December 6, 2008

Well, here we are...in two weeks I'll be arriving home for Christmas! How exciting is that! At the same time...it's a little frightening to think of all I wanted to finish before then. Lots to be done...may God give me the necessary strength to get through it!

I have one quick story I wanted to share from this week...
I went to see my friend Avelina on Thursday night so that we could have a Bible study together, she lives in the house next door to the church. Her family lives upstairs and another family from the church lives downstairs. Anyway, when I arrived at the house, the woman who lives downstairs was outside talking to a woman whom I had never met before. It didn't take long for me to learn that the stranger wished to speak to the pastor of our church. She had come by the day before wishing to get some advice from someone and was told the pastor would be at the church in time for the prayer meeting that we have on Thursday nights. She came about an hour early, hoping to talk to him before the service, but he was not there. They asked me if I would call him so I did. Given that our pastor is a single male, it is understandably difficult for him at times to give advice in situations such as these. As it turned out, he was not available to come early before the service and was a little hesitant to do so. He then asked me if I would be willing to talk with her to see if I could help.

I excused myself from my meeting with Avelina and went over to the church with the "stranger" who I quickly found out is named MariCruz. She and I sat behind the church in one of the classrooms so that the person leading the nightly prayer meeting could arrange the seats for the meeting. MariCruz began telling me about a friend of hers who was going through a difficult time and she wanted to know how to help her. As it turned out...the "friend" of whom she spoke was herself. With respect to the confidentiality that I promised her, I won't go into great detail about the struggles that she was experiencing. However, she did say that she is 2 months pregnant and suicide was one of the many problems with which she was struggling (not due to an unwanted pregnancy, I feel I should make that clear)...therein lies the parts that are better left unsaid. Anyway, with no family in the city...she was looking for a place to turn...I do believe it was God that led her to the church door. She was feeling lost, a sinner, a nobody, etc...particularly through her suicidal thoughts mixed with her Catholic upbringing...suicide an unpardonable sin!

Without going into a lot of detail, God used that situation to give me an opportunity to share the gospel with her. To talk about His love for her and the worth she had in his eyes. Although I could not help her much with the situation leading up to her desire to take her own life and the life of her baby...I was able to share Christ with her. She prayed to receive Christ into her life and to become one of God's children. My prayer for her is that it truly was a heartfelt decision. I don't expect that I will see her again...she doesn't live in the area of the church and was making plans to leave town...however, I continue to pray that God will guide her footsteps, carry her when she struggles, and provide for her needs. Oh, that she might truly see the depth of the relationship that He desires with her. Please join me in praising God for her life and that He has called her unto Himself. Also praise Him for giving me the blessing of getting to share this exciting news with her, to love her even with the baggage of her past that she carries with her. Also join me in praying for her continued walk with him, as well as her protection and guidance.

May we not forget, especially during the Christmas season, the saving grace that was sent to live and die for us all. Blessings to each of you this holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you're each enjoying time with family and friends on this special day, as you ponder on the many things for which you are grateful!

I apologize for waiting so long to up-date my blog...I guess I have a mixture of excuses...lack of time, still struggling with getting settled, working on my classes, etc. However, I imagine the real reason is that when one is still going through culture shock (as I have been) there are days when it's hard to know what to share. Part of culture shock for me is just a difficulty in the transition...missing family and friends from home, being uncertain of the plans God has for me here, and many times a general feeling of loneliness. The good side is that it isn't constant...it tends to come and go like a roller coaster! Frequently when I'm feeling low, God provides little glimmers of light that seem to make the world a brighter place and give me a great deal of encouragement! For those things I am extremely grateful!

One of those glimmers of light that God provided occurred last Sunday. One Sunday each month, my church has been doing some type of evangelistic event in order to reach out to the people in the surrounding neighborhood. The plan for November's evangelistic event, was to go door to door, passing out tracts and sharing the gospel as well as giving fliers with the times of the church's services. I debated whether or not I wanted to go...I'm never very comfortable going door to door plus my stomach had been a little upset and in general I was busy having a pity party. However, I sort of felt like I should go...so I went! We met at the church to pray and divide up into groups. There was a large number of people who came for a church our size...I think about 20-30 people came. Before I go much further let me explain that many of the churches that SAM works with minister to the lower-class people. Mine is not an exception to that, although, interestingly enough there are also several people that would fit into a middle-class category. They own their own car, rent/own nice houses, have enough food to eat, etc. Typically there wouldn't be much interaction between these two groups so I am always thankful that it isn't a source of division within our congregation. Anyway, for this particular event most of the regular attendees came and even a few children which was neat to see. Then, another woman came in late, while we were praying. She is one of the poorest members of our congregation. Often our church has aided in providing food and meeting medical needs for her and her children. She also is a real talker! The kind of person that you sometimes want to run from if you see coming, because you know that if you start talking to her, it'll be next to impossible to get away from! Many times it is very difficult to understand her which makes the conversation even more of a challenge. After the prayer had finished, I realized that she had come and I will admit I was quite surprised, yet pleased that she was there! Then I began to look around the room...she was sitting right next to me...and in a few minutes we were going to be dividing up into groups of two to go around the neighborhood. I didn't think this was how it was supposed to go, I didn't know if I wanted to do that...mostly because I was afraid of being left alone with her! However, God had other plans! There was a younger woman there so we decided to form a group of three. That seemed like a better option to me! Then we started out for our designated part of the neighborhood. It didn't take long for me to understand how God intended for us to work together and to use each of us for our individual gifts. I turned out to be good at the social skills (greeting people as they came to the door), because of her fluency in Spanish, the younger woman who joined us was great at sharing the gospel and the tracts that we took with us, and the older woman was a much needed part of our team due to her boldness. Both the younger woman and I are a bit more shy, introverts. Yet this woman was on fire for the Lord and wanted to make sure everyone in the neighborhood heard His Word. She banged on the door until they'd come talk to us (since some people needed a little encouragement to stop what they were doing and come). She also pulled us over to people walking by in the street regardless of whether or not another group may have already talked to them. It was exciting to see that even through our differences and our faults, God could use us to get His message out! I loved every minute of it! In all, there were probably 7-10 groups and we passed out 10-15 tracts! Praise the Lord! Continue to pray that through those seeds that were planted...more will come to know Him!


I have one other short blessing that God provided for me this week! A new addition to my family...a one year old Rottweiler puppy named Juan. His owners are friends of mine, but they needed to travel for awhile and asked me to take care of him. They aren't sure how long they will be gone, but I'm enjoying his presence at the house! So far, Chiquito isn't too sure that Juan should be here...but we're making progress. I have been able to take them both for a few walks without any fighting...that is progress as opposed to the first day he came to live with us! He stays outside and Chiquito stays inside so little by little, they're getting used to it. He is a sweet dog, a big baby really! I love having him here!


Well, I guess that's it for now! My pie is about to finish baking and then I'm going to have Thanksgiving dinner with friends! Only a year ago, I was watching Wesley (my nephew) try his first spoonful of sweet potato casserole and enjoying visiting with my Grandfather at my parent's house (before he fell, broke his hip, and moved to a nursing care facility in Ohio). A lot has happened this year...more than can be mentioned in this paragraph! Many things for which I am so very thankful! Blessings to you all!

On Our Way Home

Katie and I are leaving Peru on Saturday evening at 9:55 PM and arriving in Santa Cruz on Sunday morning around 1:30 AM. Jeff and Beth HAuse, SAM missionaries, will be picking us up from the airport. We are both looking forward to being back in our area of service and sharing what we have learned with folks in Santa Cruz.

