Two days a week I go to the orphanage to volunteer with the children there. The name of the orphanage is Solomon Klein and it is run by the Sisters of Charity. It is one of the largest orphanages in the city and has four different homes. One is for boys and girls from birth to 5 years old. When the children are of school age they are separated and the boys go to one home, the girls to another. They can stay there until they are about 8 years old. Then there is home for the boys age 8-12 but there is no place for the girls. I asked why not and they simply told me that it was a good question but they did not have an answer. As in other developing countries, the children in the orphanage are not necessarily without parents. Some are abandoned but others are put into the ‘hogar’ or home because the parents are unable to take care of them. Sometimes the children will be returned to the parents if their situation improves.
I requested to work with the smallest children, those from birth to crawling. I stay for 2 hours a day. First there is the bottle feeding. With 25 children and 2 employees it is not possible that each child gets held and cuddled while they are fed. It took a change of perspective to realize that the only way to feed them is to prop a bottle up, even for those as young as a month. And, of course, with so many babies there are lots of diapers to change and lots of bottoms to clean. The diapers are folded in a way I have not seen and have not been able to learn. I cannot even explain it so all I can say is that they are extremely bulky and I feel for the legs being spread apart so far all the time. No pins are used so the child is simply wrapped in the diaper and the diaper is kept in place by the rubber pants.
Usually there is about a half an hour after bottle feeding that I can cuddle and pay attention to the children. It hit me last time that many of these children were over 6 months but had no idea how to sit. I did question the size of the diaper! However, I started to sit up a few of them for a few minutes and maybe it will help. I also sing to them – thank goodness they don’t care if I sing on tune or if I sing in English! I found a rocking chair in the storage area so at the beginning of my shift I pull it out and rock the kids. At the end, I put it back in storage. That is one of the ‘North American’ things that they do not understand so do not use. They do laugh at me (nicely) when I sit and rock a couple of kids at a time. It takes the kids about 10 minutes to relax enough to lean into me rather than bend away.
At 4 o’clock the supper comes. It is a soup made with pureed veggies. They start feeding them this quite young since the formula is very expensive. We spoon feed the older ones and that is quite the experience. Children at home sit up to eat but these are used to lying prone on your lap and having the food put into their mouths. They seem to lack the swallowing reflex but maybe babies don’t develop that by 6 months. They seem to swallow just when there is so much in their mouths that they have no choice but to swallow.
After supper I have another half hour or so to cuddle so I try to choose different children each time to hold and to rock. Of course, there are always those that seem a bit fussy so they get a bit of extra attention.
Although this may sound rather futile and depressing, I do enjoy it. It is wonderful to see these children smile, to get them to react to a song. Regardless of where children are, they are creatures of God and all have the same qualities. As I get to recognize some of them, and some of them recognize me, it is a real blessing.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
La escuela in Cochabamba- The school in Cochabamba
Being students after thirty or more years is a real change, not exactly what I would recommend for a mid life crisis! The school which we attend has no name but is known by the gringos as Daniel’s school. It is the only one that teaches both Spanish and Quechua. There are three people who own the school. All of them are former employees of a larger language school, Mary Knoll, operated by the Catholic church. Daniel is the oldest and I would not want to guess his age. He is a school teacher but now is working for a radio station, writing and reading stories in Quechua. He also wrote the textbook that the students use while learning that language. Gladys is the business administrator, secretary, time table keeper as well as a teacher. She also teaches in a public school (junior-senior high) three evenings a week. Alehandro is the other partner in the business. When there are more students they call in extra teachers. José teaches at the primary level and I don’t know what Nora does when she does not teach. Each one of them has their own style and own method of teaching so it goes well. I check who I am getting the next day so that I can prepare for that teacher. Some do conversation while others are great at teaching the grammar. We have learned to appreciate each one for who they are and what they provide.
And the students. Most of them are missionaries who plan to go out to a community and need more language study. Right now most are studying Quechua. Some stay for a year, others stay for about six months. They say that you need at least four months of intense studying before you are ready to go into a community. Some of the other students are Norwegians who have come to Bolivia while taking internet courses in Spanish. They are taking some conversational Spanish so that they can pass their tests. From that I understand the government pays them to go to school and living in Bolivia in much cheaper than living in Norway. Then there are some people who are literally just passing through and decided to take a month or so of language study while they are here.
