Coffee roasting!

Yeah, that is right we sure went coffee roasting yesterday here in Bolivia! Oh, I was totally in my element! It makes perfectly good sense for a lover of coffee to know the specific process of how coffee gets roasted, right? So, we had the opportunity to go with Mike to roast coffee for the ministry. The name of the coffee is Bolivia´s Best, and it´s pretty delicious, if I might say so! For our hard labor, he donated 2 bags of coffee...you can all imagine how excited I probably got! I posted a few pictures of the product and to show you that we were actually working too. If you are interested in purchasing this coffee to help fund the ministry they are currently selling the coffee in bulk, but I believe they plan on selling it in individual bags on the internet next month! I will for sure let you know, because it is worth it...and a bag is actually cheaper than Starbuck´s coffee!

There is also a picture of a monkey holding my hand! That is Chi-chi, the Timmer´s pet monkey. I had to take a picture of that because that is actually a big deal he is holding my hand because usually he just wants to pee on anyone that comes close to his cage! So, we are getting to be friends, and I am so pumped about it! Pray for that friendship to further and that God will work in a mighty way...hehe! A friend also snapped a picture of me at work...I was reading a book with a few of the kids at the orphanage! It is so fun because they absolutely love to read and love it when I bring a new book to read! So, in our tutor sessions I always like to bring books because of their excitement for reading!

This Tuesday I plan to make a trip out to Chapare (the jungle) with Mike and the rest of the interns! Oh yeah, a new intern arrived this past Thursday! Her name is Kristen and she is from Ohio, and oddly enough her family just moved to Seguin, which most of you know is right outside of San Antonio! She is surely inspiring me because she is 1 of 13 kids in her family...that plants a bigger seed in my heart to have more kids, of course after I get married...gosh guys, you should know me better then that! Anyways...I will not be staying with them in Chapare because I have prior arrangements and other things to get done this week! So, this will be a time of solitude for me as I celebrate Single´s Awareness Day on Thursday;-) No really... I am looking forward to this time alone because I am always in need of alone time with Jesus! Plus, I wish to celebrate another great day right here in Cochabamaba:-) But, I am excited because I finally get to go visit the jungle! Well, that is all for now folks! May God fill you with His abundant and magnificent grace....peace and love to you all!

Holy cow...It´s February!

As the title already says: Holy cow...It´s February! That means that leaves me with about 4 months to go Bolivia bound! Ok, I don´t think I like thinking about that too much! Beginning of February also means when the crazy CARNIVAL festivities set in....they actually begin tomorrow and goes until Tuesday. We are still debating whether or not to go with our friends from the church on a retreat or just deal with the chaos of the Festival and being soaking wet anywhere we desire to go! Yeah...apparently it only gets worse with the balloons...they actually start switching to buckets of water and super soaker water guns, fun huh? We will see what happens.

We continue to stay busy with all sorts of things. Actually I got slowed down a bit this past week because the beginning of the week I got really sick. I was spewing from both ends...oops is that too graphic? Sorry, I think I have just learned to be a lot more open in this culture especially when you are exposed to some of the things here or are sick very often... it´s life in Bolivia and nice try Satan! But, I am back to good and up for those balloons coming my way...NOT! The kids at the orphanages are all doing really well. They will start back to school on February 11th...this will actually be the first time for the Villa Israel home to go to school, so that is exciting for us. They are excited too, but a little nervous as I can imagine because they probably don´t really know what to expect, since they have never been to school! The little girl Jhocelyn that ran away from the Villa Israel home is doing well and is temporarily in a girls home in town until they decide what is best for her! They are considering putting her in the other orphanage (Zona Frutillar). This may be a good thing because there are a few girls her age that I can really see her getting a long with and she will also have some good role models to look up to. If they choose to do that they have to find a psychologist especially for her! This continues to be a huge area of prayer...so please prayer for guidance from Christ for the right thing to be done for this precious one!

Being called by God to serve where He wants you is such a blessing, but for sure a challenge! I continue to discover more about my sin which turns me to how faithful and loving God is. I daily have to give up anything I want for the day...His will is perfect and pleasing, and mine only screws up the beautiful things He wants to do for His children! I feel as though my heart continues to cry out and be stretched more for Him. This leaves me to keep seeking Him and ask Him if He will continue to speak...that means I must let go and listen! So, here we go...