Our experience in Peru has been terrific! It has been a privilege for us to see the various SAM ministries in Pucallpa and Puerto Supe...everything from SAM Academy (the MK school), to SAMAir Peru's work in the jungle, and the several Bible training institutes designed for different types of people (Indigenous tribes, Pucallpans, or Mestizos...mixed). We enjoyed hearing the encouraging stories of how God is working in those ministries as well as the specific needs that our fellow missionaries have and how we can be praying more specifically for them. Of course, we also built some wonderful friendships!

I have mentioned working with two students at SAM academy with special needs. It was a joy for me to be able to work with the teacher and staff to enable those students to attend the school. Please continue to pray for the teacher, high school helpers, parents, and students themselves as they progress through the year. In my next blog up-date I will attempt to compile various prayer requests so that you too can be praying more specifically for the work God is doing through SAM in Peru.

In some ways our visit in Peru was almost like a vacation. We were treated like queens at the home of Marilyn and Dave Simmons in Pucallpa, as well as watched as the red carpet was rolled out before us everywhere we went. There is no question about it, we were definitely well cared for! We were also able to travel and see the country while visiting with various missionaries. This past week we traveled to Machu Picchu, the Incan ruins that are a must see if you come to Peru. At first the weather was cloudy and we thought we weren't going to be able to see very much, but while we were there it cleared and we had a magnificent view. Near Machu Picchu, we also stayed a couple of nights in Cusco where there are several other things to see as well! Thanks to Jed and Jaime Benoit for opening their guesthouse to us, so that we didn't have to pay the expense of a hotel (which would have been a LOT given what a major tourist attraction that area is). Now we are back in Lima...enjoying a couple of days here before flying out tomorrow night.

This past week I learned that Dalmiro Ortiz from Bolivia is scheduled to have his visa application reviewed on Monday. I have requested prayer for him in the past because we are praying that he would be able to intern at Abingdon Bible Church. Obtaining a visa into the United States is difficult anytime, but with the current political climate, it is even moreso. We are thankful we serve a God who is in control and into whose hands we can place Dalmiro and his needs.

We have had a wonderful time here...but I think we are both ready to be back home, settling into our old routine! Thank you once again for your prayers!

October 6, 2008

Greetings from Pucallpa, Peru!

I apologize for my delay in up-dating my blog. I've entered the world of dial-up Internet service which makes spending much time on-line quite difficult. I do however, want to give you a quick up-date of how God is using me here in Peru. The main reason Katie and I were brought to this particular field is because there is an MK school here that SAM has started and the mission thought Katie and I could plug in easily for the time we're here. It is much smaller than SCCLC. I think there are about 10 students in the entire student body!

Upon my arrival, I quickly learned that in the elementary program, in which there are 3 students, there are two students with special needs. One of those was removed from the school setting about a year ago due to behavior, yet the parents and school administrator were interested in working him back into the school setting. Given that no one has training in teaching Special Education, they were all very excited to have my "expertise"!

The elementary teacher was in the states for a wedding so I filled in doing some substitute teaching last week. Now that she is back my role is changing just a bit. My main goal is to provide some instruction for the teacher in teaching students with disabilities, as well as to slowly work the one child back into the school environment (providing what assistance the teacher will need within the classroom and in pulling the child out). Of course, since I don't know exactly how long I will be here, the most immediate need is to provide some suggestions for the teacher and develop a schedule for the incoming student (a schedule which does not involve me teaching him so that I can be removed from the setting when needed). Please pray for wisdom and strength for all involved. The teacher is a little nervous about how this will change the make-up of her class and whether or not it will work. I'm a little nervous about determining how to get involved without students or teachers being dependent on my services.

Katie and I are enjoying being a service to the missionary community. It seems to be a closer community here than in Santa Cruz. Katie describes it as a small town atmosphere and I think she's right. The missionaries live and work closer together here than in Santa Cruz and therefore seem to enjoy each others company more frequently in social settings. Katie and I are enjoying spending time with the singles. They plan activities together at least a couple of times a week...that's fun! We also are filling in occasionally as "baby-sitters" when necessary, which has been a great support to a couple of the missionary families with small children. All in all, we're enjoying our time here immensely!

Our hearts and minds are frequently back in Santa Cruz thinking and wondering about what is happening there, but we're extremely thankful for the huge blessing that this trip has meant and continues to mean to us! The latest word I have gotten from SAM is that we will be here at least until October 20, after that we'll have to wait and see!

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! They're greatly appreciated! Blessings to you all!

September 20, 2008

Some of you are probably aware of the political situation in Bolivia. Five departments (equivalents of states) of the nine in Bolivia have expressed their desire to be autonomous: to elect their own governors and departmental authorities, to have more control over local schools, public services, etc., pretty much like in the U.S. The national, or central, government has expressed at various times that it is moving in that direction and is open to dialog, but their actions have consistently and without exception said the opposite. This has gone on for some time, and the five departments have become more and more agitated. Last week there was unrest here in Santa Cruz, mainly in the downtown area, and now there are problems in other areas as well. The differences go beyond political ideologies and include cultural and religious identities.

As a result of this continued unrest, South America Mission has decided to limit the number of missionaries in Bolivia by removing the single missionaries at this time. On Sunday morning, Katie Wells and I will be flying first to Lima and then to Pucallpa, Peru for a period of several weeks. We will be working with the SAM Academy there. Other single missionaries (Elliott Tait and Dana Wilson) were scheduled to go on Home Assignment later this year. They are now returning to the United States as soon as Monday and Tuesday. While this is difficult, we are grateful that the Mission staff have our best interest uppermost in their minds.

As you know, I have been living in the home of a missionary who is currently in the United States on Home Assignment. While I have felt very safe in Santa Cruz, and there has been no violence in the area where I have been living and working; I am concerned about leaving her home vacant. Fortunately there are Bolivians who will care for it in my absence.

Also, if you know me, you know I have a dog, Chiquito. The Lord has blessed me with another SAM family who love dogs and have agreed to keep Chiquito while I am in Peru. This is a clear blessing to me from the Lord. It puts flesh on the verse in Luke 12:6 where Jesus said the Lord cares for even sparrows that fall.

Please pray, especially for the country of Bolivia, the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center, the missionaries still here and the believers who will be left. Ask for God's grace to be multiplied on them. Also, pray for Katie and me as we pack for an indefinite time, say our goodbyes and begin a new adventure. Help us to be confident in the words from Jer. 29:11, "'for I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

September 1, 2008

Happy Labor Day to those of you living in the U.S.! In Bolivia, Labor Day (Dia del Trabajador) is in May so we have the joy of working today on a normal schedule!

Things have been a little busy for me here, but I just couldn't let another week go by without up-dating my blog! I apologize for being a bit sporadic on my up-dates!

Things you can be praying for:
1. Last week I took my midterm exam for one of my classes and this Wednesday, I hope to take the other one. Finding time to get enough studying in continues to be a challenge. Fortunately, last week and this week I have been able to cut back on a few activities in order to have some extra study time. However, that isn't always the case and I am now down to about two months left to complete these courses with quite a bit of work yet to finish!

2. You may remember me asking for you to pray for Dalmiro as he seeks the Lord's direction to one day serve Him in India. The first step on his missionary endeavors will hopefully be to Abingdon, VA, my home supporting church. They have a mission's internship which would be a wonderful experience for Dalmiro, not to mention it would warm my heart to connect Bolivia with my hometown even in a small way! The most difficult part right now, will be getting a visa! The U.S. government doesn't hand them out easily and Dalmiro's chances don't look very good as there are some requirements that he doesn't currently meet (i.e. he is supposed to own a house here and have so many thousands of dollars in the bank to show that he has a real reason to return). However, I have seen God provide for others...and have no doubt that if this is His plan for Dalmiro, then He can work it out. Please join me in lifting Dalmiro up in prayer over the next few months as he schedules an appointment and then travels to US Embassy in La Paz for his meeting. (There is a picture of Dalmiro in the second picture at the end of this up-date.)

