot to tell you in yesterday’s post that we got a new addition to Familia Feliz yesterday.  The mother of one of the toddler’s that Melissa has (and is currently in the process of adopting) showed up yesterday morning before church and left her 3-week old daughter!  :(  I couldn’t believe it.  You always hear of things like this happening, but to see it with your own eyes is so different.  My heart broke.  The baby looks very sickly.  She doesn’t have much color at all.  As much as I hate to say it, she almost looked dead.  But Melissa is taking very good care of her and has cleaned her up, keeping her well-fed and meeting all of her needs.  I’ll keep you posted on her...

Well, time for bed.  Gotta get up early tomorrow, as we may have class.  I just wanted to thank you all again for your prayers and support...it means more than you know!  I, too, am praying for you all.  May God bless each of you!

Maranatha!

July 15, 2013

Today was a very busy day.  It started, as usual, with my morning devotion.  Then, at 6:45, Sam, Oriel and I had the guys’ morning worship, followed by breakfast at 7:00.  School starts at 7:30 and we were waiting to see how many kids would show up.  A good number came, so we had classes today.  However, two of the teachers are not here because they had meetings, so it was just Warren and I teaching today.  He took grades 3-6 and I had grades 7-8 all day.  (Starting tomorrow, though, we’ll be changing classes so I’ll only be teaching Math, Spanish and English.)  I only had 7 students today (I think there’s a total of 13 students in the 7-8th grades).  That was marvelous!  I’m used to having 180 students, so I almost didn’t know how to react with so few.  :)  

Things went really well, though we had a little rough start.  Two of the girls had decided they were not going to do anything in class today.  I’m not sure if it’s because their teacher has changed or what, but they just sat there, wouldn’t participate, answer any questions, do what was asked of them, etc.  So I had to have a talk with both of them.  Sandra, who lives here at the orphanage and who has never given me any problems, understood quickly how things were going to be and her attitude changed immediately after our conversation.  However, with Anait, the other girl whom I had never met before this morning, things weren’t so easy.  I talked to her alone for about 10 minutes and she refused to look at me, respond, anything.  She said she didn’t want to and therefore wasn’t going to.  Well, you can guess how well that went over with me.  :)  I had to kindly, yet very firmly, remind her that she was the student, I am the teacher and she has no say-so whatsoever as to how things are run in the school.  I told her she was not going to be disrespectful and was going to do what was asked of her or else she would not stay in the classroom.  There’s a whole field that has to be cut and cleaned at the rear of the property...she is more than welcome to spend her 4 hours a day there working with Samuel and Oriel.  (That’s one good thing about being a private school...we can dictate how the kids spend the school day...:) ).  So the choice was hers.  Guess which one she chose?!  She decided to stay in class.  She kept her head down on her desk for the next ten minutes or so, but after that, she started taking notes, participating, giving answers, etc.  By the end of the morning, you couldn’t tell there had ever been an issue.  Crazy, huh?!  No matter where you go in the world, there are always kids that will try to push the limits and see what they can get away with.  Hopefully that solved this problem and I won’t have to have this conversation again.  (Fingers crossed! :) ).

After school was out, we had lunch.  Then I went and looked at the only house on campus that is unoccupied.  We’re trying to have all of the male staff in one house (a guys’ dorm, per se) and I had to decide which house I wanted...the one I’m living in now or this other one.  The unoccupied one will be better.  It has two bedrooms downstairs, a living/dining area, a small kitchen and a bathroom.  It also has two lofts upstairs.  So it has more sleeping quarters than my current house.  And since there will be 5 staff and 4 boys, plus myself, we need all the space we can get.  So this week, I’ll work on cleaning it up and getting it ready for us to move in to (probably next week).  I also have to make a schedule for morning and evening worship at our house, as well as kitchen duties (since we’ll be eating with the girls, it’s only fair for us to help out in the kitchen).  Warren is going to give me the afternoon work schedule for everyone (all the kids and staff work on the grounds from 2-4pm every day) and Jodi will give me the church services schedule and I’ll make a master schedule for all of the guys, so they will know exactly what they are supposed to do and when.  