I am taking four hours a day of tutorial while Jake is taking three hours. This means that we each get a teacher for one-on-one for 45 minutes and then we get a new teacher for the next section. We get a good variety and the time flies. I can’t say that we get bored or that we wish that a session was over because we don’t like the teacher. Sometimes we are too tired, but that is another story. There is no chance to lose concentration so the work is very intense.
When we are not in class we spend a lot of time studying. I have made flash cards with all the vocabulary, both from the book and from conversation. Then Jake and I go through those cards and try to memorize the material. We do much better on the nouns than the verbs! That we have different ways of studying is very evident. I work ahead so that I know what I am doing while Jake reviews and learns the new things in class. He is concentrating on vocabulary while I am concerned about the grammar and sentence structure. Both ways work and we are glad that the school allows us each to work in our own way.
This is not easy work and I never imagined that I would have to put in so many hours studying. It certainly is different that taking French in high school. I think I learned by osmosis then. We ask for your prayers – that we can concentrate, that we will not be bored or frustrated, and that we will be able to talk to people.
And the students. Most of them are missionaries who plan to go out to a community and need more language study. Right now most are studying Quechua. Some stay for a year, others stay for about six months. They say that you need at least four months of intense studying before you are ready to go into a community. Some of the other students are Norwegians who have come to Bolivia while taking internet courses in Spanish. They are taking some conversational Spanish so that they can pass their tests. From that I understand the government pays them to go to school and living in Bolivia in much cheaper than living in Norway. Then there are some people who are literally just passing through and decided to take a month or so of language study while they are here.
I am taking four hours a day of tutorial while Jake is taking three hours. This means that we each get a teacher for one-on-one for 45 minutes and then we get a new teacher for the next section. We get a good variety and the time flies. I can’t say that we get bored or that we wish that a session was over because we don’t like the teacher. Sometimes we are too tired, but that is another story. There is no chance to lose concentration so the work is very intense.
When we are not in class we spend a lot of time studying. I have made flash cards with all the vocabulary, both from the book and from conversation. Then Jake and I go through those cards and try to memorize the material. We do much better on the nouns than the verbs! That we have different ways of studying is very evident. I work ahead so that I know what I am doing while Jake reviews and learns the new things in class. He is concentrating on vocabulary while I am concerned about the grammar and sentence structure. Both ways work and we are glad that the school allows us each to work in our own way.
This is not easy work and I never imagined that I would have to put in so many hours studying. It certainly is different that taking French in high school. I think I learned by osmosis then. We ask for your prayers – that we can concentrate, that we will not be bored or frustrated, and that we will be able to talk to people.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
To Market, to Market
Shopping in Bolivia is so much more exciting that shopping in Alberta – and some of you know how much I like shopping – not! There are a number different types of shops that we have encountered so far. The first is the traditional North American supermarket called Ic Norte. Here you take your buggy and shop up and down the aisles, finding the items you want and being astonished at the number of items that come from North America. The advantage is that you can take your time and the prices are all on the shelves so you know what you are paying without asking. You can also find some things that you cannot find anywhere else.
The second store is the small, exclusive type shops. Pharmacies only sell ‘pharmacy’ stuff so that is where you go. In the center of the city you find the shops that sell new clothes, furniture, appliances, etc. We have not shopped in these except for the bakery for fresh bread and to pick up some cold medicine for Jake.
The third type of store is the small market and street side stands. These markets contain booths in which each person sells their own stuff, whether it be vegetables, paper products, kitchen products, or meat. One of these markets is located about 5 blocks from the house and another is located across from the school. About every other day Jake goes to the market and purchases the fruits and vegetables we need. He has learned what price he should pay and does a good job. We realize how fortunate we are to be able to just pick up what we want. Some people have only 25 b’s for groceries for a week while we can spend that on fruits and veggies for a couple of days. The boliviano is equal to about 15 cents. In addition to the market there are a number of fruit and veggies stand along the street. It seems like these vendors purchase there product from the farmer and then sell it. The product is extremely fresh and there is a great variety. Being in Cochabamba means that we have ready access to all the agricultural products since they are grown in the valley close to here. This valley is called the Chapare. Sometimes, however, the road will be closed due to rain and the farmers are not able to bring the produce into the city. These farmers also ship their product to La Paz, Santa Cruz and export some to Argentina.
