Changing of the Season

It's hard to believe that December is about to begin...partly because it's not cold out, nor is there any possibility of snow but also, the calendar is about to change :) I do have to say though that in the last 2 or 3 weeks, the rain has begun - not on a regular basis but you can tell that the rainy season (which is summer here) is around the corner. It's quite exciting...I even had to wear pants and a light jacket yesterday because it was chilly. Of course, by mid afternoon, it was hot but still, the season is changing.

I went to the english service at Calama Baptist yesterday and we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent. I have to admit that even though I'm excited about Christmas, I'm finding it a bit hard to think about decorating and baking, etc. because it simply does not feel like the Christmas season is here. It's not that there isn't a difference in the stores; there is. All the trappings are now available to buy but it's just not quite the same for this Canadian. I do love the fact that Christmas is not quite so commercialized here but there's still way too much "stuff".

The topic of yesterday's message was hope with one part being how we are part of God's plan for justice (check out Mary's Song in Luke 1:46-55). I'm praying that through the advent services, talks with friends, the music, etc., I'll feel that excitement and joy for this season but that I won't get caught up in the negative aspects that can so easily suck one in.

Another part of a change that could be coming is the national election that will be occurring this coming Sunday. Bolivians will be voting for their President...all traffic shuts down for the day as they take to the polls. I don't know what will happen but I'm praying that it will be a peaceful process and the aftermath as well.

As I finish this, the question that comes to mind is: what can we all learn and be challenged by during this Advent Season?

'til next time,
rebecca

Foto Friday

These pics are from the weekend Jovenes Congreso (training weekend)...including one of the meals (I forget the name) with fried banana as well as a look at the infamous

yuka icing disaster :)

Have a great weekend!
rebecca

A Chicken Foot and Yuka Icing

You're probably thinking, "what type of title (not to mention picture) is that??!!". Well, let me tell you about my weekend...

If you've been following my blog, you might remember from last week that this past weekend, there was a jovenes "congreso" which is basically a training time for the various jovenes in leadership from around the country. This congreso was for the new leadership of 2010. I attended all the sessions with them and was able to spend time with them over their meals, etc. I didn't have to lead anything, I was simply able to get to know them and learn a bit more of their ministries and how things work here.

A little aside...It was also Kallie's (our internship student from Saskatchewan) birthday on Saturday so I wanted to make her a birthday cake...she was supposed to spend the weekend with me but since I was going to be so busy at the Jovenes Congreso, she spent the weekend with the Whittles (from a Step church in Alberta...they're helping at the Casa and Jireh for a year).

Ok, back to the jovenes...I had 3 girls spend the night at my place Thursday night who were part of the leadership team for the congreso. We ended up talking until midnight about various issues which was great (I'm now able to understand and talk at a deeper level...I still have much more to learn but it's getting there) but unfortunately I didn't get to sleep until 1am and then needed to get up at 5:15am to get them breakfast since they had to leave early to meet groups coming in to Cochabamba by bus. I got home from the Congreso around 10:30 that night and then it was time to make Kallie's cake. I was bound and determined to make a chocolate cake with coffee icing since it was her favorite. Everything was going fine until the next morning when it came time to make the icing. I should also mention that once again, I didn't get to sleep until around 1am.

Well, I had found a recipe that looked really good on the internet but it called for 6 cups of icing sugar so I had made a quick trip to the market to buy icing sugar but when it came time to actually mix everything together, the icing seemed very dry and well...it tasted absolutely awful. No matter how much I tried to tweak it with more sugar, butter, milk...anything I could think of, it was just plain nasty. So, I started again with a recipe from a high altitude cook book (I was thinking maybe for some odd reason, the altitude was causing it to go weird). Well, it happened again. At this point, I was out of ingredients, time and patience when I looked at the bag of icing and realized that what I had actually been using was yuka flour (it's a root grown here in Bolivia that is very popular but extremely starchy). In my defence of not realizing what I had bought (yes, I need to read titles more carefully!), the flour is packaged in the same bag as the icing sugar with the same design and is directly below the icing sugar. Go figure...So, I called Norma (Whittle) and she very sweetly told me she would make the icing :) Thankfully they had coffee and homemade cinnimon buns ready when I arrived with the cake and so I was able to get some breakfast and an infusion of coffee (and laughter) before I headed off to the Congreso again.

