Taking Bolivia home

I had just finished mopping the floor when Glacier, Canyon, and their buddies Caleb and Sammy burst in like a whirlwind. I tried to hide my irritation over the footprints on the floor as I welcomed them home from school. As I shut the door, I noticed it looked unusually stormy outside. Every day in Bolivia is bright and sunny (there was a drought this year during the rainy season, so any rain seemed rare). I walked outside to gaze at the gray skies and feel the glorious drop in temperature. Then it began to downpour - not rain, but hail the size of marbles! The kids, especially our Bolivian friends who don't even experience snow, were amazed. They ran outside and then back in immediately when they felt the sting. But the experience was so new and unusual they couldn't help themselves. They ran outside with one hand over their heads and the other they used to frantically scoop up as much ice as they could. I wish I had my camera (which was in Chris' class at the moment) because I was laughing my head off. Forgetting my sparkling floors, I grabbed a pot for the boys to collect their prizes and watched them dart in and out with squeals of delight. The hail storm was short lived, but an unforgettable moment nonetheless. After debating whether or not to store the hail in the freezer, they finally voted to throw it on the trampoline and make it "snow" again. It was a beautiful sight to see the pure happiness come out of my boys and their Bolivian buddies as they sang, "It's snowing, It's another Christmas, It's so awesome!" I am so glad my floor got muddy that day. 

Moments like this are what we are taking home with us as we return to the U.S. Ultimately it's the people and the friendships that we will remember most mixed with a rare hail storm to cement it in our hearts. 

Picture Caption: A glimpse of the hail storm from Chris' classroom

Significant or not...here are few things we will miss about Bolivia:

Chris: pick-up soccer on the cancha (soccer field); my hard-working CCS students; trips to the Quechua villages with Bolivian friend, Ruben, language school with our amazing teachers/friends, petting real monkeys in the wild at Parque Machia 

Picture caption: Chris getting to know a Quechua man on his first visit to the mountains.

Lynnie: the beautiful mountains (and using them to pinpoint "North" wherever I am in the city!); api (a wonderful hot drink made from ground purple corn...even in a hot country, it always reminds me of a NY fall); Saturday kids club and the adorable little faces of the 2 and 3 year old beauties in my class (pictured to the right); my missionary friend Timara; my Bolivian friend Shirley

Glacier: Sole Mios (an Italian pizza place we found in Bolivia. Last time we were there Glace remarked, "I just had the happiest bite of my life!"); best Bolivian friends Caleb and Sammy (pictured to the right); CCS Field Days and Camp Week

Canyon: Hotel Victoria (his favorite vacation spot in the jungle that has a water slide and coconuts right from the tree); friends Jaran and Enoch; his Pre-K teacher, Miss Almanza. 

 Picture caption: There is nothing safe about this method of coconut harvesting. Do not attempt at home! :) 

Coral: Bolivian friend, Hannah (4^th grader pictured to the right) who always brings a little bouncy ball for Coral to play with after church; friend Zolah (3 yrs) at the SIM guest house; friend Katelyn (2^nd grader) who always gives Coral special attention. Also, Coral loves to find the Cristo (giant statue of Christ) when we are traveling in the city and she makes sure everyone knows she has found it!

There are many people and memories that will continue to come to our minds even after we leave. We are so thankful for this experience and how God has worked in all of our hearts through this journey. 

A strange world we live in

It's nearly a year since we've been in Bolivia. We've experienced so much since we arrived and can now navigate the city and talk to most people without huge communication barriers. We've completed our language studies, have traveled to the jungle on our own, have taught classes (in Spanish and English) and have built some strong Bolivian friendships. At the same time, the more we learn about culture or language, the more we feel like small children, like we are just starting out. It feels as though we've been here forever and yet not at all.