After checking out the house, it was time for the afternoon work.  We had four groups...Warren’s group was working in the garden, Juan’s was cutting grass and clearing that back field, Jodi’s group was drying some of the rice that was harvested a couple of months ago and my group was working on odd jobs on the grounds.  Sam and Oriel were working on the greenhouses by themselves.  We divided all of the kids up and got busy.  The kids will work in their respective group for a week and then rotate, so they will work in all areas over the course of the month.  Today, my boys and I raked up and burned the grass that had been cut on the path leading to the back field.  We were able to finish about half of it today by 4.  We’ll do the other half tomorrow.  

After working, I made the boys some lemonade.  It was quite hot today and we needed something refreshing.  Then, Sam, Oriel, Velissa and I took three of the boys to get more oranges.  We got 300 more oranges and a few more coconuts.  

We came home and while the girls were finishing preparing supper, I exercised a bit.  Trying to work that back into the schedule.  Then it was supper time.  

After supper, we had to take several empty barrels to the creek to fill them with water (since the water is still out).  We hooked up a pump to a motor and was able to fill them very quickly.  Then, Sam and I had to fix a problem with the electricity in his house.  And that finally concluded the day!  It’s now 8:00 and I’m pretty tired!  After I finish this entry, I’ve got to prepare classes for tomorrow before having my worship and hitting the sack.  I’m going to sleep well tonight!

It was a good day, though.  Everyday I’m learning something new, either about the kids, about myself, about life or about God’s love.  I am truly blessed beyond measure and praise the Lord for this opportunity to be here!

Good night all!  God bless and remember....

Maranatha!

July 16, 2013

Today was another full and busy day.  I followed my morning routing (personal devotion, male staff devotion, breakfast) and then headed to school.  Today we started having the students change classes.  This was a totally new experience for them and while some really liked it, others vocalized their discontentment with the new arrangement.  But no worries...they’ll get used to it.  :)  I started out teaching Math to the 7-8th graders.  They are a good bit behind where they should be...especially when compared to the curriculum for 7-8th graders in the States.  Some still have a problem with their times tables.  So we spent the class reviewing basic multiplication and division.  I also had to teach them how to work out their problems and show their work.  Evidently that’s not something they do here, as none of them have ever showed their work in solving math problems.  I have a feeling it’s going to be a long process to get them where they need to be.  Please keep this in your prayers.

Next, I taught the same 7-8th graders language (Spanish grammar).  We’re reviewing/learning (for some) the parts of speech and how to identify them in sentences.  My third class was language (Spanish grammar) with the 3-4th graders.  This was the class I was most worried about simply because I’ve never taught elementary age kids before.  But it went pretty good.  We’re learning basic parts of speech (nouns, verbs).  The challenging part is there are a couple of students in this class (as well as in the other classes) that cannot read.  So we’re going to have to figure out a way to teach them to read and keep them caught up with class.  Jodi and I were talking about this tonight and will be trying to come up with some ideas to put into place.  Again, prayers are appreciated.

My fourth class was language with the 5-6th graders.  I’ve been warned that there are several kids in this group that like to misbehave...so I went in strong with them and really laid down “the law” and their expectations.  They did very well, though.  I only had one little incident with one of the kids.  Since I don’t know all the kids yet (as some are externals and don’t live on campus), we were going around the room and introducing ourselves.  When I asked him what his name was, he wouldn’t answer.  I asked three times and got no response.  That really aggravates me...the indifference.  So I asked one more time, to which he responded “I don’t know...I don’t remember my name.”  So I had him leave the room and wait for me outside and I would help him to remember his name.  :)  I got the class started on an assignment and went out to talk with the student.  Like with the other students yesterday, I let him know what the expectations are and that he will comply with them.  If he doesn’t, he’ll spend the next week or two in the field working instead of in class.  I didn’t talk to him in a threatening manner, but I did let him know that he is going to do what was asked of him.  This is a private school and being here is a privilege, not a right.  So, I gave him a choice...we can do things the easy way or we can do them the hard way, but either way, things will be done my way.  We can either start over and act like this incident never happened and go and have class or he can go to work.  He then said he’d like for us to start over.  So I extended my hand and introduced myself.  He shook my hand and said, “My name is Wilder.”  He then proceeded back into the classroom and did everything that was asked of him without any problems.  I’m starting to see that a lot of the kids like to get away with as much as they can and like to push the limits.  We’re gonna have to nip this in the bud quick-like.  