The fourth store is called La Cancha, which is described in some of the tour books as Bolivia’s Walmart. You can buy anything we want there, from food to local medicines. It is the same as the markets near here but on a much larger scale. It originally covered two blocks but has overflowed into other areas. Although it is very interesting it is also very easy to get lost. Each commodity has its own area and after you have been there a number of times you learn where things are. All the fresh veggies and fruits are in one area, and this area is again split into sections such as the pepper section or the potato section. Then there is the meat section where you can purchase freshly butchered animals or you can buy a live chicken from one of the ladies. They are all lined up in one line, holding large feed bags in which they have a number of birds. Then there is the section in which you can buy anything made of wood – doors, cabinets, tables, etc. And the plastic section, the pot and pan section, the glass section and so on and so on. Things at La Cancha are a bit cheaper. It appears that the vendors from the other shops and markets purchase product here and then sell it for a boliviano or two more in the neighbourhood shop. Often we feel it is easier just to buy from the local shop since it takes a fair amount of time to shop at La Cancha.
Then there is the weekly outdoor market that takes place about 8 blocks away. This happens on Saturday and is very reminiscent of the Farmer’s Markets that we are used to. We went there last Saturday and quite enjoyed it. It was smaller and more manageable than La Cancha.
But shopping is only part of the task. It is recommended that all the fruits and veggies be washed well before you use them. Although we find that the veggies are quite clean here we are never sure of how they were handled or how many people have handled them. Cochabamba has notoriously bad water so we put a couple of drops of bleach in a wash basin of water and soak the fruits and veggies for about ten minutes. Then we let them dry and put them in the fridge. If you buy a lot, it takes longer to clean them all than to buy them!
The house keeper buys the meat so that is one thing we have not experienced. We will wait for Yapacani for that adventure.
The second store is the small, exclusive type shops. Pharmacies only sell ‘pharmacy’ stuff so that is where you go. In the center of the city you find the shops that sell new clothes, furniture, appliances, etc. We have not shopped in these except for the bakery for fresh bread and to pick up some cold medicine for Jake.
The third type of store is the small market and street side stands. These markets contain booths in which each person sells their own stuff, whether it be vegetables, paper products, kitchen products, or meat. One of these markets is located about 5 blocks from the house and another is located across from the school. About every other day Jake goes to the market and purchases the fruits and vegetables we need. He has learned what price he should pay and does a good job. We realize how fortunate we are to be able to just pick up what we want. Some people have only 25 b’s for groceries for a week while we can spend that on fruits and veggies for a couple of days. The boliviano is equal to about 15 cents. In addition to the market there are a number of fruit and veggies stand along the street. It seems like these vendors purchase there product from the farmer and then sell it. The product is extremely fresh and there is a great variety. Being in Cochabamba means that we have ready access to all the agricultural products since they are grown in the valley close to here. This valley is called the Chapare. Sometimes, however, the road will be closed due to rain and the farmers are not able to bring the produce into the city. These farmers also ship their product to La Paz, Santa Cruz and export some to Argentina.
The fourth store is called La Cancha, which is described in some of the tour books as Bolivia’s Walmart. You can buy anything we want there, from food to local medicines. It is the same as the markets near here but on a much larger scale. It originally covered two blocks but has overflowed into other areas. Although it is very interesting it is also very easy to get lost. Each commodity has its own area and after you have been there a number of times you learn where things are. All the fresh veggies and fruits are in one area, and this area is again split into sections such as the pepper section or the potato section. Then there is the meat section where you can purchase freshly butchered animals or you can buy a live chicken from one of the ladies. They are all lined up in one line, holding large feed bags in which they have a number of birds. Then there is the section in which you can buy anything made of wood – doors, cabinets, tables, etc. And the plastic section, the pot and pan section, the glass section and so on and so on. Things at La Cancha are a bit cheaper. It appears that the vendors from the other shops and markets purchase product here and then sell it for a boliviano or two more in the neighbourhood shop. Often we feel it is easier just to buy from the local shop since it takes a fair amount of time to shop at La Cancha.
Then there is the weekly outdoor market that takes place about 8 blocks away. This happens on Saturday and is very reminiscent of the Farmer’s Markets that we are used to. We went there last Saturday and quite enjoyed it. It was smaller and more manageable than La Cancha.
