The youth group is divided into tribes. The tribes always sit together during the service. They also have a small group Bible study during the week. When the teams visit, we encourage them to sit with different tribes. So I haven’t been consistent with any tribe. Lately, I have been sitting with the boys in different tribes too.
Last week, a couple of different boys asked me which tribe I was in. When I told them I moved around, they wanted to know why I didn’t just pick one. I thought about it. I didn’t have any reason. Especially now, when I don’t have a group here. And Claudia and Arturo have offered to drive me home after their tribe meeting. On Saturday, I sat with some of the boys in Benjamin. Someone approached me and told me they were from Levi, but they wanted me to come to their meeting. So I agreed.
Tonight was the meeting. There were only about 15 of us. I REALLY enjoyed it. Made me miss my old small group a lot. At the end, we started talking about Christmas. They wanted to plan a special dinner together. They picked the day after the team arrives, meaning I wouldn’t be able to go. I was okay with that. I wasn’t going to ask them to change plans when I was at my very first meeting! But then someone turned to me and asked if I would come. I had to say no, and explained why. That started an uproar! The date of the dinner was quickly changed to make sure I would be there. It felt really good to be a part of this group.
Afterwards, Arturo, Claudia, and I met Karen for dinner. That was also a lot of fun and we talked about everything under the moon. I am blessed with magnificent friends!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
The First Thanksgiving
Earlier this week, Pastor David invited me to have dinner at his house Thursday. “Just with the family” he said. When I got there last night, I found a looong table set. Slowly, all of the pastors, most of the church staff, and there families arrived. A table was laden with food. With plenty of jokes and laughter, we dug in. Pastor David asked for people to share what they were thankful for.
Last year, the pastor and his wife were in the States for Thanksgiving. It was their first experience with the holiday, and they loved it! As we neared the end of dinner, the Pastor explained that he had invited everyone to come and have their first Thanksgiving experience, and next year he expected them to continue the tradition in their own homes. He declared that a day of giving thanks would be a tradition of their church and every year, the day after Thanksgiving, there would be a special church service to give thanks to the Lord.
Before dessert was served, Hermana Lita approached me and asked me if I knew how to make pumpkin pie. When I told her that I did, she explained that she had had it the year before and enjoyed it so much that she had tried to make it herself. She wanted me to try it and see if she had done okay. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! I must confess that I was a little sad before, thinking that I wouldn’t have Thanksgiving this year, but it turns I had it to its full :) I am so very blessed.
Last year, the pastor and his wife were in the States for Thanksgiving. It was their first experience with the holiday, and they loved it! As we neared the end of dinner, the Pastor explained that he had invited everyone to come and have their first Thanksgiving experience, and next year he expected them to continue the tradition in their own homes. He declared that a day of giving thanks would be a tradition of their church and every year, the day after Thanksgiving, there would be a special church service to give thanks to the Lord.
Before dessert was served, Hermana Lita approached me and asked me if I knew how to make pumpkin pie. When I told her that I did, she explained that she had had it the year before and enjoyed it so much that she had tried to make it herself. She wanted me to try it and see if she had done okay. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! I must confess that I was a little sad before, thinking that I wouldn’t have Thanksgiving this year, but it turns I had it to its full :) I am so very blessed.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Higher Education
This morning after I dropped Julio off at school, I joined Alfredo and Marcos for a trip to one of the Universities. Alfredo is our first graduate, and will start classes in January. We did a little exploring, but were disappointed when we inquired about the entrance exams for his chosen major. His major won’t be offered next year. Which means that none of the Universities here in Cochabamba have the major that he wants. And different from the states, you have to know your major upon entrance, and if you change it, nothing transfers.
We were bummed. So we went to eat Salteñas at Marcos’ sister’s restaurant. Feeling better, we got to talking. Most of the work for this major would be found in Santa Cruz. And we were pretty sure that the universities there would have the major. So we picked up Julio and headed back to the BLC. We checked it out on the internet, and sure enough, the first place we check had it! Alfredo was a little nervous about the idea of leaving Cochabamba. He has never lived anywhere else. He was also worried about not knowing anyone. But we do have the church plant in Santa Cruz, so he will have a place to stay, and he will know a few people. I talked to him about my own trek from Oklahoma to Florida for the University, and he started feeling a bit more confident. He declared that if he just joined a game of soccer, he would leave with friends. Cocky. But true. Next step is getting permission and then entrance exams!
Happy Thanksgiving by the way! It is not a holiday here, but I am going to have dinner at the Pastor’s house tonight. More tomorrow!
We were bummed. So we went to eat Salteñas at Marcos’ sister’s restaurant. Feeling better, we got to talking. Most of the work for this major would be found in Santa Cruz. And we were pretty sure that the universities there would have the major. So we picked up Julio and headed back to the BLC. We checked it out on the internet, and sure enough, the first place we check had it! Alfredo was a little nervous about the idea of leaving Cochabamba. He has never lived anywhere else. He was also worried about not knowing anyone. But we do have the church plant in Santa Cruz, so he will have a place to stay, and he will know a few people. I talked to him about my own trek from Oklahoma to Florida for the University, and he started feeling a bit more confident. He declared that if he just joined a game of soccer, he would leave with friends. Cocky. But true. Next step is getting permission and then entrance exams!