My last class today was English with the 7-8th graders again.  That went well.  Then, the school day was over and I went and had lunch.  After lunch, Warren and Jodi had to go into town to send some emails.  So Sam, Nickisha and I were in charge of the work session from 2-4.  We divided up the kids and headed out to our projects.  We had more projects than adults, so Sam and I had to go back and forth between two groups each, so I did a lot of running around the campus today.  We got a lot accomplished though.  

At 5:30, Velissa and I went jogging and then did some cardio exercises when we got back.  Then, we had supper and I headed to take a shower.  It was a hot day and the cold water felt really good.  :)

At 7:00, Sam, Oriel and I had our evening devotion and at 7:30, we had a general staff meeting.  That went well.  Warren updated us all on some things and some changes that will take place.  He also told us about the student missionaries that will be here in about 3 weeks and about some of the goals we have for Familia Feliz and the students.  We finished with prayer and headed to our respective homes for the night.

I’m pretty tired, so I’m going to close out now so I can have my devotion and head to bed.  The alarm clock is going to go off all to early in the morning.  

Thank you all again for your prayers!  Please keep them coming.  The kids need prayer, the staff needs wisdom, patience and guidance and we really need to get this water situation solved so we can have a reliable source of running water.  Also, we found out today that one of the most faithful donors Familia Feliz has had, who has been consistently giving a sizable donation every month for the past 8 years, is no longer able to continue.  So we’re losing that steady monthly income.  But I know that God is Faithful and will provide for all of our needs.  I’m excited to see how!  Again, please keep us all in your prayers.  Thanks again!  God bless you!

Maranatha!

July 17, 2013

I’m starting to get used to getting up earlier again... though I must admit I do miss sleeping until at least 7:00!  School went very well today.  No problems with any of the students, other than 8 of them not doing their homework.  But not to fret...I told them today if they come to class without their homework two times, they have to work in the fields or garden during school hours everyday for a week!  :)  Two kids came up to meet tonight to assure me that they’ve already completed their homework.  :)  Evidently previous teachers have let them turn in homework whenever they finished it...there wasn’t a set deadline that was enforced, so I’m having to change that.  I may have to make an example out of one of them, but then everyone will be a “believer.”  

After school, we had lunch and then the kids went to work from 2-4.  I didn’t join them today because I had several things to do for school and to get ready for the new volunteers.  I spent most of the afternoon making worship schedules for my older students, worship schedule for my male staff and kids that will be with us, kitchen duties schedule, as well as making the list of house rules for the guys dorm.  I’ve got to get it all together and get it to Jodi this week.  I’ll also be teaching a baptismal class starting on Friday of this week.  This class will basically be a Bible study class for those kids that have recently been baptized.  So I prepared for that class as well.   Then, I was able to make a special treat for the staff....peach cobbler!  That’s Jodi’s favorite dessert and one of Warren’s as well.  And since the oven was working today, I thought I’d take advantage of that.  It was a new recipe, so I wasn’t 100% sure how it would turn out, but it turned out very good!  There wasn’t a bite left over, so I guess everyone enjoyed it.  :)

By this time, it was time for supper.  Then, we had about an hour before prayer meeting.  I took a shower and got ready for church.  The church service was really nice.  Jodi was in charge of it...but right at the start, she asked me if I would translate, so I was up there with her the whole time.  She talked about the importance of daily prayer...both for thanksgiving, as well as for making our requests known.  We took praise reports, then divided into groups of six to offer prayers of thanksgiving.  Then came back together, sang a hymn and then took prayer requests.  We then got back into our groups and prayed again.  It was very nice to see and hear the children pray.  Their prayers are so sincere and, if I may say so, quite eloquent.  They were very detailed.  I love to hear them pray.

