S.T.E.P. Missions Team - Bolivia 2009

Home again

2009-04-30T19:55:00.002-06:00

So just in case you didn't hear we are in fact home. After doing our part for the Bolivian economic stimulus package and helping out Florida as well, we arrived home as scheduled on Monday night. Henry decided that since he had a good grasp of Spanish he would take on the challenge of Portuguese and so he stopped for a few days in Brazil. We look forward to his return on the weekend

It was a good trip full of new experiences, good memories and I think some personal growth as well. It is somewhat difficult to explain what the experience was like and how it affect us. For each of us it was different, but for each of us rich as well.

I think that I can speak for the whole team when I say that we felt blessed to be your representatives in Bolivia and that we would love to share our memories with you. Just ask us.

ciao

Wayne

Homeward Bound

2009-04-27T16:26:00.001-06:00

Hello,
Well, the team is only a few hours from home and no doubt looking forward to it! Part of me wishes I was there as well but I have taken the opportunity to visit our daughter Catherine who is serving as a Canadian Baptist Volunteer in Brazil. So I arrived safely and spent a good day at Free Flight, the community center that Joyce Hancock has begun and is developing (and where Catherine is working).

We had a good day in Santa Cruz as a team on Saturday, getting in from Tarija on the plane at about 1:30 and then getting an opportunity finally to shop for souvenirs. That went well, Ivan found a place that had about 3-4 stores beside each other with all kinds of items that are typical of Bolivia.

In reflecting back on our time together, one of the questions we are asking ourselves is "what pulled us during our time in Bolivia"? or to put it another way, "what moved our hearts"? These questions will help us think about the things that we will remember for a long time & perhaps indicate where God was at work. We are convinced that God still has work to do in our hearts as we reflect on where we have been and what we have experienced.

This coming Sunday, we hope to present a Bolivian flag to the church family; one that was presented to us by the Bermejo "Canaan" church. It will be good to greet you in person & tell you about our experiences. We are so appreciative of the time many of you have taken to pray for us and to encourage us with your emails & blog comments.

Praise to God and Dios te bendiga (God bless you!)

Pastor Henry

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Additional Photos

2009-04-25T20:45:00.002-06:00

Here are a few more photos for you, our friends and family. Thank you for your continuing prayers. We have made so many friends that Wayne and I decided we needed to fill 2 posts today with some images of what we have been doing and who we have been meeting. May these pictures bless you as you think of us. As I said, to God be the glory! He has moved in each of our hearts and in the hearts of the new friends we have made.

- Donovan

Lord of the Sabbath

2009-04-25T20:35:00.002-06:00

We are all so grateful for the comments you have been sending us on this blog site. You are a deep encouragement to all of us, and your prayers have strengthened us through days of intense heat, exhaustion, joy and homesickness. There are so many emotions we are experiencing during this time of transition. We long to remain with our new friends in Bermejo, Tarija and Cochebamba. Indeed, it already seems like another lifetime since we left Bermejo yesterday morning to begin our trek home. But we also long for our home -- for our families, our friends and our own beds, the feeling of our familiar showers, the sounds of your voices, the touch of your hands. So, we are both physically and mentally in this place that is somewhere in between.
For this reason, we give thanks that tomorrow is the Lord´s day. We need not worry about work, or about what is going to happen next, because we get to enter into the house of the Lord tomorrow to worship God with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We seek refreshing, relief and reassurance that God will provide whatever it is that we need whether it is rest, peace, or anything else. We are in God´s arms of love, and as we worship here in Santa Cruz at 11:00am we will be mindful that in Regina, or BC, or Bermejo, or Tarija, or Cochebamba, or wherever you may be, you will also be worshipping the Lord. So, with one voice we sing His praises together from all over the world, and feel His arms of love around us. May we all hear His voice calling our names as we worship Him. To God be the glory!

Last days in Bermejo

2009-04-22T08:31:00.004-06:00

Well... a couple more days in Bermejo. Then its off to Tarija for a day, then to Santa Cruz, then to begin our long journey home by plane.

Yesterday we finally got some of the metal pillars we had constructed up. First of course we needed to hammer and saw the concrete to find the rebar to weld. That was a lot of work getting through that concrete. It was a fairly slow work day. Then we had some Api, which is a red corn drink with lemon and sugar. It was a hot beverage. It tasted somewhat like a saskatoon berry syrup, but not as sweet as syrup. Hot though, temperature hot. Caliente, not picante.

Dono, Wayne, and I went to an ESL school for elementary school aged kids. Its an extracurricular thing. The 11-14 year olds spoke much better english than all of our spanish combined. One of the pastors of one of the churches wives is a teacher there.

Then we went to a service at the Bethel church. They sangs hymns that we recognized and somewhat sang along to.

We are finally really at the point where we have developed good friendships with the people here. But are realizing that our time is coming to a close and we may never talk to these people again until we are in glory together. We know some of their fears, their hopes, their dreams, their struggles and we want to know how things go in the future of our friends, so its hard to think about leaving for now. It will be hard when the time comes as well.

Today is another work day at Canaan. Some of us are a little sick (enferma) so please pray for that and for energy for our last days here. We also are preparing for our presentations to the people and the churches that we have encountered here in Bolivia. Its a cool day again today. Thank you all for you many prayers.

--Patricio (Dustin)

Bolivian Time

2009-04-21T08:24:00.002-06:00

Back in Canada I am consumed with the schedule, ¨When does this activity start? how soon do we have to leave to get there? No I can´t read you a story now because that would make me late for some other seemingly important event¨.

