Month three is officially underway! We are in El Alto, Bolivia this month which is considered the highest Metropolis in the world at roughly 13,650 feet in elevation.
In El Alto, we are working with Addiction Centers for girls, boys and children ages 13 to 23. We have split our group up into two teams of six; one team at the girls house, one at the boys. I will be working with the girls for the rest of our stay in Bolivia and have already fallen in love with the personalities of the girls and the relationships i’ve built.
So, yesterday was any normal day with the girls until the house dog, Talia, showed up limping and in a lot of pain. Isabel, a German volunteer working in the girl’s home (who I have grown close to) asked me if I would like to join her in taking the dog to the vet. Being the animal lover that I am, I of course jumped at the opportunity! However, I was in for a much more painful and beautiful afternoon than I could have ever imagined.
When we arrived at the Veterinarian’s office, the vet quickly inspected and informed us on the issues that Talia may be facing. He believed that she had been hit by a car and could be suffering from a broken leg and internal bleeding. In order for Talia to recover, we would have to bring her to an animal hospital, get x-rays and she needed surgery/cast for her leg. After a few hard phone calls, I realized that the Lord placed two vegetarian/animal loving people in a room with a dog who was about to die and that is when the tears started.
Yesterday, I held a living being in my arms as it took its last breath. I could hear and feel the life leave Talia and that was the first time I experienced that kind of heart break.
Through the entire process of taking Talia to the vet, putting her down, and laying her to rest in the ground, Isabel and I talked about the Lord. I shared with her my story of redemption, my sinful past, present and most definitely future; we talked about Religion, the trinity, who God was, is and will be and what that looks like for us. Isabel didn’t grow up in the church and learned from others to turn her head at the mention of God or Religion. However, God opened doors for conversation by placing two people who have a heart for similar things in a difficult situation together. Isabel and I bonded over our loss, our tears and our similar struggles with Religion.
I haven’t written a blog in over two weeks because I have struggled to find ways to convey what the Lord is doing for the people we are doing life with. I often write of what the Lord is doing for me through other people but never what the Lord is doing in other people through me. Just when I thought that the Lord would never use me, He used my experiences, my story, my redemption to bring light to who He really is.
I can’t wait for what the next three weeks will bring as my team and I continue to build relationships with the people here in Bolivia. I already know that this will be my hardest goodbye yet.
Stay tuned for updates on our time here, including Christmas and New Years in a brand new culture! Also, I am still in need of funds. I need to be fully funded in order to continue on the race by January 31st. If you are feeling called, you can click the donate button on the top of the page!
God Bless,
R
