It's 3:30 AM La Paz time as we load our micro bus with suitcases for the flight home. At 11,000 feet above sea level it's chilly, even if we are south of the equator. It's dark, the streets, usually flooded with people, are empty.
About 30 feet away, on the dirty sidewalk is a dark, hard to notice bundle of trash, wool and newspaper. I probably wouldn't see it at all if it weren't moving. Someone has been sleeping, make that living, under that wool blanket.
There is no way that blanket can protect against the cold. It's too thin, too old and too small. The man under the blanket seems to be combing his hair, using his fingers.
I'm not sure if anyone else notices him or not. Most of us are busy dragging our sleep deprived selves and our suitcases through the hotel door. That's one of the pitfalls of being poor. You aren't noticed. In fact often it's like the poor are invisible, except when they are panhandling us.
I'm wondering as we drive away, how can there possibly be hope for him? It would be hard enough to trade that blanket for a room with four walls if you lived in the United States. But in Bolivia? I can't even figure out how to pray for him. Pray he stays warm, finds enough to eat today, avoids muggers for another 24 hours? I'm wishing he had just stayed invisible.
What does God see as he looks down at the street in front of Osira Hotel in La Paz? Fourteen Americans, most of them teenagers, with a world of hope in front of them? And.......a homeless Boliviano with little to hope for. Does He pay more attention to the Americanos because of their bright futures, thinking the Boliviano is just too far gone?
No, He values all. His Son died for all. The fact I even ask the question is evidence of my own poverty. Believing somehow those who fit my description of success are more worthy of notice. Sometimes I agree with person who said " I'm so poor all I have is money."
The East Mountain population outside Albuquerque has an extraordinarily high number of those the census says are poor, and at the same time, a higher than usual number of the very affluent.
I'm wondering if we've noticed that. Followers of Christ have a mandate to notice, to care and to act. I've learned from Food for the Hungry that it is not enough to just notice and care.
They have also taught me that the way we react must be right........ or we do more harm than good.
But if I'm going to act at all,....... I first must notice.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
There is Life Here
Yesterday the team planted flowers and trees. The new plants are a picture of the work God is doing here. Surrounded by the despair of spiritual and physical brokeness God is planting His life in so many.
I met a girl this week who met Christ through the FH work in her neighborhood. The life in her is very apparent.
Life is emerging in the sewing academy. Sylvia is leading them, taking up where the team left off in March. She is realizing His plan and purpose for her life.
Last night, at the Dance Academy we saw life in young women who are learning Gods plan and purpose for their lives. This was in sharp contrast to the gang members in the audience. The emptiness in their eyes was unmistakeable.
FH is using the Dance Academy to reach out to the gangs in HCB. So many of the young people are drawn to gangs because their parents abandon them in different ways and for different reasons. The gangs offer a false sense of protection from this abandonment.
The youth heard the gospel last night, please pray that God will redeem them from their slavery.
The needs in HCB can seem over whelming, too many broken families, too many abondonded children, so much emptiness.
Yet.....God keeps showing examples of His work. What ever you are doing for HCB whether sponsoring a child, praying for the community or preparing to join a future team you can be sure God is using your effort to bring Life to many. (capitalized on purpose :) )
I met a girl this week who met Christ through the FH work in her neighborhood. The life in her is very apparent.
Life is emerging in the sewing academy. Sylvia is leading them, taking up where the team left off in March. She is realizing His plan and purpose for her life.
Last night, at the Dance Academy we saw life in young women who are learning Gods plan and purpose for their lives. This was in sharp contrast to the gang members in the audience. The emptiness in their eyes was unmistakeable.
FH is using the Dance Academy to reach out to the gangs in HCB. So many of the young people are drawn to gangs because their parents abandon them in different ways and for different reasons. The gangs offer a false sense of protection from this abandonment.
The youth heard the gospel last night, please pray that God will redeem them from their slavery.
The needs in HCB can seem over whelming, too many broken families, too many abondonded children, so much emptiness.
Yet.....God keeps showing examples of His work. What ever you are doing for HCB whether sponsoring a child, praying for the community or preparing to join a future team you can be sure God is using your effort to bring Life to many. (capitalized on purpose :) )
Friday, July 22, 2011
Rijcharjy Warmi
"Wake Women". Women in HCB suffer in many ways. There are are even fewer resources for them than the other members of the community.
One of their most difficult issues is their marred identity. They are taught from a young age that they are inferior and can make little contribution to their family or community.
That is changing for 65 women in HCB. What began as an idea God put on Charlotte Smith's heart has become a reality in HCB. Ricjcharjy Warmi is a micro enterprise that produces beautiful artisan textile products. Ricjcharjy means "wake women". The women are waking up to their value in Gods eyes, that He has a plan for their lives and that they can make a difference.
