After being here for two months I have learned a lot about Bolivia. There are many things that I found here that have changed my perspective. Here are some of those things:
It's fine to call and be called a "gordita" (little faty)
The trunk is not off limits when it comes to taxi seating
25 oranges or bananas costs less than a dollar
If you buy a beverage in a glass bottle, be prepared to kiss your bottle goodbye and enjoy your liquid out of a bag.
Eating antiqucho (grilled cow heart) is a delicacy
God's creation is spectacular
Movies are rarely in English
Brownie batter can be scrambled
Birthday parties are awesome
There is no such thing as too big of a pizza, only two few people
These past few weeks God has really been showing me the value of simply sitting in His presence. So often I feel as though I need to be serving and moving in order to bring God glory. But what´s lacking from that mindset is that fact that God doesn´t need me for anything. If I serve Him, He is glorified; If I don´t He is still glorified.
It is easy for me to feel close to God when I'm working, which isn´t a bad thing, but what I need to remember is that sometimes the correct response is simple to sit in the presence of the Lord. I am reminded of the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. Martha invited Jesus to her house and was busy preparing everything. I can only imagine the preparations that I would be making if Jesus was coming to my house. Between cleaning, cooking, and cleaning myself up I would be running around that a maniac.
Mary sees that there are things to be done, and with that in mind she chooses to sit at Jesus´ feet. If I am honest with myself, what Mary does wouldn´t even cross my mind as a possibility if I was in her situation.
My favorite part of this whole story is what Jesus says of Mary in response to Martha in verses 41 and 42, ¨you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.¨
I long to have the Lord say that of me; ¨Calie has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.¨ So often I get so busy in life that I forget that only one thing is needed. It is so easy to be bogged down with the hustle and bustle of life, even good things can distract us from the only thing that we need. My prayer this week is that I will remember the one thing that I need and that I will make time to rest is the presence of the Lord.
Matthew 11:28-30
¨Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentile and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.¨
Kara Kara is a shanty little town that was all started with a dump... Literally.
People needed a way to make money so they would either take taxis or walk to the city dump, Kara Kara, to collect trash. The things that they collected would be taken to the local market and sold in order to provide food for their families. It wasn´t long before people started to realize that it would be cheaper just to live at the dump and suddenly shacks began springing up all around. Now, Kara Kara is the poorest neighborhood in all of Cochabamba.
Although Kara Kara may be a dump, it has the most beautiful church that I have seem in my entire life I think. I am not talking about the building. I am talking about the people.
The past couple of weeks we have had the privilege of attending their Saturday night youth service as well as the Sunday morning service and never in my life have I met more welcoming, humble, passionate, and hungry people. Sometimes only 12 people show up and they respond as though God had blessed them with the biggest crop this world has ever seen. I don't always know what is being verbally communicated, but you can literally see that they love the Lord through the way they live, act, and interact with one another.
We always say that we want to live out our faith and that we want people to know we are Christians by the way we lead our lives. That is something that is much easier said than done, but this church lives in such a way that even when I don't understand their words they are obviously Christians by the way that they live. I want to be more like that, so that even if there is a language barrier Christ is proclaimed by the way I represent Him with my life.
So over the past week Hannah had I have had the privilege of collecting testimonies and photos of all of the missionaries that work here with Palabra de Vida (Word of Life). I say that this is a privilege because Hannah and I have been so honored to be able to hear the testimonies and learn more of their hearts. Their passion and desire to serve is such an encouragement to see.
There are almost 30 missionaries and they do everything from teaching in the bible school to cooking and cleaning for the masses. Every single individual is truly amazing and we love them!
All of these people are in need of financial support to continue doing what they do so please keep them in your prayers over the next week that God would provide them with an overabundance. Also, many of them are praying for the salvation of their families so pray that their examples will impact their homes in awesome ways!
Although we have only been in Bolivia for three weeks I have already fallen head over heals for the people, culture, and language. So often we use the phrase, "God put Bolivia on my heart," but God used a more literal example on me.
Last Saturday we spent our morning at a boy's orphanage in a rural area. We shared a bible story, sang songs, a short skit and after we challenged them to a soccer match. Long story short, we got our butts handed to us, but one particular boy did leave a serious impression on me. LITERALLY!
He was kicking at the ball and at the time it seemed like a good idea to remove the ball from the path of his foot. What I didn't realize was although he would miss the ball he would be making contact with something. Bad life choice.
No serious harm was done and we actually found it quite hilarious when Margaret stated that the huge bruise on my leg looks an awful lot like the country of Bolivia. With Hannah's help I was able to make myself a brand new tattoo. (Don't worry Mom, it will be gone before I get home.)
(This photograph doesn´t do it justice)
In all seriousness, I fell far faster and deeper in love with Bolivia than I ever expected. Even through sick days and crazy taxi drivers, every single day here has been an absolute blessing and I already dread the thought of leaving.