3. I am thoroughly enjoying being back in Special Education and I love my schedule/balance between school ministries and "other" ministries. Praise the Lord for that! On a school note...I'm being reminded of how difficult Special Education can be as I have several students who are truly struggling. I feel like we are struggling to get methods into place to help these students be successful and their parents are discouraged. Please pray for wisdom in working with these students as well as patience as we deal with their parents (who seem to appear constantly, sometimes at the most inopportune moments). Thank you for praying for the shipment the school has had waiting in customs. We were finally able to get that delivered last week and I unpacked boxes and got things put away last Friday! I'm so glad to have that chore behind me!

I know I promised pictures last week, but forgot to attach them! Sorry about that! I've posted a few below for your enjoyment (They're pictures from an outing with a few of the leaders in my church to explore a new area being developed outside of the city where our church is praying about doing some outreach)! Blessings to you all and thank you so much for your faithful support and prayers!

August 18, 2008

I think this is one of those weeks when I have so many things to share with you, that I'm afraid I won't be able to get them all in. I thought I would try to break them down into sections so that it would help me to organize my thoughts a bit. I also have a few pictures that I'll plan to post in this entry, but it may be tomorrow before they're actually available (I need to get them off my camera and onto the computer first). Anyway, moving on to God's presence in Santa Cruz...

Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center
School is off to a running start, last week was the first week of classes. I have not started working with students yet, as I need to wait until their regular schedules have been set before I can develop my schedule. That has been fine with me, however. I have plenty of things to keep me busy. We have already been exploring a couple of students who will need to be tested for our Special Education program to determine if there is a learning disability...which is part of my job. I am also busy completing informal reading inventories and giving advice as to the appropriate placement for specific students. The school is also awaiting a shipment of supplies which is being sent down from the states. I was asked to help with organizing that and working on getting it out of customs. It is a long and rather complicated process. I spent most of the day last Friday going through the shipment there in the customs warehouse with a couple of other workers from the school. We have to compare everything with the invoices that we have and give an account for each item. The next step is getting the invoices in order and turning them in...after that we may have to go back down and go through the boxes onces again with the customs representative. I'm praying that doesn't happen and that they let us get the things without going through it all again! Anyway...it has been an eventful week!

Church: La Restauracion (The Restoration)
Things have been a little difficult at church lately...not because of anything a specific person has done...only because we have several key leaders right now who are very sick or hospitalized due to surgeries. My pastor has begun joking that we should change the name of our church to "La Restauracion de los Operados" (The Restoration of the Operated!). In the last two weeks there have been at least 3 people to have surgeries and be hospitalized for varying lengths of time. One of them was our pastor's father, Leopoldo, who also serves as one of the associate pastors in our church. Another was my friend Beth HAuse who you may remember me mentioning before. The third was my friend Avelina's husband, Medardo. I know three doesn't seem like many...but let me try to put it in perspective for you. Our church only has about 50 active adults...so three of the most active definitely leave some big holes for the rest of us to fill. Not to mention...they've all been in different hospitals or clinics and things just take longer to do here. Even when I drive to go visit Pastor Leopoldo...it takes me anywhere from 30-45 minutes to drive there, park, and walk up the street to the hospital (due to traffic, not distance). Then the unexpected always happens. Friday night, I went and picked up a couple of guys who wanted to go with me to see him. We drove over there...to find out that the staff had thought visiting hours was a good time to change the dressing on his incision and to do his physical therapy so we weren't allowed to go in. We waited about an hour until we could actually see him. Most people here wouldn't stay for a 5-10 minute visit, typically you should stay for at least a half hour...if not longer. Then it took us closer to an hour to get back because we ran into heavy traffic and there was a broken down car at one point that backed things up! Anyway...all that to say...a visit that in the states you could easily do in an hour if you didn't live too far from the clinic...here frequently takes me 3-4 hours.

I did say that there were several people who have been out of commission. I only mentioned three here, because they're the ones that have been in the clinic...we also have had several people who have been sick or injured and are recuperating at home.

We've decided that this is getting a little old! We're all tired of visiting people in hospitals and miss having them ministering alongside of us. The pastor feels like he's spending all of his time going back and forth to the hospital for his dad so he hasn't had time to do the visitation with other church members that he normally does, which is discouraging. All in all, we could really use your prayers! I can't help but think that as a church...we must be doing something right or else Satan wouldn't be working so hard...yet I just pray that through it all we would continue to look to God for our source of strength and comfort! You can pray particularly for a service that we have coming up this Sunday night at 6:00. The pastor is calling it basically a Spiritual Renewal service and they're encouraging all of the congregation to be present. We will spend a lot of time in prayer and worship. I think it could be a great time for us as a congregation to really sit back and listen for God's voice and to bask in His presence.

Other
You may remember that I asked you to pray with me that Avelina would be open to doing a Bible study with me. I talked to her a couple of weeks ago and she was very open to it. Her day off is now set for Saturdays whereas before it used to rotate. We have not actually started the Bible study due to the fact that her husband had hernia surgery and is still recuperating. We talked about it again when I saw her briefly yesterday, so maybe by next weekend, we can get started on that.

I also have mentioned the outing I went on with the Professional Class English group. Tonight will be their first class for this semester. Although I will not be teaching right away, I plan to go and see how the classes are done and get to know the members a little more. We will start at about 7:30.

CIET classes start again this week! Again...due to illnesses...we are short-staffed for teachers. The director himself had surgery a couple of weeks ago...Pastor Leopoldo usually teaches in CIET but will not be able to this trimester...Jeff HAuses has not been feeling well for at least the last week if not longer...that really cuts down a large percentage of the CIET teaching staff! We might be off to a rocky start. Due to the Professional Class English Group...my English classes at CIET have been moved to Friday night so that I can continue helping in both.

Well, I guess that's it for this week. I'm sure I could think of more things to tell you about...but this is enough to keep you busy for awhile! Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! They are particularly needed right now! Blessings to you all!

Happy Bolivian Independence Day!

Due to the fact that it is a holiday in Bolivia...I'm taking advantage of the time to allow myself to be a bit lazy without being too lazy! I still have studying to do after all! I started the day by letting myself sleep in until 9:00! That was exciting! Then I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while watching a movie. After that I read for a bit and enjoyed a catnap! Now I'll be doing a bit more studying before spending the evening with some friends!

The last few days I have been busily working on trying to get my classroom ready for school to start next week. My classroom this year is actually an old locker room that has been transformed into a classroom. Thanks to the team of young people from Atlanta that came down about a month ago...it looks really good! That got most everything finished up to the paint job! Typically the workmen at school will do the painting, but since we were already working on so much, I decided I wanted to paint it myself! That way I got to choose a color, rather than use the standard white! I had a few friends help me do most of the painting last Friday morning...cheap labor...all I did was buy lunch (which was chicken dinners - two pieces of chicken, rice, french fries, and soda - for all 5 of us plus 4 to go so 9 total...only about $20!!!! Not bad at all!)! Then I handled the touch-ups on Monday morning. After the hard work and an allergic reaction to what we assume was the paint thinner, which caused me to break out in a rash and get itchy...I'm ready to hang up the paint brushes for awhile! Now if I can track down some furniture, we'll be all set to role! I'll be sure to post some pictures next week once things are in place!

On Sunday I went along for a day outing with a few other missionaries. They have been working on ministering to the professional or upper class in Bolivia. One of the main aspects of their ministry is an English group that they have on Monday nights to teach them or help them work on their English. They took a break for a few months, but will be starting up again at the end of this month. I have been asked to consider working with this ministry...so we've moved my CIET English class to Friday nights at the start of the next trimester in a few weeks and I will begin going to the English group on Monday nights. This will be particularly helpful to them since one of the teachers will be going on furlough in October. Anyway, the day outing was just a chance for me to get to know some of the students or families that attend the group. Many of them are not Christians so this is an excellent way for us to share the gospel and God's love with them! Please continue to pray for this ministry. I have a few pictures posted below and will continue to share more about this a little later on as we begin classes again.





