It's July 26, and we are safely home in Regina. Praise the Lord for a safe return, and, in fact, for the whole trip. God has been very good to us, and it was a privilege to be a part of this mission trip. Please keep Karen and Ruth in your prayers; Karen's cold is still hanging on, and Ruth has picked one up.
This will be the last diary item for this blog! You will have to catch one of us in person to get more details. We had an early start with a wake-up call at 4:00 a.m., and were on the plane to Lima (via La Paz) by 7:00. Both flights were good, and we landed in Lima about 9:30. Then began the long wait. We split into two groups: seven of us left the airport, and three stayed at the airport.
The first group took a taxi into Lima, and did some sight-seeing. Ray's Spanish came to the rescue, and he even arranged for the cab driver to make a return trip at 8:00 for a ride back to the airport. Congratulations, Ray. Well done. A lot of us were looking for coffee, and indeed our luggage smells like coffee right now. Wayne wanted authentic Peruvian coffee, and did some serious hunting for it. We have teased him for his sense of direction, and he managed to prove that it is intact by returning safely to the group! The Group of Seven (appropriate - Wayne returned with some art) returned to the airport to wait with the other three for the long flight to Toronto.
Our flight to Toronto was uneventful; it was our connection in TO that caused some concern. We had about an hour between touchdown and take-off, and it wasn't enough time. Our luggage from Lima was late getting off the plane, we had to go through Customs, and some of us almost missed the flight. However, God kept us together and we all made it safely on for an uneventful flight to Regina.
Was it ever nice to see members of our church in the airport! It was nice to see Regina, and it was nice to be speaking English and enjoying all the amenities of home, but it was so nice to see some familiar faces after two weeks. Thanks to all those who showed up at the airport. There was lots of hugging, even though the ten of us are a little grimy and certainly a little aromatic.
So...our trip is over. What next? Well, for the ten of us, it's probably a shower and some sleep. Then, we have some thinking to do as we process what we learned and present it to the church. We will need to think about how this will affect our church, and how it will affect us as individuals. May God make us eager to know what changes He wants in our lives, to be faithful to follow His leading, and to be faithful in our support and prayer for our new Bolivian Christian friends.
With heartfelt thanks,
The Diez-peradoes
Posted by Nadine
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Hello from Lima!
Greetings from Lima, Peru! We are here again for almost a full day, and again our flight leaves after midnight. We are very comfortable in this airport since we´ve spent a lot of time here.
Our last update was before our bus trip from Yacuiba to Santa Cruz. We had our last meal in Yacuiba early since the bus departed at 8:00 p.m. It is earlier than most people have their evening meal; we found it very difficult to find a restaurant open for supper at the unusual hour of 5:30, and had a choice of two items at that hour. When we arrived at the bus station, we were surprised and touched to find many of the members of the church at the station. It was a cool evening for us, and many of them wore ponchos and two or three jackets. Lots wore toques and hats, and I think I saw a pair of mitts. It´s amazing that we have such different perceptions of the weather...our hearts, however, are on the same page. It was hard to say good-bye, and we will remember their love and welcome always.
Our bus was a luxury liner, especially compared to the trip we made from Tarija and even compared to Canadian standards. I have never ridden on a bus with leg rests and reclining seats. It was a double-decker bus with reserved seating, and Ivan got us the upper level seats in the front. We were able to see the road in front of us, and sit in cushioned comfort. Perhaps it would not have seemed so wonderful if we had not had the trip from Tarija to which to compare it, but it seemed a luxury to me.
Our driver, whom we never saw, gave us some hairy moments. He seemed to have no fear. Do you know how it feels to be sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle and feel the need for a brake on the passenger side of the vehicle when the driver doesn´t stop soon enough for your comfort? I think there are holes in the front of the upper level of that bus. The driver pulled out into the oncoming lane several times and there were vehicles or people whom he narrowly missed. Wayne was a little worried in the beginning; he kept waving people off the road. Perhaps it was just a reflex reaction, but he was urging them through a closed window to get out of the way. Perhaps if he had tried gesturing in Spanish?? No one was injured, and Wayne eventually settled down (closing the blind helped) and, along with most of us, slept.
The ride took about eight hours, and we arrived in Santa Cruz in the middle of the night. Ivan and Emigdio hustled us into cabs to drive to the hotel. That was another hair-raising ride, and I came to think it was just my fatigue that was making me worry. The drivers don´t seem to be concerned. In fact, no one except us Canadians seemed to be concerned at all. We ran red lights - after slowing to make sure there was no one to hit - and our three cabs raced to get to the hotel in record time. We checked in and finished the night´s sleep with no other interruptions.
It was a relaxing and enervating day in Santa Cruz. We had the morning to recover and meet as a team while Ivan took care of some errands and Emigdio met with his daughter who lives in Santa Cruz. We met for lunch and then began some serious shopping. Ray even donated some of his clothes to the church in Yacuiba in order to have more room for souvenirs. Perhaps it was Henry who first said that we considered it a part of our ministry to help the economy in Bolivia. And we did. We were also able to step inside a 400-year-old Catholic church for a few minutes to be amazed. The exterior was made entirely of brick, and it was easy to see that it was 400 years old. The interior was beautiful, and though we did not go beyond the back of the church out of respect, we could see the intricate scrollwork on the ceiling, the carpentry and detailing that encompassed the whole church. Though I am not Catholic, it was amazing to sit in the back of that church and imagine the thousands of people who have sought God in that building.
We had our last supper together with Ivan and Emigdio last night. We have mentioned them off and on in the blog and in our e-mails, and perhaps now would be a good time to say that we owe them a debt of enormous gratitude. Ivan planned and organized our trip with attention to all details (and he will be tracking our flights as we go home to make sure all goes well...even though he is under the weather and has another team arriving Friday), and he has been sensitive to making sure that we are able to experience our STEP missionary trip with enjoyment and, most importantly, learning. I believe that it is thanks to his heart for Bolivia that we can now see as much of the Baptist church of Bolivia as we do. Emigdio has a wealth of experience in Bolivia, missions, the history of the churches we visited, the Bolivian Baptist Union, etc., etc., etc. We were fortunate to have them as our guides and translators, and now our brothers and friends. Thank you!
After supper, we met with Ivan and Emigdio to have their recommendations on how the church might direct the funds which are our responsibility to designate. They gave us their thoughts, and we will be reporting them to the church when we get back, but it was also our chance to say good-bye. We had a few hours of sleep before we headed off to the airport this morning for an early flight to Lima. We have a 16-hour layover here, and most of the group chose to grab a taxi and do some more exploring of the city. Henry, Karen and I have chosen to stay at the airport until the rest come back, and we will be leaving tomorrow morning at 1:25 a.m. It is a long flight to Toronto, and we have a short stop there, and then it´s on home.
Our trip is almost over, and it seems both like it just started, and it seems so long ago. We have experienced a lot, and learned so much that it´s hard to remember it all. We are so grateful to you for being there with us, in prayer and in thought, for keeping us motivated with e-mails and thoughtful messages. Thank you! It has been wonderful to be part of this team...this missionary team, only 10 of which are now in Lima. God bless you (Dios te bendiga).
We will update you when we arrive home, and we will update you once more at least when we have dates for any trip-related events so that you can hear all the details. Like saying good-bye to Ivan and Emigdio, it feels like a let-down. We´ve loved having a chance to experience this with you.
For all of us Diez-peradoes, Dazed and a little Depleted,
In His Name,
Nadine
Our last update was before our bus trip from Yacuiba to Santa Cruz. We had our last meal in Yacuiba early since the bus departed at 8:00 p.m. It is earlier than most people have their evening meal; we found it very difficult to find a restaurant open for supper at the unusual hour of 5:30, and had a choice of two items at that hour. When we arrived at the bus station, we were surprised and touched to find many of the members of the church at the station. It was a cool evening for us, and many of them wore ponchos and two or three jackets. Lots wore toques and hats, and I think I saw a pair of mitts. It´s amazing that we have such different perceptions of the weather...our hearts, however, are on the same page. It was hard to say good-bye, and we will remember their love and welcome always.
Our bus was a luxury liner, especially compared to the trip we made from Tarija and even compared to Canadian standards. I have never ridden on a bus with leg rests and reclining seats. It was a double-decker bus with reserved seating, and Ivan got us the upper level seats in the front. We were able to see the road in front of us, and sit in cushioned comfort. Perhaps it would not have seemed so wonderful if we had not had the trip from Tarija to which to compare it, but it seemed a luxury to me.
Our driver, whom we never saw, gave us some hairy moments. He seemed to have no fear. Do you know how it feels to be sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle and feel the need for a brake on the passenger side of the vehicle when the driver doesn´t stop soon enough for your comfort? I think there are holes in the front of the upper level of that bus. The driver pulled out into the oncoming lane several times and there were vehicles or people whom he narrowly missed. Wayne was a little worried in the beginning; he kept waving people off the road. Perhaps it was just a reflex reaction, but he was urging them through a closed window to get out of the way. Perhaps if he had tried gesturing in Spanish?? No one was injured, and Wayne eventually settled down (closing the blind helped) and, along with most of us, slept.
The ride took about eight hours, and we arrived in Santa Cruz in the middle of the night. Ivan and Emigdio hustled us into cabs to drive to the hotel. That was another hair-raising ride, and I came to think it was just my fatigue that was making me worry. The drivers don´t seem to be concerned. In fact, no one except us Canadians seemed to be concerned at all. We ran red lights - after slowing to make sure there was no one to hit - and our three cabs raced to get to the hotel in record time. We checked in and finished the night´s sleep with no other interruptions.
