Greetings once again from Santa Cruz! Dalmiro and I completed the Beni trip...physically and emotionally tired...yet changed for the better at having been able to serve the Lord in this area of Bolivia. There is much to report on the events of our trip, so I'll do my best to share as much as I can.Our boat trip began, unfortunately, not as we expected. The first night while we were on the river, traveling during the night, one of our team members, woke up to use the restroom. Apparently, as we discovered after the fact, he must have become disoriented while returning to his hammock. He then opened the gate on the front end of the boat and walked into the water. We then spent the next few days anchored to the shore, hosting a search and rescue center. We took turns keeping watch day and night for any sign of the body. It was at that point that we held a memorial service for our brother in Christ, feeling sure that he had gone home to be with the Lord.
The next few days on the river were very intense as we we then realized the great need and quantity of villages to be seen, yet our shortened amount of time on the river. In each of the villages the doctors/nurses would set up a medical clinic. While they were providing medical attention Dalmiro and another pastor were praying for and witnessing to the adults. At the same time, there were a number of us who provided activities, songs, verses, and a Bible lesson for the children.
It was difficult at times, living in such close quarters for about 10 days, not to mention the emotional stress of the accident at the beginning of the trip. Yet, we also saw God working in many ways as well. We say Him healing people of their physical wounds, providing for their physical needs, and using us to share more about Him. God also led us into some villages which to our knowledge, had not been reached before for the gospel! Praise the Lord for the opportunity to share His love with people who haven't heard how they can have a personal relationship with him! Pray too for children like Bella in this picture (the one in the front, middle) who heard the gospel many times that day and still chose not to accept it! May God draw her unto Himself!
After returning from the Beni trip and taking a couple of days to sleep/rest, I jumped back into taking care of things at school! I had three intense days of English testing for new students seeking enrollment. After that I was meeting with the director so that he could teach me about an accreditation visit that the school is preparing for in this upcoming year (as he will be returning to the states and is leaving me in charge of the information needed for the visit).
The weather has turned cold, my roommates have all traveled either to the states or to other parts of Bolivia, and I'm working frantically to get caught up and ahead of things here! Coming up in a week, I will be teaching the music class for an English-speaking VBS, each morning from 8:30-11:30. Then the following couple of weeks I will be helping to direct an English Village (similar to that which I attended/directed in Argentina) here in Santa Cruz. We're still waiting to see if we have enough students to run the course and should know something about that within the next week. After that..."vacation" will be over and I'll be getting back into the swing of things at school...while trying to move into a new apartment!!! Dalmiro and I have decided to begin renting an apartment which is close to the school and owned by World Gospel Mission. I will be living there on my own until October and then he will move in with me after we get married!
Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf during the Beni trip! We covet your continued prayers for us as we move through the next...very busy months...and look forward to our upcoming marriage! There is lots of growing, adjusting, and learning yet to come!!!