I guess those are the highlights for this week! Thank you so much for your continued prayers! They are appreciated! Enjoy the day as we are enjoying ours here!!!!!

July 30, 2008

I'm so sorry for the delay in up-dating my blog! I didn't get to it last week and then again missed the opportunity this week. I decided I should go ahead and give you a brief up-date of what's going on and fill you in on a couple of up-coming things so that you could be praying specifically for those things.

Today, I finished working with other SAM missionaries in hosting a Vacation Bible School for the English speaking community. I was in charge of teaching 1st - 2nd grades, however, due to the lack of available teachers in order to offer a class for the Pre K and Kinder grades...I also had a few students from those grade-levels who really wanted to participate. By the end of the week I had about 20 students. In short we talked about the truths God has given us. The first day was spent talking about the truth of God's Word. We discussed basic facts about the Bible as well as how we can know it is true. The next two days we talked about the truth of God's Son, Jesus. We not only talked about who Jesus is and why we can believe in Him, but we also talked about what He did for us and provided an opportunity for all to accept Him into their lives. The fourth day was then used to talk about the Spirit of Truth. The fifth and final day was used to talk about the importance of sharing these truths with others. After that we had a closing ceremony as well as games and snacks for the families. It was a lot of fun and a real blessing, however, it has left me pretty tired.



Over the next week I need to finish getting my classroom painted and setup so that I'll be ready for the start of the new school year. There are meetings for the teachers on Aug. 7 and 8, then the first day of classes is Aug. 11. I will be teaching only part-time at the school...half days every day. Please pray for teachers and students alike as we work to get back into the swing of things!

I just got word that my friend Avelina has her day off tomorrow. I have been feeling God prompting me toward beginning a Bible study with her. Her days off are pretty sporadic so she isn't able to make it to church very often. I think it could be a great encouragement to her and a wonderful experience for both of us. I plan to go see her tomorrow so that I can talk about it with her. I have a Bible Study book entitled "Vive lo que Crees" (Live What you Believe) that I would like for us to do together. Please pray for our initial meeting tomorrow as well as diligence to follow through with subsequent meetings.

Thank you as always for your prayers...even when I get distracted and fail to keep you up-dated! Your prayers and encouragement mean so much to me!

July 14, 2008

Greetings from sunny Santa Cruz! I apologize for not up-dating my blog last week. On Monday I drove up to the mountains for the day. The trip didn't exactly go as planned, but I still enjoyed the day. It meant, however, that I was pretty busy on Monday...then I had a meeting and some other running around to do on Tuesday...by the time Wednesday rolled around I was completely exhausted...then the closer I got to the end of the week, the better it sounded to just wait and write an up-date today...so here I am!

I have a couple of ministry highlights from this week that I would like to share with you.

On Saturday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00...my church has what they call an "hora feliz" (happy hour) for the children of the neighborhood. We play games or make a craft, present a Bible story and verse, sing songs, and have a snack...basically Vacation Bible School only on Saturday afternoons! The kids love it and we have anywhere from about 20 to 40 kids. All those who want to help with this are divided into groups so that each group is in charge about once per month. This past Saturday it was my groups turn. We have begun studying the Life of Jesus with them and the lesson presented by my group was called "Los Magos Adoren a Cristo" (The Wisemen Adore - or Worship - Christ). It was a lot of. I'm looking forward to the ways in which God can use me further in that ministry both with the children as well as with the other adults in my group.

Also, after the Sunday morning service I sat down to talk to one of the girls from the youth group, Eva. She hadn't made it to the youth activities on Saturday night so I told her that we missed her and made a couple of small talk type comments, which is usually all there is time for on Sunday morning. Within minutes she began to open up to me and share about some difficulties she is having at home. It takes her an hour to get to church since youth group doesn't end until between 9 and 9:30, she arrives pretty late at her house. That is a concern for her parents, understandably, but they also don't want her spending the night with some of the other girls in the youth group and then going home on Sunday afternoon. They are believers, but according to her, have lost a lot of the faith they once had as they aren't going to church or walking with the Lord on a regular basis. She is also studying in one of the universities and is often there taking classes...which I gathered was a topic of disagreement with her parents as well. I won't go into any more details, but she could certainly use your prayers...both she and her parents. Eva and I haven't had many opportunities to talk before so I was especially thankful that she felt comfortable to open up and talk to me, even amidst her tears. I also appreciated the opportunity to pray with her and look forward to the ways in which God will continue to use me in her life. The girls from the youth group will be coming to have a sleep-over at my house on Friday night and I am really praying that her parents will allow her to come. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for us to reach out to her.

There is a team here this week from a church near Atlanta. A couple of the days they are working out at the Learning Center, mainly helping to get my classroom ready! It's been exciting and I'm really appreciating their ministry here! I spent Saturday with them at the school and will be there with them again this Thursday. The rest of their week is spent working in a place called Posa Verde, it is one of the camps where the Aeyore (an Indigenous group of people) live.

The rest of my week is spent doing quite a bit of visitation, which I love! Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to visit a friend from church. Her son was born a week after my nephew, you may remember me talking about her. I plan to go hang out with her and her kids for a little while. I also have some English tutoring planned for the afternoon. On Wednesday, I have breakfast with one friend and lunch with another! Crazy I know! In between visitations I'll be working on my classes and helping to take care of a little girl from church. Her grandfather had surgery this morning on his back so her parents have been busy helping her grandparents at that hospital. She spent the better part of the day with me today and plans to go visiting with me tomorrow afternoon. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for my ministry here. It is exciting to see how God is working!

June 30, 2008

Greetings once again from Santa Cruz! I'm afraid I don't have very much to share and it is getting late so I will just give you a quick up-date for this week!

Highlights from this past week:
1. I spoke at my church on Sunday morning. It was our missions Sunday led/organized by Dalmiro Ortiz one of the pastors at our church. Dalmiro is a Bolivian pastor who feels God calling him to overseas ministry in India. He would like to complete the mission's internship program that my home church, Abingdon Bible Church, offers...starting after Christmas. After that he hopes to serve the Lord as a missionary in India. We are very excited for Him and are praying that God will provide for all of his needs both financially as well as through the paperwork he would need to go to the states and then to India. Please join us in praying for him!

2. On Sunday afternoon, the youth from my church went to the children's hospital to hand out teddy bears that had been handmade by a retirement village in the states and sent down to missionaries here. We visited around the hospital visiting with the patients, praying for them, and where God opened doors...shared the gospel! It was an exciting time and I enjoyed being a part of it! It is so exciting to see God working in the lives of our youth!

Those are the two main highlights from this week! On Friday I will join the SAM family as well as a team that is here for a 4th of July picnic! This particular team comes every year and brings bratwurst and I'm not sure what else...but things we can't find here! It's a great time of fellowship and the team helps to make it extra special! I'll conclude this up-date with a few pictures of my house that I recently took...Enjoy! Thank you for your continued support and prayers! I appreciate the comfort of knowing you are lifting me and my family here up in your prayers! (I'm not having any success with the pictures...I'll try again in a couple of days when I can get to a different computer to see if a faster connection will help! Sorry!)

June 23, 2008

Cultural Tidbits
As in the up-date from last week, I'll share a little with you about what life is like in the Bolivian culture...particularly Santa Cruz. The two themes I thought I'd share with you today are traffic and weddings (not because I have any big news to share...but because I went to a wedding this weekend and saw many differences).

