And then there were four…

What a privilege to be able to write on this infamous blog! Just reading over the last two weeks worth of posts makes us realise how much has been achieved…

As I (Gwen) type, the team are winging their way home to Northern Ireland. It’s been an emotional day (ok, I write for myself and maybe for some others too?!). It started early with taking Captain JC to the airport, where he was to try and get to New Zealand by himself, via Argentina – a feat deemed tricky for him by some!! Four of the lads (including his own son) and I saw him off.

The first airport trip of the day

 Then it was back home, where we found the rest of the team getting packed up…but there was also another important job to be done. The Tree of Life, which has been painted during the last couple of weeks, saw spring coming and the first leaves appeared.

Leaving their mark forever

The Tree of Life

God gives life, and life in all it’s fullness. Our desire is to see this tree grow and grow, with the hands of those who have been a part of the vision here in Sumumpaya. Every time we walk in to the Centre, this is the sight that meets us, so we will always be reminded not only of lots of wonderful people, but also of God’s promise for this barrio…

And then the time came, to all pile in to the car (and Angel’s truck again!) and make the second airport trip of the day. Many people from La Corona came too, which made it all extra special! This team has really had an impact on people and that was evident from start to finish. After doing all the checking in and making sure every form was filled in and tax paid, then it was time to go through, but not before one last team photo.

Ready for home

I hate goodbyes, but I guess I’ve had to get used to them, given that this missionary life is full of them! But that doesn’t make it any easier…so it was then time to give the final hugs and wave…and we decided to stay until the bitter end. 

Just to prove they've left!...

And then it was up, up and away.

Bye bye

 So, what else can we say? Thank you team. We have had such an unbelievably amazing 2 weeks with you, which will never be forgotton. And thank you families, and High Street Presbyterian Church, for lending these wonderful friends to us for 2 weeks. You are ALL part of the team, even if they were the hands and feet that actually walked here in Sumumpaya. You have all been the ones that have made this happen, and your prayers have been invaluable. And now, as the team of 13 have gone, the four of us are still here, but so much the better for the last 2 weeks. We have been loved and encouraged, we have laughed and cried and, above all, we have felt God at work. To Him be all the praise and glory…

Until next time,

Just us

God Bless you – Dios les bendiga – love Marcos, Gwen, Sara and Eva xxxx

Off to the Market(s)!

Today was the last full day of what has been a memorable 2 weeks. So how did we finish our time here?

In the morning, clinic duties resumed for Aubrey, Tim and their beautiful assistants Gwen and Marcos for those patients who could not be seen on friday.

A couple waiting to be seen in the clinic.

Pepe made a return with a full class of kids.

Pepe

Gwen also went to get the new song books printed that Rory had produced. For the rest of the team it was the good ole tidy and clean up job!

The morning ended with the team adding their leaf-hands to the La Corona tree in the entrance area as a sign of the work we have completed here. Only part of the tree has leaves, this is to allow room for future visitors and teams who help the Quinteros’ and Iglesia La Corona to leave their mark.

Kerry adding her "leaf".

Once again we travelled into Cochabamba for lunch, though this time the transport was by bus, something new to try here. The bus probably holds 25 people on an average day but with our whole team on board some poor Bolivians ended up hanging out the door. Portions of food here are excellent and it was a standard feast.

So now to the afternoon and a shopping spree Bolivan market style. Under strict orders to keep valuables and money safe, we first worked our way through narrow alleyways in the Silver market. Amazing number of stalls and small shops all next to each other and selling the same things. Bartering was rife among some of the team members, El Capitano and Terry seemingly to be experts at this. Others preferred to take goods at first price, or were they just to tired to haggle with the sellers? Heat and illness took it’s baring on some of us so when we finished at the Silver market the team split.

Half of us returned to the Quinteros ranch and relaxed.

Three Generations - Same Fun!

The other half ‘s adventure had only begun and they spent a few more hours in the next market. When they returned their hands were laden with bags and stories. A successful shopping day at the markets had ended.

