THE ROAD IS CLOSED!!

The last month has been frustrating! More often than not we have a ‘trunca’ across the road when we wish we enter or leave the community. The road in Patajusal 1 and 2 crosses private land so literally belongs to the community. Anyone who uses the road does so only with the permission of the members of each community.

The main ‘user’ of the road is the lumber company. An agreement was made that the company could use the road provided it would build the road and maintain it. The company built the road by cutting a swath with a cat through the forest and they maintain it by driving on it. Logs cut from farmers’ fields are hauled day and night while the weather is good. But there is a problem. All this driving puts holes in the road and when it rains, the holes get deeper since the trucks drive straight through. After some time the road is nothing but potholes and the community decides to stop all traffic until the road is repaired.

This is the problem with which we were faced in November. We could understand why when the road was wet since we could see the damage. Even though our truck is light we still try to be considerate of the community. But when the road was dry we became quite frustrated – until we realized what was happening.

One day I returned from Yapacani after attending a meeting there. The weather was fine and I did not anticipate any problems. But when I came to the entrance of Patajusal 1 the trunca was closed. I had taken some people with me and they checked at a couple places for the key but were unable to find it. I walked to the school and the store but at neither place did I find the key. So what do I do – turn around and go all the way back to Yapacani or stay in Hotel Chevrolet for the night? The people from the community are always warning me that it us unsafe to drive at night but does that include sleeping in the truck in the middle of nowhere? Let’s just say that I have spent much more comfortable nights. The next morning I returned to one of the places where I was told the key would be. They had returned from the field the night before and they gave me the key after making me promise to bring it back as soon as I opened the gate and also promise that I would not let anyone else through. I was home in time for breakfast and a nap!

Another day we were expecting some supplies for the workshop and had obtained permission for this truck to enter. We received the key with the usual conditions of letting no one else through. When I arrived at the gate the truck was there as well as the road grader. But the man from the road grader, who happened to work for the lumber company, would not allow me through the gate. After some very frustrating conversation, I went home and told Jake to deal with the problem. He went to the gate and negotiated that the truck could come through in one hour. Part of the problem was that I was a woman and there is no way that a man will let a woman tell him what is going on. And then when I had the key, there was no recourse except to stick to his guns. When Jake came, things could be negotiated. It was at this time that we realized that there was some serious negotiating being done with the lumber company. The company wanted to grade the road even though there were wet spots and the community leaders wanted them to wait. From that time on, one of the members of the community was assigned to stay by the trunca and open it for those who were allowed to pass through but to keep the lumber company from moving trucks. We appreciated that since we did not have to look for a key every time we went in and out of the community.

The road has now been ‘fixed’ in Patajusal 1. They raised it so that water does not run over it as quickly, but it is still made of clay which causes great problems when it is wet. It is not unusual for the micro (the bus that provides public transportation) to be stuck somewhere on the road. One night we were coming back and made sure that we were at the trunca when the micro would come through. It had been a bit wet but we were sure that we could make it. After a couple hours of waiting we were told that we could only go to one of the farms but we would have to wait there until morning. However, the micro could go through. So we stopped at the farm and Jake stopped the micro so that we could get a ride. Then the people on the bus decided that we could go down the road after the bus. So off we went – for a few hundred meters. Then the micro decided that it could go no further and would back down the road. Then we could go – if we took the people and the cargo. Although we were loaded down much heavier than we wanted, we agreed and we were able to make it to our own beds. Not another night in Hotel Chevrolet!!

But now we have another problem. The road is fixed in Patajusal 1 and they have started construction in Patajusal 2. A bridge needs to be built to divert some of the water so a large hollow tree about 5 feet in diameter is put across the road. The first time I encounter it I am somewhat concerned about how I will get over it. One man (my dear friend from the lumber company who has his truck in the middle of the road, waiting to get through) tells me that it will be in the morning but another man says an hour. It is lunch time. It turns out to be about 20 minutes and they tell me I can go through. OK, but how and where. I make my way up the ‘bridge’ and get high centered. No problem! They hook the wench from the cat on to my truck and pull me through. But the next time it is not so easy and that time Jake is driving. It takes an hour or so to get out the next time and we are glad that the guys have a great sense of humour and adventure. Not only is the lumber truck still in the middle of the road, but also the cat has broken down and is sitting on an angle across the road with the blade in the air. Thankfully Jake has some experience although this is worse than driving on snow covered ice. He figured out how to manoever the truck through the greasy mud and we were able to move in and out of the community once again.

But things changed again. We planned on taking a few days of R and R over Christmas but the day before we planned to leave the road was closed – and we could do nothing about it. Although we did not have a lot of rain, there had been ten days of rain up river and all that water comes down to Patajusal. There is a curve in the river where the water flows into the community and the night before we were to leave, the river literally came down the road. By morning the road was covered from our laneway toward the crossing in Patajusal 1. That meant that we had a choice – stay in the chaco or walk out. I had made sure that all the fruits and veggies were eaten so that nothing would spoil while we were gone. So that reduced our options and we walked out. There were 10 of us who waded through about 2 miles of knee deep water with slimy clay under foot. Many of our neighbours had water running through their houses and the chickens were perched on the roof. It reminded me of the newscasts of the floods and hurricanes, except this was something we were experiencing. Words cannot describe, nor would you believe, what it was like. (And where was the camera – safe and dry in Yapacani. Although I wished I had it with me, it probably would have fallen in the water since I am such a coordinated person that I fell as soon as we started!) Fields that were green with rice the day before were now lakes as far as the eye could see. At the bridge we walked through water to our hips and the bikes we had with us were covered in water. I was wearing shorts so did not have a problem. Some of the men didn’t have a problem either – they just took off their pants and walked in their underwear and then dressed again at the end of the adventure.

Most of Patajusal 1 was dry but we did encounter a few spots where the water was running over the road. The worst part was about 100 yards of fast flowing waste deep water. We formed a line and all went through together. Then it wasn’t far to the corner at La Pista where we waited for some type of transportation that would take us to Yapacani. It ended up being a farm truck but we were happy to ride with the sheep, the fish, various types of produce and about 20 other people in the back of the truck. It was an experience.
So how is the road now? I have no idea. Jake left for the chaco by micro three days ago and I have not heard from him since. Hopefully he is safe in the house and is just waiting for the road to be dry enough to pick up the truck.

Congratulations Leonarda and Crisobal

Sometimes couples get married in Bolivia. Most of the people we know are not officially married although they have been living together and have established homes and families. There is difficulty obtaining the proper documentation for marriages so the ‘official’ status is not something that is easily obtained. There is no stigma if a couple is not officially married.

But one of our part time employees, Cristobal, and his wife, Leonarda, decided to get married. This was going to happen in September but the papers were not in order until a week before the wedding in December.

If you get married in La Pista, the church puts on the wedding and covers the expenses, I think. But then the minister and his wife were the padrina and madrina so maybe they covered those expenses. All we know is that the couple did not pay for the wedding. Each person in the church and a number of people of the community were asked to bring something. We were asked to pay for the wedding cake along with two other people. Others were asked to bring pop and others prepared the meal. Two days before the wedding Leonarda came with us to Yapacani to buy a dress. Now who in Canada would wait that long!

The wedding was to start at 2 so we came around one. The noon meal still had not started. I was to take pictures and was surprised that both the bride and the groom were wearing the clothes they wore every other day. It was about 3 o’clock when Jake was asked to come into a room and I went in with him. Things had changed. They wanted Jake to tie the groom’s tie. Now, Jake will have to learn this – it is the second time that he has had to do this. The bride was now dressed up and things were starting to look more like a wedding. A minister came from Cochabamba for the wedding and his wife took along all the finery that went along with a wedding – the bouquet, rose petals, veil. We decorated the church with flowers that we picked from the garden at the hospital.

Finally things were ready and the service started. First came three little girls spreading rose petals, then the groom and his madrina, and the bride and her padrina. The service was much the same as in Canada except that there was a part where they placed a gold chain around the couple signifying that they were tied together for life. They wore it until they got out of church and then the woman wore it.

After the service there was the gift line and each person received a bottle of pop and a bag of tostatos (puffed corn) when they presented their gift. The gifts were not opened but put away to be opened later. Following this, everyone enjoyed a dinner of chicken, rice, and yuca. It was nice to be just a member of the congregation with no extra privileges.

After dinner there was a bit of a program with some music and activities and then the night was over. It was only 10 o’clock so it seemed very early for a Bolivian celebration. Everyone went home and the bride and groom and their children went to their house – and life goes on.

