“For the Kingdom of God is like the owner of an estate who went out
early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard”
Matthew 20:1
Dear Friends,
We pray that this letter finds you well. As many of you notice the temperatures begin to fall in the Northern Hemisphere, we are enjoying some of the best weather El Alto has to offer. The end of spring is coming to a close and soon the rains will be here, but until then, we are taking full advantage of being able to leave our house in a t-shirt and know that we are not going to get cold or wet.
In Bolivia, the end of spring means the end of the year. While I must admit I don’t miss all the Christmas hype, I do miss celebrating Thanksgiving. More than just the food, it has always been a time of reflection. In Spanish Thanksgiving is translated The Day of Grace. I love what that means and that we are given a chance to celebrate it.
This past year has brought us many joys in the ministry. In October we celebrated one year in La Casa de Esperanza (The House of Hope). The center is definitely a refuge for women who suffer the pain and hurt of prostitution. We have seen several women and family members take huge steps of faith to begin a relationship with the Lord. We have even seen some leave prostitution and begin the long road of recovery. Andrea and I celebrated three years in Bolivia and seven years of marriage, while Elias celebrated two years of life. We have so much to be thankful for as we look back on this year’s events.
Despite all the goodness, we are still reminded that we live in a fallen world in need of redemption. Just a few months ago, a lady who we knew as Nena passed away because she didn’t have enough money to buy her diabetes medication. Flora, our center cook, had prepared her favorite lunch not knowing that she passed away that very morning. Because of their work, many of our friends contact STD’s and other health problems. It’s sad to see their lives slowly rotting away because of poor health and few options. Our hearts also continue to break as we see many women reject the Lord. The amount of shame and guilt that comes from prostituting your body over and over seems to be too much to bear. On a larger scale, which directly affects the women as well, Bolivia continues to struggle economically. Lack of options always seems to be the plight of the poor.
Despite all the hardships, grace seems to be the reoccurring theme in the lives of the Bakers. We count ourselves unworthy to receive grace. We count it a privilege to share grace, and in a hurting world we feel obligated to show grace. Reading Philip Yancey’s book “What’s so Amazing about Grace?” reminds me that there is nothing that I can do to make God love me more. That means that all of my laboring and work does not make me a better candidate for His grace. I am also reminded that there is nothing that I can do to make Him love me less. All of my failures, struggles and sins are not held against me, and for the women we know, it means that it doesn’t matter for how many years they have laid down on a bed to turn tricks, Grace is equally available to them from a God that values His whole creation.
I am reminded of the parable Jesus tells in Matthew about a vineyard owner who goes out several times during the day to recruit workers for his fields. At the end of the day, they all line up and to their amazement, they all receive the same wage. Isn’t it true that we are all equal recipients of God’s grace? As we all labor in the Kingdom, may we not forget those who have yet to come to the Master and those who have recently been hired on. This parable reminds us that our temptation is to look to our own interest, but we want to encourage you to remember some of the least of these. Please pray specifically for Diana, Lydia, Amelia and Janet and who have given their lives to the Lord and for the countless others who have yet to experience His Grace.
It has been a privilege to walk with so many of you in this ministry. For all of you that have supported us in the past years, we want to express our sincere thanks. Honestly, we feel like we get the fun part of the job because it is often so rewarding! Thank you for your prayers and financial support. One of our struggles, however, has been that over the past six months we have felt the burden of maintaining our own support as well as raising nearly all of the support for the ministry. We currently employ three Bolivians that help us in the Center as well as all of the Center expenses. It has been a journey of faith, as we often didn’t see were the money was going to come from. If you would like to continue supporting us or begin supporting the ministry, please note on a separate piece of paper where you would like your funds designated. Again, thank you for caring for us and for the women we love. May the Grace of God be manifest in us as we walk in a world desperate for Him.
All our love,
Andy, Andrea & Elias Baker