July 11, 2010
A volunteers thoughts (part)
One chapter ends, another begins
G´day folks! I´m writing this on another beautiful, crisp morning at the mission. The birds are chirping, the eagles are soaring, the mountains are looming and the darn dogs are barking (a 24 hour occurrence). What a lovely place this is, and how lucky I am to have experienced it. Truly, I think the only negatives here in my opinion are the Bolivian drivers (exemplified by the man I saw yesterday riding his motorbike while talking on his mobile phone), the Bolivian anti-service mentality (queuing for hours is considered normal, even when there are heaps of staff that could help you if they wanted) and the dreaded Bolivian belly, a weekly reminder for me that I´m in a third world country.
This is weekend is my last weekend here at Bolivian Children´s Mission. Sort of. I´m heading off to Peru on Monday morning because my legal maximum stay of 90 days at a time expires on Tuesday. But as keen followers of this blog will know, I´ll be back here in a few weeks when Mum arrives from Australia, and then again in September when my friend Russell comes for our motorbike safari around Bolivia. So it´s certainly not the time for teary goodbyes, but I feel like it´s a good time to reflect on what´s been a true life-changing experience for me.
So what have I learnt? Lot´s of things! I´ve learnt that not everyone is out there to make money, buy a house, build a stellar career, make shrewd investments, start a family and go on exciting holidays. Not to say that these things are not important or worthwhile pursuing, but I definitely felt dissatisfaction with my direction in life before coming here, as some of you probably know. Here, I discovered a family that has spent 14 years serving and loving others. It´s not a love where you expect to receive something in return, but a love focused on people who truly need help. Without Peter and Delia, and the numerous other people running children´s homes here in Cochabamba, I shudder to think what these kids´ lives would be like. Seeing their example and the incredible effects it´s had on the lives of these kids, has encouraged me to look for ways to emulate them, even if it´s only on a small scale.
What else? I´ve learnt that work can be fun! Now this is something that the wiser heads among you probably already knew, but as a relative newbie in the field of work, I really only knew what I had experienced up until now. Which, I´m sad to say, was a place where work was at times stressful, competitive, confrontational, personally challenging (sometimes overly so), associated with long days and early starts, seemingly interminable repetition punctuated by events to look forward to (like conferences or holidays). Here on the other hand, my work has been marked by joy. What´s more, service can be fun too. I don´t know why, but whenever I read the numerous instructions in the bible that to love others, to serve others, to be the least (not the greatest) is the ultimate goal of the Christian, I always felt a little queasy. Here, while I certainly haven´t been working 24/7, I definitely have done my bit helping out, and rather than being a drag I have enjoyed almost every minute of it.
Finally, I feel that I am not so worried about my future and direction after spending this wonderful time here. Before, I was always planning ahead and if I didn´t know what was in store for me, I tended to worry or get depressed! Now, thanks to the example of Peter and Delia, who rely on donations to survive here but never seem to worry one ounce, I feel less concerned about what´s ahead of me, particularly once this year is up. I´m pretty confident that God will work everything out for me. It´s quite a liberating feeling.
And what have I experienced? This is what I actually was anticipating and expecting to get out of this stay. And I certainly wasn´t disappointed. I´ve already listed some of the amazing things I´ve been able to do here on previous posts.
G´day folks! I´m writing this on another beautiful, crisp morning at the mission. The birds are chirping, the eagles are soaring, the mountains are looming and the darn dogs are barking (a 24 hour occurrence). What a lovely place this is, and how lucky I am to have experienced it. Truly, I think the only negatives here in my opinion are the Bolivian drivers (exemplified by the man I saw yesterday riding his motorbike while talking on his mobile phone), the Bolivian anti-service mentality (queuing for hours is considered normal, even when there are heaps of staff that could help you if they wanted) and the dreaded Bolivian belly, a weekly reminder for me that I´m in a third world country.
This is weekend is my last weekend here at Bolivian Children´s Mission. Sort of. I´m heading off to Peru on Monday morning because my legal maximum stay of 90 days at a time expires on Tuesday. But as keen followers of this blog will know, I´ll be back here in a few weeks when Mum arrives from Australia, and then again in September when my friend Russell comes for our motorbike safari around Bolivia. So it´s certainly not the time for teary goodbyes, but I feel like it´s a good time to reflect on what´s been a true life-changing experience for me.