Here in Boliva, God through His infinite grace has removed that compulsion from me once again. I am sure that my wife wishes that it was a permanent healing and not just a special South American dispensation. I am struck by how much the people here love to be with each other, within in the church and just the culture as a whole.

Everywhere you look you see people sitting and talking, enjoying the day and each other´s company. This starts in the morning and lasts until after 10:00pm. There seems to always be activity on the streets and at the little shops that surround it. The people here seem to have grasped the idea of living in the moment and making the most of it. They don´t wait for the weekend or retirement to enjoy life. ¨ I am living life right now so why not enjoy it right now?¨

I think that we could learn from that

Adios

Wayño

Glimpses of Beauty

2009-04-21T08:16:00.003-06:00

We saw beauty in the faces of the children in the Sunday School. Jimena and carlita came and gave us a hug when we arrived. They all call out for ¨Patricio¨ (or Dustin as you may know him)

Dennis and Emigdio, the two äbuelos¨(grandfathers) played with the boys after sunday school, hitting balloons and trying to break them on the ceiling fan. I am not sure who had more fun the old kids or the young kids. Dennis has taught the kids to give him ¨high fives¨. Kids are the same everywhere. They crowded around us as we gave out stickers and pencils. One young lady is wearing the Canadian flag pins as earings.

We see beauty in the faces of the women of the church who have prepared wonderful meals for us with what we would say is a very limited kitchen.

There is beauty all around us when we look for it.

Dennis and Leone

Hola from Bev

2009-04-21T08:01:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we had a late leisurely breakfast, followed by a team meeting. The remainder of the morning we had some free time for resting or shopping. Yesterday, and today as well, we have been blessed with cool rainy weather. We went for lunch yesterday to the home of a cousin of Juan and enjoyed a delicious Bolivian meal followed by freshly popped popcorn. We returned to the hotel and changed and went to the church to work. Some worked at bending and cutting rebar while Leone and Delores led another quilting session.

Supper was our gift to the leaders and their wives. We hosted Carlos and his daughter Katherine from the Bet-tel (Bethel) church;Marcello and Elizabeth from Libre en Christo (Free in Christ); and Juan and Valentina, Ernesto and Delia and their two sons, and Faride, a deaconess, all from Nueve Canaan ( New Canaan). After the meal, Henry presented Carlos with some books for the seminary and he also presented books for the pastor´s personal libraries. Delores presented gift bags to the ladies as well as pins. Bob presented key chains.

Free in Christ is a thrivig new point of preaching and is beginning to build a church building. I has a helathy congregation with whole families attending.

Bet-tel is also a healthy church. they have outgrown their building and have plans to builid a new church.

Bev

A Monday hello!

2009-04-20T16:27:00.002-06:00

Hello,

As has already been mentioned on other contributions to the blog, we have had many opportunities for `ministry´.
- Dennis, Leone, Dolores, Bev, Bob & Dustin had all shared their testimony. Dustin did so at a `youth´evening.
- Dennis & Wayne have each led a Bible study for men and Leone & Bev had led ones for women.
- Donovan had led a 2 part Sunday School Teachers´Seminar with help from Leone.
- Dolores & Leone have had 2 quilting sessions
- Wayne & I have preached
- Donovan & Dustin have sung & played some songs at a church get together
- Wayne, Bob, Dennis, Dustin, Donovan, Bev & I have put in some tough hours helping put together some rebar columns
- we have all enjoyed numerous conversations in stilted Spanish, had times of great singing & fellowship and generally very much enjoyed the time we have spent here.

Thank you again for your prayers - we sense that we are being given some great times because of them.

Please check out the blog for some pictures & other comments.

Pastor Henry

From Bob & Dolores

2009-04-20T16:17:00.001-06:00

Hello from Bermejo!

This morning (Mon) was a free morning. After our Team Meeting we did a little shopping. At noon Ivan took us for a surprise dinner to a Bolivian family´s home. We had a wonderful time. The food was good and there was lots of laughter. Ivan & our host, Juan and another member of the church played guitar & the ´charranga´. We had a wonderful time.

Tonight we are having a special supper with the pastors and leaders from the Baptist churches in Bermejo (3) along with their spouses. We did the same in Tarija last week & so think this also will be a great time. It will give Dolores another chance to give out the ´packages´of small cosmetic items that she made up from the gifts that some of you gave. They were very well received in Tarija & we think this will be the same here.

Bob & Dolores

Similarities

2009-04-20T16:09:00.002-06:00

5 things that are the same in Bolivia and Canada:

1.) The floor drain in the Bathroom is located in the highest part of the floor
2.) Dennis makes more noise than the kids he is playing with
3.) Coca-Cola
4.) A child´s hug can brighten your day
5.) Taxi drivers are not the best example of safe driving

Wow it is hard to believe that we have been gone for a week. So much has happened. Our senses have been inundated by sights, sounds, and smells that we have never tasted before. We have eaten pollo (chicken) in more ways than I thought was possible. We have struggled with our Spanish but amazingly have been able to communicate without our translators better than we thought possible.

Each of us has been stretched in different ways. For me, the biggest stretch was preaching a sermon last night. (I know that you all scrolled down to see who is writing.) It was a neat experience to listen to my words being translated and see the reaction of the people in the congregation . We met outside in what would be similar to a carport. The service started at 8:00 pm and lasted until around 9:30. There was singing and sharing and lots of handshakes and hugs. I had the privilege of delivering the greetings from Westhill Park. And in turn the brothers and sisters from Free in Christ congregation send their greetings back to you.

