Rocks, Water, and Songs..?!
So here it is, the final week and with it the final post on musings from la Iglesia Peña De Horeb. As we still have many emotional goodbyes to follow (our last day here is Sunday 5th) I will leave the goodbyes and thank you's post for next week, provided we can find an internet cafe somewhere on team holiday.
Therefore, let we fill you in on the activity of team Bo-ru in our final week (excluding the next 3 days) in El Alto, Bolivia...
'I really don't see what's so interesting about a bunch of rocks.' - Suzzie Lloyd.
Last Saturday was school trip day for the church school, bolivian style. The bus didn't have enough seats for everyone but why should that stop everyone from getting on? After all, we have benches and chairs at the church, why not put them in the isle, make it 3 children to every 2 seats and get the step team to sit on the steps and stand? The most dissappointing thing about standing was missing the amazing views on the jounrey to Tiwanaku.
Upon arrival we were greeted with the usual bolivian price descrimination:
Regardless our first bit of tourism was great fun. Tiwanaku is an old Inca settlement, possibly the largest in Bolivia (but don't count me on that), that contains a number of different archiological features. Even Suzzie 'I hate museums and archiological thingys' Lloyd said that she enjoyed it.
Following our tour we had a classic football match, in which Jon-aldo cracked out the skills, and sung many a English song (including wonderwall) on the bus home. Oh and bolivian packed lunches are less, stale roll with plastic cheese, and more, full cooked lunch with rice, pasta, sausage etc. I think Bolivia may have pulled it back to 1-1 with that one...
Building is still chugging along nicely. We've been putting in the concrete pillars for the 2nd floor and started laying the bricks. The aim is to have about a 3 foot wall around the whole of the 2nd floor in time to have church thre on Sunday. Work easing off in the last week, I think not!
Baptisms of all kind are special but we were extra excited about this because they were taking place in a river in the middle of the most beautiful valley. After the usual crowded bus jounrey we arrived and set about finding a deep enough spot to fully emmerse people. I was straight in the water and building dams much the the suprise of our bolivian friends. '¿Es muy frio, no?' they would say, not realising that I'm a Somerset boy who's childhood consisted of playing in freezing cold rivers. Anyway, back to the important bit...
The baptisms were a very emotional affair. Every single one moved us, and of course Rachel's did that bit more. Just such a great occation of welcoming brothers and sisters into the family (cheesy, but true).
What followed was essentially a picnic (with hot food though of course, no such thing as a cold/snacky luch here) and an afternoon of fun by the river. Half of us climbed up a very steep hill/mountain which had a small church on top and views that streched as far as Lake Titicaca.
Just a beautiful day, weather, scenery, and company. When Juan was baptising Rachel he said something along the lines of, 'you're very far from home, but not from family'. So true, we go thousands of away and are still part of the biggest family ever! We've built up such amazing relationships with these people and it will be an emotional goodbye on Sunday...
Once again slow internet and lack of time has led to an absence of photos, which is annoying because there are some crackers. But I'll upload some asap...
JJ
Therefore, let we fill you in on the activity of team Bo-ru in our final week (excluding the next 3 days) in El Alto, Bolivia...
That place with all the rocks...
'I really don't see what's so interesting about a bunch of rocks.' - Suzzie Lloyd.
Last Saturday was school trip day for the church school, bolivian style. The bus didn't have enough seats for everyone but why should that stop everyone from getting on? After all, we have benches and chairs at the church, why not put them in the isle, make it 3 children to every 2 seats and get the step team to sit on the steps and stand? The most dissappointing thing about standing was missing the amazing views on the jounrey to Tiwanaku.
Upon arrival we were greeted with the usual bolivian price descrimination:
- Bolivians pay 10bs
- Tourists pay 80bs
Regardless our first bit of tourism was great fun. Tiwanaku is an old Inca settlement, possibly the largest in Bolivia (but don't count me on that), that contains a number of different archiological features. Even Suzzie 'I hate museums and archiological thingys' Lloyd said that she enjoyed it.
Following our tour we had a classic football match, in which Jon-aldo cracked out the skills, and sung many a English song (including wonderwall) on the bus home. Oh and bolivian packed lunches are less, stale roll with plastic cheese, and more, full cooked lunch with rice, pasta, sausage etc. I think Bolivia may have pulled it back to 1-1 with that one...
Talent (ish) show...
Following a very enjoyable, but tiring, day we arrived home to the reminder of a talent evening at the church that night! After inicial apprehension about the whole thing it turned out to be a real laugh. The girls performed the Howdown Throwdown, Allie did some ballet (she was in proper job productions and practiced several times a week before she broke her back, so it was pretty damn good!) and people from the church performed songs and dramas. Best till last, Alex and I sung Bohemien Like You followed by a smooth transition into Hero. It was something else... (feel free to inturpret that in which ever way you want).
Building is still chugging along nicely. We've been putting in the concrete pillars for the 2nd floor and started laying the bricks. The aim is to have about a 3 foot wall around the whole of the 2nd floor in time to have church thre on Sunday. Work easing off in the last week, I think not!
Baptisms...
This was another day that we had all been looking forward to for a while, made all the more special by the face that Rachel A was one of the eight people being baptised. God has really been challenging Rachel in her time here to live out her faith more in various areas of her life. Its amazing how much God can do in less than 2 months, in a somewhat serrial setting.
Baptisms of all kind are special but we were extra excited about this because they were taking place in a river in the middle of the most beautiful valley. After the usual crowded bus jounrey we arrived and set about finding a deep enough spot to fully emmerse people. I was straight in the water and building dams much the the suprise of our bolivian friends. '¿Es muy frio, no?' they would say, not realising that I'm a Somerset boy who's childhood consisted of playing in freezing cold rivers. Anyway, back to the important bit...
The baptisms were a very emotional affair. Every single one moved us, and of course Rachel's did that bit more. Just such a great occation of welcoming brothers and sisters into the family (cheesy, but true).
What followed was essentially a picnic (with hot food though of course, no such thing as a cold/snacky luch here) and an afternoon of fun by the river. Half of us climbed up a very steep hill/mountain which had a small church on top and views that streched as far as Lake Titicaca.
Just a beautiful day, weather, scenery, and company. When Juan was baptising Rachel he said something along the lines of, 'you're very far from home, but not from family'. So true, we go thousands of away and are still part of the biggest family ever! We've built up such amazing relationships with these people and it will be an emotional goodbye on Sunday...
Once again slow internet and lack of time has led to an absence of photos, which is annoying because there are some crackers. But I'll upload some asap...
JJ
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