Dance with your heart

I can’t sleep.  This seems to be a theme in my blog entries.  Today was a good day.  Why?

1. completed my laundry and cleaned my room – it is SO clean and organized. 
2. Played soccer with some friends
3. visited the orphanage
4. went to young adult group at church
5. attended a small concert with really good music

friends from back home, courtesy of Will (io)

Before I left for Bolivia I posted something about how loved I felt by friends and family and how I would share this love with others here.  I want to tell you that today I shared that love.  It’s a weird feeling in my chest that just builds up and overwhelms me for the kids that we hang out with every Friday and Saturday.

Tonight at the young adult gathering they spoke on Hebrews 11.  The first verse of Hebrews 11 says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Faith has been a recurring theme of my time in Bolivia.  It is absolutely essential to have faith and to wake up every morning with the full assurance that God is at work.  The chapter continues to give concrete examples of people who lived by faith.  Honestly, I can’t even give it justice in describing this chapter – you simply have to read it. (click the link if you don't have a bible near you)

The person that stuck out the most to me was Abraham.

 “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.  For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God”.

Can you imagine that?  I worry about how my future will be.  But can you imagine wandering around and staying in a foreign land – with so much uncertainty from the world’s point of view.  How many questions could be posed in this situation – “How is God going to give us this land?”  “How will we know if the land is the land he promised?”  “What if I miss my hometown, can I go back?” 

God has given us promises in the Bible.  Just as he made a promise with Abraham – we have promises through Jesus.  What we are told to do is obey God’s word and live it out, even though we don’t know what we’re doing.  By faith we are to live our lives with full assurance in each step that God has a clue what he is building.  Our culture is so focused on having concrete answers and knowing the next steps.  The question is always “What are you going to do?”  “What is next?”  “What does your future look like?”  “What are you going to be?”  “Who are you going to marry?”  “Where are you going to live?”  So many questions that make our heads spin and leave us bewildered, stressed, worried, and without peace.  But God gives us a peace that passes understanding when we completely trust in him (Philippians 4:7). That is the difference.

I have no idea what my future holds.  No idea.  I’ll say it again – I have NO idea what the future holds, no one does.  All I know is that God is in my life.  He is present.  I have the Bible and I have friends and family to help along the way.  And even with friends and family far away, and if they were ever to disappear (hopefully never) – I still have the Bible.  Tonight the speaker made a point that the people of faith referenced in Hebrews chapter 11 didn’t have the full Bible as a point of reference, they only had their faith in God and the hope of what they couldn’t see.  We have the Bible in its full form as a guide for life.  A verse just popped into my head and I have no idea its reference but it is “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

So that is the story of today.  Tomorrow is a new day, with new lessons, and good times, and probably tons of yawns.

I’m going to try and sleep – It is almost 3 a.m. now.  Thank you for your love and support.  Can’t say it enough. 

CON AMOR (CITO), Alison

kids like taking my camera to take pics

I tried to make cookies for some Bolivians - I used pancake mix on accident instead of flour. woops.  good thing they haven't tried many chocolate chip cookies here  (sad truth)

Franx and Maria

playing games

Maria and I

makeshift volleyball

we used an iron rod as the net supported by a kid holding the rod on each end

I can't quite see videos online right now - slow internet, but i think this is the song I'm thinking of

From the inside out - Hillsong United

Recap on Buenos Aires

Back in my room!

It is currently 5 a.m.  I arrived back “home” last evening and was welcomed by the smell of Cochabamba (dry smelly excretion).  My body is re-adjusting to the change in weather and altitude, as I woke up 4 times last night and once again with puffy eyes and a stuffy nose – I had almost forgotten where I was.  J

Buenos Aires Cemetary

In Buenos Aires we went to a zoo and a cemetery and coffee shops and restaurants and walked a ton.  The national cemetery has a ton of above ground graves.  I am strange in the fact that I think cemeteries are fascinating.  The way people honor and revere their dead says so much about the culture and when I was younger I enjoyed wondering what the lives of those past were like.  I used to stand bewildered at graves from the 1800s and try and comprehend what that person’s life must have been like.  Halfway through our trip we decided to switch hostels. GREAT DECISION.

checking into the Art Factory with my pasaporte

We relocated to the “Art Factory” on another side of town.  Our room had 6 beds – and we mostly hung out with friends from Columbia, Venezuela, Argentina, Belgium, France, and Netherlands.  It is amazing how quickly you can make friends and connect with other people.  The day would go like this.  Morning – wake up – go have breakfast –conversation

Traveler #1 - “hello, what are you doing today?”

