We are home!  Another delay in Miami coming home (something wrong with the plane so the flight was cancelled).  We spent another night in Miami before continuing our flight home.  These delays had the advantage of strengthening our team and letting us get to know each other better. 

Here are pictures of the project and the hard working crew. 

 Peter and Mitchell were trained in the skill of placing the rocks so it became a cobblestone floor.

 Concrete was poured over the rocks; we wished it could have been something transparent so you could see the artistry in the rock work!

                                              Here is a picture of the entire work crew.

A few of the pictures from the home visits with the children.  They so appreciate the letters and photos that sponsors send and ask many questions about their sponsors.  You make an enormous impact in their lives! 

Our team also provided a Vacation Bible school lesson for the children at the church.  They had a great time learning that God's love for them is greater than that the shepherd who went looking for the lost sheep even though he had 99 sheep left; they then got to make their own sheep!

Our very own Glenda Peterson spoke during adult service about the outreach Believers Fellowship does in our community.

 And our team sang a couple of songs we normally sing during our Sunday service.

The Food for the Hungry staff is working with some children who have shown they have the ability to be leaders in their community and to whom the other children can look up.  They are called the Timoteos (Timothys).  They presented us with their plans of what they hope their neighborhoods will look like in 10 years.

The Food for the Hungry staff work long days and are dedicated to the children and families in their care.  In addition to offering programs both before and after school on three days a week, and mentoring the Timoteos, they make monthly visits to each child in his/her home and facilitate the family getting medical or other needed services.  There are over 1500 children in the program!

                                                     Paula, Neysa and Fabiola

                                                                   Escarlen

                                                                       Freddy

                                                                            Jeaneth
(the drink in the foreground is a tradition fruit drink (non alcoholic!) made from the tumbo fruit)

We all thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to represent Believers Fellowship in this community and to walk alongside these selfless servants, being the hands and feet of Jesus.  On behalf of Mary Anne, Rachel, Stephanie, D'Art, Carrie, Glenda, Yvonne, Peter, Mitchell, Jim, and myself, thank you!

In His Love, Barb

Hola!  We had a full day today.  Our work project for this mission trip was constructing for the local church.  Specifically we poured a concrete floor in the new meeting room.  But first we had to lay a rock base, which entailed placing the rocks as close together as possible, filling the gaps with smaller rocks.  Our maestro, the Bolivian in charge of the project, was truly a master at doing this but he patiently showed us his art.  Of course in order to place the rocks in the floor space, we first had to move them to the floor area.  Once the base was placed, we mixed concrete and poured it over the rock. 

Our group has been blessed to work beside the people living and working in Ushpa Ushpa.  The Food for the Hungry staff are tireless in their dedicated service to the children and families and the community members step forward whenever the need arises.  Today was no different.  The church ladies were there in force to help with the rock moving and making sure the water buckets were full for the cement mixing.  They also stepped in to help carry buckets of sand to the mixing machine, frequently pairing up with the BF team member.  The men mixed and poured the cement with seemingly effortless ease, but I know for certain that it was very strenuous work.  Peter and Mitchell worked alongside the men and at the end of the afternoon the project was complete!  We do have interpreters but frequently we find we can communicate with gestures, laughter and love.

We ended the day by visiting more of the children sponsored by our BF families, delivering personal letters and gifts along with the Food for the Hungry present -- shoes, socks and a backpack.  These visits are both heartwarming as we see the interaction between the children and their FH coordinators and the reaction of the children to the gifts, and sobering as we hear the life stories of these families.  We are also convicted by how much letters from sponsors mean to these children.  They save each and every letter, card and picture sent and take them out frequently to reread and pray for their sponsors.  We have the privilege to see personally how important sponsors are in the lives of these children, bringing them hope and love in the knowledge that someone miles away cares about them and prays for them.  Each of us who sponsor children have been able to visit with our children and interact with them personally, truly a rewarding experience.

We will post pictures tomorrow.  We need to prepare for our presentations tomorrow at the local church.  Three of our group are feeling under the weather so we ask for your prayers that they recover quickly.

Thank you to all who are supporting our trip -- those who contributed and those who are praying for us.  We all feel so incredibly blessed to be here and representing our church body.  Our church commitment to Food for the Hungry strengthens the staff here and impacts the lives of the families with whom they work in ways we may never realize. 
Buenos noches, Barb Turecky

Home visits

Yesterday (Friday) was our first full day of Home Visits.  It was filled with laughter and tears as we shared life with the children and families our church family and the Food for the Hungry team are partnering with to create a place where life has possibilities.  As we walked the streets to the homes we saw indications of development, small store fronts, internet access businesses, churches and professional services.

In our debrief it was unanimous the high point of the day in each of our lives was spending time with children we support as a church.  It is hard to convey the importance or our sponsorship and the letters and pictures we send.  Each one is saved and treated like precious treasure.  An act of a few minutes is priceless in these childrens eyes.

Barb, Sergio, Escarlen presenting Abigail (Sponsored by Rodney and Stacey Ostlund) a picture of Abigail from our visit last year.

Mitchell and Ruth (Sponsored by Ron and Ruth Martin)

The hospitality of our sponsored children families was overflowing.  In the afternoon all three of the home visits I had the privilege of being a part of, there was a large plate of food overflowing with gratitude.  The presentation of the food beat any 5-Star dining establishment.

Thank you for your prayers, please pray specifically for our health, the days are full.  Especially pray for the Food for the Hungry Team.  They are an amazing group of individuals that have made a positive impact for Christ.

Ushpa Ushpa At Last

The team was back together in LaPaz.  It was a joy to see Rachel coming through the entrance into the airport we were whole again. Our next adventure was a 2 hour delay in LaPaz due "government activity" at the Cochabamba Airport.

