Hola friends and family,
The Bedford Community Church team (my church back home in the states) just sent down five people for a little over a week. My dad was on the team which was really cool for me! It was sweet being able to show him and the team the adorable kidos I get to hang out with, the amazing people I get to work with, and some bits and pieces of Bolivia. Every day was different. The team was able to meet and play with the kids at our two orphanages and also do some fix up work at each one of the homes. They built doors, did painting and varnishing, planted some flower gardens, added onto the play set, and fixed some leaky roofs. One little side story, John and Diane Bisset, who were two of the team members, have been sponsoring a child (I believe through world vision) and he just happens to live in Bolivia. So one of the days they were able to take a few hours and go meet him and his family. That was pretty cool the way that all worked out and I think it was a huge blessing for them all.
We had the chance to take the team down to the Chaparre (jungle) for a two day trip. Well, we were met by some bad new when we got there. When we pulled up to Villa Catorce, which is where the newest orphanage is being built, the bees from a neighboring house attacked some of our builders! Romberto's brother Eliseo actually jumped off the second story floor trying to escape the bees that were viciously attacking him, but landed badly and actually broke his leg in two places! This had happened minutes before we arrived! Romberto came running down the road as we got out of the truck yelling for us not to go to close to the property as the bees were still swarming. He had been stung all over his body and his face was so swelled up, it looked like he had just been in a fist fight! Needless to say, this put a bit of a damper on our work plans. We took the team around the village and brought them to a nearby church that has been a big part of helping us get the land and will in the future be a big part of the kids lives who will eventually occupy the house. The following day we took off around eleven in the morning. The job site was still out of the question and Chaparre had just had some serious rain which had left some bad flooding, so work projects were pretty much out of the question. On our way home though, we stopped at the monkey reserve park. This is always fun, because you can actually play with and hold (and by hold I mean they climb all over you and usually explore the nasal cavities, mouth, and ears quite extensively) where as in the states you can usually only look in the cages!
There was plenty more adventures that the team had, but I think you'll have to ask them, or come down here yourself and find out first hand!
Currently in the Hacienda, there is only three of us, myself, Jen (who returned beginning of January), and the newest addition to our family, Leann. Leann got here a little over two weeks ago, about two days after the Bedford team got here. Jen and I are loving having her here, and I think we are going to keep her! The schedule while a team is here changes quite a bit for us, so over the past two weeks we have been just trying to get back into the normal flow of things. In a couple weeks, Feb. 11, we have a new intern coming. This is a big answer to prayer because we definitely need more interns. I'm pretty pumped because there is going to be another GUY in the house! Don't get me wrong, the girls are awesome and I wouldn't trade them for anything or one, but it will just be sweet to have another guy around.
I would like to ask for some special prayer for the Villa Israel orphanage. If you remember, back in December there was a parent swap for various reasons. The new parents have been great and I think they are doing an awesome job. But, I also know that it has to be hard on the kids to go through a change like that and plus the fact of what and where they have come from. It has been a little discouraging lately with our past couple trips out there because the attitudes of the kids have not been so great. So I want to ask for special prayers for the kids, for the new house parents, and for us interns. That we would have extra patience with the kids, that we would know how handle situations when they arrive, and that we would just be able to pour love over these kids which they need so desperately. I thank God so much for each one of them and for the work that He is so evidently doing in there lives. I think it is one of the best feelings when the kids run up and jump in your arms and just want to be played with and loved on!
With love from Bolivia, Craig.