But shopping is only part of the task. It is recommended that all the fruits and veggies be washed well before you use them. Although we find that the veggies are quite clean here we are never sure of how they were handled or how many people have handled them. Cochabamba has notoriously bad water so we put a couple of drops of bleach in a wash basin of water and soak the fruits and veggies for about ten minutes. Then we let them dry and put them in the fridge. If you buy a lot, it takes longer to clean them all than to buy them!
The house keeper buys the meat so that is one thing we have not experienced. We will wait for Yapacani for that adventure.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Cochabamba
Our first impressions of Cochabamba. A moderately large modern city with everything that we need and more. We were welcomed by Pete, Linda and Finian Lugtigheid, with whom we had worked last year. We felt immediately at home with them again. They are living in a house that is rented by a missionary couple from England who are home on furlough --a time to recuperate and to visit their supporters. There are three bedrooms so we are able to stay with them. There is no need to feel sorry for us as far as living conditions. We have a proper bathroom complete with hot water (if you don't turn too much pressure on). We also have a clothes washer that does a great job. The clothes are hung out on the line and they dry in about an hour or two. There are lots of local veggies and fruit available through street vendors and outdoor markets as well as a Western type supermarket with much of what you would find at home. We are staying in a more wealthy part of town and someday we hope to see some of the rest.
We also have a house keeper that comes in three days a week. She cleans the house, takes care of Finian, and makes meals for the noon meal. That leaves us study time and relaxation time.
I can easily see why people choose to live here. Everything is available and the weather is wonderful. I am not sure of the exact temperature but it has not been unbearable. We have learned to be like the natives and be in the shade as much as possible. We are 7000 ft above sea level so the air is thinner and the skin burns more quickly even though you don't feel hot. The evenings cool off some but not to the stage when you need a sweater. We have walked to the phone booth to phone home and it was very pleasant. The streets are lined with large trees, many that we cannot identify. There are huge oleaders and hibiscus in full bloom. They provide wonderful shade when we walk. We won't say too much about the pruning job. Saying they prune is a misnomer, they chop and butcher. I can't help but think the Olds College could give a very much needed course here.
Phones and internet are readily available in the city. We have internet at the house and although it is broadband, it is about as speedy as dial up at home. From what I understand, you can get faster connections for more money. We also have a phone in the house but we don't use it much. It costs 1 boliviano (b) or about 15 cents to call home from the phone booth but 10 bs to call from the house. Most of phone booth phones are computer to phone types but they work very well. In the last few years three companies have come into Bolivia offering phone services so the competition has greatly improved both cost and access. We have Skype at the house but the slow connection does not lend well to phoning.
And then there is language school. The school is about a 25 minute walk from the house so we are getting our exercise. We could take the bus or a cab but we have preferred to walk this week. Each week there is a schedule posted telling us the hours we attend class. Since we are the new ones we have had a number of afternoon classes. Pete normally goes at 7:30 am and Linda goes at 9. The classes are one-to-one tutorials for a 45 minute hour. We are going 3 hours a day and that is enough for this week. Our textbook was published in 1969. We are expected to put in the same number of hours studying as we spend in class. I honestly think that we are both surpassing that number. Jake has very good pronunciation but is having difficulty with understanding while I understand but have difficulty with the pronunciation. Whether it is the French words and pronunciation sneaking in or if it is that I worked with tapes at home and learned the wrong sounds, I do not know. We are both glad to have finished the week although we also say that we are surprised that it went so fast.
So what do we do when we are not in school and not studying? We found a garden center, the only one in Bolivia, and bought some potting soil, hormones, and bags (pots) so that Jake could plant his cuttings that he got at ECHO. He is reading the stuff he bought at ECHO and enjoying playing with Finian. I spend my spare time reading and have already finished two books. We also go for walks and explore the neighbourhood. On Thursday night we attended an English Bible Study. Although our life does not have a frantic pace we do keep ourselves busy.
Things that surprise me about Cochabamba:
1. People wearing blue jeans or sweat pants when it is 30 degrees C.
2. The tree pruning
3. A very large Curves in downtown Cochabamba
We also have a house keeper that comes in three days a week. She cleans the house, takes care of Finian, and makes meals for the noon meal. That leaves us study time and relaxation time.
