Hello !!
I just wanted to give you guys a quick update of what’s going on over on this side of the world.
A few days ago we left Bolivia on a night bus, and after many many hours, a short walk across Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian border, and many many more hours on the bus we finally arrived in Cusco Peru.
We will be here for one week for what the World Race calls debrief. Our mentors and coaches fly in from the states and we have time to rest sleep shower and worship the Lord for all that he has done in the past 3 or so months.
Eventually I will be hopping on another bus for many many more hours and heading way north to Trujillo, where only God knows what is in store for this month! So stay tuned.
Now for a bit more on the occurrences of Bolivia. As you saw in my previous blogs we lived in a tiny desert town by the name of Uyuni. Tourists and backpackers are consistently flowing through the town on their way to visit the infamous salt flats. We were lucky enough to see them and really WHAT!!! God is just too creative. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to heaven.
Although according to Tripadvisor Uyuni is often described as an absolute wasteland with more stay dogs than humans I need to let Tripadvisor know of my opinions. Because the humans that are there are beyond wonderful and it was truly a hard goodbye.
We made so many treasured friendships last month. Lucia, the lady at the bakery who we bought cupcakes from everyday, the grumpy lady who worked at the 25cent llama burger stand (turns out llama is almost the same beef if you don’t think too hard about it), the lady in the market who sold fresh cut flowers to us each week, Salida the girl working in the tourist square who was continuously shocked that we were actually staying in Uyuni for more than 24 hours; and could not comprehend the fact that we actually lived there for 1 month, Israel the tour guide who was hard core running from God (yes his name was actually Israel, coincidence??? I don’t think so), and of course our amazing hosts, and the church members. A special shoutout goes to the Grandmas who loved us so well. They cooked for us; llama stew of course, and had us over for cinnamon tea, empanadas and cake. We even befriended most of the stray dogs and adopted a few for a short while. Austin and Sandy (our dogs) would find us anywhere in the town and were the most loyal pals.
Although our living conditions were somewhat primitive, no indoor plumbing, and our shower was the back yard spigot meant for a hose, that spurted out freezing water to compliment that freezing cold mountain air found at 12,000 feet elevation, my team and I felt beyond lucky. We had a junk yard in the back yard and we found rusty old treasures to use as furniture and decorations in our concrete hut. I channeled my inner Joanna Gaines and we made our hut a home. It was the first month on the race my team and I have been given our very own space to call
home. We usually sleep on the floor of someone else’s home or church but this month we got to experience the freedom of sleeping on our very own floor. We had our own keys to the house and our own trees to hang our hammocks on. This month I really truly realized how grateful I have become for the smallest things over these past 8 months. And I also realized how this insane life is starting to feel normal.
It seems oddly normal to go to the market and buy a chicken to cook soup, only to realize you first have to take the poor featherless dead guy into the backyard and saw his head off with a Swiss Army knife, or to get sunburned while “showering” under the desert sun, or to know how to light a gas stove like a champ so that the boiled water will be safe to drink. I forget to tell you guys these stories because it has all become just part of my daily life.
This past month our ministry was ever changing. We spent most of our time with the church members. Preaching, praying and fellowshipping. Leading woman’s ministry, prayer nights, and Sunday School. On behalf of the Sunday school
teacher with big dreams, we even taught a full choreographed dance to the kids to perform for Bolivian Father’s Day. I’m going to have to add that one to my resume along with the knowing how to open cans of tuna with a rock. We spent many hours preparing our messages as there was no translator and not one person spoke English. My teammate Kayla is from a Hispanic family so she was first up to translate. If she was needing a break than the second string translator would reluctantly enter the game, AKA myself.
In addition to working for the church we volunteered at the local disability school, planned our youth event and I took on a personal project for our host and Pastor.
In Uyuni, the only available jobs are within the tourist industry so our host and his wife have decided to start a side business taking tourists on excursion to bring in an extra income. Currently he, his wife and his 3 children all live in one room, meant to be an office behind the church. Their business proposal was just approved by the government and I was able to build him a website, and design business cards. Additionally I was able to give him lessons on digital design and basic computer skills. It was such an incredible opportunity to use my passions and gifts to bless his new business, and to be alongside him and his wife as they look with so much hope and faith toward the future.
Please be praying for Pastor Rolando and his family as they embark on this new journey of being business owners, and pray for the health and safety of my teammates and I as we transition to a new location!!!
As always thanks for reading, praying and encouraging!!!
Xoxox
MC
P.s. I’m so sorry, I tried my hardest to add some llama photos to this post but the wifi won’t cooperate. Perhaps it’s for the best you don’t see the cute furry guys we’ve been eating.