Happy Thanksgiving by the way! It is not a holiday here, but I am going to have dinner at the Pastor’s house tonight. More tomorrow!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Bad Day
Today was a bad day. Really just this morning. Julio and I left late for school. He wanted to run in circles instead of getting his backpack. And when we finally got to the gate, I realized he was still wearing yesterday’s shirt. So we had to go all the way back to his dorm to get him changed. I hadn’t even crossed the street after dropping him off at school when it started to rain. I had to praise God that there was a tiny covered bus stop across the street, because the rain was terrible. It POURED. Even with a little cover and my umbrella, I was soaked by the time it let up enough for me to walk to church. When I got there, I called to confirm that someone else would be picking Julio up, but I was informed that that had fallen through, and it was all me for the rest of the week. So I had to wait in the church, soaking wet, for four hours. And then it was public transportation home.
Yeah, it was a bad morning.
Yeah, it was a bad morning.
Monday, November 23, 2009
It's A Girl!
I woke up early this morning to take Julio to school, and as always I went to the window to see if there was rain towards Cochabamba. But as I looked out over the park, something wasn’t quite right. I had to count again. One. Two. THREE. Three cows. Last night there had only been TWO.
I got dressed quickly and ran downstairs. A little baby cow lay sleeping near her mom. I called Humberto to let him know, and he promised to come right away with a vet. As I watched, the vacita (little cow) stood up for the first time. She started her search for milk, but unfortunately began at her mom’s neck…a long way from the udder! She did eventually find it. Soon, the boys came swarming downstairs for breakfast and spotted the baby too. She was quite the show. She was also very friendly and let everyone gather around and pet her. I started asking the boys for names. Several got voted down, but eventually someone said “Kassandra” and no one had a problem with that. I decided to keep going with it, and asked for a name for the middle cow, who 6 months into her life at the BLC still was nameless. Amanda was chosen.
The boys have a million questions about the baby, and I’ve had to do a lot of explaining about simple things. Why doesn’t she walk well. Why can’t she eat grass. Why doesn’t she know where to get milk? Is she a boy or a girl (the drying umbilical cord was enough to convince most of them that she was a boy). Throughout the day all of the staff have come to sit with her too. We are all happy to welcome her to the family!
I got dressed quickly and ran downstairs. A little baby cow lay sleeping near her mom. I called Humberto to let him know, and he promised to come right away with a vet. As I watched, the vacita (little cow) stood up for the first time. She started her search for milk, but unfortunately began at her mom’s neck…a long way from the udder! She did eventually find it. Soon, the boys came swarming downstairs for breakfast and spotted the baby too. She was quite the show. She was also very friendly and let everyone gather around and pet her. I started asking the boys for names. Several got voted down, but eventually someone said “Kassandra” and no one had a problem with that. I decided to keep going with it, and asked for a name for the middle cow, who 6 months into her life at the BLC still was nameless. Amanda was chosen.
The boys have a million questions about the baby, and I’ve had to do a lot of explaining about simple things. Why doesn’t she walk well. Why can’t she eat grass. Why doesn’t she know where to get milk? Is she a boy or a girl (the drying umbilical cord was enough to convince most of them that she was a boy). Throughout the day all of the staff have come to sit with her too. We are all happy to welcome her to the family!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Lessons
I just finished giving a two hour lesson on how to work Photoshop to two of the grandes. Really just to one, but the best place for the lesson tonight was in the apartment, so two came and the one who wasn’t as interested listened to the ipod and half slept. The other left afterwards saying that his imagination was going crazy and he would be back in a couple of days after he had the chance to take all the pictures that he wants to edit and transform.
The boys here are so creative and artistic it blows me away. They are constantly showing me things that they have drawn that are far better than I can do after years of art classes at school.
The boys here are so creative and artistic it blows me away. They are constantly showing me things that they have drawn that are far better than I can do after years of art classes at school.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Talk
Four of the oldest boys sat me down for a serious talk today. Many of the boys are constantly full of questions and jokes about girls and dating, and I understand that this is because they are trying to figure out the whole dating thing so I am usually pretty open with them (although I do realize there are certain limits and am cautious not to get too close to those). Today, these four were only half playful as they made a recommendation to me of a certain young man from the church that they all think highly of. They were all in agreement that I should marry this man and stay in Bolivia. One went so far as to tell me that if I marry and stay in the USA, that God won’t let me be happy. Only if I marry a Bolivian and stay with them will I be happy.
It was an amusing conversation…it included a reenactment of how they heard God’s booming voice while they were praying in church for me…but I took the more subtle point to be the main point. There was an expression of desire that I not abandon them. While “being wanted” feels good, I hate that they have such a concern. I so wish that my boys only had a conceptual understanding of abandonment, instead of pasts full of it.
It was an amusing conversation…it included a reenactment of how they heard God’s booming voice while they were praying in church for me…but I took the more subtle point to be the main point. There was an expression of desire that I not abandon them. While “being wanted” feels good, I hate that they have such a concern. I so wish that my boys only had a conceptual understanding of abandonment, instead of pasts full of it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Birthday Outing
I got a message from my dear friend Marcos this morning asking if I was free for a little late birthday celebration. He picked me up at the BLC in the afternoon and then we picked up Claudia and started the search for Arturo. I say it that way because we were supposed to pick him up at work, but none of us were quite sure of where that was. We did a lot of “sight seeing” in the mountains while we tried to find him!!
