On the Missio Dei

Bolivia Team 2, Day 6: Getting Work Done

Hola Lake Forest! Greetings once again from Cochabamba, Bolivia!

Bullet points only today: (Tired!)

• Today was exciting. One group finished digging the trench for the new water line and even helped lay most of the pipe as well. Soon they will no longer need to carry water to the orphanage's bakery -- it will arrive with the turn of a nob.
• Another group made amazing progress on the stone patio I mentioned yesterday, with several people working overtime to complete a section. It looks so nice and will make a big difference for the center.
• We had another wonderful afternoon conducting a sidewalk Sunday school. Today we went to a tiny church in a more rural area with some picturesque farm fields and vistas, but the same poverty, albeit on a less populated scale. This is an area that suffered some bad flooding in the spring, and at least a couple people died, we are told. Now it is the dry season and we had to combat high winds and dust storms for most of the session, but the kids still had a great time and so did we. I was sad when it was over, thinking this was our last chance on the trip to spend time with children from around Cochabamba, but happily, they added a sidewalk Sunday school to our schedule for tomorrow, so now I'm happy again.
• This evening John Hernandez treated staff and our team to a fantastic, huge meal at a local restaurant. We got to see a part of Cochabamba that was much like middle-class America, with a shopping mall and multiplex theater. Most of us thought we had lost a little weight on this trip, thanks to the manual labor, but trust me, that was blown at tonight's dinner. 
• On the bus ride home from the restaurant, the team youth and the younger members of the center staff kept us entertained singing 80s pop hits and show tunes. Strange, they are becoming more energetic as the week rolls on. If we left them here for a month they'd probably fix all of the world's problems and be selected as new cast members for "Glee." It's been so fun to see these kids grow closer to each other this week, and to see them laughing and having a great time together. They have confronted abject poverty with open arms and love, and still have joy and laughter to share. Praise God and good on them!
• Tomorrow is our last full day at the Bolivia Life Center. That is a sad sentence to write even though we do miss our homes and families very much. Our schedule tomorrow includes some touristy things: We'll go to the 130-foot-plus statue of Christ here in Cochabamba (much bigger than the more famous one in Brazil) and we'll also go to market to hunt for souvenirs. Then we'll do one more sidewalk Sunday school, though I don't know where. Finally, in the evening, we'll have a big pizza party with the boys here at the orphanage. It will be hard to say goodbye.
• Our flight schedule home changed, due to the airline, not us. Instead of leaving Bolivia Friday evening and flying all night to Miami, as originally planned, we'll leave very early Friday morning, with an all-day flight to Miami, where we will stay in a hotel for the night, flying home as scheduled on Saturday midday.
• I tried again this evening to post photos. No dice. We'll have to post photos after the fact, once we get back to the States. Sorry about that, but stay tuned!
• This trip already feels like a blur. I can' believe it is almost over already. Thank you, Jesus, for giving us this experience.

-- Huntley Paton

Bolivia Team 2: We Are Here!

Dear friends and loved ones:

Greetings from Cochabamba, Bolivia! It's great to be able to type that sentence.

Team 2 had a very smooth trip here, praise God. All three of our flights were on time and all of our bags were accounted for and undamaged. We're tired, and Tracy Grubbs is trying to head off an oncoming cold, but otherwise we are in excellent shape and excited to be here.

Our first day here was full. We got to play outside with the boys extensively both in the morning and the afternoon, and this evening we played games and horsed around with them before their bedtimes. In between we have napped, read, held team discussions, toured the complex, and ate fantastic meals.

This evening we also got to meet up with Team 1, which is almost at the end of its visit here and spent the day touring the city. It sounds like they have had an incredible week and ours is off to a great start as well.

One story worth sharing: Our arrival here was really special. Two members of our team, Scott and Melanie Rockefeller, have been sponsoring a boy here for two years, Jorge G. They have corresponded with him, swapped photographs, but never actually met. When our bus came through the gate this morning, we stopped well short of the drop off point, and I wasn't immediately sure why. But it was because we were letting one boy onto the bus -- Jorge G. The boy walked down the aisle, spotted Melanie immediately, and went straight into her arms. Neither one of them said anything -- they just hugged for a long time, with Melanie (and quite a few others on the bus) fighting back tears. It was a joyful thing and we were so privileged to witness it. It set the tone for the day.