I can easily see why people choose to live here. Everything is available and the weather is wonderful. I am not sure of the exact temperature but it has not been unbearable. We have learned to be like the natives and be in the shade as much as possible. We are 7000 ft above sea level so the air is thinner and the skin burns more quickly even though you don't feel hot. The evenings cool off some but not to the stage when you need a sweater. We have walked to the phone booth to phone home and it was very pleasant. The streets are lined with large trees, many that we cannot identify. There are huge oleaders and hibiscus in full bloom. They provide wonderful shade when we walk. We won't say too much about the pruning job. Saying they prune is a misnomer, they chop and butcher. I can't help but think the Olds College could give a very much needed course here.
Phones and internet are readily available in the city. We have internet at the house and although it is broadband, it is about as speedy as dial up at home. From what I understand, you can get faster connections for more money. We also have a phone in the house but we don't use it much. It costs 1 boliviano (b) or about 15 cents to call home from the phone booth but 10 bs to call from the house. Most of phone booth phones are computer to phone types but they work very well. In the last few years three companies have come into Bolivia offering phone services so the competition has greatly improved both cost and access. We have Skype at the house but the slow connection does not lend well to phoning.
And then there is language school. The school is about a 25 minute walk from the house so we are getting our exercise. We could take the bus or a cab but we have preferred to walk this week. Each week there is a schedule posted telling us the hours we attend class. Since we are the new ones we have had a number of afternoon classes. Pete normally goes at 7:30 am and Linda goes at 9. The classes are one-to-one tutorials for a 45 minute hour. We are going 3 hours a day and that is enough for this week. Our textbook was published in 1969. We are expected to put in the same number of hours studying as we spend in class. I honestly think that we are both surpassing that number. Jake has very good pronunciation but is having difficulty with understanding while I understand but have difficulty with the pronunciation. Whether it is the French words and pronunciation sneaking in or if it is that I worked with tapes at home and learned the wrong sounds, I do not know. We are both glad to have finished the week although we also say that we are surprised that it went so fast.
So what do we do when we are not in school and not studying? We found a garden center, the only one in Bolivia, and bought some potting soil, hormones, and bags (pots) so that Jake could plant his cuttings that he got at ECHO. He is reading the stuff he bought at ECHO and enjoying playing with Finian. I spend my spare time reading and have already finished two books. We also go for walks and explore the neighbourhood. On Thursday night we attended an English Bible Study. Although our life does not have a frantic pace we do keep ourselves busy.
Things that surprise me about Cochabamba:
1. People wearing blue jeans or sweat pants when it is 30 degrees C.
2. The tree pruning
3. A very large Curves in downtown Cochabamba
Sunday, November 13, 2005
To the ECHO conference
We have arrived in Cochabamba!
Thanks to our new friends, Martin and Rita Bysetter, we were able to get out of the house on Nov 1 and head all the way to Camrose. For you would do not know the geography, that took about 2 hours. But at least we were on the road. We were able to say goodbye to the family again before we left. The Sunday before we left our good friends gave us a farewell at church and that was very special. Thanky you for that.
We drove to Iowa and were able to spend some time with Jake's parents and his brother's family. While in Sioux Center we attended a Farmer to Farmer presentation connecting farmers in Nicaragua with those in Iowa. It was a learning experience and a good intoduction to another project. We left on Monday and we realized that each time it made leaving a bit more real although I don't think it hit us yet at that point.
From there we flew to Miami and proceeded to Ft. Meyers to the ECHO conference. There were 225 people attending from all over the world, all working in developmental agriculture in some way. The first morning I read the list of attendees and was happy to find that I knew/knew of some of them. Bev Abma lived in Alberta and was the representative for DRS (Disaster Relief Services) through CRWRC. She had given a presentation about 15 years ago in Woody Nook church. She is presently working with an American organization that is a sister to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. It was great to see her again and to be able to meet with some of the overseas delegates she had brought along. We also visited with Stephen Lutz who is serving in Kenya with CRWRC. We also connected with the Dordt people. Then, of course, you have to play Dutch Bingo and that isn't hard when you already feel you have a connection. Jake and Arie Kraayenbrink were there from Ontario, Canada. We knew that Jake's parents had visited some Kraayenbrinks in Ontario and they were related somehow. It turned out that it was Jake Kraayernbrink's parents that they had visited. What a small world!
