Hola!
First of all, updates...Nancy´s fever is gone!!! She still has a bad cough and has stayed home from school, but she is feeling much better! Praise God that I am not sick...I have been wondering how in the world I´m not sick because she has coughed all over me, but its most likely all of your prayers!!! Thank you!
As I mentioned before, Cipriana is recently separated from her husband, and two of her sons. Well, when i was finishing the dishes up last night, she was standing beside me in silence, so I asked..."How are you?" And she said..."very sad." Now, I figured she was, but I had not seen an ounce of it. She is always laughing and being an amazing mother. She went on about how much her heart is aching for her youngest son that is seven and with his father. She says he needs attention that he won´t give him. As she told me about all of this, we both sobbed and hugged each other. Even though we can´t communicate as much as we´d like, we definitely connected on a very real level. It was amazing to watch how strong she is. I can not imagine the hurt she feels having her son taken from her ESPECIALLY after I´ve seen how great of a mother she is to her four children in our home. After we finished, she immediately dried her tears, and went back into the room to with with her children laughing and smiling all the way, not to let her children know her pain.
Yesterday we began the hardest work I believe we will do here. It is at Mother Teresa´s Missionaries of Charity. This is a home for severely mentally and physically disabled men and women. There are six nuns that live their full time, and they are incredible women. We spent a lot of time just talking to them women, giving them lots of hugs and kisses. They love kisses on the cheek which is the formal way to greet anyone here in Bolivia. I did all kinds of things, like helping them make their beds, try to walk, throw a soccer ball back and forth, wash clothes (by hand because thats the only way they do things here), and clip most of their fingernails. It was so gratifying to be able to really love and serve these people. My group and I have been talking that this is THE opportunity to act out everything we have read about and learned about how to love the people as Jesus does. But we couldn´t help but have this battle between flesh and spirit. One moment, you know this is where you are supposed to be. This is where God wants me. The next moment, you´re wondering what in the world am I doing here?!? It is so hard. I met Estella, a fantastic woman with a huge smile on her face, but she can not express what she would like to because she is mute. Or Teresa that has crooked legs and can not walk. Or Atoñia, a woman that got the polio vaccine as a child, and instead of being vaccinnated, got polio. It is an incredible experience that I will need great prayer for, and the residents of the home. We will be serving there every Monday and Tuesday from 8-12.
Well, thats about it for now! Lots of love from El Alto!!! Caio!
February 26, 2008
February 23, 2008
¡Mi familia en El Alto es fantastico!
Not too much has happened since last time, but I figured I give a little love. My family has been amazing. My spanish is getting better, so I´m able to communicate better, and I´ve learned Juan knows some English so when I don´t understand, he tries in English. This always helps!
Nancy, my favorite 4 (almost 5) year old is super sick! She is a bad fever. She is ALWAYS laughing and smiling, and I can not even get her to smile or respond because she feels so horrible. The familiy does not have any medicine for her, but I have been told to keep an eye on her. I gave her half of a tylenol to see if it would lower her temperature, and I believe it made her feel a little better. I´m so scared to over medicate because she´s so small, so hopefully it will help little by little because I need my Nancy to be back to her normal crazy self! The house is so much more quiet with her sick! Cipriana, Juan, and I crawled in bed last night and watched Titanic in spanish. It was so fun because I could comprehend. Who hasn´t seen Titanic!? haha.
And our dog likes me now!!! Tarzon is his name and he hated me at the beginning because he thought I was intruding, but I tamed him one day and fed him bread, and he walks with me everywhere I go and protects me if any other dogs pretend they may attack. I´ve been told that if you pick up a rock and pretend to throw, the dogs back away anyway. This made my life that I have a dog in Bolivia!!!! He now looks at me with eyes of adoration not hatred!!! YAY!!!
We went to the center yesterday and cleaned and served lunch to the ladies, yet not many came. My team member Autumn and I helped in the kitchen and it was so much fun because they cooks, Vicki and Feli, are amazing people!!! They love the Lord and they love people! YAY! So, here´s a glimpse into my last few days!!!
Oh, and I finally won the battle of getting to wash the dishes each day after my wonderful home cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! Cipriana loves it!