After we finally had Arturo with us, we picked up the kids from school and then went to Marcos’ house to wait for his dad. For dinner we went to a little restaurant. I really don’t understand how Bolivians eat so much. We were each served one plate overflowing with salad, yucca, and cheesy rice. Then we were each served another overflowing plate of meats. I had a full size steak, ¼ chicken, and sausages. And it is very rude to not finish your plate in Bolivia. It was seriously about 3 days worth of food for me!
A real sight seeing drive was in order as we let all that food settle. I really enjoy doing this and getting to know the city better. Also, I always find the things that they point out to me amusing: “that’s the hospital...that’s a university but only for medical students…” Um… okay?
Normally we hang out pretty late, but I am in charge of giving one of the boys a shot every night this week, so Arturo and Claudia drove me back home early. They didn’t mind at all, because it meant they got to spend some time visiting the medianos and grandes before heading back to town.
This was the first time that I have gone out just to hang out with friends. I see people in passing at the church, but I now realize that I can not spend all of my time with the boys and remain a sane adult. We need our friends. I am so grateful to God that he has given me wonderful friends in multiple countries.
After we finally had Arturo with us, we picked up the kids from school and then went to Marcos’ house to wait for his dad. For dinner we went to a little restaurant. I really don’t understand how Bolivians eat so much. We were each served one plate overflowing with salad, yucca, and cheesy rice. Then we were each served another overflowing plate of meats. I had a full size steak, ¼ chicken, and sausages. And it is very rude to not finish your plate in Bolivia. It was seriously about 3 days worth of food for me!
A real sight seeing drive was in order as we let all that food settle. I really enjoy doing this and getting to know the city better. Also, I always find the things that they point out to me amusing: “that’s the hospital...that’s a university but only for medical students…” Um… okay?
Normally we hang out pretty late, but I am in charge of giving one of the boys a shot every night this week, so Arturo and Claudia drove me back home early. They didn’t mind at all, because it meant they got to spend some time visiting the medianos and grandes before heading back to town.
This was the first time that I have gone out just to hang out with friends. I see people in passing at the church, but I now realize that I can not spend all of my time with the boys and remain a sane adult. We need our friends. I am so grateful to God that he has given me wonderful friends in multiple countries.
A few pictures
While I have a good internet connection, I will post a few pictures. My camera has been broken most of the time, though, so there aren't that many...
His plan of attack: hug me and step on my foot. Guess who fell off the log first?
I couldn't resist this opportunity.
It is so different to see everything green in Cochabamba. Here you can see the corn, alfalfa, and onions that we are growing. We also have potatoes, radishes, and carrots.
What handsome gentlemen we have!!
His plan of attack: hug me and step on my foot. Guess who fell off the log first?
I couldn't resist this opportunity.
It is so different to see everything green in Cochabamba. Here you can see the corn, alfalfa, and onions that we are growing. We also have potatoes, radishes, and carrots.
What handsome gentlemen we have!! Monday, November 16, 2009
Just Julio and Me
Today started a different adventure for me. All this week I am responsible for taking Julio to his school in Cochabamba. So I'm up at 5:30am to get myself ready in time to get him ready in time to walk to Sipe Sipe and catch a trufi to Quillacollo to find a bus to Cochabamba. Julio goes to a special school near the church.
And it was still raining this morning (good thing I brought my clothes inside last night). But we made it! Julio held my hand and talked the entire way. I headed to the church to get some work done on the internet, and then picked Julio back up at noon. We made it home safely.
In the morning one of the boys had told me that Monica the cow had "secretions" and might have her baby at any minute. I was so pumped! In the afternoon, the vet came, but he said it wouldn't be until early December. He did take the time to instruct a group of grandes in how to "clean the cow out" which should be done every 3 weeks. Basically, you tie the cow up as tightly as possible, and then just stick your arm in and scoop out the poo that collects inside. No gloves required.
And it was still raining this morning (good thing I brought my clothes inside last night). But we made it! Julio held my hand and talked the entire way. I headed to the church to get some work done on the internet, and then picked Julio back up at noon. We made it home safely.
In the morning one of the boys had told me that Monica the cow had "secretions" and might have her baby at any minute. I was so pumped! In the afternoon, the vet came, but he said it wouldn't be until early December. He did take the time to instruct a group of grandes in how to "clean the cow out" which should be done every 3 weeks. Basically, you tie the cow up as tightly as possible, and then just stick your arm in and scoop out the poo that collects inside. No gloves required.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Rain but No Water
What a weekend! Saturday morning I got up early to do my laundry. I threw a load in the washer, and then filled the sink to do a second load. I had only rinsed one sock when the electricity went out. Without electricity, there is no way to pump the water up from the well. This happens occassionally and it comes back on before too long. But this time it didn't.
All day. No electricity. No water. In the afternoon, the older boys tied an old sheet to a bucket and started lowering that into the well so that they could clean up before church. I took by own bucket down for water to do the same. Half an hour before we left, the electricity came back on! I didn't get to finish my laundry until after the church service.
Sunday morning I woke up, confident that my clothes would be dry after spending the night out on the line. Then I looked out the window to discover it was raining!! Luckily I hadn't washed all of my church clothes, so I was okay for the morning. It rained all day, though, so my clothes are still wet. I am bringing them inside tonight, hoping to have something dry for tomorrow!
