December 14, 2010

It's hard to believe that we're already only a week and a half away from Christmas!!! The semester is finishing up at school this Friday!!! Then...this coming Saturday, I'll be heading home for the holidays!!! As soon as I can get over this cold I have and finish up all that I have to do this week...I imagine that I'll be super excited about being with my family! As it is, I woke up this morning and lay in bed thinking about playing with and holding my nephews...as well as thinking about being with my parents at the beach...and all the other joys of being home during this time of the year!

This up-date contains mostly pictures...as I want to make sure that I get it posted today! I wanted to catch you up to speed on a few things that have been happening over the past couple of weeks! Last Thursday, we added a fourth roommate to our household...Emilee Dickman (sitting in the middle of the picture below). She has come to work at SCCLC until the end of the school year and then stick around and help out with teams until mid-July. She is a wonderful addition to our team and we are excited to have her here! She is a friend of Ally and Danielle's from New York state so they are particularly excited to see her and teach her the things that they have been learning...which is a good thing, since I'll be leaving them in charge of the house when I head to the states! Please pray for all three of them during this Holiday season as it is their first one away from home...and that isn't easy! I'm thankful that they'll be having a few supporters/friends visiting them!


This past Sunday, my church celebrated its 23rd anniversary!!! It was a beautiful celebration and a great reminder of all that God has done/accomplished and all He continues to do in/through that church! We praise Him for His faithfulness to our small congregation!!!

There were also a couple of activities that happened a little over a week ago...but since I never got around to up-dating my blog last week, I decided I would mention them in this post! One of these was that my friend's son, Marcos, graduated from high school! This is a huge milestone here in Bolivia and especially since God has placed the desire on his heart for him to continue studying through the university! Congratulations Marcos!!! We are all so proud of the young man that God is growing him to be! Please continue to lift him up in your prayers!

Also, that same weekend, I worked alongside my friends on SAM's Children's Ministry Team as we planned a Knight's Conference. This was a conference for boys, ages 10-13...teaching them to be men of honor. The boys seemed to have a great time learning about the armor of God and how it is applicable to their lives. Their fathers came and had lunch with them, then there was a session for fathers in the afternoon while we had one last session with the boys. After that there was "swordfighting" and other games on the lawn! I believe God will continue to use this conference in the lives of these boys as He grows them into leaders who desire to serve Him!


Thank you once again for your continued prayers for the ministry to which God has called me here in Bolivia. Thank you too for your prayers as I travel to the states on Saturday...as well as for the three weeks that I will be spending with my family! I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas! Through this busy time of the year, may you be constantly reminded of the TRUE reason for the season!

November 23, 2010

So, yet once again, I only got part of my blog done last week and then never got around to finishing it! I at least got pictures uploaded...but then the week got busy and I never got a chance to write anything to go along with them. I think the moral of my little story here is that I should begin to update my blog on Sunday afternoons as Mondays just fly by too quickly and don't leave me enough time to get it done!

Therefore...let me briefly recap on the last couple of weeks to catch you up to speed. First of all, a week ago Saturday, one of my roommates (Danielle, the one in the middle of the picture posted here) celebrated her first birthday in Bolivia. In order to make it a special one, we planned a surprise birthday party for her at the bowling alley...as well as pizza and cake at our house afterwards and then a serenade that night by the youth group from her church here. All in all, I think she had a wonderful time! I know the rest of us did!


On that same day, in the afternoon, my church had a baptism for 7 people...among them were 5 young people from Talita Cumi (a local children's home from which a large group of kids faithfully attend our church), and also a girl with her mother! It was an exciting time to see these people making a public profession of faith! Please pray that God will direct their steps and that they will continue to rely on Him as the Lord of their lives!


This past week we celebrated Thanksgiving together as a mission family! It was a very special time of eating lots and sharing with one another! One of the things that past through my mind more than once over the Thanksgiving week was how grateful I am to each one of you for your love and support (both through prayer and financial giving). It is such a comfort to know that you're continually praying for me and the work God is doing in Santa Cruz! THANK YOU!!! The rest of the long weekend, which we had off from school was full of various activities! It's amazing how busy I felt doing things...yet don't feel like I got very much accomplished! I'm not sure how that happened! Regardless, it was a restful time as well...I watched plenty of movies and worked on my cross-stitch when I could(maybe that's why I didn't seem to get much done!) As I'm putting up my Christmas decorations now...I'm reminded that the holidays are only a few weeks away! I've been given the blessing of going home for Christmas and New Years to spend the time off from school in the States with my family!!! I'm SO very excited! Although I will miss my friends here...I'm looking forward to seeing my family! I will head north in about 3 weeks! I can't wait!!!

November 9, 2010

Just so that you can understand a bit more about the day and life of the elementary school principal at SCCLC...

Monday morning, I administered a spelling test to a 5th grade student who has some special needs and is extremely hyperactive...just the same, I love the one on one time with him and it helps out his teacher. Upon leaving my office, he stuck his head back in the doorway and said, "God bless you, Miss!" All I could do was smile and chuckle a bit!

Then, at lunchtime, my roommate who is the 2nd grade teacher brought one of her students into the office so that we could have lunch together in the conference room. You see, as a behavior reward that she had established for him...he could earn a reward for having a certain number of stickers on his card. When she asked him what he thought a good reward would be...he said he'd like to have lunch with her...and Ms. Boyce...and the director of the school!!! Do you think he's a bit hungry for attention? Once we all got together in the conference room, sat down, and began eating...the child said, "So, tell me about your lives!" It was all we could do from cracking up!!!

The rest of the day was filled with addressing discipline issues and teaching in a couple of classrooms (part of a BUILD campaign...teaching students necessary tools that they can use in life to help build one another up...it's an anti-bullying campaign that we've developed!) After school I went home and prepared my exams for my CIET students...took a quick nap...had dinner with my roomies...then went to CIET, administered the exam, went home, and hopped immediately into bed!!! It was a full day, but an enjoyable one!!!

Oh the joys of being an administrator...thank you for your continued prayers for wisdom and strength as I confront daily challenges!

October 19, 2010

After a three week long visit to Bolivia, my friend Lisa Birzer and her daughter Danielle returned to the States. We enjoyed many fun things while they were here, including a quick trip to Samaipata with my roommates and two of the pastors from my church (in the picture above, the one in the front on the right is Dalmiro with whom the Birzers came to visit as well.) They also had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with Dalmiro's family, particularly his sisters. In addition, I appreciated their help at school being willing to fill in wherever necessary and do just about anything! We don't have enough people like that floating around this year! It was a huge blessing to me!