Meanwhile, we also try to keep updated on family activities going on back home in the U.S. Today we are staying indoors to avoid the blistering sun while our families are doing the same to avoid the negative wind chill. It's strange to talk of two distinct worlds in the same conversation, but it is worth any confusion it causes our brains to keep this connection. I want my kids have the expanded world view that living in a foreign land often produces, but not at the expense of a relationship with their family members. So we Skype, and call, and visit, and pray for each other as much as we can. (Glacier made the card in the picture for his cousin Caleb). Family is very important to us, and they are our biggest encouragement when the going gets tough.

So for our family -- and all you others who are routing for us -- here is a picture update of what's happening in our home.

Wama makes sure her grandkids have the latest in the scooter world (and she surely doesn't leave out her three in Bolivia). These ziggles have all been packed in suitcases and transported across continents for the enjoyment of our kids and many of their classmates as well. Glacier is continually inventing new ways to have fun when simply riding a ziggle gets dull. In this picture, he made a train with jump ropes and pulled his siblings around for hours.

Chris took some time in between language classes this spring (U.S. fall) to construct the coolest kids' room in Bolivia for the benefit of our boys. He constructed all the beams from rough-cut wood and used a neighbor's tools to complete the project (It was not easy). Grampy purchased a slide, Grammy packed the rock-climbing grips into her suitcase, and Wama and Papa squeezed massive animal wall stickers into their luggage. After all the work was done, Chris added two hammocks underneath the loft beds just for fun. As it turns out, the boys do love their new beds, but Canyon prefers the simple hammock which he sleeps in just about every night. I guess Chris could have saved himself a bit of work! :)

I (Lynnie) am trying hard to shop, cook, and speak like a Bolivian. I've made a little progress, but there is one area in which I will never be able to compete - hair braiding. Every Sunday when we get ready for church I am lucky if I get Coral's hair brushed. The Bolivian girls, on the other hand, always have the most elaborate braids decorating their heads. Once in a while, I manage to get Coral's hair into cute pigtails, but never have I attempted a braid due to her inability to sit still. Therefore you can imagine my surprise when I came home from classes one day and found our Bolivian babysitter had transformed Coral's hair into two intricate braids. Coral was the cutest little thing and so proud. The next day, the miracle happened again. Her hair was in a braid that curled around her head. Look Daddy, she said, "I'm Princess Leia!" (from Star Wars). Shirley (our babysitter) explained that she had braided Coral's pony's hair, and Coral had wanted her hair to look the same. I have since tried my handiwork, but have not had success. I don't think I've got that Bolivian touch!

We love our family near and far. We miss you and can't wait to make more memories with you!

Standing out

After seven months in Bolivia, we've used up our "grace" period in which Bolivians speak slow because we just arrived and they forgive us for butchering their language. But now that we have been in language school for four months, we've noticed a shift in our conversations. In a way, higher expectations are a sign that we've improved though I can't help but feel a little extra pressure to use the right conjugations and follow all the social codes. This last Friday I decided to cancel classes to join some ladies from our church who were spending the day in the countryside. I thought it would be a great chance to build relationships and test my Spanish. The good news is that I did understand quite a bit of the conversation and was able to join in now and then. The bad news is that half of the time they spoke in Quechua so I was out of the loop and had to resort to eating more of the delicious food they had prepared to show my appreciation. In the end, I think my relationships with these women had improved but it probably wasn't due to my language abilities as much as my willingness to spend the day with them.

Sometimes I feel like the green apple.

Our kids too have experienced similar pressures lately - particularly Glacier. He's doing great in his regular subjects but has been struggling in his Spanish class. When I spoke with his teacher, she explained that he's the only one in his class who is not a native speaker, so he's at a great disadvantage and the material is often way over his head. He fits in in many areas but not all. It's hard to be a third culture kid.

In our struggles to fit in, it's easy for us to focus on the differences and our lack of ability. But this mindset blinds us from seeing how far God has brought us already and how he has walked with us through countless challenges. With his help we are going to take steps forward and encourage each other on this journey.