After church, my little buddy Charlie came running up to me and gave me a big hug.  He insisted that I carry him back to his house.  I gladly accepted...but let me tell you, this little boy is heavy!!  He’s 5 years old, but very stocky and big-boned.  But he has the cutest smile you’ve ever seen!  :)  

A little later, I met with Warren and Jodi to talk about the plan for Friday, since the school schedule on Friday is a little different.  The students have a lighter schedule on Fridays (music, P.E., art, etc.).  On Friday, we’re also taking the 7th/8th graders to a local sugar cane farm for them to see how the cane is harvested and processed.  I might join them, as I’d love to take sugar cane juice.  And Friday I don’t have any classes to teach, so I’m free to go.  But I’ll have to see if anything else comes up.  

Sunday, Warren and I are heading back to Santa Cruz to do the next step in our visa process.  I’m not looking forward to the ride there, as it’s going to take about 24 hours to get there.  :(  But, such is life sometimes.  So I won’t be able to call home on Sunday, as I’ll be traveling.  But I’ll try to get into town before then if I can.  If not, then I’ll be able to do it from Santa Cruz.

Well, more tomorrow.  It’s bedtime now.  God bless!

Maranatha!

July 18, 2013

Today was another good day...busy, but good.  School went well.  Didn’t have any problems with kids acting up in my classes.  I did have three students that didn’t do their homework for the second time this week, as well as one student did skip his last class, so those four will not be in class starting tomorrow for about a week.  They’ll be spending their mornings working in the garden, in the shop, in the back field, cleaning classrooms, cleaning the campus, etc.  The idea is to make them a little miserable with all the work so they’ll prefer to do what they’re supposed to in class.  Although I knew a few would try to push the limits, I was hoping we wouldn’t have to make an example out of anyone.  But at least now all the students will see the consequence of not doing what they’re asked to do and hopefully it will deter others from following the same footsteps.  

So, a couple of days ago, Warren told me I’d be in charge of all the male staff on campus and gave me title, “Dean of Men.”  Well, today I got a couple of more “titles”.  I’m now principal over the upper grades!  I’m still not sure how that happened.  Warren has also placed on as “head” of a few other committees.  I’m going to stop asking him any questions because every time I do, I get more responsibilities.  :)  

I spent the afternoon grading papers, planning classes and getting things ready for my absence next week.  Velissa will be my substitute, so I want to leave everything in order for her.  I’ve already talked to the students about my expectations for their behavior while I’m gone.  They also know that if they don’t do the homework or classwork next week, they’ll be working instead of being in class too.  (Really trying to nip these problems in the bud.)  Warren and Jodi need me to go into town tomorrow to run some errands, make some copies, pick up some supplies, etc. so we went over all of that this afternoon as well.  I have a whole list of things to do and places to go tomorrow!  It’s going to be a busy day.  Before heading to town, though, I’ll be heading to the sugar cane farm with the older students.  

The peach cobbler was such a success yesterday that Sam got some canned cherries this morning for me to make a cherry cobbler today.  So I made two small pans of it.  It turned out really good too, except for one small thing...so evidently they don’t pit the cherries here in Bolivia.  I didn’t know that, as I’ve never seen canned cherries with the pit.  So I didn’t know to remove them before making the cobbler...so we had to take the seeds out of each cherry as we were eating it!  :(  But everyone still liked it and finished both pans.  Jodi told me I better not come back from town tomorrow without more peaches to make a peach cobbler for Sabbath afternoon!  :)  Hopefully I’ll be back in time to get it made before Sabbath starts.