Traveler #2 - “I don’t know, what are you doing today?”

Traveler #1- “I’m doing this, this, and this, want to join?”

Traveler #2-“Ok, lets invite person a, person b, person c”

Traveler #random- “ok, and for dinner lets all make food together and eat.”

Traveler everyone-“ok”

And than we would proceed to go sight see or hang out at a food place.  The environment was so laid back and great for rejuvenating.  One of our friends from Columbia met an Italian and by the next day they had both bought tickets to Iguazu Falls and will be traveling throughout South America together for the next few weeks (including a stop in Cochabamba!).  If you ever want to travel alone – don’t fret about the alone part – because you will make friends (provided you are nice, which, if you are reading this, you probably are because you are probably my friend).

Aside from that awesomeness, there was the, how should I call it, not so awesomeness.  We call this part of the trip – food poisoning.  I went to bed dizzy and woke up to more dizziness and stomach pain – and just about the point where it felt like I was going to die – that is the point when my night of food poisoning began.  That night was spent on the community bathroom floor, vomiting every 20-30 minutes from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m.  Never again – nunca jamas.  Although – I know it is inevitable to return.

The bed I paid $55 for

What goes through ones mind when vomiting out everything even when there is nothing left?  A lot.  It’s like God was giving me extra time to reflect on life – in a unique way.  I was sitting on the bathroom floor with my hand to my head, shivering profusely, and about to complain, when the verse about being thankful in all circumstances came to mind.  OK FINE.  “Thank you God for this illness, for my immune system that lets me know something is wrong, for the ability to feel when I am about to purge, and for this lovely bathroom floor that is not nasty.  Thank you for…and the list continues.”  This was a first time experience of being thankful while vomiting – and I highly recommend it – because it turns out – there is a lot to be thankful for.  Early that morning I gave in and rented a hostel room to myself.  I wasn’t quite sure what illness I had or how long I would be sick for so deductive reasoning led me to give up 55 dollars on a room with a private bathroom.  I spent the next day in bed, going in and out of sleepy consciousness.  I thought a lot about the time here and how to use it wisely and I thought a lot about a lot of you.  (Tons of “a lots” in that sentence, but too tired to think of an alternative, much?)

After the day of pain – that’s what I’ll call it – I regained!  We visited the president’s house, beautiful, long, boring, interesting, tour.  We spent more time getting to know people at the hostel and the final night – Tango!!  Don’t be deceived, I didn’t tango, but we watched and listened to Tango.  It was the beginning of the national tango festival.  I have a high appreciation for tango music and dancers now and perhaps someday, I will learn.  There was an open dance floor with people dancing oh so elegantly to the tango, it was impressive, and beautiful.  The tango definitely brings out the hopeless romantic feeling that sometimes you love and sometimes you hate.

Oh! I dropped my Droid phone in the toilet.  I went to the store to buy rice to put the droid phone in, I opened the bag of rice in the store (don’t ask me why), and spilled the rice on the store floor.  The remainder of rice was used to let the droid phone dry.  The next day I also borrowed a French girls hair dryer and blow dried the phone.  I am proud to announce that currently the driod phone is next to me with music playing and everything seems to be in order.  To those of you with smart phones – store this portion of the blog in your memory for a slippery day when you drop your phone in a toilet.

Also, if you travel, buy a lock.  Devon and I had money stolen from us the first night at the first hostel and another night, even with the lock!)  Thank goodness it wasn’t too much – that is part of the traveling experience I guess.

This is excruciatingly long and I still have to add photos.  More of tango to come another day.  Enjoy!

At the Art Factory Hostel

There were some ammmmazing trees

the peacocks just roamed the zoo, and ate your food.  Check out the peanut in this ones beak!

Estoy Aqui!

 

Graveyard - creepy - not lying you could see the caskets and some had holes in them

Chillin at the Hostel

Hippotabatomus

Venezuela, Holland, and US - great people

At the hostel

one of the many restaurants we ate at

My favorite animal at the zoo

muuufasssaaa

The wall says something about nature - and  I love trees, so naturally...cheese!

Toms Shoes Inspiration (Jon took this for you)

Tourists - La Boca

 

Breakfast at the hostel

This dog followed us around for a while

Touristy part of town - La Boca

Devon - My traveling buddy, and I

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires.  Where am I right now? Why, I am so glad you asked.  I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We arrived here this past Monday and have since been staying in a hostel with people from all over the world.  It has been an experience.