God is good and we feel that we are being an encouragement to the people here. At times we feel inadequate, but God has taken our small gifts and multiplied them and allowed us (me) to minister to the people here.

Thank you for allowing us to minister on your behalf.

Wayne

Times of Praise

2009-04-20T08:50:00.002-06:00

Hola from Bermejo!

It is cloudy and cool, and we had some rain last night. It feels good to have some relief from the heat. Today is national Celebrate Pastors day for the Bolivian Baptist Church. It appears to be a monthly thing on the 20th of each month... Congratulations to pastors and all of those of the Royal Priesthod of Christ, everywhere. Today is your day.

We are all healthy -- a little tired and worn down from the heat and humidity, perhaps, but we are fairing well. Some us us have had more trouble than others adjusting to the climate, food, and insect bites, but seem to be settling.

We have been blessed beyond belief by our experiences thus far. Our devotional time this morning helped us to remember the diversity with which God created all the earth and all the people. We read from Genesis 1:31, which tells us that God looked upon all his creation and saw that it was very good. We spent some time talking about the beauty that God has created, and the beautiful things we can identify here in Bermejo. Much of the beauty we have seen is in the relationships we are forming. Many of us spoke of the relationships with the children here, who have such a fire for God, and cling to our sides for hugs and conversation at ever possible chance. There is beauty in the countryside, in the marketplace, and most especially, in the worship time we have shared with our friends here. Many of us had the opportunity to share in communion last night, and it had a profound impact on us as we passed the bread and the cup, and the Bolivians at the service began to sing spontaneously. It was such genuine thankfulness and praise, and we got to be a part of a deep spiritual experience.

Many of us have already shared our testimonies, and have also heard the testimonies of some of the people who live here. It has been a time of great joy as we celebrate together what God is doing in our individual lives. We all have much in common, in spite of the diversity with which we have been created. We are sharing our joys, sorrows, hopes and dreams as well as disappointments. We are, most especially, recognizing the richness of Christ in each other, and the real ways that God is providing every day, with great intention, for each one of us. In the same way God created all things with great intention, we also hold to the truth that he has also created this opportunity, and has brought us together with the same intention. This gives us confidence to do whatever it is we are doing with confidence and with the same intention and attention to detail. This is whether we are cutting vegetables for a meal, or cutting rebar for the construction of the church.

Psalm 104:14-15 says, "He makes grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate - bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart." We see his provisions for us and for our friends here in the churches we are visiting. We see and praise God for his faithfulness to us and to the Bolivian Christians. We also praise God for our family at Westhill and our own immediate families, for we see his provisions there as well. To God be the glory this day and in the days to come!

- Donovan (a.k.a. Tony Montana ... don´t ask)

Friday Note

2009-04-17T16:17:00.002-06:00

Hello from hot &´sticky´ Bermejo!

Our missions trip is now well underway and having done some cultural & "touristy" things, in the past few days we have been entering fully into meeting with our Bolivian brothers & sisters. It was been very good. They are so friendly and warm towards us.

Two days ago we had a ´men with men & women with women´Bible study in Tarija and tonight we will do the same in Bermejo. We expect it will be just as rich a time. It is so moving to have the opportunity to talk about our faith & to have them talk about their faith as well. And then to hear them pray for us is a rich experience to have.

Yesterday was a long hot ride to Bermejo from Traija and today it is stickY & hot.

We are pleased to be here & glad to know that we will spend a number of days here& in that way get to know some of the people better. They are so warm & welcoming that it is quite moving. In the midst of all the cultural differences we clearly sense that bong links together.

Thanks for all those who are praying & have prayed for us. We are pleased to be your representatives here.

Adios.

Pastor Henry

Saludos from Bermejo (Spanglish)

2009-04-17T15:59:00.003-06:00

Yesterday at lunch we met with the Leaders and their wives for lunch at a local steak house. The food was very good and we tried to communicate with each other in our broken spanglich. we were able to share some gifts with them of theological books and a plaque aknowledging our partnership. They were grateful and it was good to connect with some of the same people that we saw in 2007. After lunch we travelled by van to Bermejo, in the very south of the country. It was a very beautiful drive with many many curves, cattle, and children on the road. Total time was 4 hours but it was paved the whole way. We dropped quite a bit in elevation and the humidity and temperature rose.

--Wayno

This morning we went to the Canaan Church, and worked tying cutting and bending rebar. Leone and Delores spent the afternoon with some of the women demonstrating quilting. They started with four women and by the time they were done they had 17 women and a few children watching.

In case you were wondering the temperature is similar to a frying pan with a tea kettle boiling beside it. but hey its a wet hot. so far no snow.

We have sensed God´s protection and guidance as all of our luggage has arrived safely and so far we are all well. Praise God. We have had a chance to meet a number of the people here in the churches in Bermejo we will be spending our time with three different congregations.

Greetings from Tarija

2009-04-16T08:17:00.004-06:00

We have taken our last arrival flight, and are now in Tarija, Bolivia. We met last night with the Sion church where we participated (well....kinda) in a worship service and after Wayne led a mens bible study and Leone led a womens bible study. Above is a picture of the men from Sion and our men. They welcomed us with such love and hospitality. It was a Spirit filled experience all around. We are having lunch today with some pastors and their spouses, and then off to Bermejo this afternoon.

Heres a few more pictures from Bolivia.