Here's a couple family snapshots that reflect the more positive side of life in Bolivia:

Visitors: From August through September we've had three sets of family members come to visit. What an encouragement to us and a boost to our spirits! The kids loved the attention from their grandparents and uncle and of course were delighted to see what they had packed in their luggage. Among Glacier's favorite gifts was a pogo stick that my parents somehow managed to fit in a suitcase. He's now trying to break "Wama's" childhood record of 300+ jumps and at this point he's over 100.

Canyon loves spending his days having friends come over after school. They spend hours playing with cars and planes and comparing dinosaurs. His little toys are treasures to him - something that has been consistent for him between countries. He never fails to leave the house without Dusty - his plane, a hot-wheels car, or a Lego dude. :)

Coral is so excited to celebrate her 2nd birthday next week. For the past week now, she has woken up from her nap asking if we are going to a party. So I'd better get a move on and start planning her first tea party! I highly doubt, however, that she will drink any tea. She'd much prefer coca-cola or a sip of daddy's coffee.

We are thankful for these little parts of life that seem insignificant but bring us joy as we face the daily challenges of living overseas.

Fun dressing up! (Though most Christians don't celebrate Halloween in Bolivia, the kids still enjoy playing with costumes they packed from the States.)








 Glacier displaying his art project for a school event. 











Canyon and Coral on a school field trip doing what they do best!











Coral enjoying her new froggy purse.

A few "kid-bits"

I often worry that the kids aren't adjusting well or that they will never learn Spanish. I really am wasting my time. God has a great way of gifting children with resilience, and ours are no exception. Although there are many aspects of Bolivia they do not like, it's "not as bad" as they first thought. With every new friend, every successful communication, every sunny day to play, they really are establishing a home here. "We have two homes, right mom?" Canyon likes to ask. It's true. We are actually becoming a cross-cultural family. Here's a glimpse of their life in Bolivia:

Glacier loves excursions -- something that breaks up the routine. He looks for adventure like his dad and always is wondering what we are doing next. While our language classes don't allow us to take huge breaks at this point, we try to fit in small day-trips on the weekends to a park, a tourist site, or simply the market. When I ask the kids what they liked best about the outing, it's ironically not the spectacular view or the fun at the park. Glacier always recalls if Coca-Cola was part of the trip or not. If so, then it was a successful trip!

Canyon is feeling proud lately due to meeting some important milestones for a four-year-old. He's making great progress learning to swim and has recently removed the training wheels from his bike for good. He gets this trademark smirk on his face when he hears our cheers. But when visitors come, Canyon doesn't care to show them his new abilities...he'd rather show off the sirens on his bike which sound as if a police car is right outside your door. I'm sure our neighbors simply love this feature. ;)

Coral is probably the one experiencing the least cultural adjustment. She just continues on with life, picking up both English phrases and Spanish alike. "Mom, espina (pricker) in my foot," she'll say, or "Buenos Dias" to anyone who comes her way. Unfortunately, English and Spanish are not the only languages she's learning. Sibling influence is high in our house, and the boys find great amusement in creating their own words for Coral to repeat. Now Coral says "antmeal" instead of "oatmeal," "Happy doe-day" for "Happy Birthday," and "Hit-Boomie" if she falls down. Of course the boys find this all delightful and Coral loves their attention. I have tried to correct her, but the new vocab (along with giggling brothers) has stuck. The boys win this time.

Into the Andes

Into the heart of the Andes

              

Recently we invited some of our Bolivian friends over for dinner at our house.  They, in turn, invited us to their house the following week.  We had a great time learning to barbecue Bolivian-style and checking out their impressive home that he built.

Chris and friend Reuben (the main
Quechua speaker on our trip)

During our time with them we learned that when he had never tasted Coca-Cola until he was ten.  This was not because Coke didn’t exist here; rather, his family was so poor that they could only afford vegetables.  In fact, he would get to taste meat (chicken included) only once per year. 

This is a section of the road during the
dry season

He shared with us that he was adopted as a Compassion Child through the organization Compassion International.  Both he and the rest of his family came to know Christ and their lives changed drastically for the better. 