This evening we had our last devotions lead by Marcos. Just prior to this, two families called by to say goodbye to the team and passed on gifts to us. Everyone was moved, especially after Marcos gave background knowledge of the hardships these families faced and we understood how much it was for them to give those gifts.

Team photo with the two families.

As we spend the last evening together there has been many laughs and tears too. It has been such a time here and we really do thank you for all your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for the Quinteros’ and the work within this Barro particularly through Iglesia La Corona and also for safety of the team as they travel home (and John who heads to New Zealand!). There is not more to say but Goodnight from Cochabamba!

What a Sunday!

Its hard to believe that we really only have one more day here in Cochabamba.(The blog gets written at the end of our day). In some ways we are only settling into the routine of life here and its time to say goodbye. Routine however is not a word to describe life here.!

Our Sunday began with church,worship being led by Aubrey and Winder, and the sermon on the good Samaritan delivered by Susie,translated by Gwen.Ray gave his testimony which will have touched several people present as drugs and crime are such a part of life here.The service concluded with a very intimate communion, sharing as part of a worldwide family. We also gave the church here a picture of High Street Church to strengthen our links as a church family.

I know it may seem like all we do here is go out to have fun , today was no exception with a trip to a supberb restaurent for Sunday lunch. Essentially a carvery with lots of different meats (including chicken heart for a few brave folks and Eva. Chicken heart is her favourite).Numerous salads were tried, some a little on the hot side of spicey! Desserts followed and most of us didnt translate “1 or 2 only”, rather we tried as many as we could and all were fabulous.

The afternoon was  a rest time but come the evening we were out again as a team with people from the church to the home of Lydia and Chris. Lydia is Bolivian but lives with her family in Brussels making frequent trips home. The short service at their house was also used to dedicate Patti and Angels two children to the Lord. Aubrey and I had been asked to be their Godparents, so it was a very special time for us. For those of you who know my vision of adopting two kids from south america, you willl be relieved to know that we are Godparents and the children will be staying in Bolivia! it does however give us a strong and continuing link to this family and to Iglesia la Corona.

Angel, Patti and the children with Aubrey and Rosey

The dedication service was followed by a Ceilidh, followed by supper round the bonfire and Patti produced a fantastic cake saying Gracias H.S.P.C! (the best cakes I have tasted are in Bolivia)

Thank you again for all your love and support. The internet went down last night before we could send this blog so we are now in our last day! Some of the team are still struggling with minor illnesses so please do continue to pray for all of us. See you soon, love Rosey

La Cabana and Baptism

Hola,

Well its been a special day for us (Terry and Tanya), we woke up at 630am to leave  early to get to la cabana(a getaway retreat with a hot thermal bath for the baptism!)..but in true Bolivian style, we were fashionably late! Once we arrived, we started the baptism service lead by Pastor Marcos. we both gave very short testimonies and then got the dunk! Although Terry was hoping for doves to ascend and angels to play heavenly music when he was baptised…nothing of the sort actually happened, although it was truely a special moment for us both that we wont forget, and was so special to have all the team there (as well as a few extra bolivian bystanders!)

La cabana had jacuzzi facilities with humming bird included which we took full advantage of, although it was a bit cramped as per photo below!we enjoyed a relaxing day filled with zip lines across muddy water, which Ray fell into as did John. we had devotions among the trees of the park, which Gwen led, with Aubrey on guitar. The rest of the afternoon was filled with games etc..generally having a chill out day! we left in chaos as Marcos was driving a borrowed pick up truck, which wouldnt pass its MOT , so the journey home was slightly ropey. we made up for any mishaps on the road with a good game of chirades from the back of the truck to the front of Gwens car!

Cramming in the Jacuzzi

A senior moment...

after a full day  of rest we went to worship at the centre, where Winder provided music along with aubrey, singing both in spanish and english. As its getting to the end of our trip here, all our minds are focussed on building up and encouraging the church and its members in their faith and perhaps especially noticable tonight was the need for Winder to have a little more encouragement to lead the church in worship.