A Milestone for Lidia

While you in North America were busy with Christmas preparations we were experiencing a different type of festivity. December marks the end of the school year and with that comes graduations or promocións. We were asked to be padrina and madrina for the promoción of one of the young girls from Patajusal 1. We know her father but we really did not know her so we were rather surprised, and a bit anxious, when we were asked. We had heard that being a padrina or madrina carried a lot of responsibility and that there was usually a fair bit of money involved. But we were assured by the father that all we had to do was attend the ceremony and come to the house for a little meat, and at a later time assist her in making her decisions about what she wants to do after graduation. After reading some information, both positive and negative, we felt that we should agree since it appeared that it was an honor more than an obligation.

But there were some obligations, although not the type that we would have thought. We were asked to be at the school at 3 so that they would know everyone was ready but instead they were at our place in Yapacani at that time asking if we would pick up the tables and chairs and bring them to the house. Then the pop had to be picked up. That was done and the time had changed to be at the house by 5 so we were there but the father was still in the shower and we were given a meal. We arrived at the graduation ceremony after it started but they just joined the end of the line to enter. They were certainly not the last ones to arrive! I had offered to take photos so I was kept busy.

We attended the ceremony although the other relatives did not. There were not a lot of people there considering the number of students graduating. The outdoor ceremony started with each student, dressed in their school uniform, being introduced to the people along with their parent of the opposite sex. The parent congratulated the student and presented her with a flower or bouquet and then the principal presented the certificate. And that was that. There were some messages from the staff and some singing but everything was rather low key and things were all over within the hour. We brought everyone back to the house and thought that we would have supper right after the ceremony. But that was not to be – supper was at 9 – in reality it was at 10. By that time Lidia had changed into a formal dress.

Since we were honored guests we were given the best of the meat and we each received a piece of beef at least a foot square. Then we also were given baked potatoes, yuca, and platano. There was no way that I could even think about finishing all that, especially since we were already fed earlier.

Following the meal, Lidia stood beside a table and each guest brought a gift and congratulated her while Lidia threw confetti on their heads. Those who choose to give money instead of a gift sewed the money on her dress. Oh,yes, Lidia had another long dress on by this time.

After the gifts were given, the dance started and Jake had to have the first dance since he was the padrino. That was a bit of a shock for him and he was totally unprepared. After a bit of a rough start it was OK. The night went on and on but we left about 1 in the morning. The last ones finally left at 4.

We returned the next morning to help clean up, we thought. But first we had to eat! Then it was time to open the gifts. First all the money was given to Jake and he had to count it. Then he was given the money to keep so that neither Lidia nor her family would spend it unwisely. When she needs it she will come and ask for it. Jake then had to open each gift and present it to Lidia. None of the gifts had names on so she has no idea of what each person gave. This whole celebration took a couple of hours and after that Jake brought back the tables and chairs.

We were thankful that alcohol was not a main focus at this promoción. At the next one we attended there was a ‘bottoms up’ drink after each dance and each person who presented a gift also had a ‘bottoms up’ drink. It amazed me that the ‘honored guests’ were still standing after a couple of hours. However, the party was still going on at 7 the next morning.

Although the father said there were no financial obligations we have a feeling that Lidia will be asking for money for her education. Instead of just handing out money we are asking that they submit their grades and also write an essay telling us how higher education will benefit themselves, their community and their country.

One for the Hoogland Clan

We are thankful that our new grandson arrived healthy and safely on December 2. His name is Kolten James Barrett and he is being spoiled and cared for by his Dad and Mom and his six sisters!

Handling the Money

It all started two years ago. The kind-hearted people from Canada left some money behind for the community to build a school. However, the community was not ready to build the school so the money was sent aside for as a fund that could be used for revolving loans.

The first loans were given out a year and a half ago to the women to purchase pigs. The idea was that after a year the pigs would have piglets and either the mother or the piglets could be sold. The pigs and piglets; some were sold. But the majority of the women did not pay back the loans, instead using the money for the family. Whether they did not understand the loan concept we will never know but the incident triggered the establishment of a Credit Committee.

The regulations of the Credit Committee were instituted at a monthly meeting. This committee consisting of three men set up further guidelines regarding the borrowing of money and drew up a standard application form. From our point of view, the amount of money borrowed is a pittance but this small amount can make a huge difference to the farmers.

In the first year of the project under the direction of the committee, each farmer will be able to borrow 1000 bolivianos or the equivalent of just under $120. Most farmers will use this to mechanize farm. This means that they will hire a custom farmer to work the field and seed the rice for the first year. Then next year the custom farmer will use that land for soy and plant the rice in exchange for rent. The greatest expense occurs in the first year and many of the farms are just ready for mechanized farming.

Jake was appointed President of the committee so he, along with two other farmers, will evaluate the applications. This process has enabled Jake to meet personally with most of the farmers and he has been impressed with their interest in the project and their knowledge of money management. Most have been able to reserve money for planting the crop but are only short the amount needed for the chemicals, usually around $100.00. We still are not sure if all of them keep their money in a sock or in a hole in the ground!

Open air church services

When we arrived in Patajusal we had no idea about the faith life or the church life of the people. Although we had heard many stories about Andean religion we did not know if the people were strong in their cultural religion. However, we did know that there was a church in Chiavitto, about three quarters of an hour away, where people we knew attended.

Within a few days, Dionisio, the man from Chiavitto, contacted us and welcomed us to the community. He was helping construct a new church at La Pista, about a half and hour away – if the roads were good. Earlier in the blog I have talked about that church.

Since that time there has been great interest in establishing a church in Patajusal. The distance to La Pista is a barrier, even when the roads are good. Inquiries have been made for land within the center of the community but it is too expensive. One of the farmers has agreed that a church can be built on his land. They would build a small wood building with a roof of matacu, the local palm leaf. We have offered the use of our facility but distance again is an issue.

There are three families who attend church on a regular basis, either in La Pista or in Patajusal. When a service is held in Patajusal the attendance increases, especially if there is a workshop or Bible study. We meet under a shelter of matacu to keep us out of the sun or the rain, or else under a mango tree. The service starts when most of the people are there which usually means when the truck arrives. One of the men of the community will start the service with singing. Most of the singing, accompanied by guitars and local instruments, is done in Quechua with some Spanish songs added for our benefit. I am not a musician but it seems like the tunes to all the songs are very similar and have a similar beat. There is great enthusiasm and the volume of the singing of our small group would challenge many North American churches with much larger congregations. The community service centers on singing and prayer with a little bit of additional ‘preaching’. It is a service of praise.

Dionisio comes to lead workshops or Bible Studies once a month. Because the churches of Patajusal and La Pista work closely together, we benefit from his leadership twice a month. We are divided into groups and work through the theme which Dionisio is presenting. Sometimes the material is easy for the people to understand, other times it is not. Since this is an oral culture, any of the people are illiterate or have great difficulty with reading and writing, making comprehension harder. Sometimes we see men with their Bibles upside-down or on the wrong page trying to follow along. It tears at our hearts. In spite of this they are eager to learn and we enjoy sharing. It is humbling when asked to interpret a passage in Spanish so that they can understand.

We are eagerly awaiting the construction of our building so that we can begin literacy classes and Bible studies for men, women, and children. It is a challenge and I often wonder if I am capable. It will require a lot of prayer support and strength that only God can give.

We are also anticipating that Dionisio will become part of our team in the future. It has been our desire to work with a local person who understands the language and culture, and is respected in the community. Dionisio has these qualities. He is a gentle, wise man who loves the Lord and wants to share God’s love. He is presently working part time with another organization but that position ends in December. His funding for his church work also ends at that time. We are praying that he will continue providing local leadership and training to the churches in this area. We are willing to provide materials, leadership and guidance for his work and are hoping that other funding will be provided for his vehicle. We would also like to remunerate him for some of his time. Presently he does all his church work without pay. He supports his wife and three girls from the income from his farm, but that is not always easy. Supporting Dionisio and his work is another way that you can become involved.

Solving the Water Problem

Modern technology – what would we do without it! The other day Jake needed to clean his spade after using it in the chaco. There was a bucket of water from the well sitting there so he just cleaned it in there. The next morning when he went to use the water for the plants there was no scum! The water appeared fairly clear from the magnesium and didn’t have an odor. Quite the discovery – maybe.

So he took 2 more buckets, filled them well water and let them sit in the open air for a day. The usual yucky, unattractive scum appeared. If you put a plate or a container in this water you would immediately get a reddish scum which, if you did not wash it, would stain badly. After a day, Jake took clay in which there was no humus and mixed it with the water. It sat undisturbed for another day at which time he found that the water was clear, a bit dirty but clear. We left it for another day and most of the dirt had settled to the bottom of the bucket.

When we had the water tested in Canada we were told that it was not harmful, just disgusting to look at. Now that it is clear it should be good for the people to use. We hope that they will apply this simple technology and use there wells. It was two years ago today that we came to the community to drill the wells and now we hope that they can actually use the water. We are very thankful that the solution is simple and economical.