Nancy, my favorite 4 (almost 5) year old is super sick! She is a bad fever. She is ALWAYS laughing and smiling, and I can not even get her to smile or respond because she feels so horrible. The familiy does not have any medicine for her, but I have been told to keep an eye on her. I gave her half of a tylenol to see if it would lower her temperature, and I believe it made her feel a little better. I´m so scared to over medicate because she´s so small, so hopefully it will help little by little because I need my Nancy to be back to her normal crazy self! The house is so much more quiet with her sick! Cipriana, Juan, and I crawled in bed last night and watched Titanic in spanish. It was so fun because I could comprehend. Who hasn´t seen Titanic!? haha.
And our dog likes me now!!! Tarzon is his name and he hated me at the beginning because he thought I was intruding, but I tamed him one day and fed him bread, and he walks with me everywhere I go and protects me if any other dogs pretend they may attack. I´ve been told that if you pick up a rock and pretend to throw, the dogs back away anyway. This made my life that I have a dog in Bolivia!!!! He now looks at me with eyes of adoration not hatred!!! YAY!!!
We went to the center yesterday and cleaned and served lunch to the ladies, yet not many came. My team member Autumn and I helped in the kitchen and it was so much fun because they cooks, Vicki and Feli, are amazing people!!! They love the Lord and they love people! YAY! So, here´s a glimpse into my last few days!!!
Oh, and I finally won the battle of getting to wash the dishes each day after my wonderful home cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! Cipriana loves it!
February 21, 2008
Solitude
Since I was having such a hard time adjusting to being without home, our servant team leader, Cara, has lended me a book, The Sacred Sorrow. It is a book on worshipping through lament. I have taken a lot from it, learning that no matter what your situation may be, you can worship the Lord because He is always there. The first few days have still been tough. It is mostly hard not being able to communicate with home (everyone that is reading this) all the time. I have learned to turn to God in my tears and sorrow from this experience thus far. I have been praying for peace and strength and God has definitely come through.
Our team had an assignment on Wednesday. It was a day of Solitude. We did not speak the entire day, just observed and learned. It was a chance to internalize all our thoughts. If we had questions, we wrote them down. We had several times to journal throughout the day, but did not share until the very end. We began at 9 AM and took the minibus to the ceja (market) of El Alto. On the way, our bus driver had road rage with another and we stopped while they got out and argued a bit. This in itself was an experience. We then got to the ceja and walked the streets, past the red light district, and saw the remains of the protests on the brothels last October with grafiti and banged in doors. Then, we entered the market. The market was FILLED with vendors of raw meat, clothes, shoes, toys, blankets. We walked SOO long through this. We then took a path through the witches market. There were many ingredients and fires in this part of town. I still don´t know what to think about it. One interesting thing we saw was dead, dried llama fetuses. It is a ritual when building a home to bury this under your house. If you are rich, you are expected to buy a real llama and sacrifice it. Interesting...
We then took the minibus down to La Paz. La Paz is 2000 feet below El Alto. The more and more we went, the more beautiful and well dressed the people got. We went to St. Fransisco, and then down the main street. As we traveled to the south part of the city, it was such a vast difference than we had experienced in El Alto. We ended in a nice restaurant called CharliePapa. It was then, 4 hours into our journey that we discussed our observations. We also learned that our families were never fortunate enough to travel this far. It was extremely convicting to be in a place that I would find in the states, and know that our families would never even have the guts to enter a place like this because they say they don´t belong there. I am already convicted in the luxurious life I live compared to these people just in the fact that I know I would have thought nothing of entering this restaurant and eating before. The day of Solitude was an incredible experience to witness. I am still so grateful of all that my family does have in El Alto.
They are continuing to be amazing in helping me learn. Although I can not say everything I´d like to say to them, we can still communicate. I recently discovered Cipriana and her husband separated just 2 months ago, and he lives very far away. She has a deep pain because 2 of her sons are with him, ages 15 and 6. She is a great and VERY loving mother, so I can not imagine what this pain is to her. I hope to be a light to her and the kids, help as much as possible, and teach them to rely on Christ. I am also praying this for myself everyday.
I miss you all VERY much, and I love you. Thank you for all the emails, prayers, and comments! xoxoxo from Bolivia
Caio!
Our team had an assignment on Wednesday. It was a day of Solitude. We did not speak the entire day, just observed and learned. It was a chance to internalize all our thoughts. If we had questions, we wrote them down. We had several times to journal throughout the day, but did not share until the very end. We began at 9 AM and took the minibus to the ceja (market) of El Alto. On the way, our bus driver had road rage with another and we stopped while they got out and argued a bit. This in itself was an experience. We then got to the ceja and walked the streets, past the red light district, and saw the remains of the protests on the brothels last October with grafiti and banged in doors. Then, we entered the market. The market was FILLED with vendors of raw meat, clothes, shoes, toys, blankets. We walked SOO long through this. We then took a path through the witches market. There were many ingredients and fires in this part of town. I still don´t know what to think about it. One interesting thing we saw was dead, dried llama fetuses. It is a ritual when building a home to bury this under your house. If you are rich, you are expected to buy a real llama and sacrifice it. Interesting...