It was a relaxing and enervating day in Santa Cruz. We had the morning to recover and meet as a team while Ivan took care of some errands and Emigdio met with his daughter who lives in Santa Cruz. We met for lunch and then began some serious shopping. Ray even donated some of his clothes to the church in Yacuiba in order to have more room for souvenirs. Perhaps it was Henry who first said that we considered it a part of our ministry to help the economy in Bolivia. And we did. We were also able to step inside a 400-year-old Catholic church for a few minutes to be amazed. The exterior was made entirely of brick, and it was easy to see that it was 400 years old. The interior was beautiful, and though we did not go beyond the back of the church out of respect, we could see the intricate scrollwork on the ceiling, the carpentry and detailing that encompassed the whole church. Though I am not Catholic, it was amazing to sit in the back of that church and imagine the thousands of people who have sought God in that building.
We had our last supper together with Ivan and Emigdio last night. We have mentioned them off and on in the blog and in our e-mails, and perhaps now would be a good time to say that we owe them a debt of enormous gratitude. Ivan planned and organized our trip with attention to all details (and he will be tracking our flights as we go home to make sure all goes well...even though he is under the weather and has another team arriving Friday), and he has been sensitive to making sure that we are able to experience our STEP missionary trip with enjoyment and, most importantly, learning. I believe that it is thanks to his heart for Bolivia that we can now see as much of the Baptist church of Bolivia as we do. Emigdio has a wealth of experience in Bolivia, missions, the history of the churches we visited, the Bolivian Baptist Union, etc., etc., etc. We were fortunate to have them as our guides and translators, and now our brothers and friends. Thank you!
After supper, we met with Ivan and Emigdio to have their recommendations on how the church might direct the funds which are our responsibility to designate. They gave us their thoughts, and we will be reporting them to the church when we get back, but it was also our chance to say good-bye. We had a few hours of sleep before we headed off to the airport this morning for an early flight to Lima. We have a 16-hour layover here, and most of the group chose to grab a taxi and do some more exploring of the city. Henry, Karen and I have chosen to stay at the airport until the rest come back, and we will be leaving tomorrow morning at 1:25 a.m. It is a long flight to Toronto, and we have a short stop there, and then it´s on home.
Our trip is almost over, and it seems both like it just started, and it seems so long ago. We have experienced a lot, and learned so much that it´s hard to remember it all. We are so grateful to you for being there with us, in prayer and in thought, for keeping us motivated with e-mails and thoughtful messages. Thank you! It has been wonderful to be part of this team...this missionary team, only 10 of which are now in Lima. God bless you (Dios te bendiga).
We will update you when we arrive home, and we will update you once more at least when we have dates for any trip-related events so that you can hear all the details. Like saying good-bye to Ivan and Emigdio, it feels like a let-down. We´ve loved having a chance to experience this with you.
For all of us Diez-peradoes, Dazed and a little Depleted,
In His Name,
Nadine
Monday, July 23, 2007
Sunday & Monday news!
Hello again from Bolivia!
Sunday was a full day for us in several ways. Firstly we did not have much down time and secondly because we spent quite lot of time with the people from the Yacuiba First Baptist Church - the same church where we were doing construction/brick work on Friday& Saturday.
We participated in the Sunday School, went out for lunch with the pastors from this area who, by the way, double as the members of the Gran Chaco Baptist Association. We presented out 3rd set of certificate-flags to them and heard some about the churches in this city& surrounding area. There are 4 churches in the city and about 8 congregations in the area around the city. [congregations are small groups of believers who have been duly constituted as a group but have not reached the status of becoming a church]
In the evening Paul went to speak at one of the other churches and was supported by Dwight & Ray with Emigdio being the interpreter. They had a very enjoyable time and from all reports, Paul did a very fine job!
The rest of us participated in the !st Baptist Church´s evening service with me (Henry) preaching a sermon I had preached in Cochabamba the week before. Again a very warm response - the Christians in the churches here have all been very warm in their greetings, shaking hands with everyone, on each occasion.
I suppose though that the farewell lunch today (Monday) at noon, at the !st Baptist church, was the most moving time that we have had this week. There were tears and hugs and then more tears and more hugs and hand shakes as the lined up to say good bye to us. They have made an impact on us and obviously - and by God´s grace - we have made an impact on them. We give thanks to God for His goodness and for the gift of love & friendship we received in our days here.
We also look forward to telling Westhill about our experiences and about what it seems to us that God has been teaching us. We are aware of all your prayers for us and so much appreciate them. Thank you.
Pastor Henry Friesen
Sunday was a full day for us in several ways. Firstly we did not have much down time and secondly because we spent quite lot of time with the people from the Yacuiba First Baptist Church - the same church where we were doing construction/brick work on Friday& Saturday.
We participated in the Sunday School, went out for lunch with the pastors from this area who, by the way, double as the members of the Gran Chaco Baptist Association. We presented out 3rd set of certificate-flags to them and heard some about the churches in this city& surrounding area. There are 4 churches in the city and about 8 congregations in the area around the city. [congregations are small groups of believers who have been duly constituted as a group but have not reached the status of becoming a church]
In the evening Paul went to speak at one of the other churches and was supported by Dwight & Ray with Emigdio being the interpreter. They had a very enjoyable time and from all reports, Paul did a very fine job!
The rest of us participated in the !st Baptist Church´s evening service with me (Henry) preaching a sermon I had preached in Cochabamba the week before. Again a very warm response - the Christians in the churches here have all been very warm in their greetings, shaking hands with everyone, on each occasion.
I suppose though that the farewell lunch today (Monday) at noon, at the !st Baptist church, was the most moving time that we have had this week. There were tears and hugs and then more tears and more hugs and hand shakes as the lined up to say good bye to us. They have made an impact on us and obviously - and by God´s grace - we have made an impact on them. We give thanks to God for His goodness and for the gift of love & friendship we received in our days here.
We also look forward to telling Westhill about our experiences and about what it seems to us that God has been teaching us. We are aware of all your prayers for us and so much appreciate them. Thank you.
Pastor Henry Friesen
Final Days in Yacuiba
We´ve had two wonderful days with the Christians here in Yacuiba. Sunday was a full day with Sunday School starting at 9 a.m. First we had a praise time together and then everybody divided up into groups. Henry was surprised to find out that he had to teach the adult class, but he did an excellent job with a lesson about Jairus and his daughter. Bev and Ruth taught beginner English to a group of teenagers, and Karen, Nadine, and Marylaine spent time with the kids - painting hands, making bracelets, and playing games.
Ivan arranged for us to have lunch with three of the four Yacuiba pastors who are also the president, secretary, and treasurer of the Yacuiba Baptist Association. It was a time of getting to know each other and finding out about their churches.
At 4 p.m., it was back to church for a time of sharing - women with women and men with men. Wayne led the men in a discussion about how to be good fathers and what the Bible teaches us about this topic. The women also shared their concerns about their children which turned out to be the same, whether Bolivian or Canadian. After the sharing time, we all got together for coffee and cake and a time of laughter.
The main church service here in Yacuiba is in the evening. Our group was split into two, so we could cover two churches. Paul preached at one while Henry preached at the other. Both services lots of special numbers including groups of Quechuan singers. They sang in their native tongue which we couldn´t understand but was very beautiful.
Today (Monday) we did a quick trip into Argentina to see the differences between the two countries. Ivan gave us a very insightful talk about the economics and political situation in both countries and how they tie together.
Lunch was our final time together with the church where we spent most of our time. What a time it was! We had a fantastic potluck lunch, exchanged many gifts, took pictures, exchanged e-mail addresses, and shed many tears. The Canadian flag was immediately put on a pole and mounted at the front of the church. It was amazing how many relationships have been forged between the team and the Bolivians. Even though it was only four days, we made many friends.
This afternoon we found time to visit a brick factory which is a project of one of the churches. This project was started by the pastor who recognized a need for bricks and a shortage of jobs for members of his congregation. He put the two together and came up with the idea of a brick factory. Their first contract was for 48,000 bricks, and their current contract is for 60,000. It was quite a project to see.
We have to check out of our hotel by 5:30 p.m. and at 8 p.m., we will take the overnight bus to Santa Cruz. We´ll update the blog as opportunity arises on our way home.
Nadine would like to thank the people who have been praying for her health. She is feeling much better today.
Thank you for all your prayers.
Dwight and Ruth Quiring
Ivan arranged for us to have lunch with three of the four Yacuiba pastors who are also the president, secretary, and treasurer of the Yacuiba Baptist Association. It was a time of getting to know each other and finding out about their churches.
At 4 p.m., it was back to church for a time of sharing - women with women and men with men. Wayne led the men in a discussion about how to be good fathers and what the Bible teaches us about this topic. The women also shared their concerns about their children which turned out to be the same, whether Bolivian or Canadian. After the sharing time, we all got together for coffee and cake and a time of laughter.
The main church service here in Yacuiba is in the evening. Our group was split into two, so we could cover two churches. Paul preached at one while Henry preached at the other. Both services lots of special numbers including groups of Quechuan singers. They sang in their native tongue which we couldn´t understand but was very beautiful.
Today (Monday) we did a quick trip into Argentina to see the differences between the two countries. Ivan gave us a very insightful talk about the economics and political situation in both countries and how they tie together.
