missing healthy

Not to be dramatic - but I feel pretty terrible right now.

This is called food illness OR parasites - which one I have yet to find out.  I've been in bed all day, must have ate something bad.  My world is cold and spinning.  I figured I should try and describe this part of living abroad as well.  I'm sure you all know how it feels to be sick.  So.  That is how I feel.  My Bolivian friend came to visit and hit me on the stomach - apparently it is cultural to mess around and bother someone when they're sick.  NOT FUN.

That is all for today - just sharing some of the journey with ya'll.  :P

Alison Garza

#missinghealthy

Tell The World - Lecrae

Dog penalty

not the puppy he killed - but the cutest puppy I have ever seen

So today my friend was telling me a story about his day.  He said that one of their dogs was bothering his father.  The dog kept getting in his way and tripping him up - and this dog always bugged his dad.  So his dad - so annoyed by this dog - grabbed a cord, and snapped its neck.  In an instant, the dog died.   After killing the dog, his dad felt bad - explained my friend - so that is why his dad made it late to church.  He decided he had better go.

So - like a good American I decided to tell him about all the laws and groups we have in the States that advocate for animal rights.   He nodded his head and said - oh yes - I've heard about those laws in my professor's class.  Que bueno que no es asi aqui - How great that it isn't like that here.  I just laughed.  And so I continue to learn about cultural differences.

This past friday was "Dia de Amor, Dia de estudiante" and a whole lot of other celebration days.  The streets were full of vendors with flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals.  It was the Bolivian Valentines Day.  We visited the kids at the orphanage and celebrated all of their birthdays with a birthday cake.

This evening a friend from church was trying to teach me how to crotchet.  It is hard.  I have a lot of respect for people who sew and do crotchet.

Sweet Dreams!!  :)

Lisie and MOM! oovoo is so cool

bad quality - bad internet - but here is my fam oovooing me!

kitty love - took this for you Melissa

Dia de Amor - love stuff everywhere

2 Corinthians 12:9

Cochabamba at night

Tee playing guitar in her room - love spending time with her

Hands and Feet

Listening to this right now (link below).  Heather Larson works at Willow Creek in the Global Connections Department.  If you're bored, have time, or can listen to stuff while at work - click on the link.  #touchesmyheart

Heather Larson Speaking On Global Justice

If you are unable to listen to the link -Below are 5 commitments that Heather asks the people to make in her speech

1.  I will See the needs of this world and not allow myself to get overwhelmed but  learn what is really happening in this world.

2.  I will Feel and allow my heart to be broken for the things that break the heart of God.

3.  I will Act.  Have the courage to Act.  There is a time to rise up and meet a need.

4.  I will Empower.  I will humble myself to lift up the gifts and abilities and talents that God has given someone else so that we might see them live out the God given calling that God has placed in their lives. (Where compassion and justice meet)

5.  I will Advocate.  I will help to give a name for peoples whose name and voices are not heard.

I want to add one point to her commitments - perhaps it encompasses it all

6.  I will Love.  I will give out the love that God has given me so that other might experience the joy of knowing God as their personal savior in this broken world.

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Mathew 5:14-16

Hands and Feet - The Brilliance  

P.S.  I need help with discernment.  Please pray for that.

Alison Garza

Nothing important - jam for the day

Check out the Jam for the day

Tu Bandera - Jesus Adrian Romero

I was praying in the hammock today - and fell asleep (ashamed to say) - and woke up with the cat on my lap - that kitty is desperate for some love.  I've been watching the cat the past few days and ran out of cat food. I tried to feed it bread, nope...than cereal, nope...I was going to cook it some eggs but the street vendor told me not to so I bought some tuna - the cat likes the tuna.

I'm getting ready to go to the homeless ministry - if you read this around 7-9 my time....(I am an hour later than Chicago time), please pray for the ministry this evening.

Alison Garza

The Jungle Experience Part 1

I'm back!  Back from where you might ask - back from the Bolivian Jungle of course.  What is the Jungle like you might ask - humid, green, full of bugs, big leaves, fruit, and rivers!

peeling papayas

This past weekend I went with the young adult group to Chapare.  I spent some time in the kitchen, learning how to cook and cut Bolivian food.  As you can see in the picture - the style of cutting includes cutting towards yourself versus using any type of board as a base or cutting away from yourself.  For this reason - I have 6 cuts on my hands.  Do not worry though, the blood never got into the food - I am a sanitary cook.  ;)

raw fish cut in half

We also cooked fish over an open fire.  To cook the fish you have to split it in half (like in the picture).  To eat the fish I had to use my fingers because I forgot to bring a plate and cup.  It tasted good, but, fish have a lot of small bones in them, so it was difficult to eat.  One of my friends knew that I don't like fish eyes so he got my attention and proceeded to pick out the fish eyes with his fingers, put it in his mouth, smile, and swallow, "mmmmmm."  But that wasn't enough, so he fished around for the brain and ate that too.  What are good friends for if not to gross you out?