We then took the minibus down to La Paz. La Paz is 2000 feet below El Alto. The more and more we went, the more beautiful and well dressed the people got. We went to St. Fransisco, and then down the main street. As we traveled to the south part of the city, it was such a vast difference than we had experienced in El Alto. We ended in a nice restaurant called CharliePapa. It was then, 4 hours into our journey that we discussed our observations. We also learned that our families were never fortunate enough to travel this far. It was extremely convicting to be in a place that I would find in the states, and know that our families would never even have the guts to enter a place like this because they say they don´t belong there. I am already convicted in the luxurious life I live compared to these people just in the fact that I know I would have thought nothing of entering this restaurant and eating before. The day of Solitude was an incredible experience to witness. I am still so grateful of all that my family does have in El Alto.
They are continuing to be amazing in helping me learn. Although I can not say everything I´d like to say to them, we can still communicate. I recently discovered Cipriana and her husband separated just 2 months ago, and he lives very far away. She has a deep pain because 2 of her sons are with him, ages 15 and 6. She is a great and VERY loving mother, so I can not imagine what this pain is to her. I hope to be a light to her and the kids, help as much as possible, and teach them to rely on Christ. I am also praying this for myself everyday.
I miss you all VERY much, and I love you. Thank you for all the emails, prayers, and comments! xoxoxo from Bolivia
Caio!
February 18, 2008
Estoy aqui
Hola from Bolivia.
Well, it has been an adventure to get here. Our group met in Miami, Fl to fly out together. We spent a wonderful 2 hours talking before boarding and taking off. This goodbye to the states was extremely difficult as I shed many tears. Little did I know that it would not be goodbye just yet. I had the pleasure to have the seat 31A meaning the window seat in the back left. We took off and within 2 minutes or 1000 feet up the left engine blew up sounding 4 or 5 rapid backfires including fire and smoke shooting from the engine just outside my window. This is a moment where I truly believed I was about to die. It´s not every flight you get to see the engine blow up and live. I was one of the few lucky ones that actually saw this. I grasped my hands and prayed, and forunately, we turned around and landed safely. Praise the LORD!!! After deplaning and spending 16 hours in the Miami airport (from 11 PM to 3 PM) we were off again. We slept in a crowded autitoruim on cots for the night which was also an adventure waking up to strange men standing over you with coughing, snoring people everywhere...awkward!
Then, finally, we arrived in El Alto at midnight Saturday night, almost a day late, and our families were waiting for us. I met my host mom, Cipriana and her son, Juan(18). They walked me back home in the dark that night. Cipriana is a wonderful woman who is gentle, yet hardworking. She helps me soo much with my spanish, even though I still understand very little. She has one son in the home, and three daughters, Rebeca, 12, Sara, 10, and Nancy 4. Nancy is incredible as she has her wonderful way of making EVERYONE smile.
I have experienced homesickness thus far, but I am getting better. I still miss everyone from the states so much, but my team is such a great support group and we are all helping each other through our difficulties as we´ve had altitude sickness within the group, but lots and lots of love are in this community we´ve made. I have definitely experienced culture shock on many levels. I knew there were wild dogs, but I never expected this many. There is actually one next to me in this internet cafe now. In my 3 block walk from Cara´s house (my servant team leader), I pass an average of 15 dogs. As you know, I am a huge animal lover, and it is a hard task to not look to these dogs as pets, but guard dogs that are very mean. I actually have already had to pass a dead dog on the street several times which breaks my heart, but I am already adjusting to "thats just how it is here."
Food is very different here. Lunch is a HUGE meal and you are expected to eat everything on your plate. This is tough with it being so big, but if you do not eat everything, you greatly offend your family, so I scarf it down even if I am soo full. Everything I have been served so far has been great. My accomodations are actually much greater than I expected. I have a warm bed, vanity with drawers, a chair and two tables in my room! It is much more than I need.
I´m still trying to figure everything out and it is tough, especially missing home, but I know the Lord will take care of everything. He is beginning to give me peace and strength to persevere. Your prayers are very appreciated, and I cannot wait to see what else I have to offer the community of El Alto.