We came here to serve and bless the people through our ministries but in all reality we have received far more than we have given and God has blessed us in such incredible ways. God goes before us and prepares hearts and minds and He has been drastically changing the lives of people we have met. I am so thankful for all of the opportunities we have had to preach the good news, love on God's children, and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ.
This past week we had the privilege to visit three different orphanages, each with their own style and blessings.
The first was way out in a rural area and had the dream to one day be self sustaining by producing products such as pigs, ducks, honey and flowers. Although we played games, sang songs, acted out a bible story my favorite part of the day was simply talking with a group of teenage girls who simply wanted to ask us questions about life in the United States. Rachel was even able to share her testimony and Margaret followed with the gospel and one of the girls accepted Christ as her personal savior that day.
The following day we visited an all girls orphanage in the city. The moment that we got out of the cars we were stormed by a furry of hugs, smiles, and laughter. These girls are not all necessarily without parents; many of them have been taken out of abusive situations, off the streets, or out of drug addictions but it amazing to see the change that has been made in all of their lives. They are well discipled and cared for but are so hungry for love and affection and it was awesome to be able to be that for them.
Yesterday, we finished out the week by visiting an all boys orphanage in another rural area. After sharing a message we spent our time getting our butts kicked in a soccer game. This is becoming a bad reoccurring theme between us playing soccer and losing. It has been tons of fun though and I even look forward to the next opportunity that we will have to play again. This is funny because I have recently been asking God for more humility and between the thin air, crazy playing conditions, and pure outmatch of skill God is doing just that.
Even though their parents weren´t in their lives, every single one of these children has a Heavenly Father that loves them passionately. We were so blessed this past week to be able to share that love with each prescious child we met.
So yesterday four of us had the awesome opportunity to visit the women's prison and to participate in a bible study with the women there. I have to say that everything about that place was completely different than what I was expecting.
I thought that it would be an oppressive, bleak and depressed environment, but that thought was completely blown away. We found ourselves walking into an open-air courtyard filling with plastic tables and chairs, clothes hanging on the line, women cooking and chatting with one another. Surrounding the courtyard were three stories of rooms each with bunk beds and colorful fabrics hanging in the windows. The entire atmosphere seemed saturated with color, life, and activity.
The individual women that we were able to talk to were amazing. Many of them have become Christians since coming to the prison and have the most beautiful hearts. It only took one visit for those women to steal my heart and I already can´t wait to go back.
The crimes that were committed varied everywhere from co-signing a loan that wasn´t repaid to murdering a husband but you would never know by meeting the people. Christ has completely transformed many of them in such a way that I often found myself wondering what they were doing there. It was truly a blessing to be able to share a message and two testimonies with them and to see them respond to what we said.
We are hoping to be able to return here this week so please pray for the women and the ministries there. I wish that I had pictures to show you of the prison and the women but unfortunately cameras are not allowed. Instead here is a picture of our team and the canvas that we made.
For those of you who don't know, I spent three months earlier this year living on a homestead in Swaziland, Africa. My team and I had the pleasure of taking bucket showers, sleeping 11 girls in one hut, using "jumbos" (read Truths of the Jumbo if you need more explanation), and living without any pure or running water.
Coming into this trip I had similar expectations for our living environment and mentally prepared myself for these expectations. When we arrived here in Bolivia, I learned that I couldn't have been more wrong. (I actually cried when we pulled into our new home on the Helping Hands Campus.)
God has provided us with an overabundance. The eight of us are staying in the Lydia House in a dorm style setting. In our branch of the building we have two bedrooms and a bathroom which is all connected by our very own private hallway. A short stroll across the balcony and you'll find our kitchen complete with microwave, refrigerator, oven, toaster, stovetop and sink.
None of these things are needed and a lot can be learned from surrendering physical comforts but I can't stop thinking about the way that God provides for His children. We don't deserve personal space, real toilets, or a fully stacked kitchen but God gave us these things anyway.
Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, in heaven give good things to those to who ask him!
God is good and He loves us. God gives good gifts to those who love Him; not because they have earned it or deserve it but because He is and He loves.
Isaiah 30:15
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, And therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are those who wait for him.
Isn't that humbling? God waits to be gracious to us sinners. The idea blows my mind.
Two nights ago I was baptized in the Spirit and God gave me the gift of a prayer language tongues and I couldn't be more grateful or humbled knowing that I only receive because God is good.
In just a week and a half I will be leaving again for a two month trip in Bolivia! I can't even tell you how excited I am to meet my new team and start serving the Lord in Cochabamba.
Over the past three weeks home I have been keeping myself very busy with open houses, graduation, Africa presentations, seeing friends and family, and preparing to leaving again.
I am still trying to finish raising my financial support along with many of my team members and we truly covet your prayers. We know that God is going to provide in full and I am very excited to see the ways in which He is going to work.
There are still many of you that I have not yet been able to touch base with and whom I would love to share more of my Africa experience with. I only have a few days left but feel free to call, email, or text to find a time where we can grab a coffee, have lunch, or go for a walk.
Thank you so much for your prayers thus far and I pray that God blesses you all!
(This photograph doesn´t do it justice)