At the airport we were greeted by a large banner welcoming us to Bolivia.  We were met by FH staff.  It was nice to reconnect with friends and catch up on activities of the past year.

The afternoon was filled with activities at the church.  We colored and played "Cat and Mouse".  The lesson of the day was the creation story and the goodness of God.

Our team and the FH Facilitator Team met for introductions and shared laughter and tears as we opened our hearts to each other and celebrated the work God is doing through our two communities coming together.  Bed felt so good.  :-)

"On The Road Again" Day 2

Yes, it is true.  The display says "LaPaz, Bolivia Flight 922 Departed".  We left Seattle yesterday with much excitement.  It was satisfying to settle in for the flight to Dallas and know that our adventure was just starting.  We made Dallas on time and boarded our Dallas to Miami leg with a reader board indicating we were on track to make Miami in time to catch our flight to LaPaz with time to spare, possibly catch a bite and work the legs. 

Then we sat and we sat on the plane on the tarmac for an hour and a half waiting for the weather to permit us to depart.  We pulled into Miami with 5 minutes to catch the tram and make our next flight.  That just wasn't going to happen.  Remember Philippians 4:6,7, I was trying to, but it just wasn't happening.  We got to the gate in time to watch our plane head out to the runway. 

Now what?  Make the calls to our Food for the Hungry contacts and find rooms for the night.  You should have seen Barb and Peter manning the phones, working through the list of local hotels.  BINGO, we had a winner, 5 rooms, all non-smoking at a reasonable cost and a shuttle to pick us up.

By 3:00AM Miami time our tummys were pleasantly full from the IHOP pancakes, burger and omlets and we were all nestled in our beds.

The next flight to LaPaz could only take 5 of our team and the flight after was also limited.  Our team has been split into two waves, 5 will leave for LaPaz this afternoon, 2:45PM  and 6 will leave this evening, 10:40PM. 

It has provided a break and allowed us to spend more time together and provided an opportunity to support each other when life doesn't go as planned.  What about Philippians 4:6,7?  We are fed, have place to stay and friendships that are developing through a common commitment to serving each other and our neighbors in Ushpa Ushpa.

Jim Ramsey

Our team leaves tomorrow for Bolivia at 7:15 am from Believers Fellowship church!  Once we are in Ushpa Ushpa, we will be visiting as many of the children sponsored by our church family as possible and will post pictures.  Those of us returning (Jim, Carrie, Yvonne and myself) are excited to see the FH staff and interact with all the kids and their families.  For those who this is their first trip to Ushpa Ushpa (Mary Anne, Stephanie, Rachel, Glenda, Mitchell, Peter and D'Art) there is some nervousness but also lots of excitement.  Please pray for us to have a safe trip, to make all our connections and to arrive fresh enough to hit the ground running!
Barb Turecky

Believers Fellowship Bolivia Mission trip 2013

I'm very excited to be co-leading the Believers Fellowship Mission trip to Ushpa Ushpa, Bolivia, this year with Jim Ramsey.  We will be leaving on July 16 and returning on July 23.  Joining us this year are:  Glenda Peterson, Mary Ann Davis, Rachel Davis, Stephanie Davis, Yvonne Simpson, Carrie Westover, Mitchell Smee, Peter Marthedal, and D'Art Benavidez.  Our project this year is to build storage space and a bathroom for the church that is partnering with Food for the Hungry in Ushpa Ushpa.  We will also be visiting children who are sponsored by Believers Fellowship members.  We invite you to follow our journey once we are in country.  We asked for your prayers as we prepare for our trip, as we travel and while we are there.

Barb Turecky

Home Visits and Construction

It has been an amazing couple of days in Bolivia. On Thursday, we divided up into four teams, and between the four groups we got to visit the homes of about 20 kids sponsored by Believers Fellowship. Today, we assisted with an FH children’s program, broke ground on the guardaria (childcare center), and had dinner with the head of FH Cochabamba. Both days were unbelievable.

We spent all of yesterday visiting the homes of kids sponsored byBelievers Fellowship. First, I was partnered with Yvonne Simpson. We visited the home of Andrea (sponsored by Yvonne’s mom). I actually visited Andrea’s home last year in order to interview her older sister Berta. We showed Andrea pictures of Mount Rainier and Seattle, and asked her about her schoolwork and life in Ushpa Ushpa. Next, we visited Sergio Elvis (sponsored by Paul and Lucy Spadoni). I had also visited Sergio Elvis last year with the Spadonis—Sergio Elvis’ dad grew up in Potosi, but migrated to Cochabamba because he didn’t want his son to be a miner. (Potosi is a mining community—the only jobs there are in the mines and it is terrible work.) It was great to see how much Sergio Elvis had grown in a year—he was a lot more confident and engaging. After lunch, I was partnered with Aimee to visit the home of Marianne, my own sponsor child. Marianne is kind of a “success story” of Ushpa Ushpa. Her mom and three older brothers are believers, her brothers have all graduated school and have gone on to successful careers and families, and her mom has high hopes for Marianne. Unlike a lot of kids in Ushpa Ushpa, Marianne thinks about the future, not just survival. Marianne told us that she likes school (except the sewing class) and that she wants to be a doctor.

Visiting the homes of the sponsor kids is always a humbling experience. Seeing the lives of the people in Ushpa Ushpa really puts the things we complain about in perspective. In some cases, the poverty is bad. In other cases, it is dire. Just when you think you have seen as bad as it can get, you cross a valley and walk up a winding hill to where it is worse. And yet every family shows warmth and hospitality, and every family wants you to pray for them. It was also encouraging to revisit some of the homes I had visited in the past to see how FH has affected the families. The first thing I noticed about the kids in 2010 was that they all had sadness in their eyes and none of them smiled. That has changed. There is joy in the community. There is laughter. There is hope.