We had supper, then I finished some odds and ends from earlier before heading to worship with the guys.  Jorge, one of the students that lives on campus, came back today.  So he joined us.  He seems to be a good kid, but has gotten into a lot of trouble in the past (fighting, bullying, etc.).  He’s run away a couple of times too.  He’s been told that if he gets into trouble again, he’s going to be asked to leave and not invited back.  Since today was my first time meeting him (after having heard all of the stories about him), I spent some time with him this afternoon and got to know him a little better and had a nice little chat with him.  I let him know that he’ll be staying with us in the guys dorm and that he’ll be under my care now (previously he was with Samuel).  I went over my expectations and the rules again.  I don’t want him to be expelled.  I really think he can do better...he just needs some guidance and consistency.  He’s really kinda opened up to me already and has wanted to spend time with me.  I’m praying I can be what he needs and help him to be what he needs to be.  I told him he better behave while I’m gone next week....I don’t want to come back and find him not here.  He said he would behave and will be here when I get back.  Keeping my fingers crossed...:)

We also have a former staff member here again.  Noel was a student here previously (I believe) and then worked as a staff member.  He’s in college now and is on break, so came to spend a week here.  Melissa brought him to me this morning to introduce us and to see where I wanted him to sleep, etc. We got him set up in a room and he joined us for worship tonight (and will be joining us for his stay here).  He’s a really nice guy and seems to have a big desire to serve God.  I’m looking forward to getting to know him better in the short time I’ll be with him.

After worship, I got things ready for tomorrow, had my personal devotion and am writing this entry.  Now, I’m heading for bed.  One good thing about these busy days...no trouble falling asleep at night!!  :)  Oh!  A praise report...we’ve had running water for the past two days!!  Not sure what has happened to cause the change (actually, I do know...God has heard and answered our prayers!!), but it’s been really nice to enjoy running water again!  Thank you, Lord!  And thank you all for your prayers.  

Good night and God bless!  Maranatha!

July 19, 2013

Today was another FULL day!  After worship and breakfast, I headed to the school.  I needed to talk to the other teachers for a moment, as well as make sure that my 4 students went to work today instead of to class.  Then, all of the 7-8th graders loaded up on the truck and Juan, Nickisha and I took them down the road to the sugar cane “plant”.  I put that in parenthesis because I use the word loosely.  There was one large, wooden, homemade manual mill with which they extract the juice from the cane.  The mill was very impressive, especially knowing that this very humble, poor family built it with their own hands.  Everyone took turns pushing the long “handle” around in circles to move the mill and extract the juice.  After a few minutes, I got to finally taste the “fruit of my labor”...my first glass of sugar cane juice!  It was very good!  Really sweet...the canes were quite mature, so they had longer to sweeten up.  We were there for about an hour and a half milling the canes and brought home about 2 gallons of the juice for those that couldn’t go.  All of us that went were able to drink as much as we wanted there.  I did have to handle a disciplinary problem with a couple of the students while we were there, but it was still a very nice and educational trip. I learned a lot...plus, I got a really good workout!  (Rick...you’d be proud!  :) ).  It was tough to push that handle around!  Really worked your calves and legs!

After we were done there, we headed back to school to drop off the kids for them to finish the school day on campus.  Then, Juan and I headed to town.  I had a very long list of things to do in town today!  (Make bank deposits, airmail receipts to the mission office in Santa Cruz, make some phone calls, pick up supplies, pick up some food, email the incoming student missionaries, print off documents and make about 800 copies, go by the pharmacy, and a few more.) It took me about 7 1/2 hours to get it all done!  But I’m very glad I was able to do everything.  Plus, I saw a blue and yellow macaw and a monkey while in town today!  :)  

I made it back just in time to get two pans of peach cobbler made for tomorrow before Sabbath.  Jodi pretty much threatened me if I didn’t make peach cobbler for tomorrow.  :)  We had worship, then I loaned my computer to Juan and Emy for the boys to watch two Nest Bible videos.  The kids love them and it’s a special treat for them.  Then I put together the order of service for church tomorrow and let everyone know their assignments.  Finally, I was able to come home, take a shower and get off my feet for a little bit.  They were very appreciative!  :)  I did find two interesting little friends in the bathroom when I went in.  I’ll post pics below.  :)