chugging contest - I lost

Other than cooking I also participated in a couple of skits - which received raving reviews.  In my favorite skit I posed as a street vendor with another friend.  We interrupted announcements to try and sell a liquid made with coke leaves that would solve all your problems, mainly make you more attractive and lovable by everyone.  We convinced more than 10 people to drink the liquid.  At the end, after the pot was empty, we revealed our secret ingredients.  1.  A coke leaf 2. a dirty sock.  Everyone was in an uproar when they realized they had just drank the liquid that sat in a pot with a dirty sock.  "VERDDDADDD" (That's riiiighhhtt), is all I said as we ran off the stage.  Good times!

You know how it is when you go to a beach and try and throw sand, or mud, or climb on someones back - basically - when you go to a beach and try to have fun - and than a lifeguard or, a sensible adult reprimands you and explains how "dangerous" it is?  Yea - I know how that is - I never liked it.  One of the cool things about swimming in the wild...with a group of young adults as leaders is that - you can be "wild."  We had sand fights in the river and mud fights - oh my goodness - it was so much fun.  There were at least one or two girls that tried to stop us from throwing sand because of the "dangers", but, they weren't a lifeguard, nor a leader, so... unfortunately (really fortunately)...no one listened to them.  :)

In an attempt to enter the river I grasped onto a tree bark only to touch a group of something fierce.  Before I knew it, 3 of my fingers started burning.  "What is happening??  Why do my fingers hurt and there are no bite marks??"  "oooooowwwww"  A "jungle expert" (one of the Bolivians) came over and showed me the group of catapillars I had touched.  My fingers continued to burn for 30 minutes and than subsided.  I was later told that a much quicker remedy would be to kill the catapillar and squeeze out its liquid back onto your finger.  Wish I would have known in the moment because it wasn't fun feeling like your fingers are on fire while trying to do stuff.

leaf grasshopper

Another interesting insect that I did not touch is a butterfly.  It is GORGEOUS and BIG.  But if it lands on you, it immediately injects it's larvae into your skin and your skin starts to form a boil.  You have to pop it and than out crawl the little larvae.  I saw this type of butterfly three times - I've never seen anything like it.

Other than butterflies, there were cockroaches, rats, big spiders, and tons of mosquitoes.  The humidity level was unreal.  Just sitting and listening to the preacher made us all sweat.  There was no shame in smelling bad, that is for sure.

I probably could share more stories, but I think photos can help explain the trip better.

Alison Garza

What is all this green I see?

first thing we had to do: Clean the bathrooms

cleaning the part where water goes

The toilet

We made doors out of plastic bags and string  - it helped... somewhat

The Kitchen

Group games:  We still play

Had to run under the parachute to another color before it fell

 

pretty sky

drying coke leaves in the sun.  Bolivia is a big producer of coke leaves

Bible and nature, what more do you need?

  

cooking fish on the fire

final product!

intense fish eater

on the bus: putting on sunscreen...and sweating

this passed by...just like on discovery channel!

Most of the Group

Trying to spell Experimentar - the theme of our camp weekend

MUD FIGHT!!!

sand castle competition in mud...poor giselle

pretty

swimming in a river

fell in love with this puppy - what?? I LIKE DOGS NOW? What is Bolivia doing to me!?!

store across the street form where we stayed

The only gringas #representUSA

A mid stop shop on the way home

A mid stop lake to swim in on the way back

Beautiful sun set

dejame Kitty!

This morning I've turned on the coffee and will begin my third cup soon.

Today will be spent researching graduate schools and programs - I am leaning towards further education so that I might use it to serve others the best I can - we shall see

This Thursday we are going to the jungle with the youth group - they've asked if we could help out on this trip and I am excited to interact with young adults while experiencing a new place.  Stay posted for photos.

Yesterday I made delicious and sugary fried tortilla deserts.  It is super easy and if you have a few minutes and some tortillas, sugar, oil, and cinnamon lying around I suggest you try it!  http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1849,148176-253195,00.html

cute right?

whenever I'm outside, always by my side

seriously though, this cat won't leave me alone #loudestcattheworld

There were amazing clouds over Cochabamba last night

I tried to relax in the hammock, but the cat wouldn't leave me

 This makes me want to play piano again - Amelie (click it for youtube video)

Since I was in the Piano mood- I did a little youtube search - look what I found - Grandpa I am sure you will enjoy this! Kurt Kaiser (click on the name)!! :)