Today was a chance for us to work with kids and then start the construction. In the morning we assisted the FH staff in teaching a lesson on Ephesians 6:1-2 (obey your parents). The FH staff did a puppet show, and afterward we shared testimonies of how we learned to obey our moms and dads. We also told them that we can trust and obey God because he loves us, and we taught them the song “Jesus loves me.” It was great.

After lunch, we did some manual labor. One of the things we learned in the pre-trip training was that the trip is not about the work project. In fact,it is very important that we don’t do all of the construction work. The community needs to do the work in order to take ownership in it. So today, we helped by clearing away a space for the first wall to go up, a task that involved hauling lots of heavy rocks. We worked side by side with the Bolivians and it was an important act of solidarity. They will finish the work by December.

This evening, we had dinner with Marina, the head of FH Cochabamba. We get a dinner like this every year and it is always a highlight of the trip. Someone inevitably breaks out a guitar and we sing praise songs together—some in English and some in Spanish. I love these instances in which two cultures collide to worship God together. It was a holy moment.

Tomorrow we are visiting a local church. I will preach for the adults. Jim and Aimee with speak to the youth. Cathy, Carrie, Yvonne, Barb, and Laura have a children’s program complete with a drama, a lesson, a craft, a game, and a song. After church, we are going to meet with some church and civic leaders (and I think a group from the US), and then say good-bye to the Ushpa Ushpa team. Monday is a half cultural day before we fly back to La Paz. We leave Bolivia early on Tuesday.

Thanks for praying for us. We have had no major sicknesses or injuries (a first!). We have had several opportunities to share our faith with the kids in Ushpa Ushpa, and we got to pray with about 20 families. Construction on the guardaria has begun, but it will be finished by the Bolivians. Please continue to pray for us as we have a big day tomorrow. Our church program is pretty intense, and then afterward we will have a chance to share with some unbelievers how our faith has led us to get involved in Ushpa Ushpa.

New Faces at FH Ushpa Ushpa

Every time I go to Bolivia, I have a different experience. But every time I go to Bolivia, I have the same experience. Each year there is a different team and a different project, radically altering the nature of the trip. But every year I am amazed at the glory of God and the work that he is doing in Ushpa Ushpa.

Last year, I noticed an immediate contrast with the first year. In the first year, everything was new. But on the second trip, we flew the same flights, stayed in the same hotels, and worked with the same FH staff, so the trip was comfortable and we were able to hit the ground running.

This year is not like that second year at all.

A lot has changed in Ushpa Ushpa since we were last here. The biggest change has been the FH staff—there has been almost a 100% turnover. The city director in charge of all of Cochabamba has changed, as has the district director in charge of Ushpa Ushpa. All of the social workers are new but two, and only one staff member remains from our first trip (Rueben). Even though this is my third visit to Ushpa Ushpa, it feels like my first.

That being said, the new staff is wonderful and we are really warming up to them. The new city director is a woman with a background in social work, and the new director of Ushpa Ushpa is a pastor. I love both of these changes because they demonstrate to me desires to: (1) empower the women of Bolivia, and (2) strengthen ties to the local church. Both moves are great.

It is now my third day in Bolivia and this is literally the first time I have been free to sit down and write an update. We left early Tuesday morning, flew all day and all night, and then had a full schedule on Wednesday. By Wednesday night, I had gone almost 40 hours without sleep. We had another full day today.

The flights to Bolivia are brutal, but the welcoming committee makes it all worth it. One of the first things we noticed when we descended the steps from the airplane to the tarmac was an American flag hanging from the airport. There were people standing by it, so we waved. As soon as we did, the crowd raised a banner that said “Welcome dear brothers and sisters from Believers Fellowship.” It was the kids from Ushpa Ushpa! We got our luggage and the kids were waiting for us outside with flowers and hugs. That kind of welcome makes a day and a half of travel seem like nothing.

Since our welcome, we have had time meeting the new FH staff, reconnecting with the community leaders, and (of course) spending time with the kids. Time with the kids has been the best part. The FH sponsorship program means the world to them, and they are always so happy to see us. Today we helped teach a lesson on Ephesians 6:1-2 (our theme for the week is “God’s plan for the family,” so we were teaching them about obeying their parents) and then played soccer, basketball, and wiffle ball with them.

Tomorrow is another busy day—we start the home visits. It is always a humbling experience to be invited into the home of a child blessed by the sponsorship program. We will meet the families, find out about life in Ushpa Ushpa, and see firsthand FH’s impact. My goal is to update the blog every other day, but I may update it tomorrow.

The Ostlund's sponsor child
with a picture they sent her

Thanks for praying for the team! Please pray for our stomachs/health. If you don’t feel good, it is hard to concentrate on doing ministry. Also pray for our time with the kids. The child sponsorship program is the heart of FH’s work here. We want the kids to understand that God loves them and that he has a plan for their lives. A simple week like this can make a huge difference in a young kid’s life.

One last note—I was blown away by the level of participation in sending gifts to the kids. Over 20 people in our church paid to send a gift to their sponsor kid, and many more sent cards and pictures. One women’s group even made adorable dresses for the girls! It has been awesome to see the entire congregation rally around this impoverished community in Bolivia.

Thanks for reading. I will be in touch!

2012 Short-term Trip July 10–17

A team from Believers Fellowship will be in Bolivia from July 10–17 as part of our 10-year Community-to-Community (C2C) relationship with Ushpa Ushpa through Food for the Hungry (FH).

Our theme this year is strengthening families. The trip will involve teaching biblical principles about the family (Ephesians 6:1 for the kids, Deuteronomy 6 for the adults), visiting the families of children sponsored by our church, learning about Bolivian culture and life in Ushpa Ushpa, and assisting in the construction of a childcare center for the community.

