When it Rains it Pours

The blessings always rain down at just the right time; last week, it was a literal rain.  A big storm rolled through which gave us almost an entire week of cooler weather--cold enough to wear long sleeves and sweats to bed.  It made for some beautiful days that we took full advantage of. Two Sundays ago when the cooler weather was just beginning, and Seth and I roped the boys into playing volleyball all afternoon (quite the accomplishment given their addiction to soccer).  We had quite the time diving around in the fresh mud brought on by the previous day’s rain.

God has been raining down more than just water droplets, though.  A week ago on Wednesday, we had yet another volunteer leave. Kayja, from Walla Walla, after much consideration and discussion with her family, made the choice to go home a few weeks early for medical reasons.  She had been dealing with a mysterious scab on her arm for 3 weeks, and finally decided to go home after receiving word from doctors in the US that it could be a serious fungus, parasite, or case of cellulitis. The blessing comes in the fact that, although our beloved friend, Kayja, had to leave, we’ve just received three new friends from Southern who have done a marvelous job of jumping right into the action.  We’re also very blessed to know that Kayja will be receiving the care she needs.

In being partly in charge of the budget, I’ve also found that the blessings can be like a barely noticeable drizzle.  There have been so many times where I’ve looked at the budget, considered the costs of the necessities, and, embarrassingly, been a man of very little faith.  But, when I look back on this semester, there has never been a time when God hasn’t provided the money we needed to get by. We don’t get huge miraculous donations, but, like a slow drizzle, we catch breaks here and there and always have enough to make it to the end of each month.

Last week, we had a couple of huge financial setbacks.  On Tuesday, I got on the tractor to find that the mowing blade refused to engage.  I took it to the nurse’s husband, Pablo, who looked it over and concluded that we needed to call a mechanic to come and fix it.  This might not have sounded so bad at the time if it weren’t for the electrician that had already been called to come fix the wiring in our house.  One of my boys tried using the dryer behind our house with a bad extension cord which caused the outlet to start smoking. It was an honest mistake that led to the discovery of just how bad the wiring in our house was.  After three days of work and many materials purchased, the bill wasn’t pretty. We got taught some hard lessons without electricity for three days, and gained a whole new respect for light. Of course, my tendency is to worry about how we will make room in the budget for repairs like this, but God has provided in the past, and I know He will come through this time, too.

Looking on the bright side of the budget, we now have the donations from my church in our account and have started looking for beekeeping equipment and a disc for the tractor.  On Thursday of last week, Pablo, Jorge, and I went for a little excursion to look at some beehives and protective clothing. We were able to order the beehives to be made by a carpenter and came up with a few leads for purchasing the clothing.  It appears that we will be able to get most of the bee equipment before I leave, so look for pictures in my final post from Bolivia in a couple of weeks.

Continuing on the theme of blessings, I have now finished my last weekend in the kitchen.  Being in charge of the kitchen can be extremely stressful, but this last time wasn’t too bad.  I actually felt a little emotional when I cleaned up counters and utensils for the last time. I would say it was our best weekend in the kitchen yet.  I was able to make some especially flavorful lentils with some spices I got in town, and Jorge made some amazing salad with boiled heart of palm (technically heart of motacú--a palm tree look alike and possible relative that is native to Bolivia).  As a final “hoo-rah”, Seth and I bought cheese and made empanadas for the entire campus. I think our food was enjoyed by all, which made for a great last weekend in the kitchen.

My favorite type of blessings are the ones that don’t seem like it at first.  Jorge approached me a few weeks ago with some criticisms about our youth sabbath school class.  He felt very strongly that we should teach from the Sabbath school quarterly as opposed to taking turns teaching lessons on whatever topic we chose.  He also wanted to divide the class into two smaller groups with a permanent teacher for each one. At first, I was frustrated by his proposed changes as it would mean I had to teach class weekly instead of every month.  I was also worried about teaching on a pre-selected topic instead of being able to choose something I was more comfortable with. In the end, however, I agreed to his proposals and took the position of teacher for the girls’ half of our Sabbath school class.