Traffic
Driving in Santa Cruz is crazy, as you can imagine if you've ever been to a Latin American country. Here are a few tips that I have picked up:
1. Basically the bigger vehicle has the right of way and micros (buses) always win, they own the road.
2. Traffic lights don't always mean what they say...so if everyone else is going, just follow along.
3. Don't make eye contact with police officers on the side of the road or you're more likely to get pulled over.
4. Don't bother trying to look for painted lines to show the division of lanes on the road...no one pays any attention to them (therefore, 2 painted lanes becomes 4 as far as traffic is concerned, the lanes are crooked when they are painted, but most people drive straight so if you follow the crooked lane you'll get hit).
5. Watch out for speed bumps...they're everywhere, huge, and aren't always marked!

Weddings
Last Saturday night I went with my friend Lidia (the woman I lived with when I was here before) and her boys to a wedding. The groom is actually the boys' half brother, because they have the same father. This was definitely considered an upper class wedding, so I'm only going to speak about it from that standpoint. It was also a Catholic wedding, but I'm going to focus on the cultural differences as opposed to religious differences. There were two ceremonies, a religious ceremony and a civil ceremony. The religious ceremony was held at the church. It was supposed to start at 8:00pm...we got there at 8:15 and people were leaving...just to find out it was because the church had a couple of weddings back to back, so we waited until the first wedding party left then we went in, at about 8:30. Within 5 minutes the bride was walking down the isle...no attendants on either side. There were ring bearers and flower girls, but that was it. The bride and groom sat on stools or chairs in front of the priest. The civil ceremony was performed by a lawyer at the place where the reception was held. I am told that sometimes the civil ceremony is performed in the morning with only the family. Both ceremonies contained a part in which marriage certificate was signed by bride, groom, and witnesses. I am told it is a big honor to be chosen to sign as a witness; both bride and groom each get to choose one person. By the time both ceremonies were over it was about 10:30. There was some dancing and congratulating the bride and groom with a toast, then we were served dinner at 11:00pm or so. Dinner was steak, sliced chicken, some kind of crepe wrapped around a cream sauce, au gratin potatoes, one piece of broccoli , one carrot, and some sliced palm heart. After that there was more dancing and drinking (this part would have been left out of an evangelical wedding). The bride and groom went to each table so that they could have their picture made with each group of people and speak to them briefly. Around 12:30 cake and ice cream were served, but there wasn't an official cutting of the cake like is done in the states. Lidia and I left about 1:15am as the bride was throwing the bouquet. I spoke to another friend of mine the next day who was also there and he said he left at about 2:00am...I believe people were still dancing and drinking! There are two other parts that I didn't mention...one was the importance of dressing up for a wedding, particularly this one since it was upper class. Men wore a suit and tie, women wore prom style or bridesmaid style dresses. Most went and got their hair and nails done during the day...remember that this would be anyone attending the wedding...not just the wedding party! It was extremely cold on Saturday night so many people wore fur wraps and things...I kept my coat on all night. The other interesting part about this wedding was that because both the bride and the groom are well-known in this society...several different television stations were present for the whole thing. It was entertaining to watch people interacting with the camera crew.


Ministry News
I do want to touch briefly on a couple of things that happened this week as far as ministry is concerned. Each Monday night I have the privilege of teaching in English in CIET, the Bible Institute. So far I have 5 or 6 primary students who are coming regularly. They are eager to learn and I enjoy the time I have with them. I open each class by praying with them in English. Other than the material in their text books, they are also interested in learning songs in English so we are working on two, one for adults and one for children (Lord I Lift Your Name on High and Jesus Loves Me). Also, on Saturday afternoons my church has an activity for children from 4:00-5:00, "La Hora Feliz", "Happy Hour". All adults who can help are divided into teams so that there is a once a month rotation. I joined the team working this past Saturday and organized the games. Typically, we have anywhere from 40 to 50 kids from the neighborhood. Because of the cold this weekend, our numbers were smaller, but by halfway through we probably had close to 30, which is still a pretty good number. The kids have been learning the story of Esther, which we finished teaching them this past weekend. Finally, about once a month my church has an evangelistic activity in which all are encouraged to invite friends and neighbors. This month, yesterday, we served coffee, hot chocolate, and refreshments. Jeff HAuse shared the gospel and we also sang a couple of songs and handed out some tracts. Again, due to the colder weather, there were not as many there have been in the past...but it was still a pretty good turnout. I saw at least 10 people that I didn't recognize or that I haven't seen in awhile. Well, I guess I have made this entry long enough...maybe some of you had to read it in segments or something, sorry about that! I have also tried to attach a few pictures to this entry, but I'm not having much success today so I will try to send them out in an email instead. If you don't already receive my emails, but would like to, please write and let me know (boycelj@yahoo.com). Thank you so much for your faithfulness to our Lord and your love for me!

June 17, 2008

I received my first care package last night...that was exciting! Of course, most of what was in the box were things that I had hoped to bring with me, but couldn't fit them in my carry-on. Mom and Dad packed them up right after I left and sent them to the home office, so I was expecting them! However, it was still a nice feeling...even to get some of my own things in a care package. There were also a couple of surprises stuck inside. One of them was a letter from friends in Franklin. They requested that I add a few details to my blog about what the climate and life in Santa Cruz is like right now...therefore...for "Maggie and the girls", I'll try to do just that!

Climate: We're well into the winter season here. Upon my arrival, the temperature was in the 80s and very humid. Only a few days after that, it got very cold...miserably cold for me. The terminology here is that a "sur" blew in, which is a wind coming up from the South. The temperature stayed in the low 50s which is pretty cold for this area. Without any insulation in the house and with the rain/general dampness in the air...it felt cold! I went days feeling like I couldn't get warm...that's when it starts to feel miserable. After a couple of sleepless nights due to the cold, I started adding more layers. Soon I was wearing a mock turtle-neck, a long sleeve shirt, two sweatshirts with the hoodies pulled up over my head, two pairs of pants, and two pairs of socks. On the bed were two sheets, a down comforter, and another comforter doubled over on top of me because it was a size too large for the bed. You'll be glad to know that with all of that...I finally slept well! I didn't want to get up in the morning...but at least I was sleeping well! As it always does, after a few days, the sun started making an appearance again and we were back to sleeveless tops and sandals with temperatures in the 70s and 80s during the day, then maybe a light sweater at night as it would cool down. Another "sur" blew in last weekend, but fortunately, it is not as severe...so far I don't think it has gotten colder than 60 this time and there hasn't been any rain involved.

My House: I am getting more and more settled in my house. It has two bedrooms, one bathroom, family/dining room combination, and a very small kitchen. The size of the kitchen is the only downfall as far as I'm concerned. There is a back porch with a hammock as well as a hammock chair. On warmer days/evenings, I enjoy sitting back there and watching the stars or just enjoying the tropical atmosphere. I'm looking forward to more warmer days when I can do that more often. There is also the laundry room in the back with the spare room where I stayed for the few weeks before my friend left. I will try to take more pictures of the house this week and attach them to my next up-date. There is a wall around the yard with a double gate in the front so that I can get the truck out. I keep the gate locked most of the time, unless others are here with me and/or people are coming and going. I just feel a little more secure that way. There are two guards that patrol the street, one by day and the other by night. They are very friendly and helpful. Often if they are near the house when I drive up, they offer to open the gate for me so that I don't have to get out of the truck. It's a big help! I also am very comfortable asking them to accompany me to my door if there is anything that worries me. That's only happened once...I was out walking Chiquito who tends to attract the attention of a lot of other dogs and as we neared our house I realized the big dog that lives across the street was out and I didn't want any trouble...asking the guard to walk me to the door was just a precaution. Whereas many side streets in the neighborhoods are dirt...my street is not, which is wonderful! It really cuts down on the amount of dirt that gets tracked in or blown into the house!

