Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Bolivia!! We hope and pray that all is well with you and your family. It’s been almost 3 months since we arrived in Bolivia. There are days when we wonder where the time has gone, and some days we struggle to remember what life was like in the States. Moving to another country is quite a bit different than just visiting for awhile. We want to thank you for your prayers and support during this time of transition. We really love it here, and more than ever we feel a confirmation that God has called us to Bolivia. The following is a brief description of our lives here.
Our main focus during these 5 months in Cochabamba is to learn Spanish (or at least get a good start). We take 4 classes a day with 4 different professors. Each week the Language Institute also offers classes on topics such as Latin American history, culture and current issues in ministry. Our school is run by the Catholic church. It has been great to learn about Catholicism in Latin America from the inside. We have met some great people who truly love Jesus and are serving Him in great ways. We are also learning how deeply ancient Andean traditions and culture are celebrated and entwined into Catholic expression. This has definitely been a time of learning.
We are also living with a Bolivian family, which is a great environment in which to learn both the language and culture. Our favorite professor is our 6-year old brother, Rodrigo. He never hesitates to correct us when we have
used the wrong word or the wrong verb tense! : ) Actually, we are learning more than we are comfortable with. Just this past weekend the father of our house spent the weekend with his “amante” or mistress. We cannot understand
how his family accepts his actions, and we struggle to love him when he is causing so much pain for them. Please pray that our presence in this house and our marriage will be an example of what the Lord has intended for
families.
During the weekends we take some time for renewal. Often we join friends from the Institute for a night out. And Saturdays have been good days for hiking and exploring the Andes. We love the mountains here! Last weekend
Andy hiked to 5,200 meters (16,070ft.) It is a great way for him to recharge. The Lord really knew what he was doing when he led us here. We also have finally found a church community to join – a dedicated group of Bolivians who worship with enthusiasm, word and deed.
At least once a week, we have begun meeting with some kids that live on the streets here in Cochabamba. Their reasons for their lifestyles are numerous. The majority of them smoke (inhale) shoe glue. For them it is a
way of dealing with the reality of life on the streets. It is hard to watch them slowly destroy their bodies with this drug. Many of the girls have young children. Because of a high infant mortality rate, many of the babies
do not receive names until a few months into their lives. Today, our friend Ruth asked Andy for the name of his mother, so that she could name her 31/2 month old daughter, Elizabeth, in her honor. It has been amazing to share
our lives with those that society has abandoned. They continue to teach us about a world that is so foreign to us. Pray that we will continue to be Jesus to the “cleferos.” More than anything we want them to know the Good
News of the Kingdom of God.
Pray especially for a church youth retreat (Nov. 16-18) that has extended an invitation to our street kids. Pray that Laura Christina, Ricardo, Christian and Maria will choose attend this retreat with us. Laura, in particular has expressed a strong desire to get off the streets, mainly because of the physical abuse she regularly receives from her boyfriend. When we first met her she was pregnant, but has recently miscarried because of the abuse. We are praying that this retreat will be an opportunity for them to experience and accept God’s love and to realize their worth in His
eyes.
Many of you have asked about our ministry after language school. In mid-December we plan to move to El Alto, a city of 800,000 seated on the edge of La Paz. It is the 2nd fastest growing city in Bolivia and the eyesore of the country. As a former shanty-town, the Alto seems to have intensified the problems accompanying extreme poverty. Therefore, the ministry opportunities are endless. We are praying that the Lord will lead us to a unique ministry there in our new home. As of now, we are feeling led to work with street children and sexually exploited woman.
Thanks again for your interest in our lives and for sharing in the work here in Bolivia. Our prayer for you is that the Lord would be made real to you today, and that you would be an instrument of His peace in the places you find yourself on a daily basis.
Blessings,
Andy & Andrea