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This is past information that was sent out...
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 3:45 PM
Subject: We got the Passport The kids and I went out to camp for a few days so we would not be alone while Eric took a long bus ride to LaPaz to see if he could pick up my passport. Unlucky for him, he missed the night bus and made it the next morning. Lucky for him, he was still able to get there before the immigrations people closed up the next day and they actually released the passport to him right then. It seems that we will have to submit the passport again in April when I return (Eric will not be leaving Bolivia but for a short visit when the baby is due.) But, we will worry about that later. Thanks, the timing could not have been much closer seeing that the kids and I take off on Wednesday. Emily Monday, December 04, 2006 8:27 AM
passports Bolivia... In June we were to pick up my passport all completed. It has not arrived. Around Thanks Giving Eric sent a letter of complaint and request for my Passport to arrive in Cochabamba from LaPaz soon. They did nothing. Today, he called again. They said to call again on Wed. morning. If it is not here on Wed. morning he will have to make a trip to LaPaz (8 hour bus trip) to see if they will release the passport. With work to do at camp you can see our frustration - more days lost. We leave as a family on the 13th to Santa Cruz for our flight out on the 14th to the States. We have run out of time. Thanks for remembering us in your prayers and thanks for those who have remembered and have written to ask about the passports. Emily Tuesday, September 05, 2006 1:58 PM
More on Bolivia Today I sat at a Red Light: It had both red and green lights lit up. What a set up for a crash! I laughed as I thought about Bolivia. As we speak there are about 5 different marches, strikes and road blocks. This is what a few of their "causes" are. 1. Evo wants to stop Coca Leaf growing in one area. The people want it. 2. The people wish their town to be identified with a bigger zone so that they can receive more govt. money. 3. The people wish to run the church in one area. They say that they can get more money from the Catholic church if they are given positions and authority to run it. 4. The MAS, the political party in charge, wants to write the constitution and vote in all the laws with a 51% vote or the simple majority (50% of the people writing the constitution are from that party so what they would do is just sign things in their way.) But, the current constitution says before a law gets changed it needs 2/3 vote. This could stop the MAS from swaying the constitution for their benefit. The people want the 2/3 vote. So, there are school strikes and marches in the other "states"- departments of Bolivia. As for the other reasons for the civil unrest. Hmm, we are not sure what the truth is. I am not so sure that the people marching, congesting the roads, and burning tires know either. Just a quick note on how to pray for Bolivia and the strong holds keeping her from making any progress out of poverty. Monday, September 04, 2006 6:44 PM
For those who pray This week we tried to get out to camp. There were unexpected road blocks. The man who keeps the grounds at camp was to stay until we arrived. He did not keep his end of the deal. He took transport to the road block, walked around it, then he came to town. This left camp empty with no one looking after it. Last week. We did not go to camp when we usually do. During this time, some community members broke a contract with us. They dug a pipe line 5 blocks long and laid some pipe across camp land. The contract was to be finalized and signed this week. With POSSIBLE work beginning on THIS WEDNESDAY. So, what happened? Who gave them the permission? And how do we handle this in a Christian manner when it should not have happened? We are asking to be lifted up because anger is quickly getting the better of us. Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sunday Elections in Bolivia This sunday we have Elections here in Bolivia. This is a reminder to pray for us. These elections are to re-write our constitution. A Venezuelan airplane came carrying a load of Cuban medical supplies and a box of premarked ballots for Evo, the current President and his party, He is very much into banning Christ at all costs. He wants each school to teach the worship of the Earth and Sun God. You can see why we fear his party entering into the team to re write the Constitution. Saturday, June 10, 2006
Bolivia - Politics and Prayer I can make a pretty good apple crisp but when it comes to politics, especially Bolivian politics, I try to stay out of them. It is quite the saga here. She said, they think, can you believe, road blocks, riots, lies and bribes. However, this is what I know for now. I write about politics because there are 2 chance for prayers to make a difference right now. One, for Bolivian school kids and their future. The other for the whole country as they elect officials to write a new constitution. Here is a bit more detail. Fascism - Authoritarian - Fascism is a radical authoritarian political philosophy that combines elements of corporatism, totalitarianism, extreme nationalism, militarism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism. Those are big words to say, we are in trouble here. Evo Morales, who was elected President of Bolivia wants to be Fidel Castro or Venezuela’s President Chavez. He is a charismatic, violent man who relies on the words of Chavez and Castro to make his moves. His alliances with Venezuela and Cuba have led him to implement laws that bypass the Bolivian Constitution in the Education and Religion reforms. Starting in August, Evo has suggested that we copy the Cuban Education system. Evo says, Venezuela has done it, it must be good….A few of these changes would include: 1. Changing the name of the schools to Educacion Doctrinal Inical or “Initial Doctrination Classes”. The Universities would be changed as well to “University Bolivariano …then their name” The Bolivariano phrase would mean, “Government Union School of …their name.” 2. Trained teachers and students would be spies. These spies would be placed in the schools to notify authorities of any Bible or other religious teachings. (Venezuela has already fired 1,000’s of teachers and implemented their pre-trained spies into their schools, including students.) 3. Each school would have to teach the “activistist-ideologies”. Brain wash the students into the humanist doctrines. From pre-school on up. 4. Private schools would be government run and not free to teach religion. 5. I could go on but you get the point and the urgency. Venezuela has recently closed their doors to missionaries. This is a likely to happen here as well. Evo, Chavez and Fidel want to create a dominant power here in South America. They want a power such as Europe or the USA here on the Latin frontier. They are backing and pushing for other South American countries to elect Authoritarian, extremists as well. Peru just elected a President. One they did not like, but, the other choice was a man connected to Venezuela as well. Venezuela has now cut ties with Peru and turned to Columbia as they look to vote for a new President soon. Back to Bolivia… Evo Moralas promised to make a committee to create a new Constitution. This would consist of elected members who would spend 1 ½ years rewriting the Bolivian Constitution. Elections are next month. We worry about Evo’s party getting elected. We worry about Liberals getting elected. We worry about what Evo, who thinks he is King/God now will feel he can do while the new Constitution is being formed. I don’t know it all. I am not a politician, but it is clear that Communism does not work. The positive side of all this is that there has been more cues in Bolivia than any other country. Their govt. has never been stable. Every few years the govt. changes, every since their independence from Spain. So, this yuck stuff may not last. Or it may… it depends on what Congress we get to help or hurt the country. Keep us in your prayers. This is serious for us right now. It is getting bad, but it could be good. I heard once that 95% of people who suffer persecution prosper but 95%of people who prosper fail. I hope Bolivia pulls through. Turns to Jesus, the real Jesus, and heads up a revival in all of Latin America. Wouldn’t it be neat if he influenced even Fidel Castro? Wouldn’t it be neat if….God is big enough. Ask with us. Please go and pray. Eric, Emily and Family This sunday we have Elections here in Bolivia. This is a reminder to pray for us. These elections are to re-write our constitution. A Venezuelan airplane came carrying a load of Cuban medical supplies and a box of premarked ballots for Evo, the current President and his party, He is very much into banning Christ at all costs. He wants each school to teach the worship of the Earth and Sun God. You can see why we fear his party entering into the team to re write the Constitution. Saturday, June 10, 2006
