Wed June 9th - by Matt Knowles

Today was an unbelievable day!!!! It was a hard working day between the continued construction projects at the school, the VBS program, and the painting projects at the Seminary.  Alot has been accomplished in terms of works, but even more has been accomplished in terms of changing of peoples hearts. We all are changing, the mission team members, the children, and the full time workers at Talita Cumi! There were several highlights from today that need to be mentioned. One of which is one that I had while bending rebar and making forms for concrete columns......so to summarize my hands were killing me from two solid days of metal work that I cannot really even describe (Lets just say....Its amazing what these people can accomplish with the resources that they have available), it was early and I knew I had a full day of this bending ahead of me, and all of a sudden VBS started up next door and I heard the most beautiful singing in the courtyard.....the voices of children singing out Santo, Santo , Santo.....Santo, Santo Santo.  All my discomfort went away within about 15 seconds.  Tonight before dinner I listened to my son (Bennett) singing the same song in the shower...and it was even more beautiful, because I knew he was impacted just like I was earlier in the day.  Later that morning a little girl in the 4th grade (Fernanda), accepted Christ into her heart, as the gospel was presented......praise God! Even in the middle of a City of 2 million.....a soul was claimed, and who knows how many other hearts were softened as she made her commitment.  I watched  Fletcher get his first taste of a really hard day of work in the sun....I was proud of him, and proud of all the children as they have served in a number of ways and connecetd with the children here.  It is great to see them play soccer, random games and just hug on the other kids.  I had the privilege of watching Fletcher and Bennett make friends with Cesar, Tiburcio, Yoselyn, Yain Carla and Juan Carlos.  I have watched my wife get bombarded today with hugs and kisses from the children. (One child Grismaldo who she had not even talked with just came and climbed into her lap today at lunch to read a bookmark to her in Spanish). Nicki had no idea what he was saying, but he was as happy as he could be to be in her lap and receive her hugs.


Just know that these people have nothing by the worlds standards, but I have now met and made friends with my Bolivian brother's and sisters in Christ.....and I have never felt more a part of the Body of Christ, and I have never felt more connected to EUMC.  Please continue to pray for us as we prepare to leave this place and say our goodbyes....tomorrow will be an emotional day as we leave these children and our new friends.

God Bless!  

Monday, June 7, 2010 by Vicky Jackson

The week-end was great, but it is time to get back to work. We started off our day with another hearty breakfast at our hotel. We met in the lobby at 8:00am to pray and get our schedule for the day. Then, we piled into our one bus and headed for our work stations. We were able to hold VBS outside at the school today, since it was not raining. When we arrived at the school, all of the children were outside celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day. They were singing and dancing while we were getting ready for VBS. At the end of their celebrating, the children started asking some of us to dance with them. I grabbed my camera and took pictures. I know that Earl, Holland, Fletcher, Jessica, Susan, and Kasey participated in the dancing. I'm sorry if I left any dancers out.
Thanks to Jarrod and Jessica for providing live music rather than singing with a CD. We sang four songs in Spanish. Holland read our scripture which was about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Then, we had game time and craft time. While I was watching the children play the game, a little boy came up and hugged me and said, "Era muy bonita cuando bailaba" which according to Jessica means "You were very beautiful when you were dancing."The only "dancing" that I had done was the motions to the songs. After VBS, we had lunch with the children from Talita Cumi. Then, we separated the North Carolina team and the Kansas team. The Kansas team went to the market while we went to Elva's house. Half of us took a walking tour of the barrio which is a neighborhood. This was a humbling experience. The other half stayed at Elva's and had empanadas and cunapes, which is a kind of cheese bread. Elva is the one that Ebenezer gave money to help build her and her children a new house.It was so great to be able to meet Elva and her family and to be able to see the house that we helped to build. Then, we went to the market and the Kansas team visited with Elva and walked around the barrio.
We returned to the hotel for a one and one-half hour time to do with as you choose. Then we went to supper at a place called Los Lomitos, which is Kasey's favorite place that have been so far. Then, we went back to the hotel and had our devotion time which was about being a servant. Now, as I finish this blog, It is about 12 midnight and I am in great need of some sleep.
Thank you for all your prayers. Please pray specifically for Donnie, our Fearless Leader. He wasn't feeling well this morning, but he joined us at lunch. However, he has lost his voice and has to say what he wants to say in someone's ear and have them talk for him.