When I got back, Jorge came running up to me as soon as he saw me and pretty much stayed by my side the rest of the night, until I came to my house.  For some reason he’s taken to me over these past two days and we have a really good relationship.  I’m glad he’s comfortable with me.  I really want to try and help him get on the right track.  It’s obvious he’s looking for affection and for a role model.  I pray I can be a part of that.  He asked me tonight how long I was going to stay here.  I told for at least a year, but I wasn’t sure...it’s in God’s Hands.  He told me he never wanted me to leave.  :)  It was a really good moment.  Definitely makes all the work and sacrifices worth it!  As do all the hugs the kids give me.  They are more of a blessing to me than they know.  And it feels really good to do something good to help others, to be a positive influence and to allow God to use you.  When I look at these kids, I see so much love, but also, so many needs.  Each one has a story, a past that they have to deal with.  And while all of their basic needs are the same, the deeper needs are all different.  As I think on this, I am so glad we have a Heavenly Father that never abandons any of His children (there are no orphans with God!) and that can meet each and every need in the perfect way for each of His children!  It’s a wonderful, comforting and hope-filled thought.

Oh!  I wanted to update you all on the baby that was left here last Sabbath.  I’m very happy to say that she is doing MUCH better!!  She looks great!  Her color and complexion has improved 200%.  She looks healthy and happy.  She is eating well, sleeping well and is doing much better than when she was dropped off.  The mom did show back up a couple of days ago and wanted to take her back, but DFACS (well, the Bolivian version of it) didn’t allow that.  The lady is 21 years old, has a 5 year-old daughter that she gave up to her mother, an 18-month old son that Melissa has (because the mother gave him up) and this newborn, which she gave up as well.  She’s also had two abortions.  So the case worker has said that she won’t go back with the mom if at all possible.  It wouldn’t be a safe and stable environment.  Melissa is looking to adopt her, along with her brother.  There’s a lot involved, though, so we’d appreciate your prayers, that God’s will would be done.  Thanks.  I haven’t told you the baby’s name yet, because it hasn’t been decided yet.  :)  Melissa likes Liliana, but none of her kids like it.  They like Lian.  So it’s up in the air.  I’ll let you know what’s decided when I know.  And I’ll try to get pics of her to post, so you can see this precious little girl.

God bless you all!  Happy Sabbath!  

Maranatha!

July 20, 2013

Today was another wonderful Sabbath!  We all attended church on campus at Familia Feliz today.  After breakfast, I made sure everyone knew what part they were playing in Sabbath School and in church service.  I taught the adult class.  We had some very good discussions.  Warren had the sermon today and, as has been the case every time so far, he did a great job!  He had a little “surprise” for me though...I had to translate his sermon for him!  :)  It went well, though.

As soon as church was over, I had two “manna moments.”  (That’s what I call those instances when God just blesses me in a special way when I least expect it.)  Armando, one of the boys I watched the first week I got to Familia Feliz, ran up and gave me a BIG hug!  He had a big smile on his face and held tight for a long time.  Then, Charlie, Melissa’s 5-year old adopted son (who usually sits with me during the services we’re together) also gave me a big hug and told me something I won’t soon forget.  He said, “I used to have two friends, but one left (Raul, the other volunteer that left a couple of weeks ago.) and now I only have one friend and it’s you.”  Made me feel really good!  :)

After church, we changed clothes and headed for lunch.  Once again, Jorge was my shadow all day.  He got into a little trouble in Sabbath School because he wasn’t doing what he was asked to do.  So we had a talk about that and the importance of obeying and being reverent in church.  He was very upfront and honest with me in telling me what he did wrong.  After our talk, I had him go and apologize to Nickisha (his Sabbath School teacher), which he did very willingly and sincerely.  

