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