Last week/weekend I had my first company here in the house. On Wednesday, 4 girls from my mission came over for lunch and to watch movies. Three of them are from the same family. There mom was out of town for a conference in the states so I was helping their dad out a bit. They are junior high/high school age. The fourth one is the same age and her mother was also out of town so it was convenient to have them all at the same time. Incidentally, her younger brother (who I think is in 3rd grade) came over on Friday night with Pablito HAuse (who is in the 5th grade). You may remember me talking about my friends the HAuses...Pablito's mother had surgery last week and his father is still recuperating from a surgery that he had a month ago. Anyway, Pablito and Benji spent the night and stayed until late in the afternoon on Saturday. Then, on Sunday the youth group from church (as well as the HAuses and Heather Mickelson...fellow missionaries serving in my church) came over for lunch. It was a tight squeeze to feed about 20 or so people...but it was a lot of fun!

Well, I'm sure there's more I could share, but this entry is getting rather long so I'll sign off for now! Thank you so much for your support of the work God is doing in Bolivia...it is through your support and God's grace that I'm able to minister to missionary kids and Bolivians alike!

Adjustments!

One year ago today I arrived in the states for my year long furlough! Isn't it amazing how time flies? Yesterday, a few of us went to a friend's house, Medardo's, in the afternoon. It was his birthday. A year ago, that was my last big outing before leaving the country. We went to Medardo's house and had cake with him and his family. They live right next to the church, Medardo's wife is my friend Avelina, you may remember me talking about her before. They live upstairs in a two-story house, downstairs lives another family from our church. I remember leaving after some tearful good-byes and then having the HAuses drive me to the airport. After that, the year was a whirlwind of activities.

At the time that I left Bolivia, life here seemed so normal to me. I had forgotten how different it really was from the environment in which I had been raised. Things in the states looked strange, I remember feeling a step behind everyone else! It didn't take me long to catch up though, and living in the states felt like home once again. Now, here I am back in Santa Cruz. So much of it still feels natural, seeing my friends again and being able to be a part of the ministry here is wonderful, yet there are adjustments of which I had forgotten how hard they could be...

1. Do you know how much concentration it takes to remember to throw your toilet paper in the trashcan instead of in the toilet?
2. There sure is a lot of dirt here...keeping clean is next to impossible...both on my body and in my house!
3. Are there traffic laws in Santa Cruz? It's a good thing there are enough cars that people can't move very fast...I'm sure there'd be a lot more accidents!
4. I played on the worship team last weekend...we practiced all of the songs on Saturday so that I would know what they were...on Sunday morning, the leader decided to add a couple more that we hadn't rehearsed...why not? Who needs to practice anyway?
5. Dogs are everywhere...and it isn't just the nice ones that are left to roam the streets!
6. Spanish, Espanol....on the brain a lot...definitely a good thing as it keeps one focused...but it's difficult when you're trying to speak in English with someone and the sentence is a perfectly good English sentence, when all of a sudden a Spanish word pops out in the middle of it! Pretty strange!

Well, it's getting late so I'll close with just a couple of other bits of news. My friend, Virginia, left last Thursday so I have now officially moved into the house. Many of my things are still in boxes and basically all of my stuff has to be cleaned as it gets unpacked as it is dusty and moldy, but I'm getting there. I'm looking forward to being completely settled in my new home. Chiquito has settled in quite nicely, he thinks this is a pretty great place! The neighborhood is nice and the guards on the street have been extremely helpful. I brought two seminary classes with me to do via distance learning. So far I haven't had much time to work on them. I'm hoping that will change this week! It is difficult to force my self to sit down and read, because quite frankly sometimes unpacking my boxes and getting settled just looks like more fun! However, I'm praying that God will give me the strength to be diligent this week in getting some studying done! I guess that's the short of it all! On a side note...this weekend is my parent's 40th Wedding Anniversary as well as my older sister and her husband's first anniversary! I'm sure they'd appreciate any well wishes you'd like to share. If you don't have their email addresses you can send it to mine and I'll pass it along! Thanks again for your prayers!

First Week Back in Santa Cruz!

Greetings one and all! I have now been back in Santa Cruz for one week! It's amazing...in some ways I feel like I've already been back for a really long time and have to keep reminding myself that it's only been a week...other times, I'm struck by differences that I had totally forgotten about.
Right now I am spending most of my time saying good-bye to those who are returning to the states. Some of them are returning permanently, others will be going to college or seminary, and others will only be gone for a year of furlough. When I'm not visiting with people and attending going away parties, Virginia (the woman I am renting the house from) and I are busy making preparations for her departure. She is getting things fixed and making sure I know who to contact in case there is a problem.

Before she leaves for the states on June 5, I am staying in a guest room that she has behind her house. It is appropriately named the castle because it sits up on the second floor (pictured above) with storage and laundry room below. The window/balcony that you see on the second floor (in the picture) is where the top picture of Chiquito and I in the hammock was taken. All in all things are going really well. It continues to be an adjustment...but I'm enjoying being back. Please continue to pray for me as I settle into the neighborhood and am able to get settled into the house after June 5. Also, pray that God will help me to find time, strength, and diligence to work on the classes that I brought with me. Thank you so much for your prayers and letters during this time! They mean so much to be! I feel especially blessed to have the support of family and friends (in the U.S. and Bolivia)! Thank you!

Chiquito and I have arrived in Santa Cruz!

Greetings from Bolivia! As you can imagine, I don't have much time today, but I wanted to write a quick up-date so that you know everything is going well! Thank you so much for your prayers of travelling mercies. It was a very uneventful trip down! Praise God for the nice people and conveniences that he put in my path especially in the Miami airport. He worked everything out so that I was able to get Chiquito and take him outside to go to the bathroom before checking him once again for the all-night flight. We sat on the plane waiting to take off for a little over an hour, but other than that we arrived without any problem. All of my bags were here and customs barely took a second glance at my bags or my dog. All I had to do was show them the papers and they let us pass on through. I was expecting one or two friends to meet me at the airport...but apparently there were others who wanted to come too, so I had about 5 friends waiting when I came out the door! It was exciting to see them there!

Chiquito and I are settling into our new home! He seems to be enjoying himself immensely...sleeping under the bed where its cool or on the bed at times in order to keep an eye on me...leaving his scent all over the yard...checking things out...going for walks, getting treats, etc. He even appears to enjoy his new, Bolivian, dogfood which is a blessing for his mom! I'm settling in as well. It is an adjustment...there are things that I had forgotten about before which take some getting used to...such as the fear of electric shower heads and not being allowed to throw toilet paper in the toilet (must go in the trash can), etc. Thank you for your continued prayers! I'll be sure to up-date again next week to fill you in with a little more detail!

One Week to Go!

Here we are in the final countdown! This is always the weird part for me, because it usually means that the thought most commonly on my mind is..."this time next week I'll be..." In this case, this time next week I will be spending my first day in Santa Cruz. At this exact time, I may be trying to catch a quick nap, depending on how tired I am from the flight, otherwise I'll be unpacking. Of course, things don't always go exactly as planned and I could end up spending time with friends or shopping for groceries and a cell phone, but you get the idea!

I have a couple of very exciting things to share with you about how God has truly blessed me this week! There is a verse in Ephesians (3:20), which has been in my mind a great deal over the last several days. It says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." This week I have had the pleasure of seeing God do "immeasurably more" than I have asked or imagined! Let me share these things with you briefly so that you can join me in giving Him glory for His goodness, provision, and protection!

1. I think I mentioned last week that I was going to be meeting with the mission's committee from the church here in Suffolk (Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church) where I have been attending with my parents. After the opportunity to share a little about SAM, what I was doing in Bolivia during the last 3 years, and the calling God has laid on my heart for future ministry there...Westminster offered to begin providing the remainder of my monthly financial support! This means that God has now provided 100% of my financial need! Now, as I mentioned before, He actually did "immeasurably more" than that! The church offered to provide enough above what I needed in order to help out with some of my seminary classes and allow for a buffer during months when others may struggle to complete their pledge! God is truly faithful in providing for our every need!