Lunch was our final time together with the church where we spent most of our time. What a time it was! We had a fantastic potluck lunch, exchanged many gifts, took pictures, exchanged e-mail addresses, and shed many tears. The Canadian flag was immediately put on a pole and mounted at the front of the church. It was amazing how many relationships have been forged between the team and the Bolivians. Even though it was only four days, we made many friends.
This afternoon we found time to visit a brick factory which is a project of one of the churches. This project was started by the pastor who recognized a need for bricks and a shortage of jobs for members of his congregation. He put the two together and came up with the idea of a brick factory. Their first contract was for 48,000 bricks, and their current contract is for 60,000. It was quite a project to see.
We have to check out of our hotel by 5:30 p.m. and at 8 p.m., we will take the overnight bus to Santa Cruz. We´ll update the blog as opportunity arises on our way home.
Nadine would like to thank the people who have been praying for her health. She is feeling much better today.
Thank you for all your prayers.
Dwight and Ruth Quiring
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Yacuiba
Team in front of Yacuiba Church, we spent the day working here and tonight we are attending meeting with the young people.Day 2 in Yacuiba - July 21
For those who are curious about the ¨long bus ride¨ from Tarija to Yacuiba, it was an experience that we are glad is behind us...no pun intended. The bus was very good, and the driver was more than we could have expected, and the drive itself was beautiful. However, too much of even a good thing is not wise, and this was true on Thursday.
The terrain was mountainous, and the road wound around hairpin curves and blind corners up and down the mountains. This was not the ¨Road of Death¨, also in Bolivia, but could be considered the ¨Road of Injury¨. It is a single-lane, non-paved road, composed of dirt and the rocks that abound in this area. At intervals, the road is lined with rock fences, presumably because rocks are in such abundance. The vegetation looks as if it would be lush and green if this were the rainy season; there are large, leafy trees, and lots of bushes clinging to the hills in places you would never expect. While the road is very dusty, and we needed long showers when we arrived, the trees were not so covered in dust that one could not see the beauty that must be here when the leaves are fresh.
Sitting for so long, without reprieve, was difficult. A short break about the supper hour was a little heartening, and some of us were able to catch light naps along the way. For most of the drive, until lights were necessary, Leo (our driver) used the favourite Bolivian auto accessory, the horn, to warn potential oncoming traffic of our presence. I can´t emphasize how many times that happened. It was a comfort to be in the hands of such a capable driver, and be thankful that it was not one of us who had to drive. Praise the Lord for Leo. And he was very good-natured too.
We arrived in Yacuiba late Thursday night, stopped in at the church and then checked into the hotel before most of us ate a quick supper. We were very tired, and it was great to have a day of work on Friday at the church after a day of sitting. The church is Primero Iglesia Bautista Centro (First Central Baptist Church), and has an ambitious expansion project in progress. Perhaps that is the way of things in Bolivia; all the churches we have visited have been in expansion. Or perhaps they continue to step out in faith. The main level seems to have been finished some time ago, and the balcony is where the work is continuing right now. There are three or four projects for us to offer our help, and it is a stretching experience to ensure that we have the right translation from Spanish. The work is beautiful, and it is a joy to be in a building with such a scenic view of the city and the mountains. There is a fresh breeze in the upper rooms - probably something to do with the lack of walls - and perhaps because most of the building is made of bricks, cement and mortar, it is very cool. Friday, Dwight started working with the men who plastered the ceiling in one of the rooms - a Sunday School room? Bev hauled a lot of water for the project, and generally pitched in wherever needed. Ruth and Henry emptied a couple of rooms of cement blocks and rubble, and they were aided at times by Ray, Wayne, Paul, Karen and Nadine. Some of us helped with transporting morter and bricks. Various members of our group were able to help with building a brick wall. Most of all, we spent time getting acquainted with our Bolivian friends.
It is a testament to the commitment of the members of the church here that most of the labour we are seeing is volunteer. The men have taken the day off work, without pay, to work at the church with us. They never rush us, they let us try many things - when they could do it much more quickly or efficiently - but it is evident that their goal is to begin a friendship with us. It is the most important thing we have to do together. If we get some good work done on the building, so much the better. After working together for several hours yesterday (Friday), we showered, ate and returned to the church. Our Bolivian hosts had been able to accomplish much without us there, but never did anyone make us feel as if we were not helping. It is hard to explain; I initially thought that we would be working hard here to complete a construction project, and now I understand that the Bolivians can always build a wall by themselves, but this is a rare opportunity to become acquainted with their Canadian brothers and sisters. I have learned a lot by watching them struggle with English, and struggle to explain in Spanish until we understand - all without the use of a competent translator just two floors below. It doesn´t matter what the topic of conversation is; we are building more than a wall here.
Last night, Henry taught at the evening service. This week, there seems to be a crusade, with meetings each night. We were introduced at the end of the one on Thursday night. Based on the pastor´s comments, it was an appropriate sermon, and we pray that it is a blessing to the church, as it was to us.
Today was much the same as yesterday, with the exception that Karen and I returned to the hotel this afternoon. I wanted to post a message for you, but we are also still somewhat unwell. Please keep us, and Ray, in your prayers. Praise God that Marylaine seems to have improved considerably, and pray that she continues to stay well. Ray has improved somewhat, but is not entirely himself. Wayne, Paul, Bev, Henry, Ruth and Dwight don´t seem to have been struck by the same maladies, and we request your prayer that they continue to stay healthy. While we are playing hookey, we might work on that souvenir race...you never know.
Tonight, we will be meeting with the youth of the church, some of whom we have already met. Tomorrow, we will have a relaxed morning since the primary church service is in the evening. If I understand correctly, we will be working with the Sunday School at about noon, followed by a meeting with the leaders of the churches in the region. We will have another meeting at 4:00 for an hour, with our men meeting with the Bolivian men, and our women meeting with the Bolivian women. We will split up for the evening service, with Henry preaching at the First Baptist service and Paul preaching at another church - don´t ask me how to spell that one.
Tentative plans for Monday are to spend the morning in Argentina, attempting to see if Bolivia is really a better place to shop. In the evening, we will say farewell to our new friends in Yacuiba and take a bus ride to Santa Cruz. It will be hard to say good-bye, even after such a short visit, but we have been welcomed so warmly that I can see there will be some tears -and not just from Karen. We will spend Tuesday in Santa Cruz, hopefully spending what little money we will have left, and then Wednesday, we will begin the long journey home.
It seems strange that our time here is almost over. On the one hand, we want to see our families again, and be home among all that is familiar (especially when some of us are not feeling well), but on the other hand, we want more time learning what is happening here in the Bolivia church. Well, we have a few more days, and we intend to make the most of them. Please keep us in prayer as we make sure that we use our time effectively and to God´s purpose.
That´s it for now!
In Him,
Nadine for the Dusty Diez-perados
The terrain was mountainous, and the road wound around hairpin curves and blind corners up and down the mountains. This was not the ¨Road of Death¨, also in Bolivia, but could be considered the ¨Road of Injury¨. It is a single-lane, non-paved road, composed of dirt and the rocks that abound in this area. At intervals, the road is lined with rock fences, presumably because rocks are in such abundance. The vegetation looks as if it would be lush and green if this were the rainy season; there are large, leafy trees, and lots of bushes clinging to the hills in places you would never expect. While the road is very dusty, and we needed long showers when we arrived, the trees were not so covered in dust that one could not see the beauty that must be here when the leaves are fresh.
Sitting for so long, without reprieve, was difficult. A short break about the supper hour was a little heartening, and some of us were able to catch light naps along the way. For most of the drive, until lights were necessary, Leo (our driver) used the favourite Bolivian auto accessory, the horn, to warn potential oncoming traffic of our presence. I can´t emphasize how many times that happened. It was a comfort to be in the hands of such a capable driver, and be thankful that it was not one of us who had to drive. Praise the Lord for Leo. And he was very good-natured too.
We arrived in Yacuiba late Thursday night, stopped in at the church and then checked into the hotel before most of us ate a quick supper. We were very tired, and it was great to have a day of work on Friday at the church after a day of sitting. The church is Primero Iglesia Bautista Centro (First Central Baptist Church), and has an ambitious expansion project in progress. Perhaps that is the way of things in Bolivia; all the churches we have visited have been in expansion. Or perhaps they continue to step out in faith. The main level seems to have been finished some time ago, and the balcony is where the work is continuing right now. There are three or four projects for us to offer our help, and it is a stretching experience to ensure that we have the right translation from Spanish. The work is beautiful, and it is a joy to be in a building with such a scenic view of the city and the mountains. There is a fresh breeze in the upper rooms - probably something to do with the lack of walls - and perhaps because most of the building is made of bricks, cement and mortar, it is very cool. Friday, Dwight started working with the men who plastered the ceiling in one of the rooms - a Sunday School room? Bev hauled a lot of water for the project, and generally pitched in wherever needed. Ruth and Henry emptied a couple of rooms of cement blocks and rubble, and they were aided at times by Ray, Wayne, Paul, Karen and Nadine. Some of us helped with transporting morter and bricks. Various members of our group were able to help with building a brick wall. Most of all, we spent time getting acquainted with our Bolivian friends.