Bolivia - Politics and Prayer I can make a pretty good apple crisp but when it comes to politics, especially Bolivian politics, I try to stay out of them. It is quite the saga here. She said, they think, can you believe, road blocks, riots, lies and bribes. However, this is what I know for now. I write about politics because there are 2 chance for prayers to make a difference right now. One, for Bolivian school kids and their future. The other for the whole country as they elect officials to write a new constitution. Here is a bit more detail. Fascism - Authoritarian - Fascism is a radical authoritarian political philosophy that combines elements of corporatism, totalitarianism, extreme nationalism, militarism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism. Those are big words to say, we are in trouble here. Evo Morales, who was elected President of Bolivia wants to be Fidel Castro or Venezuela’s President Chavez. He is a charismatic, violent man who relies on the words of Chavez and Castro to make his moves. His alliances with Venezuela and Cuba have led him to implement laws that bypass the Bolivian Constitution in the Education and Religion reforms. Starting in August, Evo has suggested that we copy the Cuban Education system. Evo says, Venezuela has done it, it must be good….A few of these changes would include: 1. Changing the name of the schools to Educacion Doctrinal Inical or “Initial Doctrination Classes”. The Universities would be changed as well to “University Bolivariano …then their name” The Bolivariano phrase would mean, “Government Union School of …their name.” 2. Trained teachers and students would be spies. These spies would be placed in the schools to notify authorities of any Bible or other religious teachings. (Venezuela has already fired 1,000’s of teachers and implemented their pre-trained spies into their schools, including students.) 3. Each school would have to teach the “activistist-ideologies”. Brain wash the students into the humanist doctrines. From pre-school on up. 4. Private schools would be government run and not free to teach religion. 5. I could go on but you get the point and the urgency. Venezuela has recently closed their doors to missionaries. This is a likely to happen here as well. Evo, Chavez and Fidel want to create a dominant power here in South America. They want a power such as Europe or the USA here on the Latin frontier. They are backing and pushing for other South American countries to elect Authoritarian, extremists as well. Peru just elected a President. One they did not like, but, the other choice was a man connected to Venezuela as well. Venezuela has now cut ties with Peru and turned to Columbia as they look to vote for a new President soon. Back to Bolivia… Evo Moralas promised to make a committee to create a new Constitution. This would consist of elected members who would spend 1 ½ years rewriting the Bolivian Constitution. Elections are next month. We worry about Evo’s party getting elected. We worry about Liberals getting elected. We worry about what Evo, who thinks he is King/God now will feel he can do while the new Constitution is being formed. I don’t know it all. I am not a politician, but it is clear that Communism does not work. The positive side of all this is that there has been more cues in Bolivia than any other country. Their govt. has never been stable. Every few years the govt. changes, every since their independence from Spain. So, this yuck stuff may not last. Or it may… it depends on what Congress we get to help or hurt the country. Keep us in your prayers. This is serious for us right now. It is getting bad, but it could be good. I heard once that 95% of people who suffer persecution prosper but 95%of people who prosper fail. I hope Bolivia pulls through. Turns to Jesus, the real Jesus, and heads up a revival in all of Latin America. Wouldn’t it be neat if he influenced even Fidel Castro? Wouldn’t it be neat if….God is big enough. Ask with us. Please go and pray. Eric, Emily and Family
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January 2006
Hang in there, it is a long one!
Politics:
There has been peace since the December 18th election of Evo Morales -an
uneducated, coca farmer (coca as in cocaine not chocolate) and a known
leader of the “cocaleros” (the union of coca growers) was elected
President. Supported by Cuba and Venezuela, Evo and his party have made
many people take a deep breath and wonder what will happen next. Their
known anti US policies, their violent past (their party succeeded in causing
such unrest among the impoverished that the last 2 presidents in 2 years
resigned and one fled the country) have many folks walking around shaking
their head. Evo and some of his party members return this week from a Cuban
sponsored tour of Cuba, France, Spain, South Africa & China to make
important social contacts. His swearing in ceremony is January 22. During
the last several weeks that we experienced peace, we can’t help but wonder
what sort of unrest would have arisen (initiated by him) had another
president been elected.
In the book of Jude Christians are given their purpose and their role when
things like this happen: Verse 22 - 23 “But you, dear friends, build
yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep
yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others
from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear- hating
even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
Ministry:
Starting in November when Bolivian schools got out, the camp started
hopping. There were World Vision camps (Children from villages around
Bolivia), Children’s camp, Adventure camp, Teen camp and independent camps
(church groups who rent the camp). The themes are as varied as the groups.
Some groups are learning about the “Easter story”, some creationism, others
Abraham. Many of these camps aren’t planned quite like camps on the state
side. We plan as much as we can. We program and staff but, most of our
running around happens at the last moment when the busses show up. It is
only then that we know how much meat, rice and potatoes to buy. We find
ourselves running around for hours trying to make the supplies meet our
needs as the number of kids increases up till the moment the busses are
pulling out.
We had the pleasure of having two nice folks from North Carolina visit us in
December, Dave and Dana Cadwell. Dana is a knitter and weaver and with her
motivation we met quite a few women in the village around camp who knitted
and wove beautiful items. She was able to buy many items to take back to
sell in the craft shows in her area. The proceeds will be fed back into the
local church. They also planted, weeded, mowed and cleaned. But, the
biggest thing we did with them is to bring Christmas to the village. Our
Annual Christmas Program for the village is sponsored by their church in
North Carolina. Through this sponsorship, we were able to give gifts to
over 700 children and their parents as well as do a bit of evangelizing. A
week later we were asked to share the extra gifts with some kids about a 30
minute drive from camp. We loaded the gifts (a puffed corn snack with a
sprinkle of sugar - it tastes like Styrofoam but is very popular - a sucker
and some plastic toys) and headed down the road with one very excited man
yelling out the window, “Everybody, run to the school, Christmas is on its
way.” In the end, we were served some boiled potatoes and something
similar to cottage cheese and told that the people in this part of the
village wouldn’t block the roads or charge us a toll the next time we took
our Adventure Teams down their road. (They blocked the roads the last time
Eric went to pick a group of hikers up thinking Eric was the DEA searching
for drugs.) It was a good peace-making venture, I guess.