On Friday night, October 15, I attended my good friend America's wedding. It will be the first of a few for her as she married a young man from North America so although they had a religious ceremony here...they will legally be married in the States in a few weeks. I am very happy for her although, I will miss her terribly when she leaves this weekend to go to live in the U.S. They will be living in Washington state...I told her that I couldn't believe she'd be living about as far away from Virginia as she could get! Regardless, I hope to find a way to get over to see her the next time that I am home on furlough.

I continue to greatly appreciate your prayers on my behalf and on behalf of those here (both Bolivians and other missionaries). Personally, I am feeling very tired and that is adding to an already stressful time at school...leaving me more irritable than usual, with little patience. I haven't had much time at home in the last few weeks so there are several things that I need to take care of there (replacing the gas tanks so that we'll have hot showers tomorrow, paying the phone bill so that they'll turn it back on, cleaning my room so that I can find things, etc.) Of course, there's also the car...once again giving me fits. To add to all of this, my body is showing signs of stress as well, such as a rather constant back pain that I've had for about the last month. I find a bit of relief in realizing that I'm not the only one feeling this tension...I know of several teachers at school who could use more encouragement right now too, including my roommates. I am sure there are others in my church and in SAM as well, but where I'm noticing most of the strain is at school. Please pray for our school, students, and staff, we have become very proactive in fighting certain negative behaviors (i.e. bullying) recently and I believe that Satan doesn't want to lose that foothold...so his way of trying to stop it is by discouraging the staff and (it appears) by putting extra energy in all of the students. I think as a whole we could use an extra boost of His strength and constant reminders of His grace! Thank you for joining us in laying these concerns before the throne of Him who can do all things, whose plan cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2)!

Viva Santa Cruz!!!

Well, I uploaded a few pictures to my blog last week and had planned to write an entry to go along with them...but I didn't get it written and I didn't even get the pictures actually posted! Sorry about that! Anyway...there are a few bits and pieces to share with you...

Two weeks ago my roommates and I had the pleasure of baby-sitting Noah Weigner (shown in the picture below with his mom). Noah's parents were celebrating their anniversary and asked us if we would take care of him for the weekend. All in all, he handled it quite well...and so did we! There was a minor bump in the road on Saturday afternoon when he was having a few gas issues...but other than that things went very smoothly!


Also that week, I had the pleasure of participating, along with the other SAM ladies, in a baby shower for a Bolivian woman from Cochabamba. Some other missionaries that we know who live there, knew the family and discovered that their son who is 2 years old was struggling with some health issues. Since the doctor's couldn't help him there in Cochabamba, due to finances, the missionary family called Drs. Toni and Placido Mercado, who work with SAM, asking them if they could do anything to help. The boy and his mother then came to Santa Cruz, began living with the Mercados, and Placido took care of the necessary surgery. As there were some unexpected complications, the mother found herself still in the city when it came time for the birth of her second child. So, given that she didn't have any resources with her, Toni and her family organized a baby shower and invited all of us to attend! The woman was so moved that she cried! The mother and both of her children seem to be doing quite well; however, you can continue to pray for their salvation and the ministry that the Mercados have to this family!


Then, of course, on September 22...a couple of days before the actual anniversary of Santa Cruz, the school celebrated with lots of typical games, stories, food, and music. It was LOTS of fun!!! Below, you can check out a couple of pictures of that special day!



On September 23, Lisa and Danielle Birzer arrived from my home church in Abingdon, VA. Dalmiro (one of my pastors who spent a year as an intern at my church in Abingdon) and I, quickly went to work showing them the sights and enjoying in the many festivities around the city. More pictures to come soon of Lisa and Danielle's visit! Last Wednesday, they went to spend a week in Portachuelo, when they return this coming Wednesday to Santa Cruz...they will be here with us until October 15.

Also, this past weekend we celebrated my roommate Ally's first birthday in Bolivia! Danielle and I threw a party for her here at the house...and although she knew we were planning something...she didn't know what...so it was a fun surprise! I think she had a special weekend!


Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support! It's been a busy few weeks and I imagine that it will stay that way until Lisa and Danielle return to the states. Please pray specifically for strength and patience during this time! Thank you once again!

September 21, 2010

Here we are...off to a running start this week! This past weekend, I was taking care of my friends' baby as they went to Samaipata for their anniversary. With the exception of a few fussy hours on Saturday afternoon due to gas...he was a very happy and content baby. Overall it was a lot of fun to have him around...although, I will say, I think I ended the weekend about as tired as I started it!

This week we have many activities going on for the bicentennial celebration of Santa Cruz. Tomorrow, Wednesday, the Spanish department has many activities planned including games, dramas, speakers, food, etc. There are other classes that have special things planned as well! On Thursday morning, my friend Lisa Birzer and her daughter Danielle arrive from the United States. They will be here visiting and working alongside of us for a couple of weeks. Also on Thursday, I hope to attend a special program that the Talita Cumi orphanage will be hosting to celebrate this exciting day! Then of course, Friday, September 24, will be the actual bicentennial of Santa Cruz and there will be many more activities going on in the city! Please be sure to check my blog up-date again next week for pictures of these special events!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support of the work that God is doing through me here! May God bless you for your faithfulness to Him!

September 13, 2010

It's hard to believe that we are already halfway through September! The days seem to quickly pass by...turning into weeks...etc. At the school, we're already 5 weeks into the first quarter! Each day is a learning experience for me as elementary school principal. I continue to grow in understanding of how to discipline children, interact with parents, train teachers, etc. Of course, frequently something new pops up and I go seeking advice from our current director who worked for many years as an elementary principal in Florida. In general, I'm really enjoying this new responsibility...although it doesn't come without trials either! I covet your prayers as I seek God's wisdom in handling various situations daily.

Aside from school activities, I continue to be active in my church ministry. I enjoy playing the keyboard and singing on the worship team...as well as teaching in various Sunday school classes. This past Sunday, I taught the youth Sunday school class for the first time. It was a lot of fun and stretching for my Spanish ability!

I'm looking forward to a few different visitors in the coming weeks. This weekend, I will be babysitting a 7 month old baby whose parents are fellow SAM missionaries. They are going away for the weekend for their anniversary and asked me to take care of their son! I'm SUPER excited about it...call it the "AUNT" instinct in me! Also, at the end of this month, on September 23, I'm expecting Lisa Birzer and her daughter Danielle. They are friends of mine from Abingdon Bible Church. It will be a joy to show them my various ministries here and allow them to participate in those as well.


Finally...September 24th marks the 200th anniversary of Santa Cruz! Needless to say...the city is already getting pumped up for the activities that will occur that weekend! I bought a t-shirt last weekend to commemorate the occasion and look forward to joining in on the festivities as well! Thank you once again for your faithful prayers for the city of Santa Cruz and the work God is doing here through me! May He bless you for your faithfulness to Him!

Finally Getting Into a Routine...

All in all it was a great experience having the Westminster Team here in Bolivia. They were such an encouragement to me, my ministry, and many other people here!


