Loss

On Sunday afternoon, a bus that was travelling from Villazon to Tarija lost control and crashed. 28 died including a pastor and a youth from one of the churches here in Tarija. I was at the funeral yesterday and I can only describe it as bittersweet. Pastor Choque was in his early 30's and had definitely had impact in his community and congregation. The youth was only 15 years old. That's not even talking about the others who died including entire families. But there was rejoicing as well and the pledge to continue to serve God.

Please, please be praying for the families who have lost their loved ones, for the congregation (Gnezereth) that lost their pastor and one of their youth, and for the community in general here.

Blessings,
rebecca

Happy Birthday!

A few days ago was my birthday and I must say that it was the most unique one I've experienced yet! It began shortly after midnight when my doorbell rang and there entered over 20 jovenes and adolescentes and leadership from the church where I'm attending along with a few from a couple of the other churches. It was my first serenade :) It was an amazing time of laughter, beautiful music, worship, and speaking into my life. At the end they prayed for me. Words cannot convey how much the time meant to me. Of course, if I'd been fully awake, I'd have videotaped them singing but as it was, the following are some pictures of both that night along with my lunch party with one of the families in my church and the finale of a "Canadian" birthday celebration of chocolate cake and ice cream with a couple of other friends the following night. It's the first time my birthday has ever lasted for two days. I also enjoyed conversations with family back in Canada, and team mates both here in Bolivia as well as in Canada.

The view of some of them actually singing to me

Some of the guys getting the snacks ready so that I could hangout withe everyone

My new piano arrived that evening so everyone wanted to help break it in :)

A time to just be together

Some had already left but this is the end result of the night

My birthday cake with the Guzman family...part of the tradition is having
your face pushed into the cake...thankfully it was very tasty! :)

La Familia Guzman - a lovely family from the church who has basically taken me in

That evening, a group of the youth from the church took me to the Christian youth drop-in center where they celebrate your birthday in a very unique and embarrassing way :)

Rachel (from Alberta) and Ana (she is both spanish teacher and friend to both of us) helped me finish off my birthday celebration with cake and ice cream (unheard of here) and a movie
- and of course lots of laughter :)

I think it was one of the best birthdays of my life...
I felt very loved and cared for and a part of life here.

God is Good!
rebecca

Santa Cruz

Last week I spent a couple of days in Santa Cruz to meet with a few of the leaders regarding the Vida Joven teen ministry in order to find out what the situation is there. It was my first time that I'd been in Santa Cruz aside from being in the airport. I hadn't realized how modern and big it truly is! The following are random pictures that I took around the main plaza and as I was walking around including the river. I now have a new camera so these pictures were taken as I was practicing and trying to figure out what I was doing (and I must say that I'm still working on that :).

Amilcar (with his aunt) is my main contact in Santa Cruz with the teens ministry

'til next time,
rebecca