We have arrived

2009-04-14T15:42:00.002-06:00

Buenos dias!

We have arrived. The flights were long and crammed. We were tired and exhausted. The brief break in Miami on the way there was nice. Most of us took a bus ride for a couple hours and saw some of the city. We stopped and dipped our feet in the Atlantic. Then off again to Bolivia. Such a long flight. But we made it.
Its very hot and humid here in Santa Cruz. We had breakfast and some naps, recovering from flying. We also went shopping a bit in the markets. A nice breeze has come up and it looks like it will be a very nice evening. Hace mucho buen tiempo!

Hasta luego!

T-Minus 6 hours

2009-04-12T23:36:00.003-06:00

Here we go. Most of the team is sleeping right now (maybe). I can't really sleep (and to be honest I still have a bit of packing to finish up). But we are leaving! We're stopping in Minneapolis, Miami and then to Bolivia. I'll try to update all you blog faithful people as often as I can... maybe some pictures, or a video (if it doesn't take days to upload.)
Keep checking the blog! Houston, we are go.

--Dustin

Final Preparations

2009-04-11T20:09:00.001-06:00

Well, the final preparations are underway for STEP Team 2! We are busy packing - trying to sort through what to take & trying to take more things all the time. There are gifts & small Canadian/Saskatchewanian mementoes to take. There are books & materials to use in the Sunday School Teachers seminar we are presenting and of course there are clothes & personal items. Packing & repacking!

In the midst of it all there is a growing sense of anticipation, excitement & fear all rolled into one!

We as a team have been so pleased with the support we have received - the prayer of commissioning and the applause on Sunday morning were very much appreciated and gave us a strong sense that the congregation is behind us. We were so pleased that many signed our "prayer pictures", that many of you stopped us in the hallways or the narthex of the church to wish us well & assure us of your prayers. We feel privileged to represent Westhill to the Bolivian people.

One of the passages from the Bible that we looked at in our last meeting comes from Matthew 25:31-45 where Jesus commends those who cared for him when he was hungry, thirsty, naked and in prison. These verses reminded us that Jesus is in all those who have needs and that our actions toward them - our kindness, compassion and expressions of love - are in fact our way of expressing our love for Jesus. It is not some great project or heroic effort that Christ demands, it is simple acts of generosity and genuine love. God helping us, this is what we will do!

Pastor Henry

See us off at 05:45 Monday Morning

2009-04-11T19:54:00.003-06:00

Itinerary:	**All times listed are local time.
Date	Leaving Time	City	Arriving	City
Monday, April 13, 2009	5:45	Regina	8:45	Minneapolis
	10:40	Minneapolis	15:08	Miami
	23:05	Miami	8:05 + 1	Santa Cruz


Return Trip:
Date	Leaving Time	City	Arriving	City
Sunday, April 26, 2009	23:05	Santa Cruz	5:50 + 1	Miami
Monday, April 27, 2009	17:27	Miami	20:26	Minneapolis
	6:00	Minneapolis	22:20	Regina

Less than Three Weeks???

2009-03-24T20:21:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that three weeks from now these nine Gringos from Canada will be in Bolivia. Our time of preparation is nearing an end and soon we will be in the doing mode. This is exciting and fearful at the same time. I have the great joy of returning again to Bolivia. This gives me an advantage over some of my teammates but I still have some nervous anticipation of what will really happen. I guess that is all part of the adventure of this journey we are on. I know that once again God will be faithful and we will come back full to overflowing of what we have seen and how we have been touched by our Bolivian brothers and sisters.

This past weekend our team had a great time together affirming one another's gifts and strengths. I really could sense us bonding together as a team. I am so looking forward to being with these guys in Bolivia and watching them see things with new eyes.

talk to you later

Wayne

Spanish Music

2009-03-14T19:44:00.000-06:00

As we prepare for our trip to Bolivia, Donovan and Wayne have been discussing music, and how we might be able to enhance some of our experiences through sharing the gift of music. With Donovan/Henry playing guitar, we plan to learn some common hymns and modern worship songs in Spanish, and be able to sing both the Spanish and English versions in various appropriate settings. We are already learning songs such as "Come, Now is the Time to Worship" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." What are some other common songs that you, as our reader and support, would love for us to be able to share with our Bolivian brothers and sisters? Please post a comment below with your suggestions. Gracias!

Donovan Mutschler

2009-03-14T19:34:00.000-06:00

My name is Donovan Mutschler. I have attended Westhill Park Baptist Church since 1999. I have never been on a mission trip to foreign soil before. However, in 1997, I took a group of high school students to southern Manitoba to assist with flood cleanup after the Red River Flood. In spite of my lack of experience, I felt a call to join the Step 1 Team, but circumstances did not allow for me to go on the first team. When the opportunity for a second team was announced, I still felt the same sense of call and proceeded to apply for the team.

I am excited to travel to Bolivia to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ there, and to minister to them and allow myself to also be ministered to and encouraged by them. In spite of their deep poverty in relation to many Canadians, I have been repeatedly impressed with their sense of joy, contentment and high rate of literacy and employment. It is an encouragement to me that money does not bring happiness.

I am seeking prayer for focus and protection. I know that Bolivia has a high first nation population with a tight tie to the customs and spiritual ways of the Inca and Aymana, including practices of witch doctors. I am very sensitive to ways of witchcraft and pagan worship and can sometimes become distracted and overwhelmed due to these sensitivities. Therefore, I ask for prayer to be protected from these things.

