Beautiful Day!

It's a beautiful day out here.  I mean BEAUTIFUL.  I better enjoy this summer weather before my flight back to COLD chicago.

Come Lay 'Em Down - Needtobreathe

I am excited for these last few weeks, the schedule is filling up quickly with activities to do with the kids from the orphanage, at casa de amistad, and with the woman that recently exit the prison system at manos de libertad.  3 weeks - here we go!  P.S. I might try and sneak a camera into the female prison.

I mentioned in my last blog a trip to the jungle this past Thanksgiving.  Using our personal savings, we took the "Death Road" - the most dangerous road in the world to Coroico, a small town, where we signed up to repel down some waterfalls.  Here are some photos to recap.  I really really really like the jungle.

my favorite tree, the banana tree

Her Uncle is a professional bird watcher - legit

Got some bird watching lessons

Death road for a reason - two way road and only one vehicle fits

She's pointing to Coroico 

Death road

starting descent down a waterfall

Her Uncles did it too!  

floating down the river

trekking through the stream

Driving through La Paz, Bolivia - the main capital

somewhere in La Paz

Repel Repel!

Notice the wonderful model in the background.  Their manicans always have strange poses

Rain in the mountains

I'm the short one here...

After a long hike back up - super beauitful

Small Reflections

I have a friend in the prison who asked for prayers this week.  A decision will be made regarding her case this Friday.  Either she stays for 3 more years or she gets set free.  I told her that I would pass on her prayer request to friends in the States as well.  Please pray that God´s will be done, and that if she does remain in the prison that God would use her as a light in the darkness and give her joy in the midst of these difficult times.  I will be visiting her again Thursday and we made a commitment to pray together about her case so prayers for good Spanish that day would be great!

Other than that, I was sitting next to a funny woman named Roxanna during Bible Study today.  She has to be my age or younger, I still have yet to ask.  The woman who leads the prayer session is pentacostal.  There can be some passionate prayer at times with woman weeping, small whispers and hands raised.  Often times I remain silent and pray with my eyes closed.  That is often times.  Today, however, my eyes were open.  Roxanna took note.  Roxanna put her hands over my eyes to close them, and continued to lean her head way down to make sure my eyes were closed.  Roxanna couldn´t sit still, I had the feeling she went to Bible Study for the free yarn that is given away after each session.  So she poked me, she knocked me, she made me laugh, and whispered in my ear.  I get along really well with her.  After the session, I asked Roxanna what she does during the day. Nothing.  No visitors?  none.  Ok.  I´m going to visit you I said.  This makes me happy that I have the opportunity to get to know Roxanna during my last weeks here but makes me sad because...it´s only 4 weeks. 

It made me think pretty hardcore while walking to this internet cafe (where I am presently).  Maybe I have 4 weeks left here with people like Roxanna, but when I go home, there are others I can get to know and visit. 

So I currently sit in an internet cafe with loud cars going by.  There are random people on either side of me surfing the web.  It is surreal to think back to all that God has done during my time here and the relationships that have been built.  Crazy incredible.  Just last night I was talking with a good friend about my plans when I go home.  Even I don´t know them, right now I´m just looking up, and moving forward with applications, one foot in front of the other. 

For thanksgiving weekend I went to visit an awesome jungle area.  I was also supposed to be travling this week, but I think God changed me a lot, because I chose not to travel and to be responsible.  What is that?!  I want to take advantage of the time I have here and be involved in the ministries more and have some boring writing to do - like I am supposed to be doing right now.


Alison

Con La Mano Levanta - Macaco

The fig tree story

Then Jesus told this story:

"A man planted a fig tree in his harden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.  Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I've waited three years, and there hasn't been a single fig!  Cut it down.  It's just taking up space in the garden.'

The gardener answered, 'Sir, give it one more chance.  Leave it another year, and I'll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.  If we get figs next year, fine.  If not, then you can cut it down."

Luke 13:6 - 9

This story is one of the many stories that has compelled me to be serious about my faith.  To get moving and to DO SOMETHING.  Do something with heart and do something with purpose.  Do something ya'lls.  Do something and do it soon for the glory of God.  Life is short.

Life is Beautiful song

Life is Beautiful by The Afters

Wow - Big God - Little Me

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.  Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!  Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

These verses got my attention tonight.  This prayer is powerful.

This week I have witnessed some of God's nature, beauty, artwork, and I can't quite put into words just how amazing all of it was. Of all the beautiful views I saw, by far, the most amazing view was one I couldn't quite capture with my camera - the stars.  There are so many constellations and stars that I had never seen before with my naked eye.  It was astounding.

That night as I laid in bed, I tried to remember the last time I had seen so many stars - it has been a couple of years.  The stars are always there shining bright, but it is something we don't always see - the view gets clouded by all the modern day technologies and the street lights and busy lives we lead.  Looking at those stars, all I could do was ponder just how BIG God is, and how Infinite his works are.  He has so much love to give.  How Deep, How Wide, How Long, How High is His love, and we still can't comprehend it.  The ability to see, taste, and hear his creation these past few days have been such a great blessing.  It leaves me speechless.

tons of llamas

salt flat crazy photos

jungle clouds in the mountains

laguna and my dirty sun stained feet

Geyser

running around and having fun

hot spring at a laguna

With friends somewhere in the jungle

A laguna

licking the salt

Sunrise at Salar De Uyuni

swimming against the current

tourists coming down to see the laguna

volcano, half is chile - half is Bolivia

Miriam with chicken head

tons of flamingos

In case you are wondering:  These photos were all from the past week.  The jungle photos are from a trip we took with some friends from church to Incachaca this past Sunday.  The rest of the photos are from a trip we took to Salar de Uyuni this past week using our personal savings.  I just got back this morning and am exhausted.  Goodnight :)