The Garden

According to the people in the community we planted our garden too late. Thankfully, they didn’t look at how we seeded! Jake cleared the land with the machete and I hauled the largest trees away and pulled up the majority of the vines. The rest of the material we left and planted the seeds among the rotting leaves and weeds.

They, on the other hand, have very clean garden without many weeds since they burn everything. Theirs does look neater and cleaner but…..

In 3 months we had a wonderful garden fed by the decomposing plants and all the kitchen waste. We planted everything much closer than they would and we had great growth and production.

We received our seeds from ECHO and planted Malibar Spinach, lettuce, and lablab beans. Unlike our neighbours we leave the lettuce in the ground and only harvest the leaves. They take everything out by the root when it is ready so we hope to teach them that the length of production can be lengthened just by harvesting only the leaves. The lablab beans, used for eating and for green manure, are a great topic of converstion.

Our tomatoes are producing enough fresh tomatoes for the two of us. The are getting ripe after all the rest in the community and again we will experiment next year with succession planting. The men who work for us are amazed that the corn was planted 3 or 4 inches apart in the row and still produced wonderful ears. They plant their corn at 1 meter spacing in the row with the rows 1 meter apart. The variety we planted is an open pollinated corn from ECHO and is quite tasty. Next time we hope to plant some good American sweet corn. When we ate the first corn the men were amazed that yellow corn was so sweet!

There will be great demand for the amaranth seed since Jake has been making that for breakfast laced with butter and brown sugar. The guys love it!

So we are very pleased with our first garden and people are coming to look at it. That is exactly what we want so we hope and pray that some of our ideas for producing food throughout the year will work.

Life Without Marg

It’s our anniversary. It has been two years since we first came to Bolivia on the well drilling project. In some ways it seems like longer and in others it seems like yesterday. Never did we imagine two years ago that we would be living here!


Marg spent two weeks at language school in Cochabamba learning how to say things in the past tense. While she was there things continued at the chaco – the house was being built and there were still workers there every day.

When we hired our employees or ayudantes (helpers) we told them that their food was included and I think that they thought the food would be cooked. But with the chief cook in Cochabamba, who would cook? Jake took over and found how long it took to peel and cut all the veggies every day. (He would do the garlic at night since he read that garlic would repel snakes. Now I never worried about snakes because I knew from experience that Jake would kill them for me.) Then he would throw all of them in a large pan in the morning along with our favorite Maggi seasoning cubes and let it boil. When it came time for dinner it was done. For the second course it is essential that you cook a large pan of rice. Although he never figured out how to get the rice less sticky he managed well with that also. Then the meat. Cutting up some more onions, peppers and tomatoes was no bid deal and then just add the hamburger. Put freshly cut tomatoes and onions on the table and everything was ready to go. Pretty standard stuff and there were no complaints from the ayudantes. They told me they were well fed but that they were glad that I was back. Like Jake says. “When all they usually get is just a bowl of rice and some veggies, anything is good!”

He also had to take over the taxi role and that proved to be a bit more interesting. One morning he had planned to take our neighbour to La Pista to the doctor. Her little boy had an operation on his leg and the bandage needed regular changing. So he was getting ready to go at 7 in the morning when another neighbour came by and asked if he would take his wife along. Now, remember, that Jake’s knowledge of Spanish is limited and it is sometimes difficult to know everything that is being said. So Jake just said he would pick her up. Imagine his surprise when he found out that the wife was in labor! OK, now what does he do – drive quickly to La Pista through all the wonderful ruts or drive slowly and make sure he doesn’t bounce her too hard. He heard that the tale that if you wanted to have a baby come, ride on a rough road. He decided to take the middle route by going as fast as he could without bouncing too much. As they proceeded down the road, Juan Carlos, the future father, cheerfully chatted to Jake as he drove. He didn’t seem concerned about his wife who was riding in the back seat with the other lady and her son. When they arrived at La Pista, Roberta, the future mother, was squatted between the front and the back seat and Jake was sure she was going to have the baby right there. Juan Carlos nonchalantly walks to the hospital, talks to the doctor, and Roberta makes it to the door. Not ten minutes later a beautiful baby boy was born. Jake picked them up a day later and brought them to her parents. After a couple days they returned home on the back of the family motor cycle, the baby riding on her back and their other son in front on Juan Carlos.

Feed Them and They Will Come

Building a brick house does not come under the list of things that we know how to do. It was suggested that we hire a maestro (a master builder) with some ayudantes or helpers to assist Jake.

Our good friend, Serafin, attends church in La Pista. When Jake was attending the dedication of the church, Serafin introduced him to one of his ‘brothers’ who happens to be a maestro but prefers to farm. A number of other ‘brothers’ offered to work so we soon had a team that works well together.

We had first intended to drive them back and forth to their homes every day. That would mean 4 hours on the road but it was much better than if they walked. However, when we picked them up the first day, they came with their belongings for the week and informed us that they would build a shelter and stay a week at a time. Wow! I wouldn’t have to get up early and drive to La Pista every morning. But – that meant I would be feeding them three times a day instead of once!

Now that could present a challenge. Maybe they won’t like my cooking (and are too polite to say so). How much food do I make? What do I make for three meals a day? OK, when we ate here before we had a bowl of soup and then a ‘segundo’ or second plate of rice, some veggies such as tomatoes, onions, and carrots, and a small piece of meat. That would do for a start.

So now to buy the veggies and figure out what to do with meat without refrigeration. I picked up the basics for the first few days and then headed into town for a weeks supply. The shopping list was:
Black pepper
4 l. oil
large margarine
bottle of coffee
1 flat eggs
12 ½ lbs. onions
25 lbs. carrots
12 ½ pounds potatoes
12 green peppers
12 garlic
5 lbs. tomatoes
2 celery
bunch of parsley
5 lbs. beans
3 lbs. salt
10 lbs. rice

At the end of the week I had used nearly everything. I had some carrots left but had to buy more eggs, peppers and tomatoes. Some of the neighbours also gave me some cabbage, okra, peanuts and a few other veggies. We have out own plantain. I bought a frozen chicken to cook at the chaco but also took along frozen cooked hamburger. Lentils were also used for one meal.

A sample recipe for 3 Bolivianos, Jake and I for one meal.
3 cups lentils
3 lbs. swiss chard (I also used one of the lettuces from the garden)
8 carrots
6 potatoes
lots of celery leaves
some parsley
5 tomatoes
4 green peppers
1 large onion
3 cups of rice

The meal began with a bowl of rice and veggie soup. In addition I sliced the usual 4 tomatoes and 1 large onion. Everything is eaten with fresh tomato and onion.

When I am in Yapacani I bake since they love to have cake in the morning and afternoon. They are used to plain white cake but decided that banana cake was good, and chocolate cake was great!

They are a great bunch of guys and are eager to teach me traditional Bolivian cooking.

Big Red - The Little Red Truck

Deciding the type of vehicle to purchase was a major decision. We wanted something reliable since Jake is not very mechanical. Because we were not familiar with the country we didn’t want to purchase something that did not have the correct papers; thus creating problems. That meant buying something new. We felt we needed something that could haul a fair amount of stuff since we would be building the house and other buildings. After looking at a number of trucks we ended up with a Chevrolet Work LUV. It is a cheaper truck, not as heavily built as some of the others. We certainly notice that difference. But it does what we need it to do.

We have had the truck since April and already have 10,000 kms. on it, much more than we ever anticipated. It seems like the truck becomes a taxi to the doctor many times a week. The doctor is located in La Pista, 11 kms. away. The road is rough with many potholes and it takes about 35 to 40 minutes to drive one way. But when a mother comes with a small child that has diarrhea and is vomiting, I cannot refuse to take them. When I go, I usually pick up a number of people along the way, either going to La Pista or returning to Patajusal.

Because the men working on our house live in La Pista we pick them up early Monday morning. Sometimes we are on our way from Yapacani and have a load of supplies and equipment. It is not unusual for us to have the truck loaded and then add more stuff – bags of rice, bikes, chain saws, machetes and bags of personal belongings. One day we had 8 men on the back of the already full truck, then added 4 more, plus a woman and her child. Not only were they hanging on the back, they were also perched on the top of the cab. Some of the passengers were going to another community farther into the jungle. They walk or bike 17 kilometers to and from their farms so they were very glad to get a ride for the first 11 kms.

On Sundays we bring a load of people from Patajusal to La Pista to the Evangelical Church. There might be 12 persons on the truck; there might be 20 persons, along with their musical instruments. If the service is in Patajusal, Jake drives to La Pista first and brings those members back to Patajusal. It means a lot of driving but it is part of what we do.