After the team left...I jumped immediately into my responsibilities as Elementary School Principal at the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (the school where I've been teaching for the past several years. So far I'm really enjoying the new role; however, it doesn't come without challenges! Please pray for patience and wisdom in dealing with daily discipline issues and parental suggestions/problems. As well as in working with and training many of the new teachers that we have in the elementary staff. Many days I wish I could clone myself in order for there to be two of me...one supporting the teachers and one dealing with students/parents!



Most of my time has been spent at school...as I'm now there in a full-time capacity. Yet, as we get further into the school year and my roommates begin to feel a bit more comfortable branching out on their own in the evenings...I find that I'm able to begin getting involved once again in a few of my additional ministries. Each time there is a 5th Sunday of the month, my church organizes mission's services. As this past Sunday was the 5th Sunday...I was able to take part in planning and preparing for that. In the picture below, you'll find several other friends of mine who were playing various roles in the morning service.


Finally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my grandfather, Pick Pickles, who celebrates 105 years of life this weekend! He is such a pleasure to be around as he continues to remain young at heart! I wish him a day surrounded by those who love him in addition to many cards and other greetings (as I know he thoroughly enjoys those as well)! (Picture below was taken while I was in the states this past June.)


Thank you once again for your continued support and prayers! As I feel like I'm finally getting back into a routine...I hope to begin up-dating my blog again on a weekly basis...so look for the up-dates on Mondays! As you may have noticed, there's also a new look to my blog...that's thanks to my friend Amy Mozombite (SAM missionary) who's working hard to keep me up-to-date in current trends!

Going Home

The last few days of the Westminster team's time in Bolivia were full of activity! We finished VBS on Friday by inviting the parents to come and hear what the children had learned. It appears that everyone had a wonderful time and learned a great deal about how to deepen their relationship with the Lord. After VBS ended, the team enjoyed a friendly game of soccer with some of the youth from the church we visited on Thursday night. After soccer, we then took a trip to the center of the city and spent the next several hours souvenir shopping and eating in a cafe downtown. Dinner was then shared at the Strebig home (my SAM field director and his family) and consisted of a variety of typical snacks. We had a wonderful and just enjoyed being together.

Saturday was a long and action packed day! We began the day with a quick trip to a local orphanage where we had time to share a bit with the children and learn about how the orphanage is run. Then, we returned to the mission housing in order to have a time of debriefing and sharing together. I was encouraged to hear the things that the team had learned and the things that God taught them throughout this week. The rest of the afternoon was filled with fun activities...some went go-cart racing, others to get manicures, then some went to the movies while others went downtown again. We wrapped things up with dinner at a local steak restaurant then headed back to the mission housing to pack and take off for the airport. As far as I know the plane took off on time!

I just received word this morning that the team arrived safely in Miami and were making their way around the airport. I'm so thankful for the time that I had with them this past week. They are a WONDERFUL group of teenagers and it was so special to get to know them/share these experiences with them. The adult leaders on the trip were also a huge encouragement and support to me/the ministry happening here. I think I'm already looking forward to the next Westminster team!!! Thank you so much for your prayers and support of these young people this week!

Full Steam Ahead

This post is being created by Laura Boyce's mother to let parents and friends of the Westminster team know that everyone is doing very well, working hard and completely exhausted. As I write, those that chose to are going up on SAMAir flights over the city of Santa Cruz.

On Tuesday, as they returned from the visit to the Ayore community, they encountered a blockade (an out-of-control strike). They were unable to take the bridge across the river and after maneuvering on back roads and over the river in a barge, they got back to Santa Cruz. A one hour car ride turned into five hours! They are learning why missionaries have to be flexible.

This evening (Thursday) they will sharing their faith in a mid-week service. They hope to be able to attend a party with another team from the US that is also working in the area.

VBS is going very well with about 50 children in attendance. Friday they will end a few minutes early. They have invited the parents of the attendees to join them for a program and snack lunch.

Positive comments abound about how great the youth are and how well they work together. I am sure that Laura and/or Christopher could improve this note. Laura is hoping to have the Internet installed at her house today. Maybe one of them will be able to update this post.

Greetings from Bolivia. Just a report from the Westminster team. This post is coming from Christopher(from North Carolina) to those of you who might visit Laura's blog site while we are on the trip. So far, things have been great. Temperatures are hovering around the 70's with wonderful sunshine. The group had a good flight down with only minor delay to skirt around Tropical Storm Bonnie with a stop in West Palm Beach to refuel and to wait for Bonnie to move out a little over the Gulf. We arrived in MIA and then left shortly there after for our final destination to Santa Cruz. Since our landing, we have been shopping at the supermarket, market, and enjoyed a Saturday night Youth Night which was a good experience for the entire team. Currently we are preparing for our departure to Posa Verde out in the Ayore area. We will be out there a couple of days and will report back then. We hope all is well. Thanks for your continued prayer and thoughts.

July 23, 2010

Greetings once again from Bolivia! After spending a little over a month in the states with many of you, I have now returned to Santa Cruz. I had great plans of updating my blog this week and sharing pictures of my trip...but there just hasn't been time! My new roommate, Allison, and I arrived to the city last Saturday morning and immediately moved in with my friend Virginia Swartzendruber, because our house wasn't ready for us. While invading Virginia's space, I spent several days at school giving English tests for incoming students and getting settled into my new office! Finally, after a week of that...Allison and I were able to move into our house today! On top of that, a team from my parents church arrives TONIGHT...well really about 1:30 AM as their flight was delayed! I don't have much time now, but I will be updating my blog frequently this week with news on the team's whereabouts and activities! Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf!

June 13, 2010

Surprise! For those of you who haven't heard yet...I'm actually in the United States!!! I kept it a secret as my father didn't know I was coming home. We (the rest of the family and I) wanted to surprise him when I showed up in time for his retirement party last Friday. Therefore, we just decided to let all of you know...after the party was over so that there would be no chance in someone accidentally telling my father! Our hard work paid off! My dad was completely surprised! While my sisters walked up the driveway (surprising him a bit anyway as he didn't know my older sister and her husband were coming either)...I snuck in the back door and came back out the front onto the front porch where they were standing. I began talking and he responded as if it were nothing...then when he turned around and it registered that it was ME...he just couldn't believe it! So much fun!

This quick trip home is of multiple blessings...as if it weren't enough that I actually got to be here for all of the family activities celebrating my dad's life and his accomplishments...I also get to spend time with my adorable nephews (notice the plural...my sister, Emily, gave birth to her second child on June 2...Ian Christopher Marks...weighing 8 pounds, 21 inches)...and of course, I always enjoy the chance to get caught up with as many of you as possible! As I will only be able to stay in the states for about a month this time...I don't think I'll have time to travel outside of Virginia and North Carolina. However, if you happen to be in one of these two states, drop me an email or call my parents to track me down and I'll do my best to work you into my schedule! Of course...in general, I'd just enjoy a phone call as well since it doesn't cost as much as an international phone call would!