We are embarking on a mission to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I ask that if you are interested in this journey, please continue to check in with our blog site to find out what's new, see pictures, and hear of our experiences.

My dream comes true

2009-03-12T21:30:00.001-06:00

Hola, my name is Dolores Wilcox. I've been attending Westhill Baptist Church for a little over two years. I've never done missionary work before nor do I have any experience at foreign travel.

I remember that day Wayne Rempel was telling everyone at church about his previous mission trip to Bolivia, and that they needed more people for a Step 2 team. At that time only two people had signed up. A voice kept telling me to go and sign up. What are you waiting for ? This is something that has always been in the back of my mind to do, but never thought I'd have the opportunity to do. But thanks to the great people at Westhill Baptist Church my vision is being fulfilled for myself and my husband Bob.

I have fears that I won't be able to communicate well with the people of Bolivia. I just have to remember that God will be there with me and everything will be fine.

I very excited about meeting my brothers and sisters in Bolivia to see how they live and worship. Based on what I learned so far about Bolivia and the churches there, I am just amazed to hear how simple they live, but yet they are so content and happy with life.

I pray that all the people left at home will continue to pray for a successful journey for all the team, and that everyone going and staying will have good health.

Mucha Gracias

Countdown to Bolivia

2009-03-12T21:22:00.001-06:00

Yes, as Pastor Henry said only five weeks to go before we leave for Bolivia.

There have been quite a few waves smashing into our boat over the past few weeks,fears,doubts,etc..

Remember team, God is with us, this is his mission, we are only his servants. We are praying for each and everyone of you and your families.God bless you all.

Bob & Dolores

Preparations Continue

2009-03-04T08:35:00.001-06:00

Hello!

Last Saturday (Feb 28th) our team met at our place (Henry & Eleanor Friesen's) for Brunch and a team meeting. It was great to sit around the table & just chat about a variety of topics. It was good for team building!

Our meeting was also good not only because we talked about entering another culture & clearly communicating our love for them but because we talked about our fears now that the trip is becoming a "near reality". As we had done at our first team meeting, we read the story of Peter walking on the water and imagined where we were in the story. Some of us felt as if we were less eager to walk on the water this time and others of us felt like we were sinking & need Jesus to "save us". We were encouraged to read the words of Jesus: "It is I, do not be afraid!" At the same time this did not take away all our fears - we committed ourselves to be supporting & praying for each other in the weeks ahead. We really would appreciate others doing the same.

Pastor Henry

Fundraising Banquet Huge Success

2009-02-08T15:53:00.005-06:00

The 2009 Step Team hosted a fundraiser banquet at Westhill Park Baptist Church on Sunday, Feb. 1st. There was a friendly atmosphere as friends and supporters enjoyed a delicious meal catered by Charlotte's Catering in Moose Jaw, listened to engaging speakers, and Spanish music, and enjoyed each other's company. Donovan emceed the evening, entertaining us with little known facts about Canada and Bolivia. The stage was set for travel to South America, by a special music group from Avonhurst Pentecostal Spanish Church leading us in worship in Spanish. Though the group was not from Bolivia, they helped to give us a taste of what the Spanish speaking churches in Bolivia will sound like to the team scheduled to visit from Regina in April this year.
Dale introduced the members of the 2009 Team, and we heard from several of the team members. The guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Tim Stabell, Assistant Professor of Mission at Briercrest College. Over 130 people attending this evening, and gave generously to support this project.

Submitted by Deanna Tanner

Introducing Bob & Delores

2009-02-08T08:19:00.002-06:00

Dolores and I are very excited about going to Bolivia . We know God will lead and show us how to help our brothers and sisters there and in turn I am sure that they will show and help us. We are still in awe over the turnout for the banquet, may God bless each and everyone of you at Westhill Baptist Church.

Please pray for us as we prepare for this mission. Also pray for good flights, and good health for all the team members.

May God keep you safe,

Bob & Dolores

Here's the 2009 Team

2009-02-05T11:50:00.000-06:00

Dale introduces the 2009 Step Team at the Fundraising Banquet.
Donovan, Wayne, Henry, Delores, Bob, Leone, Dennis (other team members not present Dustin and Bev)

Introducing Leone

2009-02-04T18:37:00.003-06:00

I am looking forward to the opportunity to go beyond just learning about missions to seeing what it is like to minister in another country. Pray for good health and safety as we travel and pray that we will grow spiritually through this experience.

Leone

Muchos gracias!

2009-02-04T11:32:00.002-06:00

I think I speak on behalf of all the members of the 2nd STEP Team when I say 'muchos gracias' or thank you very much for the wonderful support shown to us by the Westhill church family at our Fundraising Banquet last Sunday. I was pleased by the attendance, by the questions & comments and by the generous gift of money that was given for our trip expenses.

One of the things that I really appreciated about the evening was the way Dale introduced the team and voiced their prayer requests. Hearing those requests gave me an insight into the hopes, dreams & fears that are part of all of us as we prepare to go. I am committing myself to voicing those requests to God and looking for ways to notice how he might answer those before and during our trip to Bolivia.

Que Dios te bendiga! (May God bless you)

Pastor Henry

Update from Pastor Henry

2009-01-31T22:03:00.002-06:00

Here it is less than 3 months until STEP Team Two leaves for Bolivia. My the time is slipping by quickly and partly because there is so much we are doing to prepare. We have had 3 very good team meetings including an "orientation" session with Dennis Shierman from Canadian Baptist Ministries in Calgary. He did a great job of not only telling us important things to remember but reminding us how important it is for the Bolivian Christians that we go to see them and affirm them.