I miss you mucho!!!! And I hope to write again soon! xoxo!
Well, it has been an adventure to get here. Our group met in Miami, Fl to fly out together. We spent a wonderful 2 hours talking before boarding and taking off. This goodbye to the states was extremely difficult as I shed many tears. Little did I know that it would not be goodbye just yet. I had the pleasure to have the seat 31A meaning the window seat in the back left. We took off and within 2 minutes or 1000 feet up the left engine blew up sounding 4 or 5 rapid backfires including fire and smoke shooting from the engine just outside my window. This is a moment where I truly believed I was about to die. It´s not every flight you get to see the engine blow up and live. I was one of the few lucky ones that actually saw this. I grasped my hands and prayed, and forunately, we turned around and landed safely. Praise the LORD!!! After deplaning and spending 16 hours in the Miami airport (from 11 PM to 3 PM) we were off again. We slept in a crowded autitoruim on cots for the night which was also an adventure waking up to strange men standing over you with coughing, snoring people everywhere...awkward!
Then, finally, we arrived in El Alto at midnight Saturday night, almost a day late, and our families were waiting for us. I met my host mom, Cipriana and her son, Juan(18). They walked me back home in the dark that night. Cipriana is a wonderful woman who is gentle, yet hardworking. She helps me soo much with my spanish, even though I still understand very little. She has one son in the home, and three daughters, Rebeca, 12, Sara, 10, and Nancy 4. Nancy is incredible as she has her wonderful way of making EVERYONE smile.
I have experienced homesickness thus far, but I am getting better. I still miss everyone from the states so much, but my team is such a great support group and we are all helping each other through our difficulties as we´ve had altitude sickness within the group, but lots and lots of love are in this community we´ve made. I have definitely experienced culture shock on many levels. I knew there were wild dogs, but I never expected this many. There is actually one next to me in this internet cafe now. In my 3 block walk from Cara´s house (my servant team leader), I pass an average of 15 dogs. As you know, I am a huge animal lover, and it is a hard task to not look to these dogs as pets, but guard dogs that are very mean. I actually have already had to pass a dead dog on the street several times which breaks my heart, but I am already adjusting to "thats just how it is here."
Food is very different here. Lunch is a HUGE meal and you are expected to eat everything on your plate. This is tough with it being so big, but if you do not eat everything, you greatly offend your family, so I scarf it down even if I am soo full. Everything I have been served so far has been great. My accomodations are actually much greater than I expected. I have a warm bed, vanity with drawers, a chair and two tables in my room! It is much more than I need.
I´m still trying to figure everything out and it is tough, especially missing home, but I know the Lord will take care of everything. He is beginning to give me peace and strength to persevere. Your prayers are very appreciated, and I cannot wait to see what else I have to offer the community of El Alto.
I miss you mucho!!!! And I hope to write again soon! xoxo!
February 11, 2008
Getting ready to Go
So, I'm starting to actually pack up, and it's kinda crazy! I don't know where I'm going to put all this stuff: sleeping bag, sheets, towels, books, clothes, boots, gifts, etc... It's close to impossible to fit it all in one suitcase and keep it under 50 pounds!
It is somewhat surreal to think I'm not going to sleep in my comfy bed, wash my clothes in a washer, blow dry my hair, play with my puppies, or even talk on a cell phone for 4 months! Some of this terrifies me, like being away from a telephone, but I know that I will survive. I wish I could throw in an ipod, my laptop, and a huge supply of my favorite foods, but I can't. But then I think, why couldn't I survive on these circumstances? Two thirds of the world live on these circumstances everyday, and right now, I have no way to know if life is actually better with these luxuries. I am going to Bolivia to get up close and personal with Jesus' heart for the poor. I will be living on a modest allowance to pay for all expenses including the fee to use the internet and write on my blog. :) I believe this may be what I desire to spend money on the most to communicate with home!
What I am really most hesitant about in leaving this week is not leaving my hair dryer behind, laptop, or my warm bed, but the people. I am scared about being away from my family and friends. They are my support group through all of this. I don't think I will ever be as excited to check email as in the days to come. Saying goodbye to so many people from school, church, and home that I love so much was the hardest thing I have EVER had to do. Being away from them in the upcoming months will be even harder, but I am praying for strength to get through this, the vision to see God's purpose for me, and an open spirit to take in all the things the Lord has to teach me.
Official Countdown: 3.5 days
Next time I write, I'll be in Bolivia with my host family, (a woman with 3 little girls!), with first impressions!