Last week included a trip to another pueblo, Cascabel, about 40 kms. from Patajusal. I had never been there before so I was interested to see it. The purpose of the trip was to bring two couples and the pastor to obtain marriage licenses. I was driving – speeding at 60 kmp – when they told me to stop. I had passed the office of the notary without even knowing I was in the village. It was just another small village that spreads along the road with no true beginning or end.

Another trip brought me to a new community that borders Patajusal 1. The trip started with a baby that needed to be brought into La Pista to the doctor. Before we left the community we picked up the veggies from one of the chacos so that they could sell them in La Pista. The doctor was not around that night but the trip was not in vain. We returned, minus the veggies but with the additional company of three loud squawking ducks. Thankfully, they were in bags in the bed of the truck and not in the cab. While returning to Patajusal, we were stopped by the micro (small bus) and asked if we would take some passengers back to Patajusal. This did not make sense since the bus was returning from there. The driver thought the road was too wet and muddy to proceed. Since I had just driven the road I was somewhat surprised. I hadn’t seen any wet, muddy road – but this is Bolivia! We proceeded for a few kilometers and came across a group of about 12-15 people who had been dropped off, along with all their purchases from Yapacani. Normally the micro would take them another 2.5 km. It was very dark and the people were tired so they all clambered on the truck and off we went. I thought that all the people would get off at the crossing between Patajusal 1 and 2 where I turn to go home. Then I was told that there was another community farther –much farther – down the road. So what do you do? Part of the problem was a lack of understanding of the language so I ended up driving them up the road – one kilometer, 2 kilometers, 2.5 kilometers to the last bus stop, 3 kilometers (the road is now a track) to 4.5 kilometers. At this point they said they had to walk in the rest of the way since I could not drive any farther. I still don’t know how far they walked that night but I know they were very grateful for the ride. On the way back I was again flagged down and asked to take a young man with his bags of products that needed to go to Yapacani. I agreed to take him to the crossing where he would sleep so that he would be there when the micro came in the morning – if the micro came in the morning. There is no hotel at the crossing so I am sure he just found a place to sleep somewhere on the ground. During the previous conversation at the crossing I agreed to be at the crossing at 6 in the morning in case the micro did not come. I had to take the child to the doctor anyway. So at 6 I arrive – and no micro. By the time I arrived in La Pista, Big Red (the truck) was loaded with 10 bags of stuff, four half bags of stuff, gas cans, bikes, baby baths, and 20 people. It was then that I realized how important some type of reliable transportation was needed for the community. When we arrived in La Pista the people piled out and boarded the micro for Yapacani. No one became really upset at the driver but one man asked why he didn’t come that morning. When the driver started to make excuses about not being able to drive down the road he was told quite calmly that the lady could drive it quite well – implying that he should have been able to do it also. That was probably harder on the driver than if the man had shouted at him.

So we are very thankful that we have Big Red. She hauls lots of stuff for us from the road to the house – bricks, sand, gravel. She enables us to get our food and supplies from Yapacani and Santa Cruz. But she performs a much more important job in providing needed transportation to the people of the community. We are truly thankful that we have our faithful red truck.

Oh, one more duty of Big Red. She is a playground for the kids!

Our First Winter in Bolivia

It is winter in Bolivia. That means that the temperature is lower and they say that the insects are less. Watching the weather in North America we realize that the temperature has much less variation and I am not sure that it ever gets as hot as it does in some of the areas in North America. We spent some time in Cochabamba and it was very cool at night, cool enough that I wore a sweater. While in Coch airconditioning was installed in our truck and we bid farewell to our good friends, the Watts, who are returning to Canada. I also signed up for a couple of weeks of Spanish lessons starting August 21. The month in Canada was a good one. We arrived in time to attend our grand daughter’s play, the anniversary celebration of some good friends, another grand daughter’s graduation, as well as birthdays for Marg, Tim and KerryAnne. Jake’s was busy tying up the business and getting solar panels and a generator to take along. He also made a low flying trip to his family in Iowa. And all of this in three weeks. Next time he might have to stay longer! Marg’s 94 year old aunt was hospitalized and is nearing the end of her life. Although we thought she might die while we were home, she didn’t. Marg spoke at a couple of churches and hosted a dessert and information night. Jake came back to Bolivia on July 7 and has been busy organizing the materials for the house. The windows and doors are ordered and the bricks are on site – well, close to the site at the road. Men from an adjoining community have been hired to help build the house. Jake attended the dedication of the evangelical church in La Pista on July 14,15, and 16 – a three day celebration was filled with singing, sermons, and food. It started Friday night about 7 and lasted until Sunday at about 3 in the afternoon. Our little truck took about 22 people from Patajusal each day. As well, about 250 people came from neighbouring communities to celebrate. About 30 to 40 people came on an old International farm truck which served as there motorhome. The excess people slept in the old church. The community gave their all and were very happy to share their meals with their neighbours, even though it was very little by North American standards. Both baptism and communion were celebrated on Sunday and the sermon was delivered by Matther Zoller, a missionary with World Concern. It was the one sermon that Jake could understand. It was a great time for Jake to get to know the men on the community. And where was Marg – she was having her last day with the kids and grandkids in Canada. Marg arrived back on the 19th. We spent couple of days in Santa Cruz and then headed for Cochabamba to spend some time with our friends, Kent and Susan Watts and their daughter, Anna. Kent has served the last year as the minister to the Baptist English congregation, Susan acted as head librarian at the Baptist Seminary, and Anna attended school. They are returning to Canada at the end on July. Marg also signed up for another couple of weeks of language school in the end of August. Keeping up with the language in the community has been difficult. Our life now will be centered in the community. Marg will spend many hours on the road between Yapacani and Patajusal bringing materials for the house. She will also drive each day to La Pista to provide transportation for the men who will be helping with the house. Jake will supervise the building of the house and a driveway. We plan to attend church services in La Pista and provide taxi service to the members of Patajusal. We are scheduling a visit to Santa Cruz once a month to attend an English church service and visit with the rest of the EFCCM team. And about the weather here. We do get some cold nights -- or at least cool! I ended up wearing a couple of sweatshirts a couple of nights and one day I wore one for most of the day. The next day the sun was shining and it was back to shorts and t shirts. Oh, what a winter!

PROJECT PATAJUSAL

As associate missionaries through EFCCM (Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission), we are supporting our daily living expenses ourselves. However, we realize that others would like to be involved in our ministry so we invite them to be included through donating to ministry needs.

Since moving into the community we have become aware of some of the needs of the communities. Access to supplies is very limited since the nearest town is two hours away by bus. Very limited medical service is offered in a nearby village but anything serious requires the two hour bus ride. The nearest evangelical church is located 11 kilometers away but even this distance is a 45 minute ride in the truck. We do not have solutions to these problems but we are hoping that we can offer these people other benefits through Project Patajusal.
This project will cover three main ministry goals: education health, and spiritual growth.

Education in all areas of their lives is something that is lacking. There is no access to libraries, magazines, books or internet. The culture is an oral culture and most of the people are illiterate. Our training will need to reflect this while encouraging them to learn to read and write. The people are eager to learn and have enrolled in a literacy program sponsored by the government. We hope to enlarge on this program and make information available through printed material but also through videos and audio material.

We will work with the people in the development of farming practices that will retain the nutrients in the soil through using green manure cover crops, the development of small efficient machinery for seeding and harvesting, and the exploration of new varieties and crops that will provide a wider range of nutrients for their families. Assistance in market planning and economics is also an area that will be developed. A library containing Spanish books, videos, and audio tapes will be available to the community. The children will have a place to study and to obtain some tutoring.

Health is a major concern for these families. Although the children appear to be well fed we know that the diet consists mainly of rice and yuca, another starchy plant. Eggs are the main source of protein although some are starting to eat red beans. he mothers rely on the vitamins from the health clinic although this is simply soy and sunflower oil with added Vitamin A and D. Infections are common, especially in the eyes and on the legs. Little is understood about either the cause or the treatment of diseases, infections, and minor ailments. Accompanying this is the fear of death.

Teaching the women about nutrition, balanced diets, and cleanliness is not an easy task. It will require many demonstrations and repeated information. We will include the cultivation of family gardens, basic hygiene, basic nutrition, and sanitation in this program.

All of this will be integrally tied to spiritual growth. Since we believe that the world belongs to God and that every part of creation falls under God’s plan for redemption, everything is connected to God. We cannot work in health, education, or agriculture without emphasizing God’s plans for our lives.

