Final Post

Hey all,

Some of you may have already heard the change in plans, but it turns out my work in La Palmera is wrapping up a bit sooner than planned. I travelled with the Minneapolis team to Santa Cruz yesterday and will be staying here with some friends until it´s time for me to head back to the States. It should be a very nice time of transition between working in La Palmera and heading back to my final, busy, year of University.

The past few weeks have been quite busy with the team here. As usual we kept them involved in all of the activities and were constantly on-the-go! We had our second camp out at the Chaco, for the younger kids. The theme was obedience and it was a huge success with dozens of salvations! One of my favorite things about the team being here was going to Church family homes for dinner. I went to 4 or 5 and was meant to translate at them. Despite being a bit nervous, I was able to translate so it boosted my confidence in speaking in Spanish quite a lot! Plus we always learn so much about the familes when we´re at their homes...

Well I gotta go get ready for the team´s last dinner in Santa Cruz. If time permits I may write some last reflections and thoughts before I head back to the USA...

Thanks to everyone for all of your support - financial, prayer, etc! It was a huge blessing and I´m very grateful.

God bless,
Laura

July 22

Hey all, Sorry it has been so long since I updated!

This is the first week back to classes as usual, although last week the staff came in for half-days of work. So I've been back in the second grade classroom as well as trying to finish up my filing in the office. The Minnepolis team will (finally) arrive in Trinidad this Saturday, so I'll probably participate in most of their activities rather than be with the second graders.

Two of the other volunteers are currently at home on vacation, so I'm the only American here! It's kind of interesting situation to be in! Although a man from Iowa is arriving today for a brief visit...

Next Wednesday we'll start our second camp, for the younger students. For the first time in years it won't be held at the school as we're taking them camping at the Chaco, where the older students go. Please ray for those four days to go well. Camping with children as young as third graders will be an interesting experience! Please pray for agreeable weather! :)

Tomorrow is Bolivia's Dia de Amistad (Friendship Day). It's sort of like Valentine's Day but more focused on friendshi. All of the staff at the school are doing a sort-of "Secret Santa" and giving friendship gifts! I have a friend selling me some nice perfume to give to the teacher whose name I drew. And then after class we'll all have a party. I remember being here for this last year - I'm felling awfully Bolivian lately! :)

Well I think that's about it. I won't let so much time pass before updating again!

In Him, Laura

July 5, 2008

Happy (late) 4th of July!

We arrived home from Villa Alba late yesterday afternoon and I am now CLEAN and RESTED! :)

The camp was a success and the trip in general went pretty well. On Tuesday-Thursday we spent the mornings doing praise & worship and teaching with the kids that came to the camp. It was a new experience for most of us as these children have never really heard the gospel message. We're accustomed to the La Palmera camps where everyone knows the Bible pretty well and is certainly familiar with the gospel. Only a few of these kids knew who Moses and Abraham are and not a single one had a Bible! But were (mostly) receptive to the messages and a good handful accepted Christ before the camp was over. Please pray that they will be able to continue growing and learning in their faith... there isn't really much opportunity for that in a place like Villa Alba.

In the afternoons everyone else did activities and sports with the kids, and I was able to work on my project! I went to 10 homes to talk with families and had a really great time doing it. It was extremely interesting and I learned quite a lot. Unfortunately my camera broke (too much dust!!!) so I didn't get all the photos I would have liked. I did, however, create a comprehensive map of Villa Alba and I should be able to pinpoint the village on a map of Bolivia!

Finally, in the evenings we had time just for the youth group that was leading the camp. We had teaching amongst ourselves and played a lot of games. In addition to the kids that were saved, 2 of the leaders from Trinidad became Christians as well! It was a good time of bonding...

As far as the primitive conditions of the trip, it really wasn't so bad. We ended up sleeping inside the school and I put up my tent inside a classroom! So I was pretty well protected from bugs. There was no electricity, but we did use a generator at times to play music and even showed a video the kids/families. Water was scarce... we only had it at certain times, but it always worked out okay! On the first day, the guys from the group made us a shower from some wood posts and a tarp. When we had water available, showering meant filling a bucket with water and using half of a coconut shell to wash! As I said, primitive, but really not so bad!

On the last day (yesterday), we spent the morning doing projects for the community. We split into 4 groups and went to 4 different homes to do whatever they asked us. My group completed deconstructed a tiny little house. I was actually thrilled with this project as it gave me the opportunity to see close-up EXACTLY how the home was constructed... and their construction techniques are actually quite brilliant. So we started by using ropes and teamwork to pull down the palm-leaf roof - as it fell we all had to run because dozens and dozens of bats came flying out of the roof!! After that we knocked the adobe out of the walls and then took down the wood and bamboo posts. We found - and cut in half - one snake and saw lots of bugs! It took us quite a few hours but I actually had a REALLY fun time! And I can now say I've used a machete! :)
The family we were helping was very grateful and helped us out with the deconstruction as well as making us lunch. I wasn't brave enough to try to raw fish (it looked like they had lifted it out of the lake, chopped it in 3 pieces, and set it right on the plate!) but I did eat some meat and drank Chicha.

After the service work we piled and the bus and headed home. Since arriving home, I've had three showers and slept in late this morning! :)

God bless!
Laura