So what have I learnt? Lot´s of things! I´ve learnt that not everyone is out there to make money, buy a house, build a stellar career, make shrewd investments, start a family and go on exciting holidays. Not to say that these things are not important or worthwhile pursuing, but I definitely felt dissatisfaction with my direction in life before coming here, as some of you probably know. Here, I discovered a family that has spent 14 years serving and loving others. It´s not a love where you expect to receive something in return, but a love focused on people who truly need help. Without Peter and Delia, and the numerous other people running children´s homes here in Cochabamba, I shudder to think what these kids´ lives would be like. Seeing their example and the incredible effects it´s had on the lives of these kids, has encouraged me to look for ways to emulate them, even if it´s only on a small scale.
What else? I´ve learnt that work can be fun! Now this is something that the wiser heads among you probably already knew, but as a relative newbie in the field of work, I really only knew what I had experienced up until now. Which, I´m sad to say, was a place where work was at times stressful, competitive, confrontational, personally challenging (sometimes overly so), associated with long days and early starts, seemingly interminable repetition punctuated by events to look forward to (like conferences or holidays). Here on the other hand, my work has been marked by joy. What´s more, service can be fun too. I don´t know why, but whenever I read the numerous instructions in the bible that to love others, to serve others, to be the least (not the greatest) is the ultimate goal of the Christian, I always felt a little queasy. Here, while I certainly haven´t been working 24/7, I definitely have done my bit helping out, and rather than being a drag I have enjoyed almost every minute of it.
Finally, I feel that I am not so worried about my future and direction after spending this wonderful time here. Before, I was always planning ahead and if I didn´t know what was in store for me, I tended to worry or get depressed! Now, thanks to the example of Peter and Delia, who rely on donations to survive here but never seem to worry one ounce, I feel less concerned about what´s ahead of me, particularly once this year is up. I´m pretty confident that God will work everything out for me. It´s quite a liberating feeling.
And what have I experienced? This is what I actually was anticipating and expecting to get out of this stay. And I certainly wasn´t disappointed. I´ve already listed some of the amazing things I´ve been able to do here on previous posts.
April 8, 2010
Electoral Courts Ask That Morales Substantiate Claims of Fraud
The Departmental Electoral Courts (CDE) of the regions accused by President Evo Morales of commiting fraud in Sunday´s elections today asked the president to present evidence supporting his claims. The request came on the behalf of the court presidents of the departments of Beni, Santa Cruz, and Tarija, departments in which the president´s political party, MAS, lost both mayoral and gubernatorial elections. In those elections MAS obtained less support than was expected in comparison to the national elections of December, 2009 in which President Morales was reelected.
On Wednesday in Huatjata near Lake Titikaka, President Morales said that his party was preparing legal actions to “respect the vote” of Bolivians in the regions where his followers had filed complaints. In the judgment of Morales “the behavior of the electoral courts in Beni, Santa Cruz, and Tarija is criminal.” The CDE president in Beni, Victor Edgar Moreno, responded that his actions have been placed in the framework of the law and that he has completed all of the necessary procedures. “If there is some accusation or complaint of a supposed fraud, they would have to present evidence and prove it,” continued Mr. Moreno.
In one example of alleged misconduct, MAS candidate for governor in Beni, Jessica Jordan, complained that when she voted all of the votes, including hers, were registered in favor of the opposition. Were Ms. Jordan´s claim proved true it would be an obvious case of voting fraud. Miguel Ángel Guzmán, CDE president in Tarija, also reported that supporters of MAS in Tarija had protested with threats while the results favoring the opposition were announced.
The speakers of the National Electoral Court, including president Antonio Costas, have traveled to the Pando region where both candidates have been accused of fraud. Almost all of the Pando votes have been counted by national representatives of the electoral court and they plan to broadcast the results, believing that the result is correct.
The Departmental Electoral Courts (CDE) of the regions accused by President Evo Morales of commiting fraud in Sunday´s elections today asked the president to present evidence supporting his claims. The request came on the behalf of the court presidents of the departments of Beni, Santa Cruz, and Tarija, departments in which the president´s political party, MAS, lost both mayoral and gubernatorial elections. In those elections MAS obtained less support than was expected in comparison to the national elections of December, 2009 in which President Morales was reelected.