An adobe home in Calera Grande

Today God is using him to reach the Quechua in some of the remotest parts of Bolivia.  He visited a remote village called Calera Grande, over 7 hours away in a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  He was so overwhelmed by the poverty he saw that he approached his church and asked for permission to start a church there.  With their approval, he began a relationship with Calera Grande that has continued to this day.  

Choclo - Quechua corn

This village had a trained pastor leading the congregation and met weekly in the church building.  Quechua believers were growing in their faith, but unfortunately, due to the level of poverty there, the pastor decided he could not continue to minister at in this location.  Instead, he moved to another village.  Several weeks ago, almost a year after their pastor left, a member of the village called the Carachipampa Church (our Spanish-speaking church) asking for help. 

Quechua silo for Corn

               Within a couple weeks, we had a team ready to make the trek all the way to their village.  (My friend Josue and I were the only ones who could not speak Quechua.)  Our purpose was to provide some relief and encouragement during this difficult time in their lives.  We spent 2 days in the heart of the Andes with them. 

Chris playing soccer with the Quechua

 I even had the unique opportunity to play soccer with the men of the village.  (The concrete court along with a solar powered well and small holding tank was built for them by the government.) 

Quechua sleeping pad

They were as hospitable as possible, offering us goat skins to sleep on and as much choclo (boiled corn) as we wanted.  

The woman who accepted Christ
Saturday night and her baby

We enjoyed three meals with them using supplies we brought along with us and held two church services.  After showing the Jesus film for kids at the evening service on Saturday night, one woman decided to publicly accept Christ into her life.  What an awesome thing to experience!  

Adobe Oven in progress

The service continued late into the night. We finally served some deliciously sweet citrus tea (very helpful as their mountainous diet lacks vitamin C) and sent everybody home.  

Quechua man whose home is barely
visible on the next mountain over. He
travels over an hour on foot to church. 

For most of them, this meant a mountaintop trek of more than an hour.  For some of the younger kids, we laid out a blanket and let them sleep with us on the church’s dirt floor. 

Chris met Elmer playing soccer. He
followed Chris all weekend.

The next morning, we had a typical Quechua church service where the children went to the soccer court for their own meeting while the adults stayed in the church building.

Spigot for the govt.-built well. 

The kids loved the attention and fun that the Spanish-speaking church had to offer them.

A traditional soup with goat ribs and
llajwa (Quechua Salsa - crazy hot!)

 We shared one last meal and said our goodbyes.

Land Cruiser broke down twice on
the return trip. Our driver fixed the car
with some string and a couple rocks.

God-willing, I plan to visit again in October when we check in with them next.

Chris shares Choclo with a couple
experienced Quechua women

We are praying for God to provide a Quechua-speaking pastor who can “rough-it” in the hard conditions that exist in Calera Grande.  We are also praying for God to provide a way for them to have enough resources to support their own pastor, giving him time to study the Word of God and shepherd the believers there.

God’s vision is full of multiplication.  Perhaps someday this church will plant more churches even deeper into the remote parts of the Bolivian Andes.

Eating Potatoes on a Dirt Floor.

We wanted to share some of our rich experiences with you.  Here is a journal entry of Chris’ from May 17^th when he visited a Quechua village north of Cochabamba.  Pictures included.

We are in Bolivia.  The first month has been very difficult! Ups and downs almost every other day.  Today, however, was one of the neatest experiences I have ever had.  I went to a Quechua village with Ruben, Fernando, and Santiago to talk with the village about the possibility of separating some land to build an evangelical church building for the body of believers that already exists there. 

When we arrived, Gregorio invited me into his home, along with the other men for food.  It was a mud hut with a straw roof and a dirt floor.  The food was purple potatoes in one bowl and onions, tomatoes, and a little cheese in another.  The bowls were set on the floor and we were given tiny wooden stools (6 inches high) to sit on.  We ate with our hands and it was delicious, even without salt.  