The people of Ushpa Ushpa identified the childcare center as a high priority need. Many fathers are away for weeks or months working, while the mothers spend all day at the market selling goods to cover day-to-day expenses. Children are often left home by themselves—little ones in charge of littler ones. This arrangement puts small kids in danger and interferes with the older kids’ ability to complete their schoolwork. Because of this, the community sees high rates of victimization, gang involvement, drug and alcohol abuse, and school dropout among the youth. The childcare center will provide a safe environment for the kids in Ushpa Ushpa to play, do their homework, participate in FH programs, and break the cycle of poverty.

Please pray for the team while they are in Bolivia! Matt Edwards has set up a blog, which you can read at http://bfbolivia.blogspot.com/. You can find out more about Believers Fellowship’s C2C relationship with Ushpa Ushpa by going to http://www.believersfellowship.net/mission/bolivia. There will be a recap of the trip (along with a reveal of next year’s theme) on Sunday, September 2.

Saying Good-bye

I am sitting in a hotel room in La Paz reflecting on what an awesome week this was. My wake-up call is scheduled for 3:00 in order to catch a 6:30 flight to Miami. But, I have to put down my thoughts on our closing time in Uspa Uspa.

The water filter project was an amazing success. I talked to at least 20 women who thanked me (many in tears) for coming to their community and providing them with a tool to keep their families healthy. But, despite the success of this important project, none of the team members say that it was the most significant part of the trip. Instead, they insist that the trip was about a connection—a connection between two communities separated by thousands of miles that will make a difference in both.

When we were training before the trip, Anthony said that he would do anything except share a testimony. But when we were asked to share with the community during a parents’ workshop on the importance of the family, Anthony was the first to volunteer. He got up in front of 40 or so Bolivians and shared what his family has gone through in the last four years and how his parents have stuck with him. Laura followed him by sharing some of the pains of her family history. I followed them by preaching from Colossians 3 (the household codes). The point of the workshop was obvious—families are important. Whether you are Bolivian or American, families are important and God wants us to be faithful within them.

When we were done speaking, Marianne, the little girl Brooke and I sponsor, came up to the front to hug me and give me a gift (a beautiful alpaca scarf). Another woman approached Anthony in tears to thank him for sharing—I can only imagine what she must be going through with her own boys. As the community said “good-bye,” we couldn’t help but feel that we would be missed.

Throughout FH’s pre-trip training, they emphasize that it’s not about the project, it’s about the relationships. They couldn’t be more right. Water filters break, but a shared story can change a life. The filters are an inroad to a relationship, and a relationship is a vehicle for the Gospel.

I am returning to the States more excited than ever about the C2C. It is one of the best projects I have ever been involved with. I am already planning for 2012, and I can’t wait to see what God does as we continue to walk with Uspa Uspa.

See you on Wednesday!

Labor in the Lord

Today I ate dinner with a Bolivian family headed by two grown Compassion sponsor kids. They both work successful jobs (the father, Fermin, is the head of FH’s work in Cochabamba), they have 2 beautiful children, and a wonderful urban home in Quillacollo. We spent the evening eating pique macho, worshipping God while Israel played the guitar, and listening to Fermin and Naomi recount stories of the impact of child sponsorship and how it had helped them grow out of poverty. At the end of the evening, Fermin shared a verse with us: 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (ESV) There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

It’s hard to describe my time in Bolivia without comparing it to last year—new team, new project, new context. It’s different being here as part of a C2C—it feels more permanent. It’s different seeing familiar faces, taking in familiar sites, and tasting familiar food. It’s different not doing manual labor. It’s different being with a smaller team that I didn’t know as well as the team I travelled with last year. But, the biggest difference is that this year’s trip is clearly about child sponsorship and the child development coalition.

We are doing less work on “the project” and more work playing with kids and visiting with families in the community. I got to meet my sponsor child, Marianne, along with her mother and brother. I have been invited into half a dozen homes and have been allowed to video residents of Uspa Uspa talk about the water in their community and the difference that the water filters will make in their lives. I’ve seen how the child sponsorship program transforms a community, even in just a year. It’s been amazing.

Yesterday we met with some community leaders (including the president of Uspa Uspa, Don Miguel). We then received training on how to assemble the water filters that we brought with us in Bolivia. The afternoon was spent visiting the families of sponsored kids.

Today we visited more families, and also participated in some community training events. Together with the project coordinator Jose, we taught two groups of about 40 moms each how to put together and use the water filters. They were extremely grateful for Believers Fellowship’s generosity in bringing the filters to Bolivia. We finished the day with a soccer match against the local kids and then dinner at Fermin’s house.

So far I’ve taken about 30 GB of media—mostly HD video. The rest of the team has taken some great photos, and I can’t wait to share them with the team.

It’s been awesome to see God work in the team. Our debriefs at the end of the night have been amazing, and I think a number of the team members are finding what they were looking for by coming here. More on that later.

Tomorrow will be more home visits and more soccer. (By the way, soccer is an excellent way to bond with the locals since the language barrier isn’t an issue.) On Sunday, we are running the church program, and then the community will say farewell. I will be preaching at a church in Uspa Uspa and then the team will be running a vacation Bible school. Pray for us!

Thanks for being a part of this awesome work. It took a lot to make this happen. I know a lot of you donated money or time or prayers to help one or more team member make it to Bolivia. Believe me, in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Good night!

Break-downs and Lockouts and Blockades, Oh My!

Has a pleasant surprise ever turned a tiring day into a joyful one? Have you ever been at the end of your rope, only to be reinvigorated by something completely unexpected? That’s what happened to the Believers Fellowship Bolivia team today.