Sorry its a short post tonight, but we are all absolutely shattered and have church in the morning! Thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement, the post comments have provided us with many a giggle and just the knowledge that people are still following our blog is so special to us all.

Thanks again, God Bless,

Lots and Lots and Lots of love, Terry and TL.

Before the Baptism

Last Working Day!

Our thanks to all who have read our blog, comments are enjoyed and shared. As usual our day started with a Psalm, Terry read psalm 46 “God is our refuge and strength” Just the assurance we needed for the big push before the end. Each day I try to make a picture record as an aid to memory.

Late last evening, the boys had a night out, the highlight was super steaks and desserts of course!

Meaty Steaks!

Desserts

_______________________________________________________

Early morning going to work!

Rory, our computer expert, designs prints and types up a new spanish song book

Kerry in the office, checking the inventory

Last minute preparations in the dental room, as the compressor is moved outside

Aubrey assisted by Ruth and Terry, checks the fully restored patients couch.

Tim uses Ruth to check his hand-made board designed for those who cannot read!

10 o'clock tea break, including patty the carpenters wife

Brendan takes no chances as he sits under a doorway in case of an earthquake

The church notice board, along with a leaflet drop was used to advertise the clinics to the barrio

Gwen and Marcos felt quite emotional as the medical centre was about to open, it had been their God given dream for about two years. The team prayed in a circle while holding hands, for their work. Gwen and Marcos had a busy afternoon interpreting for Aubrey, Rosey and Tim and the local dentist.

First patients arrive well before 3!

Terry and Rory serve juice to the long queue of patients

The rest of the team put the final touches to the centres kitchen.

The girls helped Terry fill the new shelves, i hope they stay up!

Final fitting

Here ends a memorable day for centro comunitario sumumpaya and the 3 doctors have not yet returned from their clinics which opened at 3pm and its now 735pm.

Blessings

John

STOP PRESS!

The doctors arrived back at 830pm having seen 40 patients between Tim, Aubrey and the Dentist!

The dental room finally in use!

Aubrey at his clinic desk.

Dr Aubrey hard at work.

use of the pinhole!

Look into my eyes...

And it’s not our last working day…so many patients came we had to turn some away…and they’ve been booked in for a final session on Monday morning!

Day 10

Hi Everyone

Its been another busy day in the Barrio. PEPE in keeping with government recommendation with regards to the cold temperatures has extended its closure to the end of this week. It amazes us that the government takes this approach as we are finding the heat at times unbearably hot. Please pray that the government will change its recommendation so that the PEPE will resume normal classes next monday.

The ladies painting

However there is still plenty for the team to do. This morning it was all hands on deck to put the finishing touches to the Dental and Medical rooms. All in preparation for opening the doors tomorrow afternoon (fri 23rd) for dental appointments and medical advice.

Rory, Terry and Aubrey in the dental room

 While most of the team were working in the centre Tanya, Susie and I walked around the Barrio giving out leaflets advertising tomorrows event. It was really encouraging to see how many people were receptive in accepting the leaflets, they took the time to read them and all the shops put the notices up on their walls. Very different to home were most people don’t bother to take a leaflet or just throw it away immediately. Hopefully as a result of our walk around the Barrio there will be more that just the team waiting for free medical advice!!!

Putting up leaflets in the shops

The Captain putting up curtains

Advertising medical services

This afternoon the girls attended the Women’s Group in the centre, thankfully no knitting this week. Today we helped the Ladies prepare and cook a tradtional Bolivian meal, called Pique. Beef was marinated in papaya, soy sauce and salt . After it is cooked it is mixed together with sausages, chips, onions and tomatoes. It was truly a priviledge and blessing to work alongside the local women.Their skill in peeling potatoes and vegetables far out weighes ours much to our shame and embarassement though it did provide some laughs among the women!!

ladies preparing Pique

Elizabeth, Tanya and Sophia working hard

 

Pique

This evening the team separated, the boys headed into the city for a night out to sample some more local cuisine while the girls opted for a night in with a DVD, crisps, icecream and plenty of chocolate. Perfect!!!