A peek at our week:
We were forced to have a quiet week this past week. Eric had only one or
two things that had to get done in the city, one was to renew his driver’s
license, the other was to take the car in to the mechanic. Not as simple as
it seems but, no worries, there is a happy ending. This is how the week
unfolded. Monday he stood in line at the police station all morning waiting
on his turn. He was 7th from the door when they came out and announced that
they were closing for their 2 hour lunch break so, he had to return in the
afternoon. This time he was able to start the papers but they closed early
so he couldn’t finish them. He returned on Tuesday to complete the process
and was told to return on Wed. to pick up the license which wasn’t finished
when he arrived and he was told to come back on Thursday to see if they had
finished it. They did! But, in the meantime, he took the truck into the
mechanic so he was without wheels all week. When the mechanics called us,
they had taken everything out of the truck to get to the clutch and they
needed some parts. Eric had to run to town to pick up the parts the
mechanic was going to need (have you ever carried a Land Cruiser clutch on
your back in a back pack while riding a bike?) Well, Eric tried but he had
to take a taxi instead because he had to carry the old clutch to town to
compare it to the new one before he bought it so there would be no mistakes.
Two clutches too much. We hope to pick the car up Saturday. All was well
though, these little things kept Eric home more and we enjoyed his company!
We can’t believe it is almost February. January flew by. The kids are
great by the way. Thanks for all your prayers.
Prayer Requests:
-Evo is traditional and superstitious. Pray that God will use that to turn
him around.
-Safety to,from, and at camp.
-Faithfulness
Praise:-We are thankful for the peace that passes all understanding! Among many
other things!
Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not
show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what
is right.
Blessings,
The Lizarazu Family
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 7:22 AM
Subject: Water War Things seem to be in progress. Those that were working on their own behalf and lying and doing things illegally were confronted. The head guys were there (sort of like mayors) and told them to do everything with papers and in the "right way". They all agreed to stop forcing their way in and doing things without permission. The new tank is out of service due to the fact that the man of low character I was speaking about has all the people very scared (poison in the water system etc.) They want nothing to do with the new tank. So, we will continue to work with the people in the town. Thanks for your prayers. Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:05 PM
Subject: Water War Urgent Prayer Request As we speak, Eric is on his way to camp. This morning he got a call from the care takers. The villagers want to force their way on to camp property to get water. We have bent over backwards to give them water. Last year we donated the land for a new water tank and helped lay piping to the village. They unfortunately placed the pipes close to a neighbor who is of low character. This man of bad intentions wants water for his community as well, so he fills the water pipes full of sewer and the village gets bad water. They came to us with their minds made up on how to solve the problems. They acted on their own beliefs etc. and not our suggestions of moving the pipe. They want to abandon the new tank and use the old tank. We worked with them on some issues and told them that they would get only water given to them after the camp had enough water for themselves. Whether this was communicated with them or not, we do not know. There are several threats going on for the camp, and the camp staff. Some of this may be due to the fact that Evo says that much of the private land can now be owed by poor people and they have the right to take over. Some of this is due to the fact that they are ill informed. None the less, Eric is headed out with Jose Luis and they are headed out to "work" with these people. The mission keeps getting these letters from the community and the mission asks us. So, what do you think we should do. They are always on our side. That is good! Keep Eric and the camp team in your prayers. October update: October 23, 2005 Hi everyone. We are well. Thank you. We have had more trips than usual out to camp and we are feeling a bit tired. Our responsibilities seem to be growing and our list never ending.
I have a few stories for you all. There are more where these come from but I will keep this letter short for all of you busy folks.
In the past 2 years Bolivia has had 3 different Presidential leaders. Two were kicked out due to civil unrest and the inability to please the two dominant groups here in Bolivia, the educated and the uneducated. Bolivia is now preparing for elections in December. Civil unrest is sure to raise
its ugly head. We ask for your prayers as this time comes closer. Each group has their party members campaigning, one group MAS means more drugs and very little in the way of laws or rules. They are responsible for stirring up lots of Civil unrest. The sad truth is that they are growing in popularity with their Robin Hood approach to take from the rich and give to
the poor. Our trip out to camp takes us through many villages who support the MAS group.
A new tactic. October through February there seems to be lots of time for celebrations to idols. These idols take the form of “virgins” in the Catholic Church. There can be a “virgin” for any occasion or day of the week. There seems to be a new tactic to raise money for these celebrations. The village people block the road with a rope to make a make-shift toll
booth. They stand at your window asking for donations. Their zealous intent is so real. Their anger and surprise at us when we say no thanks and drive off is real as well. The rope and the amount of people are intimidating. If I was alone and not bold like Eric what would happen? How
many other Christians are pressured into giving to the idols due innocence and or fear? Life for most poor Bolivians is so hard! It is amazing the depth of struggles the poor of this world face. It is unreal the amount of corruption we hear about and the consistent unjustness of it all... The village is growing but many still struggle. Many single mom’s raise 4 or more kids on potatoes and rice. A little boy playing on the camps soccer field ran up to us. He simply asked us for shoes or clothes. He was about 8 years old and had wet muddy sore looking feet. We had to tell him we didn’t have anything his size on hand but told him to come back in a week and we would find him some shoes. There was a schedule change at camp and we didn’t have time to shop that week so, when he showed up I scrambled to find him something as I had promised. I found a pair of pink flip-flops I use in the shower. With some embarrassment, I took those pink garage sale flip-flops I had brought with me and gave them to him. He was thrilled. What gratefulness! He wore them out of the camp with a smile. Having too much stuff clouds our ability to be thankful doesn’t it?
The medical needs of the people in the camp area are incredible. Some simple illness left uncared for until it is too late and they need some drastic care. On several occasions, people come to us asking for money for meds. On other occasions we have been used as an ambulance to carry people to the city. These are opportunities to be a living witness. We hope we are doing our job well and pleasing to the Lord.
We need your prayers. It is a world without Christ down here.
The camp is so busy and there are so many opportunities to teach each week.
There are always issues of staffing, money, maintenance, transport, weather,
and politics. Two members of the camp team are facing some difficult times right now as well. Please pray as they work through them. The Lizarazu Family Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 2:55 PM
Subject: Bolivia
Keeping in touch, It has been a good month. We have finally gotten our truck switched over to natural gas. It seems to have not lost as much power as we thought it would. That is good. We are saving about 60 percent in gas costs.