Saying that it’s been a long 48 hours is like saying that Justin Bieber has a few 12-year-old female fans. Traveling to Bolivia is brutal, and just about everything that could have kept us from a safe trip to Bolivia almost did keep us from a safe trip to Bolivia. The adventure started at 4:30 AM on Tuesday. I arrived at the church a half an hour before our planned 5 AM departure. One of our drivers arrived shortly thereafter and warned me that she wasn’t sure her car was going to make it to the airport. Not knowing what other plans we could make at 4:30 AM, I told her “I have confidence in your car. Let’s pray hard and roll the dice.” When we were stalled on the side of I-5 ninety minutes later, I started to second guess my decision to “risk it.” Fortunately a friend in Puyallup was awake and drove to our rescue. We made it to the airport by 6:30—90 minutes before our flight was scheduled to leave.

We made it through security a full 45 minutes before our flight was scheduled. The waiting room for our flight was full, so Sam Heath and I grabbed a seat in a neighboring gate to wait for the overhead announcement of our boarding. I checked the clock every few minutes as Sam and I chatted. Our 7:30 boarding time came and went with no announcement. I checked the clock a few minutes later—7:35 and still no announcement. When I checked again and saw that it was 7:45, I decided to look for the rest of our team. No one was in sight. “Something is wrong, Sam,” I said. “It’s 7:45, they haven’t announced our boarding, and the rest of the team is gone.”

Sam and I made our way to the gate to find out that we had missed final boarding and that the tunnel to the plane was locked. I have been locked out of flights like this before; it’s not a good thing. But it was only 7:45 and our flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until 8:00. Fortunately, they let us on the plane, but as we boarded, one of the flight attendants said to me, “Oh, I see. This is the part of the flight where WE wait for YOU.” (Just kidding on that last one.)

Fourteen-and-a-half hours of flying, four hours of layovers, three time-zone changes, and zero underwear changes later, we landed in La Paz. Having made it to Bolivia, nothing could go wrong—except a crowd of protestors blocking the streets of La Paz.

Paul and Lucy Spadoni sponsor a girl through Compassion who lives right outside of La Paz. We made special arrangements for them to break from the team for the day to go visit their sponsor child. They got out of La Paz okay, but while they were away a mob blocked the road back to the airport. (We still had one more flight to catch later that day.) Fortunately, their driver was pretty savvy and got them back to the airport safe, sound, and on time for the flight to Cochabamba.

When we landed in Cochabamba, we were all exhausted. High altitude sickness had sapped us in La Paz, and the short flight from there to Cochabamba was bumpy and a bit terrifying. I found that it help to close my eyes before we took off and then not open them until after we had landed. I made it all the way without getting sick, which raised my average to 1 for 3 on that flight. Sam reminded me that not even Ichiro is hitting .333, but somehow I wasn’t consoled.

As we gathered our luggage and headed out of the airport for the final time, I was ready for a hot shower and a cool pillow. But, I knew that there was more work to be done in Cochabamba that day and that sleep would have to wait. I lurched into the main terminal pondering how I could possibly make it. But, just as I was about to collapse, I saw something up ahead. It was a crowd. Of kids. With banners and musical instruments.

Food for the Hungry had arranged for the kids from their Child Development Coalition to meet us at the airport with hugs and a song. It was just what we needed. The excitement in those kids’ eyes chased away all of the travel fatigue in an instant. We remembered why are here and what we have left to do.

Well, it’s 10:00 PM on Wednesday night. I slept for four hours on Monday night and I haven’t felt a bed since. But I can’t wait for our wake-up call tomorrow. Tomorrow we take the water filters to Uspa Uspa to begin the clean water initiative. In the afternoon we help with FH’s Child Development Coalition. It’s going to be awesome.

The team is pumped and God is already moving!

2010 Summary and 2011 Short-term Trip

We are gearing up for another short-term trip to Uspa Uspa! Thanks for checking in. I will update this blog from the field as often as possible.

We had an amazing experience on our vision trip last year. We were considering Food for the Hungry's Community-2-Community program, and we embarked on a short-term trip to see firsthand FH's work in Bolivia. We couldn't have been more pleased with what we saw.

Last year's project was to lay the groundwork for a community center/computer lab. The project was to pour concrete on a floor that would eventually become a meeting space for the local church, FH, and other community organizations. We also supplied the community with 2 computers. In addition to the project, we also met with key leaders and heard their vision for Uspa Uspa.

When we returned to the States, we immediately began praying over what C2C would look like for Believers Fellowship. The child sponsorship and short-term trip commitments are substantial, so we didn't want to jump into the project unless we were confident we could complete it. After much prayer and discussion, we decided to partner with Uspa Uspa through FH. Over ten years, we are committed to sponsoring 20 more kids every year, to visiting Uspa Uspa at least once per year, and to praying for the work that FH is doing there.

The second project under the C2C is a clean water project (the first one was the community center). Last Christmas, in conjunction with the Advent Conspiracy, we raised almost $17,000 to bring clean water to Uspa Uspa. Since the water project costs about $100 per family in Uspa Uspa, we sold water bottles labeled with the project description for $100 each. The idea was to purchase a water bottle to give to someone at Christmas instead of buying them a gift that they really didn't need. About 170 people chose to give a loved one a water bottle for Christmas and explain, "This year I got you clean water for a family in Bolivia for Christmas." It was awesome to see the congregation get behind the project like that.

In March, Juan Pablo Belmonte came to Believers Fellowship from Bolivia to update us on the field and tell us about "God's Surprising Solution to Poverty." While Juan Pablo was with us, we sponsored 24 children in Uspa Uspa, bringing our total to 58 kids sponsored. A few weeks later, we dedicated our Easter offering to the C2C (and other outreach projects), and the congregation responded by giving over $30,000. Praise God!