The Bolivia Life Center is an impressive compound. It has a secure brick wall and a great deal of outdoor space for playing. There are cows and dogs on the property, and beautiful mountains rising in the background. The building itself is a lot larger than I expected and filled with terrific classrooms, dormitories, etc., and a spacious dining hall with big windows and a fireplace.

We'll see more of Cochabamba itself during the week. My main impression based on the 45-minute drive from the airport is that it looks a little like El Paso/Juarez -- a big city in a high-desert climate (except the mountains here are a lot bigger and the elevation is a lot higher), with a lot of poverty and squalor. The boys who get to live here at the Life Center and truly blessed.

The boys are special. I have been really surprised how outgoing they are, how eager to trust and make friends despite the abuse and abandonment they have suffered. They are loving, eager for hugs and laughs. They are funny. They are fast. Some of them do amazing things with a soccer ball. They really like water balloons. They climb trees like squirrels (they are not supposed to, I learned later, but my, can they climb). The language barrier is tough for some of us, but in the end doesn't matter much. It's surprisingly easy to make friends and just hang out with only a few common words between us.

We miss our families and pray everyone is well. Thanks for praying for us. Keep checking in -- we'll update as often as possible.

-- Huntley Paton

Actively Send -- Be the Many Hands and Many Feet

 

Our first mission team leaves on June 12 for Piedras Negras -- that's about a month from right now! As a church, it's time for each of us to consider how we will be a part of actively sending our five summer mission teams. Here are 3 great ways:

1. Follow the teams on this blog: before the trip, during the trip, and after the trip.

2. Pray for the teams. Pick one team and agree to pray 5 minutes each day of the trip for that team, its members, and the work they will do during the week.

3. Give to the Many Hands, Many Feet fund. Pick up an orange envelope this weekend at church or go get the one off your kitchen table. Both small gifts and big gifts help send our teams to share God's love around the world.

Put the dates on your calendar...

Piedras Negras, Mexico Team 1 (June 12-19)

Piedras Negras, Mexico Team 2 (June 19-26)

Cochabamba, Bolivia Team 1 (July 1-10)

Cochabamba, Bolivia Team 2 (July 8-17)

Athens, Ohio Team (August 1-7)

 

Reflections of LFC Missionaries

Michael Flake again. Last Sunday, we incorporated the reflections of LFC 2009 Summer Missionaries into our corporate worship. For every reflection shared, there were dozens equally compelling and wonderful that we did not have time to share. Below are the reflections from Sunday, shared with you so that they may continue to impact and shape us as a church. These reflections were not chosen because they were "better" than other reflections but because they were representative of other reflections AND because they offer all of us a way to see how God may be leading us more fully into his mission of reconciling love.

In the end, the job of shaping LFC's involvement in the Missio Dei falls to all of us as ministers and messangers of reconciliation--and not to just me as the professional. So, may the reflections of our short-term missionaries (some as young as 12) begin to shape us:

The reflections of Lake Forest missionaries to Pittsburgh, PA  as they were on the Mission of God:

 

**I’ve realized that I don’t need things to be happy. I’ve met people who have so little, but they’re happy because they have what really matters, like having people around you that love you.

 

**This week, I learned that I am in God’s hands, but in some ways I am God’s hands. Our homeowner kept saying what we were doing was a gift from God. It was a gift God was giving through our hands.

 

**I not only did physical labor for Ms. Hicks like roofing, but I also had good conversations with her. I got to know her as a person and not just as “my homeowner.” That was the best part.

 

**The homeowner I served lives on 900 dollars a month, and she gave so much to us. She made us cookies everyday and got our addresses so she could send us more cookies. She gives so much with so little. Imagine the difference we would make if we learned to give like her.

 

 

The reflections of Lake Forest missionaries to Piedras Negras, Mexico as they were on the Mission of God:

**The body of Christ consists of many members and all parts are important, none being any greater than the other. Every single person on the team is a part of the body building this house, and every job is very important no matter how small it is.

**My works became acts of service performed as a joyful expression of gratitude instead of strained attempts to impress God and other people.

**I had a misconception about people that come on mission trips.  I thought they must have their lives together. I’ve discovered that members of our team are dealing with loss, uncertainty and hardship. Everyone here put something aside, trusting it to God, so they could help a person they don't even know.

**Our hands and our feet were meant to build Ruth’s house. God did not create borders—people did.

 

The reflections of Lake Forest missionaries to Cochabamba, Bolivia as they were on the Mission of God:

 

**During the church service in Bolivia, I was reading Ephesians 3 about how God’s family is one and He can do more than I could ask or imagine. These words gave me peace as I thought about all the boys at the Bolivia Life Center.

