VENGA TU REINO

the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few -matt 9:37

"There is a needs-be for us to give ourselves for the life of the world. An easy, non-self-denying life will never be one of power. Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing. There are not two Christs--an easy-going one for easy-going Christians, and a suffering, toiling one for exceptional believers. There is only ONE Christ. Are you willing to abide in him, and thus to bear much fruit?" -Hudson Taylor

El reino de Dios no terminara. Implications. There is no other message I will give my life to proclaiming. I have no rights of my own. DO what you will in me and through me, Lord...

I'm alive, in case you were wondering

The pictures don't do it any justice, for on this Friday trip down the Death Road I saw the most beautiful views of my life (and Marianne, this is no exaggeration, seriously :) The contrast between the reddish and snow covered crags which melted into waterfall-sprinkled jungle was incredible. Pines and eucalyptus trees which gave way to palms and banana trees. Some places along the road you could see the jungle with a snow-topped mountain in the background... Glory!! I could barely keep my eyes on the road! Which was terrible because this road is NOT for the faint of heart. I was expecting a fun bike trip, I mean with a name like Camino del Muerte, this had to be a cheesy tourist attraction with plenty of terrifying stories but no real danger. FALSE. All those tourists were either extremely fit and fearless, or else dead. Hit a rock the wrong way, and you are CHAU like that Italian or Frenchman back there. Let's just say this is an extreme sport, if you go fast enough, which I did, since our guides gave us no choice! I'll be ready to pick up extreme mountain biking in a few years as my thrill of choice, once I actually build up the muscles for it :)

So yes. A wonderful thrill. God blessed us with glorious weather the whole trip. Sadly we couldn't stay overnight in Coroico to hike, since the hotel overlooked our reservation (I was so ready to lodge for the night for $1 with this crazy old lady with an empty upstairs room, but she had coca leaves plastered to her face, not suuuure how wise it would've been... thankfully I travel with wiser companions...) Saturday I spent the day easing my sore muscles in the family pool with Sara. Today I'm not at work because I've finally caught the family fever, which is sort of a blessing in disguise because I was desperately needing some R+R before returning to the suicidal insanity that is UofR. Haha. So today will be much Bible reading and finishing up all those books I brought with me... please pray for my healing! Can't wait to see you all in just a few days...

These are the people I live with.

=D they're wonderful. (all family! from left: Claudia, Sara, Ceci, Christina, Stephy, Sergio, Jose Andres, Monchi, Christopher). We stole a few Deloglos kids also. This week has been MORE birthday parties (6 in about... 8 days) and homemade pizza and coffee shopping and trip planning and movie watching and late night cheese-snacking and laughing at old pictures.

And... Friday is a holiday!! Off to the Death Road :) Think of me fondly, may be the last time...

Boats and Rocks

Lake Titicaca is majestic. I've wanted to visit that lake for so many years, actually being on it in a yacht was quite the feeling. I went with the Richmond Eteam last Saturday for a several hour cruise and some trucha--Titicaca trout--DElish! This lake is supposedly the 'highest navigable lake in the world,' and flying over it on my way to La Paz I seriously thought it was the ocean. The water is the same color as the sky with snowy mountains indiscernibly dividing the two. It was FREEZING cold but brutally sunny at the same time. Hopefully I will get to return before I leave to see some Inca ruins!

Yesterday Sara, Moises, Keri and I went to Tiwanaku, the oldest ruins here in Bolivia. The Tiwanaku civilization spanned centuries from the Greeks until the Incas in the 15th century. CRAZY. Archaeology is interesting here because hardly anything has been excavated--it's like history is still living in Bolivia, so the people don't seem to care as much about bringing all the past to light right away. Maybe it's just their super relaxed (ahem kind way of saying, LATE!! today i almost exploded when we were an hour late for church...) culture. Anyways, it was fascinating. They've located where temples and

tombs are but the process is veeeery slow. In about 20 years this site will be incredible!! But nonetheless it was wonderful. Thought all day yesterday again why I am not studying archaeology... I simply love learning this stuff... aside from the one actual class I've taken. Haha. That makes me rest in peace that I've chosen the better career with Economic Dev. :)

Just got back from El Clasico, futbol match between the two La Paz teams, Bolivar and The Strongest (haha sweet name huh). Awesome. And now I begin my last two weeks here. Really hate thinking about it. I feel connected to this place in a way I don't feel for any other country... I don't know how to explain it... I just know I will return :) I have left much unseen on purpose... I mean, still gotta punt down the Amazon.