The conference was wonderful, a real eye opener to see all the work being done in agriculture around the world. We were able to network with many people who work in areas similar to where we will be in Boliva. Information flowed freely and the atmosphere was one of appreciation and positiveness. ECHO's goal is to distribute seeds, to provide education, and to be a resource to those who are working overseas. To do this they operate a demonstration farm in Ft. Meyers where they demonstrate and research farming techniques and varieties.We were able to tour the farm and take in a number of sessions. Jake took in the beekeeping and amaranth sessions while I learned more about the microfinance, programing and education aspects. I also took in a great session on stoves. So, guys, hopefully I will be able to connect with someone in La Paz who can get me a small stove that is still fired by wood, but is very efficient. He had other ideas that were very interesting and I am sure that I will try some of them when we get to Patajusal. The most impressive moment was the last evening when they asked everyone who spoke a different language to come up and pray in that language. There were 20 different languages and although we could not understand each other we knew we were all praying to the same God.
We were talking about leaving and they people were surprised that we had got a rental car in Miami. Because of the hurricane all cars were booked! And we booked ours on line two days before we picked it up! We know who had a hand in that.
We returned to Miami and boarded the plane for Bolivia. We sat on the tarmac for over an hour. The plane was overweight and they needed 10 local people to stay behind and leave the next day. Since there were no rooms available, those who were in transit could not be offered a room. I took an hour before they had 10 volunteers. The first class seat the next night and an $800 travel voucher were not enought of an incentive.
We arrived at Cochabamba at noon on Saturday and were able to take a taxi to Pete and Linda's house. It is good to have a place where we can unpack and know that we are settled for awhile.
Thanks to our new friends, Martin and Rita Bysetter, we were able to get out of the house on Nov 1 and head all the way to Camrose. For you would do not know the geography, that took about 2 hours. But at least we were on the road. We were able to say goodbye to the family again before we left. The Sunday before we left our good friends gave us a farewell at church and that was very special. Thanky you for that.
We drove to Iowa and were able to spend some time with Jake's parents and his brother's family. While in Sioux Center we attended a Farmer to Farmer presentation connecting farmers in Nicaragua with those in Iowa. It was a learning experience and a good intoduction to another project. We left on Monday and we realized that each time it made leaving a bit more real although I don't think it hit us yet at that point.
From there we flew to Miami and proceeded to Ft. Meyers to the ECHO conference. There were 225 people attending from all over the world, all working in developmental agriculture in some way. The first morning I read the list of attendees and was happy to find that I knew/knew of some of them. Bev Abma lived in Alberta and was the representative for DRS (Disaster Relief Services) through CRWRC. She had given a presentation about 15 years ago in Woody Nook church. She is presently working with an American organization that is a sister to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. It was great to see her again and to be able to meet with some of the overseas delegates she had brought along. We also visited with Stephen Lutz who is serving in Kenya with CRWRC. We also connected with the Dordt people. Then, of course, you have to play Dutch Bingo and that isn't hard when you already feel you have a connection. Jake and Arie Kraayenbrink were there from Ontario, Canada. We knew that Jake's parents had visited some Kraayenbrinks in Ontario and they were related somehow. It turned out that it was Jake Kraayernbrink's parents that they had visited. What a small world!
The conference was wonderful, a real eye opener to see all the work being done in agriculture around the world. We were able to network with many people who work in areas similar to where we will be in Boliva. Information flowed freely and the atmosphere was one of appreciation and positiveness. ECHO's goal is to distribute seeds, to provide education, and to be a resource to those who are working overseas. To do this they operate a demonstration farm in Ft. Meyers where they demonstrate and research farming techniques and varieties.We were able to tour the farm and take in a number of sessions. Jake took in the beekeeping and amaranth sessions while I learned more about the microfinance, programing and education aspects. I also took in a great session on stoves. So, guys, hopefully I will be able to connect with someone in La Paz who can get me a small stove that is still fired by wood, but is very efficient. He had other ideas that were very interesting and I am sure that I will try some of them when we get to Patajusal. The most impressive moment was the last evening when they asked everyone who spoke a different language to come up and pray in that language. There were 20 different languages and although we could not understand each other we knew we were all praying to the same God.
We were talking about leaving and they people were surprised that we had got a rental car in Miami. Because of the hurricane all cars were booked! And we booked ours on line two days before we picked it up! We know who had a hand in that.
We returned to Miami and boarded the plane for Bolivia. We sat on the tarmac for over an hour. The plane was overweight and they needed 10 local people to stay behind and leave the next day. Since there were no rooms available, those who were in transit could not be offered a room. I took an hour before they had 10 volunteers. The first class seat the next night and an $800 travel voucher were not enought of an incentive.