**I went into some of the poorest places in the world and played with boys and girls like they were my brothers and sisters. It was an awesome experience.

**When we arrived at the Bolivia Life Center, the boys were there waiting to greet us. They began to cheer and some of them ran on the bus and hugged us! They acted as if we had known them forever. All the judgment was gone and there was just unconditional love.

**Christ transformed the thinking of my mind when he showed me that there isn’t a difference between them and us. I now know that we should continue to serve, even after this Bolivia trip.

 

The reflections of Lake Forest missionaries to Bluefield, WV as they were on the Mission of God:

**This week, I thought of others before myself. I loved when I felt like not loving. And I kept working even when I was discouraged and tired.

 

**Whether I was working in the Union Mission, helping kids read, teaching memory verses, dancing and singing, or just hugging kids, I felt I did Christ’s work the whole week. And it was just an awesome feeling.

 

**God opened my eyes to see those around me who were thirsty and those who were hungry, not just physically but spiritually. I saw how desperately others longed for God, and it made me realize how phony my faith can be at times.

 

**When I first saw the conditions of the people in Bluefield, it made me feel fortunate for everything I own. Then it made me feel selfish. Then it made me see that I need to serve more. I will continue to pray for those who have no voice to ask for help.

Summer Trips--Concluding Thoughts

Michael Flake here. I ended the sermon on Sunday with some reflections on LFC's Summer 2009 Short-term Mission Trips. There are so many amazing stories coming out of every trip, and you've gotten a small taste of them on this blog. I hope that you will consider GOING on a short-term trip in 2010 or actively SENDING our short-term missionaries in 2010--and October 2009 (to India). And there are of course ample local Missio Dei opportunities in the meantime.

For your reflection and consideration, here are those concluding thoughts on the Summer 2009 Trips:

Let me close with a quick word about our summer short-term mission trips. So many of us at Lake Forest actively sent our short-term missionaries with our prayers and our financial gifts. If you supported any of the trips with prayer or money, then you need to know you supported the reflections you’ve heard and the pictures you will see. You are not passively benefiting from the work of others: you actively supported the building of homes in Mexico, caring for Bolivian children, and over 75 teenagers impacting the lives of people in Pittsburgh and Bluefield.

If you were passive this summer, we are sending another mission team to India in October. I would encourage you to actively send that team through gifts of finances and regular prayer.

And to our summer short-term missionaries: Wow! Wow!

Before Jesus left the earth, he said to his disciples, as recorded in Acts 1:8, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. You will be my witnesses, my ambassadors, my ministers and messengers in the cities nearest you (Jerusalem), in the areas just beyond your immediate surroundings—both the areas you like and don’t like (all Judea and Samaria), and then beyond those areas to places far, far away (the ends of the earth).

Thank you, summer missionaries, for leading us as a congregation in these areas. Thank you for going to all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth and being in those places ministers of reconciliation with a message of reconciliation, Christ’s ambassadors and a snapshot of the new creation.

And the truth is that just as we minister to street children in Bolivia, we can minister to people who live on the street in Charlotte. Just as we build and repair homes in Mexico and Pittsburgh and Bluefield, we can build and repair homes in North Mecklenberg. Not so that we stop going to Bolivia, Pittsburgh, Mexico, and Bluefield but so that we are witness for Christ both in our nearby city and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Lake Forest, I celebrate the ways we actively sent our summer missionaries. Missionaries, we celebrate what God did in and through each of you and your teams. We are grateful that you set the example for this body. You show us how to live into our identity as ministers and messengers. You show us how we might become a snapshot of the new creation.

Everyday......

It hasn't been a week since we left the BLC and I think I speak for the majority of the team that we wish we were back in Bolivia.   (As evidenced by the various Facebook comments posted by my fellow teammates.)  We are back into the swing of work, summer vacation and various other summer activities (like Harry Potter premiers) but also reflecting on the past week.  Although we were the returning team  nothing about this trip felt "routine."  We spread the love of Jesus and LFC to 76 Bolivian boys in the language of hugs, time and service.

Our acts of service included installing regulation soccer goals (with nets!), digging out a sand volleyball pit, painting playground equipment, tye dying shirts and creating a special room in the BLC for the boys.  This room was affectionately named the "Brummeria."  The word Broma is a funny remark or prank in Spanish.  How perfect is that for our special room to celebrate the life of our friend, Elliot Brumm!  The plaque that was placed in the room says it all:

Elliot Brumm would light up a room with his playful personality and zest for life.  His energy was contagious.  One could see the excitement in the eyes of the boys at the Bolivia Life Center when they spotted Elliot walking towards them carrying his guitar, donning his patented mischievous smile.  He had a way of making the boys feel special.  He became known as "fuego" because his big red hair reminded them of fire. 