Since these people know the Bible only through oral tradition, many of the stories and concepts of God have not been related. Showing God’s love and grace though Bible story telling will be emphasized. We will also begin Bible Studiesand praise times to promote faith development.
So how will be accomplishing this? First two buildings are needed. One building will serve as a workshop in which the men can build machinery, cages, and other equipment that may be used around their farms. It will also contain a demonstration area, and area in which to grow small animals such as guinea pigs, and an area for the storage of tools and equipment. The second building will contain a library for recreational and non-recreational reading, a space for women to learn to develop a wider choice of nutritious food for their family, a space for women to develop projects through which they can work together to increase family income, a classroom space for all ages, a private area for meditation, counseling or rest, a bathroom and bedrooms for guests and groups. Then we will need the materials and equipment to accomplish the goals.

Our budget for this project is"

Buildings
$20000.00

Electricity and Communication
$11000.00

Education Materials – ongoing but start-up cost is estimated at $2000.
Written materials
Video materials
Audio materials
Video machine
Radio/CD-tape machine

To assist with this project, your donation can be sent to:
EFCCM P.O.Box 850
Langley Stn. LCD 1,
Langley, B.C. V3A 8S6.

Please indicate Hoogland Project Patajusal.

All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued by the office. We are sent a list of those who are supporting our project.

Two homes - transition time

Who would have thunk it! Marg cooking over an open fire and shelling corn by hand! It is not something I had every imagined for my midlife crisis but here I am.

Last week we came to the chaco (farm) for the first time as owners. We packed the truck with the things we thought we needed for a three day stay. Some times I feel like Gilligan! We did pretty well as far as bringing along supplies. The things we didn’t bring were things we didn’t think we needed – coats and an extra blanket. It gets quite chilly here at night and there is a lot of dew so the mornings are brisk.

Jake immediately became a typical Bolivian and does not go anywhere without his machete. The first day he cut down an area where we hope to build the house. Unlike the Bolivians we did not cut the area and then burn it a couple of days later. Instead I hauled all the debris to the side and piled it. If they come and see what we did, they will think we are crazy. The debris what not heavy since most of it was haliconia and light trees. The worst is the miles of vines. I had already pulled miles from inside the ‘chalet’. Another pesky item is a tree in which the ants live. I am sure of the name but it is the one that they tied people too and let the ants eat them alive. Of course, this tree grows nice and straight and looks like an excellent pick to fix the poles of the chalet. Not a good idea. Jake also cleared a place on which to put the sand and gravel when it comes.

In the evening he was called to a meeting. The forestry company wants to harvest trees and needs a better road. So, in exchange for some labor, the community will get a road. We are not sure what the labor is but I am sure we will find out. One part is that each person has to clear 2 meters on each side of the present road—better called a path-- so that the cat can come in. So Jake has more than his share of machete work cut out for him. He is enjoying it after spending 5 months in school.

I have been busy setting up house in both Yapacani and Patajusal. The house in Yapacani is a bit more permanent with a proper roof and floor. We have purchased the major appliances and a mattress so we live in comfort there. We have two rooms, one is the kitchen/office and the other is the bedroom/living room. No one visits in the living room so we are OK. Only the one room is secure so we have all the valuables in there. The third room is a storage room for both ourselves and the landlord. Until we need it, we will leave it that way.

The house in Patajusal is portable. It is called a tent. We take it along each time we come and then take it home again. We also have four containers that have become our traveling companions to the chaco. One contains our bedding, another the cooking and eating utensils, another the perishable food and the last, the non-perishables. They we have the things Jake is supposed to take along which includes his tool box, machete (of course!), the powerpack and a number of other small things that are needed. Oh, yes, we should also take along chairs but we forgot them this trip.

I am writing this in the chalet with the computer on my lap. I am thinking that I should write Canadian Tire and get them to do an advertisement on us using the Eliminator PowerPack and Solar Panel for energy in the jungle of Bolivia. Maybe we could get some good funding for out projects!! Anyone have an ‘in’ with Canadian Tire???

The biggest shock is that it is pitch dark by 6:30. We try to have our supper, shower, and dishes done by that time but then there is not much to do. Jake can’t work until 11 every night. We read by flashlight –or the Canadian Tire PowerPack—and I am able to do work on the computer. I am learning Adobe Pagemaker and it is a bit of a challenge with no directions. Just wait – when Jake gets a proper generator he will hook up a light so that he can work at night. We can’t expect everything to change, can we?

A Place of Our Own

Leaving Cochabamba was bitter sweet. We looked forward to the next step but stepping out into a world of only Spanish and a different culture was a bit scary. We had friends and projects that we were leaving behind; relationships that had just started to develop and a lifestyle in which we were quite comfortable. But we felt the time had come for us to move on. Jake, especially, was getting very antsy and wanted to so physical work rather than brain work. The only thing holding us back was that our truck did not have the air conditioning installed. Jake had driven around and found a place that built bumpers and racks. Since the truck has a very small box, we needed something to haul larger objects and needed a rack over the cab. We were promised it would be done on Thursday, and in spite of all the warnings that it would not be done on time, it was completed by Friday afternoon. We loaded the rest of our belongings and headed for Yapani on Saturday morning.

Sunday was the day of the meeting, the day in which the community would hear what was happening and would have an opportunity to ask questions. We really had no idea what to expect – did we have to make a formal presentation? Nathan was with us to interpret. We were told the meeting started at 2 and we would be the last item on the agenda, but we thought it would be good for us to be there on time. It was evident that all of the men (yes, it was a men only meeting) were happy to see us and there certainly did not seem to be any animosity. It is Bolivia and things change. We were the first item on the agenda, and the middle item, and the last item. First, Jake was asked to tell them what he was planning to do. So, in his best Castellano (Spanish) he started. After the first two sentences, the men asked him to speak in English and have Nathan translate! After Jake finished speaking, there was a time for questions. Silence! Finally someone asked how much land we wanted and there were a few other questions for clarification. The general consensus was that we would be welcome but the conversation continued. It reminded me a church council meeting! Salidonio finally said that they should make the decision so that we could get on with our lives. That was settled and they went on to other items of business, one of which was how this was to be written in the minute book. That was decided and then they discussed other items and finally the last item came up – the signing of the official papers. By this time it was six in the evening and the sun was rapidly setting. Poor Eduardo was writing the official transfer document and I could not believe that he could see what he was doing. Thankfully, Nathan had a flashlight and the final documents were signed by all the officials.

Because many of the people in the community do not have carnets (proof of citizenship) they are not able to vote, not able to marry, not able to own land. Although they are in the process, there are many problems. For example, the person has to have his parents and two other people in the community sign that he was born on a certain date in a certain place. If the parents are not alive there are more problems. All of this has to be done with a lawyer so the process becomes very expensive. Some of the people from Patajusal did the work and then were told that the papers were illegal and they had to start over again. It is very frustrating for them and are now considering filing in Santa Cruz since it is easier there. But then they have to pay for the transportation. Either way they face obstacles. When all the paper work is completed and the people have carnets, the land can be transferred to the individual owners.

So, we are now land owners (kind of) in Bolivia and the community has accepted us. We have 35 hectares of prime Bolivian soil that used to be a river bed. There are 4 kinds of bananas planted in the front of the property and there are a couple of relatively cleared areas where Jake can start some of his planting. And of course, there is a house. And yes, we will live under it in our tent for the first while. At least we will be sheltered. Many would like us to move there immediately but we want to take some time to get a proper house built. We will start working there in the next day or two but we certainly will not move. Our lives for the next few months will be a few days in Yapacani and a few days in Patajusal

TARIJA - Our first venture

Finally, a chance to travel! All of the missionaries from EFCCM gathered in Tarija for a three day retreat headed up by our faithful leader, Steve Neufeld, of Red Deer. We have known Steve and Myra for a number of years so it was great to see them again. But they also brought along a goodie box from our kids and that was a real treat.

Steve led sessions during the day on different aspects of ministry. These were very thought provoking and left us with many things to ponder during the next year. It was a bit different for us since we have only been in language school and are just starting our project. We expect that next year things will be different.

Tarija is an interesting place. It has access to natural gas so most of the places have ‘piped’ gas; whereas, in Cochabamba we use propane bottles. There was a landslide in a remote area south of Tarija and the gas lines were broken. This meant no gas in the city. It also meant no hot water, no cooking. In addition to this problem there was a rationing of electricity. The lights would go off for the night at about 6 p.m. so we would eat by candlelight. Imagine sitting outside by a beautiful lake, eating by candlelight! It really was not that bad. We had power for a couple of hours in the morning but that was all. The hot water was heated by electricity so we could have a hot shower in the morning.

We stayed in a family house that was 150 years old. The present owners decided to fix it up and run it as a hotel. Since they have recently become Christians they want to operate camps etc. from this site also. So some of us stayed in the original building and others stayed in modern cabins. It was a beautiful place to stay, with a great view of the lake.

