A Reverse Mission Trip?

I think Nathaniel was right when he said "We came down here to serve them, but it seems like everywhere we go we're the ones that are being served." That's not an easy thing to deal with. Whether it's at Chloe's sponsor child's house, where she got more gifts than she gave, or at my sponsor kid's who decorated her 15x15 house with balloons, gave us hats, and bought me a birthday cake...it's true. Every where we go we feel like we're the ones getting blessed. For 5 years I've heard about this whole "mutual transformation" that FH talks about. It's made sense in my mind, but this trip, more than ever before, I'm seeing first hand what it means for the community here to be changed, and for me to be changed. I know we are a blessing to the families here, I know God is using us (despite ourselves) to encourage the staff here in Sucre, but yet each night I'm overwhelmed with the idea that it's really me who gets the blessing. Writing about this seems so inadequate. If I were reading this, I'd think this was all a really neat set of ideas. I'd probably even smile, but it's still not enough. Not enough to really understand what it's like to sit in the house of someone who has nothing, but still gives from the heart. God has been good. Nobody is sick, and the team is getting along like family. Thank you for the prayers and support you've provided for this trip. We love you guys....

Bolivia Time = Busy, Busy, Busy

They say Bolivian time moves slower. That must be true because in the past couple of days we have: > Inaugurated a new competitive club team at the Soccer Academy. > Judged a drawing contest. The winners drawings are sent to Japan for the next level. > Made home visits to sponsored children. > Visited a new jewelry making micro enterprise led by teenagers. > Visited the Dance Academy where we wowed them with our dancing skills. > Visited the Sewing Enterprise and learned of a new phase in their business. > Inaugurated the new Virtual Computer Library MCC sponsored. > Participated in World View Workshops. > Eaten something about every two hours. > Worshipped with Spanish and English songs. > Prayed for a local Pastor who is experiencing very difficult circumstances. > Heard three separate devotions by MCC team members, they were awesome. > Listened to a radio interview with Luke. > Played with neighborhood children. > Planted vegetables in a community garden. The list goes on and on. Though the schedule has kept us running and we have participated in many worthwhile activities, the best, and most powerful part of the trip is experiencing incarnational ministry. Coming, as He did, to a culture not His own and demonstrating the love and character of the Father. He has called His church to this task, to live with those who's lives are so much different than our own to live Christ before them. Why would He choose such earthen containers for His Life? I don't know. We are to just obey. Tonight is the farewell dinner, the schedule says....many hugs. There will be tears too.

El Dia De Amistad

Today is El Dia De Amistad in Bolivia, Friendship Day. Picture Mothers Day but you are honoring your friends. There was a celebration with the staff and some of their families tonight. Lots of pizza and gifts. Bolivians use sweet corn as a pizza topping, try it, it's incredible. Marv is officially addicted to Dulce De Leche. The team made a number of home visits to sponsored children today. It is good to see God working in families as He is here. We saw real evidence of transformation at the Parent Retreat yesterday. This is the second one MCC has participated in. There were many more men attending. The men were engaged and affectionate to their wives, another significant change. A community leader was there who we see each trip. He recently committed his life to Christ, you could see the change through the glow on his face. It is a privilege to visit here and see how God is redeeming Horno Ckasa B. Your prayers, sponsorship of children and support of the teams makes no small contribution to this transformation. May He continue the work He is doing here.

Made It Safe And Sound

I know many of you have been looking for a post from us, sorry for being late on this update. We have been busy as these trips tend to be. It took exactly 24hrs to get here gate to gate. As soon as we arrived the fun started, so, the team slept about two hours in the first 40. That schedule separates the young and the old. Today was spent at a youth retreat in a nearby town called Yatolla. It was a great time of teaching and fun. Josh and Luke showed the Bolivian students how Americans play Futball. The team brought a few Frisbees, I think Sucre will now be the Frisbee capital of South America. Marv tried to teach them how to play Ninja, let's just say they weren't impressed. I really needed some MCC students here to show them how to do it right. Tomorrow we speak at a parent retreat. Please pray God will heal the families in Horno Ckasa B. The community sends its love to the MCC family, thank you for praying for and supporting us. Hasta proxima.

Can You See Me Now?

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.

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 :) )

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.