It is a testament to the commitment of the members of the church here that most of the labour we are seeing is volunteer. The men have taken the day off work, without pay, to work at the church with us. They never rush us, they let us try many things - when they could do it much more quickly or efficiently - but it is evident that their goal is to begin a friendship with us. It is the most important thing we have to do together. If we get some good work done on the building, so much the better. After working together for several hours yesterday (Friday), we showered, ate and returned to the church. Our Bolivian hosts had been able to accomplish much without us there, but never did anyone make us feel as if we were not helping. It is hard to explain; I initially thought that we would be working hard here to complete a construction project, and now I understand that the Bolivians can always build a wall by themselves, but this is a rare opportunity to become acquainted with their Canadian brothers and sisters. I have learned a lot by watching them struggle with English, and struggle to explain in Spanish until we understand - all without the use of a competent translator just two floors below. It doesn´t matter what the topic of conversation is; we are building more than a wall here.
Last night, Henry taught at the evening service. This week, there seems to be a crusade, with meetings each night. We were introduced at the end of the one on Thursday night. Based on the pastor´s comments, it was an appropriate sermon, and we pray that it is a blessing to the church, as it was to us.
Today was much the same as yesterday, with the exception that Karen and I returned to the hotel this afternoon. I wanted to post a message for you, but we are also still somewhat unwell. Please keep us, and Ray, in your prayers. Praise God that Marylaine seems to have improved considerably, and pray that she continues to stay well. Ray has improved somewhat, but is not entirely himself. Wayne, Paul, Bev, Henry, Ruth and Dwight don´t seem to have been struck by the same maladies, and we request your prayer that they continue to stay healthy. While we are playing hookey, we might work on that souvenir race...you never know.
Tonight, we will be meeting with the youth of the church, some of whom we have already met. Tomorrow, we will have a relaxed morning since the primary church service is in the evening. If I understand correctly, we will be working with the Sunday School at about noon, followed by a meeting with the leaders of the churches in the region. We will have another meeting at 4:00 for an hour, with our men meeting with the Bolivian men, and our women meeting with the Bolivian women. We will split up for the evening service, with Henry preaching at the First Baptist service and Paul preaching at another church - don´t ask me how to spell that one.
Tentative plans for Monday are to spend the morning in Argentina, attempting to see if Bolivia is really a better place to shop. In the evening, we will say farewell to our new friends in Yacuiba and take a bus ride to Santa Cruz. It will be hard to say good-bye, even after such a short visit, but we have been welcomed so warmly that I can see there will be some tears -and not just from Karen. We will spend Tuesday in Santa Cruz, hopefully spending what little money we will have left, and then Wednesday, we will begin the long journey home.
It seems strange that our time here is almost over. On the one hand, we want to see our families again, and be home among all that is familiar (especially when some of us are not feeling well), but on the other hand, we want more time learning what is happening here in the Bolivia church. Well, we have a few more days, and we intend to make the most of them. Please keep us in prayer as we make sure that we use our time effectively and to God´s purpose.
That´s it for now!
In Him,
Nadine for the Dusty Diez-perados
Friday, July 20, 2007
Arrived in Yacuiba Safely
Hello all,
We did arrive in Yacuiba without mishap - a 3 hour delay due to road construction but no accidents or injuries. It was however a very long trip-very bumpy and very dusty too. But we made it and look forward to a few good days here. We will finally be able to do some hands one work-construction work on the church here. I think it will feel good to work alongside the people from the church here. We are grateful for all your prayers and do ask you to continue to pray for us. We very much want these last days to be ones where we sense God giving us strength and grace.
Henry
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
VBS in Bolivia
Hola from Karen!
This afternoon, we had the priviledge of going to the New Jerusalem church in Tarija to help with their VBS program. It was a wonderful afternoon. We found it interesting to see how VBS was run here...they had a much more laid back approach then we tend to at Westhill. Like ours at home we started with singing choruses. I really enjoyed listening to the children singing, there were even a few songs that we were able to recognize. After the singing, the children were separated into age groups and sent to their classes, a few team members went into each class. In my group we were able to listen to the teacher tell a Bible story and then when they started to color, we joined in. We also made the wordless bracelets with our group. When the classes were over, a snack was given out and then the whole group played games. We were able to join in, and had alot of fun with the children. For those of you who were at our first Bolivian night at Westhill, the games were very similar to the ones played with the Mamani´s.
Two things stood out for me this afternoon...the first is that we are one in the family of God. Even though we speak a different language and are in a different country, we serve the same God. As a team we were welcomed as family. The second is that the leaders of the VBS were all young adults. They seemed excited to have the opportunity to share their faith with the children.
One highlight of the afternoon was an impromtu ¨jam session¨. One of the leaders of the VBS (Vladimir) and Henry played guitars and we sang choruses together...our team would sing in english and then they would sing in spanish. When Henry didn´t know a song then Ivan (our leader) took over. There was a bond of unity as we sang that will be a special memory for me!!
Please pray for our health and safety... Nadine is now suffering the effects of a cold, passed on by me (sorry Nadine). Ray and Marylaine are feeling better, but Marylaine isn´t quite 100%. In the morning it is looking like we will actually be leaving for Yacuiba, so we will appreciate your prayers for safety in travel.
We appreciate each one of you, thanks for all your prayers...we are encouraged by them!
This afternoon, we had the priviledge of going to the New Jerusalem church in Tarija to help with their VBS program. It was a wonderful afternoon. We found it interesting to see how VBS was run here...they had a much more laid back approach then we tend to at Westhill. Like ours at home we started with singing choruses. I really enjoyed listening to the children singing, there were even a few songs that we were able to recognize. After the singing, the children were separated into age groups and sent to their classes, a few team members went into each class. In my group we were able to listen to the teacher tell a Bible story and then when they started to color, we joined in. We also made the wordless bracelets with our group. When the classes were over, a snack was given out and then the whole group played games. We were able to join in, and had alot of fun with the children. For those of you who were at our first Bolivian night at Westhill, the games were very similar to the ones played with the Mamani´s.
Two things stood out for me this afternoon...the first is that we are one in the family of God. Even though we speak a different language and are in a different country, we serve the same God. As a team we were welcomed as family. The second is that the leaders of the VBS were all young adults. They seemed excited to have the opportunity to share their faith with the children.
One highlight of the afternoon was an impromtu ¨jam session¨. One of the leaders of the VBS (Vladimir) and Henry played guitars and we sang choruses together...our team would sing in english and then they would sing in spanish. When Henry didn´t know a song then Ivan (our leader) took over. There was a bond of unity as we sang that will be a special memory for me!!
Please pray for our health and safety... Nadine is now suffering the effects of a cold, passed on by me (sorry Nadine). Ray and Marylaine are feeling better, but Marylaine isn´t quite 100%. In the morning it is looking like we will actually be leaving for Yacuiba, so we will appreciate your prayers for safety in travel.
We appreciate each one of you, thanks for all your prayers...we are encouraged by them!
July 18 Still in Tarija
Good Morning! This will be a quick update because I have a deadline. Today is a strike day in Tarija, and lots of businesses will be closed. The city was requested to close business, not to drive or take the buses, and this is to pressure the government. This internet cafe is open, and a restaurant we have been frequenting is also open, but we are planning to go early for lunch in case they bow to pressure to close. If they do, we will be munching on crackers from the market place!
Henry updated you on our events to Monday evening, and I will continue from there. We had a meeting with the leadership of the Tarija Association of Evangelical Baptist Churches, and heard what they are doing, and also asked some questions. They have a very vibrant and active group of six churches in the city of Tarija and two outside the city. We were able to visit some of the churches earlier in the day, but we were interested in what the leadership was doing. Among other things, there will be a crusade for a week at the beginning of October, and each member of the churches is challenged to bring 10 non-Christians to the event. In Canada, this might be an impossible goal, but after witnessing the passion of the Christians here, we believe it can and probably will be done. Pray for this event...you have been invited to attend!
The Tarija Association is also opening a seminary next month. There are 15 students already, and the teachers are to be drawn from the pastors in Tarija. It is amazing to us because they don´t yet have supplies (books, desks, computers) and have not settled on a location for the school to be held. What faith! They have heard the prompting of God, and they obey. They do not question that God will provide what they need; they do as He says, and they are blessed with His provision.
Yesterday (Tuesday), we were to drive to Yacuiba. There is a blockade that will prevent us getting into the city of Yacuiba, and it was growing yesterday. The blockade is a protest of the farmers in the area; they government has alotted them 5 hectares for each cow that they have, and they want more. We cannot cross the blockade. Ivan has been very careful of our safety and is working on an alternate route. It is not a matter of worry for us or for you, since the Bolivians are familiar with the process...Ivan joked a few days ago that if a particular missionary who does not have a passport does not receive it soon, we may have to have our own blockade. You can pray that we will be able to get to Yacuiba tomorrow, and that the trip would not be difficult.
We were blessed by a visit from two members of the Tarija Association yesterday, bringing gifts for the church. They brought a flag from the province of Tarija, and a certificate tooled in leather, similar to the one that we brought to them to state our commitment of support. You will want to see them when we get home.
We are still in Tarija today for a couple of reasons. One is the blockade, and another is that some of us are a little under the weather. Ray and I have had traveller´s tummy, his more serious than mine, and Karen is still nursing her cold (she´s obviously a good nurse), and Marylaine was very tired yesterday and slept most of the day. We are all feeling much better, and appreciate your prayers for our health. Thank you for your prayers to date; we have been blessed by God´s care.
Yesterday, the group was invited to tea with a retired missionary couple, Diane and Oswaldo. It was a treat to see their house, and they gave a tour of the house and of the marketplace close to their home. Again the food amazes us, and we have been enjoying the variety and different tastes and textures of the food of Bolivia. They were very generous to invite us today for lunch again, but we would like to attend a Vacation Bible School this afternoon, and there will not be time to walk to both places. We are eager to see the children, and get our hands busy with the Lord´s work again.