The big thing on our agenda this week is the Fundraising Banquet on Sunday night. Would you believe it, we have sold 120 tickets so far! I'm sure it will be a great evening what with a Spanish singing group, a special speaker from Caronport and some sharing from a couple of team members. And not to forget a great meal!

As the team leader and as someone who went to Bolivia with STEP Team One, I am very pleased with the way this team is coming together and the way the church community is showing their support for us. We are eager to see God at work both in the time of preparation that lies ahead and in the time we will have with our Bolivian brothers & sisters in Southern Bolivia. Please pray that we as a team will have the eyes to see what God is doing and the heart to give thanks and participate where we can.

Pastor Henry Friesen

2009 Team is in Preparations

2009-01-25T19:43:00.005-06:00

There are 9 courageous members of the new Bolivia Team. These individuals include some from the 2007 Team and a few new ones, who have heard the call to missions, and have begun the preparations for this years trip. In the coming weeks we will be bringing you some interviews with the members, and some interesting stories about the people, the country, and missions in general. Stay tuned!

Back Home Safe and Sound!

2007-07-26T15:16:00.000-06:00

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

Hello from Lima!

2007-07-25T12:44:00.000-06:00

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

Sunday & Monday news!

2007-07-23T14:43:00.001-06:00

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

Final Days in Yacuiba

2007-07-23T14:19:00.000-06:00

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

Yacuiba

2007-07-21T15:36:00.000-06:00

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

2007-07-21T13:19:00.000-06:00

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

Arrived in Yacuiba Safely

2007-07-20T06:37:00.001-06:00

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

VBS in Bolivia

2007-07-18T18:02:00.000-06:00

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!

July 18 Still in Tarija

2007-07-18T08:24:00.000-06:00

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

Monday, July 16 (posted on Tuesday)

2007-07-17T12:55:00.000-06:00

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

July 14 - Cochabamba

2007-07-14T19:34:00.001-06:00

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!

2007-07-14T16:51:00.000-06:00

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

Somos Aqui! We Are Here!

2007-07-14T06:22:00.000-06:00

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!

Go Peru!

2007-07-12T13:47:00.000-06:00

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)

And they're OFF!

2007-07-12T07:15:00.000-06:00

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.

A God of miracles

2007-07-10T11:32:00.000-06:00

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

A Crown and a Princess Dress

2007-07-09T15:39:00.001-06:00

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

Its All About Relationships

2007-07-06T10:16:00.001-06:00

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

2007-07-06T09:46:00.001-06:00

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.

Learning to Accept Myself

2007-07-05T18:21:00.001-06:00

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 thingsand the things that are notto 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 Godthat 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.

Ready To Go!

2007-07-02T14:15:00.000-06:00

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

2007-06-25T10:58:00.001-06:00

The STEP team is very encouraged by the sacrificial giving of the congregation, especially over the past month. As of June 17th, almost 85% of their budget has been reached!

We praise God for His answers to prayer.

Hearing His Voice

2007-06-24T19:38:00.001-06:00

Many of us as evangelicals have heard the term "the call of God" and perhaps have wondered "who, me"? Did I really hear "His Voice"?

It would seem as I look back over my own life that I have heard the "call of God" and it is for this very reason, I find myself going to Bolivia.

From a very young age, I knew that inviting Jesus into my life was a very personal step of my own doing. I couldn't depend on my parents' belief in God and so I simply invited Jesus as my own Saviour. It was God's word that affirmed to me that I am a child of God.

I now could celebrate that I have two birthdays and my destination is Heaven. Now What! Since that time, I have had to take one step at a time – day in and day out living. Ps.119:105 reminds me "Thy work is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Walking with God - for He is my Light - has become my own personal mission statement.

Just as we need good nutritious food to grow in a healthy way, we also need spiritual food. For me, it took the form of going to Sunday school, Bible camps and church. As I read my Bible I discovered for myself verses, thoughts and words become real, something to think on and act on. Hymns of the faith would come into my mind, becoming a source of strength and comfort; especially during the years of raising our two boys.

It has been during those darkest experiences of not knowing what to do, that I began to learn the concept of a closer relationship with God; to talk with Him as a friend; trusting as we walked together. It was during these times that I found myself trusting Him more and admitting "I Need Help" day by day and moment by moment.
In all my circumstances of life, the big and little every day situations, God has become the all sufficient one, the "Almighty".

So it is with confidence and His promise to me, that He will never leave me nor forsake me that I step out in obedience. You can be sure that I'll be listening for His voice.

Marylaine Johnson

Nadine's Testimony - Belonging

2007-06-18T22:45:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt you didn’t belong? Or even that you don’t fit in your life? I have. I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, wished for do-overs, Mulligans, second, third and fourth chances; I’ve even wished I could win the lottery so that I could step out of my life and start over. So many times, I’ve felt like I don’t belong. I just wanted to belong to someone who was stronger than I am, to belong so that nothing I do can wreck that relationship.

I became a Christian when I was six, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I really met God. I asked Jesus into my heart because I was scared of the consequences of my sin – my disobedience. God was my “get out of jail free” card; He was my Saviour. Camp and youth group were both places I spent time getting to know God, when He started to become my Lord. I still didn’t feel like I belonged, even to God. And then, when I was sixteen, my Dad died. And I suddenly found myself in the category of “someone whose parent has died” – and I didn’t know how to fit there either. During high school, I played volleyball and then basketball, and I was in drama and I made the honour roll…I look back and I realize how fortunate I was, how many gifts God’s given me and skills I’ve learned, and I think how odd it was that I still felt like I didn’t make the grade, how I was inadequate. Or maybe it’s not odd. Even though I was searching, God wasn’t the most important person in my life.