Well, I ate all my meals with the jovenes and so had my first experience with "Sopa de Mani" which is peanut soup...very delicious and rich with lots of noodles, a few veggies and you guessed it...a chicken foot or heart, etc. depending on which bowl you pick up :) So, there I was trying to discreetly watch them to know how to eat the foot (and not get the bones in my mouth) while they're laughing at me because they could tell I had no idea what I was doing. They were also surprised that peanut soup with a chicken foot was not a typical meal in Canada :) Well, I got at least some of the meat eaten but honestly, there's not much meat to eat on the foot! I will also fully admit that the soup itself was absolutely delicious but if there's wasn't chicken's foot in it, that would be fine with me :)

The congreso ended yesterday early afternoon with a boardmeeting (it was the first one I had attended). To say that I was tired at that point is an understatement but thankfully I didn't fall asleep and I was able to understand quite a bit of it. I was also able to meet with the main leader of Vida Joven (the adolecentes), president of the jovenes and the pastor/coordinator of the jovenes for Bolivia. We were able to nail down a few more specifics regarding my work and I was able to ask some more questions about needs, issues. In regards to Vida Joven, they would like me to focus on providing information/resources/sessions that specifically deal with adolescence, life issues, etc. along with leadership development training. Also, there's a lot of interest and need in Potosi (the highest city here) and Tarija (near the border of Argentina) so they'd like me to also concentrate in those two areas to start up Vida Joven.

It was an incredible weekend and it's a relief to have more specifics on what my work here will be but I fully admit to feeling overwhelmed with the upcoming year...the time of learning is certainly in no way coming to an end :) Please be praying for me...for wisdom for the best way to proceed, intelligence, peace of mind, and that I will constantly rely on God and not try to do this on my own. Oh, and some sleep would be nice as well :)

'til next time,

rebecca

Foto Friday!

These fotos center around today's grad day at Casa de la Amistad. We've had a college student, Kallie - from Saskatchewan - completing her internship with us until mid December. She along with the Whittles have been helping out at the Casa. Callie has been helping the kindergarten class so the following show their incredible creativity and sweetness...enjoy grad day!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the work of Casa de la Amistad, it's ministry is to children who have to live in prison with their parents...they receive schooling, healthy food, counselling, friendship, and hope. If you'd like to learn more about this incredible ministry or if you'd like to support it, please click on the link to Canadian Baptist Ministries.

My Dream

I wanted to tell you about my dream. One aspect is the actual dream I had a few nights ago and the other part has to do with what I'll be doing here. I met with the head of the UBB (Bolivia Baptist Union) and the Coordinator of Youth (Jovenes) for Bolivia late last week regarding my work here...basically my job description.

I thought you might be interested in knowing what I'll be doing in more detail (I know I was:). One part of my work will deal with leadership development of the jovenes who are working with/leading the "adolecentes" or the teens. This is an area that has not been concentrated on in any great degree. Another aspect of my work will focus on girls...mentoring, guiding, discipling. I'll also be sitting on the board of the jovenes (I won't be in leadership of it or anything like that but will be able to have input, ask questions, etc.). The other part of my work will involve taking part in the annual National Jovenes Camp as well as various other camps that take place around Bolivia throughout the year. My work will be taking me all over the country via these camps as well as specific training times that will be worked in and around the camps in various regions. I'll also have concentrated times with girls during the camps and sessions as well.

The first camp that I'll be taking part in will be the beginning of January at the National Camp in Tarija. Thankfully they realize my spanish won't be at it's complete level so they're only asking me to give a 15 minute testimony and then for the rest of the time, I'll have a room where the girls can hang out with me. I want to use that time to find out more about the issues they're dealing with and how I can help in any way. It'll be a time of building relationships and trust as well as identifying key issues and potential.

There's also a conference for various jovenes leaders coming up this weekend...I'm hoping to be able to meet with those who are working with the teens so that I can have a better idea of their hopes, needs, frustrations, etc.

The other part of this is the dream I had a few days ago...it was in spanish!! I know that doesn't seem very exciting but it actually is because it means that the spanish is finally sinking deep into my brain and is sticking. I'm not dreaming all the time yet in spanish but it's starting...so...I wanted to share my excitement about the dream of working here and having a better idea of how I'll be involved as well as share something tiny and seemingly insignificant as dreaming in Spanish :)

I hope the week is a great one! Thanks so much for the prayers and please continue...now more than ever...

'til next time,

rebecca

Foto Friday

This week's foto friday will focus on random views around Bolivia (from what I've seen so far :)...enjoy!

Sucre

Sucre

El Alto

Overlooking La Paz



Chapare


El Cristo in Cochabamba

An artisan in Sucre

Outside of Oruro

Please Remember...

So often I feel out of the loop here and am not always cluing in to what is happening back in Canada or even what day it is but I do remember what is special about November 11...

Please remember...please remember all those who have fought for freedom, for our homes and our country. Please remember and be praying for those who today are fighting once again. Please pray for their families and friends back home.

Please remember...

Love,
rebecca

Giving Thanks

I want to give thanks today...actually this is something I need to be doing everyday...