Tomorrow...I'll be going to the mountains with the family...we'll be spending the week there...then I'll be spending a few days in Abingdon, VA before making my way back towards Franklin. Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers! I appreciate them so much...and for the great blessing of having a few quick weeks here with family and many of you! God is good...all the time!

June 2, 2010

Hello there friends and family! I apologize for not up-dating my blog recently...things have been a bit hectic here!!!

Last week, we finished the school year with a bang! There were cookouts to celebrate the end of the year, graduation, cleaning up classrooms, teacher luncheon...and to really end with a bang, I stepped into the Elementary Principal's position by leading a meeting for all of the rising 4th grade parents to hopefully begin resolving some of the MAJOR discipline issues that have occurred in that classroom so far. Obviously, it was a very full week!!!

This week hasn't been as full...although it still has plenty of action! My roommate, Chelsea, will be leaving on Friday morning...so we've had plenty of outings and activities planned (most of them including FOOD) for this week to help her to have a good send-off!!! I should also be working on packing up the house...as I need to have my things stored in one of the rooms next week when I move out so that the other family can begin moving in. I will leave my things store here in one of the bedrooms until the other house is fixed up and I can move into it (which will hopefully be in the middle of July)!!!

I also got some VERY exciting news yesterday!!! Allison Lee, one of the new teachers coming down who is going to move in with me...got permission from SAM yesterday to go ahead and buy her tickets to come down!!! She will arrive in the middle of July at the same time that I am moving into the new house!!! Praise the Lord for allowing her to take this next step!!! Please continue to pray for the rest of the financial support that she needs to be fully supported as well as the support that several other teachers still need. Speaking of teachers...we also need a couple of elementary teachers yet and some junior high/high school teachers. We would also appreciate your prayers for those specific needs!!!

Well, I have a full day planned, so I should keep this up-date short. Thank you so much for your interest and prayers in the work that God is doing here in Santa Cruz.

May 19, 2010

Greetings once again from Santa Cruz. We're entering into winter here...as the colder weather quickly reminds us. It doesn't always stay cold for long though, eventually the sun shines again followed by warmer temperatures until another cold spell catches us by surprise.

What often gets me through the cold weather is knowing that warmer temperatures are just around the corner. Life sometimes is a little like that. There are times, I think when getting through the difficult moments takes just looking towards the sunshine awaiting around the bend. The coldness we're experiencing now tends to be quite fitting for this time of year. I think I have mentioned before that the end of the school year is difficult for the missionary community. It means change...and change isn't always easy. There are many people packing up to leave permanently...people who have been here for many, many years...and people who have only impacted our lives for one or two years. It doesn't matter if it's been a short time or a long time...it's hard to say good-bye. It's hard for the ones who are leaving and it's hard for the ones who are staying behind. There are other transitions that often occur for me at about the same time...change in living arrangement, change in ministry, change in roommates, etc.

To up-date you a little on my living situation...
I decided to accept the other house that World Gospel Mission was offering for me to rent. They take care of all the maintenance and upkeep of their houses...there's a LOT to be said for that from a single's perspective! There are many other perks to that house and I'm looking forward to getting settled in there. They need to do a little work on it before I can move in...but we're hoping that I'll be in there by mid-July. As of right now, I have one confirmed roommate (assuming that God provides the support she needs to get here) and another one who hopes to live with us for a few months before moving in with a Bolivian family.

In addition to the difficult adjustment and transition that this time of the year brings for us here in Santa Cruz...there have been a couple of additional hurdles to cross recently. Something that has impacted me greatly is that I ended up attending two very unexpected, unrelated funerals this past week. One of them was for a 20 year old girl, Guisela, who was killed in a motorcycle accident last Thursday. She attended my church as a child, but stopped coming a few years ago, even though she was saved and baptized in the church. However, many of her siblings, cousins, and aunts/uncles continue to be active members there. It is hard to see them hurting so. Then on the weekend, a Bolivian woman from my school and her husband lost their baby who died after only a week of life...he was born several weeks premature. I don't know that I've ever been to a funeral for a baby before, nor seen a coffin so tiny. There seems to be heartache and sadness all around these days. I'd appreciate your prayer particularly for these families.

On a lighter note. Thank you for praying for the Intensive CIET class that I was in charge of and teaching in last week. The students took the final exam on Monday night. They still have a few additional projects and assignments to turn in before June 7...but I'm thankful that the intenseness of being at the seminary every night is over for now!

Well, as I've said...there is sunshine around the corner...in a few more months things will calm down once again...I'll be settled in my new house...making new friends...and finding my way around the elementary principal's office...may God provide the strength and comfort that all of us need to get through the transition! Thank you so much for your love and prayers...not only for me, but also for those around me!

May 9, 2010

Greetings once again from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. With temperatures in the 70s today...it has really felt like "fall" for us here. We are nearing the end of the school year...with graduation only three weeks away! It is hard to believe, how the year does fly by!

You may remember that in my last post, I mentioned that Chelsea and I would be going to a small community called Villa Cruz to teach a workshop for Sunday School teachers. We left on a Thursday night, by bus...arrived in San Ignacio de Velasco (SIV) on Friday morning...had the day to tour SIV and to show Chelsea some of the ministry SAM has had there in the past. Then, on Friday afternoon, we took a bus (actually more like a large van...very crowded van I might add)...to Villa Cruz. Friday evening, we started the workshop...which continued until Sunday afternoon. With the exception of their typical weekend services on Saturday night and Sunday morning, we spent the rest of the time in the workshop. I even got asked to preach on Saturday night as well...so we stayed pretty busy while we were there! Chelsea was a HUGE help and I was so thankful for her company and support throughout the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, after finishing up the workshop, we made our way back to SIV, and then on to Santa Cruz by bus that night...arriving in the city Monday morning. As soon as we got back we hit the ground running with various school activities. Praise the Lord, all in all the workshop was a great experience...thank you so much for your prayers! There were about 22 people who attended the conference and I was pleased to see the things they were learning and taking away with them!

Last night, was the Jr. Sr. Banquet for school. It was held at the tennis club this year...the same place where Chelsea and I went to the wedding a couple of weeks ago. The banquet is just another sign that the school year is coming to an end. As I watched the pictures on the power point of the senior class throughout their years of attending the Learning Center...I was reminded of what some of them were like when I taught them my first year on the field. These students were in 7th grade then. It is unbelievable to me that now I am watching them graduate. If I include the year that I was home on furlough, I have been connected to the Learning Center for the same number of years that I taught in North Carolina! I praise the Lord that He is continuing to allow me to be something constant and stable in the lives of these children...lives that are so accustomed to constant comings and goings! There are still two full weeks of classes...during which I will also be doing ESL testing for some of the current and incoming students! Then there will be a few days of exams...ending with graduation on Friday, May 28. Please continue to pray for the end of the school year...that both teachers and students will be able to FINISH WELL!