We finished the room Thursday night and the next morning left the BLC.  We didn't get to see the faces of the "grandes" who had devotions in the room, but did receive feedback that they LOVED the room.  Per John Hernandez, they had an incredible devotion that morning in the room.  How great is it to see God working in the lives of these kids.  Attached are several pictures of the art in the room.  One is the mural with the guitar center projecting a sunburst and fire, too big to be contained on one wall it spread to the adjacent walls and ceiling.  The other is the hands of LFC reaching out to the boys with the words to "Everyday," a song by Dave Matthews Band.(All you want is, all you need is love)   LFC loves the BLC and the boys and staff.  LFC loves the Brumm family.  LFC loves Jesus.

Thank you for allowing us to represent you on the Missio Dei.  It was an honor and a privilege.  But most of all, it was love.

 

 

Heading Home

Quick note to all to let you know we are all safe and sound at the Cochabamba airport heading to Santa Cruz and then overnight to Miami.  We will be home Saturday afternoon.  Everyone is healthy, there were no roadblocks this morning and we had a great day of sightseeing and a quick shopping trip.  (I mean, is there ever enough time?!?!?!)  Thanks for the prayers -  God answered them!  We finished the Brummaria late last night and the "grandes" got to have their devotions in there this AM.  They were blown away!!!  They are so excited and will take care of it.  Pictures tomorrow when we are home, I promise!!  We had tearful goodbyes with the boys this morning and lots of hugs and kisses.  LFC loves the BLC!

Since we had 2 Gumbys, one was permanantly given to the BLC.  You won't believe the pictures and adventures Gumby had.  The hosts promise to continue his adventures after we are gone.  Everyone enjoyed our 26th team member!

Thanks again for your prayer and support while we served cross culturally and lived the Missio Dei.  We will be home Saturday afternoon.  Pray we will get some sleep on the plane and everyone stays healthy!

Hasta La Vista!

Cheryl

Blockades, Gas and Pizza - another day in Bolivia

Well, this is gonna be short and sweet.  I’m actually sitting in the cafeteria with my “sponsored hijo” Edgar watching music videos on my iPod.   Tears are being shed, goodbyes being said, pictures being taken, lots of noise being made.  It’s our last night here in Bolivia and we had a pizza party with the boys.  It’s winding down and we have a few last minute things to do.  We tye dyed shirts for us and the boys to go with the “Brummaria” we worked on all week.  It’s amazing!!!!  I can’t wait until I can post pictures.   The outpouring of love is off the scale.  I don’t think anyone took a break at all today!  New soccer goals were installed, paint was completed, drapes were tye dyed.  A team effort by all here!!

We didn’t make it to SSS today because the blockades have stopped all the gas trucks and the gas stations on this side of the line are out of gas.  Pray, pray, pray we get to the airport tomorrow – through the blockades and with gas.  We are supposed to spend the day in Cochabamba tomorrow and fly out tomorrow night.  I’ll keep you posted on that.

For now, hasta manana.  Thank you for all of your prayers and support for all of us.  This week has been beyond words and we couldn’t have done it without you at home.  We love you all and miss you.  Will be home soon!

Cheryl

PS—looks good for tomorrow, or so the reports say.  We at least have a full tank of gas now and sounds like a temporary opening of the blockades for the weekend (starting Friday).  Who knows , guess they have other things to do than sit at roadblocks this weekend.  Praise God!

May the Spirit be with you

July 8, 2009

Today, I felt the presence of a spirit with us as we worked around the BLC.  I felt the presence in the play room as the mural was being painted.  You can’t help but walk into the fume filled room and smile at the outpouring of love and devotion for the Brumm Family and the boys.   We have 3 TVs, playstations, games, furniture ready to load.  Wait until you see the mural.  It is bright, fiery, whimsical, musical.  Amazing!  Mason Peterson and Kirsten George (host) are artists extraordinaires.  Mitch hung light fixtures that match so perfectly – they are the only ones in the entire building!

The spirit was on the playground as another group painted the playground equipment today.  Have you seen pictures of the merry go round spinning fast with a red haired boy and several Bolivian boys going round and round?  Laughter, blur of color, radiating joy.  Now the faded colors are brought back to life and look like new.

