Dear Friends and Family,

Greeting from Bolivia! It was great to visit with some of you while we were in the States and to share some of our stories. Our time was short, but we feel blessed and encouraged from our trip. We also traveled to El Salvador where we participated in a Directors Forum for a week. It was a good time of connection and renewal for several of us in the mission. Now we are back in Bolivia and up and running.

On February 15, we received our second Servant Team to El Alto. We are excited to have them join us. It will be good to have more people and help here in El Alto. Five students from the States will stay with simple, Bolivian families and volunteer for four months here in Bolivia. The focus of their time is discipleship and service. Please keep them (Mark Menjivar, Bree Lloyd, Jennifer Anderson, Nancy Mather and Jinny Pattison) in your prayers as they seek Jesus among the poorest of the poor.

Many of you know that for some time we have been praying and dialoging with the women who prostitute, about the idea of a center. We have been hesitant to start a “project,” while at the same time it is becoming harder to really get to know these women in their places of work. Therefore, we hope to open a “lugar de descanso” or a place of rest for these ladies, where they can be received with respect and loved as beloved children of God.

Recently we had a planning retreat to discuss details and ideas. All of us here believe that we should start slowly and keep our focus on the relationships with the women. However, we are excited about the possibilities a building would offer us. The following are some of our ideas for the upcoming months and years:

Hospitality room (for coffee, games and fellowship)
Weekly lunches/dinners (provided at base cost)
Small groups & Bible studies
Walleyball/volleyball games (the building includes a small indoor sports court)
Weekly empowerment (literacy, budgeting, parenting, health issues, vocational training, etc.)
Basic medical services/check-ups for the women and their children
Professional counseling
A nocturnal child-care facility (This option has been debated quite a bit within our community; there is a great need to protect the children, as they are often left alone while their mother's work; however, we also do not want to enable the women to work more. It is a complicated issue that we are continually forced to face. Please pray for direction as we seek to address the problem in some way).

We would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining us in a ministry among the women who prostitute. We are currently looking at raising support for start-up costs, rent and utilities. We are also looking for donations of medical supplies, school supplies, office supplies, toys, etc. More important than the money are the lives of these women. We would like to begin writing you individually with specific prayer requests for the women. Their stories are amazing and often heartbreaking. If you would like to pray for any of these women individually, please write to us at andy.baker@wordmadeflesh.com. If you would like to make a donation please label the enclosed slip of paper “Bolivia Ministry Account.” We are excited about what the Lord is doing in El Alto and in the lives of the women who are longing for a Savior.

Over the holidays one of our staff, Cristina, received word that her father had passed away. Fortunately she was able to return to Romania to be with family. Her adjustment to Bolivia has not been easy, and it will be even more difficult to leave family to return to her work here. Please remember Cristina in your prayers. She is a wonderful asset to our work and ministry here. Pray that Cristina will find freedom in her presence here and healing after her loss.

Our other staff member, Sam, will be leaving us in March and again in July. Sam is looking to pioneer a work with WMF in Cuba. As you can imagine, there has been a lot of red tape. If all goes well, Sam will make two exploratory trips this year to the field. Sam's prayer request is that many of the details will be worked out and that some contacts will be made so that he might be able to move their permanently.

On a more personal note, the Bakers are loving parenthood! On November 18, 2002, Elias James joined the family. He is so cute and such a joy to have around! The Bolivians love him too – especially because he's a little blue-eyed “gringito.” Please pray for us as we learn to be the parents God wants us to be for our son.

We want to express our thanks for your involvement in our lives and in our ministry. So many of you have gone out of your way to make sure we are remembered. We are truly grateful. Know that you are an intricate part of the work here. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, as well as those trapped and suffering in Bolivia.

Blessings,
Andy, Andrea & Elias