B.A. Is a fast paced city, where people walk fast, dress cool, and eat well.  Going from Cochabamba to Buenos Aires was quite the culture shock, especially when our first night on the town took place during rush hour.  It was like we entered into rat race to no where.  I don't think we mentally prepared for a tourist stay vaycay.  The reason for this trip was to extend my visa in Bolivia, using out personal savings, another intern and I bought tickets to Argentina for a ten day get away.  Except, really, we dont want to get away.  While it is awesome to see a new city and to experience a new culture, we were just beginning to set roots in Bolivia and quite honestly I am excited to return to Cochabamba and spend more time with friends and families there.

Meanwhile, we tour, we walk, we eat, and we eat more, and did I mention, we eat.  We eat so much food, because my travel partner is a chef and she lovvvvvves food.  I never knew that food and passion could be so closely intertwined.  Today I ate steak at a Parilla.  It was delicious and Devon explained to me why it was so good, something to do with tenderness.  One time we had steak in Bolivia and I thought it was delicious and mentioned how it tasted like beef jerky.  Devon kindly pointed out that steak is not supposed to be beef jerky, true.  You learn something new everyday.

Today we also walked to a bus terminal.  Dear mom, I have street smarts.  I felt someone was following us, and so I stopped abruptly and changed our direction, he did the same, and so I saw the nearest security person and steered that way immediately.  I than openly looked his way and explained to Devon that he was following us.  No probs, he left immediately.  Anyways, at the bus terminal we learned that it is very expensive to travel to iguazu falls.  We had originally planned to take a bus there but now it is looking as if those plans will change and well spend the remaining timed in Buenos Aires.  We are here until next Thursday.

There is this zoo here where you can pet lions!!  I asked the tour guide if the lion was dieing and that's why people could hug them but he just explained that they Are domesticated since birth. Strange.  We haven't gone yet, I only saw photos.

I feel so old.  It's almost midnight here and I am ready to sleep.  The majority of the hostel people's are out experiencing the night life.  Devon is sleeping, I discreetly took away her iPad which I am currently typing on.  :)  sleep well world, I am going to put on the headphones and sleep.

Alison Garza

No more Coca Cola in Bolivia - whhhhhattttt?

December 21, 2012 is my return flight to the States.  December 21 is also the last day on the Mayan Calender.  December 21 is now officially an end to Coca Cola in Bolivia.  As I heard another missionary put it, "Could this be what the Mayans were predicting?"  Check out this article.  End of Capitalism - Bolivia to expel Coca - Cola.  Jessica just read this article to me a few hours ago - for those who are not willing to read it here is the recap.

1. Bolivia's president doesn't really like Americans

2. Bolivia's president REALLY doesn't like Americans

3.  Coca Cola is American. 

4.  Coca Cola is EVERYWHERE in Bolivia - you can not go anywhere without seeing it or drinking or seeing someone drinking it.  I would even go so far to say that Bolivians drink coke more often than they drink water.  (I could be wrong - *disclaimer)

5.  Therefore, Coca Cola is American Capitalism and to end this world of Capitalism - figuratively - the drink will be band on December 21, 2012.

One thing I have neglected to blog about is the growing animosity between the Bolivian and American government.  Things aren't so smooth - not like bread and butter - not even honey and mustard - it's pretty bad.  I never thought coming to South America that I would be discriminated against.  It is nothing in comparison to what some people face, but there are small moments or instances when it is very real here.

All that to say - I'm safe, some people just don't like us Americans, but generally people are very nice once you initiate a conversation.  Not only am I an ambassador to Christ during my time here, but I am also an American ambassador - a job I take seriously.  Finally to end today's entry.  HAPPY AUGUST!

South AMERICA - it's like America - BUT SOUTH

Watching this right now - Up - Love Story

I'm sure you've all seen this - but if you want to watch something cute, touching and great, click it :) Ok, now i'm going to get serious and do work.

Adventure is out there!

What is going on

My muscles hurt.  These past few days I've been trying to use up these sessions I have left at a gym.  This morning we did jumpo.  Jumpo is trampoline aerobics - and it is AWESOME.  We jumped all cool to different beats and my heart was beating so fast at different points.  I would have never thought a mini trampoline could be so cool.