We arrived at Cochabamba at noon on Saturday and were able to take a taxi to Pete and Linda's house. It is good to have a place where we can unpack and know that we are settled for awhile.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Almost Ready to Go
It is almost time to go. The past week has been filled with goodbyes and last minute preparations. There can be no thinking that things can wait until next week! The last packing is the worst. Things that have been moved many times already now have to be packed to keep, packed for Bolivia, or discarded. Hopefully, a few more hours and that will be done.
And then there are the unexpected things. The stove in the house just quit. It served us faithfully for 28 years and I was counting on getting a new one when I came back – whenever that would be. Now someone else will benefit from a new one while I cook on an open fire. How ironic! Auntie Tena received word that she could move into a room with an exterior window at the Seniors Lodge so we will move her on Friday.
We will be leaving on Monday, we hope. The next weekend will be spent in Sioux Center, Iowa with Jake’s parents. Then we will proceed to Florida to attend the ECHO conference on Tropical Agriculture. ECHO is an organization that provides a clearinghouse for information on tropical agriculture for missionaries and development workers. We are looking forward to this conference and are sure that it will be challenging as well as interesting. After the conference we fly to Cochabamba, arriving there on Nov. 12. Language School starts on Monday, Nov. 14.
Language school will be challenging. Jake feels especially apprehensive about this part of the journey. We ask for prayers that we are able to learn Spanish and that we will be willing to practice it. Even though the learning may be easier for me, I know that I will have difficulty actually using it.
And then there are the unexpected things. The stove in the house just quit. It served us faithfully for 28 years and I was counting on getting a new one when I came back – whenever that would be. Now someone else will benefit from a new one while I cook on an open fire. How ironic! Auntie Tena received word that she could move into a room with an exterior window at the Seniors Lodge so we will move her on Friday.
We will be leaving on Monday, we hope. The next weekend will be spent in Sioux Center, Iowa with Jake’s parents. Then we will proceed to Florida to attend the ECHO conference on Tropical Agriculture. ECHO is an organization that provides a clearinghouse for information on tropical agriculture for missionaries and development workers. We are looking forward to this conference and are sure that it will be challenging as well as interesting. After the conference we fly to Cochabamba, arriving there on Nov. 12. Language School starts on Monday, Nov. 14.
Language school will be challenging. Jake feels especially apprehensive about this part of the journey. We ask for prayers that we are able to learn Spanish and that we will be willing to practice it. Even though the learning may be easier for me, I know that I will have difficulty actually using it.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
A Year of Changes
How time has flown-- since the last blog but also in the past year. When we think back it was only a year ago since we left Bolivia the first time. We then spent some time in Peru before heading home. The experience left its mark on us, and it wasn't just a sun tan. Our son, Tim, had decided in August that it was time to leave the family business and try his wings. That meant that we would be running a large greenhouse operation with the two of us and we no longer had the energy nor the interest. Bolivia seemed a wonderful opportunity for change, and a chance for Jake to fulfill his dream of tropical farming. We felt drawn to the people of Patajusal, Bolivia. We knew in our hearts that we could offer them something but that they would also be able to offer us so much more. We did not, and do not, know what but we have faith that this is what we are to do.
We wanted to return to Boliva but did not try to make any arrangements until the last week of November -- and we needed to be back by Christmas since it was Jake's mother's 80th and we also had to start the spring crop. Never did I think that we would be able to use our almost expired air points. But we could and we got the last two seats on the plane, leaving the next week and returning just before Christmas. OK, so the seats were right beside the engine and it was lound, but normally they do not assign those seats. To us it was a confirmation that we were to return to Bolivia and continue with our dreams.
The missionaries and development workers in Santa Cruz went out of their way to make us welcome and to show us their projects. After a very busy two and a half weeks we returned to Alberta and made a firm decision to wind down the business in one season and head for Bolivia. We operated a 2 acre greenhouse, selling both wholesale and retail.
The first decision was to scale down on the wholesale since is not easy to control the number of retail customers entering the garden center. Even with this change, our business did better financially that we had anticipated. We were blessed with great staff and our spring bloomed. Arranging for the sale of the assets other than the land and house was the next step. We engaged a reputable auction company, and although we tried to keep the whole thing under wraps, that was not possible. Within weeks the whole industry and community knew that changes were taking place. Such a move was a novelty and some wondered if we had more guts than brains. Our auction was held in July, just after the season had ended. It was very successful and we felt that we were truly being guided in what we were doing.