Sickly Speculations

Today I finally am a bit ill. Everyone in my house and all the relatives are sick so it was impending doom, didn't help that I spent the whole day on Saturday at Lake Titicaca in the freezing moist wind. But totally worth it (will post pics later!). Spent a lovely week with the Eteam that was here from Kingsway in Richmond, convenient huh? It was fun to translate for them and share all the phrases I know that make me seem oh so much more Bolivian than gringa. Mentira...

I finished a huge project at work last week so today I had hardly a thing to do. I spent most of the day thinking about/researching for my future. This usually excites me because I love all the unknown options floating out there ready to be grabbed and turned into an incredible experience, but today I was anxious. This morning our devotional was about el valor cristiano Mayordomo--stewardship. What does it mean to be a good steward of my gifts and skills? Does it simply mean increasing them through education, or does being a good steward imply that I use these gifts for OTHERS? I'm interested in SO MANY things. Too many, it's dangerous for my future because I'm not sure exactly where I want to live or go or do. I would be happy anywhere, honestly. But if I am guided by the Lord's will, where he wants me to do the most good... does this mean I should jump at exciting opportunities simply because I could learn something new or go somewhere different, or should I remain in a familiar place where I can be much more useful? What I've experienced in Bolivia so far is that I'm a receiver until I'm useful enough to be a giver. I can't expect to breeze into a new place and pour myself out and change the city. There is so much I have to learn and receive from the people here before I can really be of any use to them. But the receiving is a GOOD THING--so necessary, although humbling!--so that one day in the future I can have an impact, DV. The constant traveler is one who is rarely able to serve, I think. Of course there are exceptions, and of course some occupations require constant travel. But I just don't want my appetite for travel and new experiences to poison my usefulness, to kill the gifts God has given me that he wants to employ. Praying that he will guide my feet and be a light to my path, one day at a time :)

It's a Jungle Out There

This post is dedicated to limon con leche, because frankly that's the only reason we went to Caranavi. This town 6 hrs north of La Paz (but 10,000 feet down) is apparently the only place in all of Bolivia where you can buy this beyond incredible key lime pie-in-a-drink dessert. And only at one little roadstand. Anyways, we went at least three times. Here's Gerhard and all the American interns! (don't worry I mostly hang out with Bolivians but this trip all of us gringas happened to go)

Caranavi finally felt like I was in a Third World country. Really awesome experience. Every house was a small run down one or two room shack. Trash everywhere. Dogs everywhere. Barefoot kids running through the freezing mud. There aren't even any police in Caranavi because a few months ago there were strikes and riots and the people burned down the police station.

The drive through the mountains was a thriller--a one lane road serving two-way bus traffic with very steep drops off the side. The mountains were covered with patches of coca farms. Caranavi is a very hard place to develop because the children would rather farm coca than go to school--

it's a profitable business!

I was struck by several things in this town: first, I'm more convinced than ever that the Lord has mission & development work in my future, because I never get carsick or afraid! Haha but really. I realized what a gift that is--the dangerous roads and freezing showers and mud and lack of toilet paper in the bathrooms and hard beds and squished cars... with all this I really think I could be content! It doesn't bother me. So that's good news. Also I was so encouraged to see the passion of the village people as we worshiped the Lord together on Sunday in this tiny, barely-roofed church down a dirty alley. God is WORKING, even in these remote, undereducated and poor places. And a lot of that fruit is due to the missionaries there in Caranavi--I got to spend a lot of time with one family--I so admire their peaceful plodding in the way of the Lord as they simply live with and give of themselves for these people. Some of the most contented, gracious, and generous people I've met. That's the result of living solely for the kingdom. It's really beautiful.

Just ran for the first time here.

Hence, this is gonna be a short post. WHEW the altitude kills the lungs! Running downhill is no respite at 10,000 ft. Pucha.

I'm afraid the novelty of blogging has worn off for me, so you may expect beautifully short posts from here on out! Hurrah. Let's see... this past weekend I went downtown all day Sat with Sara, SO fun, we hit up a bunch of museums, historical streets, and markets. It's fascinating to see the blend of indigenous, Inca, and Spanish influences on the architecture and history here. I could spend maaaannnnny more days downtown. OH we also saw a parade of native dancers!! So interesting. Not sure what it was for, but sweet. Other news. Copa Mundial took up most of Sunday. The whole Dueri family here was supporting Spain, and about 20 of us watched the game together--what a happy day... cars were honking all down the street waving Espana flags later. Haha. Ended the day with more soccer with church folks.

An eteam from Richmond arrives on Thurs! Very excited to see them. Then this weekend off to the jungle!!