So this month has been really good. We only have a few days left here in Santa Cruz before we leave for debrief in La Paz.
This month, as I said before, we worked with YWAM getting kids off the streets. It has been so crazy as to how my eyes have been opened to the poor around me. After the first day of being on the streets with them, I noticed so many more people who were under the bridges and sleeping on the streets because I was actually looking for them. That shows how much of ministry is intentional. If we are not intentional with seeking out those broken-hearted or those that need to be set free, we will miss out on so much opportunity to share God’s love with people.
We also worked with El Jordán. So at first, I wasn’t sure how this was gonna go for me, but I have really loved it. Even though sanding concrete with 80 grit sand paper is not the funnest thing that I could do with my time, I have had so many good conversations and some really good alone time because of the construction. Aside from the construction, we worked with a lot of kids and basically did child care for mothers while they were in class. The mothers come to cooking classes and some other classes and we take care of the children. The older ones go to actual class and have some hygiene “training.” Some of us would go help in the class/Bible study for the older ones and some of us would help with the babies, thats age 6 mo to 3 yrs. I have helped out most there and its been so great to help out with them. I have loved every minute of working with the kids and really just seeing that I can entertain and play with little kids 🙂
The other ministry we have been working with is called La Jornada (The Journey). This is the guys’ home that our contact, Ken Switzer, runs. He has 12 guys that stay there and they have to be done with high school in order to be able to stay there. All of the guys that stay there have also come off the streets, but most of them have been off the streets for many years. While at the home, each one of them gets discpled one on one and the ministry also pays for their college tuition, if they have any fees (the public universities here are free to Bolivian students). Its really been great to hang out with them. We started doing a Bible study of John with them after we eat lunch with them and we also are just having a good time hanging out with them and that is a ministry unto itself. I really have found that is something I like to do: spend one on one time with them as get to know them in that way. I have had young people on my heart for a while now, and this just kind of confirms that maybe at some point in the future, I’ll be working with this age group.
So that is a basic summary of what this month looks like and its great. This is so far the best month of the three that we’ve had. Its gonna be hard to leave here, but I know that we will have left an impact on the people we have come into contact with and thats what its all about. Its not about going and having fun everywhere we go, although, it is nice when we do have fun, but rather its about being Christ to the people and leaving that impact with them.
There will be a picture blog soon!!!!