2. Yesterday, I made a trip into Washington D.C. because I needed to get my visa and to file some paperwork so that Chiquito (my dog) could return to Bolivia with me. Of course, just stating that I was going to Washington D.C. makes it sound so simple...for me...I was nervous! I'm not much of a big city girl and this trip was going to involve driving to Richmond, staying the night with a friend, taking the train to D.C., taking the metro to the Bolivian consulate office, turning in paperwork and things, reversing the steps to get back home, and then waiting a few days for them to process and mail me the documentation (hopefully before Monday's date of departure)! Needless to say, getting to Richmond and staying with my friend Amy were the least of my worries...that part I knew I would enjoy and I did! However, I realized how nervous I really had been, because I didn't sleep well Sunday night for fear of oversleeping and missing the train! Anyway, without going into a great amount of detail...I had no problems whatsoever with transportation! God gave me the strength and wisdom to get to all of the places where I needed to go without going the wrong direction first, etc. I was a little uncomfortable in the consulate office mostly because for awhile I was the only female (and incidentally North American) in the waiting room so I stood out like a sore thumb! However, everyone was very helpful and friendly so I had no issues getting the paperwork done! Like I said before..."immeasurably more"...the woman in the consulate office handled all of my paperwork on-sight so that nothing would have to be mailed and I could bring it all home with me. I now have my visa and Chiquito's needed documentation! Interestingly, I even saw someone that I knew in Bolivia...while I was in the office. He was a student at the learning center for a little while and his mom and I are good friends. She is a North American and lives in Bolivia. This teenager is now living in the states with his dad, who is Bolivian. It was so much fun to see a familiar face! If this weren't enough...God made all of this happen before noon so I still had time to have lunch and do a little shopping in Union Station before catching the train back to Richmond! Praise Him for His provision and protection on this journey out of my comfort zone!

As you can imagine, I'm exhausted today...trying to catch up on the sleep I missed the other night, but I'm feeling so blessed to have such strong confirmation from God that I am returning to Bolivia and that Chiquito is to return with me! Thank you so much for your prayers! They are certainly being felt during this time! I still have about 2 or 3 pages to write on my research paper, then my coursework will be done. After that, it will be packing up, stocking up on needed favorites, and organizing things! I'll try to up-date my blog one more time next Monday morning...then...future up-dates will come from Bolivia! Thanks again for your support and prayers, God is using you in more ways than you may know! Blessings to you all!

Two Weeks To Go!

Time sure does fly when you're having fun! Last week I spent several days travelling through North Carolina; visiting friends and saying a few farewells! All in all it was a wonderful trip! I feel so blessed to have the support of so many good friends! I frequently praise God for the faithful support He has provided through all of you. Please join me too in praising Him for such a wonderful year of furlough. He has taught me so many things this year, yet He has also given me a restful time with friends and family! For these things I am extremely grateful!

As you can understand, I'm feeling the pressure of the many things that need to get done in the next couple of weeks! I won't spend much time dwelling on those things here, but I will mention a couple of them so that you will know how to pray more specifically for those needs:
1. Pray that God will provide the remaining $150 of my monthly support.
2. Pray specifically on Thursday night as I meet with the mission's committee at our church in Suffolk, VA.
3. Pray for me as I go to Washington D.C. sometime in the next week to apply for my visa.
4. Pray for me as I seek the necessary paperwork so that my dog can return to Bolivia with me.
5. Pray for wisdom and strength in completing all of the little things that need to get done before I am prepared to go.

It has been awhile since I have mentioned the political unrest in the country of Bolivia. Let me take a moment to catch you up-to-date in this area. This past weekend, in the department of Santa Cruz where I was and will be living, the people voted 85% in favor of autonomy. This would mean separating themselves more or less (especially as far as economic resources are concerned) from the rest of the country. According to some of the articles I have read, the President is basically denying that this has happened. The other departments will continue to have similar elections over the next few months. It will be interesting to see what kinds of events will follow!

Well, it is getting late and I have a full day tomorrow! May God continue to grant all of us the peace that only He can provide!

Three Weeks Left!

Well...if any of you have been watching the news today...you may have noticed that a tornado breezed through Southeastern VA this afternoon! Praise the Lord we are all doing fine and Franklin was not touched. However, in Suffolk, the city where our church is located...homes have been destroyed, many people have been injured (although they don't have the official counts yet). So far there have not been any deaths. The tornado passed very close to the church, but we haven't heard yet whether or not there was any structural damage. A friend of mine from Sunday School lives in that same area and we are thankful to know that he is okay as well. One of his cars is totalled and there is a little damage on his house, but nothing compared to other homes in his neighborhood. Of course we have many other friends in Suffolk from church and Dad's school, I know they would appreciate your prayers.

Mom, Emily, Wesley, and I returned last night from a trip to Pennsylvania. We were able to visit with a childhood friend of Emily's, Julie Wade Bakker, and her family. She has a baby girl only a few months younger than Wesley so it was fun to watch them interact with one another. We also spent a few days in Newtown Square with several cousins on my mom's side of the family (it would be her brother's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren). Emily and I have not seen them for many years! We had a wonderful time visiting together! We returned home in awe and yet again encouraged by the amazing family God has blessed us with! Not very many people can talk about the incredible desire even their extended family has to see the spreading of the gospel! I feel so truly blessed!



As for the current status of my funding...
God has provided all but $250 of my monthly support. I am extremely encouraged by how close I am to being ready to return. However, when I begin to think of how my flight takes off in 3 weeks and I need $250 more per month...then I get a little nervous. I know God is in control and He will provide it all in His timing...or else He'll have a reason for me to stay. In reality, all that is needed are...5 people giving $50...10 people giving $25...about 13 people giving $20...I think you get the idea. If you are currently providing financial support, thank you so much for being a part of this team. However, if you are not , yet now feel led to contribute to the work God is doing in Bolivia in this way, please email me at lboyce@southamericamission.org or send a letter stating your monthly intent to the home office (1021 Maxwell Mill Rd, Suite B, Fort Mill, SC 29708-7852)

Over the next week I will be taking my final trip to North Carolina to say good-bye to friends there. I am also still trying to finish up my classwork. There is of course many other things to do as well...getting my visa taken care of, stocking up on those things I want to take, packing, etc. It will be a crazy 3 weeks!!!! There are also...the "last" things...that are now beginning. My mom asked not long ago if counting my final activities ever gets old or makes things more difficult. My response to her was that in some ways it does, but most of the time it just helps me prepare for leaving. Join me in the transition of these last 3 weeks!

Bound for Bolivia...

Greetings once again...although I am a couple of weeks late. Thank you for continuing to pray for me, even when things get a little hectic!

I am pleased to report that I now own a return ticket to Bolivia. My departure date will be May 19. I will be leaving from the Norfolk airport at 5:00 in the evening and arriving in Santa Cruz at 7:50 on the morning of May 20. I am currently working on writing and mailing my final prayer letter from the U.S. We are also in the process of taking care of things such as my visa and immunizations. I am still about $350 short of being fully supported. I would appreciate your continued prayers for the Lord to meet this need.

This past weekend I celebrated my 32nd birthday. Even though I had to go to Charlotte for class, my friends and family worked to make it an extra special occasion. It all started Thursday night over dinner with Emily, Christopher, and Wesley. I then spent the night with them and in the morning Emily had balloons and a special breakfast prepared. I also had lunch with her and Wesley and then went on down to Charlotte. When I arrived in class a couple of my friends had balloons and flowers waiting on my desk. Then at night, Linda and Bruce Dial ordered pizza and we watched a movie together. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, my mom and dad invited my friends from church over to the house so that we could celebrate together. All in all, it was a very special occasion.