The last couple of days we stayed in a hotel in the city. Half of the city would have power while the other half lived in darkness; then things would switch. We lived in the half that had power at night. Although there was electricity, there was no gas so we did without hot showers. Some tolerated very cold showers while others settled for a cold sponge bath. Thankfully, the last morning we could all treat ourselves to a hot shower! The things we think are important in life. Throughout the weekend, the others told us they were just preparing us for life in Patajusal.

A good time was had by all and we were able to meet the other members of the team. Jake and Dorothy Fehr work mainly with Radio Transmudial in Santa Cruz and Pailon. Also in Santa Cruz are Rudy and Erna Friesen and their family. They are in language school and will start their active ministry later in the year. In Tarija there are four missionaries. Larry and Colleen Loewen and their family are active in the establishment of a church. Many who attend would be considered upper and middle class. Merle ministry has been the establishment and operation of a coffee house in downtown Tarija. What a wonderful place! Both the church and the coffee house are called Candelaro (Candlestick). Connected with these ministries is a streetkid ministry called Candelarokids. Heather heads this ministry. Heather is also active in another church that ministers to college and high school students, as well as many single mothers and their families. It was heart warming – and humbling—to see these projects.

Washing hands and feet

Since January I have increased the number of ‘school’ hours to five hours a day. That means that I have not been working at the orphanage. Instead Jake and I have joined Bonnie and Mike Timmer of International Teams in their baby washing project.

A number of families live at the local dump. They search the dump for anything they can salvage or sell. Needless to say it is not the nicest place to live and the aroma leaves a lot to be desired. There is not adequate access to water so a team goes each Thursday night and washes the babies. Now these are not all babies. If the ‘baby’ can fit in the washing tub, it can be washed. If it is too large, we will wash hair, hands, and face. After a good wash, the child is dried and we provide clean clothes. Some weeks we also bring along some chocolate milk and bread. The children are brought by their older siblings or by their mothers. Often the older sibling really needs come type of care also and the first couple of weeks I had older boys begging for a pair of pants since all they had were shorts. I found a pair in our pile of clothes and received permission to give them to the young boy – in exchange for a hug. I now have a good friend.

One day we drove up to the community center and there were a number of children with a homemade go-cart. We asked who had made it and were told that the children made it themselves from scraps they found in the dump. Kids are the same all over the world.

Last week we came upon another problem with children’s health. We only had a small team so we just washed hands and feet. We found a couple of them with tender sores on their feet that appeared to be infected. When we asked about them we were told that it was a worm that entered their feet because they did not wear shoes. When the worm matured, it would release itself from the skin and become a butterfly. Yes, it would be possible to lance the sore and take out the worm, but then the child would have to ensure that their foot remained cleaned. It was a better alternative just to leave nature take its course since it didn’t do any harm. I still have mixed feelings about the whole incident but we have to be careful not to make their lives worse but bringing our ideas that we think should work.

We wash and bring a bit of sunshine into about 60 to 100 children per week. There is another group that washes children in the city plaza on Saturday afternoons. They work with many of the street people – people that have made their way into the city from the mountains, hoping for a better lifestyle.

This is one ministry that we will really miss when we leave.

When things happen, they happen fast

Things are ahappenin’. We arrived back from Patajusal with renewed energy and promptly told our teachers that we were planning to leave the end of April. Of course, that gave us a different attitude towards school and it took a few days to get back into the study mode. I decided that I would learn as much grammar as I could and would leave the vocabulary until we moved. I want to finish the second textbook before we go. We are fortunate that we can set our own goals. There are some missionaries that must go so school until their mission board says they are proficient enough to work in the field. Our teachers are very cooperative and are working in the areas that we need.

And we bought a truck. We had looked at vehicles before Christmas but did not make any decisions. After being in Patajusal we tried our Spanish in Santa Cruz—and we did quite well. The majority of the questions were asked and answered in Spanish and then at the end an English speaking person would come and explain the extra details and ask any questions. We found that we had comprehended most of what was said. Talk about being on Cloud Nine! We asked them to send us quotes and we would decide. In the end we bought a Chevrolet LUV diesel pick up truck. Ironically, we bought it here in Cochabamba where it was over a thousand dollars US cheaper. It is a 2005 and we think that there is a surplus of the particular model. Air conditioning has to be installed so it will be a couple of weeks before we get it.

Last weekend Jake went back to Yapacani and rented a house beginning the middle of April. We thought it would be better to have our own home base in the city rather than staying with other people all the time. I do like my privacy. So what we rented were three rooms in a row with a bathroom at the end. None of the rooms have doors into the other, so we have to walk outside to get from room to room. Pete and Linda lived in this place for about a year so we know something about the place and the landlords. We will have electricity in the rooms but the water is out in the garden area. All the rooms are simply rooms – no such thing as a kitchen. Usually a family will live in one room and share the washing facilities and the bathroom. But we are renting all three, the same as Pete and Linda did.

Jake also went back to Patajusal and found another piece of land. This one is close to the centre of the community, has a well, and is higher land. The owner is a single guy who we think has moved to Yapacani. Dienisio is going to check things out for us at the end of the month and we should know more then.

And we have found someone with whom to work. Dienisio is a good friend of Pete and Linda and was instrumental in the growth of the church in Challe Vito. He is a good farmer but has been having some serious health problems so the destiny of his farm is in question. For the last year he has been working with World Concern and has also been working with some of the small evangelical churches in the area. Although there is no established church in Patajusal, he has been working there also. He has a great enthusiasm for the Lord and for the work that we will be doing. We are so thankful for him and his wife, Viviana.

Things to pray for:
The continuation of our language studies
That the ‘right’ piece of land will be available to us
Dienisio has a wife and three girls. He has recently moved into Yapacani so that his daughters can go to school. Aside from that he has had health problems for the last couple of years. He is coughing up blood. He is gone to a number of doctors, both locally and in Santa Cruz, but they have not been able to find anything. They have tested him for both TB and chaugas. We ask that you pray that someone will be able to find out what is wrong and that he can regain his health.
Thanks for the friends and support that we have here in Cochabamba.

Sorry, guys, pics next time. Jake didn't take the camera.

Water, Water, Everywhere

It was an impulsive decision. Maybe we should have thought about it longer. But sometimes things work out well. Such was our trip to Yapacani. We had planned to visit Yapacani and Patajusal sometime in February but the days seemed to slip by and we stayed home. Then we heard that a youth group from the Calama Baptist Church was taking a bus. After many phone calls we secured seats on the bus and quickly packed our bag. When we arrived at the appointed time there was no bus. Nothing unusual for Bolivia. Some said it would be there at 1, others said 2. In true Bolivian style we simply visited our friends until the bus came at 12:30!! Much to our surprise there were 110 kids going. Since I get car sick we were given the front seats but we were dismayed when we found that there was not enough seats for all the kids. No one else seemed concerned.

Now, if it is Bolivian vehicles, the road, or us, I do not know. Before we were 5 kilometres from town we had already stopped three times so that the bus could be ‘tuned’ up. It certainly did not have much power. A little tweaking here and a little tweaking there --things were better and we were on our way. I couldn’t help but think that we needed my nephew, Steve, to tune it up. I was looking forward to a scenic trip since we were sitting so much higher than in the car. But instead we had a very rainy view of the forest an the valleys. It still was breath taking in spite of the rain. People had told us that we should try to be at our destination before dark because there were people on the road. Ok. That sounded reasonable. But little did we think that there would be so many people. It seems as if they use the highway as their living room – many people just sit on the side of the road as vehicles fly by. Children also play on the shoulder. Now once the bus gets on the flat, it goes. We were cruising down the highway, passing a truck, when suddenly a small girl, about two years old, comes wandering on to the highway. We missed her only by the grace of God! It was as if time stood still. After that incident the driver had his hand on the horn whenever he saw anyone close to the road.

We arrived safely in Yapacani and checked into the local Hilton –not! Because there had been a lot of rain they had not been able to dry their laundry so the poor guy had to iron the sheets dry. Then we asked for an extra towel and he had to iron it dry also. The room smelled moist and dank with the odor of mould in the bedding. The importance of air movement was very relevant. So many of their homes have windows only on one side, without any cross ventilation.

We met with Nico and Hugo and made plans for the next couple of days. Sunday would be the town’s Carnival celebration so nothing would be planned for that day. They had two towns selected for us to see - Patajusal and San Sidro. We planned to go to Patajusal on Monday and San Sidro on Tuesday. Monday arrived and off we went in the Land Rover with Nico and his daughter, Joselina. The trip was going well until the lost the brakes. Sounds familiar, eh! Although Nico tried to fix them, we ended up traveling without brakes. Thankfully there were no hills and we could stop by putting the truck into neutral or by turning off the key. The only road hazard was the wash outs from the storms that happened not only in the area but also up river.