Another group spent the morning preparing t-shirts to tye-dye for the boys for pizza nite and the room reveal.  Tye-die.  Yep, you can picture it.  We’ll all be in our own tye-dye clothes too.  Sprials, sunbursts, stripes of vibrant colors will be left here in Bolivia as another subtle reminder.  Yes, the spirit is here and having a mucho gusto time!!!

In other news, we were headed to SSS today and had a roadblock – literally.  Not sure about the whys, but there are roadblocks and barricades throughout the city.  Something about farmers protesting against the mayor?  We went down a side road to detour around and found more roadblocks of rocks and trees.  Then……the bus broke down.  Gumby tried to push and fix the “whatever” was leaking, but we had to get another bus to get us back to the BLC.  So we didn’t make it to SSS.  It was a blessing to have extra time with the boys and working on our projects.  Don’t  worry, we are safe and sound, but getting into the city is a problem for now.  For this team, it’s just another adventure.  We have had more outings into the city than ever before and live for the adventure.  It’s all part of Missio Dei.

Specific and immediate prayer needs:  That the political situation gets resolved by Friday so we can get to the airport and head home.  We are safe, but transportation and mobility is a major problem now.  Need a prayer for health.  Andy Taylor was so sick he needed medical care but after medications and an IV he is doing so much better tonight.  Praise God.  We just want him back to 100%.

PS-  sorry this is late – I was locked out of the room last nite and we have been extremely busy getting everything done this AM.  And the dial up is VERY slow in the day.  Whew – getting there!

 

Gumby sounds off

Guest blogger:  Gumby

Cheryl asked me to fill in for her today and let you know a little about my adventures with the Bolivia 2 team.  I’d post pictures (and there are many!) but as you have probably heard, we have dial up here and the picture thing just isn’t working for us.  Since we are on a mission trip, there are some sacrifices we must make I suppose.  While our accommodations are nice, it’s just not the Hilton.  The BLC has an “Apartment” on the 3^rd floor especially for teams.  We have a great common area, bedrooms with 3 sets of bunk beds each and 4 bathrooms for 25 LFC team members and other guests.  Definitely living in community.  (Reminds several of their college days!)  The hot water is sporadic and you can’t flush the toilet paper.  Yeah, think about that one for awhile.  And when you do, it’s time to fish it out because it will kill the plumbing.  But after a day or so, you get used to it.  The team is doing well with a few feeling under the weather.  Stomach issues and headaches seem to be the most common issues.  But enough about them, more about me.

In just 6 days, I have flown on several planes, been submersed in water jugs, climbed a mountain to a waterfall, hung out with incredible Bolivian boys, been put in a flaming furnace, ridden on buses, shopped for furniture in an open air market, fixed a car, had a brief bromance with my twin Gumby 2, played soccer with the boys, played cards with the team, been put between 2 pieces of bread, went rock climbing to touch a cactus (and that hurt!), climbed a tree, played the slots (working to increase my talent), eaten lots of exotic Bolivian food, gone to sidewalk Sunday school, rode public transportation and witnessed to a Bolivian boy explaining how you need to be flexible for God , and to top it off, had a Coke and smile. J

The best part of my journey is the group I’m with.  They are great!  Everyone gets along well and have definitely mastered the skill of inclusion.  No one is left out – as if they could if they tried!  Lots of laughs, a few tears and great memories abound.  Mitch has been teaching everyone about the Hebrew word “ebed.”  The same word is used for either slave or servant, depending on the context.  He’s reminding us of being “ebed” during this week.  Are we a servant when we are doing something we want to do and a slave when we are doing the things we don’t want to do?  Although I must say, I haven’t seen many in that “slave” state.  He reminds us to “saddle up” and make a difference.  The painting crew for the “Brummaria” is doing so much work with a cheerful heart.  The hole diggers are now working on big holes for the new “official” soccer goals LFC bought for the BLC and smiling all the way.  Playground equipment is being sanded and repainted, trash is being picked up, medical charts are being made……..ebed.

And  yes, they love taking my picture wherever we go.  There are hundreds of pictures of me and we are only half way through the trip!!  We will post them when we are home on the Missio Dei Gumby facebook group and some on the Missio Dei blog too.

Lake Forest, you should be proud of this group sent to represent you on Missio Dei.  They are going all out and jumping in, looking around, identifying things that need to be done and then making it happen.  Yes, they are representing you well and being flexible for God, and taking me on lots of adventures.