Sunday 6/6/10 by susan hinton

We began our day with a scrumptious breakfast at the hotel. Allen was telling the Kansas team everything embarassing I had done on the trip so far; the funniest thing was I was falling asleep the whole time I was on the plane filling out the customs forms, so I had checked that I was a male professional tourist and mission trip volunteer, I had traveled by sea, air and land to get to Bolivia and we had 19 bags! We only actually had 5 so it was a good thing that Pam had the church praying for us through customs! Then I went to sit in the hot tub and there was a suction at the bottom that tried to suck my behind through it; I thought I was going to have to call security to get me unhooked! After breakfast we had lost one of our buses so we actually managed to cram 43 people into a tiny bus; we of course felt much closer after this! Then we attended church with the most awesome band playing in Spanish. Our praise band actually played and sang a few songs along with Laura from the Kansas team praise band. The church had several young people that danced with streamers and tambourines. We were blessed that Bennett's fever was gone and he was feeling better. Heidi had done a wonderful job of picking out restaurants for us to eat at that were economical and had delicious food. We did find out that in order to adopt a child in Bolivia you actually have to live in this country for 2 years first. And it is also getting more difficult for Christian missionaries to come to Bolivia. Kimberly is a student at Ontario but is here on a student exchange program and is rooming with us. We needed our clothes ironed so we called downstairs for an iron. About 10 minutes later a lady came up to the room, gathered our clothes and ironed them for us! We had a little bit of free time tonight so we went to the plaza to shop for souvenirs and actually go to to a Bolivian Coldstone! After devotions out by the pool we turned in for some well deserved sleep. Also, a special 18th birthday wish to Rachel Hinton.

Day 2 & 3

We attempted to update the blog last night, but spent so much time talking about what to put on it that by the time we got to the computer we were all too tired to type. So, here's a brief summary of the last couple days.

Friday morning was cooler and rainy, which put us scrambling to change some of our plans. The VBS we planned on hosting couldn't be held outside as planned, so our team set up at a local church and had the kids bussed over. Part of our team worked at the local school, repairing bathrooms and chairs, and the others did some work at Talita Cumi, winterizing the dining room and moving a load of dirt and bricks from a collapsed wall. We came back to the hotel exhausted and hungry, ready for our dinner at Brasargent, a local Brazilian steakhouse.

Today was our soccer day. We pulled up at a local soccer field and set up some stations, where we soon had around 60-70 kids playing soccer and getting their fingernails painted. We used this opportunity to present the gospel to the local children, and heard one man's testimony of how God performed a miracle to save his son's life. It was a very moving moment for many of us. Then it was on to Talita Cumi for a saltenos lunch and play time with the kids. After a short rest time at our hotel, we journeyed to the home of missionaries Bill and Bev Smith for a churasco, a giant Bolivian cook-out with many of the nearby missionaries and natives.

One of the things that really effected me tonight was the opportunity I had to visit with some of my former students from my time teaching and coaching at the Learning Center. My students mentioned several little things that I had said or done that stuck with them, and it made me realize that some how, in some little way, I was able to have an impact on the lives of these kids. This is a very humbling thought to me. Something I said more than two years ago is still present in the minds and hearts of those youngsters. What things do we say or do on a daily basis, without giving it much thought, that are going to have that sort of an impact on the lives of others? I am reminded tonight of just how powerful our words and deeds can be. It is important for us on this mission trip and when we get back home to be extra cautious about the impact we have on others. I can't help but think of the book of James, when he warns against the dangers of a loose tongue, and how it can set a great fire if not restrained. Through our words and deeds I pray that we will impact this world for God in a positive way.

In Christ,

Jarrod

Day One

We gathered at the church yesterday, loaded the trailer down, boarded the bus, and took off on an adventure. Twenty-eight hours later, we're finally ready to rest. Well, we were ready to rest several hours before this. We're finally ABLE to rest.

We arrived in Santa Cruz after a long plane ride to find bright, blue skies and warm breezes waiting us. After getting checked into the hotel and getting to know each other well, we went out to see where we'll be working; we ate a pizza lunch with the orphans of Talita Cumi and played some games with them, then toured the school where we'll be leading VBS. As the sun went down, we set our faces toward Pollo Moderno for a chicken dinner, then returned to the hotel, completely worn out.

We didn't start any of our work projects today, but we learned a lot. I know that God is already starting to work in us and through us, and that this will be His trip, done through His strength. In reading my Bible this morning, I read one of my favorite passages, and feel it is very appropriate for us to remember as we start this trip:

"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'"
-1 Corinthian 1: 26-31 (NRSV)

This is a comforting scripture to me. I like to think of myself as a pretty smart guy, pretty wise in my own right. But I know that my wisdom is foolishness in God's eyes, and what He does that seems foolish to me is ultimately something greater and wiser than I could ever hope to attain. We must approach our trip, and our lives, with this in mind. We will not succeed without the Holy Spirit working through us, speaking for us, moving our hands and our feet to His work and bending our minds and hearts to His will. No matter how far we manage to make it on our own, it will never be far enough. It is only through submission to the leading of His will that we will find success.

And if anyone disagrees with my assertion that we are "what is foolish in the world", I will leave you with this image of Bob and Donnie enjoying the giant gummi bears on a stick (and wish you could hear the high-pitched voices our team leaders provided these gummi bears with).

In Christ,
Jarrod

Have You Ever???