I'm attaching a link with a few pictures of our trip to SIV/Villa Cruz...as well as a few pictures from the banquet. Please let me know if you have any problems opening the link!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDNm5btmS8

This week, you could also be praying for an intensive course in CIET for Sunday School teachers (and others who work with children) that I will be teaching along with a few other missionary friends. The class will be each night, from Monday through Friday...7:15-9:45; plus there will be additional requirements/assignments for the students outside of class, should they choose to receive credit. This, in addition to all of the things happening at school right now, makes this a very busy week for all of us! We covet your prayers during this time!

Finally, I have gotten word from the mission that owns the house where I'm living...that they need this house for some of their other missionaries. Therefore, I will have to move once again! They are offering me another house that they have available. It is a nice house, in a GREAT location! It is a bit more expensive...but it appears that God is providing roommates once again...even though Chelsea is returning to the states. Please pray for me this week as I make a final decision on the house...and begin to look toward that transition of packing up and moving once again!

Thank you so much for your prayers on my behalf! I appreciate your concern and support for the ministry to which God has called me! May He bless you for your faithfulness to Him!

April 26, 2010

Well, it appears that we're finally getting into the winter months here in Santa Cruz as we've had cooler temperatures and some rain off and on for the past few days. Typical to winter here, I expect that it will warm up one of these days and we'll have some beautiful days before it slips cool again! For now, we're enjoying wearing long sleeves and sweatshirts! I personally however, would appreciate it if it didn't get any colder than this (currently 65 degrees)! :)

This past Saturday was the Princess Conference for girls ages 8 to 12. You may remember me asking prayer for this event in my prayer letter and in past blog up-dates. As the head coordinator for this conference, I was a pretty nervous about how things would go. However, there was no need for me to be worried about it! Thank you so much for all of your prayers! Things went very smoothly...much better than I expected! We had almost 70 girls come in all with the two sessions combined...and about 15 or so accept Christ as their Savior! What an encouragement it was to get to be apart of this great adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Join me in praising God for all that He did to make the conference a success and for the girls who He called to Himself at this time in their lives! Continue to pray for their Spiritual growth and development.


After the conference was all over and we had cleaned up...Chelsea and I quickly changed clothes (so that we were REAL princesses...as our friend's 3 year old son told us), and headed off to a wedding. You may remember Graciela who lived with us for a few months last semester. She and her fiancee got married on Saturday night. The wedding was beautiful and we had LOTS of fun...visiting with friends, eating, and dancing! We left a bit on the early side at 12:15 AM...but were too tired to make it any later! :)

Finally, on Sunday after church...I went with several other missionaries to the river. The intern who has been here for a few months, Tara Dakin...was saved only a couple of years ago and wished to be baptized before returning to the states in a couple of weeks...so she asked Jeff HAuse if he would do that for her. We packed lunches, loaded up in cars, drove to the river...then all loaded in the back of the Strebig's truck and drove along the river until we could find a spot deep enough for a baptism! It was loads of fun and pretty exciting too!

If you'd like to see some pictures of the Princess Conference, the wedding, and the baptism...feel free to check out the following link!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDNm5btmSt

Needless to say, I arrived in the house, Sunday afternoon, pretty exhausted! I tried to get some rest so that I'd be a bit more ready for the week! This week, I need to plan for a workshop that I'll be teaching out in a small town called Villa Cruz. Chelsea is going to go with me so that I don't have to take the bus alone. The workshop will be starting on Friday night and will go through Sunday afternoon...then we'll take the long bus ride back...arriving Monday morning, EARLY! I'd appreciate your prayers for this workshop and the planning that I have yet to do. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support...I can definitely feel God working and moving through them here in Santa Cruz!

April 20, 2010

Happy Birthday to me...happy birthday to me...happy birthday dear Laura...happy birthday to me! All in all, I had a wonderful birthday this past weekend! Thank you to all of you who sent gifts, cards, emails, etc. in order to help in making it extra special! I started my birthday weekend off by going to the movies with Chelsea on Friday night...something we haven't done in a very long time...I even splurged and let the guys who were watching my car out in the parking lot, wash it for the big price of about $3 (it only cost that much because it was so dirty)! Then, on Saturday, after skyping with my parents and doing a few things around the house, Chelsea and I went to go get manicures at our favorite salon. In the afternoon, we had a birthday party for me at the house. Chelsea had invited all of the SAM missionary ladies (plus a couple of my closest friends from school) and a few of the girls from church. I was impressed that almost everyone came...about the only ones who couldn't make it were out of town! We had a great turn out and Chelsea had made or bought a lot of my favorite snacks. Then, Amy, who is another SAM missionary, provided the "cake" a chocolate mousse dessert...it was divine!!! We had a lot of fun just visiting and hanging out together for a couple of hours.

After that I went to youth group and then returned home in order to skype with Janet and Rick (my older sister and her husband). Then, about midnight, just after I had crawled into bed...I heard Chelsea open the gate to go outside and thought that was pretty strange...until a few minutes later when I began to hear singing at my window. It was a serenade, which is a typical Bolivian custom, brought by the guys on my worship team and a few other friends! How fun was that! After singing a few songs and getting me out of bed...I invited them in for tea and cookies and they left about 1:00 AM. Needless to say, we basically fell into bed after that!

Sunday was another day full of celebrating! For lunch, the HAuses had decorated their house with a musical theme for my birthday which basically shared how we are each different, important instruments in the orchestra of God and how together we make a symphony of music for His glory (Jeff HAuse stated it much more eloquently...but you'll have to do with my rephrasing)! They had asked my mom for some of my favorite songs to post on the walls, had set up their puppets holding various forms of instruments, etc. Jeff had also prepared a game for us to play using a paper keyboard that he made. Each person pulled off one of the black keys which contained a question on the back...we then took turns answering the questions on the backs of the keys! It was a lot of fun! Of course, there were also presents and cake as well!

So...as you can see, it was a VERY special weekend...I feel loved, that's for sure!!! If you'd like more pictures of my birthday celebrations, check out the link below! Thank you once again for your prayers for me and the ministry here! Just as a reminder, we have the princess conference this Saturday...please join us in praying for that...both for those who are leading it or working as well as the girls who will be coming!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDNm5btmRw&emid=sharview&linkid=link5&cid=EMsharview

April 13, 2010

Here we are, already halfway through the month of April. It's really incredible how quickly the last couple of months in the school year seem to fly by! Last week, the JV Girl's Basketball team that I work with finished their season undefeated and won first place in the championship game! It was all VERY exciting and we ended the week by having a sleepover at my house...as you can see by the photos below we had a GREAT time...although, I admit I thought several times throughout the night that I'm getting too old for sleepovers with junior high girls!!! :) A couple of the girls also made a cake for the head coach, Laura Kienzle, and myself...as her birthday was April 4 and mine is April 18. So we celebrated our birthdays just a bit too. Praise the Lord for such an EXCELLENT season...not just in the game of basketball, but also in the opportunity we had to build relationships with these girls!