- thanks for surviving another week of language learning :)

- that even though it's a Monday, I had three good classes this morning

- thanks that a team from Moncton, NB is here and is helping me feel at home because we can talk of common friends and places

- thanks for the amazing Christmas care package from family and friends...and no, I don't know what's all in there...I'm waiting for Christmas...honest... :)

- for great meals with friends

- the support from my family and friends back home

- the help of CBM home office

- the incredible support of churches and individuals back in Canada

- for feeling more at home here

- the absolute beauty of this country and it's people

What are you thankful for???

Foto Friday!

On Monday, I travelled with a group of around 65 jovenes to an area in the tropical Chapare region called Incachaca about 2 hours away. The following pics take you from the ride in the open truck through the change of countryside to a glimpse of a bit of the day with the jovenes...

Have a wonderful weekend!

'til next time,

rebecca

Doing a Face Plant

You may think I'm speaking metaphorically (and I am in one way) but unfortunately I'm also speaking literally...

When I think of the past week, the word "dignity" comes to mind - or lack thereof. Typically, almost everyday, something happens whether it be with language, some type of situation, or culture that makes me feel like I've lost all my dignity or at the very least makes me question my intelligence (those of you who know me...no comment! :) Well, in the last 5 or 6 days, two things happened that really brought it out to the forefront...

I figured you could all use a good laugh going into the week so here you go...

Public transportation here is pretty incredible - very cheap and typically with few problems. Between taxis, trufis (public taxis used by multiple people) and micros (buses), it's easy to get around the city and basically around the country. You just have to be careful that you don't have something stolen and not mind having your personal space invaded because it's so crowded. And especially in the case of the micros that you hang on to something - tight. I learned that the hard way a few days ago: the drivers of the micros aren't known for their patience in waiting for people to get settled or even to actually be fully in the bus before continuing on their route. I'm also still getting used to using micros and trufis because I still feel pretty uncomfortable and always feel like I stand out (considering I'm usually the only "gringa" on board). It's certainly getting better but I've got a ways to go yet. Well, on Wednesday, it was worse. I had just stepped up into the micro that would take me to my neighborhood and was maneuvering to pass my money to the driver when he started driving again. At that point, I hadn't had a chance yet to grab hold of a pole or anything nor had I actually gotten fully up into the bus before I found myself doing a face plant in front of everyone (the bus was atleast half full). There was a collective gasp from all, one lady promptly started giving the driver a piece of her mind (I'm assuming about his driving or at least to stop to allow me to get up and get to a seat) and someone else was helping me with my change that had fallen along with my bag. And then there was me, red-faced (also not a surprise for anyone who knows me :) and trying to reassure everyone (including myself) that I was fine..."estoy bien, esta bien...no hay problema...". I thankfully was able to quickly get to a seat where I then tried to be invicible. Also, thankfully, aside from a couple of bruises, there no injuries and I made it safely home.

My second story happened yesterday. I went out to Sacaba (a bit of a more remote area about 20 or 30 minutes outside of Cochabamba to attend the service at the church with the jovenes that I've gotten to know there. Well, the Bolivian churches take welcoming their visitors very seriously in varying degrees...some simply have you stand up and give your name (which is bad enough) but others will have you go up front, give your name, where you're from, what you do, etc. You can guess which category this church (Cristo, Rey de Reys) fell into...So, I survived that part and thought I was homefree until it was time for communion...

The next thing I know, the pastor was inviting me to join him up front with the other leaders to help with communion (which in and of itself was a first for me) but then when it was time for someone to pray before the passing of the bread, he turned and handed me the mike...

are you laughing yet????

I would also like it to be noted that everything was in spanish, there was no hope of translation and I wasn't understanding everything nor can I keep my brain fully focused on the spanish during an entire service yet but there was no doubt what he was wanting. So, for the first time ever, I found myself praying during a communion service and...in spanish. We'll just say I have more to learn in regards to spanish and I will definitely be prepared for next time (of course, they may not ask me next time... :) One positive note is that when it came to time to help pass the bread to the congregation, I didn't trip or spill anything...that's atleast something :)

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As I've been writing this, some thoughts came to mind...

- you have to be able to laugh at yourself and the situation otherwise you'll go nuts (or at least I will)

- even though I hated what happened on the micro/bus...the people were very kind and helpful (they didn't even laugh - at least on the outside) and hey...I survived it. Although I fully admit, I hope to never experience that again!

- even though I'm looking forward to the time when my dignity remains intact a bit more often (I have a feeling that won't be happening anytime soon), I know that I'm going to continue to be stretched in ways that are not going to be comfortable in any way but will help me grow and be better prepared for what's ahead.

- and last but not least...dignity is probably a highly over-rated thing anyway...

Here's to the start of a new week...may we learn and try new things but not have to do a face plant in the process!!

'til next time...

rebecca