Please continue to pray for us especially remembering the opening of the medical and dental rooms.

God Bless, Kerry

Brendan, Patty and Angel varnishing

Day 9 of Jonah’s big bolivian adventure…

Hello everyone…I asked Daddy to type up this blog for me cos I’m away to bed…I sleep in a comfy cot in a room with Mummy and Daddy…I love my cot so much i sleep in it 3 times a day!

Anyway thanks for following my adventure and praying for me and all my helpers I brought with me – they’re really great.

Today I woke up at about 6am…and had my usual bottle of milk at 7am…yummy.  After mummy got me changed I had breakfast with my whole entourage…sugar puffs and cornflakes! Others were having porridge, and poptarts!  Uncle Aubrey and Auntie Rosey don’t smile until they drink some special hot drink in the mornings…then they’re in great form!!!

yummy breakfast!

At breakfast Auntie Tanya read from Psalm 121…and we all looked to God for our strength for the day!

At 9am I went for a snooze for an hour while I sent my team to go and do some work.

team off to work at the centre

Eh...Grandpa...I thought you were meant to be painting the wall?

Ruth and Tanya give the window railings a new coat

Marcos the plumber...

After my snooze Mummy got me up and I got into the black three-wheeler buggy with big pneumatic tyres that we borrowed from Uncle Marcos, Auntie Gwen, Sara and Eva…it’s really class for going off road!  Mummy drove me round to the centre to check on how my workers were getting on. i had to give Grandpa and Uncle Terry a telling off for playing games on the walls!

Mummy, Daddy, Uncle Terry and I went for a prayer walk around the barrio. It was really great to pray for the people that they would meet Jesus.

Lunch was cheese and bread for me…rolls and ham and sausages and olives and egg mayonnaise for my team. Chicken’s feet for the dogs…again.

Get away from my chicken feet!!!

After lunch I had another long snooze…i dreamed of my bouncer back home…Daddy told me that while I had been sleeping he had been painting the kitchen in the centre.

Ray and Terry painting the kitchen in the Centre

Aubrey and Rory cut paper for new church songbooks

I heard a funny story from my workers at the centre today – Grandpa had put a tube of superglue in his pocket…and when he went to get his phone out…it was stuck to his shorts!!!! I think it still works though. Everybody calls Grandpa “the Captain”…he runs a tight ship!!!

Mummy spent the afternoon labelling crockery with nail-varnish…and labelling a few personal things as well!!!!

I like your nails Mummy...

At 430pm (actually 445pm cos Uncle Terry was in the shower – which is better than some – daddy didn’t even have a shower today) we had devotions led by Uncle Brendan – I played with a big basket of toys.

Brendan takes a well deserved rest

Tanya, Rosey and Ruth preparing dinner...traditional (NI) mango chicken!!!

We had yummy mango chicken for tea…I was starving!

yummy mango chicken for dinner

Playing with Uncle Ray

After dinner Daddy changed my nappy and got me ready for bed…I love my new nappies.

my cool new nappies...Winnie the Pooh...in Spanish!!!

Then I had my last bottle before bed…with uncle Rory…the other baby on the team!

The two team babies!

At 700pm I went to bed…I was very tired…what a great day!

Daddy writes…

Thanks everyone for your continued prayers. The team are all doing really well. We are seeing the centre physically transformed…and we would love to see the barrio spiritually transformed…most of these people walk in darkness…and need to see the light.

Thanks again, Tim

Tuesday 20th July

Hello from Bolivia on day 8!

We’ve had a very busy day today….

An early start in the centre to scrub floors, paint walls and cut gates.  Some even had a time of singing with one of the best worship leaders in Bolivia, while others did practical work.  Some of the girls had a prayer walk around the Barrio stopping outside houses of some of the people we’ve met, to pray for them.

