So Tim and I have now been in Bolivia for two full days. Yesterday we landed in Bolivia at 9:50ish, after a 9 hour overnight flight in which I got only a single hour of sleep, where Ken picked us up and dropped us off at the guest house. We spent most of the morning getting settled in and around 1 Ken picked us up for lunch with the guys. We had an awesome time getting a chance to hang out at Ken's house but alas we were so tired that we kept almost falling asleep so Ken graciously drove us home after only a couple of hours. We napped for like 5 hours and then Ken picked us up for a 10PM supper of Chicken and rice, which is kind of a staple down here, after which we went home.
Then today Ken picked us up for church around 10 which was awesome! Although I could not understand much of what was said in both the worship and the sermon, it was just really good to be spending some time with fellow believers. After church was over we went out for lunch and once again had chicken and rice, luckily I enjoy it and am not sick of it...yet. The rest of the day was spent at Ken's place relaxing.
Now I know it may seem like we are not doing much on this trip, but things will get a pick busier starting tomorrow. Such as in the morning we are being taught how to use the bus system so that we don't need to be driven everywhere and then on Tuesday we will be helping put up a gate for a house that was just bought by El Jordan, another ministry in Santa Cruz. Also sometime this week we will start our tutoring as well as our work in some of the orphanages around the city.
Anyways I hope all is well for the all of you, Shalom and God Bless.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Day 1 - Service
So flights ended up being quite an uneventful time. I didn't even come close to missing a flight, and I met up with Tim in Toronto with no problem. The only downside was the flight from Miami to Santa Cruz left at 10:50 yesterday and arrived this morning at 9:50, which would not be a problem except, I can't sleep on planes and was running on 2 hours of sleep from a nap I took in the Toronto airport. So now it is 4:05 in the afternoon and I need a nap. But before I do that I thought I would post my thoughts on the purpose of this trip.
So far this trip has not had any problems and it has been great, I am so blessed to be here and cannot wait to see what twists and turns are ahead. I feel so lucky that I can go do something like this when so many people cannot even afford to buy their next meal, God has truly blessed me.
But I need to remember not to take this blessing for granted. Just as God has blessed me, he has called me to be a blessing to others. Now I do not mean that in a conceited way, I mean that he has called me to serve and through service God's shines through and thus others are blessed. The following is a section from a journal I wrote on the subject.
Change and Service
Change the world. A short, simple sentence with huge implications This is what God calls us to. To commit our lives to changing the world through serving him. When we humbly serve in love we have the power to impact the world. We can change: division, hate, corruption, faithlessness, starvation, sinful lives, greed, consumerism, media influence, selfishness, suicide, abortion, non-Christian government, anorexia and so much more: we can change the world.
We don't have to settle, settle for where we are at. We don't need to be complacent, to feel like we are where we need to be. If we are not growing and moving forwards we are sliding back. And just because you're one person does not mean you cannot do anything. And don't shoot small. Change your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community, your city, your country, people around the world, and the world itself. Then while you do this you yourselves will be changed.
But whatever you are called to, don't let anyone tell you it is too big or you are too small. The Bible is riddled with stories of little people that God used for huge change. Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Elijah, Samuel, Isaiah, Peter, Stephen, Paul, and so many more All these people were "unimportant" figures whom God used for the miraculous. So why can't you through Gods help and power do the same?
I feel that this passage sums of some of what I want out of this trip. I want to serve God with everything I have and I want it to have an impact and I have faith it will. Now I can't say for sure how big that impact will be, but it will be whatever kind of impact God wants it to be and that is enough for me. Anyways it's time for that nap, so I hope that this was an encouragement to you. Also I will update on what we have been up to on our first day sometime tonight, until then Shalom and God Bless.
So far this trip has not had any problems and it has been great, I am so blessed to be here and cannot wait to see what twists and turns are ahead. I feel so lucky that I can go do something like this when so many people cannot even afford to buy their next meal, God has truly blessed me.
But I need to remember not to take this blessing for granted. Just as God has blessed me, he has called me to be a blessing to others. Now I do not mean that in a conceited way, I mean that he has called me to serve and through service God's shines through and thus others are blessed. The following is a section from a journal I wrote on the subject.
Change and Service
Change the world. A short, simple sentence with huge implications This is what God calls us to. To commit our lives to changing the world through serving him. When we humbly serve in love we have the power to impact the world. We can change: division, hate, corruption, faithlessness, starvation, sinful lives, greed, consumerism, media influence, selfishness, suicide, abortion, non-Christian government, anorexia and so much more: we can change the world.
We don't have to settle, settle for where we are at. We don't need to be complacent, to feel like we are where we need to be. If we are not growing and moving forwards we are sliding back. And just because you're one person does not mean you cannot do anything. And don't shoot small. Change your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community, your city, your country, people around the world, and the world itself. Then while you do this you yourselves will be changed.
But whatever you are called to, don't let anyone tell you it is too big or you are too small. The Bible is riddled with stories of little people that God used for huge change. Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Elijah, Samuel, Isaiah, Peter, Stephen, Paul, and so many more All these people were "unimportant" figures whom God used for the miraculous. So why can't you through Gods help and power do the same?
I feel that this passage sums of some of what I want out of this trip. I want to serve God with everything I have and I want it to have an impact and I have faith it will. Now I can't say for sure how big that impact will be, but it will be whatever kind of impact God wants it to be and that is enough for me. Anyways it's time for that nap, so I hope that this was an encouragement to you. Also I will update on what we have been up to on our first day sometime tonight, until then Shalom and God Bless.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Departure Day
So it is 3:42 am on January 14th and I am now writing my first blog post. I finished packing all of two minutes ago and I need to be at the airport at 5. I feel that I could have postponed packing a whole extra hour, but alas it is probably better that I didn't.
I cannot believe that I am finally going to be leaving for Bolivia, the place I have been waiting to go to for 9 months now! I am so excited, but at the same time it does not seem real yet. I'm sure once I get there all of that will change however.
Today I will be leaving the -20 weather of Saskatoon for the +20 of Bolivia [with +20 not even being that warm for there]. I'm sure this along with all the other differences will be quick a shock to the system. But I know that no matter what, I am going where God called me so I am content no matter what hardships might come through this trip.
As I am so close to leaving, I cannot help but look back on how God brought me to this point and I am amazed. If you would have asked me in high school what I wanted to be doing with my life, I might have said a doctor or an engineer, but secretly I have always wanted to be a missionary, at least a little bit. But although that is the case, I would never have said so, it seemed so foolish and unreasonable, and yet now, here I am preparing to leave for a 5 month missionary internship, and I am stoked!
God is so good and he knows where we are supposed to be, even when we don't and I know that I am now going to go where I am supposed to be, at least for now. This summer I had felt called to go to Bolivia and I am so blessed that I am now about to see that calling turn into a reality. Along with this feeling of being called, God had laid on word on my heart, "service" and now I get to see what that word is all about. I don't know how he will use me or when or why or how often, but I know he will because he called me here and for that I am blessed.
Although I need to go and get a few things finished quickly before I leave I wanted to let you know what my next post will be about. My next post will explain in more detail what that work "service" really means to me. When I first felt God lay that word on my heart I journaled about it and my next post will put down some of my thoughts from that journaling session. Anyways until next time, shalom and God bless.
Although I need to go and get a few things finished quickly before I leave I wanted to let you know what my next post will be about. My next post will explain in more detail what that work "service" really means to me. When I first felt God lay that word on my heart I journaled about it and my next post will put down some of my thoughts from that journaling session. Anyways until next time, shalom and God bless.
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