All day. No electricity. No water. In the afternoon, the older boys tied an old sheet to a bucket and started lowering that into the well so that they could clean up before church. I took by own bucket down for water to do the same. Half an hour before we left, the electricity came back on! I didn't get to finish my laundry until after the church service.
Sunday morning I woke up, confident that my clothes would be dry after spending the night out on the line. Then I looked out the window to discover it was raining!! Luckily I hadn't washed all of my church clothes, so I was okay for the morning. It rained all day, though, so my clothes are still wet. I am bringing them inside tonight, hoping to have something dry for tomorrow!
Friday, November 13, 2009
My Boys Can Dance!
The boys have been begging me to come to their school today for their presentation. I went, and they were so impressive! In their physical education class, every grade learns different traditional dances. Then, they have a day of dances, each grade presenting what they have learned in full costume. Many of the dances are rooted in the indigenous worship of Pacha Mama, including a "Dance of the Devils" that one grade presented. Needless to say, we're not real hot on our boys participating in this, but the dance presentation is their final grade for the class. This year, our boys asked if they could choreograph their own dance and present that instead. They were given approval.
They picked a Christian song, and have been practicing every night since I have been here. I spent long hours walking with them around the market looking for the right "outfit" for the presentation. They even made masks. And the grandes and medianos mastered their breakdance.
This morning I went to their gym. Parents and costumed children everywhere. Basically the morning was chaos, with kids running everywhere, even through the middle of other dances. But things changed when our boys presented. The grandes took the stage. I watched as the crowd grew silent, then cheered and whistled. There was no running around, no interruptions. Just staring and then wild clapping! They rocked!!
In the afternoon, the medianos presented their dance. Same reaction from the crowd. I was actually sitting farther back and had to change my seat because so many people crowded in front of me to watch. Cheers and whistles! The grandes also presented a second time, and on the way home they proudly declared that they had been invited to present the dance at the colosium the next day. I guess that means they all passed :)
They picked a Christian song, and have been practicing every night since I have been here. I spent long hours walking with them around the market looking for the right "outfit" for the presentation. They even made masks. And the grandes and medianos mastered their breakdance.
This morning I went to their gym. Parents and costumed children everywhere. Basically the morning was chaos, with kids running everywhere, even through the middle of other dances. But things changed when our boys presented. The grandes took the stage. I watched as the crowd grew silent, then cheered and whistled. There was no running around, no interruptions. Just staring and then wild clapping! They rocked!!
In the afternoon, the medianos presented their dance. Same reaction from the crowd. I was actually sitting farther back and had to change my seat because so many people crowded in front of me to watch. Cheers and whistles! The grandes also presented a second time, and on the way home they proudly declared that they had been invited to present the dance at the colosium the next day. I guess that means they all passed :)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Birthday!
Today is my birthday! It is the first time I have been able to be here in Bolivia for my birthday. Today is also Javier's birthday. He turns 12, I turn...more. I got up early this morning and headed to the church by public trufi. There is high speed internet there :) so I got some work done and bothered Sergio a little. I went back to the BLC around lunch time. In the afternoon, Sandra found me and asked me to help her with a project. But when we walked into the cafeteria, I found all of the staff and all of the boys clustered around one table. As the parted the way, I found a gigantic birthday cake!! It was so beautiful and I couldn't understand how they had gotten it there with our trufi still broken. The staff explained that the boys had cooked it. I was so impressed! It was delicious too!!
It was adorable to watch all of the little boys wait so patiently as everyone was handed a slice of the cake. No one touched it until everyone had some, and then Carlos prayed for me. Normally they eat so fast, I'm not really sure where all of the food goes. But the cake they ate slowly, savoring all 5 layers individually! The staff then gave me roses. So beautiful! I love flowers :)
For dinner, there was funnel cake. Apparently this is a normal meal here. My mom also called in the evening, and that really cheered me up. It was a good Bolivian birthday and I celebrated with some wonderful people.
It was adorable to watch all of the little boys wait so patiently as everyone was handed a slice of the cake. No one touched it until everyone had some, and then Carlos prayed for me. Normally they eat so fast, I'm not really sure where all of the food goes. But the cake they ate slowly, savoring all 5 layers individually! The staff then gave me roses. So beautiful! I love flowers :)
For dinner, there was funnel cake. Apparently this is a normal meal here. My mom also called in the evening, and that really cheered me up. It was a good Bolivian birthday and I celebrated with some wonderful people.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Provider
God won’t leave me alone. Seriously. He has been talking to me a lot this week, and it is only Tuesday!
I’ve been thinking about writing this blog for a couple of hours, and even through that He has been teaching me. Originally, I wanted to title this “Anna Hart: Blockade Runner, Trufi Killer.” It’s been an exciting morning.
Sergio called me early because I have the trufi (a van) and he wanted me to bring it to the church to pick up some new tile for the BLC. So off I went. Just past Quillacollo, I ran into a blockade. So I decided to go around it. Sometimes this can be very difficult. This time it wasn’t so bad. There was a steady flow of cars running around it, and I just followed them. I got to the church and was pretty proud of myself. Sergio told me I was a little more Bolivian, since I got around it by myself. I was even prouder.
Somewhere in the big book I lug around on Sundays, it says something about pride.