We will likely not update you tomorrow if all goes well and we are drivng to Yacuiba, but I will try to get a post up on Friday.
Our best to you from Bolivia,
Nadine
Henry updated you on our events to Monday evening, and I will continue from there. We had a meeting with the leadership of the Tarija Association of Evangelical Baptist Churches, and heard what they are doing, and also asked some questions. They have a very vibrant and active group of six churches in the city of Tarija and two outside the city. We were able to visit some of the churches earlier in the day, but we were interested in what the leadership was doing. Among other things, there will be a crusade for a week at the beginning of October, and each member of the churches is challenged to bring 10 non-Christians to the event. In Canada, this might be an impossible goal, but after witnessing the passion of the Christians here, we believe it can and probably will be done. Pray for this event...you have been invited to attend!
The Tarija Association is also opening a seminary next month. There are 15 students already, and the teachers are to be drawn from the pastors in Tarija. It is amazing to us because they don´t yet have supplies (books, desks, computers) and have not settled on a location for the school to be held. What faith! They have heard the prompting of God, and they obey. They do not question that God will provide what they need; they do as He says, and they are blessed with His provision.
Yesterday (Tuesday), we were to drive to Yacuiba. There is a blockade that will prevent us getting into the city of Yacuiba, and it was growing yesterday. The blockade is a protest of the farmers in the area; they government has alotted them 5 hectares for each cow that they have, and they want more. We cannot cross the blockade. Ivan has been very careful of our safety and is working on an alternate route. It is not a matter of worry for us or for you, since the Bolivians are familiar with the process...Ivan joked a few days ago that if a particular missionary who does not have a passport does not receive it soon, we may have to have our own blockade. You can pray that we will be able to get to Yacuiba tomorrow, and that the trip would not be difficult.
We were blessed by a visit from two members of the Tarija Association yesterday, bringing gifts for the church. They brought a flag from the province of Tarija, and a certificate tooled in leather, similar to the one that we brought to them to state our commitment of support. You will want to see them when we get home.
We are still in Tarija today for a couple of reasons. One is the blockade, and another is that some of us are a little under the weather. Ray and I have had traveller´s tummy, his more serious than mine, and Karen is still nursing her cold (she´s obviously a good nurse), and Marylaine was very tired yesterday and slept most of the day. We are all feeling much better, and appreciate your prayers for our health. Thank you for your prayers to date; we have been blessed by God´s care.
Yesterday, the group was invited to tea with a retired missionary couple, Diane and Oswaldo. It was a treat to see their house, and they gave a tour of the house and of the marketplace close to their home. Again the food amazes us, and we have been enjoying the variety and different tastes and textures of the food of Bolivia. They were very generous to invite us today for lunch again, but we would like to attend a Vacation Bible School this afternoon, and there will not be time to walk to both places. We are eager to see the children, and get our hands busy with the Lord´s work again.
We will likely not update you tomorrow if all goes well and we are drivng to Yacuiba, but I will try to get a post up on Friday.
Our best to you from Bolivia,
Nadine
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Monday, July 16 (posted on Tuesday)
Hello!
This is Henry this time, just in case you didn´t want to scroll down to the end to find out!!
We are continuing to do very well here despite the odd difficulty.
Yesterday was Sunday of course and for us it was a full day. We attended the English service at 9 AM and then watched a baptism at another service going on and then went to the Spanish service. The latter had the highest attendance - perhaps 150-175. It was a great experience, perhaps a little more ´chaotic´ (perhaps not the right word) but we had a great worship time (Ivan and one of his brothers took the lead) with familiar worship songs only in Spanish of course. I was preaching and Ivan interpreted - it went very well and I found it to be quite a moving experience. All of us were very glad for the experience of worshipping with a Spanish congregation. (Cochabamba First Baptist was the name of the church).
Following church we had a wonderful meal and time of warm friendship at the home of Ivan´s parents - a gracious couple and gracious hosts. And they have a lovely home - altogether a very enjoyable time. We had to leave before we wanted to but had a plane to catch for Tarija - not a long flight(1 hr) but enough to make a difference in our routine. Tarija was cooler than what we have had so far so the sweaters & jackets came out and the it was off to evening church where I preached once more and Paul was suppose to preach (at another church) but there was a mix up and he didn´t get to preach.
Again all of us enjoyed these services- the singing was enthusiastic and lively, the people were warm in their welcome and most gracious in speaking to us and greeting us.
After a late supper, we went to bed, this time in a hostel-hotel. Not 5 Star but adequate and most of us had warm showers too. I think we all slept quite well and had a plain continental breakfast with a white bun, jam & coffee or tea.
The rest of today has been travelling to see 4 churches, these are in addition to one which we saw last night. The First Baptist church of Tarija has started one other church and then a missionary by the name of Lazarus Jorgado has started 3 other churches. We had a moving experience at the site of the last one he has started as just yesterday they officially became a congregation with a Deacons´ Board & constitution. When we came there, the new officers of the church and their families came and greeted us. We responded to them, with tears in our eyes, realizing how their committment and desire to form churches is such an inspiration to us and an example of God´s grace in their lives. We were humbled as well to think of the fact that these are the ones we have been praying for, even when we have not seen their faces before.
Tonight we will meet with\n pastors, spouses and church leaders for a supper. We will present bibles and pass along greetings, again from Westhill & Western Canadian Baptists. Then tomorrow it will be our long day of driving - 290 km which they say will take us 10 hours. This will be an adventure we are sure. We are so grateful for your prayers and at times have felt bouyed up by them and by knowing that you are praying for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Health wise we have been doing quite well - Karen has been fighting a cold but mostly seems to be over it. Ray has an upset stomach today but seems to be coming through that as well.
God bless you all.
Henry
This is Henry this time, just in case you didn´t want to scroll down to the end to find out!!
We are continuing to do very well here despite the odd difficulty.
Yesterday was Sunday of course and for us it was a full day. We attended the English service at 9 AM and then watched a baptism at another service going on and then went to the Spanish service. The latter had the highest attendance - perhaps 150-175. It was a great experience, perhaps a little more ´chaotic´ (perhaps not the right word) but we had a great worship time (Ivan and one of his brothers took the lead) with familiar worship songs only in Spanish of course. I was preaching and Ivan interpreted - it went very well and I found it to be quite a moving experience. All of us were very glad for the experience of worshipping with a Spanish congregation. (Cochabamba First Baptist was the name of the church).
Following church we had a wonderful meal and time of warm friendship at the home of Ivan´s parents - a gracious couple and gracious hosts. And they have a lovely home - altogether a very enjoyable time. We had to leave before we wanted to but had a plane to catch for Tarija - not a long flight(1 hr) but enough to make a difference in our routine. Tarija was cooler than what we have had so far so the sweaters & jackets came out and the it was off to evening church where I preached once more and Paul was suppose to preach (at another church) but there was a mix up and he didn´t get to preach.
Again all of us enjoyed these services- the singing was enthusiastic and lively, the people were warm in their welcome and most gracious in speaking to us and greeting us.
After a late supper, we went to bed, this time in a hostel-hotel. Not 5 Star but adequate and most of us had warm showers too. I think we all slept quite well and had a plain continental breakfast with a white bun, jam & coffee or tea.
The rest of today has been travelling to see 4 churches, these are in addition to one which we saw last night. The First Baptist church of Tarija has started one other church and then a missionary by the name of Lazarus Jorgado has started 3 other churches. We had a moving experience at the site of the last one he has started as just yesterday they officially became a congregation with a Deacons´ Board & constitution. When we came there, the new officers of the church and their families came and greeted us. We responded to them, with tears in our eyes, realizing how their committment and desire to form churches is such an inspiration to us and an example of God´s grace in their lives. We were humbled as well to think of the fact that these are the ones we have been praying for, even when we have not seen their faces before.
Tonight we will meet with\n pastors, spouses and church leaders for a supper. We will present bibles and pass along greetings, again from Westhill & Western Canadian Baptists. Then tomorrow it will be our long day of driving - 290 km which they say will take us 10 hours. This will be an adventure we are sure. We are so grateful for your prayers and at times have felt bouyed up by them and by knowing that you are praying for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Health wise we have been doing quite well - Karen has been fighting a cold but mostly seems to be over it. Ray has an upset stomach today but seems to be coming through that as well.
God bless you all.
Henry
Saturday, July 14, 2007
July 14 - Cochabamba
What a day! We were tourists, we were shoppers, and we were servants who saw a glimpse of God´s heart. Our day began with a quick breakfast and a team meeting (led by Paul), after which Ivan and Daniel picked us up in the vans to drive to the tourist attraction - the statue of Christ (Cristo). It is the largest in the world, a few inches taller than the one in Sao Paulo, and was completed 13 years ago. To pay for the statue, funds were raised from the people here, and each of the hundreds of steps up the mountain was donated by a family. People will climb the steps and stop at each step to pray. It was a wonderful statue, and a wonderful attraction for us to see.
We stopped for a quick lunch of a traditional Bolivian dish, salteños, which is a meat pie. A pastry is filled with something like a meat stew, and can be sweet, hot or extra hot. Wayne was the only one of us who tried the extra hot; we all enjoyed our choices. We followed this by an hour in a Bolivian market. Aisle followed aisle of individual shops, each packed with crafts, leather items, pictures, wall hangings, ponchos, earrings...there was so much to see. Ivan wisely limited us to one aisle, and we were rushing it to leave within an hour. We were delighted to bargain with shopkeepers and to practice our Spanish.