It is somewhat surreal to think I'm not going to sleep in my comfy bed, wash my clothes in a washer, blow dry my hair, play with my puppies, or even talk on a cell phone for 4 months! Some of this terrifies me, like being away from a telephone, but I know that I will survive. I wish I could throw in an ipod, my laptop, and a huge supply of my favorite foods, but I can't. But then I think, why couldn't I survive on these circumstances? Two thirds of the world live on these circumstances everyday, and right now, I have no way to know if life is actually better with these luxuries. I am going to Bolivia to get up close and personal with Jesus' heart for the poor. I will be living on a modest allowance to pay for all expenses including the fee to use the internet and write on my blog. :) I believe this may be what I desire to spend money on the most to communicate with home!
What I am really most hesitant about in leaving this week is not leaving my hair dryer behind, laptop, or my warm bed, but the people. I am scared about being away from my family and friends. They are my support group through all of this. I don't think I will ever be as excited to check email as in the days to come. Saying goodbye to so many people from school, church, and home that I love so much was the hardest thing I have EVER had to do. Being away from them in the upcoming months will be even harder, but I am praying for strength to get through this, the vision to see God's purpose for me, and an open spirit to take in all the things the Lord has to teach me.
Official Countdown: 3.5 days
Next time I write, I'll be in Bolivia with my host family, (a woman with 3 little girls!), with first impressions!
February 4, 2008
Why Bolivia? What am I doing?
Well, it all started last summer when my youth ministers from high school were in town. They left six years ago to start the mission field with Word Made Flesh in Bolivia. They went down and discovered a large need for ministry to be in the lives of the many women and children involved in prostitution. This is what they have based their ministry around. I told them I wanted to come visit them, and they threw out the idea of applying for their servant team program, which is a 4 month program in the spring or fall. The Lord really spoke to me because I honestly expected to not think another thing about it, and go on, but the idea of going and experiencing life with such different people and finding a way to help them just kept pulling me. I looked up all the information, and out of no where, I applied. Shortly after, I got accepted, and then had a couple second thoughts.
I went through an intense week of reflecting, and truly trying to decide if this is the right path for me. I set several ultimatums for God. If I can't get graduate on time, I'm not going...If I can't get school credit, I'm not going...If my passport is expired, I'm not going...If I can't get into Spanish class in the fall, I'm not going... Well, it proved ALL of those came true, and I still had a desire to go. The Lord was destined for me to live out His will for my life through his own ways. I accepted it head on and raised the money. Now, I find myself in Kentucky anxiously awaiting my departure.
I leave on February 15, 2008 to go and live until June 7th in El Alto, Bolivia, a suburb of La Paz, with an elevation of 13,300 feet above sea level, average temperature of 50 degrees year round and rainy, no heat, a weekly allowance of $12 a week, and only necessities in my possession. I can not wait to truly be able to be ridded of the commercialized culture we live in and really experience life with the two-thirds world. I believe God will be able to speak so clearly through these circumstances. I will live with a host family and volunteer at different ministry organizations throughout each week ranging from serving meals, playing with street children, cleaning, and administering first aid.
Please pray for my team of five, Autumn, Clark, Laura, and Bryan as we go into these people's lives and hope to share the light of Christ with them.
Official countdown: 11 days
I went through an intense week of reflecting, and truly trying to decide if this is the right path for me. I set several ultimatums for God. If I can't get graduate on time, I'm not going...If I can't get school credit, I'm not going...If my passport is expired, I'm not going...If I can't get into Spanish class in the fall, I'm not going... Well, it proved ALL of those came true, and I still had a desire to go. The Lord was destined for me to live out His will for my life through his own ways. I accepted it head on and raised the money. Now, I find myself in Kentucky anxiously awaiting my departure.
I leave on February 15, 2008 to go and live until June 7th in El Alto, Bolivia, a suburb of La Paz, with an elevation of 13,300 feet above sea level, average temperature of 50 degrees year round and rainy, no heat, a weekly allowance of $12 a week, and only necessities in my possession. I can not wait to truly be able to be ridded of the commercialized culture we live in and really experience life with the two-thirds world. I believe God will be able to speak so clearly through these circumstances. I will live with a host family and volunteer at different ministry organizations throughout each week ranging from serving meals, playing with street children, cleaning, and administering first aid.
Please pray for my team of five, Autumn, Clark, Laura, and Bryan as we go into these people's lives and hope to share the light of Christ with them.
Official countdown: 11 days
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg){kind=small}