Scrubbing the floors

 We then left the centre for an early lunch of Saltena (The Bolivian equivalent of a Cornish Pastie).  They we’re quite sweet, and very tasty! 

A Saltena

Next was a trip to the massive statue of Jesus (Cristo de la Concordia) that overlooks the city.  We had our devotions up there, led by Rosey, about taming the tongue (James 3)!

Cristo de la Concordia

Devotions at the Cristo de la Concordia

 We got up to the top via cable car, which was enjoyed by all, especially Jonah!!

Jonah in the cable car

Then a quick rush back to the Barrio with 16 people packed into Gwen’s 4×4!! It was a bit of a squeeze! We had been invited to one of the families involved in the work of the centre, for hot chocolate and bread. Amalia and Raul were very welcoming to us, and they were grateful for our Northern Ireland calendar.

The gang at Amalia and Raul's

Then a quick dash back to the house for toasties, before English class.  This was a lot of fun, and I learned some Spanish while teaching about the weather!

The English class

We arrived back to the house to find Gwen had been preparing a lovely typical Bolivian dish with chicken feet and mushy rice…Mmmmmmm!!!

Gwen's Bolivian dish!!!

Actually…it’s for her dogs!!!!

Well that’s all folks for today…life here is busy as a mother and a team member.  But I’m really enjoying the experiences, and Jonah is a real hit with all who meet him.  They all feel his blond hair, and say he is a beautiful baby!

See you soon and please keep praying…

Susie x

One Week In…and My Birthday!

One week has already passed and the time has flown in, already we have achieved so much in the centre but there is still a lot to do. The experience outside of all the work going on is also incredible, the people have been so welcoming in opening there doors to us and we have shared some special times together as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are really getting in to the way things work in Bolivia. It is virtually impossible to plan a day and keep to the timetable, in our kitchen we have a daily routine laid out, and we havent been able to keep to it. Being on time never works..something always pops up that changes all the plans.

This morning pepe was meant to continue, however the government felt they had cut the winter holidays short to early and felt it was too cold to be in school. Something that just seems stupid because the temperature is around 25 during the day..could you imagine the governments reaction to our so called “big freeze”! This threw a slight spanner in the works with the program we’d laid out for the day but it meant that people were free to help with work on the centre.

Todays work was quite fiddly, a lot of elbow grease was needed, along with many cloths, scrubbers, hot water and petrol! We have basically completed the medical room, just one more coat of varnish needs to be applied to the door. On that note John has a habit of producing some rough art on most walls hes painted on, so in keeping with his routine he painted me a birthday card.

Johns Version of a birthday card

The plumbing for the sink and a final clean of the floor and the room is completed. Aubrey began work on clean the floor in the dentist room and is nearly finished, again just the plumbing needs completed.

Marcos and myself went and picked up some paint for the church room, probably not the best two people to go for it, but he chose a colour and i had to agree! Though when we opened the pot, myself and the rest of the team werent quite sure, but we’ve started applying it to the walls..we just hope Gwen likes it when she sees it in the morning!

Window Cleaners

However the main work of the day was the windows. As we’ve already said in previous posts there is dust everywhere and the sticks to the windows like super glue. The whole team spent ages clean all the windows on the ground floor both inside and out. The reason for the petrol was to work out the dirt and grime!

Family love!

All in all a hard days work but the windows are sparkling and we have nearly finished two rooms and the 3rd one is half way there. The team spirit has been great and everyone is working really hard at all the tasks theyre given. Its been a lot of fun to work with one another and see the transformation a lick of paint can do.