After a short rest to e-mail home, or sleep, or read, or update journals, we were privileged to attend the baby-washing in one of the city squares. I am not sure that I can do justice to the experience on the blog. Mickey is a friend of Ivan´s, and he began this ministry some time ago in the square for the poor. A tent is set up, and volunteers sit or stand in the tent to wash the children. There is one plastic tub, about the size of a baby tub, used for the babies, and the older children are washed in larger, plastic, oval tubs. A large vat of warm water is placed in the tent for all the volunteers, and Johnson´s baby shampoo is used to wash both the hair and the bodies of the children. They are rinsed and towelled dry, dressed in new clothes if there have been any donated to fit them, and returned to their parents or grandparents.
That is the description. It´s so much more than that, though. Some of the children have never experienced a bath like this, and are scared of strangers bathing them. Some of the children have dirt ground into their skin...something to which we are unaccustomed. The parents are able to wash their hair outside the tent in large tubs, and some of the men even remove their shirts to wash their chests. It seems something of an assembly line, washing here, dressing there, and all the while, several voices were reassuring children, asking if they are ready for more water to rinse. And yet, it was like taking a peek into God´s heart. These are His children, these are His poor from Matthew 25, these are why we are here. These are the people we hoped to help. These are the children we want to show Jesus. It was heart-wrenching, bringing more than one of us to tears, and yet it is a joy to be able to be used by God. It was humbling to watch God work through our hands, gently washing and smiling, speaking what little Spanish we know to let them know that we wanted to help.
We also met some other missionaries who regularly volunteer. Both Sharon and Diana are missionaries with New Tribes Mission, and their husbands are pilots. Sharon has come from Venezuela, where she spent four years and left her heart. They were working in the jungle with three tribes (which all spoke different languages) and they had to leave last year because the country would not let them stay. Her husband flew a 6-year old child with burns to the majority of her body to the burn hospital in Cochabamba. Viviana does not have immediate family, but does have extended family, and Sharon has been visiting her a lot in the hospital for the last six weeks. Sharon´s husband was sitting on the steps of the park, holding a Bible study with four Bolivian men. It started with one man asking him some questions about the Bible, and they began a study. Another man joined them, and it was just the two of them for a long time. Now it´s growing.
It is amazing to see what God is doing here. It is difficult for us to imagine what it would be like to be a missionary here, to come and find all the needs, to seek out those who want to know God, to spend the time to become friends, to serve...all in the hope that one day a missionary will be able to speak the gospel to someone. This is where we see God´s hands and God´s purposes. He is the reason, He is the power, and He is the one to whom we turn when we are broken by seeing His children in need.
Tomorrow will be a very busy day, and we will likely not have a chance to post. We may have a chance late tomorrow night, but that´s not clear yet. We will be attending church tomorrow morning (9:00 English service, 10:00 Bible study, 11:00 Spanish service), followed by lunch hosted at the home of Ivan´s parents, and then a flight to Tarija. We will be attending evening services in Tarija, but we don´t know right now what time that will be. Please keep Henry and Paul in prayer; Henry will be speaking at the Spanish service (that will start at 9 Regina time), with Ivan translating, and Paul will be speaking at the evening service.
Thank you to our supporters for allowing us to be ones to be here. Thank you for answering God´s call to support us, in prayer and in finances. Thank you to God for this chance to be His hands, and to see what He wants us to see. We are blessed to experience this short-term ministry, and we pray that we are worthy of the call. Our biggest task is taking what we see and showing it to you. Somehow, I believe that God will prove faithful in working in that too.
The Diez-peradoes (diez is 10 in Spanish)
Photo's are UP!
Hi Everyone!
We have created an account on Flickr for the team to upload their photos. Flickr is an online location for sharing photos. To find the photos, you search for a key word. In an attempt to keep things simple I have tagged all the photos with the keyword "step2bolivia". Here's the link that will (hopefully) take you right to the search results http://www.flickr.com/photos/9098629@N07/tags/step2bolivia/. Otherwise just go to www.flickr.com and search for keyword step2bolivia.
Further down on that page is a button to subscribe to feeds. This function will send you an email when new "step2bolivia" photos are added, then you don't have to remember where to find them!
Are there any photoshop'ers out there? I'd like to see some funny doctored up editions of these photos. I think perhaps it should be a contest. hmmmm Best photoshop'd photo from the bolivia collection, and another prize for the funniest caption for a photo. Email your friends and get to work. I will hunt up some worthy judges and some prizes for the winners. Deadline? July 26th. Email me to let me know if you are interested, and send entries to ohropa@gmail.com.
Deanna
We have created an account on Flickr for the team to upload their photos. Flickr is an online location for sharing photos. To find the photos, you search for a key word. In an attempt to keep things simple I have tagged all the photos with the keyword "step2bolivia". Here's the link that will (hopefully) take you right to the search results http://www.flickr.com/photos/9098629@N07/tags/step2bolivia/. Otherwise just go to www.flickr.com and search for keyword step2bolivia.
Further down on that page is a button to subscribe to feeds. This function will send you an email when new "step2bolivia" photos are added, then you don't have to remember where to find them!
Are there any photoshop'ers out there? I'd like to see some funny doctored up editions of these photos. I think perhaps it should be a contest. hmmmm Best photoshop'd photo from the bolivia collection, and another prize for the funniest caption for a photo. Email your friends and get to work. I will hunt up some worthy judges and some prizes for the winners. Deadline? July 26th. Email me to let me know if you are interested, and send entries to ohropa@gmail.com.
Deanna
Somos Aqui! We Are Here!
July 14 - Cochabamba
We arrived in Cochabamba yesterday morning, complete with luggage - praise the Lord! We are now two hours ahead of Regina and we felt the loss of those two hours! The flight was long and we were tired when we arrived, and perhaps a little giddy. Ivan and Emigdio picked us up in the airport and we drove to the Baptist Mission where we are staying until tomorrow (Sunday). After a quick breakfast, we had a couple of hours of sleep before we began our busy day.
It is important to experience the food of a culture, and we did that in Lima and again here. We had a delicious lunch and then began our visits in Cochabamba. We made a short trip to a Compassion project, a mission dear to Karen's heart, but not on our STEP agenda. I'm not sure there are words to express our feelings as we met the children and were able to hear what they are doing. They welcomed us with open hearts, and with songs and recitations and smiles and hugs. Karen, with her bag of gifts, was most welcome, and we did indeed have to drag her away (I'm not sure the threat to leave without her was a good one). We returned to the Mission and were introduced to the General Secretary of the Bolivian Baptist Union, Yolande, and to a woman I think is the Vice-President of the Board of the BBU (whose name I didn't catch). Henry made a presentation of the first of the flags and certificates from Westhill Park Baptist Church. Karen presented a quilted wall hanging, also on behalf of the church, and both presentations seemed to be appreciated very much. We also stopped at the Casa de la Amistad, but it was closed. They are open limited hours right now because they have some holidays and also have work outside the office to complete. It was good to see the location, on the park across the block from the women's prison and around the corner from the men's prison. Last night we had another wonderful eating experience and then we returned "home" and slept.
The scenery is beautiful, and sights and sounds amazing to us. The city is located in a valley, with large hills surrounding the city. There are date palm trees - they look like the palm trees we see on television with thicker trunks - and lush foliage. It feels drier here, but there are plants that we could never grow because of our climate. We saw some grey parrots roosting on a building close to the Mission, similar to the way crows would in Canada. The hills are brown, as ours get in winter, because it is winter here. Yolande was wearing a turtleneck sweater with a jacket over it yesterday, and she explained that for her it is cold. For us, 29C is positively balmy. However, I would not like to see what would happen to us in summer here!
The people are very welcoming, very open and full of laughter. Colour is everywhere, and the roads in the old area of the city are cobblestone while the newer areas are paved. Driving is hazardous, requiring knowledge of another language - the language of horns. A gentle toot on the horn may mean "hey, I'm here; don't drive into me", and a long toot with effort seems to mean "what do you think you were doing?!" It is very good that Ivan and his brother, Daniel (also works with Compassion), are doing the driving. Traffic is fast-paced, exciting and there are lots of cars we do not see in Canada. It is apparently similar to lots of other South American countries, and reminds me of Mexico.
Family is very important here. The noon meal is the big meal of the day, and families gather for the long lunch/siesta. Work typically stops at noon and begins again at about 2:00 to continue to about 6:00 when it is finished for the day. There were lots of places still in business when were were out last night at about 8:30, as is the case in Canada.
Ivan and Emigdio have been good about keeping us informed, not enough to overload us and yet enough to keep us steadily thinking. We have a lighter schedule today, a meeting this morning and "baby washing" this afternoon. We have been told a little about this, but I'll save the description for the next post to be accurate.
Our Spanish language skills are getting a little workout. There have been a few times that we have been without a translator, and when Ivan has been busy elsewhere, and we are managing. It is true that our acquaintances appreciate our efforts to speak Spanish, and they are all very willing to tell us how to say what we wish to say. It is one way we can communicate, and one way that we can show that we are here because we want to be friends.
The children at the Compassion house recited a particularly apt verse:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13
And that's us!
We are having some difficulty so far with posting pictures, but we are still trying.
Posted by Nadine with edits from everyone else!