No one expected us in Patujusal. We met some of the women on the road and they were very happy to see us. Estephania and her children rode with us from Patajusal 1 to Patajusal 2. We arrived at Patajusal 2 to find that we could not drive into the community. Friday night and Saturday had brought them the seventh flood of the season. The water arrived during the night from the river and it had flooded the road and many of their houses and yards. However, the people took it all in stride and were busy harvesting their rice. During the couple of hours we were there we could see that the water was going away and the road was becoming more solid. So we walked in. The first kilometer was fairly easy going but then we started to come to the lower spots. Soon off came the shoes and we walked – slip and slide – through the greasy clay-like mud. Jake carried one of the children and I carried our stuff.

Finally we arrived at the house of Valentina, the president of the community. Nico stood at the end of the road and called. Soon the children came, telling us that their parents were harvesting rice. “Go tell them Margarita and Jacobo are here.” Off they went and a while later Valentina, Zacharius and our good friend, Guermo, came in from the fields. After talking for a while they had a get back to their harvesting so we went along and harvested some rice by hand. Now if we had to do the field by ourselves I am not sure that it would be done. It is a slow process and I have nothing but respect for those who do it, all with a knife.

After enjoying fresh lemonade we headed back to the truck. But first Nico had to show us one of the pieces of land that is for sale. It is a very low piece and was covered in water. He also showed us another piece in Patajusal 1 that is cleared and has a small homestead on it. It has water and was not flooded. We are having a difficult time deciding what we should do since each one has its advantages and disadvantages. We plan to return to the community and look at
them again before we make any decisions. I came back very discouraged – the length of time it took to drive to the community, the flooding, and the feeling that it seemed so hopeless. Thankfully, the next day we visited with some other friends. After talking to them I was in much better spirits and felt even more strongly that we would move there – and that it would be all right.

So what did we learn from the trip?
• We can manage with our Spanish, even though it is not very good.
• There is a huge need for assistance in Patujusal
• There is a great group of people that are looking forward to us coming and are willing to help us.
• That Jake is very eager to move on.
• That, thank God, we don’t make these decisions on our own.

To Canada and back again

We went back home to Canada in mid January. Who in their right mind would choose the middle of January to go to Alberta? Before we headed home we stopped off in Iowa to celebrate Jake’s parents’ 60th wedding anniversary in Sioux Center. We spent a few enjoyable days there with Jake’s brother and sister-in-law. We were very thankful that Kurt, Sherry Ann and Sophia, along with Tim were able to join us. KerryAnne and the children were not able to come due to illness.

We had some quick adjustments to make. We could deposit the toilet paper in the toilet and flush it away. It took a few times looking for a garbage can before we fell back into the usual habit. We could also take showers with lots of water and still get a hot shower.

The three vehicles traveled back to Canada together and we did encounter a storm in North Dakota and southern Saskatchewan. With five drivers and three vehicles we were able to make it home in good time, considering the weather.

We spent the time visiting children and grandchildren and were honored to celebrate the birthdays of our oldest granddaughter, Karmen, who turned 18 and her little sister, Sophia, who turned one. Jake had to spend a lot of time tying up loose ends for the business and I had a chance to meet with a number of girlfriends for a scrap booking day. I was honored that my niece took a personal day so that we could spend some time together. It was a busy time and we learned that a week certainly was not long enough. It will take some time before we know what the right length of time is.

And about the weather – it was gorgeous. I never wore a heavy jacket once and the temperature remained about 0 C. the whole time. We couldn’t have had it better.

We headed back to Bolivia laden with luggage. We took the maximum back that we could, along with a new computer for the radio ministry. We landed in Santa Cruz without mishap, and although we do not normally hire a porter, we did this time. That made going through customs much quicker. Waiting for us was our good friend, Jake Fehr. It was his computer. He was like a little kid in a candy store with his new toy. We are thankful that we were able to take it along since it will make his life much easier. The Fehr’s persuaded us to stay in Santa Cruz for a couple of days. We planned to go to San Julian but that never did materialize. Instead we spent some very enjoyable days getting to know the new members of the EEFCM team, Rudy and Erna Friesen. As well we did some shopping to look at the availability of solar equipment and things that we would need when we move to Yapacani.

We agreed to stay in Santa Cruz but there was a problem. We left here with only one set of clothes since we knew that we would not wear shorts in Canada. So when we came back we had only one set of clothes to last us a week! No problem, there is a used clothes market and you can get some clothes there. Rudy and Erna want to go to so it would be a good time to get to know each other. So off the five of us went. We took the maid along in case we had problems. And what a market. It was about a mile long and four aisles wide filled with used clothing. Of course, we loved it because we saw good bargains. But to think that all of it was cast offs from North America was overwhelming. Most of the clothes cost around $1 to $2. They are purchased by the bale and then sold. Jake asked the price of a bale (about 100 lbs.) and it was $20.00. We are not sure how things can be done that cheaply but sometimes it is better not to ask.

We spent the weekend at the radio station and while we were there the Rio Grande started to overflow. That means that is took another route. The ground is very sandy and the river has no banks so often it simply diverts through an easier route. The town of Pailon has dykes built around it but a dyke broke further upstream. The town itself was not affected but a lot of land was under a meter of water. It was also reported that further north the people were on the road since it was the only high spot. They said the rain came from Cochabamba rather than from rain falling in that area. With all the rain we have had in the past week, I am sure that there is even more flooding.

We submitted the paperwork for our visas on Monday and then headed back to Cochabamba on Tuesday. And back to school on Wednesday.

Since we returned, we have had two new additions to our house. One is Finian’s cat, Gatto, and the other is his new brother. Aiden Philip was born just after midnight on Feb. 7. By noon he was at home being spoiled by his grandparents who were visiting from England.

So now life goes back to normal, whatever that is. Although we first thought (idealistically) that we would now enough Spanish but the end of February, and then the end of March, we have decided that we will be here at least until the end of April. I am not willing to head out into the community without a good grasp of the language since there will be no one there to rescue us if we don’t understand. So we have made ourselves at home, hung up the family pictures, and settled in.

Until next time.

GARDENING IN COCH

O.K. is has been over a month and no blog entries. What happened? First we move our home in Cochabamba. We now live only three blocks from the language school. It is nice getting up later but we do miss the walks. And for some reason we just have not been able to fit them in again. But there are advantages to living here. We are a twenty minute walk from downtown and the church and a fifteen minute walk to the supermarket. The outdoor market takes place each Saturday at the end of the street and there is a permanent market just a couple blocks away.

We also have a yard in which we can work. I have enjoyed it but I would not want to year- round garden the garden I had at home. This one is enough work but then it has been untended for awhile. Around the edge of the lawn is a row about 50 cm. wide of Lamb’s Ear. It looks quite attractive except for all the oxalis and some type of small lily that is growing through it. The first time I had no tools so I simply took everything off at ground level. Now I have a trowel and have been trying to get out all the corms. I am sure that I have unearthed over a thousand. And to think that we sold those for money at the garden centre!! I have added some alyssum, gazania, and impatiens to make the garden more colorful. Now we have had a lot of rain so things are growing well.

We have had a lot of rain in the past month but if we don’t have rain we have to water every day. That is something that I did not expect. But the soil does not retain water well and dries out very quickly. A day after a good rain and I can back weeding.

Jake and Pete have a greenhouse on the space right in front of our bedroom window. It is a space that was designed for vehicles but since we don’t have one, and that is the only space with good sunlight, it was made into a greenhouse. It is right along the street and I am sure that the locals thought that those gringos were loco. But now that things are growing, they are quite fascinated and stop to see what is new. Jake has planted a bed of Moringa seeds and that seems to be the most fascinating. They also have tomatoes in the greenhouse. Behind the house there are tomatoes and peppers and we are eating the fresh lettuce. Eat your hearts out!

It is good to have this place to call our own for a few months. In the afternoon when I am tired I go out and work in the garden for an hour or two and it does more good that a nap. I am not sure what changes will take place in a couple of months but it is giving us some experience in somewhat tropical gardening.

Travel - Bolivian style

Another year has passed and it is time for both reflection on the past year and hope and anticipation for the new. The last year has been a time for change, for growth, for challenge. Much the same is anticipated for the next year and we are grateful that we are able to look forward in faith to what we are doing.

Our Christmas was certainly not spent in the same way we did in the past. Without the cold and snow it just wasn’t the same. We planned to leave Cochabamba by bus and travel to Yapacani. There we were to meet up with Pete and Linda, travel to the community of Challevito and spend Christmas there. We planned to visit our friends in Patajusal, as well as meet with the people from CEPY with whom we worked last year. It is a good thing that we are becoming Bolivian and, therefore, used to great changes in plans.