Other things also fell into place. We could not decide if we should rent out our house. Some days we were renting, then we decided not. In the end the decision was taken out of our hands. A couple from about 50 miles away phoned and were interested in the house. We had purchased a motor home from them the year before but we did not know them well. However, we are now living together in the same house and things are going well.
People have said to us that everything just falls into place. But there is no way that could have happened. We strongly believe that God opened the doors and guided each part of the process. There are too many things that we simply waited to make decisions -- and they were made without us worrying about them. Now we pray that God will continue to guide us and show us what we are to do. Sometimes we only see His hand in retrospect, showing us that he is always there.
We wanted to return to Boliva but did not try to make any arrangements until the last week of November -- and we needed to be back by Christmas since it was Jake's mother's 80th and we also had to start the spring crop. Never did I think that we would be able to use our almost expired air points. But we could and we got the last two seats on the plane, leaving the next week and returning just before Christmas. OK, so the seats were right beside the engine and it was lound, but normally they do not assign those seats. To us it was a confirmation that we were to return to Bolivia and continue with our dreams.
The missionaries and development workers in Santa Cruz went out of their way to make us welcome and to show us their projects. After a very busy two and a half weeks we returned to Alberta and made a firm decision to wind down the business in one season and head for Bolivia. We operated a 2 acre greenhouse, selling both wholesale and retail.
The first decision was to scale down on the wholesale since is not easy to control the number of retail customers entering the garden center. Even with this change, our business did better financially that we had anticipated. We were blessed with great staff and our spring bloomed. Arranging for the sale of the assets other than the land and house was the next step. We engaged a reputable auction company, and although we tried to keep the whole thing under wraps, that was not possible. Within weeks the whole industry and community knew that changes were taking place. Such a move was a novelty and some wondered if we had more guts than brains. Our auction was held in July, just after the season had ended. It was very successful and we felt that we were truly being guided in what we were doing.
Other things also fell into place. We could not decide if we should rent out our house. Some days we were renting, then we decided not. In the end the decision was taken out of our hands. A couple from about 50 miles away phoned and were interested in the house. We had purchased a motor home from them the year before but we did not know them well. However, we are now living together in the same house and things are going well.
People have said to us that everything just falls into place. But there is no way that could have happened. We strongly believe that God opened the doors and guided each part of the process. There are too many things that we simply waited to make decisions -- and they were made without us worrying about them. Now we pray that God will continue to guide us and show us what we are to do. Sometimes we only see His hand in retrospect, showing us that he is always there.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Introduction
It is cold outside! We are living in Blackfalds, Alberta, Canada and will be leaving for Bolivia around the first of November. Away from the cold and into the heat!
So why would we do that, other than the weather? Why would anyone leave beautiful Alberta with its four seasons (some years) to reside in a tropical jungle with all its heat and creepy crawlies?
A year ago we had the opportunity to join a group through the CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) drill water wells in a small community in Bolivia called Patajusal. You won't find it on any map but it is located about 4 hours from Santa Cruz, north of Yapacani. We spent two weeks living in the community, assisting with the well drilling, and building relationships with the Quechua Indians. Even though the living conditions were very primitive by North American standards we survived -- we even enjoyed it so much that we soon made plans to return.
So that is where we are headed. We are presently tying up the loose ends from our business and personal lives and then we will be on our way.
The next section will tell you of our experiences in the past year as we readied ourselves for this new adventure.
So why would we do that, other than the weather? Why would anyone leave beautiful Alberta with its four seasons (some years) to reside in a tropical jungle with all its heat and creepy crawlies?
A year ago we had the opportunity to join a group through the CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) drill water wells in a small community in Bolivia called Patajusal. You won't find it on any map but it is located about 4 hours from Santa Cruz, north of Yapacani. We spent two weeks living in the community, assisting with the well drilling, and building relationships with the Quechua Indians. Even though the living conditions were very primitive by North American standards we survived -- we even enjoyed it so much that we soon made plans to return.
So that is where we are headed. We are presently tying up the loose ends from our business and personal lives and then we will be on our way.
The next section will tell you of our experiences in the past year as we readied ourselves for this new adventure.
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