On the way home, there was no flow of traffic to follow. I did some turning around. Then I decided I would just go up the mountain for a while, then over, then back down, and hope I made it around. No, I don’t know any of the roads. With a quick prayer, I headed up. I got worried. I wandered around. Mountain roads don’t run in nice grid patterns. I turned around. Every once in a while, I would pass something familiar. I thanked God for that day in July when the LFC Team 2 just had to have more materials for their project and I had gone to town alone with Cristobal and there was a blockade but we decided to go around it and he had taken me far up the mountain and pointed out peculiar landmarks along the way. I figured I couldn’t be too lost when I spotted some of these places. Not that I could even tell you which direction I was trying to go anymore. I got worried again. I said another half prayer. Finally I came across a bus and a chicken truck. I decided to follow them. They had no business up in the mountains, so they must be trying to get around the blockade too. At this point I didn’t care if they were headed towards Cochabamba or Sipe Sipe. I just wanted out of the mountains. So I followed them.
After some time, I spotted a familiar road. Looming before me, was the beautiful main road. And I was on the side nearest the BLC! I was free and clear. And boy was I proud. I had passed another blockade, a much more complicated blockade, wandering the back mountain roads alone. Woo Hoo!!
And then the motor died.
In the middle of the road, the trufi died. I panicked. I tried to restart it. I prayed. I called Sergio. Just as he answered, the motor started back up. I hung up. I drove a block. And it died again.
In the middle of the road. Blocking two of the three lanes of traffic. A stream of other cars trying to get to the main road after passing the blockade furiously honking behind me. And the trufi would not start. There was a taxi parked on the side of the road and the driver and a man standing by his car were clearly watching me and discussing my ordeal as I desperately cranked the engine to no avail and called to the BLC for help with shaking hands. After what seemed an eternity, they approached my window. “It runs on gasoline?” they asked me (in Bolivia, cars run on diesel, gasoline, natural gas, or a mixture). “Yes,” I answered. They told me I was out of gas, but I assured them that I had filled the tank as I was leaving Cochabamba. They said no more, but their faces did not appear convinced. They offered to push me over to the side. I was so thankful!
I began making calls again, saved from the honking of horns. I talked to Mau, who was going to send the bus from the BLC to pick me and the supplies up. I talked to Juan Carlos, the mechanic from the church, who was going to send a tow truck out for the trufi. I was so thankful to God that this had happened in a place that I recognized and not up in the mountains where I was completely lost.
After an hour and a half sitting in the hot car alone and worried, I spotted a group I recognized. Sandra and three of the boys from the BLC were passing by. I had called Sandra too, so she was looking for me. They joined me in the hot car and chatted a while about the policeman who had approached me and asked me to move the car (I was parked directly under a no parking sign) and then apologized for confronting me after I explained that the motor was dead and I couldn’t move it. Moments later, I spotted the bus from the BLC. Tio Rodo was on the phone with the mechanic as he approached. As we loaded the supplies onto the bus, he offered to stay with the trufi until the mechanic arrived.
Two hours after my first call for help, I was in the bus and on my way home. It was true that my way had not been smooth or comfortable, but God had shown up to Provide for me in so many ways: the landmarks, the other blockade runners, the timing of the breakdown, the taxi driver and his friend, the welcome sight of friends, and the slew of people that came to my rescue. Even Sergio called me back to make sure I was okay!
My pride is gone and I have such gratitude for His provision. Thank you God, for breaking me down to teach me, and seeing me through. What was I reading before I left this morning? Isaiah 2:3, “...He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths…”
I’ve been thinking about writing this blog for a couple of hours, and even through that He has been teaching me. Originally, I wanted to title this “Anna Hart: Blockade Runner, Trufi Killer.” It’s been an exciting morning.
Sergio called me early because I have the trufi (a van) and he wanted me to bring it to the church to pick up some new tile for the BLC. So off I went. Just past Quillacollo, I ran into a blockade. So I decided to go around it. Sometimes this can be very difficult. This time it wasn’t so bad. There was a steady flow of cars running around it, and I just followed them. I got to the church and was pretty proud of myself. Sergio told me I was a little more Bolivian, since I got around it by myself. I was even prouder.
Somewhere in the big book I lug around on Sundays, it says something about pride.
On the way home, there was no flow of traffic to follow. I did some turning around. Then I decided I would just go up the mountain for a while, then over, then back down, and hope I made it around. No, I don’t know any of the roads. With a quick prayer, I headed up. I got worried. I wandered around. Mountain roads don’t run in nice grid patterns. I turned around. Every once in a while, I would pass something familiar. I thanked God for that day in July when the LFC Team 2 just had to have more materials for their project and I had gone to town alone with Cristobal and there was a blockade but we decided to go around it and he had taken me far up the mountain and pointed out peculiar landmarks along the way. I figured I couldn’t be too lost when I spotted some of these places. Not that I could even tell you which direction I was trying to go anymore. I got worried again. I said another half prayer. Finally I came across a bus and a chicken truck. I decided to follow them. They had no business up in the mountains, so they must be trying to get around the blockade too. At this point I didn’t care if they were headed towards Cochabamba or Sipe Sipe. I just wanted out of the mountains. So I followed them.
