Every Bolivia mission trip I’ve ever been on seems to have a similar timeline for those who have never been before. The first day you’re taking in all the sights and sounds and trying to wrap your head around where you’re at and what’s going on around you. That night, and the next day are filled with wonderful services, where you are inundated with learning names and meeting all the people. As the work week begins on day three you settle into a groove and even though you become fast friends with both the people you are serving and serving alongside of, there is still something missing. Then, Wednesday hits on day five and everything clicks! You go from being friends…to family. The hugs come easier, the laughter is more abundant, the work feels lighter and quicker.
This year was no different. The last two days have been nothing short of amazing as our new team members are now totally in love with the culture, people, and vision of what is happening at the Faro Del Cielo Church. During the day we continued to patch, sand and paint their kid’s ministry and classroom areas, busting out three rooms of existing tile floors and cutting trenches in concrete so they can begin piping the brand-new bathrooms. Additionally, we once again engaged in a team favorite – mixing and pouring concrete for the support beams that will be their new offices on the second level. Each day it gets harder to leave the job site as we just want to linger and connect with the people of Bolivia we are serving alongside.
This year we experienced something we’ve never done before. For the last two nights, we were able to eat dinner at restaurants owned by people that attend the Church (one a brand new upstart) and the other well established in the community. Other than the lunches we eat on site each day, these dinners were by far our favorite meals of the entire week. Knowing we are supporting members of their congregation made an already amazing dining experience even better.
The upstart pizzeria we ate at on Wednesday night made an instant connection with our hearts (and stomachs) because it was created to provide jobs, food, and assistance for families in need. The evening fun didn’t stop there though. After dinner we were able to walk from the pizzeria to the church where Pastor Bruno opened the campus to host what is called “Farro Extreme” – a ministry focused on allowing young children and teens enjoy things like skateboarding and other extreme sorts. They usually do this on Saturday night but added a second event so we could participate. This along with the normal Wednesday night activates made the campus incredibly fun to be at and witness.
On Thursday night we ate Mexican food for the first time ever in Bolivia and included on the menu was a phenomenal taco bar that cost just seven U.S. dollars. The restaurant was beautiful, and obviously loved by the community, came with a great testimony of it’s own. The owners who are new to the church, recently gave their lives to Christ and are now in a weekly discipleship program with Pastor Ruben and his wife Isabel.
While there is so much more, I could write about these two days my words alone will not do it justice. With that in mind we were able to capture the heart of several people down here on video and are looking forward to sharing it with you soon.
Tomorrow we will have a full day as we prepare for an overnight flight home. Please pray for our safety as we travel and that we have no hiccups as we make our transfer in Miami. We hate to leave but we look forward to seeing you all soon and being home with our Lakeshore Family.