While this village got electricity six months ago and there is a truck that brings them to the city weekly, most villages don’t have these luxuries and they live on only potatoes and meat (llama, cow, and sheep).  During lunch I shared my orange and some fruit snacks with a Quecha woman [below, the lady all the way to the right]whom I was told by Reuben is older than 100 years.  Though I must admit, she looked her age (not an insult here), she moved around quite easily.  What an amazing experience this was!  I wonder if I will ever be a part of ministry to the Quechuas?

While we don’t know all the ways God will use us here in Cochabamba, Bolivia, I wonder if it will be possible to get some of my students excited about Quechua ministry and even bring them on trips into the mountains with me.  Our church here (in part planted by SIM missionaries) plants new churches in these villages.  I was honored to join them on this excursion.  Since then, our Spanish-speaking church has gotten approval to build.  They will provide supplies to the Quechua village.  The village will be providing the labor and actually constructing the building.  God is moving in Bolivia through His missionaries as well as His local church.

Highlights (and lowlights) of entering a new culture

Glacier attended a birthday party of a Bolivian classmate during our second week in our new home and flip-flopped between tears of confusion (everyone spoke Spanish) followed by jubilant smiles (there were many sweets offered). “It’s rude not to eat what they give you mom,” he defended. Yes, I did say that, though five desserts was not what I had in mind! In any case, the ups and downs of Glacier’s day represents the emotions we experience on a daily basis. We are definitely in transition and it is invaluable for us to lean on God during this time of flux. Here's some snapshots of our first month:



Not enjoying the attention!

Coral: Blond hair and blue eyes are rare, so Coral gets loads of attention. When we walk through the grounds at Carachipampa Christian School, no less than ten girl students instantly surround her. “I like your baby.” “¡Qué hermosa!” “Oh, can I hold her?” “¡Qué linda!” They all jabber back in forth between Spanish and English while Coral tries to get away. At one and a-half, all she wants is her freedom, but her mama appreciates the sweet students.





Canyon with Bolivian classmates

Canyon: He’s the most shy of our three but his highly energetic preschool class doesn’t seem to notice. His classmates rush to him with arms wide open when he walks to school. “¡Canyon mi amigo!” they shout while he runs behind my legs. He’s doing great though, considering the fact that all his classmates are Bolivian and none of them speak English (apart from a few phrases). In the few weeks we’ve been here, his teacher told me that many students are working hard to learn English just so they can talk to Canyon, and he usually comes home with lots of smiles.




Glacier working hard

Glacier: One of Glacier’s highlights in Bolivia has been practicing for and competing in Field Days (2 days set aside during which the entire school is involved in races and field events). Glacier was very successful in his age group, receiving a 2nd place trophy in his division. Because my birthday fell on one of the race days, Glacier was so excited to give his trophy to me for a present!





Our road - come visit us at kilometro 10.5
de la avenida Blanco Galindo

Chris and Lynnie: We don’t have a car yet, so our primary mode of transportation is either by trufi (a public bus) or taxi. After a few days of having a Bolivian accompany us around, we were on our own to explore and survive. This included memorizing landmarks to make sure we could direct a taxi driver to our home or get off a bus at the right location. The best way to learn is just to go for it, and learn we did! After getting in a taxi one day, Chris shut the door (a bit too hard) making the driver wince. “¡Lo siento! (I’m sorry!)” Chris apologized only to slam the door again on his way out. Ooops! Lesson learned – gently close doors in Bolivia! 




Home sweet home Bolivia
(we live in part of a long building)

I also struggled one day when trying to direct my driver to our destination. I knew the word for “right” was “derecha” and hurriedly assumed “left” was derecho (which actually means ‘straight’). All too soon I realized my mistake when the driver didn’t turn (and on a four lane highway, it was not an easy mistake to fix). The next time I was in a taxi, I confidently stated “a la izquierda aquí” (to the left here), but still found my driver a bit confused. I later learned that I should use cardinal directions – north, east, south, west – to get the best results when trying to make it home!



Stay tuned for more ridiculous things that Lynnie does.  (Chris wrote this last sentence).



Happily waiting for her brothers

Canyon found a different sort of friend

Resting up those legs with a bit of electric scooter
(yes we fit it in a suitcase!)