Also, Chelsea and I had the joy of being adopted parents last week. Dan and Jenny Strebig (fellow SAM missionaries) were in La Paz working with a team and so that their girls wouldn't miss any school they asked others to take care of them. However, they weren't sure where to leave their middle daughter so Chelsea and I volunteered! We had a great time with Katherine and enjoyed having her stay with us...she is super sweet!!!

I'm sure many of you read in the prayer letter that I sent out about the Princess Conference coming up on April 24. There are still a lot of things to do in getting ready for that and I find that my mind often is running through that list of things...even when I'm trying to rest. Please pray that God would begin preparing the hearts of the girls who will attend! Also pray that God will help us get the word out to the churches in the area! I have come to realize that the month of May will be on the heels of the Princess Conference and I also have a couple of things to prepare for that time. I will be going out to a small town (about a night's bus ride out of the city) to teach a Sunday School teacher's workshop for a weekend. Then, for a week at SAM's night Bible institute, CIET, I will be working with my coworkers on the Children's Ministry Team to teach a week long intensive course (meaning each evening for 2 and a half hours) for Sunday School teachers and workers. All of this as we're in our last month of school! What a crazy time it will be!!! I covet your prayers for these things!

One final prayer request that I have is in regards to my living situation. The house where I'm currently living is owned by World Gospel Mission. When I signed the contract for the house, it was said that I could only sign a one year contract, with the understanding that if they didn't need it for any of their missionaries, I could choose to sign a contract for an additional year. However, I was told this week that it's looking more like the mission will need the house for some of their missionaries, they are to confirm this with me at the end of this month. So, it looks as if I will be on the hunt for a house again. On top of that, as you may remember, Chelsea's term is finishing up and she will be returning to the states in June. Therefore, I will also need roommates...or at least it would help! Please pray for God's wisdom and provision in this situation!

Well...I imagine this is enough to keep you prayer warriors busy for now!!! Thank you so much for lifting these things up before the throne on my behalf!

March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

I decided to wait a couple of days this week before updating my blog as I wanted to attach a few pictures of my JV girl's basketball team from school. They won their 5th game yesterday...5 and 0...with only one more game to go before the play-offs! Yesterday's game...the score was 32-6...which was our largest point spread!!! They played so hard...and with such GREAT teamwork! It's been exciting to watch them working together!! Although I will appreciate the extra free-time in my schedule when the season is over, I have enjoyed being their assistant coach...they are a fun group of girls!




Today at school, the government sent fumigators to come and spray all of the grounds and rooms of the school. Apparently after the outbreak of the dengue fever last year, they decided this year that any location which had two or more reported cases of dengue fever (the disease spread by mosquitoes) would be required to report it to the authorities so that a fumigation treatment could take place. Our school found out this week that we have two such reported cases...however, before we could get a chance to notify the government, they had already sent a team that was fumigating nearby. As necessary as it is, the downside was that we didn't get a chance to evacuate the school or make arrangements for the students. The high school students were away for the day doing a service project, but the elementary and junior high students were shuffled around from one end of the school to the other and given extra outside recess time as they were not allowed to enter the classrooms until the chemicals cleared out a bit (and even then, the smell was so strong that they couldn't enter). It definitely made for an interesting day!!!

I signed up for a Bolivian bank account this week...I'm sure it's not quite as exciting as a Swiss bank account would be...nor is it as mysterious...but it's a great way for SAM to reimburse me for some of my ministry expenses, without giving me a check and asking me to spend most of the morning in the bank waiting to cash it!

On three or four different occasions this week, I was talking with other missionaries about support levels. All of them were sharing how their support levels are low or under-budget. Not only have they been struggling to get their allotted monthly support need, but they also don't have any money available beyond that to use for ministry expenses. I hear stories such as these and yet again feel totally blessed that God would choose to remove all struggles of this nature from me. Thank you to each one of you for your faithful support not only in giving but also through prayer. God is answering that prayer and is providing for my basic needs as well as my ministry needs. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I'm back in Santa Cruz!

In case you haven't heard yet, I made it safely back to Santa Cruz. The trip home was shorter, there weren't as many police controlled checkpoints and we made good time. I almost missed my connection in Metan, Argentina...but fortunately they decided to wait for me! I'm not sure why, but I was thankful! I arrived in Santa Cruz at about midnight on Monday night. My friend Beth and a couple of others from church were waiting for me at the bus station. By the time they got me home and to bed, it was about 1:30 AM. I slept in a little bit on Tuesday, then went into school for the afternoon. All in all, the trip to Argentina was well worth it for me! I learned so many things which will be useful here and I met some wonderful people! I was actually a little sad to be returning! However, I am glad to be home...sleeping in my own bed again...and my roommate is extremely glad to have me back...I imagine the house was pretty empty without me!

I continue to help coach the JV Girl's basketball team...which is currently 3 and 0!!! We have a lot of fun together...and although I really don't know anything about basketball, I enjoy spending time with them! Also this week, a team of students from a university in Florida arrived. I was busy on the weekend acting as a taxi service, translator, and cook! They're gone to a couple of Ayore communities outside of the city...but I decided it would be best for me to not miss anymore school! I think I'm still trying to get caught up from the time that I missed!

Attached below is a link with some pictures of the English Village in Cordoba, Argentina! Hope you enjoy them! Thank you so much for your prayers during that adventure...it was a huge blessing to me in so many ways! Enjoy the pictures!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDNm5btmRh

February 23, 2010

Greetings once again from Cordoba, Argentina! I don't have much time today...as I have a meeting shortly and a few more things to do before then. However, I didn't want the week to get by without sharing a couple of highlights with you about the things that God is doing!

First of all, I got word yesterday that the Register of Deeds in Rockingham County, NC, has agreed to accept one of the copies of the Power of Attorney that I got notarized when I flew to Cochabamba, Bolivia just before coming to Argentina. That means that the process can move forward as my sister, Emily, or her husband can sign the paperwork in order to sell my condominium!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!! That is a huge blessing for me and a definite release of a weight on my shoulders!