The spring rains have started and this very dry city is getting cleaned up a bit. However, there has been several outbreaks of Typhoid Fever. I do well with the dirty conditions and all but every once in a while, I get a bit nervous. I do thank God for keeping us healthy and safe from so many of these illnesses.
We had a neat camp with a city school. The director had been out to camp 30 years ago but never really liked the Christian atmosphere. However, he decided a camp was the thing for his students so, we accepted. We normally only accept Christian schools and churches, but, they rented our staff and facilities and they gave us freedom to teach whatever we wanted. These kids got 4 days of the Gospel! There were many positive responses too. The director liked it so much he contacted several of his friends and wants them to go to camp as well. The only condition is that WE, as a staff, have freedom to teach the Gospel.
Just keeping in touch. We would love to hear from ANYONE. Emily for us all. Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 3:26 PM
Subject: passports A quick request: Aug. 05 we started some paper work. It all expired when 06 hit. We started over. Got it all in by May/June and were to pick up our passports 30 days later. It is now Oct. and no passports. Seems like a man got fired in LaPaz. The passport checker, was issuing passports to folks from China so they could head to Europe and get jobs. So, our passports have been sitting in LaPaz for some time. We hope to get them back before we travel in Dec. I am going with the kids to my mom's for Christmas and will stay until I have the baby in Feb. So, we are waiting. Can you please pass this on and pray during the Missions meeting for a return of our documents (Completed.) Thanks. EM We also have to do a little work on the girls papers but not as much. Supposedly! SEPTEMBER 2005 NEWSLETTER 2 Corinthians 10:18 "For it is not he one who commends himself who is approved but the one whom the Lord commends." It is truly a task for me to sit down and write these updates. It isn’t because we wish to hide things from you or that we don’t like to communicate with all of you. The task lies in the pressure to please, the pressure to awe to entertain. My hope is that our letters will reveal the truth, the needs and the way of life we lead, but most of all, what the Lord has and is doing for us. First off we must brag on the kids because they are just so precious: Benji is doing well. He just turned 5 years old. He is glad to be back in Bolivia. He told us, “I remember Bolivia, but I don’t remember it like THIS.” So how does he remember it? We aren’t too sure. Lydia: She is as funny as ever. She loves people and she has picked up quite a handful of Spanish, which she used simultaneously wither English. She isn’t afraid to mess up the words and she will go up to a stranger and talk to them in English/Spanish, expecting them to follow her lead. It is very cute! Ellie, well, Ellie is a handful. She does not sleep well and seems to always be fussy, we ask for your prayers concerning her. When she isn’t fussing, she has the personality of a joker. She loves to get a smile. She has taken her first steps and we can’t believe she turned one this month. We have two new additions to our family: Rocky and Candy. They are little Cocker-mutt mixes and they seem to be good puppies so far. Our work
Jake and Sarah Wetzel were the camp administrators for 21 years. They recently retired and handed the camp over to Bolivian leadership. Eric has taken over Jakes’ role at the camp. He manages small projects and maintenance and general planning and... There are 5 families who work together to run the camp. It is neat how each has strong points that work just as the Bible mandates. As a family we stay at camp about 2-4 nights a week. We come back to the city to wash clothes, organize and take a break. Home
I welcomed the advice of one seasoned missionary. She told us that whenever they went to the states and stayed for an extended time it took them from August until December to get back into the groove of things. Doing house projects, fixing the car, taking over at camp, and doing immigrations for me and Benji has left us feeling like we are chasing our tails. We are lad though. We have thought about completing may of these projects for the past year so whenever we get even just a small project done it feel so good. Cochabamba is a dry place, but we seem to have a dry neighborhood. We buy our water from a water truck but we hope to get water at our house early next year or so. When this happens, we hope to hook up a water heater. This will make our pocket book happier! The water truck is “expensive” as well as inconvenient and our shower is electrically heated and appropriately named “widow maker.” Soon, someday we will have water pressure and hot water...I can’t wait. We hope to get our car hooked up with a natural gas tank. But, first we must do some welding work and get the spare tire moved and do some other preparations. This has taken almost a month of taking the truck in and brining it home and it still isn’t ready to have the tank mounted yet. But maybe ‘tomorrow’ it will be read?!!! This tank will save us 60 percent on gas costs getting to and from camp. If this had been my first trip to Bolivia we would have been overwhelmed. Lucky for us we know the ropes. We know where to buy the groceries. We know the kids in the neighborhood. We know a good doctor and pharmacy. It seems right to be here and even though we have some adjusting to do, it has been doable. God allowed me to get my ‘feet wet slowly’ and this time back has been the easiest so far. I have a lady who helps me wash some clothes, by hand and she helps me clean the house a git. She is a neighbor and very flexible with our camp schedule. Her kids are grown and she is very poor. Her family is in shambles and she and I pray together and read some scriptures together. The Bible has its own vocabulary and she is patient when I stumble all over my words. We are grateful for her help. Church
Eric will not continue as an Elder at church. He will however help to organize and assist the mission committee at church. We were going to Benji in AWANA, the memory verse program at church, on Sunday afternoons, but the vocabulary is a bit too much for him right now. We may wait it out this year and start him next year in the Spanish program. We miss you all and think of you often. We do not have internet right now, gbut we hope to get it in the future. We can read our messages at the camp office and I hope to get our website loaded with some cool pictures soon, so please keep in touch. We hope there are still some of you planning a trip here in the future. Camp needs a new boundary wall, a new kitchen and a bathroom. You should visit our website and see the latest pictures. The website is www.BoliviaMissions.20m.com God takes care of us..Blessings!! The Lizarazu Family e_lizarazu@hotmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 4:39 PM
Subject: Bolivia
We have made it to Bolivia. Eric has been singing, ever since we got here. Our house was in good shape and we are working on signing more papers. The funny thing is that I worried about losing the house and the owner worried about us not wanting the house when we got back. We were both relieved to talk things out. Another neat thing, Our post office box was not paid for, for two years. Eric walked in and the lady said, I have your mail in my hand marked for return. today was the last day that I was going to keep it. Here you go. So, if you sent us a letter, we got it! We are trying to get adjusted to the food, the altitude, the dust, among everything else. Benji is getting tired quickly and is really, really acting out. Ellie just cut 4 top teeth almost at once and we fought a 104 degree temp. for 5 days. Lydia is loved by everyone and everyone loves her. Thanks for your prayers. We do not have internet yet. I am at a internet cafe. (I am anxious to get out of it too.) I must run. em for us all June 11, 2005 We are finally home!!!!!!! The long awaited return to Bolivia has now arrived, BUT, not without a bit of unrest. We set our travel plans for the 14th of June. Our family and friends living in Bolivia advised us not to return at this time ????!!! We checked the news and sure enough, the people were striking and rioting. Several main cities had been closed for as long as 16 days with no gas, oil, or food getting in. The demads? The resignation of the 2nd president in 2 years, the first one resigned in 2003. Why? !!! There are groups of Campesinos (peasants), Union workers, Miners, Teachers, University students, etc. lead by people with evil intent, who invoke and threaten the peasants to march, strike and make demands on the government. Some of these requests are legitimate, some however border on rediculous and unreasonable crossing over international laws and contracts. Some of the requests are: We need to nationalize the gas industry and rewrite Bolivian Constitution; We want land and if the goverment does not give to us we will take it by force, and many more. If their needs are not addressed, the Campesions (peasants) will retun with more insistent measures in an effort to force the government to meet their demands. On the 10th, the people pressured Congress into accepting the resignation of the next two people in line to take over the Presidency. So, now the Chief Justice is the new President, Dr.Edwardo Rodriguez, and he hopes to set up a call for early elections so the people can choose a "real" President.