We went out for a lovely lunch to this crazy colourful place..but we had good old burgers and chips. Marcos and i went for a big lomito..basically a huge steak burger with salad and two fried eggs, it was beaut. Globos, the name of the restaurant has the best cakes and ice creams, and the team shared my birthday strawberry cake slice,

Birthday Cake - look at Marcos eyeing it up!

it was so good we picked up the richest tasting chocolate cake, and just had some for supper and its beaut! The team also produce and pinata which was a surprise but as you can see in the photo, a little dangerous for John, he couldve taken a knock to the head!

My birthday Pinata!

Pinata aftermath!

Please continue to pray for us

• as we carry out the rest of the work
• continue to meet and encourage members of La Corona church
• that we continue to be patient with each other as we tire
• and also some of the team aren’t 100%, pray for healing

I trust that you are all enjoying the blog, we want you all to feel as much a part of it as us!

God Bless Rory

Day 6 – Sunday

hi everyone!

We have been having a couple of wordpress difficulties but it seems to be working now so let me fill you in on the last 24hours.

The day started in a very important way with Rory producing the below for Rosey at breakfast time! Its always good to keep the doctor and keep of all things medical happy on the team!

We then headed to church to in the Centre and spent time singing and praying together with the Bolivians who go there and some other visitors who came just for the day. It was really special spending time worshipping together in both English and Spanish ably lead on guitar by Aubrey and Winder, a member of the church.

We then split into 2 sections with the adults staying the room where we had started and the kids going over to the big sports area to do Sunday school. Both were learning from the story of the feeding of the 5000. As part of the adults section, Terry gave his testimony translated by Marcos.

The children did some singing – with Tanya playing the guitar for us – and we sand Jesus love is very wonderful in both Spanish and English. It was diffcult to keep control of the kids in such a large space but we had fun and managed to complete a craft as well as some drama without too many mishaps! Below is the craft that we made. It says Give us this day our daily bread in Spanish!

We came back to Gwen and Marcos’ for lunch and had a bit of rest time in the sun before our next activity. We sat in very hot sun for about an hour enjoying the fact that we were also looking at the snow on the hills and knowing that people in Bolivia thought that it was cold!!

At 3pm some of us then headed to the home of a couple in the church who were making us dinner that night to help us prepare for the meal. There were A LOT of potatoes to scrub and the chickens to prepare for the whole team. While 5 of us did the potatoes, the others made the marinade for the chicken which seemed to contain a vast amount of garlic and other spices. I can assure you that later on it tasted amazing and we all want to be able to reproduce it at home! Rory however got a little distracted……..wouldn’t be like him at all!!

While the food was cooking in an amzing wood burning stove, the team went for a walk around the barrio to see more of what the community is like that Gwen and Marcos live and minister in. It is very hard to describe what it is actually like except to say that there are a lot of extremes of nice houses beside shacks and not a lot in between. It was really good for us all to see the whole community and where people live who are in the church.

We then went back to angel and Paty’s house to have our tea which was sitting around a long table outside their home and eating the chicken and potatoes and salad. Their home is a large yard of grass and dust with 2 shacks in the corner where 2 families live and share their lives. They have so little and yet they were so welcoming and really wanted us to be there and share with them. It was also really special for us to be able to be there and share the food with them that we had provided and that they cooked.

After dinner some of the others in the church arrived and we had worship sround the campfire – again in Englash and Spanish – with Aubrey and Winder on guitar. It was very powerful being able to worship together in different languages and learn each others songs. We also prayed together and Marcos shared some thoughts on the story of the raising of Lazarus.

It was a long but very memorable day. The memories that we are all making are incredible and the experiences that we are sharing are shaping the team in ways that were beyond what we imagined.

Please pray for our team today. We are all tired and some are not feeling great with travelling and different food then normal. We are loving being here with the Quinteros family and believe that we are helping both practically within the centre and also for them as a family. We don’t want any of our tiredness or feeling unwell to affect that though. We really appreciate the support and comments that we are getting from home and on the blog so thank you!

Someone else will be on later to tell you about today but I can tell you that so far we are having another good day and we are also celebrating Rory’s birthday! Sorry again for the delay on the post – hopefully its all rectified now!

Ruth