This is providing much needed income as well. 80% of their net income is contributed to the Soccer and Dance Schools. What a Biblical principle, the needy with God's help becoming contributors.
HCB is changing, God is at work. We are priviledged to participate.
One of their most difficult issues is their marred identity. They are taught from a young age that they are inferior and can make little contribution to their family or community.
That is changing for 65 women in HCB. What began as an idea God put on Charlotte Smith's heart has become a reality in HCB. Ricjcharjy Warmi is a micro enterprise that produces beautiful artisan textile products. Ricjcharjy means "wake women". The women are waking up to their value in Gods eyes, that He has a plan for their lives and that they can make a difference.
This is providing much needed income as well. 80% of their net income is contributed to the Soccer and Dance Schools. What a Biblical principle, the needy with God's help becoming contributors.
HCB is changing, God is at work. We are priviledged to participate.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
USA One, Bolivia One
The team has been kept very busy, so you haven´t gotten a recent update. The FH staff sends their best to everyone at MCC. They keep asking how previous team members are and how the church is doing.
So far we´ve made home visits to sponsored children, held math classes and played to a one one tie with the soccer team from the soccer school FH is sponsoring. Coaching by Erin our team soccer officiando kept us from losing.
The Soccer School has been on the real highlights of our visit. There are about 80 neighborhood students involved. They still play on the same dirt field we saw in March. The program itself is top line.
The students are taught many life skills as well as soccer skills. These are at risk students from a very poor area of HCB. Many of them are abandoned and this is their only real connection to anyone who loves them. Through the academy they learn that God loves them and has a plan for their lives.
FH has high goals for the academy and the students, trusting God for the results. If you´ve been to field here you know that is FH´s style. Big goals, big faith. That´s one of the benefits we receive when we visit. We are reminded that we serve an abundant God who can move mountains, esecially the mountains of depair brought on by a broken world.
Please be praying for the FH work here. We are seeing real progress. God is good!
So far we´ve made home visits to sponsored children, held math classes and played to a one one tie with the soccer team from the soccer school FH is sponsoring. Coaching by Erin our team soccer officiando kept us from losing.
The Soccer School has been on the real highlights of our visit. There are about 80 neighborhood students involved. They still play on the same dirt field we saw in March. The program itself is top line.
The students are taught many life skills as well as soccer skills. These are at risk students from a very poor area of HCB. Many of them are abandoned and this is their only real connection to anyone who loves them. Through the academy they learn that God loves them and has a plan for their lives.
FH has high goals for the academy and the students, trusting God for the results. If you´ve been to field here you know that is FH´s style. Big goals, big faith. That´s one of the benefits we receive when we visit. We are reminded that we serve an abundant God who can move mountains, esecially the mountains of depair brought on by a broken world.
Please be praying for the FH work here. We are seeing real progress. God is good!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
La Paz Day Two-ish
The plan was to spend today in La Paz, eating, site seeing and....checking in for our quick flight to Sucre this afternoon. Problem is our flight never left for Sucre.
It wasn't the weather, wasn't mechanical problems. The flight was canceled because of darkness. Bet you haven't heard that one before. There are no runway lights in Sucre so if it's dark they don't fly. So, here we are in La Paz one more night. The team is sad to have to wait one more day to see our friends in HCB.
We know that God who works all things according His purpose and schedule has this in hand so we are confident He will use this delay in some fantastic way. More tomorrow.
It wasn't the weather, wasn't mechanical problems. The flight was canceled because of darkness. Bet you haven't heard that one before. There are no runway lights in Sucre so if it's dark they don't fly. So, here we are in La Paz one more night. The team is sad to have to wait one more day to see our friends in HCB.
We know that God who works all things according His purpose and schedule has this in hand so we are confident He will use this delay in some fantastic way. More tomorrow.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Anticipation.......
Planes.....planes and more planes. The biggest challenge of going to Bolivia is the going. Until MCC scores that Gulfstream we are all waiting for the Team is at the mercy of American Airlines. Not really, it just seems that way.
It's actually God we are depending on to make sure we meet our many connections, get all the peanuts we can eat and only use our airsickness bags as hand puppets.
One of the lessons I've learned from Food for the Hungry and particularly the staff in Bolivia is to trust the sovereignty of a loving God.
We have lived with them through the challenges of funding cuts, the sadness of families suffering under the brokeness of a fallen world and the joys of seeing God restore lives.
Their prayer for us this week is to see our team, and our church transformed because of our visit. FH calls it "end to end transformation". That is, God working to transform HCB and MCC as we work together.
Thank you for your prayer for us this week. Come back for updates about Gods work this week.
It's actually God we are depending on to make sure we meet our many connections, get all the peanuts we can eat and only use our airsickness bags as hand puppets.
One of the lessons I've learned from Food for the Hungry and particularly the staff in Bolivia is to trust the sovereignty of a loving God.
