The Challenge

For three weeks in May, four students were with us from various seminaries across Canada to take part in a course called "Praxis". They were teamed up with Bolivians and the goal was to learn more about Integral Mission. For the first two weeks, they visited various projects in La Paz, El Alto, Oruro, and Cochabamba to get an idea of what integral mission looks like here and and then this past week they took a course taught by Rene Pedilla from Argentina, head of Kairos, and an incredible theologian in Latin America.Others were invited to sit in on the course to have this opportunity to learn including all of the CBM team.

I'm still trying to process all that was taught; everyday I felt like I was slapped across the face (in a good way!) regarding not only how integral mission fits into my ministry but also in how I live my life on a day-to-day basis. So, I thought as a way to help me think through what I learned and to share with you some of the ideas that were brought up in class, I'd write down random thoughts and notes from the week. I hope you're as challenged as I was because we all have a part in this...

- you cannot separate faith from life; you can't talk about God's love and not live out God's love

- there are at least 2000 references to justice in the Bible...the widows and orphans represented those most easily marginalized

- contextualizing theology doesn't mean you're relativalizing it. God's theology has to be lived out in your world/context

- what are the main problems with society?...does God care about it? are you concerned? what are you doing about it?

- shalom does not only mean an absence of conflict nor does it solely mean internal peace...shalom is fullness of life in your relationship with God, your neighbor, and creation

- consume to live or live to consume???

- in each of our communities: what are the needs? what can we do about it? what are the resources the church already has?

- what is "basic needs" from a biblical perspective?

- Integral Mission is not just about poverty...many churches in all countries do not see the poverty in their communities; there are different types: spiritual, relational, material, physical, and pyschiatric

- Jesus means to liberate the rich from their wealth and the poor from their poverty

- the church needs to reflect kingdom values; not societal values

- how do you bring together lifestyle & theology?

- how do we begin to enable people to do that which they have been called to do by God?


I pray God's peace and grace for you,
rebecca

Foto Friday

These fotos are from Tarija and the surrounding area...including the main plaza, downtown, the main market, and the vineyards.

My Visa!!

I just wanted to share my exciting news...I now have my passport and my one year residency visa! It's been a long process but everyone on the team has their visas now...God is good!

Tarija

As most of you know, my work will be focusing more and more in the south of Bolivia: especially Tarija, Potosi, and Sucre.

There were UJBB "concilio" meetings (the Baptist Union Jovenes board meetings) held during May 15th and 16th in Tarija and so I was invited to go a week earlier to start getting a better idea of the area, visit the churches, meet more of the jovenes and adolescentes and learn more about Vida Joven which is just starting up in that area. It was a fantastic week; incredibly exhausting mentally with language but very encouraging. I was able to visit every church (6 in Tarija) whether it was a Sunday service or a prayer meeting, etc. and was given the opportunity to introduce myself and bring greetings from both the Canadian church as well as from Cochabamba. I now am sending greetings back to the Canadian churches from Tarija...blessings!
I was even able to visit a jovenes and adolescentes drop-in center that's been running for 11 years and it's run by 3 Canadians working with the Evangelical Free church of Canada...go figure! They also work with street kids.

In regards to the concilio, although it will never be my favorite way of spending my time :) I loved the conversations that took place with the jovenes leaders during the mealtimes and breaks and was able to get to know them a bit better. Friendship and trust is deepening for which I am so thankful. I was especially blessed by my time with the girls during those two days. There was also a joint jovenes church service on the Saturday evening of the concilio. There were close to 300 there...it was an incredible time of worship! God is good!

So...Jim (leader of Team Bolivia) and I met with the General Secretary of the UBB and the Jovenes Coordinator after I got back from Tarija regarding my work and where it's leading and all of us agreed that it does not make sense for me to be staying in Cochabamba. And so, once I get back to Bolivia from home assignment in December, I'll spend a few days in Tarija looking for a place to live and then will be making the move in January. I am so excited and feel complete peace about this next stage. I will miss my church here, the jovenes, my friends and team mates but I know this is the right move and it's called...visits! :)

Grace and peace to you!
rebecca

Foto Friday

These fotos are from my couple of days in Potosi


The beautiful mountains at the bus terminal



Potosi vs. Cochabamba (Potosi won at the last moment)

Our national jovenes coordinator, Edi Perez, speaking at the youth service

These lovely ladies are from the church where we stayed

These adorable girls were very curious about me
and helped me eat my meal :)

Our sleeping quarters

And I'm Back...

Me with some of the Vida Joven leaders in Potosi

Ok, so it's been basically forever since I've written anything. My last update said that I'd be spending a week or so in Potosi. Well, what I thought was happening ended up completely changing so I actually was only in Potosi for a couple of days for the first training time of Vida Joven leaders (of teens).

It was a fascinating time...great visit with the jovenes leaders, leading my first session (all in Spanish) on leadership types and qualities (the nerves were definitely present but I think it went well and am praying I'll continue to improve Spanish wise :) It was freezing cold and the effects of the altitude were incredible (Potosi is the highest city in the world)...a couple of times I thought my head was going to fall off and honestly - at that point I was wishing that it would :)

I was able to also meet with the the key Vida Joven leaders in regards to my work and was able to get more specifics. I will definitely be focusing my work in the South of Bolivia...mainly in Tarija, Potosi, and Sucre in regards to the research. I'll also be helping to start up Vida Joven in Tarija, Potosi, and Santa Cruz (which isn't in the south but will simply be another area to focus on) and will the having a strong emphasis on the actual leadership training and empowerment.

I just got back from a week in Tarija to get to know more of the leaders and teens and have a better idea of the area but more on that later this week :)

Thanks so much to all of you have been praying for me these last few weeks!

'til next time,
rebecca