Update

Neither Drew nor myself have had time to write recently. It seems like last week was February, and now I am realizing next week is May! How does that happen?

I will give a quick update on what we have been up to the past few weeks. As I shared in a previous post, Drew and I both went to Tamachindi a few weeks ago. It was a wonderful visit, and we plan to return in May too. Right now, Drew has been gone for almost a whole week. He headed north, traveling two days before arriving in the village where he was invited to share in. Apparently, the travel included bushwhacking and riding on top of a Land Rover for a while. Right now, Drew is headed out of the jungle, to the place where the jungle meets the mountains to meet with some national leaders as Bolivia prepares for a march in protest of the TIPNIS. Drew will participate in the march, looking for other Christians, leading Bible studies, and encouraging the leaders to pursue justice. The Christian community has been extremely timid, and many don't understand it is their Christian responsibility to speak up and call out the injustices that the government has done against the indigenous people who live on this land.

Drew also spoke to a youth group before he left. He spoke about our faith being dead if we don't act upon it. Here in Bolivia, Christians are timid and keep to themselves. Drew called upon the youth to put their faith into action. He backed it up Biblically, challenging the youth to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world. One girl was so excited to hear this, she exclaimed, It's like my eyes are being opened! I always wondered what my faith had to do with my life here on earth."

I have been super busy in the office. We are still working out our legal paperwork to be a government recognized NGO. I have been extremely frustrated in the process, it seems like we take 3 steps backwards, then 2 more backwards, then 1 step forward. It has been extremely trying on my patience, and I still have a lot to learn in that area. One friend told me in a very loving way that I need to see things differently. Maybe in my country, I can accomplish 20 things in one day, and when people tell me things, I can believe them. But, unfortunately, in this country, things are not this way. The way the system is set up here does not allow for multiple things to be checked off your to-do list each day. But, that gives me the opportunity to be all the more thankful when things actually do happen. So, I am trying to see things in a different way, being thankful for the little things.

Last weekend, we hosted a workshop for all the Church leaders in Bolivia. It was an interesting time, a good way to get a glimpse of the Bolivian Church at large. I didn't get to listen to much of the workshop as I spent most of my time feeding the Bolivian appetites. For a conference from 8:30 until 5 each day, I served food 4 times each day, and that was assuming each person had already eaten breakfast before coming. These guys are serious about their food. Oh, and it isn't a meal if it doesn't include meat.

This week, its just Ginger and me again. We take nice long walks in the evenings, it is nice. This weekend, I will be headed to Cochabamba to visit friends, and hopefully meet up with Drew, who is hoping to make it to Monday night game night with the youth group.