We arrived in Cochabamba yesterday morning, complete with luggage - praise the Lord! We are now two hours ahead of Regina and we felt the loss of those two hours! The flight was long and we were tired when we arrived, and perhaps a little giddy. Ivan and Emigdio picked us up in the airport and we drove to the Baptist Mission where we are staying until tomorrow (Sunday). After a quick breakfast, we had a couple of hours of sleep before we began our busy day.
It is important to experience the food of a culture, and we did that in Lima and again here. We had a delicious lunch and then began our visits in Cochabamba. We made a short trip to a Compassion project, a mission dear to Karen's heart, but not on our STEP agenda. I'm not sure there are words to express our feelings as we met the children and were able to hear what they are doing. They welcomed us with open hearts, and with songs and recitations and smiles and hugs. Karen, with her bag of gifts, was most welcome, and we did indeed have to drag her away (I'm not sure the threat to leave without her was a good one). We returned to the Mission and were introduced to the General Secretary of the Bolivian Baptist Union, Yolande, and to a woman I think is the Vice-President of the Board of the BBU (whose name I didn't catch). Henry made a presentation of the first of the flags and certificates from Westhill Park Baptist Church. Karen presented a quilted wall hanging, also on behalf of the church, and both presentations seemed to be appreciated very much. We also stopped at the Casa de la Amistad, but it was closed. They are open limited hours right now because they have some holidays and also have work outside the office to complete. It was good to see the location, on the park across the block from the women's prison and around the corner from the men's prison. Last night we had another wonderful eating experience and then we returned "home" and slept.
The scenery is beautiful, and sights and sounds amazing to us. The city is located in a valley, with large hills surrounding the city. There are date palm trees - they look like the palm trees we see on television with thicker trunks - and lush foliage. It feels drier here, but there are plants that we could never grow because of our climate. We saw some grey parrots roosting on a building close to the Mission, similar to the way crows would in Canada. The hills are brown, as ours get in winter, because it is winter here. Yolande was wearing a turtleneck sweater with a jacket over it yesterday, and she explained that for her it is cold. For us, 29C is positively balmy. However, I would not like to see what would happen to us in summer here!
The people are very welcoming, very open and full of laughter. Colour is everywhere, and the roads in the old area of the city are cobblestone while the newer areas are paved. Driving is hazardous, requiring knowledge of another language - the language of horns. A gentle toot on the horn may mean "hey, I'm here; don't drive into me", and a long toot with effort seems to mean "what do you think you were doing?!" It is very good that Ivan and his brother, Daniel (also works with Compassion), are doing the driving. Traffic is fast-paced, exciting and there are lots of cars we do not see in Canada. It is apparently similar to lots of other South American countries, and reminds me of Mexico.
Family is very important here. The noon meal is the big meal of the day, and families gather for the long lunch/siesta. Work typically stops at noon and begins again at about 2:00 to continue to about 6:00 when it is finished for the day. There were lots of places still in business when were were out last night at about 8:30, as is the case in Canada.
Ivan and Emigdio have been good about keeping us informed, not enough to overload us and yet enough to keep us steadily thinking. We have a lighter schedule today, a meeting this morning and "baby washing" this afternoon. We have been told a little about this, but I'll save the description for the next post to be accurate.
Our Spanish language skills are getting a little workout. There have been a few times that we have been without a translator, and when Ivan has been busy elsewhere, and we are managing. It is true that our acquaintances appreciate our efforts to speak Spanish, and they are all very willing to tell us how to say what we wish to say. It is one way we can communicate, and one way that we can show that we are here because we want to be friends.
The children at the Compassion house recited a particularly apt verse:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13
And that's us!
We are having some difficulty so far with posting pictures, but we are still trying.
Posted by Nadine with edits from everyone else!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Go Peru!
Hola from Peru! We have arrived, slept a little, ate a lot, and have walked our little hearts out! The flights from Regina to Toronto and then from Toronto to Lima were uneventful but felt long. It was nice to arrive in Lima, where we were welcomed to the Best Western Hotel in style. After breakfast together, we took a walk along the beach (very close to our hotel) and, not surprisingly, we found food! We are now on a quest for the ruins that we have heard are easily accessible from here...wherever here is for the poor people from whom we keep asking directions.
Thank you to Deanna, Wayne´s wife, who wrote the last entry to the blog while we were in communicado. We will try to keep you posted daily if it´s possible, but if it is not, we will post as soon as we can after.
We were initially uncertain how this layover would take shape, but are now very appreciative that we have had this time of relaxing, yet enervating, time of acclimatizing ourselves to South American culture. It´s beautiful, it´s lovely weather (some of the nationals are wearing wool coates or down filled coats while we are removing nylon shells), and we have been impressed with how friendly the people are. We have had a chance to spend more time together...we will be the Siamese 10 when we get back (go, Wild Hogs!...you had to be on the flight here to get that), and we are blessed by all that God has arranged for us to experience so far. Our luggage is intact, we are contemplating buying more!
Thank you for your prayers for a safe journey. They have been answered. Please keep Karen in prayer as she has picked up a cold virus. If you can, pray for her tonight as we fly (2 o´clock a.m. Regina time). Please keep all of us in prayer as we see the local ruins and spend our evening together tonight before we fly to Cochabamba.
To our families, we miss you and are thinking of you. Thanks for supporting us. We love you all, and are very excited and grateful that God has led us here.
Nos vamos con Dios (we are going with God)!
Posted by Nadine (3 o´clock in Peru)
Thank you to Deanna, Wayne´s wife, who wrote the last entry to the blog while we were in communicado. We will try to keep you posted daily if it´s possible, but if it is not, we will post as soon as we can after.
We were initially uncertain how this layover would take shape, but are now very appreciative that we have had this time of relaxing, yet enervating, time of acclimatizing ourselves to South American culture. It´s beautiful, it´s lovely weather (some of the nationals are wearing wool coates or down filled coats while we are removing nylon shells), and we have been impressed with how friendly the people are. We have had a chance to spend more time together...we will be the Siamese 10 when we get back (go, Wild Hogs!...you had to be on the flight here to get that), and we are blessed by all that God has arranged for us to experience so far. Our luggage is intact, we are contemplating buying more!
Thank you for your prayers for a safe journey. They have been answered. Please keep Karen in prayer as she has picked up a cold virus. If you can, pray for her tonight as we fly (2 o´clock a.m. Regina time). Please keep all of us in prayer as we see the local ruins and spend our evening together tonight before we fly to Cochabamba.
To our families, we miss you and are thinking of you. Thanks for supporting us. We love you all, and are very excited and grateful that God has led us here.
Nos vamos con Dios (we are going with God)!
Posted by Nadine (3 o´clock in Peru)
And they're OFF!
The team departed from Regina Airport early yesterday morning! Everyone was looking bright eyed and excited despite the early hour. With the flight leaving at 6am, we met at the airport at 4:30am. And we were surprized how busy the airport was! There was at least 4 flights leaving that hour and people everywhere!
There was a slight tone of competition as people bragged how little "stuff" they brought, comparing how light their suitcases were. I think the unofficial winner was Bev, who has a bit of experience travelling.
Dale & Nancy Redford kindly came to send the team off. Dale lead a circle of prayer in the lobby with the travellers and spouses, then a few photos, and they were off. Got through the check in without difficulty, and away they go! After a few hours in Toronto, they will overnight in Lima, Peru. I am hoping that sometime today they will be able to post something of their trip so far.
Don't forget you can email the team at anytime, the address is step2bolivia@gmail.com . It would be wonderful to have lots of messages waiting for them each time they log in.
There was a slight tone of competition as people bragged how little "stuff" they brought, comparing how light their suitcases were. I think the unofficial winner was Bev, who has a bit of experience travelling.
Dale & Nancy Redford kindly came to send the team off. Dale lead a circle of prayer in the lobby with the travellers and spouses, then a few photos, and they were off. Got through the check in without difficulty, and away they go! After a few hours in Toronto, they will overnight in Lima, Peru. I am hoping that sometime today they will be able to post something of their trip so far.
Don't forget you can email the team at anytime, the address is step2bolivia@gmail.com . It would be wonderful to have lots of messages waiting for them each time they log in.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A God of miracles
So often, especially when listening to or reading the news, I think that if God would just give us some huge miracle, then more people would accept His grace and love, and there would be fewer problems in the world. But then I remember that God has given us all His roadmap for living together, and to Eternity, through His word, and through the sending of His son. As Jesus said in John 14:6 –" I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me." I believe we are all the recipients of many miracles, some really big, and some small. How many times have I felt depressed, only to look up to see a stunning sunset? How many times have I narrowly missed being hit by a vehicle? How often have I observed nature, either wild animals or flowers, and stopped to marvel at God's wonders? What other wonders have I seen and not given credit to God?
I feel that I have been the recipient of many large – at least to me – miracles in my life. I was not raised in a Christian home, and yet God placed several people in my life, and several circumstances, which led me to become one of His children. Coincidence? No, a miracle.
There was a time in my life, especially during my teen-age years, when I desperately needed love and acceptance. God placed a wonderful, generous, warm-hearted woman in my life, who gave me the acceptance I was lacking. She called me 'dear' as often as she called me by name. Whenever I had some problem I went to her. I needed her. I remained friends with her until the day she died, and I still miss her. I so desperately needed some affirmation of my worth, that I often wonder what would have happened to me had she not been there for me.