On Wednesday in Huatjata near Lake Titikaka, President Morales said that his party was preparing legal actions to “respect the vote” of Bolivians in the regions where his followers had filed complaints. In the judgment of Morales “the behavior of the electoral courts in Beni, Santa Cruz, and Tarija is criminal.” The CDE president in Beni, Victor Edgar Moreno, responded that his actions have been placed in the framework of the law and that he has completed all of the necessary procedures. “If there is some accusation or complaint of a supposed fraud, they would have to present evidence and prove it,” continued Mr. Moreno.
In one example of alleged misconduct, MAS candidate for governor in Beni, Jessica Jordan, complained that when she voted all of the votes, including hers, were registered in favor of the opposition. Were Ms. Jordan´s claim proved true it would be an obvious case of voting fraud. Miguel Ángel Guzmán, CDE president in Tarija, also reported that supporters of MAS in Tarija had protested with threats while the results favoring the opposition were announced.
The speakers of the National Electoral Court, including president Antonio Costas, have traveled to the Pando region where both candidates have been accused of fraud. Almost all of the Pando votes have been counted by national representatives of the electoral court and they plan to broadcast the results, believing that the result is correct.
April 2, 2010
March newsletter 2010
Bolivia
Why did the president choose Easter Sunday to hold elections? No vehicles allowed on the road Group meetings are banned. One of the great dates on the Christian calendar is sabotaged. Nobody is really surprised. Evo, the president, in his second term of office, had the Bible removed from the houses of parliament and his disagreement s with the Catholic church are public record. His dislike of private schools, all features of capitalism (no one should own more than one house) and so on are also public record. Many feel unsure about the future of all orphanages, centers of help for the needy, and the like. but especially the church -based organizations feel under threat.. Cochabamba alone has 139 such places.
Our home , for 33 orphaned, abandoned or abused children, is one
License
We had asked for your intercession over our license. We applied for a renewal in 2007 and after much bureaucratic procrastination now are basically doing it all again even before the other was granted. The government agency has less than !0% of all homes actually legal and after closing down nearly one dozen homes last year for various sexual abuse cases have decided to apply stricter regulations and so our new/ re-application goes before the government in April. April however is also when the officers will take their new positions after the a-fore-mentioned elections so anything could happen. With new staff, director in the government agencies it could be that everything is turned over again. Over 1000 pages. We will see.
Why did the president choose Easter Sunday to hold elections? No vehicles allowed on the road Group meetings are banned. One of the great dates on the Christian calendar is sabotaged. Nobody is really surprised. Evo, the president, in his second term of office, had the Bible removed from the houses of parliament and his disagreement s with the Catholic church are public record. His dislike of private schools, all features of capitalism (no one should own more than one house) and so on are also public record. Many feel unsure about the future of all orphanages, centers of help for the needy, and the like. but especially the church -based organizations feel under threat.. Cochabamba alone has 139 such places.
Our home , for 33 orphaned, abandoned or abused children, is one
License
We had asked for your intercession over our license. We applied for a renewal in 2007 and after much bureaucratic procrastination now are basically doing it all again even before the other was granted. The government agency has less than !0% of all homes actually legal and after closing down nearly one dozen homes last year for various sexual abuse cases have decided to apply stricter regulations and so our new/ re-application goes before the government in April. April however is also when the officers will take their new positions after the a-fore-mentioned elections so anything could happen. With new staff, director in the government agencies it could be that everything is turned over again. Over 1000 pages. We will see.
School
Our situation is stable. Carmen broke a leg and is currently in plaster. Health wise most are fine. The usual scrapes, flu and even the day the bees got bothered and a bunch of us got stung but generally we are fine. We have watched our new admissions bulk up and flourish in an atmosphere that tries to be a family as possible. Indeed our biggest concern at this time is our daughter Nicole who has a heart sound. In process of investigation at this time.
Children are only in three different schools. I couldn’t find one school that had room for them all. After school started five staff left and it’s been very low key .One left for health reasons and the others did not want to, or could not, change their other jobs to fit in with our school day which changed and is now totally mornings. We have hired one lady to help with school work and then there is now another family on site.