As for things happening here in Argentina...
I'm having a wonderful time!!! I am really enjoying the things that I'm learning and experiencing while here! I have met a lot of great people who have been such an encouragement to me...it will be sad to leave them at the end of the week! To give you a few more details on what I'm doing here in Cordoba...let me explain the workshop. The workshop is held at a mission's training institute (training Latins to be missionaries in other parts of the world) and is actually an intensive course, called the English Village. This course teaches students valuable methods to be used in learning a new language. In order to allow these students to put these methods into practice...English is used, as it's a foreign language for all of the students...and it will be useful to them in many places where God may send them to serve as missionaries. The idea of the program is that the students take these techniques with them and plan their course of study in learning a new language...by using a tutor who is a native speaker for the language they wish to learn...hence my role here. I started out co-tutoring a group of 3 guys. My co-tutor is a German missionary serving here in Cordoba, studying part-time at the institute. Then we had another tutor join us this week who is also working with our group...which allows us to do more individualized one on one tutoring! It's been amazing to see how quickly the students are grasping the English language using these techniques...students who couldn't speak to me at all a week ago, are now telling me (in broken English) about their weekend. They have made such great progress in only one week's time! It's great!




I can see many ways in which God might be able to use this experience to either duplicate the course in Bolivia...or even to share the methods with friends of mine in Santa Cruz who are still working to learn Spanish! There are many great possibilities! Praise the Lord for such a wonderful experience and continue to pray for us to finish well this week! I'll be heading home next Sunday...most likely, I won't actually arrive in Santa Cruz until Tuesday morning...it's a pretty long bus ride! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the ministry God is doing in South America!

Greetings from Cordoba, Argentina!

Well, as you can tell from the title...I made it safely to Cordoba, Argentina...after traveling for about 36 hours by bus! Before I go into a bit of detail about the bus ride....let me fill you in some on the week before!

As you know, I have an interested buyer for my condominium in NC. The problem that we have run into is in getting the paperwork signed. Due to the unreliability in mail to and from Bolivia, it has been recommended that we pay to have Power of Attorney given over to my sister, Emily, and her husband, Christopher. Anyway, to make a long story short...that means that I still have to get paperwork signed/notarized and sent to the lawyer in North Carolina. Getting the paperwork done at a price that I could afford was one hurdle to cross...then I had the struggle of getting it notarized. I was basically told here that my only option was to use a US Consular Agent, but last week...as I was in the busyness of getting ready for my trip to Argentina...I tried to figure out how I could get this Consular Agent to notarize my signature of the document. It was then that I found out that he would not be in Santa Cruz until the end of the month...when I was going to be here in Argentina...and the paperwork needed to be in the US before then. There wasn't anything left to be done, but to fly to where he was in order to get the papers notarized. Therefore, on Wednesday night, I flew to the city of Cochabamba...spent the night with some missionary friends...then went to the Consular Office on Thursday morning. There was a lot of in and out of the office trying to get the right documentation with the correct location of the seals, and then I flew back to Santa Cruz on Thursday afternoon. Needless to say, it added to my CRAZY week! However, God provided someone going back to the states on Friday...who was returning to Chesapeake, VA, near where my parents live. My mom and dad were able to pick up the papers and are mailing them to the lawyer now. Please pray that the county officials will accept the documentation and seals as they are done...so that the extra trip to Cochabamba was not in vain.

I don't have much time now before going to a meeting...but I wanted to share a few blessings that God provided during my trip down on the bus. I was quite afraid to be traveling such a great distance on my own...but He was faithful walked beside me all the way...
1. On the first bus, the man sitting next to me was very kind and patient answering all of my questions without ever giving me the impression that he was annoyed with me.
2. At the border, the people from the busline collected all of our passports and did much of the legwork for us...so that we didn't have to spend as much time off the bus standing in the sun!
3. The woman in customs was very nice, asking me all about my trip, and seeming quite interested!
4. At one of the police checkpoints...the police officer barely looked at my bag...other than my Bible...asking me if I was a Christian...and telling me that he is one too!
5. I was able to make my connecting bus without any problem...and didn't get left at any bus stops!
6. Heather Lewis found me at the Cordoba terminal when I arrived here Sunday morning...no problems!
7. There's a Wal-Mart in Cordoba!!!!

All in all, it has been a great experience so far! We are getting ready to have a meeting right now, so I better go! I'll try to write again with more details about the conference itself...as I now have more information to share about that! I'd appreciate your continued prayers for the students and those of us serving as tutors as well! Thank you so much for you love and prayers for me!

February 8, 2010

I survived camp, fortunately! I did get the feeling that I'm getting old...as I saw these young teenagers with a LOT more energy than I have! However, I had a great time with them! It was exciting for me to see God working in their lives...but also there were a few junior and seniors who went along as well. I remember when most of those kids were in jr. high themselves and it was VERY refreshing to see how God continues to mold and shape them. They're really turning out to be wonderful young men and women who desire to serve the Lord! Once again, I enjoy being part of a ministry such as this...camp and the school in general. Please continue to pray for our high schoolers as they are at camp this week. You can also pray for the teachers who went to this camp in order to serve as counselors...I returned exhausted after only three days, they'll be with those guys until Friday!

The Spiritual retreat with the SAM women was great as well! It was very refreshing and relaxing! Something that God has begun to work in my life, through this retreat and before as well...although it wouldn't be a newsflash to my roommate and others...is that, in short, I'm doing too much. I think I'm running myself a bit ragged and need to find some time to rest and relax. I'm not sure yet when or how those changes are going to take place (many things won't change until after my trip to Argentina...and others won't change for a few months)...but change is in the air. I believe that God is showing me some ministries that I can cut back on a little bit, in order to make room for others to which He is calling me to do...I don't have time in my schedule for both, something's got to give a little bit. Please pray for me as I work to make those changes...some of them won't be easy, as I enjoy all of the things that I'm doing...I just can't do it ALL!

Tara, the intern who is here for 4 months, made it safely in last week, praise the Lord. So far, she seems happy to be here and appears to be adjusting quite well, for which I'm extremely grateful! I'll be seeing her today and tomorrow for various types of orientation things...then I'll be handing over a lot of her care to other missionaries while I'm gone to Argentina.

This Friday, I will be leaving for Argentina. I have decided to travel by bus...buscama they call it as the seats recline in such a way that you actually feel like you're lying down. They're the best buses for long travel! Once I leave on Friday night, I should arrive to the border sometime Saturday morning. Then I will have to get off the bus in order to walk through customs and things at the border. I have been told that most of this is standing out in the heat, long lines, could be a couple of hours, could be much longer than that...we'll see. After that, I should be able to board the bus again...and then I'll be on my way to Cordoba. My arrival time depends on how certain things pan out a bit...but I should be to Cordoba sometime early Sunday morning...if not before. I'm a little nervous about traveling such a long way on my own, but I've had several people give me advice so I know more or less what to expect and the bus line that I plan to use is a very trustworthy one...so that helps. After the busy week that I have going on now...I might really enjoy such a long time to sit, relax, read, cross-stitch, etc. without being able to do much else!