In order to travel to Bolivia, you have to get a pre-approved Visa from the Bolivian Consulate.  In an effort to save some money on the processing fees charged by our travel agent (about $1150), Neal Stancil and I drove to Washington, DC to hand deliver the Visa applications for our team.  What an awesome trip that was.  Upon return, Neal wrote a really funny "Have You Ever???" account of our trip.  Neal's account follows:

"Ok, bear with me….

Have you ever left North Carolina for Washington DC at 2:00 am in a car?...We have (Donnie & Neal). And we didn’t even stop one time.

Have you ever driven back in the same day?...We have. (but we stopped a few times, because our bladders where now awake)

Have you ever put money in a parking meter only to have it begin flashing “out of order” then you put in another quarter because you thought that should add up to the right amount of time?...I have.

Have you ever been to a bank that didn’t have a public restroom but had 8 inch thick bulletproof glass between you and the tellers (on the inside of the bank)?...You guessed it, we have.

Have you ever eaten one of those things that Donnie loves so much from Bolivia (a saltena), only you ate it at a strip mall restaurant in Alexandria, Va. because the nice lady at the Bolivian Consulate recommended the place?...We have (It was delicious by the way)

Have you ever tried to ask the waitress, who was a Honduran native for the recipe for above mentioned “Bolivian” food in “her” native language and she thought you were asking for your bill?...Donnie has. I came to the rescue with a google translation on the Blackberry only to find out that she didn’t know and the owner wouldn’t be in until 4 hrs. later...Yes - We Have.

All true but now for the rest of the story.  As we all know, Donnie is a great engineer, but did you know he is also a great banker?

Have you ever tried to withdraw $3000.00 dollars at an ATM?...Donnie has.

Have you ever filled out 23 deposit slips by hand for someone else’s account (Bolivian Consulate) at their bank (Bank of America)…..at one time?...Donnie has.

Have you ever been questioned by the lead consulate about the financial statements in your application after you just spent almost 2 hrs trying to deposit $3000.00 into his account?...Donnie Has.

Have you ever used the front seat of a '93 Lexus as an office to add 1 paid receipt for each visa application to each individual folder so they wouldn’t have to?...Right again. We have.

Ok, I’m almost through. All of the above mentioned “have you ever’s are true, and there are even some pictures to prove some of it (check out the "Washington Visa Trip" album on the Pictures page of this site).

Seriously, we went and we conquered. The visa applications were hand delivered with great care and relief. We had a great trip and our experiences today are a testament to the biblical writings, “that through God, all things are possible.” Yes it has been a long day, but what a wonderful day it was. I hope this brings a smile to your faces and Donnie, I hope when you read this on Tuesday (because I know you are asleep by now) that you are also smiling as much as I am while I am writing this."

Thanks to Neal for putting this trip on paper for us.
Donnie

Why Go?

This week is going to be a busy one for me. In addition to my regular, 40-hour-a-week job, I've got lots on my plate- leading our church's first Coffee & Worship night, Bible study, guitar lesson, grocery shopping, taxes, meetings... the list goes on and on, and I don't want to think about the pile ahead of me. But one of the things that is predominant on my mind this week is this upcoming Sunday. This Sunday, I'll be speaking at two different churches, delivering the sermon, in order to raise funds and awareness for our Bolivia trip.

I'm not nervous about speaking in front of the churches. I've been in front of crowds in one capacity or another as far back as I can remember, and feel just as comfortable there as anywhere else. My thoughts are, what am I going to say? I've been praying about this one for a few months now, and I still don't know what I'll say. But the topic that keeps circling my mind is, "Why go?"

There are lots of things in North Carolina that scream for attention. There are people in need here. There are orphans who need love just a few miles from my door. So why am I taking a group to another country to help the needy when the needy are all around me?

The most obvious answer is that God has called me to it. I don't think that foreign missions is any more or less important than anything that the church does. But God has given me a passion for the foreign field, and I must obey my Lord. As Jeremiah said, it is like a fire in my bones, and I cannot ignore or stifle it. But beyond that, why do we go on mission trips? One of the best answers I've heard to that question came from my friend, Kasey. Speaking at church after returning from a mission trip to Georgia, Kasey brought up that same question, and his answer was, "When you help out those you know, it's because you love them. If you go somewhere else and help people you've never met, it's because you love God."

There is also the impact that such a trip has on those who are going. While the work done on the field has an effect on those in the country being visited and meets the needs of the needy, the impact is far greater in the lives of the individuals who stepped out of their comfort zone on faith, witnessed the brotherhood of believers on a new, global scale, saw the greatness of God in ways never before experienced, and return to their homes touched by God. The people who go will never be the same. Though I've been on quite a few trips by now, even having lived in a foreign country as a missionary, I am still challenged and changed and shaped by these trips. Could God have used the apostles had he left them in their boats on the Sea of Gallilee? No doubt. But God chose to call those men out of their comfort zones, out of the areas in their life that they had always known, and used his grace and majesty through those 12 ordinary men to change the world.

That is why we go on these mission trips. Because when God changes you, he then uses you to change the world. And this world needs that kind of change.