The bus companies decided in their great wisdom that it would be a good time to stop service for a couple days before Christmas. The busses and transportation trucks were told by the government that they were to pay taxes. The trucks complied but the busses have not. So, another order came down and, in response, the busses did not run the Wednesday and Thursday before Christmas. So that was one part of the story. The other was that Finian, Pete and Linda’s 18-month-old son took a tumble from steps and broke his leg. He is in a cast from his waist down so is fairly immobile. Pete and Linda traveled with him to Santa Cruz and decided it was better to stay there rather than return the community. Pete made arrangements to meet us back in Yapacani so we wanted to be there. But how? Fly. A trip to the airport only to find that the planes for the day were filled and they would not let us buy a ticket for the evening flight until an hour before the flight left. I wasn’t comfortable with that solution since I was not convinced there would be tickets and we would get into Santa Cruz late at night, with a two hour taxi ride to Yapacani ahead of us. A friend, Fredrico, was helping us and we were in his brother’s taxi. Jake and I had joked before about taking a taxi so we asked if he would be willing to take us to Yapacani. After some discussion, he agreed. Now this is a 6 to 8 hour ride one-way, depending on the roads. You have to understand the Cochabamba taxis. Most of them are used Japanese imports that have been transformed into taxis. The steering column has been removed from the left side of the vehicle and installed on the right side. The control panel, if it works, is still on the left hand side. Then they convert it from gasoline to natural gas since natural gas is much cheaper. Now you have a Cochabamba taxi. The other thing to understand is that Cochabamba is in a valley, surrounded by mountains. The inclines are great and the roads certainly do not meet North American standards. When there is rain, there are mudslides and there had been rain the previous week so much the road had been recently cleared – at least one lane was clear. For the Canadians that know the Fraser Canyon, that would be the closest I was think of. Now put the road from Edzo to Yellowknife going down the canyon and you would have somewhat of an idea of what it was like.

So just after lunch we head off. Before we left we all prayed together for a safe trip. We travel through the outskirts of Cochabamba and stop at the first town. Frans gets out with a bundle of papers and trots off to a checkpoint. You must get permission from the local constabulary before you can proceed. They check the papers and his license, collect the tax and we are on our way. The country is gorgeous. We are very high but the mountains are still covered with grass and trees. Farms are scattered along the hillsides and we see the farmers out working in their fields with the oxen and plows. Soon we stop. Maybe he is stopping so that we can take a picture. No, the controls on the car do work and it is evident that the engine is heating up. This car is not meant to be going up these hills! Being prepared, Frans has brought along extra water and they refill the radiator, wait a few minutes and proceed. We have been on the road for an hour, travelling through beautiful country but I realize that we have only gone 20 kilometers. The scenery gradually changes and we enter the rainforest. This is also very mountainous country and there is very little civilization. We watch the heat gauge and we are managing that. We get to the top on an incline and Frans pulls over once again. There are a number of trucks stopped at the same place and the small shack on the side of the road indicates that is store that sells oil etc. for vehicles. Frans and Fredrico get out and check the tires. They look fine to us but the problem is not the tire. The brake has seized, the brake pads are totally worn out, the drum is sizzling hot. I am sure we could have fried eggs on it. Thankfully, one of the truckers takes it apart. The line needs to be plugged so that we do not lose the brake fluid. Frans and Fredrico are going to put a piece of plastic around it but Jake gets a small piece of wood to plug the hole. The brake is reassembled, minus brake pads, and off we go. I am wondering if we should go back over the mountains we have already come or forward into the ones we don’t know. Frans and Fredrico don’t seem that concerned and off we go. Did I tell you that every time we stop the car it takes two or three tries to get it started? We enjoy a few more miles of scenery. Think also that there are a fair number of trucks on the road so we pass them on these wonderful mountain roads. As we were passing one, Frans veered off to the side (thankfully toward the mountain!). The brake had gone again, or rather the brake fluid has leaked out so we are without brakes. From then on, he managed control the speed using the gearshift and the emergency brake. At one point a new highway was being built. First they level out the existing road. Loads of stones, gravel and sand are dropped along the road. Then they manually load the stones into wheelbarrows, place them on the road, and level it off with gravel and sand. When all this prep work is done, they take cement and pour in over top and trowel it all by hand. When the road is finished they place large rocks on top so that people cannot drive on it until the cement is cured. Then they take off all the rocks and the road is ready to use. If I had known what was happening, I would have taken pictures of the whole operation. Next time. Frans was a very careful driver, but I also believe that faith, prayer and God’s guidance brought us through. Soon after we left the mountains we arrived at a small town and spotted a garage. Within a half an hour we had brand new brake pads and we were on our way down a paved highway for the rest of the trip. It seemed very uneventful after the mountains.

We arrived at our little hotel in Yapacani at 8:30, three hours later than we had planned. We walked in and greeting the young man at the desk. He looked at us, pulled out his book and started paging through it, virtually ignoring us. Soon he came to a page, looked at us with a big smile, and pointed to our names from last year! We were amazed – and impressed! We were now friends and we didn’t have to fill anything in. There was only one room left – with three double beds. We planned on taking Frans and Fredrico out for supper before they headed back and this time it seemed like the car had given up. It wouldn’t even turn over. After some fiddling, it started once again and the guys were safely back in Cochabamba at 5:30 the next morning.

We started the next day by phoning Nico and making arrangements to meet him. With our limited Spanish we made plans. Pete came at 9 and we headed off to the CEPY office. We spent the morning discussing the future of CEPY, what is wants to do and where it is headed. It has reached a crossroads in its existence and has to reevaluate its purpose and mission. They would like to continue to work but realize that they have not been as effective as they could be. We also told them what we would like to do and asked advice on our plans. It became obvious that they did not want people simply to come from the city and tell them what to do or how to do it. If we plan to living in the community we would be welcome but not if we were only coming ‘from the city’. They also were quite strong that the relationship with the people was the most important part of development. I was very appreciative of their honesty. We plan to return in February and have another meeting. I will review their constitution and structural plan and they are going to look for communities and land within those communities. It still seems like Patajusal is the best choice but we want to make sure. We planned to go to Patajusal on Saturday but it rained Friday night. The Land rover was not working and they did not think that the motorbike would make it through the sand. So we didn’t go. That is another February visit. It would have been good to see the people there but this way they won’t have their hopes up already.

Instead we spent the morning with Nico and his family and then traveled to Santa Cruz. We booked into our usual hotel and enjoyed the air conditioning. In the evening we attended the Christmas service for the International Church, the English speaking church in Santa Cruz. We met some of these people last year so it was not entirely new. We knew that Jake and Dorothy Fehr attended that church but were not sure that they would be there since Jake planned to be on air at the radio station in Pailon all day Sunday. We sat in the back with Linda and Finian – and his cast. After the service we were talking and a couple came up to us. It was Jake and Dorothy. They were very good to us and took us along to a Bolivian Christmas at one of their friends. It was a good time – good food, good people, and a lot of fire works and fire crackers. Singing Christmas songs in church made it seem somewhat Christmasy but spending the evening sitting outside with fireworks reminded me of the American July 4 we spent in Sioux Falls. The next day we spent with Bill and Heidi Janeke. They work with the Christian Veterinary Mission and World Concern. It was a relaxing day and we were very thankful to all of them for including us in their day. That night we moved into the South American Mission Guesthouse and stayed there for the rest of the week. From there we were able to scout out the city, check prices on things, and see what was available in Santa Cruz. On Wednesday we headed out to Pailon to Radio Trans Mundial. It was a fantastic experience, seeing the station, seeing new country, and meeting new friends. We felt very much at home with Jake and Dorothy and their friends. And I even got to see some Corner Gas episodes!! Back in Santa Cruz we spent more time looking, planning and thinking. Thanks to Jake Fehr (working with two Jakes is a challenge!) we were able to scout out some vehicles although we did not buy one.

So we now start a new year. We are so thankful for:
*The support of our families. This includes our sons, daughters in law, and grandchildren; our brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews, our parents.
*The opportunity to work with Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission, for their vision and their openness to let us explore God’s world and our place in it
*For the members of our team: for Jake and Dorothy, Steve and Myra
*For the wonderful support and friendship of Pete, Linda and Finian
*For the support of the people back home and all those who support us through finances and prayers
*For our language school, our teachers, and their understanding of our needs; for the rest of the students and their constant support with our studies
*For the intricate communication networks that we are able to use to keep in contact *The opportunity to celebrate Jake’s parents’ 60th wedding anniversary in January and spending some time with our children and grandchildren
*The witness we are able to give to the people we know in Canada and US and to the people were getting to know in Bolivia
*Our great Savior and Lord who holds us all each day, every hour in his hand.