The Last Three Days

I apologize for my lack of posts! The last couple days have been a whirlwind as I adjust to life back in the states. Jet lag, work and family are three words that can describe my transition back to life in Seattle. I am so thankful that I have some time today to reflect on my time in Bolivia. I realized that I haven't blogged about Friday, Saturday or Sunday... so here goes a week old reflection on some of my favorite days in Bolivia.

Friday:

Back when I was fundraising for this trip, I contacted my home church (Bethany Community Church) informing them about my trip to Bolivia. Rhoda, one of the short term missionary coordinators, emailed and asked if I knew Rachel Longton. I didn't, but I was thrilled to find out that she had volunteered with HOH for a year AND she grew up in the PacNW. Currently, she is a full time missionary living in Cochabamba. She works closely with her church and women in a local prison. She is also a nurse and goes to BCC. After that, Rachel and I emailed back and forth. She was such an encouragement to me as I knew no one in Bolivia. She gave me advice in regards to packing and preparing for the trip. God was already using her in my life months before I met her in person!

Thankfully, we got to meet up my last Friday in Bolivia. Phoebe (a Wheaton volunteer) and I met Rachel at the hospital. In the truffi, we talked about how she ended up in Bolivia and how Phoebe and I were growing while in Bolivia. Her church office is in a remodeled movie theater. We helped her put together bible study packets that she is using for women in the prison.

We then walked to lunch and enjoyed a delicious meal at a restaurant run by the father of her pastor. We had salad, soup and the main course for around $2.50. I love Bolivian prices! At lunch, we talked about the School Of Christ. It is a school that is basically a 6 week intensive seminary. For 8 hours a day students learn more about the faith, and on the weekends students do service projects. Rachel hope is that people from the states are able to come and attend the School of Christ in Bolivia, kind of like a retreat. We both agreed that the American church has lost its passion for Christ. Living for Christ in the states is so difficult because we are surrounded by distraction. We both hope that students in the states understand the gift that learning about Christ in a third world can bring. Away from distraction and materialism, students have no where else to turn but the One who made them. How cool! Anyway, if you are interested in going to the School Of Christ in Bolivia (only costs $300 for 6 weeks of food and your books) then here is the link. Here is the link to the School Of Christ International's website. Please check it out! Also, there will be a school in English and Spanish and many of the people speak english so don't worry about the language barrier!

Me and Phoebe with Alejandro (right) and his brother and mom

Rachel, Phoebe and I outside the restaurant

We then walked to the women's prison. The prison was nothing like I would have expected. Instead of metal bars and cells, the women live in what looks like an apartment complex. In the center were tables and chairs where the women were free to visit their families. We met with a group of five prisoners who had become or were showing an interest in Christ. Most of the women have children and are in jail because of drug use or drug selling. They are the victims of a cycle that will be repeated until people like Rachel stop it. These women need Christ and Rachel is showing Him to them. She has started a women's bible study and buys yarn for the women to knit hats and scarves with. The women do an incredible job... in fact, we are going to try and open an Etsy shop where people all over the world can buy their products. Anyway, these women often have long jail sentences. When they leave prison, most of the women go back to life on the street. Which, sadly, includes selling and using drugs. The cycle begins again and many women return to jail. Rachel has found that the best way to reach the women that are on the streets is through the prison. In the prison, they are free from the temptation of drugs and are normally free to spend time with Rachel. She has been mentoring and loving these women. You can see how much she means to the women in the way they look at her and respect her. The minute they saw us, their eyes lit up. Rachel informed Phoebe and I that the women don't get a lot of visitors because their families are normally ashamed of them. Phoebe and I each shared a passage of the Bible and then we read My Utmost For His Highest. The square was loud and there were lots of distractions, but I think the thing that meant the most to the women were that 3 American girls came to visit 5 Bolivian women who are often rejected in the Bolivian culture. And, though I don't have much to offer, I hope they understand that I came because Christ deeply wants them to turn to Him and because He loves them.

After the prison, we talked and debriefed and they headed back to her church office. After grabbing our stuff, we headed to her apartment. There, we had a wonderful Bible Study with her pastor and then made dinner. I love cooking in Bolivia. The fresh fruits and vegetables along with all of fresh ingredients make most meals healthy (at least the ones we cooked) :) and cheap. Go Bolivia!