We have lived with them through the challenges of funding cuts, the sadness of families suffering under the brokeness of a fallen world and the joys of seeing God restore lives.
Their prayer for us this week is to see our team, and our church transformed because of our visit. FH calls it "end to end transformation". That is, God working to transform HCB and MCC as we work together.
Thank you for your prayer for us this week. Come back for updates about Gods work this week.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
La Paz Hoy
Bus strike or no bus strike FH git's er done! The buses aren't running in Sucre so we took taxi's and a truck. Riding in the back of the truck was mucho fun. Yesterday was the easiest day of this trip. Charlotte and her gang taught more sewing, Tom made a home visit to one of his sponsored children and the rest of us cleaned rocks off the new soccer field.
The farewell dinner was last night. Awesome steaks, that cheesy rice stuff that everyone but Marv likes so much. Of course potatoes, you don't eat a meal in Bolivia without potatoes.
The weather was terrible the week before our arrival. Cold, rain and wind. It's been beautiful during our visit. However, we awoke this morning to low clouds. This is a problem because the Sucre airport has no radar. If they can't see, they dont fly. If they don't fly it's a 15 hour bus trip to La Paz to catch tomorrows flight home.
The team prayed, the Lord answered and the clouds rose. We hugged everyone goodbye at the airport, cried some and then flew out of Sucre. So .... I'm writing this from La Paz. Oscar Montes, the Bolivia National Director met us for lunch. Such a blessing to spend time with him and hear what God is doing through FH. After lunch it was off to shopping.
The bus leaves the hotel at 3:30 AM for the airport tomorrow. Ouch!
Hasta mañana.
The farewell dinner was last night. Awesome steaks, that cheesy rice stuff that everyone but Marv likes so much. Of course potatoes, you don't eat a meal in Bolivia without potatoes.
The weather was terrible the week before our arrival. Cold, rain and wind. It's been beautiful during our visit. However, we awoke this morning to low clouds. This is a problem because the Sucre airport has no radar. If they can't see, they dont fly. If they don't fly it's a 15 hour bus trip to La Paz to catch tomorrows flight home.
The team prayed, the Lord answered and the clouds rose. We hugged everyone goodbye at the airport, cried some and then flew out of Sucre. So .... I'm writing this from La Paz. Oscar Montes, the Bolivia National Director met us for lunch. Such a blessing to spend time with him and hear what God is doing through FH. After lunch it was off to shopping.
The bus leaves the hotel at 3:30 AM for the airport tomorrow. Ouch!
Hasta mañana.
Monday, March 14, 2011
This Is Not Your Typical Dance School
Those words introduced us to the new HCB dance school that FH is sponsoring. It's not your typical dance school because it's purpose is to use dance to teach students that they can have a future, to learn and practice Biblical principles to prepare for that future and to introduce them to the One who wants to give us all a future.
You could use that statement for everything FH does. Nothing they do is typical. It's not your typical soccer school, sewing class, library, family training center etc. All of it is designed in the most creative ways to fix the root causes of poverty.
Speaking of poverty, today was a day the team saw it up close, home visit day. On this day we visit the homes of our sponsored children. It's awesome and heart breaking at the same time. You don't need Sally Struthers crying all over your television set to get you care about the poor on this day.
On home visit day you see it, smell it and feel it. It's not theoretical. It has a name and a face. It's a face you've learned to love which makes it all the harder. But, it's just where Jesus is in HCB. It's where He's always been ,in the middle of the suffering. It's a privilege to be here with Him. Pray for the families of Horno Ckasa B. Pray God restores their community and that by His power they understand the height, breadth and width of His love.
Pray for the team that we are His hands tomorrow.
One more prayer request, pray for our transportation to and from the community tomorrow (Tuesday), there is a bus strike and word has it that no vehicles may be allowed on the streets. Maybe we'll just have to go for ice cream.
You could use that statement for everything FH does. Nothing they do is typical. It's not your typical soccer school, sewing class, library, family training center etc. All of it is designed in the most creative ways to fix the root causes of poverty.
Speaking of poverty, today was a day the team saw it up close, home visit day. On this day we visit the homes of our sponsored children. It's awesome and heart breaking at the same time. You don't need Sally Struthers crying all over your television set to get you care about the poor on this day.
On home visit day you see it, smell it and feel it. It's not theoretical. It has a name and a face. It's a face you've learned to love which makes it all the harder. But, it's just where Jesus is in HCB. It's where He's always been ,in the middle of the suffering. It's a privilege to be here with Him. Pray for the families of Horno Ckasa B. Pray God restores their community and that by His power they understand the height, breadth and width of His love.
Pray for the team that we are His hands tomorrow.