On Tuesday we leave for Bolivia to implement a project that has been a year in the making. Almost 200 families in Uspa Uspa will have clean water thanks to Food for the Hungry and the C2C partnership between Believers Fellowship and Uspa Uspa.

I can't wait to see how the field has changed, and I will update you as often as I can from Bolivia! I appreciate your prayers as our team is on the field!

Matt Edwards

Bolivia Recap Video

Hannah made this recap video about our trip to Bolivia.

Final Work Days

I'm sorry for not updating the blog yesterday—it was crazy busy and we had to get up early today.

Saturday was our last day on the work project. As always, we were up early and off to the work site. Again, the locals had been hard at work in our absence. They had all of the rocks laid for the foundation, they had made forms, and the concrete was already flowing. I'm not sure if it was because they wanted the locals to do the work or if they thought the job was too technical for us, but FH had us doing grunt work. They asked us to clear one of the hillsides of rocks. When we had finished with that, they asked us to move rocks from one pile to another. After about 2.5 hours of moving rocks, the foreman said that there was no more work for us to do. So, we were off.

(In case it's not clear, I am pretty sure that they let us go because they had so many volunteers from the local community. They definitely didn't need all of us to do the work. So, given the choice of sending us away, sending some of the locals away, or having us all stand around with no work to do, they made the best choice.)

After getting kicked off of the work site, Natalia from FH gave us a tour of Uspa Uspa. Some of the locals invited us into their homes, so we got to see what domestic life looked like for the community. One house we visited raised goats. Their dung can be sold for manure and their milk can be used for cheese, but the primary role of goats and sheep is as a savings account. Should something happen and the family find itself in hard economic times, they can sell a goat or sheep for some quick emergency cash.

Natalia also took us down to the river where one family was doing laundry and another bathing their children. She and Ruben (another FH worker) explained to us that clean water is the biggest health need in Uspa Uspa. The river was polluted with human and animal feces, and yet the locals would use it as drinking water.

After the tour we ate lunch and then headed to the soccer court for the afternoon futbol activities. First, we supervised a tournament for the local children. The winning team got a soccer ball as a prize. Then, we played against a local church in a friendly match. We lost 4-1, but we were happy to have scored against them. Aundi Ragan scored our lone goal, earning her the nickname “futbolista” by the Bolivians.

After the soccer match, we met with Pastor Felix, the new pastor at the church FH works with in Uspa Uspa. We asked Felix about his experience with FH and his hope for Uspa Uspa. Felix recounted how as a youth he noticed that there were a lot of needs in Bolivia, and that some churches were doing a better job of addressing those needs than others. In order to get his church on the right track, he started volunteering and organizing new ministries, and eventually he ended up as the pastor. He partnered with some missionaries to complete a theological education certificate program. He was active in a church in Toro Toro (sp?) before moving to Uspa Uspa 2 weeks ago.

After a great afternoon with the residents of Uspa Uspa, we washed up in preparation for dinner at Julio's house. (Julio is the head of FH Cochabamba.) His wife and his nieces cooked us a feast of traditional Bolivian cuisine, and we had a fantastic evening of food and fellowship.

We got home late, but still had a lot of preparation to do for Vacation Bible School the next day.

Sunday morning started with a dedication ceremony at the computer lab that we were building. The work is far from over, but Bolivians like to dedicate things at significant stages in construction—not just at completion. The community leaders, leaders from FH, and leaders from Pro Justica all gave speeches to commemorate the new building. During the second speaker, I glanced down at the program and noticed that there was a slot for a leader from Believers Fellowship to do something. I couldn't understand what it was that they wanted the “representative from Believers Fellowship” to do, but the word was the same word was used for the leaders who were giving speeches. I guessed they wanted me to speak. Sure enough, a few minutes later a translator told our group that they wanted one of us to speak. I thanked them for welcoming us, for allowing us to partner with them on the project, and for taking it easy on us in soccer.

After the dedication ceremony, we went over to the church to put on the VBS for the kids. We had decided to do a theme of “trusting God” from Daniel and the lion's den. We acted out the scene from Daniel, taught them a song called “Why Worry?”, helped them to make lion mask out of paper plates and construction paper, and led them in a game we made up called “leon leon.” (They play a game called “pesca pesca,” which is basically tag.) We designated some of the kids lions and some angels. If you got tagged by a lion, you had to stand still and put your lion mask on. If you were tagged by an angel, you were unfrozen. The game sounded great on paper, but all 50 of the kids wanted to wear their masks, so it was impossible to tell who was a lion, who was an angel, and who was frozen. After the game, Chip shared his testimony about being raised by a single mom and how God took care of his family. He encouraged them that in Christ they were new creations and that their pasts didn't have to determine their futures.

After the VBS, we went to Miguel's house for lunch. (Miguel is a community leader. It took us forever to get them to explain what that means. Basically, he was an informal leader in the community before the residents of Uspa Uspa elected him to represent their neighborhood to the government.) Miguel told us his story—how he came to Uspa Uspa, how he got involved in FH, and what he hoped for the community. He identified clean water and education as the biggest needs.

I was introduced to a new product today—Imodium AD. I highly recommend it.

Lunch with Miguel represented the last “work” part of our trip. We have now met all of the key players in Uspa Uspa society, and have found out firsthand their hopes for their community. They are sending us back to the U.S. with a lot to think about. The rest of our trip will be debriefing with our team, debriefing with the FH workers, site-seeing and travel. Thanks for praying for us. Please continue to pray as we finish our time in Bolivia!

Day 3

Work day 2 (our third day in Bolivia) was even better than work day one! We spent our time doing construction, playing soccer with the adults, and assisting in an after school program for kids.