What seemed like an extra chore at first has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the week.  In reading the quarterly each week with my class in mind, I’ve really been able to extract the meat of the material which is useful in both my own personal walk with God and for teaching my class.  Because I spend all week in my house with the boys, it’s nice to bond with the girls during class for a change. They are just starting to get comfortable with me as the teacher, and even offered some commentary in our last class--something that never would have happened with the boys and girls combined.  Teaching Sabbath school weekly has definitely made my Fridays a lot busier, but has been more than worth it for the blessings gained.

This post wouldn’t be complete without recounting the Week of Prayer we had a couple weeks ago.  As coordinator for the boys’ sessions, I was extremely excited to see the results of my preparations.  We had a great week talking about being “Hombres de Dios”--Men of God. I got speakers to cover topics including knowing God, being a leader/provider, facing our fears, respecting women, and then finished the week with my own talk about overcoming struggles. On the last night, we did a very powerful activity in which I read a list of qualities, labels, and potential struggles out loud while all the boys and volunteers (myself included) crossed a rope on the ground if the phrase applied to us. (Ex. “Cross the line if you have a fear that no one else knows about”--all crossed the line for that qualification.)  In the end, it was clear that the kids and volunteers are (and always will be) on a level playing field as far as struggles/sins are concerned--only God has the power to help us overcome them.

With the activity finished, I made an appeal to the boys and volunteers.  I told them that this world is in desperate need of true Men of God. It isn’t an easy calling, but 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us that God’s grace is sufficient for us, and that his power will be made perfect in our weakness.  Those who were willing to commit to being a true man of God then had the opportunity to cross the line once more to make their commitment public. We had a pretty large group cross, but some were not yet ready to make that decision.  The best part about such a call, though, is that the decision can be made at any time, which is why we are continuing to pray for those who did not make it. It’s not just a commitment that can be made by those of us here at Familia Feliz, either. I would like to extend this appeal to my readers as well.  Our world lacks true, committed men and women of God. Allow God’s perfect power to develop in your weaknesses and make the decision today.

TL;DR
When it drizzles, it rains; and when it rains, it pours--both literally and in regards to God’s blessings.  We’re down another SM, this time due to medical reasons--prayers are very welcome for her recovery! Taking care of the budget here has its stressful moments, but God never ceases to help us get by each month.  Bee ready for some cool pictures in my next post. We came out swinging for our last weekend in the kitchen and hit a grand slam as far as I’m concerned. I’ve added yet another responsibility to my job description: weekly Sabbath school teacher.  It will make me even busier these last two weeks, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This world lacks true men and women of God; will you take a stand with me?

P.S. Yes, you read right.  I only have one more post left before I leave Bolivia.  As it turns out, two weeks from today, Wednesday, June 5th, is the day before I leave.  I won’t be having that day off during finals week. Additionally, with packing, goodbyes, and grades, it is quite likely I won’t post until I get back stateside and find some WiFi in the airport.  All of this goes to say that my next post will probably be coming a couple days late on Friday. I am planning to do a few “re-entry” posts: one week after I get back, after I finish working at Wawona, and maybe a few weeks into the school year.  Keep an eye out for those if you want to stay updated on how well I am re-integrating. SPOILER ALERT: It’s gonna be rough...


My front porch never fails to provide a good view

We slay

Agape feast at the end of our Week of Prayer

Cooler weather brings nice sunrises

Neighbor's cacao pods drying out to be crushed and made into chocolate

SM's all together for the last time before Kayja (5th from right) left

Mikael knows a sweet ride when he sees one

Just some Men of God on a Sabbath afternoon outreach


No caption needed

Ignore my screaming, she obviously knows more about Bolivian BMX biking than I do

Comments

  1. Es sabio darse cuenta de que el retorno podría ser un desafío. ¡El choque cultural inverso es real, y es difícil. Supongo que va a ser más fácil ya que tienes planes y cosas que hacer cuando regrese. Este ha sido mi gran problema y un "error".

    Te agradezco por el esfuerzo gastada en el escribir del blog con tanta regularidad. Ha sido muy interestante, y de grand beneficio a los que te aman. Gracias!

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    1. Sí espero que mis planes lo van a hacer más fácil. Pero la verdad es que he dado tanto a este lugar y va a ser difícil de todos modos. Gracias por leer consistente! Ha sido un gran placer

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