After lunch, the kids wanted to watch a bible story, so I got my computer out and put on a few Nest Animated Bible Story videos.  They really like those!!  After that, Jorge, Moisesito and I went for a little hike in the jungle on our property.  We didn’t go very far, but had a really good time.  We found a vine hanging from a very tall tree and took turns swinging from it (Me Tarzan! :) ).  Then, Jorge wanted to see who could climb the vine the highest.  I was never good at climbing ropes in school, so I was a bit concerned here.  Moisesito went first.  I think that boy is part monkey, because he shimmied up that vine really quickly and got about 10 feet up.  Then it was Jorge’s turn.  He only made it about 6 feet because he started laughing and lost his grip.  The pressure was all on me know...I really didn’t want to be shown out by a 6-year old!  :)  Thanks to Rick and all the pull-ups and push-ups at the gym, I wasn’t!  I made it about 15 feet up, then figured I better head back down as I wasn’t 100% convinced that the vine would hold me up very much longer.  After “monkeying around” for about 30 minutes, we headed back home to get ready for worship.

We all had worship in a circle, as usually on Friday and Saturday evening.  We sang about 10 hymns I guess.  These kids love to sing.  Again, Jorge was on one side of me and Charlie on the other.  Right after worship was over, I had another “manna moment.”  At the end of worship on Friday and Saturdays, everyone walks around the circle and wishes everyone a happy Sabbath or happy week (depending on if it’s Friday or Saturday) and shakes their hand.  Well, when Jorge got to me, he shook my hand and then threw his arms around me and gave me a hug.  It may not seem like much to others, but it meant a lot to me...especially knowing what I do about Jorge.  So I was very blessed today!

After Sabbath, we went to eat supper.  Warren and I talked about the school, plans for classes, the incoming student missionaries, dorm arrangements, etc.  I’ve got to come up with the sleeping arrangements for the male volunteers and the four boys that will be under our care.  I’ll work on that this week.  I did find out that Jorge will be living with me though.  Warren wants him to have a more stable and consistent environment.  So I’m very excited about that.  :)

After supper, I had a million and one things to do.  I’m leaving here at 6:15 in the morning to head to Santa Cruz, so I had to pack for the trip, finish planning my classes for the week, give lesson plans, etc. to Velissa and go over everything with her.  I also got called over to Melissa’s house to help them with a couple of things, so I didn’t finish until very late.  It’s after 11:00 and, for those of you that know me well, you know it’s way past my bedtime...especially when I have to get up early the next day!  So good night all...until tomorrow! 

God bless you!  Maranatha!

July 21, 2013

It’s 8:54pm and I’m on the bus to Santa Cruz.  I’ve spent all day traveling.  I left Familia Feliz around 6:30 this morning and traveled from Rurre to Trinidad by car.  We left Rurre at 7:30 and got to Trinidad just before 4:00.  It was a long trip!  Then I had to get to the bus station to get my ticket to Santa Cruz.  When I got there, I felt like a piece of fresh meat in the middle of a pack of vultures!  No sooner had I gotten out of the taxi than I was surrounded by men trying to get me to pick their bus company to travel with.  I mean, there were 4-5 men all talking to me at the same time, trying to out-do the others.  I couldn’t help but laugh.  :)  I finally picked one, got my ticket, then took a moto-taxi to a nearby hotel that had a restaurant where I could get some vegan food.  They had free wifi, so I was able to check my emails and make some phone calls.  I got some very sad news though...my sister-in-law’s grandfather passed away last night.  He had cancer.  While I’m glad he isn’t suffering anymore, my heart is heavy for the family.  I wish I could be there for them.  Please keep Jenney and her family in your prayers as they go through this difficult time.  This is yet another reminder of how fragile life is, as well as of our hope in Christ.  I eagerly await the day when there will be no more death, pain, sorrow or tears.  Even so, come Lord Jesus!  

We’re scheduled to get to Santa Cruz around 6:30 am.  I’m going to try to get some sleep now.  It’s been a long day.

God bless!

Maranatha!