“We are going to me famous.” This is the statement many on my team, including me, said in the Dominican Republic when we were told what our ministry would be in Bolivia. We were told we would be working with a Christian radio & TV station serving in different capacities. Obviously, we assumed that meant we had now made it big time and our new found fame could support our traveling missionary lifestyle. Well, that’s not exactly what happened.
Day 1: Typically the first day in a new country is a transition day, where we get to know our surroundings, rest from our long travels, and have an orientation about the ministry. Wrong. “You are going to be building a road,” our host said. There had been a lot of flooding before we got here and the road to the radio station was collapsing. So, we got out gloves and shovels and hit the road, literally. (Disclaimer: our amazing guys did most of the work, the girls and I traded off going down there because there wasn’t enough room for all of us to be working at once)
Day 3: We experienced Carnaval. This is a mix between a 4th of July celebration, meets Madi Gras, meets Halloween, meets utter craziness. The first couple days were fairly tame; having a water balloon thrown at the car when driving through town began normal and hearing fire crackers all night, that sound like gun shots, became ambient noise. However, everything changed on Monday. Three of my teammates and I decided that we needed to experience this Carnaval thing everyone was whispering about. So here is my best attempt to describe the scene.
The streets were filled with people, all ages from toddlers to the elderly, thousands of people in clumps everywhere you looked. Streamers and banners lined the store fronts and houses. Blaring music was playing from every corner, marching bands paraded amongst the crowd, as woman danced to folk tunes dressed in traditional garb. We came from the top of the hill, overlooking downtown, and from this vantage point, this scene looked like an explosion of culture and we were excited to jump into the middle of hit.
Cue the mission impossible soundtrack. As we turned the corner to the town plaza square, it got real. Somewhere in the distance I heard, “Gringos!” Water balloons started flying in our direction, hitting us from every angle. Buckets of water came raining from the windows and stoops of the apartment buildings. Children began spraying us with aerosol cans of a soapy substance and teenagers began chasing us with black paint filled hands, ready to smear it on our faces once they got close enough. They were ruthless. We began running, literally for our lives. There was no escaping the mob of Bolivians, determined for an opportunity to pelt the Americans (and 1 Canadian). We did the only thing we could. Retaliate. We armed ourselves with the cans of soap, water balloons, and we were recruited by a gang of teenagers who supplied us with some paint. We organized into teams and had our escape route planned in advance. We took off to the plaza at full speed and obliterated anyone in our path. There was no one safe from our wrath. I threw water balloons at children, I soaped grown men in the face, and I as got caught up in the excitement, I even covered a few teenage boy’s faces in black paint. We were all in.
Before
After
Day 7: We spent the first week doing a lot more manual labor. We dug trenches in the road, cleared brush and rocks from an area to make a parking lot, cleaned walls, and other various tasks. We were asked to attend the children’s program on Saturday at the Radio station to help with whatever they had planned. We sang a couple songs and played with the kids. I met a group of little girls who quickly became my new best friends and hung out with them most of the day. We later discussed the things we could offer the program the following week and the director was thrilled. She decided that next week would film the program live on TV and we would be a major part. The following week, we shot commercials, did radio announcements, and practiced for our big debut.
Day 14. The BIG day had arrived. We were already feeling the pressure of being so famous in a small town. Every time we would trek down the hill to go into town, someone would recognize us and we would have to stop and appease our fans. We were even called, “Jovenes de peliculas.” Which translates into young movie stars. We were very excited. The “Hour de Feliz,” was a blast. We sang songs, did a puppet show, performed a couple skits, dances, laughed, and talked about Jesus. I was in my element.
Day 21: Due to our recent rise in popularity in the town, the children’s director planned a children’s program in the plaza for Friday night. We did the same kind of set up, dancing, singing, skits, and this time we even had clowns. The theme was “forgiveness” and throughout the program we were able to present the gospel to those who might not hear it otherwise.
Day 22: Earlier in the month we had been invited to a youth service on Saturday nights at Casa de Israel, a Pentecostal church downtown. Since Saturday nights in our allotted “off day” we went and fell in love with the people. A typical service consist of one 45 minute long song called, “Cristo Vive.” Yes you read that right, the song lasts that long and this is no typically verse, chorus, bridge, chorus song. There is one big chorus which includes shouting, dance moves, and crowd participation for fill-ins. Each time we went we danced and sand until we were dripping with sweat. The past few Saturdays, they always asked us to sing a couple songs. We oblidged, I mean we are “jovenes de peliculas.” But this final Saturday they requested a concert. We lead worship, a girl painted, and we did a skit. All those things went well but their favorite part was when we played “Dia Feliz,” and started dancing like we never danced before. We pulled people up from the audience and went wild for Jesus. I can honestly say I think that night will be a highlight of my race.
We have had the opportunity to do a lot of different things this month. It’s definitely been a month of intense growth personally and as a team. For most of the month we joked about how much fun we have had getting to have a little claim to fame in this small town. We have been able to meet a lot of people and have made some great relationships, and it hasn’t hurt our egos to have our commercials playing on the TV everywhere we go. But, as I reflect on the ministry we did this month I don’t think our assigned duties were all that the Lord had planned for us. While we gave assigned ministry everything we had, I believe we were here for more. It wasn’t about making ourselves famous, but making Jesus famous. God used us to bring light into this city and to the radio/t.v. station so that He could be glorified. The people saw us, but got feel His love, and hear His message of salvation. We were able to use our giftings and talents to make Him known and I believe that impact is the most important.