So, our trip was on again, off again, on again? I was a bit emotionally frayed as well as Eric. We packed a little and stopped. We didn't know what to do. It is a big trip and if we were to leave in two days or two weeks determined what we would pack. I have to prepare my mind as well. (An international travel warning had been issued for Bolivia and even though I have been there in some strikes, I have to get my mind/attitude in check). But, in the end, as of today, it seems that we are sticking with our travel plans of leaving on June 14th. It is one of those long trips with kids and we hope we all have great attitudes!
I guess that we need prayers in the following areas:
Peace and Peaceful solutions in Bolivia.
Guidence for the Bolivian Leaders.
Pray for those with evil intent. (Sometimes I have feelings of evil intent for the evil intenters)
A wonderful transition for us as a family. (great attitudes) June 3, 2005 10pm Eric's ceremony was today. I wasn't there but I hear it went well. Eric should have his US passport by or before the 13th. You should see him in a shirt and tie. (picture on the right) I thought it was special. I haven't seen him dressed up since we were married. Good thing I like REI gear. EM May 9, 2005 5pm We got a letter that said the ceremony will be June 3rd. Eric will be flying to Alaska (we are uncertain of the means, as of yet...) to particpate!!!!!!!!!!
Eric and Emily Lizarazu, 1501 Old Lee Hwy, Tuscumbia, AL 35674
Newsletter May 1, 2005
We are rapidly moving in on a year and a half of our stay here in the states. We originally planned for a 6 month stay max. 1 year. We have stayed with my parents here in Alabama and with my sister in Alaska. Homeless-???? No, blessed. Very blessed.
Psalm 65:4-5 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with good things of your house, of your Holy Temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
God gave us hope. I giggle at the thought but, we have literally lived day by day this whole year. Rushing to the mailbox each day, we had hope! Our spirits have been dampened a bit with disappointments but, we are alright.
Psalm 65:11 You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.
What Encouragement and Thankfulness! Each time we go to the store we have bought something for our trip back to Bolivia. Last year I bought Benji and Lydia an outfit that would fit them “when we got back to Bolivia”. I remember staying at Wal-Mart for a long time choosing sizes that would fit them in the future. They are using those outfits now. When I go shopping, I am most aware that what I have in my basket would not be there if it weren’t for the faithful supporters who continue to believe in us. I wasn’t raised in such a way that I knew people supported missionaries when they were not actually “working”. So, what a tangible way to see our Lord’s provisions!
Thank you all for praying faithfully for us. Our desire is to be a blessing to God’s Kingdom in whichever way he may want to use us. Your prayers are treasured.
Prayer Points
Psalm 66:3-7
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. Come see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf! Come let us rejoice in him.
- Bolivia’s political situation: For the political unrest which affects camp and the programs. The road blocks hinder us from holding camps and spreading the Gospel.
- Camp Volunteers: All of our counselors are volunteers. We want to cultivate good relationships with these youth and encourage them. Weekly meetings are held so they can get to know each other better as well as the camp programs. We want them to have a feeling of belonging and ownership so that they can grow and become more effective.
- Programs: Among the many programs held at camp (over 40) we have had the opportunity to minister to the children of World Vision. We have designed special programs for World Vision children due to the fact that there are 100 or more children per group. World Vision representatives in Bolivia would like us to help develop leadership programs for their employees as well.
- Finances: There have been some administrative changes in the mission (SIM) who once owned Camp Kewina. These changes have placed camp in a deficit of 4,000 US Dollars each year. There are several ideas of how this amount can be reached, but they all require some kick off money. We will keep you posted as we examine these options.
- Community Outreach: We want to be a blessing to the people in the village near camp. We want to reach out to the youth via VBS programs and other outreaches.
- Training: Some members of the camp team dedicate their time to train those who want to run camping programs. This as you can imagine takes a great deal of time and traveling, so please pray for safety, strength, and open hearts and ears of those who will receive the training.
- Outdoor Education and Adventure programs: (Eric’s passion) Currently all of these programs are in the experimental stage, there have been many lessons written and some trials but currently there is no one working in this area. There are however, several that are to arrive in Bolivia very soon. Among those are Karen Evans, Andrew Coox, Eric Lizarazu and his family. There are several Bolivian volunteers as well. John Jordan from Montreat will be coming down to Bolivia to share some of his training with us. In the future we plan to use this program to reach schools and universities and several others, such as youth groups, youth leaders, etc.
Pray for the Camp Team Members and their Families
The Cocas: Ciro, Sara, Abraham and Jocobo. They are the care-takers and camp hosts. Pray for Sara’s work at the village clinic, and wisdom as they are thinking about purchasing a piece of land in the city so that their children can have a house during the school year.
The Claures: River and Ana, Adriela, Obed and Maya. River is the president of the Red del Mundo Juvenil Bolivia (a youth group that connects youth all over Bolivia and South America). He also helps camp as the camp pastor. Pray for them as they are in the process of raising support from Bolivian Churches so that they can be full time missionaries in youth ministry.
The Wills: Carlos and Maria Elena, Ruben, Carlos, Alejandro. Maria Elena is one of the more seasoned members of the team and is in charge of training new counselors. Pray for safety and time as she juggles between family and church and camp and training. Pray for the children as they share their mom. Mari Elena is struggling with her boys now becoming teenagers.
The Wetzels: Jake, Sarah and their four girls. As you know they have been serving the Lord in Bolivia for over 20 years. Camp has been greatly blessed. They are about to retire and move back to the states. Pray for their health and for their girls.