I have now finished my trips to Charlotte. My classes are over with the exception of a few unfinished assignments. All I have left is a research paper, a take-home final exam, and some reading. It sounds like a lot, but compared to how far I've come...it seems like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The challenge will be that I would like to finish all of these things within the next couple of weeks so that during the last two weeks I can focus on packing and preparing to leave. That is typically doable, but I also have some travelling to do over the next couple of weeks, so that is where the challenge comes in.

Well, I guess that's it for now. Thank you so much for your faithful support through financial giving, prayers, letters, phone calls, etc. It means so much to have family and friends such as you.

April 7, 2008

Greetings from chilly Franklin, Va! I do not have a lot to report this week so I'll make this a short entry.

I am hoping to buy my plane ticket sometime in the next week, I'll be sure to let you know when I have a set date of departure! I have also finished one of my classes from this semester!!! Yeah! That's exciting! I turned in the remainder of the coursework for that class and took the final exam last weekend. It is nice to feel like I am on the downward slope. I still have two more weekends of classes and the remainding coursework for those two classes, but I it at least feels like I'm getting somewhere! That is quite a blessing for me!

Also, today is my mom's birthday! She and my dad went to the beach for the weekend and got back this afternoon. It was the first time they have had the freedom to travel without worrying about making plans to have people care for Grandpa. Although they never minded doing that, I know they appreciated the chance to truly relax together this weekend. When they returned I cooked mom's birthday dinner and we had a great time with all of the typical festivities...good food, flowers/balloon, cards, presents, dessert! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful mother and hopefully she realizes how much we all love her...not just today but everyday!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers! I guess that's it...until next week!

Mixture of Emotions...

I have two major praise items to share with you this week...both of which have brought a mixture of emotions which I will explain as well!

1. God has provided slightly over 80% of my financial support, meaning that I can now purchase my returning flight to Bolivia.

For many reasons this is great and leaves me quite excited...
It's definitely confirmation of God's will for me
I miss Bolivia
I can't wait to be back with my friends there
I'm looking forward to making empanadas with Avelina again
I'm looking forward to walking on sandy streets and riding public transportation (strange I know)
Lately, I have been craving Bits and Cream Icecream like never before
That's enough just to give you an idea

However, this is also somewhat difficult...
I will miss my family and friends (both old and new)
I love being here with my parents...I love this house and my room
I enjoy the convenience that come from being in the states
I can easily get my fill of ALL my favorite candies
There are still so many things that I need to get in order before returning
My condo still hasn't sold...what do I do with the stuff still there?
Again...you get the idea

2. God has granted a smooth transition for Grandpa and those involved.

Again...wonderful....
My parents had an uneventful trip getting there and helping him move in
The women who work at the home are very kind and sympathetic
Grandpa's family is excited to have him so close and are planning outings with him
My parents are feeling a great deal of peace that they haven't felt for a while

Also difficult...
WE MISS HAVING HIM HERE!

As you can see...changes are good, but they can also be hard. God doesn't ever say following Him will be easy, but He does call us to be obedient. The funny thing is that in the journey of obedience there is often joy! Please continue to pray for all of us as we anticipate my departure which I am planning for May 19. God has been faithful in answering our prayers and He will be faithful in comforting us during the sad times too! Thank you so much for your part in this process!

Sorry for the delay...

I'm sorry that I have not updated my blog for a couple of weeks now...things have been a little crazy around here. I'll use this up-date to catch you up to speed!

I don't have much of an excuse for my lack of efficiency the first week, that was simply due to all of the studying that I needed to do.

However, since then there have been major happenings...the first big event was my nephew's first birthday on March 15. Although my older sister's husband was unable to attend, Janet flew to NC for the occasion, I was already in NC due to class so it was easy for me to be there, mom and dad also came down, not to mention most of Christopher's extended family were there! We had a wonderful time watching and laughing this delightful bundle of joy! There are a few pictures below of the happy occasion.

Janet and I stayed for a few days after the party to spend time with Emily, Christopher, and Wesley! That was so much fun! Janet has also started selling Premier Jewelry so Emily hosted Janet's first show and as a kickoff, the proceeds from that show were donated to my ministry! What a blessing that was!

About that same time, a decision was made concerning Grandpa given that he would not be able to stay by himself any longer. After exploring all of the options here in Franklin as well as looking to see what was available in North Canton, OH (which is where his biological son lives), Pick decided that the best decision was to move into an assisted living facility near his son, Dick. Given that he has lived with my family full-time for about 12 years and in the summers for several years before that...we are sad to see him go. God has provided many confirmations that this is the right decision, but he will be missed here. It will be especially strange for my parents as they have not truly been empty-nesters since before Janet was born...and even that was only for about 2 years. Please pray for this transition in my family!

Finally, I am happy to report that God has provided about 79% of my needed support! I am so close to the 80% and there are a few people from whom I'm awaiting a confirmation of their pledge. I feel confident that God will soon provide the full 80% that is needed for me to buy my ticket and then the remaining 20% needed for me to be fully funded! Praise the Lord for His continued faithfulness!

As you can see, we have had an emotional couple of weeks and this week won't be much better! Mom and Dad will be taking Grandpa to North Canton on Friday. If all goes well, they plan to return on Saturday since my Dad is flying to New Mexico early on Sunday morning from Norfolk! It could be difficult traveling with Grandpa as he still has a lot of weakness in his leg, not to mention emotionally draining for my parents. I'm sure they would appreciate your prayers! Thank you so much for your continued support!

Counting Blessings!

I decided that I wanted to do something a little different in this particular up-date. God has provided so many blessings for me over the past couple of weeks that in this up-date I just wanted to focus on that! Join me in praising the Lord for His goodness and provision...even in the little things!

Within the last couple of weeks, God has provided...
1. about $100 of new monthly support.
2. several hundred dollars of one-time gifts.
3. safety in travelling across the state of Virginia and then back through the state of North Carolina to get home.
4. opportunities for me to study while I was travelling so that I could at least finish the work that was due for last weekend's class.
5. SNOW, while I was in Abingdon...it was the first real snowfall that I've seen in almost 3 years!
6. beautiful weather at other times...today it is about 77 degrees here!
7. opportunities for me to visit many friends and relatives, including some that I haven't seen in quite some time.
8. the chance to not only share about Bolivia with many of these people, but also to be able to reconnect and hear about what's happening in their lives.
9. all of the materials that I needed for my speaking engagement in Abingdon, just in time for that presentation.
10. many lessons for me through a book I was reading for one of my classes, The Cross of Christ by John Stott; it definitely impacted my life in a powerful way.

Well, I'm sure I could keep coming up with many blessings that God has provided for me, but for some reason 10 just seems like a good number! Thank you so much for continuing to pray for me...in the good times and the struggles! I'm including a couple of photos below that I took over the last couple of weeks for your enjoyment!

My Uncle Ed and Aunt Gay in Bedford, VA

The VA Creeper Trail, in Abingdon, VA

Greetings from Abingdon, VA

Hello there! I'm afraid I need to make this up-date rather short! I am currently in Abingdon, VA. I had the pleasure of speaking at my home church yesterday for the last Sunday of their mission's conference! I am also staying in town for a few days so that I can visit with friends and "family" from when I was young! It is always good to be back!

However, due to this, I don't have much time and I'm also using a computer in the public library that has a broken space bar so I have to bang it pretty hard to get it to work (but all of the other computers are occupied so switching isn't an option)!!! Given that, I think I'll just let you all know that I am doing well and that God is blessing me greatly through many wonderful visits as well as opportunities to get some studying done!

Thank you so much for continuing to pray! I'll write a longer up-date next week and will hopefully have pictures to attach then! Blessings!