Again, we were up at 6:45 to hit the road by 8:00. Our driver Johnny is proving to be one of the most valuable members of the team, since the roads here are nuts! Traffic lights are mere suggestions, tailgating is the norm, pedestrians are unpredictable, and right of way goes to the most aggressive driver. Johnny has been fantastic—we are in awe at his ability to navigate the perilous streets of Cochabamba.

A surprise awaited us in Uspa Uspa. The locals had continued the work when we were gone and had made quite a bit of progress. It's amazing how they work. They don't use any of the tools or standards that we do, yet their craftsmanship is something to be seen. For instance, they measure distances by walking it off. When they need to dig a ditch, they eyeball it for straightness. They don't use rebar to strengthen their concrete work—they simply pour a layer, let it set a little, and then stick rocks halfway into the drying concrete. When the concrete is dry, the rocks will function as rebar. It's crazy!

We continued the dirt and rock work, and then transitioned to concrete. I expected to mix the concrete by hand, but they had a mixer that sped the work up. Consistent with their other methods, the measurements for the concrete were: 1 bucket of water, 3 shovels full of cement, and 14 shovels full of gravel. When all of the materials were in the mixer, they would eyeball the consistency and tell us what we needed to add. But, their methods worked. We were able to lay a foundation for the external walls!

We were supposed to work from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, but we finished early. So, at 11:30 we went back up to the soccer court for some futbol. These are some of my favorite times—not because I love soccer so much, but because it is a great time with the local Bolivians with whom we otherwise would not be able to communicate. We played soccer for about an hour and then headed back down the hill for lunch.

After lunch, we returned to the FH Uspa Uspa headquarters for the after school program. About 50 or so kids showed up for help with their homework. Working with the kids was a little frustrating at first because of the language barrier. Those who were able to speak a little Spanish could help the kids with their math or art projects, but the older kids studying geography or natural science were pretty much on their own.

When all of the kids had finished their homework, we started to play. This is when all of the kids lit up. We kicked around a soccer ball, played keep away with a basketball, jumped rope, and took lots of pictures. The kids loved seeing their pictures on the digital cameras. (I would upload more pictures or video, but the internet connection here is pretty slow.)

Thanks for praying for us. Today was an amazing day. Chip Maxson was able to pray with a girl named Ophelia—she is sponsored by the Believers Fellowship youth group. He prayed that God would take care of her family and help her get through school. She didn't have a Bible, so he gave her a Spanish-English one that he brought. She was excited to receive the Bible, but even more excited that it had English, too! When Chip finished praying for Ophelia, they were both in tears. It was pretty moving.

Please continue to pray for us as we interact with the people of Uspa Uspa. Members of the community join us for the construction projects, and we get to spend a lot of time with the kids. All of this means that we have a lot of time with unbelievers. We don't speak the same language, but we are able to communicate. Please pray that we will have a positive influence on them!

I am very impressed with Food for the Hungry so far. They are a great organization—very intentional and skilled in their work.

Work Day 1

Today was our first work day in Bolivia. What can I say? It was powerful.

We rose at 6:45 for a 7:30 breakfast, and then headed to the work site. The 45-minute drive to the site gave us plenty of time to take in the sights and sounds of bustling Cochabamba. Cars, motorcycles, vans, buses and pedestrians weave in and out of traffic without missing a beat. We were definitely thankful for our driver Johnny (not Juan; his name is Johnny) who took us through the city unscathed.

We also got our first glimpse of Uspa Uspa. There is a noted difference between the commercial district of Cochabamba, with its internet cafes, steak restaurants, and cell service billboards, and Uspa Uspa, with its make-shift housing, lack of plumbing, and rampant poverty. Food for the Hungry certainly goes to the hard places.

Our project is to continue work on a community center in Uspa Uspa. Eventually, our part will be a computer lab. Right now it is a dirt floor with a few rocks here and there. Throughout the morning we hauled bricks, rocks, and, and dirt in preparation for the upcoming concrete work. We were joined by members of a local evangelical church and also some people from the community. We worked well together and were able to level the floor to pour concrete later this week.

When we finished the work, Julio (the Country Director for FH Bolivia) received a call from another NGO saying that they wanted to meet us. We had some time to kill while we waited for them to arrive, so we headed up the hill to a soccer court (not a field) where we played some futbol with our new friends from Bolivia. It's amazing how a game like soccer can bring people together even when they don't speak the same language.

After the game, we returned to the work site where we met the representatives from Pro Justice—a Roman Catholic justice ministry working in Bolivia. Apparently, Pro Justice was responsible for getting Food for the Hungry into Uspa Uspa. Now, the two groups work together to improve the living conditions there. (Pro Justice works for child's rights.) Juan Pablo (our translator and team leader) explained to me later that the meeting we witnessed between FH and Pro Justice was significant. It is very difficult to get NGOs to work with FH because of their evangelical commitment (even Catholic groups can be hesitant because of the hostile attitude that many Protestant churches in Bolivia have).

After meeting with the folks from Pro Justice, we ate lunch and then spent some time at FH Cochabamba's office. There we met some students from Messiah College who were in Bolivia for the summer working on a clean water project. A professor from Messiah has brought some water purifying machines to distribute to the people of Uspa Uspa. They group tests the drinking water for the presence of fecal matter bacteria (they almost all test positive). Then they educate the people on clean water techniques like hand-washing and boiling. Some households also receive the water filters (they will all eventually get one when the study is over). At the end, they will compare a control group with an education-only group, and filter-only group, and an education-plus-filter group to see how well the filters and education reduce the prevalence of fecal matter bacteria in the drinking water.

