Howdy all! Long time no talk! Please accept our apologies for being so behind on communicating with you. We are doing well and keeping ourselves very busy.
First of all, we braved our first winter (May-July) in the Alto, without any heat. The conditions were harsh (one night the water froze inside the house), and combined with heavy culture shock, made for a rough couple of months. BUT we survived and are all the better for it now!! Now we are enjoying some warmer, sunnier days before the rains begin.
This winter, we also received a number of visitors, and Andy even managed to fit in a few major mountain climbs. In August we celebrated our 5th year wedding anniversary, as well as our 1st year in Bolivia. Although it was a year of great transition and learning, we can both contest to it being our best year of marriage thus far.
The baby seems to be doing well and should be arriving any day now. We have decided to stay here in El Alto among our Bolivian friends for the birth. We are in awe at the miracle of life, excited and overwhelmed by the responsibilities ahead. However, the Lord has been so faithful and so good to us thus far, so we continue to rest in the assurance that He will continue to carry us through. Please pray for us as we grow into our role as parents and teachers.
Thank you again for your commitment to us and the people we serve. And thank you especially for continuing to keep in touch. We love hearing from you! May you be encouraged as you seek His face, knowing that He is doing great things in and through you, even to the ends of the earth.
Ministry News
Well, a lot has changed on the Bolivia field since our last update! Our ministry with the women who prostitute has been progressing slowly, but surely. Right now we are working on building relationships and repoire with the ladies, by visiting them twice a week on the streets.
Visiting the brothels has been a slow, difficult process, constantly stretching us out of our comfort zones to dark and darker places. However, recently we have been more encouraged and are beginning to celebrate even the smallest steps of progress. At the very least, the girls recognize us, seem excited to see us, and a few have even begun to open their hearts to us.
We continue to make plans with the girls outside of the brothels, although the majority of our appointments still go unrealized. Because of the atmosphere in the brothels, we are realizing a greater need for a safer place to meet with the girls.
We are looking at the possibility of opening a center for the women. Last spring we were approached by another street ministry about the possibility of sharing a building. It seems the opportunity couldn’t be more perfect! We have lots of ideas and hopes and at the moment the possibilities are endless. Please pray about this decision with us – and for the necessary funds to come in as well. If you’d like to hear more, please write us with any questions you may have.
In addition to our work on the streets, we received two new staff and a Servant Team. The transition has been good, although challenging for us in terms of balancing our roles as Acting Field Directors and Servant Team Coordinators. However, we are enjoying sharing our lives in community and are especially encouraged by their attitudes and willingness to serve in the midst of tough circumstances. Please continue to pray for all of us, as we grow in the Lord together.