After some time, I spotted a familiar road. Looming before me, was the beautiful main road. And I was on the side nearest the BLC! I was free and clear. And boy was I proud. I had passed another blockade, a much more complicated blockade, wandering the back mountain roads alone. Woo Hoo!!
And then the motor died.
In the middle of the road, the trufi died. I panicked. I tried to restart it. I prayed. I called Sergio. Just as he answered, the motor started back up. I hung up. I drove a block. And it died again.
In the middle of the road. Blocking two of the three lanes of traffic. A stream of other cars trying to get to the main road after passing the blockade furiously honking behind me. And the trufi would not start. There was a taxi parked on the side of the road and the driver and a man standing by his car were clearly watching me and discussing my ordeal as I desperately cranked the engine to no avail and called to the BLC for help with shaking hands. After what seemed an eternity, they approached my window. “It runs on gasoline?” they asked me (in Bolivia, cars run on diesel, gasoline, natural gas, or a mixture). “Yes,” I answered. They told me I was out of gas, but I assured them that I had filled the tank as I was leaving Cochabamba. They said no more, but their faces did not appear convinced. They offered to push me over to the side. I was so thankful!
I began making calls again, saved from the honking of horns. I talked to Mau, who was going to send the bus from the BLC to pick me and the supplies up. I talked to Juan Carlos, the mechanic from the church, who was going to send a tow truck out for the trufi. I was so thankful to God that this had happened in a place that I recognized and not up in the mountains where I was completely lost.
After an hour and a half sitting in the hot car alone and worried, I spotted a group I recognized. Sandra and three of the boys from the BLC were passing by. I had called Sandra too, so she was looking for me. They joined me in the hot car and chatted a while about the policeman who had approached me and asked me to move the car (I was parked directly under a no parking sign) and then apologized for confronting me after I explained that the motor was dead and I couldn’t move it. Moments later, I spotted the bus from the BLC. Tio Rodo was on the phone with the mechanic as he approached. As we loaded the supplies onto the bus, he offered to stay with the trufi until the mechanic arrived.
Two hours after my first call for help, I was in the bus and on my way home. It was true that my way had not been smooth or comfortable, but God had shown up to Provide for me in so many ways: the landmarks, the other blockade runners, the timing of the breakdown, the taxi driver and his friend, the welcome sight of friends, and the slew of people that came to my rescue. Even Sergio called me back to make sure I was okay!
My pride is gone and I have such gratitude for His provision. Thank you God, for breaking me down to teach me, and seeing me through. What was I reading before I left this morning? Isaiah 2:3, “...He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths…”
Monday, November 9, 2009
Lazy Weekend
We had a pretty lazy weekend here at the BLC. Lots of fooling around and movie watching. I was up late both Saturday and Sunday watching movies with the Medianos in the movie room. The boys even made popcorn on Saturday. Sunday I got to drive the trufi home from church, so I took advantage and stopped at the grocery store. I also figured out that I can send and receive text messages internationally. So drop me a note if you like! 591-779-49362 (yes, there should be an extra number)
Friday, November 6, 2009
Oh So Good
I’m feeling great! The “Cochabamba Crud” (sinus problems that always set in around week 2) has nearly passed and my tummy is full of pizza this evening. One of our boys had a check up scheduled this evening and Sandra invited me to go along with them because there was a cheap pizza place nearby. A lot of rice is eaten around here, and I can only take so much. On top of that, Bolivian culture states that it is incredibly rude to not finish the entire plate you are served. So I’m cooking for myself pretty often, and my meals tend to be very simple as cooking here takes so much more time. Well, the doctor actually called and canceled the appointment before we left, but the idea of pizza was so wonderful that we headed as far as Quillacollo to find some! I’m just so glad we did!!
Friday is market day in Quillacollo and the streets were packed. There was a long row of booths all selling the same thing and Sandra took me to one to explain them. The first Friday of every month (today) these favors are sold for the believers of Pacha Mama (basically the worship of Mother Earth and animal spirits). They are small squares made of pressed sugar with various designs on them. The people buy a bunch and the seller places them on a newspaper, throws a handful of confetti over them, and then wraps it all up in the newspaper for the buyer. The sugar squares were by far the most popular, but many other items were available at the same booths for use in the worship of Pacha Mama including various herbs and dried llama fetuses.
Friday is market day in Quillacollo and the streets were packed. There was a long row of booths all selling the same thing and Sandra took me to one to explain them. The first Friday of every month (today) these favors are sold for the believers of Pacha Mama (basically the worship of Mother Earth and animal spirits). They are small squares made of pressed sugar with various designs on them. The people buy a bunch and the seller places them on a newspaper, throws a handful of confetti over them, and then wraps it all up in the newspaper for the buyer. The sugar squares were by far the most popular, but many other items were available at the same booths for use in the worship of Pacha Mama including various herbs and dried llama fetuses.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A-Okay
Quick update: our little one is back home, walking and all, but with instructions not to run around or play hard for 2 weeks. That’s quite a challenge for an 8 year old boy!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Long Night, A Lunch, and An Emergency
What a night! I’m exhausted today and about ready to head to bed. The overnight staff for the youngest boys was not able to come yesterday and I was asked to step in once again. It is simply exhausting for one adult to try to bathe and put to bed 27 boys under 10 years of age. I had to call in reinforcements from Sandra and then later again from one of the oldest boys! Then there is the midnight wake up call for some of the boys who still wet the bed. And they are awake by the time the sun comes up at 5am! Half of them have to get ready for school in the morning (the other half go in the afternoon) and then we take all the dirty clothes to the wash house before breakfast.