The three of us showing our prison stamps

Phoebe and 'tumbos' a fruit specific to Bolivia

Making dinner! 

Friday was a day I will never forget. It is hard to cram all of our conversations and my emotions into a blog post, but I hope you got a sense of how God is using Rachel and her ministry in Bolivia. When humans give God their lives and all of their plans, it is scary. Why? Because we don't know where He will take us. When we let God take us where He knows He can use us best, we may end up getting criticized by our family and friends. They may not understand why God would call us to Cochabamba to work with prisoners or why someone would leave all the comforts of the states for a small hut. Yes, it is scary and weird, but it is best way to live. Giving God our plans is the scariest and most fulfilling thing a human can ever do. I saw that through Rachel. People questioned (and still question) her sanity as to why she feels God called a young-female-adult-single-nursing-degree-American to Bolivia. But, once you get past the craziness, you see the joy. Rachel has more joy than most people I meet. She has a purpose and peace. Rachel is living her calling and God is using her. So, her life might be abnormal and hard to understand but God doesn't call us to normal. He calls us to follow to Him. He might call us to a third world country, or He might call us to our hometowns. No matter where He calls us, if we are obeying Him I can guarantee your life will be filled with everlasting joy that can only come from Christ.

Saturday:

Not nearly as exciting as Friday, but I needed a day to rest before my trip. I packed, slept in, read, and journaled. Some of the volunteers and I walked around the compound and took pictures of the flowers and mountains to remember the scenery of the hospital.

The guesthouse

Last meal (a 'camp out')

Emily and I

The mountains and the unfinished hospital extension, the government won't let the hospital add on another wing

The hospital from the guest house

The group before Lydia, Anna and Allison left. :( 

Sunday:

Woke up around 6AM because I couldn't go back to sleep after realizing that today was the day I would be leaving Bolivia. So many emotions. We all went to church and I said goodbye to Rose and Rachel and Hannah (two sick volunteers).All of the remaining volunteers piled into a truffi (with all my luggage) and we headed to church. Church was great, but I could understand all of what the pastor was saying. However, he spoke on Ephesians 2 which is what I had read during my quiet time that morning. Pretty crazy! Ephesians 2 is on unity in the body. It was a great chunk of the Bible to read on my last day in Bolivia. I think God wanted to remind me that even though I can't speak their language the Christians I was leaving behind in Bolivia were my brothers and sisters in Christ.

After church we went to Chinese food and ice-cream. Outside the chinese restaurant I took pictures with all of the volunteers I would be leaving. :(

Me and Wheaton! 

Me and Westmont! 

Me and Jeniece

Me and Emily! 

Neco and the rest of the volunteers dropped me off at Rachel's pastor's house. That was hard. I wasn't expecting it, but one of my favorite parts of my time in Bolivia was getting to know so many amazing college students from all over the country. I loved hearing about their vision and their passion for medical missions. I loved hearing their stories. And we were able to encourage one another when we got discouraged. I made lifelong friends that I hope to see again, I am so thankful for them all!

I ate more delicious food at Alejandro's house (Rachel's pastor) along with his parents and brother's family. They all live in the same house, just on different floors. That is very common in Bolivia as their are big families and they all like to live close by one another. the afternoon was filled with great conversation and community. I loved hearing about Alejandro's passion for revival in Bolivia and loved talked about the future of the School of Christ.

In the evening we went to Casa Blanca for delicious tea and cheese cake as well as more great conversation. Rachel and Alejandro drove me to the airport and stayed with me until I needed to board my plane. Their kindness meant so much to me. While we were waiting I showed them pictures of my family and friends that were in my iPhoto. The genuinely wanted to get to know me more and made it so hard for me to leave Bolivia.

Rachel and I and the view from Rachel's apartment

The cheesecake and tea from Casa Blanca

Alejandro and I overlooking the city

And with that, I boarded my plane to Santa Cruz and left Cochabamba. Before long, I was home and in my own bed. Now, I am praising God for such an incredible trip and trying to catch up on sleep.

Thank you for all your prayers in regards to my trip. I know that God answered a ton of those prayers because I had no problems traveling, I was (for the most part) healthy the whole time, and was able to make some incredible relationships. God is good!