One more prayer request, pray for our transportation to and from the community tomorrow (Tuesday), there is a bus strike and word has it that no vehicles may be allowed on the streets. Maybe we'll just have to go for ice cream.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Since We Can't Sew, We'll Just Have To Eat Ice Cream
Its the end if another amazing day in Horno Ckasa B, Bolivia. As I told you in my last post we spent the past 24 hrs. or so at a youth retreat in yatola, a beautiful tree covered resort area about half an hour outside Sucre.
If you've been to CIY you would have right at home. Picture CIY in spanish with 120 students. We sang many of the songs that we do in the US, and all the jovenes ( students) jumped up and down, just like CIY.
The MCC team played a respectable game of soccer against the Bolivianos, only losing by 2 points. Thanks FH staffer John Warden for some great goal tending. For those who were part of the humiliating loss on the last trip, this is sort of a vindication.
Once again, as we see almost every trip, God has been at work at MCC and HCB to bring about transformation. About a year ago God put an idea in Charlotte's mind to train the women in the community to sew. This would allow them to sew for themselves but also teach them a skill they could use to make money for their families.
At the same time last year some of the women in the community asked FH if they could somehow start a sewing class for the community. Neither the Americanos or Bolivianos knew God was working in us both,at the same with the same idea.
Last July, Marina was amazed at God's grace when MCC asked about getting some sewing machines for the community.
The machines are here and we start classes tomorrow. Well, I shouldn't say we, some of us know nothing about sewing. So.....the sewer's are going to sew and the rest of us are going to get ice cream at the park. And they ignorance is not of value!
There are home visits, training for the MCC team on world views, sewing classes, and of course, ice cream.
Pray for Horno Ckasa B, that God would be glorified here liberate this community with freedom of Christ.
If it wasn't midnight i'd tell you about the inagural soccer school practice with the professional national Bolivian team player, the incredible time with Shekina church tonight, April's talk to the students that has made her world famous (because it impacted the students so much) and the carnival where Scottie was the community target for water balloons.
So much to tell, so little time. Thanks again for all your support, we couldn't be here without it.
If you've been to CIY you would have right at home. Picture CIY in spanish with 120 students. We sang many of the songs that we do in the US, and all the jovenes ( students) jumped up and down, just like CIY.
The MCC team played a respectable game of soccer against the Bolivianos, only losing by 2 points. Thanks FH staffer John Warden for some great goal tending. For those who were part of the humiliating loss on the last trip, this is sort of a vindication.
Once again, as we see almost every trip, God has been at work at MCC and HCB to bring about transformation. About a year ago God put an idea in Charlotte's mind to train the women in the community to sew. This would allow them to sew for themselves but also teach them a skill they could use to make money for their families.
At the same time last year some of the women in the community asked FH if they could somehow start a sewing class for the community. Neither the Americanos or Bolivianos knew God was working in us both,at the same with the same idea.
Last July, Marina was amazed at God's grace when MCC asked about getting some sewing machines for the community.
The machines are here and we start classes tomorrow. Well, I shouldn't say we, some of us know nothing about sewing. So.....the sewer's are going to sew and the rest of us are going to get ice cream at the park. And they ignorance is not of value!
There are home visits, training for the MCC team on world views, sewing classes, and of course, ice cream.
Pray for Horno Ckasa B, that God would be glorified here liberate this community with freedom of Christ.
If it wasn't midnight i'd tell you about the inagural soccer school practice with the professional national Bolivian team player, the incredible time with Shekina church tonight, April's talk to the students that has made her world famous (because it impacted the students so much) and the carnival where Scottie was the community target for water balloons.
So much to tell, so little time. Thanks again for all your support, we couldn't be here without it.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Can't Go Wrong With Nut - Del Flan
For those of you who are wondering, we made it to Sucre today. The flights were fine, the luggage all arrived with us and we even had time for some Nut-Del flan tonight.
Its only day one in Bolivia and we have already had breakfast and lunch with Joel and Celeste Mercado in La Paz, played with kids in Horno Ckasa, played with staff in Horno Ckasa, ate some great Bolivian pizza and pastries, shared with Marina, Zulema and the FH staff about the progress in HCB....and....worshipped at an awesome church service.
Tomorrow we play soccer with some kids, start sewing classes in the neighborhood and then head out to a youth retreat in the country. We are staying at the retreat tomorrow night so may not be able to post for a day or two.
Thanks for all the prayers back home, He is listening.
Its only day one in Bolivia and we have already had breakfast and lunch with Joel and Celeste Mercado in La Paz, played with kids in Horno Ckasa, played with staff in Horno Ckasa, ate some great Bolivian pizza and pastries, shared with Marina, Zulema and the FH staff about the progress in HCB....and....worshipped at an awesome church service.
Tomorrow we play soccer with some kids, start sewing classes in the neighborhood and then head out to a youth retreat in the country. We are staying at the retreat tomorrow night so may not be able to post for a day or two.
Thanks for all the prayers back home, He is listening.
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