Bolivian style

This past Sunday the other interns and I were invited over to our Spanish tutor´s house for a Bolivian dinner! We were so excited about it and at the end so thankful for the invite, the hospitality, the Spanish conversation, and the tasty food! Unfortunately, I am convinced that Michelle and I are still having difficulties from that tasty food, if you know what I mean! We don´t care, we would do it again any day! Our Spanish tutor lives with her brother, his wife, their two daughters, and one of their daughters 2 kids.... there are 8 that live in the house now because Kim (a long term missionary) lives there with them! Tina (our tutor) is like our Bolivian mother! She takes very good care of us! We always enjoy the time we have over there.

Justin left for Chapare (the jungle) on Tuesday to work out at the construction sites for the other 2 orphanages in process! He thinks he will be done until next Friday. So, it is just Michelle and I at la hacienda now! Guess what? We got a washer machine the other day!!! YAY! So, that is exciting news for us. We are still trying to figure out the whole drainage part of it because it is in one of the bathrooms, but hey it works!

Yesterday Cochabamba had another paro civico, where everything pretty much shut down, especially transportation! Apparently there were protests and blockades all over the town. This time it has to do with the political problems brewing between the president and the people! Something about a new constitution (I forget what it is all about) that he is wanting to pass and of course a lot of other complications! Anyways, it makes the people extremely upset and so all things come to a halt! So, we stayed at the hacienda all day long because we couldn´t get where we needed to go and also it can be dangerous in some areas! We could hear all sorts of noises down in the city since we kind of live on a mountain. I won´t share the specifics, just so I don´t freak any of you out! I don´t share this so you can worry, only to keep you informed! We just have to continue to pray daily for God to work in a mighty way through this country and all of the people! As I have been studying in Matthew, Jesus is constantly saying to his disciples, you of little of faith...and sometimes (definitely myself included) we tend to think that God can´t take control of a problem like this, and that´s when we lack faith, because God is the Almighty and bigger than anything we can imagine, and as He promises, what ever we ask in the name of Christ, shall be given! So, I ask you to be praying about these political problems here with faith that God can do ALL things!

The other night I went to a Spanish bible study and absolutely loved it! I figured it would be a great way to get plugged in, make some Bolivian friends, work on my Spanish, have fellowship, and hear the Word of God! It was a blast and I cannot wait to go back next week! I understood a lot of what was being said, with many exceptions... its just the whole talking back in Spanish and trying to relay your feelings, that is the bigger struggle for me! But, it continues to be an area I ask God for patience, boldness, and opportunities to speak and study! It´s so fantastic! Well, off to do our usual Thursday tutoring at Villa Israel!