In the afternoon, we went to visit sponsor children and their families. I visited Jesus Adrian (sponsored by the Believers Fellowship children's ministry) and Judith (sponsored by Aundi Ragan). It was amazing spending time with these families and finding out how child sponsorship benefits the families. The education FH provides these kids is really helping them break out of the cycle of poverty.

After the child sponsor visits, we ate dinner and debriefed. So far the consensus is that this is an amazing trip. We can't wait to get out there and work side-by-side with the people of Uspa Uspa tomorrow!

Travel Days

Well, it is Wednesday at noon Bolivia time (same as EST), and we are just getting settled into our hotel. I want to update you a little about our travel and what we have seen so far.

Monday, June 7th
5:00 PM—I take a shower in preparation for the long flights.

6:00 PM (shower + 1 hour)—I arrive at the church to finish last-minute details and eat one last meal with my family. Scott and Carina are at the church doing the same thing.

6:30 PM (shower + 90 minutes)--The rest of the team begins to show up. Spirits are high and excitement is in the air.

7:30 PM (shower + 2.5 hours)--The elders and deacons surround the team to pray for us and send us off. The team piles into three vehicles and heads toward SeaTac.

10:00 PM (shower + 5 hours)--The team boards our 10:30 Alaska Air flight to Miami. I am prepared with a prescription for Ambien and a new CD for the trip. I read somewhere that Jack White was the greatest guitarist of our generation, so I downloaded a White Stripes CD to see what all the hype was about. I put the White Stripes and Ambien to a face-off—would I fall asleep? The score after 1 round: White Stripes: 1; Ambien: 0. After 1 play-through, I turn off the music and doze off in my chair.

Tuesday, June 8th
7:30 AM EST (shower + 11.5 hours)--Flight lands in Miami. Everyone is excited to be near the beach and one step closer to Bolivia. We're all singing Will Smith's “Welcome to Miami.” Sadly, none of us know any other words to the song.

9:00 AM (shower + 13 hours)--We check all of our luggage for the flight to Bolivia and then jump on the city bus heading to South Beach. We find a spot on the beach and cool off in the water. Since I am preaching in a Bolivian church on Sunday, I decide I need to start working on my sermon. As great as South Beach is, it's not conducive to sermon-writing. I head off on my own to find a coffee shop.

10:00 AM (shower + 14 hours)--I ask a local if there is a Starbucks near by. The guy is understandably confused. It's 90 degrees. And humid. Everyone around me is tanning or swimming. I am looking for a hot cup of coffee. I notice that he's looking at me like I am crazy, and I say, “I am from Seattle.” Apparently, this makes sense to him because he perks up and directs me to a Starbucks within walking distance.

12:00 PM (shower + 16 hours)--I am in a Starbucks on South Beach listening to Bob Marley and writing about Romans 1:8-15.

1:00 PM (shower + 20 hours)--Lunch with the team at this sweet Cuban place. I have pulled pork Cuban style, rice, and plantains. I am not a plantain fan, but they taste great with habanero pepper sauce on them. While we are in the Cuban restaurant, it starts to pour. We decide to wait out the rain in the restaurant.

2:00 PM (shower + 18 hours)--We tire of waiting out the rain and decide to make a dash for it. There is a GAP across the street, and some of the people who went swimming need to buy some dry clothes. The last thing I say to Scott on the way in is, “Don't let me buy any jeans.” I leave with 2 pair (but they were only $14!).

3:00 PM (shower + 22 hours)--We wander Miami Beach checking out the shops and killing time. We all agree that Miami Beach needs a few more tattoo parlors. Somehow, we end up in a Starbucks.

5:00 PM (shower + 21 hours)--We return to the airport to wait for our flight to La Paz. I work on my sermon in a Starbucks. Others watch movies, read books, or wander the airport. Barb beats me and Scott in Bananagrams.

9:40 PM (shower + 25.5 hours)--We board our 10:40 flight to La Paz. We have all hit the wall travel-wise, and we are smelling pretty ripe (15 hours in 90-degree-90-percent-humidity Miami doesn't help). But, we are finally off to Bolivia. The feeling is surreal.

Wednesday June 9th
6:00 AM (shower + 34 hours)--We land in La Paz (elevation approximately 13,000 feet). The elevation sickness hits me immediately as I leave the plane. It's a combination of fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. I have never felt like this before. We meet up with our fearless leader Juan Pablo and his trainee Jorge and head to breakfast. We catch up with Juan Pablo and enjoy Bolivian cuisine.

9:00 AM (shower + 37 hours)--We board our flight to Cochabamba (elevation 9,000 feet). For the second time in my life, I get sick on a plane. I think it was a combination of high altitude sickness, dehydration, and lack of sleep. Fortunately, the flight only lasts 30 minutes.

10:00 AM (shower + 38 hours)--We land in Cochabamba. There to meet us is a group of kids from the Food for the Hungry sponsorship program. I recognize several of the kids from the packets we distributed at church. The kids are elated to see us—they give us all flowers and sing us a song. The director of the program tells us that they had been there since 9:00 and that the kids were enjoying seeing airplanes for the first time.

11:00 AM (shower + 39 hours)--We arrive at our hotel in Cochabamba. This really is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful.

Today we are just going to relax and recover from our flights. We will meet some of the workers from Food for the Hungry and learn about what the week has in store for us. Tomorrow the work begins!

Thanks for praying for us as we traveled. We didn't have any hiccups—no lost luggage, no hassles about visas—it was seamless. The representatives from Food for the Hungry are excited to see us and the team is eager to get to work. I will keep you updated as the week progresses. Right now, I need to take a shower!

Hardware Test

I am in the Gig Harbor Forza testing out my video and Wi-Fi capabilities. I figure that if this doesn't work at the Gig Harbor Forza, it's definitely not going to work in Bolivia.