Jhanet: She is the camp secretary and a committed Christian, but her brothers are off course. Pray for her brothers so they can go back on track and have a healthy relationship with their mom and Christ. Their father passed away and since his death, they have had a difficult time.
The Lizarazus: (Eric’s brother) Jose Luis and Vilma and Elisa. Jose Luis is the camp Director and administrator. Pray for wisdom as he administers to both his family and camp. Their greatest desire is to grow closer to Christ and honor Him.
In Christ Eric, Emily, Benji, Lydia, Ellie
Sent: Wednesday April 06, 2005 10:28 PM
Subject: Lizarazu update
Dear Prayer Friends:
Several folks have written and asked us what is happening in our lives. Sorry to keep you all hanging. We are still waiting. I have been waiting a few days and then a few more days hoping some new news would come our way, but, so far, nothing. Eric was informed that he would swear in in 3-5 weeks. That was 4 weeks ago and we haven't heard anything. So, we wait. Our most recent request before the Lord is that the notice will allow him enough time to get to Alaska from here. If it is too short of a notice, it may cost an arm and a leg. Our wait hasn't been too bad. It is spring down here, the trees are in bloom and we bought some baby chickens for my Dad. We have been really enjoying building a chicken coop and playing outside.
Prayer Direction for Camp Kewina: There is a group of children who are attending the camp. They are from a violent village. They know nothing about the Bible or the ways of Jesus. It is an exciting time. Praise God that they can come as well as that his word never returns void!
Pray for peace in Bolivia as well. Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 5:47 PM
Subject: Eric / papers
Today Eric was approved for Citizenship. It seems that all will be finalized in 3 to 5 weeks. Our prayers were answered today. They told us what to expect and when. We all breathed a sigh of relief as we swallow this new news. We give thanks for answered prayers. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Eric said there was some doubt that all was well today, but in the end, he was approved. Thanks for hanging in there with us. Eric will be flying back to Alabama today to be with us and he will turn around and head back to Alaska when we get the next notice. We will keep in touch as things come to us.
The news in Bolivia: Lots of unrest right now. Late last week there were several strikes, marches and deaths
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 1:48 PM
Subject: Bolivia
Chew! We were making plans to return to Bolivia. February 22 sounded nice. We asked God to clarify if this was the right move or not. He answered with a notice in the mail. (Don't we all love to hear from God in the mail) Eric has his last interview on March 7th in Alaska. We don't know what this actually means. It may mean he receives his Naturalization or he may be given a form to fill out and he has to come back again. He has to take his green card and his passport with him. We don’t know what this means. This uncertainty makes it hard for us to purchase a plane ticket 1 week or 2? It will be a gamble to get the best price for this unknown factor.
We are enjoying our stay at my Mom's down here in Alabama. It has been about 55-60 degrees here. Pretty nice. I have enjoyed the help with the kids too. I have a cousin who offered Eric a job. He works painting auto parts. Eric is so very ready to go to Bolivia. Bless his heart.
Keeping in touch...Thanks for your prayers.
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 8:05 PM
Subject: We've heard something!
A final decision will be made on our case in the next 3-4 weeks from now. We should be hearing a yes or a no very soon! God knows best! (He has already made the final decision and we are waiting to see what it will be.)
Thanks for all the prayers. It is our hope that this paper trial will be ending soon!
Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2005 11:45 AM
Subject: Happy New Year!
We are still visiting family. We spent Christmas in Arizona with my brother and now we are in Alabama with my Mom and Dad. We call Alaska almost everyday waiting on the mail. I wish we had some new news. Eric seems to be going stir crazy. Jobless and visiting in-laws.... The kids are enjoying themselves. Lydia got sick at Christmas and we had to take a trip to the ER. It was our first visit to the ER ever. She was having something like a cold induced asthma breathing problem. They treated her and almost kept her overnight. Other than that, we know nothing new. We covet your prayers and wish to keep you all informed.
Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 10:18 PM
Subject: Good bye party
DESPIDIDA
(GOING AWAY PARTY)
FOR: The Lizarazu Family
(No papers yet, but, we are moving out of state. After a short stay with my brother in Arizona we will wait out immigrations at my Mom's in Alabama.)
WHEN: Sunday, December 12th
5:30-7:30pm
WHERE: Alliance Bible Church, 941 E. Dowling Road (phone: 562-3238)
(ABC Kids Choir will be meeting in the sanctuary; the party will be held in the Fellowship Hall)
There will be a few Bolivian SNACKS to SAMPLE.
Please come and help us put a bit of closure to our time here in Alaska. We would love to see you all once more before we travel.
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 1:37 AM
Subject: dates
We have sent out a list for people who are garage selling and wish to help the camp in Bolivia. We are thinking it will be cheaper to send these things from Memphis to North Carolina than it will be to send them from Anchorage to North Carolina. What is your experience? If it is cheaper, would you be able to carry some tents and sleeping bags? A work team is traveling in June (we were supposed to go with them...) but, they are still willing to take items for the camp. Please let me know what you think? Emily
Garage Sale Wish List
All items are for Boliva and our ministry there.
We are looking for just the right deals and we need your help! If you happen to find any of the following items at a garage sale, Please, Please! Pick them up for us. (We are penny pinchers and these items are not wanted at full price hurts worse when they are stolen and you paid too much for it. So! If you find a deal, please help us, pick up the item and we will reimburse you if you wish. All items purchased need to be purchased by the first of June. We need to mail them to North Carolina. There is a work team going down that can take these things to camp.
Whisper Lite Stove:
Multi fuel systems needed (uses more than one kind of gas). If bought new, cost is around 70-150 dollars. We would like 3 of these . They are light weight stoves that are easy to pack into the mountains. Usually comes with a fuel bottle. You can see a picture of one of these stoves in any REI or Cabelas catalogues or web sites. (I will post a letter and some pictures at Alliance Bible Church).
Tents:
Any brand name: Weight, around 10lbs. NO CANVAS. Will hold 3-4 people. We usually like the 4 man tents the best because we can fit 5 people in them. Check poles and zippers. Stakes are not important. We could ship up to 6 tents if found. The cheaper the better!!!! (Eric found one for $1.50 at Salvation Army)
Backpack:
Any brand name. Light weight internal frame. Good for long day hikes/overnighters. (3,500 cubic inches or more). We would like to pay up to .00.
Sleeping bags:
Light weight. Rated @20 degrees or lower. We could ship around 10 of these. Price we would like to pay would be around dollars MAX.
Water filters or purifiers:
Hand held pumps for hiking, removes viruses, bacteria and cysts without chemicals.