I barely had time to change clothes before I had to start the trek into town. A walk to the plaza in Sipe Sipe where I can catch a trufi to Quillacollo, and then crossing the plaza to catch the next trufi into Cochabamba. Pastor Reynaldo and Sandra (who graciously agreed to accompany me) met me at the church and then we took a taxi to Pastor Reynaldo’s church. He is the brother of Lita, who is the wife of David, the pastor that we partner with in Cochabamba. He showed us around his small church and then served us a traditional lunch that I can not remember the name of. Apparently, everything was cooked in the ground…chicken, rice, potatoes, and bananas. It had a very different flavor than what I have eaten before and was pretty good. Just as we were finishing, Sandra got a call that there was an emergency and we had to rush back home. The Pastor was very understanding and helped us to get a taxi to get home faster.
I’ll start by saying that everyone is okay. At the time, that wasn’t what we thought. The call Sandra got said that one of our younger boys had been climbing a tree and fallen, landing on his back, on a brick, and wasn’t moving. We were terrified. By the time we got back to the BLC, he had been moved into the clinic and was moving his arms and legs and talking. He was in pain though, afraid to sit up and unable to walk. We put him into the taxi and were off to Cochabamba again. At first he was still afraid, but with a little joking around he started to relax and giggle. He even played games on my cell phone until the battery died. When we arrived at the doctor’s office he was given a shot for the pain and it wasn’t long after that, that he was playing and joking around like normal. He was able to sit up, but was still afraid to walk. X-rays revealed no breaks or fractures. The doctor decided he will have to stay over night for observation, to make sure the impact did not damage any organs. He was in good spirits when we left, and we all prayed together.
We took the trufies home, and as we neared I got a little nervous thinking of the long dirt road we would have to walk in the dark. As we approached our stop, I spotted our two oldest boys lounging on the wall. They were waiting to walk us home! We really do have good boys…crazy monkeys and all :)
I barely had time to change clothes before I had to start the trek into town. A walk to the plaza in Sipe Sipe where I can catch a trufi to Quillacollo, and then crossing the plaza to catch the next trufi into Cochabamba. Pastor Reynaldo and Sandra (who graciously agreed to accompany me) met me at the church and then we took a taxi to Pastor Reynaldo’s church. He is the brother of Lita, who is the wife of David, the pastor that we partner with in Cochabamba. He showed us around his small church and then served us a traditional lunch that I can not remember the name of. Apparently, everything was cooked in the ground…chicken, rice, potatoes, and bananas. It had a very different flavor than what I have eaten before and was pretty good. Just as we were finishing, Sandra got a call that there was an emergency and we had to rush back home. The Pastor was very understanding and helped us to get a taxi to get home faster.
I’ll start by saying that everyone is okay. At the time, that wasn’t what we thought. The call Sandra got said that one of our younger boys had been climbing a tree and fallen, landing on his back, on a brick, and wasn’t moving. We were terrified. By the time we got back to the BLC, he had been moved into the clinic and was moving his arms and legs and talking. He was in pain though, afraid to sit up and unable to walk. We put him into the taxi and were off to Cochabamba again. At first he was still afraid, but with a little joking around he started to relax and giggle. He even played games on my cell phone until the battery died. When we arrived at the doctor’s office he was given a shot for the pain and it wasn’t long after that, that he was playing and joking around like normal. He was able to sit up, but was still afraid to walk. X-rays revealed no breaks or fractures. The doctor decided he will have to stay over night for observation, to make sure the impact did not damage any organs. He was in good spirits when we left, and we all prayed together.
We took the trufies home, and as we neared I got a little nervous thinking of the long dirt road we would have to walk in the dark. As we approached our stop, I spotted our two oldest boys lounging on the wall. They were waiting to walk us home! We really do have good boys…crazy monkeys and all :)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Anniversary and the Department of Transportation
Yesterday was the anniversary of the church that we work with here in Cochabamba. 23 years!! We took all of the middle and older boys into town for the celebration in the evening. It lasted 6 hours! It began with praise and worship and a sermon, then was followed by videos of the founding of the church, and finally by skits and dramas from the youth group. Chocolate cake and Coke were passed out to everyone in attendance and the church was packed (about 1,500 people)! It was an awesome celebration.