Several years ago, my husband died of pancreatic cancer, after three weeks of illness. I was left with six children, the eldest of whom was 20, the youngest 8. Through all the uncertainty of the illness, the making of a will (yes, we had left that to the last!), the wondering what would happen to me and the children, there were friends, neighbours, members of my Bible study group, and of my church family, who were there to give me love and support, all placed there for me by God. And yet the greatest miracle I received was about six months of numbness. I felt nothing, no sadness, no happiness, not even love for those around me. I was able to get through the funeral, the mounds of paperwork, school startup, and all of the other details of life around me. Eventually, when I returned to the land of the living, I was able to deal with what my life would become. I would need to make a new life for myself, and I could now begin to deal with this.
A few years after my husband died, my daughter developed a syndrome called cauda equina. A disk in her back ruptured, and she was unable to walk. This condition is very rare; the doctor who treated her had seen only five cases in sixteen years. You have no idea how difficult it is to hear a child of yours say "You know I can't walk." Through diligent work at her therapy, and the prayers and support of many, many people, she progressed from a wheel chair, to crutches, to two canes, and finally, she is able to walk on her own. For me, this was a huge miracle.
Five of my children accepted Christ as their personal Saviour in their late teens, were baptized and received into church membership. It was my greatest wish that all of us would reunite in Eternity. For over fifteen years I prayed, not as constantly and faithful as I might have, that the sixth would become a Christian. But God is faithful, and yes! It finally happened that the last one to accept Jesus did become a Christian. God has given me so much.
These might not seem like miracles to you, certainly not up there with Moses parting the Red Sea, for example. But in my life, yes, indeed, right up there with Moses. Now, as we prepare to leave for Bolivia, I cannot help but wonder what miracles God will give us, as a group, and individually.
Bev Weston
Monday, July 9, 2007
A Crown and a Princess Dress
I'd like to share a powerful story that my family has about one of my wise little nieces. God has reminded me of this story and is using it to teach me some valuable lessons. My hope is that it will help you as well.One day my four-year-old niece came out of her room to find her mother running around the house naked because all of her clothes were in the washer. "Mommy, mommy! Wait here a minute! I have just what you need," she yelled as she turned and ran back into her room. When she emerged a few seconds later, she was holding out a sparkling dollar-store tierra. As my sister knelt in front of her, my niece placed the tierra firmly on her head and proclaimed, "There! Now you're perfect!"
What a fantastic object lesson that I need to remind myself of over and over again in relation to God. When I kneel down before Him, He takes me just as I am. He knows exactly what I am because I can't hide anything from him. Every part of my life is exposed. But He gives me a crown of righteousness anyway and tells me, "Now you're perfect!" The dollar-store tierra that my niece placed on her mother's head won't last long, but the crown that God gives me will last forever. (I Cor. 9:25) I am His child forever - His daughter, a princess, a sister to His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave up everything for me at our Father's request.
So, besides a crown, God also gives me a princess dress - the most beautiful gown that could ever be imagined. The Bible calls these "garments of salvation and robes of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). Like Karen, who put her testimony on this website a few weeks ago, I often have self-esteem issues. So many situations come up where I feel that I'm not good enough, not valuable. So, what I've done is to ask God to work on that part of my life, and in contemplating this story about my little niece, God has started to answer my prayer already. He has reminded me that I am His precious child and that he has put a crown on my head and given me a beautiful princess gown. When I think of myself in this way, especially in difficult situations where I am especially vulnerable and weak, my own opinion of myself seems to fade into the background and God's opinion of me comes into the forefront. Because I have knelt before Him and believe in what my brother, Jesus, did, I have a royal crown and a beautiful princess dress. My hope is that, in Bolivia and in Regina, I can let more people know about the crown and princess dress that is waiting for them.
Ruth Quiring
Friday, July 6, 2007
Its All About Relationships
As I look back at my life, I recognize that relationships have always been so important for me. Even as a young boy I remember wanting to be in a good relationship with everyone. Maybe that is one of the reasons why it was important for me, even at an early age, to understand where I stood in relationship to God.
When I was 8 years old, I learned that I needed to receive forgiveness from God if I was to be in a right relationship with him. It was a key event in my spiritual life and opened the door to many experiences of God's faithfulness and His presence.
While I enjoyed a growing sense of God's presence and His will for my life through my years as a teenager, in my early 20's I went through an experience that made me uncertain as to my faith in God. At that point I re-examined everything about my faith again and asked myself if I wanted to believe in God, now that I was an adult. It was then that my experiences as a child and my own desire for a relationship with the One who created me and loved me, were the key for me choosing to believe God with a fresh sense of confidence.
I really like Ephesians 2. It says that because Jesus died on the cross, I-we can be reconciled or made right with God. This means that the tension of being separated from God or away from Him because of the decisions I have made, can be eliminated. That is important to me; I want to be in an open and free relationship with God and with other people.
In those times now when I feel particularly afraid or I feel like God is far away, I hang on to the words from Psalm 46:1&2 - "God is our refuge & strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear..."
Pastor Henry F.
The Tickets Have Arrived
July 6th
The airplane tickets arrived and when I looked at them, the reality of our upcoming trip to Bolivia came into sharp focus - we are actually soon to fly to Toronto then Lima and 27 hours later into Cochabamba!
I have also been emailing Ivan G., our translator & guide when we are in Bolivia and again the details he is providing and the clarification of where we will be and when, is also bringing the reality of this trip home to me.
Just today, Ivan said that I would be preaching in the Spanish Service in the Cochabamba First Baptist Church service on Sunday, the 15th. That should be quite an experience. Later on Sunday we will fly to Tarija and if there is time, we will attend a church service that night and I will preach again in one church and Paul M. will preach in another church. At the same time, we think, members of the team will be giving lessons to the children.
It will be a very interesting and challenging experience for us all, I am sure.
Pastor Henry F.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Learning to Accept Myself
| Have you ever wished that you were someone else? Or maybe you've thought if only you could sing like - or play an instrument like- or be as organized as - or be as skinny as - or have the personality of - or as smart as - etc? Or maybe, you've thought that if you could just achieve this one thing, then you could feel good about yourself? Do you have a hard time believing that God loves you? I admit it, I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem for most of my life. As a child I would day dream about what it would be like to be famous, as a teen I wished that I could be one of the 'popular' kids that everyone liked, as an adult I've wished that I was better at being a wife, a mother and homemaker. I've wanted to be someone I'm not...thinking that if only I could be more like people I admire or have the traits or characteristics that I aspire to, that then I would be a better person or maybe then I could feel good about myself. I have even tried to be like the people I admire. I've wasted so much time wishing that God would have made me differently. I have even thought that if God could have created me to be something or someone different, then I would be happier, then I would like myself. But God is teaching me that I'm going about it all wrong. Too often I'm seeing the glass as half empty...it's too easy to focus on the negative, on my failures or character flaws. It's too easy to worry about what other people think of me, to try to gain their approval. Instead I need to learn to refocus on God, to allow Him to work through me, to be willing to grow and learn to trust in Him. Plus, it is through my weaknesses that He can use me. God hasn't called me to be smart, organized, skinny, popular, etc...He has called me to love Him, to have a willing heart, to serve Him, to be obedient, to love others and to do everything as unto Him. He has called me to be a light for Him. The following verses in Corinthians have helped me to put things into focus: 1 Cor 1:26-31 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (NIV) 2 Cor 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (NIV) This has been a hard lesson for me and probably one that I will struggle with all my life. Even as I prepare to go to Bolivia, I have been fighting feelings of inadequacy, I've realized that I have been comparing myself to other members of our missions team, wishing that I could have the traits or characteristics that I see in each of them. That's not where my focus should be, I have to keep my focus on God and trust Him to work through me. As I prepare to go to Bolivia I need to focus on being the 'hands of Jesus' to everyone I meet, to be that light that He has called me to be. Karen N. | |||
Monday, July 2, 2007
Ready To Go!
It's been a busy six months for the Short-Term Missions Team, getting ready for what some may see as simply a two-week trip. From our point of view, after lots of study time, preparation from our Bible study, information sessions with Dennis Shierman and Ivan Gutierrez, and a ton of prayer by those who are supporting us, it is so much more than that. We began with some ideas, a desire to serve God wherever He calls us, and the gifts with which he has blessed us. He has given us more gifts as we prepare, we've learned a lot about the partnership we have with the Bolivian Baptist churches, and somehow, our desire to serve God has grown.
We spent a couple of hours on June 24, and again on June 30, working through last minute details. We also spent time in prayer and affirmation for each other, and were greatly blessed and encouraged by the ties that have developed between us. For those of you who have been praying for the unity of the team, thank you. Your prayers have been answered. We need prayer for the time that we are in Bolivia, but we already have a strong trust for each other, and an open, honest relationship that somehow works for all ten of us. We want the love we already have for each other to extend to the Bolivians and to be a witness for those who see us. We also desire for it to be a blessing for Westhill Park Baptist Church when we return.
There are some items for prayer and praise that we would request from you as we finalize our preparations and begin our trip:
1. The financial requirements have been met for the trip! We have been blessed and humbled by the giving of the church, and friends and family. We have watched God work, and it is good.
2. We have had some schedule changes at the last minute (one of our airline carriers is no longer flying), and we have made some changes to our schedule to accommodate changes in our flights. Pray that we have all the requirements for a one-day stay in Peru.
3. The looming strike for EMTs in Saskatchewan will affect Karen's family. Pray that her faith in God's provision would preclude any worry during her mission in Bolivia, and that God, in His wisdom, would provide finances.
Thank you for your support and prayers. That's it for today. We will be trying to post as often as we can while in Bolivia and Peru, so check back.
Posted by Nadine
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