I learned a lot during my twenties and thirties, how to accept myself and my mistakes, how knowing God is the privilege of all of us who chose Him, how God has made no “super Christians” – we get to chose how obedient we are to Him. I attended Bible College, and I’m glad I did. Besides meeting my husband there, I learned so much, not the least of which is that even the people I would think would be the most spiritual are just like everyone else – they need God.

I have discovered that I am an intense person – dramatic, very competitive, opinionated (yes, I have things on which I still need to work) and I don’t need to hide that from God. While I still have a sinful nature and I make mistakes all the time, I want to know God. He’s is more than any relationship I’ve ever experienced, and I want that. God is the answer to the meaning of life, and He doesn't disappoint. It's not just because God is shaping me into a person I never thought I could be, but it's because He's the God we all need. Think about it...where you have a need, God is the answer.

I figured out where I belong. And God's better than I hoped.

Nadine

Amazing Grace

2007-06-17T14:39:00.001-06:00

When I think of God's Amazing Grace, I cannot but reflex on what that has meant in my life. God touch my life and changed my direction when I was 18. Since then I have seen Him lead in many way.

This includes:

Excellent Christian in-laws
A Christian Wife
Christian Kids
A Good life in Saskatchewan
A excellent Church
Opportunities to work in Christian Camps
Several short team mission trips
The ability to complete many different tasks

So when I look at the future, which includes the Bolivian STEP program, I cannot but see God blessing me and the team. Those blessings will only come because of our prayers and faith and the prayers of those who stand behind us. Thank you all, for all your support and may you enjoy God's Amazing Grace.

Ray J

God Is Good!

2007-06-16T11:01:00.001-06:00

As I prepare to leave for Bolivia, God is teaching me a lot about trusting Him. Too often I try to do things on my own strength, God keeps reminding me to lean on Him instead. I was feeling very overwhelmed with the preparations for the dessert auction...I was worried about whether we would have people come and if we would have enough desserts, would I get everything done that I needed to do...etc. Well, when on Wed morning I finally cried out to God saying please help me, in His mercy He brought encouragement in the form of offerings of desserts from people who weren't even from Westhill and some who were. Plus, He brought words of encouragement from other team members. God is good!! Then Thurs evening came and with God's help everything fell into place. People came, we had more desserts than expected and it was an evening of fun and fellowship! God really brought encouragement to me through Ivan's testimony and a reminder that I need to focus on Jesus instead of my frustrations.

I want to take this time to thank everyone who attended the Dessert Auction...you brought encouragement to the team just by showing up. To those who donated desserts and bought desserts, thank-you! A special thanks to those who are taking the time to pray for us, we appreciate it more than I can put into words.

Karen

Ivan's Visit

2007-06-15T11:16:00.000-06:00

It was wonderful to have Ivan G. from Bolivia meet with the STEP Team on Wednesday evening. When we met with him as a team and then heard him speak the following night at our "Dessert Auction", we gained a greater understanding as to what we will be experiencing when we go to Bolivia. I, as leader, had a chance to talk to Ivan (& Dennis) about some of the practical aspects and was impressed with how well organized they are and how careful they are being to make sure that all the arrangements are taken care of. I believe we are in good hands - that God is caring for us and guiding us, through them. I fully expect this will be a challenging, enjoyable and life-changing experience for all of us!

Pastor Henry Friesen

Dessert Auction - June 14th

2007-06-15T02:06:00.000-06:00

O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8)

Gustad, y ved que es bueno Jehová: Dichoso el hombre que confiará en él. (Salmos 34:8)

We tasted in more ways than one last night! Each time I see God work, I am amazed anew. God provides for His children: He provided the volunteers to donate desserts; He provided the guests and members of the church to attend; He provided the generous and open giving; and He provided the gift of fellowship and the beginning of a relationship between the people of Bolivia and the people of our church.

The evening consisted of Spanish singing, Ray's testimony, an update from Dennis Shierman from Canadian Baptist Ministries, Ivan's testimony and a dessert auction, in that order. While the auction was the lighter part of the evening and certainly contained a lot of fun and laughter, the testimonies and update were the highlights of the evening. Ivan showed more pictures of the areas in Bolivia we will visit - and for those who hadn't seen them, it was a great way to increase the anticipation and involvement in this missions trip.

We were blessed by the generosity of those who came - both in support and in financial giving. Bidding started off fast and furious and didn't stop until all the luscious desserts were distributed. The dessert auction was intended to be a fun way to fundraise and we thank all those who made it a laughter-filled and enjoyable evening. To those who wanted to be there but couldn't, thank you for your thoughts and prayers; we will try to keep you updated. And to those who donated desserts, thank you so much for your fabulous desserts!

We appreciate so much the prayer support that we have received. We'd like to add another facet to that support. The team took the opportunity to ask for four prayer partners for each of us who would be committed to praying for us regularly. Those who commit to this take a postcard of the person for whom they pray, and remind themselves to keep us in prayer. We printed only four copies of each person's card. We'd like to be able to contact these prayer partners with our prayer requests as we continue our preparations and as we carry out our trip. Our intention was not to overload the church and and those who have become part of our team and support - or to leave anyone out. If you want to be a prayer partner for one of us, please let us know, and we will make sure to acknowledge your support, and keep in touch with you with our ongoing prayer requests. And if you didn't take a postcard, or committ to praying for one of us, of course it doesn't mean that we don't covet your prayers. We do! It would be a blessing to have to print more cards because we had a demand for more.