A winch for a jeep: Just dreaming... A baby back pack:
We have one but it does not have “shade”. We need one with a sun and rain hood. We would like to pay up to .00.
If something is found after the first part of June. We can make arrangements. Our dates are not set in stone.
Eric and Emily Lizarazu Serving in Bolivia
9101 Little Creek Drive, Anchorage, AK 99507 Telephone: 248-2835
Updates will be made via e-mail
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 2:17 AM
Subject: No permit...
Psalm 33 8-11
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For he spoke, and it came to be: he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations: he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans fo the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Eric's permit to work outside of the US was denied. We were completely surprised to receive our denial letter from the US dept. of immigrations the other day. We had assumed the visa was a "sure thing". We read the list of expectations and knew we fit "perfectly" in the list of guidelines. We are now looking at plan B (Citizenship) or plan C ???? which would be to wait until October and reapply for the same visa.
We had just made the "big" decision to stay until October. Little did we know that we weren't really going to have a choice. God tells us to be anxious for nothing. He sees the bigger picture, doesn't He?!
We do not have a return date at this time.
Psalm 33: 19,20-22
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love...We wait in hope for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2004 10:37 PM
Subject: We've heard from immigrations
We got a letter requesting a bit more information from our Alaskan Immigrations office. This is a positive sign, we haven't been filed away forever! It seems we may get an extension until 2008. We haven't finished the process yet so if you remember it. Please keep it in your prayers. The process seems to be moving pretty quickly too. We will see. Emily
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 6:11 PM
Subject: The Black Hole or God is in Control
We arrived in Alaska during a beautiful snow storm. Everything was fresh and white. The crunch of the snow under our feet was music to our ears. Just recently the clouds moved away and a warm southern wind started bringing in freezing rain (ikk) But, the sky cleared up and out came the Northern Lights. Oh, I just love Alaska. However, most of you know that we are here to get a permit to stay in Bolivia but retain Eric's green card here in the USA. Here is how the paper work went: Eric turned in his papers to immigrations. I was expecting to have dates, or a "ticket" for an interview or something. But, what I expected didn't happen...They had never seen a form "470" before. They had no idea what to do with it. They asked Eric why he hadn't mailed it to an office in Nebraska??? He explained the rules listed on the web site for this form. They commented, "OH, Thank you." and they took his papers....That's it. We think they may forward it to Nebraska where they issue the permits. Well, that is our hope and our guess... My security level is about 0. I was ready to have a schedule. Now I feel like our papers were just swallowed up into a big black hole (or file). Eric says we prayed for it and he has faith. If I had even an ounce of his faith.... So, I am sorry that I can't give you any more details as to how long or if we will return on a certain date or not. But, we simply don't know any more at this point. Eric still feels we will be back in Boliva by June. He is not a worrier.
Eric also applied for a job at the hospital today to be a gounds keeper. We should know something by the first of next week. Please keep these things in your prayers.
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 9:15 PM
Subject: November update
Hello. Happy Thanks Giving! We are thankful because we have been given ALL spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Sometimes it is hard to possess these blessings and live as we should and can. All to often our mind is not set on the victory we own but on our current circumstances. Nine of these beautiful spiritual blessings are in Galatians: Love, JOY, Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
We have been very busy lately running back and forth to camp. Tying up loose ends to get ready for our short or long stay in the states. Yep, we are "frustrated" at the timing of our visit. It seems to be "bad timing" with so much going on at camp. It is camp season, school is getting out and there is so much to be done. We know that God’s timing is all too perfect and he guides our every step but, we feel as if we are dropping the ball and leaving many jobs unfinished here. Our trip back comes due to a visa restriction with Eric’s USA papers. We have to be back before the expiration date on his visa or we lose permission for him to enter the states at all. We have to reapply for a new visa for him. It may take one to six months or more. We hope it takes less time not more. It has been a strain on us to make flight arrangements not knowing how long our stay in the states will need to be.
We hope and plan to visit my parents in Alabama, then, IF POSSIBLE, take a short trip to North Carolina to visit some special friends, after that, we plan to head up to Alaska to complete Eric’s visa papers. (That is our home base and the office in which we started his visa work). Our trip begins on December 23 of this year. We will arrive at my parent’s house on Christmas day. I must confess, I am excited to see my Mom and Dad. It will be so nice for my kids to know their Grandparents too!
We have several camps planned before we go. We will be heading out tomorrow in fact. The caretaker is on vacation and we are his replacement. We will be doing maintenance as well as greeting groups who have rented the camp and making sure they have all they need. Our calendar is full almost to the day we fly out: Children’s camp, Awana Camp, an Adventure camp as well as a 3 day conference on Creationism in Santa Cruz. Our desire is that these camps and these conferences be a blessing to the kingdom, resulting in spiritual growth and development. Please pray that we are walking in the sprit as we complete these tasks for HIM.
Eric will be terminating his position as Elder in the Church. It has been a constant struggle to keep up with the demands of this position with all of our time out side of the city.
The political situation has calmed down somewhat. We haven’t seen much news because we have been out at camp. However, it seems that there is a 180 day calm while the new President tries to get on his feet.
- We take a hold of the Peace God gives as we "drop the ball" and plow through the paper work needed for the new visa.
- We experience God’s guidance with the right visa papers to fill out.
- Bolivia experiences God’s blessing of peace.
- A Thanks Giving: Lydia turns 1 year old on Dec. 1. And, we are all healthy here in a not so sterile world.
Thank you for partnering with us in prayer.
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 8:52 AM
Subject:
This was written by a former missionary and friend of ours. It states what has happed pretty well. Life has been stressful here for about a month. Congress just voted that the President had to resign. He was in Santa Cruz waiting for the vote and then got on a plane to the US. We will have some peace here for anohter few months until the new president kicks in any programs to progess and help the country. We will see what happens.
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2003 6:33 PM
Subject:
We are looking at a coup d'etat (a taking over of the govt. by the military). There is a group of people going to the "white house" to knock the president out of office. There has been lots of deaths in the LaPaz area and the violence is spreading down here in the Cochabamba area too.
We are fine. Just stressed about the lack of things that can get done due to the violence and the riots and marches. It seems like we waste so much time not being able to get places and get things done. But, the heart of the issue is the violence and the need for Jesus our Prince of Peace.
Thanks for your prayers.
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 8:52 AM
Subject:
This was written by a former missionary and friend of ours. It states what has happed pretty well. Life has been stressful here for about a month. Congress just voted that the President had to resign. He was in Santa Cruz waiting for the vote and then got on a plane to the US. We will have some peace here for another few months until the new president kicks in any programs to progress and help the country. We will see what happens.
