Here we go again!

Its been 11 months now since we have come back from Bolivia. We haven't blogged at all, but as a quick catch up, we've been all over the board as to what to do with ourselves. We have had ample opportunity to get involved in ministry here in Chattanooga, but haven't fully committed to anything. Drew and I have spent a lot of time praying, talking with each other and others about the next step in our lives.

In January, we began talking with some friends in Santa Cruz, Bolivia who are helping to begin the Bolivian arm of Pay y Esperanza (http://www.pazyesperanza.org/index2.htm). They had expressed their interest in us coming to work with them, explaining their biggest needs for projects are issues that were exactly in line with what Drew and I love to do. To make a long story short, Drew and I are working towards moving back to Bolivia, hopefully by the end of this year.

Its been one of the hardest decisions we have had to make together. This time, we aren't signing another 2 year contract, but seeing this as where we hope to settle down for who knows how long. It is going to be hard to say goodbye to friends and family knowing that we aren't going to be able to be as much a part of their daily lives as we would like.

So, here is a little more about where we will be and what we will be doing. Santa Cruz is in the jungle on the Eastern side of Bolivia. It is the largest city in Bolivia, known for its wealth and snobby attitude. Not everyone is wealthy and able to enjoy life in Santa Cruz, however. It is also known for its extreme sense of racism and scenes of poverty beginning beyond the glitz of the fancy restaurants and boutiques.

Drew and I will begin working on some projects through Paz y Esperanza that have already begun there. Our goal is to encourage the Church that is there, providing extra training and support to leaders there. One of the biggest issues we will be dealing with is domestic abuse. We will be working with women living in situations of abuse and also with the Church, to help train them in how to deal with these issues. In the future, Drew will also begin a project working with the indigenous groups on the outskirts of the city.

Those are the basic details of what we hope to do. We are hoping to revive this blog and use it again to update on what we are doing and how things are going.

Here we go!