This morning I traveled back into town by myself for the first time…public transportation all the way! I have to admit that I was nervous, but everything went perfectly and it was a good test run for tomorrow when I have a lunch meeting with a pastor in town. I met Sandra at the church and we went to La Cancha for lunch. There are booths that sell fruit salad. I’m in love with these places! They serve a gigantic bowl of fresh fruits with a little yogurt…almost more than I can eat…for only 5Bs. (7Bs = $1) I would happily eat that every day if it were a little closer to the BLC. We then bought bread, as I was unable to find any on Sunday due to All Saints Day (the bakeries have only been making cakes and cookies for the holiday). Then we headed to the Department of Transportation to inquire about my getting a Bolivian driver’s license. This would be so helpful for me to have now, and especially when there are teams here. I’ve needed to drive on many occasions in the past and had to do it unlicensed. The result of the visit was not very promising though. I either have to take classes for a month or pay about $150. Either way, I also have to show my birth certificate, which I do not have here. Maybe some day…
This morning I traveled back into town by myself for the first time…public transportation all the way! I have to admit that I was nervous, but everything went perfectly and it was a good test run for tomorrow when I have a lunch meeting with a pastor in town. I met Sandra at the church and we went to La Cancha for lunch. There are booths that sell fruit salad. I’m in love with these places! They serve a gigantic bowl of fresh fruits with a little yogurt…almost more than I can eat…for only 5Bs. (7Bs = $1) I would happily eat that every day if it were a little closer to the BLC. We then bought bread, as I was unable to find any on Sunday due to All Saints Day (the bakeries have only been making cakes and cookies for the holiday). Then we headed to the Department of Transportation to inquire about my getting a Bolivian driver’s license. This would be so helpful for me to have now, and especially when there are teams here. I’ve needed to drive on many occasions in the past and had to do it unlicensed. The result of the visit was not very promising though. I either have to take classes for a month or pay about $150. Either way, I also have to show my birth certificate, which I do not have here. Maybe some day…
Monday, November 2, 2009
All Saints Day
Today is All Saints Day in Bolivia. It goes hand in hand with the origins of Halloween, and because it fell on a Monday, the celebration is now on it’s third day. Sandra and I walked into Sipe Sipe after lunch; you would have thought they were having a parade. There was a constant flow of people walking together, arms laden with flowers and baskets of food, balancing buckets filled with juice or checha (the popular home brewed alcohol). We followed the flow of people and through the streets that were now lined with booths selling more flowers and sweets, ice cream, fried meats of all kinds, toys, etc. The flow led us straight into the cemetery.
It was the first Bolivian cemetery I have been in and it was hard to walk down the path because of the crowd! The path was lined with tall shrubs and walkways branched off to small areas of mausoleums. These areas were also filled with people “visiting” their relatives. Further back, was the “poorer” area, as Sandra explained. Here, the graves were all in the ground. It was just as full of people as the front and even had a live band playing on one side. The graves were laid haphazardly wherever there was space. As we followed a trail that looped around one side, we stepped from mound to mound. I felt bad at first, coming from a culture that looks down upon stepping or standing on someone’s grave, but the culture here clearly speaks differently about this. All of the graves had flowers and piles of sweet breads, some had blankets and candles. The more elaborate had every square inch covered in foods and flowers, heaping high so that no dirt showed.
As we left the cemetery and made our way back home, I asked Sandra about the beliefs surrounding these practices. Family members bring the favorite foods of the deceased to their grave to share with their spirit. As more people come to visit, they ask each person to pray for the soul of the deceased, and then share the food that they have brought. This is especially important the first year after someone has died as, on this night, the other souls in the cemetery will “punish” and beat the new souls. The prayers provide them with protection to ease their suffering. At night, the people are supposed to dress in black so that these angry souls can not see them. As Sandra shared with me the words of her own grandmother about these beliefs, I commented about how terrible they must believe it is to die and how I found it interesting that all of the souls were mean. I thought a little more about this later and realized that their belief is really very light, only receiving a beating one night a year assuming their family does not provide adequate protection. The reality of hell that faces these who are lost is in reality significantly worse.
The holiday is, apparently, beneficial for many children. Sandra explained that many children, the poor and homeless, will travel through the cemeteries during this season offering to pray for souls and accepting the food that is given to them for these prayers. Many children collect enough food to last them the entire next week. Some of our boys at the BLC used to do this.
It was the first Bolivian cemetery I have been in and it was hard to walk down the path because of the crowd! The path was lined with tall shrubs and walkways branched off to small areas of mausoleums. These areas were also filled with people “visiting” their relatives. Further back, was the “poorer” area, as Sandra explained. Here, the graves were all in the ground. It was just as full of people as the front and even had a live band playing on one side. The graves were laid haphazardly wherever there was space. As we followed a trail that looped around one side, we stepped from mound to mound. I felt bad at first, coming from a culture that looks down upon stepping or standing on someone’s grave, but the culture here clearly speaks differently about this. All of the graves had flowers and piles of sweet breads, some had blankets and candles. The more elaborate had every square inch covered in foods and flowers, heaping high so that no dirt showed.
As we left the cemetery and made our way back home, I asked Sandra about the beliefs surrounding these practices. Family members bring the favorite foods of the deceased to their grave to share with their spirit. As more people come to visit, they ask each person to pray for the soul of the deceased, and then share the food that they have brought. This is especially important the first year after someone has died as, on this night, the other souls in the cemetery will “punish” and beat the new souls. The prayers provide them with protection to ease their suffering. At night, the people are supposed to dress in black so that these angry souls can not see them. As Sandra shared with me the words of her own grandmother about these beliefs, I commented about how terrible they must believe it is to die and how I found it interesting that all of the souls were mean. I thought a little more about this later and realized that their belief is really very light, only receiving a beating one night a year assuming their family does not provide adequate protection. The reality of hell that faces these who are lost is in reality significantly worse.
The holiday is, apparently, beneficial for many children. Sandra explained that many children, the poor and homeless, will travel through the cemeteries during this season offering to pray for souls and accepting the food that is given to them for these prayers. Many children collect enough food to last them the entire next week. Some of our boys at the BLC used to do this.
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