Posted by Nadine

Team Meets With Ivan From Bolivia

2007-06-14T09:56:00.000-06:00

Hola! Todo lo que respira alabe Jah! Aleluya! (Salmos 150:6) Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! (Psalm 150:6)

Last night, the Short Term Missions Team was privileged to meet Ivan Gutierrez and to reacquaint ourselves with Dennis Shierman from Canadian Baptist Ministries (our CBM coordinator). Ivan flew here from Bolivia yesterday morning, and will be in Regina for almost three days. What a way to get us excited about our trip! We shared our first meal together with Ivan, heard a lot of information from both Ivan and Dennis (pictured above), and asked a lot of questions.

Ivan will be our translator, guide and all-around advisor while we are in Bolivia. We want to be prepared for Bolivia, for the UBB (Bolivian Baptist Union), for the Tarija region where we will spend most of our time - but most of all, we want to be prepared for the churches in which we will be spending our time. Ivan had some pictures of the places in Bolivia we will visit - and some of the Death Trap Road, pictures you might have seen on the internet a couple of years ago...and we won't be going there. He showed us pictures of some of the people we will meet, pastors, church leaders and members, and children. We were able to see pictures of a church which has a work project to which we may be able to contribute some labour. Most of all, his pictures put faces on the people we want to meet, and put real images to our imaginings about our trip.

Tonight is our Dessert Auction, held at the church at 7:00pm. Ivan will give his testimony, there will be updates on our team, and we will be auctioning off some amazing desserts for consumption tonight or for taking home. Once of the desserts was already in the fridge at the church (a cake decorated as a gift), and it is spectacular. You will not want to miss this event! The church website information is on the right, including the address.

The thought crossed my mind, as Ivan and Dennis were speaking last night, Paul didn't have the advance team that we have in preparation for his missions' trips. We are fortunate and very grateful, but the most important thing we need to have is our love of Christ, and a willingness to serve as He leads. That spectacular dessert looks wonderful because of the decorating, but in the end, someone will cut into the cake and want to eat the substance of the cake. Our preparations are like the decorations on the cake - very helpful, but in the end, it's most important what we bring to and for God of ourselves. Of course, that dessert is going to attract a lot of attention; hopefully, our preparations will make the beginning of our relationship all the tastier for our soon-to-be Bolivian friends, and for us.

We will be posting more often, so come back and check for new pictures, updates and prayer requests. I'll update tomorrow with pictures after the auction, so check back. The team would love to hear from you, so please post comments as you can and let us know you are out there. It would be great if we could hear from Bolivia before we even go there!

Posted by Nadine

My Dad is with the Lord

2007-06-13T12:43:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all of you who prayed and passed on your concerns. My Dad passed away on Wed. June 6. The funeral was on Monday. I felt it was a glorious day full of memories and celebrating Dad's life and God's presence in it. This may not seem to have much to do with Bolivia, but really it does. My greatest fear in going to Bolivia was that my Dad would die while I was away or that I would have his illness hanging over me during preparations. Now I can rejoice in the fact that He is with the Lord and my mind is clear to see all that God will teach me will I am in Bolivia. God is Good - All the Time

Wayne Rempel

How you can help?

2007-05-28T00:03:00.000-06:00

Our team needs your support.

We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we prepare to step out in our faith. The Short-Term Missions Team (STMT) and this trip are an outgrowth of the ministry and fellowship of Westhill Park Baptist Church and you can have a part in this work.

Prayer Items:
- Spiritual insight into how we can be of support and aid to the Bolivians, and a clear sense of God's purpose and direction.
- Spiritual Preparation: our personal spiritual growth and reliance on God, not what we can do - within ourselves and within Bolivia.
- Health, Strength, and Safety while preparing and traveling.
-Unity and Cohesiveness within the STEP Team and for the love we need to show each other and the Bolivian People.
- Financial Support
- Language challenges

Financial Support:
While some of the financial support for this mission is already in place, there is always room for more support. We believe that God will provide, as He does for all the ministries at WPBC, the finances that are required. Our prayer is that this ministry will not take anything away from WPBC spiritual life, but will add to it. Please forward your donation to Westhill Park Baptist Church, designated to STMT/Bolivia.

Sunday Evening Missions Night

2007-05-27T23:36:00.000-06:00

This evening we enjoyed a time of fellowship, music and learning together. After singing some Spanish hymns and songs together, Marylaine, Wayne, and Bev shared their testimonies of the progress of their preparation for ministry trip. All three mentioned times of faith-stretching, and facing fears of inadequacy, doubts, and the unknown. Bridging between these times of openness and community, were lighter moments when 2 skits were performed for the audience. Wayne and Ruth performed a radio interview from the station WPBC stereo, where Ruth expertly extracted all the pertinent details of Wayne's upcoming trip. Karen and Nadine dramatically showed us the back and forth thoughts that can go through a person's head as one makes a difficult decision to serve God through missions.
During the contemplative time lead by Pastor Henry, we discovered that our perspective is a huge part of our vision of missions. He challenged us to imagine what it would be like to live outside of Canada, and desire to send missionaries to reach the Canadians for the Lord.
The evening concluded with delicious refreshments, and good conversation.