February 1, 2010

Greetings once again from Bolivia...for now anyway!!! I'm excited to report that I've gotten some confirmation on my trip to Argentina. I still need to make my travel plans (as my departure date depends on whether I fly or go by bus), but I did hear from the director of the English Village today with more information and a schedule so that I can begin making some plans. I'm very curious about it all and SUPER excited about this opportunity! It does mean that I will miss the camp that my church participates in each year during Carnaval...yet, I'm looking forward to trying out something new!

To be honest...right now the main three things on my mind are...the Argentina trip, Tara Dakin (the intern coming to do children's ministry), and Jr High Camp (which starts this Wednesday and goes through Friday). Those are certainly plenty of things to keep my mind occupied as they entail quite a bit of planning (and the need for many substitutes)! Chelsea and I laugh that I'll be able to relax more in March...I pray that I don't have to wait that long!!!

Although I'm making this a short up-date this week (due to the fact that it's 11:30 at night and I need to get to bed), I really appreciate your continued prayers for these things (particularly those mentioned above as well as diligence in getting tasks done one step at a time). I'm enjoying so many different aspects of ministry currently, but I also don't want to get run down. I'm not always good at making sure I get the rest that I need. This weekend, several of the SAM women are going to stay at a local hotel for the night in order to have a Spiritual retreat and time of prayer together. Even though a part of me feels like I don't have time for such things...the bigger part of me recognizes the importance of it. It should be a good time of rest, relaxation, reflection...and most importantly a chance to bask in God's presence!

Before I forget...thank you for praying for VBS at my church! We had WONDERFUL weather the whole week and many children came! On Sunday morning...at the closing program, we had 108 people in our tiny sanctuary...more than half were children! It's was amazing!! I'll be sure to upload some pictures soon (I need to get them from a friend of mine as I forgot to take my camera). Thank you once again for all of your prayers on behalf of those of us here!

January 27, 2010

Well, needless to say, I'm a couple of days behind this week! I usually try to update my blog on Monday mornings, as I don't have to be at school until about 11:30. However, about once a month I go to the SCCLC school board meeting on Monday morning and then sometimes struggle to get my blog updated at another time. I have a great deal to tell you about this week, but I'll try to stick to the most important aspects...

1. This week, starting today, we are having a Vacation Bible School at my church. The theme is "Como ser util en la familia" (How to be useful in the family). It is not unusual for us to end the week with close to 100 children! We will be having VBS Wednesday through Saturday of this week from 4-5:30, with our closing program on Sunday morning. Please pray for the children who will be attending as well as those of us who are teaching/leading. Also, please pray that the rain will hold off until next week (it's rainy season here...when it rains, it floods/gets really muddy, and the kids end up staying home).

2. Next week, February 3-5, is the Jr High Camp for the students here at the school where I teach. I have the pleasure of going along as a counselor. I'm looking forward to spending this time with them. The following week, February 8-12, is the High School Camp. There will be a special guest coming down from the states to speak in both of these events. Please pray for the speaker, the counselors, and students during this time.

3. Arriving on February 4, is an intern who will be working with SAM, particularly in the area of children's ministry, for 4 months. I've been asked to coordinate her time here and am looking forward to ministering alongside her in several of the things that we have planned.

4. Also coming up, from February 14-28, is something called the English Village in Cordoba, Argentina. It is for those in South America who are interested in missions and who may feel called to ministry in an area where English is predominantly spoken or used. These missionaries can attend this workshop, placing themselves in an all English environment for 2 weeks of training, instruction, and fun. SAM has asked me to attend as one of the instructors so that we can get an idea of what this type of workshop is like, with the hope that possibly one day we could do a similar event here in Bolivia. I'm still working on getting all of the details worked out (including substitutes at school for those two weeks), but I'm SUPER excited about this opportunity!!!

5. Changing the subject now and looking a bit farther into the future...next school year, the elementary principal and her family will be returning to the states for furlough. The director of the Learning Center has asked me to take her place for the year, serving in that role, and I have accepted the responsibilty. It will mean that I will be returning to school full time...although the director did give me permission to take one morning off a week (which I will appreciate as my weekends are usually full of church and children's ministry). I will also need to be diligent in managing my time, possibly even cutting back in some of my other ministries outside of school, in order to make time for this new role. It is an honor to be asked and I'm excited about how God will use me next year. The director still needs to talk to the board before it becomes official, but it isn't likely that there would be any problems there.

6. Finally...after giving you quite a few things to be praying for...I have a HUGE answer to prayer!!!! Praise the Lord, after a couple of years of it being on the market, someone finally made an offer on my condominium in Eden, North Carolina. We have settled on an amount that will allow me to pay of the current loan and pay the realtor, therefore basically breaking even...for which I'm extremely grateful! Assuming that the buyer gets the loan that she needs, we just need to figure out the best way to get the paperwork completed!

Well...I guess I've filled you with quite an eye-full for now. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the work that God has called me to here in Santa Cruz!

Well, as promised, this up-date has a few pictures of the annual conference for SAM's Bolivia field. We were able to get out of the city for a few days to go to a nearby resort (only about 20 or so minutes out of the city). You may remember seeing photos of this place in past entries, as I have been there a couple of times for conferences/retreats. It's a beautiful place and I was delighted to be going there again! We had a wonderful time together! I thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship with other SAM missionaries (and some friends that went along with us). It was particularly special for me that my friends Jeff and Beth HAuse (with their children) returned to the field around Christmas time and so were at the annual conference. We had a great time catching up on old times...I had not seen most of their family for about a year! It's great to have them back!!!



This year, we had a speaker who came down from the home office to share with us. Typically we also have guests or teams that come to lead worship and work with our children. However, this year, we decided to do all of these things "in house" so to speak. We formed a worship team out of those of us on the field...as you can see in the picture below, I was one of the singers! A fellow SAM missionary, Jenna Weigner, led the worship times and kept us all organized. I thoroughly enjoyed these times...and the songs that she picked! It was great! There were still programs for the kids as well while the adults were meeting...but this time there were a couple of "SAM kids" (children of missionaries on the field) who are in college now, but were here visiting their parents for Christmas break. They were willing to teach the kids and did an excellent job!!!


All in all, we had a great time! It was very refreshing to have that conference to come back to...and that added to reviving my spirit for the ministries waiting for me here. Last week, I spent the better part of the week studying for the final exam for my online course. I also had to finish up the paper that I had been working on. I'm very excited to say that I have now finished the class!!! I think the exam went well and I'm glad to be moving on! It's a good feeling to have accomplished yet another of these courses. For the last month or two...while not in the states and at conference...I sort of put some of my ministry on hold so that I could wrap up this class. I'm thankful to now be able to dive back into those things.

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