Most likely you have heard or seen news of the current uprising in Bolivia. If you are in the North Carolina area, it would seem a war is under way. Though very serious, it is not as it would seem on TV. The real problem is political unrest between two world views. One: City & national leaders who want to bring Bolivia into the trading and international business, and the other an indigenousness movement that basically do not want anything other than to sell their coca to Colombia drug cartel and have nothing to do with the western world. The movement of the indigenousness leaders is not as supportive as it may seem with the numbers. In the neighborhoods families are pressured to join the protest (a real dilemma for the Christians) and if they do not join, vandalism to their property will probably follow. The actual violence is going on in the city centers and with sporadic protest in outlying areas. The government is taking a hard-line using massive amounts of gas and at times rubber bullets and live ammo.
I have just spoken with a Greg Hurst who lives in La Paz and he shared most conflicts are occurring in El Alto, where the international airport is and also in the downtown business district of La Paz. Most basic needs are available, but food is having a harder time getting to the local stores. Something needs to happen to help resolve this conflict, so clearly prayer could be away for you and I to help.
So I'm writing you to ask a big favor, would you please pray for Bolivia? Would you daily take 10 to 15 minutes over the next week and pray for this country? Pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into the conflict, into every heart. Please join with us in praying for a spiritual battle that leads to revival in all classes and people groups of Bolivia.
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 2:42 PM
Subject: In Bolivia
A trip to Turco:
What a fantastic trip! We are in awe of how God pulled our efforts into an amazing adventure. He kept us safe and delivered us from harm. He allowed us to minister and spread the gospel to a receptive crowd of children and adults in Turco, a small village in Oruro Bolivia. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer during this time.
On Monday the 14th of February, we got ready to go but we were running late. The last minute details put our departure time close to lunch. With the air in the tires pumped up to the max. We left Cochabamba with a full load. Ten Bolivian volunteers, two of which were certified dentists. About an hour out of Cochabamba we stopped for lunch. We inadvertently picked up a nail. A trucker noticed it before we did and signaled for us to pull over. It took an hour to change the tire in the pouring rain and we were told that the nearest llanteria , or tire repair station, was 10 minutes away. Obviously that was a Bolivian 10 minutes because it was closer to an hour drive with the spare tire on. It took about 1 1/2 hours for us to get the tire patched so we could go on our way again. Now our late start was getting later and later. Five hours later we arrived in Oruro. It was dark and we were hungry. We filled the truck with gas and went to grab a bite to eat. The soup we ordered was weird. It was more like water with a piece of boiled chicken in it than real soup. We ate it none the less cracking jokes about which region of Bolivia had the best cooks. Catching our second wind, we decided to head out again for Turco. We packed up and headed toward our road. It was dark and no one knew the area. So, it was slow going. There was over 100 more miles of unpaved road to cover. It just so happened that it was pouring down rain, this time with lots of lightening and thunder. The road was getting muddier and muddier as we headed toward Truco. The lightening was absolutely breath taking on this high plateau. We found ourselves shivering at the power of it all. God is so BIG! About 1/4 of the way down this dark wet road, we heard a familiar noise. Another flat? This time it was worse. It wasn’t just flat. It was a blow out. Eric managed the car well and it didn’t flip but it was sitting pretty lop-sided.! We were OK,WHAT A BLESSING! All the guys jumped out of the car to change it. It was very cold and rainy. It took an hour to replace the tire with the spare. (We were all glad we had the other tire fixed earlier so we were able to use the spare again.) All of the guys were wet and cold, so we headed back to Oruro to find a place to sleep. In Oruro, we had to drive around a bit to find a hotel that was clean enough yet cheap enough for us to stay in (12 B’s = $ 1.70 per person). We also had so much stuff in the car, we needed a garage to park the car in. We finally found a place to park the car, but we had to move some brick and rubble so we could squeeze in. It was such a tight fit that we had to crawl out of the back doors. The side doors couldn’t be opened.
The next day was spent looking for new tires. This took most of our morning. We found some used tires, and some new tires but it took all day to find a place with 4 tires that matched. Oruro being a fairly big city, had an ATM machine and Eric was able to get some money from our savings in Alaska to buy the tires he needed for our truck in Oruro. After we bought the tires, we had to go find a shop that could mount them on the truck. Finally, we could try again to get to Turco.
It was early evening when we arrived and we were having trouble with our contacts. No one understood why we were there or who we were. The church we went to help was a bit baffled too. One of the volunteers had some relatives in the village so, we arranged to stay in one small room at their house. Girls on one side, boys on the other. God had gone before us and this little communication failure didn’t slow us down. The Mayor of the little town allowed us to drive around with our microphone and announce the meetings to the surrounding houses. The town was small, about 6 blocks by 8 blocks with a population of about 500 people and 3 churches, Mormon, Baptist, and Pentecostal. Driving around with the microphone was fun and took only about half an hour. The kids ran out to stare at the new car in town that seemed to be talking to them. The Mayor’s assistant rode around with us translating our Spanish announcement into their Aymara language.
While we were driving around, the Mayor was busying himself getting the room cleaned for the dentist to get set up. The people started to pour in and we were ready. There was a team to manage the crowds, one to help the dentists, and another to manage and teach the children. Those next few days were busy days, passing out the gospel of Luke, puppet shows, hygiene classes, pantomimes, videos and visiting and with the people. An astonishing 500 teeth or more were pulled (pain killers were provided). The workers were saddened by the harshness of life for these people. Several people had 5 or more teeth pulled out, many children arrived malnourished and underdeveloped. Several were very ill. Others claimed to be in pain for years. Others, just needed mild treatment or attention. While some even suffered from a past visit to a dentists office that left raw gums and roots still lingering in their mouth.
We left some literature and other materials with the brothers and sisters in Turco. About 50 children showed interest in dedicating themselves to Christ and we ask for continued prayer for the leaders of the chuch in Turco. That they will not drop the ball, they will continue to preach and teach the truth. We are grateful that God’s word does not return void. We just hope the soil does not produce too many thorns in that area.
It was a nice and uneventful trip back home (yea) and we sat back and enjoyed the flat plateaus filled with llamas and sheep. We encourage anyone who wishes to come for a visit to hurry on down. We are filled with excitement and we are ready to head out on our next trip as soon as we can make arrangements.
(A little disclaimer: I, Emily, didn’t take the kids this time. But, you can think she is so tough and amazing if you want too,(smile) but, I really didn’t go. I just typed the letter.)
Thank you, so very much! For your support and your prayers.
We hope to send a picture or two at a later date but hate to send it over e mail due to the fact that many of you can’t open the letters sent with picture attachments.
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