What has been going on in Bolivia ville?  For my friends birthday we took an afternoon trip to a waterfall.  The waterfall is just water running down a steep drop at this point because it's the dry season here - and it was also freeeeezing.  But you only get to touch freezing water from a dieing waterfall once - so we brought our swimsuits and took turns leaning against the wall with the freezing water hitting us.  Super cold.  There was a also a dark underground tunnel that went through the mountain with water about knee deep.  We were told that bats are inside and if they land on your shoulder just to brush them off - and also not to scream.  So in a single file line we walked through the dark tunnel - it was scary and I was cold but luckily we did not have any encounters with bats.  The pictures I have are on my camera back at home (I'm not there right now) so next blog I'll be sure to upload some.

That same day we went to a surprise Bolivian birthday party.  The guys were super excited to dance - which is strange. haha.  But they got everyone in lines and blasted - are you ready for this? - none other than - Lecrae!  and some other christian rap I've never heard.  Here is one of the songs they had a dance to - God is Enough.  They then proceeded to do dance moves in a line dance style.  Before we knew it there were about 15 people doing the same dance moves to christian rap.  It's funny because earlier in the day one of my friends was trying to describe christian dance - and I was like - what is that?  Now I know.  The majority of the people at the party are part of a christian camp - where I am hoping to visit and volunteer.

Next Monday I will be using some of my savings to travel to Buenos Aires with another intern here - we will be there for 10 days.  My visa will expire here in September so if I want to leave the country I've got to do it before than.  I am super excited!

I don't have any cool pictures to upload.  But I will next time (hopefully).  :)

Alison Garza

What keeps me up at night

Sleep has not been my friend.  I get into bed late at night - so tired and ready to dream - about anything really - anything that will make me sleep.  But my mind says NO! and it replays the day.  So I turn on music to try and distract my mind but NO! the music just keeps me up all the more.

Two nights ago we were in the plaza handing out some oatmeal and bread in the main plaza.  Fewer people showed up for the message that day so we had extra to hand out so we walked around looking for people who might want some food.  Normally we pass by these people during the day.  They are usually sitting against the wall with hand extended or cup in hand asking for change - and at night, some can be found sleeping along the sidewalk.  Two days ago instead of passing by - we spoke with them face to face.  One man - one image - I can't shake - was a man with a tin cup in hand sitting with his back against the wall.  He was blind so when we spoke he would turn his head and to give him food we had to verbalize what we were giving and where we were handing it to him.  I remember trying to hold a conversation with him - face to face - he rarely smiled.  Tee had her guitar in hand so I asked him if we could play music for him.  Tee began to play.  So there we sat, Tee and I (Tee is my host sister), after a while we got braver, and asked if we could sing to him.  Tee started playing a Relient K song - Getting into you (click it) - a song I haven't heard in ages - and before we knew it we were both singing the song as best we could.  I was able to translate the one line "I'm going to love you with my life," which made him smile a little.  I wish we could have spent more time next to him - I wish we could start a relationship with him - maybe we can.  But late at night - I wonder what people like him are doing - what they are thinking - do they know they're loved?  How different is his life.

That night we also spoke with two men laying along the sidewalk - ready for bed.  They seemed a little intoxicated but one of them showed us his leg - it was swollen - SO swollen and bruised and infected.  I've never seen anything like that.  He said it goes all the way up to his waist.  He explained that he had been to a hospital but hasn't gone back because they would cut off his leg - he is so scared that it has been a year and the infection has continued to spread. We had a doctor with us - who explained that it is very necessary to go to the hospital and to let them cut off his leg because the infection will spread further and eventually kill him if he doesn't act soon.  The friend of this man was sitting next to him nodding the entire time.  I wish I was a medical person - I wish I could help this man more than just being there and hearing a little of his story - what good is it just to give food, talk, and walk away?  Questions that I can't answer - and things that I can't solve.  I don't quite know where I was going with this entry - just felt like sharing a little of what keeps me up at night.

On another note - I really enjoy hearing from you all about what is going on in the States.  Thank you for all the love you have shown me back home and while abroad.  I was showing my host mom the scrapbook that was put together yesterday and it reminded me of the great people that are in my life - I am super grateful.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

P.S. If you want to write me a letter my address is

P.O Box 1746, Cochabamba, Bolivia


real easy no?  NO zip code...nada.  :)


Currently the kids are waking up and I can hear Gabby messing around with her brothers.  I'm off to hang laundry on the clothesline.  I'm finally growing up. haha ;)

Alison Garza