Edgar and Olga
After false starts they have finally arrived. Edgar and Olga are a Bolivian couple who have finished three years of study in England It’s been nearly one month and these two are taking a big share of the daily workload. Not totally, as both are trying to also finish their university courses, but still helpful. Olga should be full time after June, July and Edgar by years end. Our plan is to have a sabbatical at the end of 2010 and leave them in charge so it’s been a daily showing of the ropes so to speak. Delia in fact complained that yesterday she was bored. Imagine, in this place! In some aspects the work load has actually increased as they brought three cows with them. Once they start giving milk it should help with milk, cheese, cream, and other dairy products. Of course one of the first
things the cows did was to decimate the veggie garden so its win some lose some. Our own vegetables for the rainy season has been great and its now our wish to now build a green house and prepare for the next growing season. Suddenly we have an abundance of manure Why is it always on the driveway, basket ball court and not where it might be useful?
Volunteers
Also helping are the volunteers who come. Have had two German girls since October last year, A lady from the Channel.Islands who has just left and an Aussie is due the first week of April. Always appreciated. One dream is to still separate the older and young children and so we look for a volunteer couple who have call to make that a reality.
Finally.
After nearly 15 years we are trying to sort out our priorities. Our own children and ourselves versus the children of Bolivia. Hadn’t personally ever felt so run down before and volition less as we were at the beginning of this year. . Already Edgar and Olga have made changes in this respect. A for instance: Delia is taking a course of 9 dental treatments over three weeks Feeling better, even confident, an abscess has been dealt with and other treatments are in the schedule. We have taken a few family weekend breaks this year. Fabulous. If we left Bolivia our first priority would be looking to catching up with people who have supported us and kept this project going. Hoping our son will get married this year. Jared? But we are also wishing to see our older ones from the home move on and into the work force. Sulma, for instance, although only in first year high is 18 this year. Our hearts are divided. Please share with us in resolving this burden.
No pictures this run as we seriously seek to be faithful to the work we feel we were called to start. Even as I write this I hear the younger children running through the house playing chase, whilst waiting for the older ones to return from a neighbors birthday celebration and we know we have made a difference. Some are alive because of homes like us. Thank you. Remember the elections over Easter and new staff in all the government offices throughout April. Remember too our children. Remember Olga and Edgar as they take a bigger responsibility and remember us. Delia and Peter. God bless.
February 12, 2010
These are from a Visitor
These are from a visitor to this country. Sometimes their perspectives are different as we take so many things for granted or normal after so many years. Like one of our children has school on the soccer court because there are no schoolrooms free. Others are in a building off campus without toilet facilities.
We are in the election season once more in Bolivia. ‘MAS’, the Movement of Socialism party won half the seats in both lower and upper houses of Congress in the 2005 election. A native Aymara, Evo Morales is the first indigenous president since Bolivia gained independence 180 years ago. We were present when his inauguration took place in January 2006. The Constitution was changed during his term to allow a sitting President to be re-elected. In the Presidential Election in December 2009 he won a massive victory with over 62% and took Office for a second term 2010-2015. He declared a public holiday on Friday 22nd January as it was the day of his Inauguration. Presidents from around Latin America attended in what was a spectacular display of pomp and ceremony in La Paz. We watched it unfold on TV and again on 23rd when he spoke at the induction ceremony of his Ministerial team in the Presidential Palace. April 4th is the next Election Day when the people again go to the polls to elect Governors and councillors for the 9 Departments and mayors for the cities. TV debates with the candidates just as in the UK fill our screens daily.
It is now summer in Bolivia and paradoxically the rainy season. We encountered our first road blockades in the last few weeks when at a moments notice our main road beside us to Oruro and La Paz was blocked all day by protesters – one way on Tuesday in the La Paz direction and on Wednesday one way towards Cochabamba. We found out later it was a protest about the poor state of public highways made much worse when many are constantly churned up by heavy goods vehicles and the inevitable overflowing of rivers throughout the region with the heavy rainfall and I mean heavy! There are massive floods in the Chapare (jungle) and Beni areas north east of Cochabamba with deaths reported. Death here in terms of incidents is a constant phenomenon and in some streets it is almost in your face as the practice here is for funeral parlours to display their coffins in the window many next to a café with Latino music blaring out.
Just recently on the road from Oruro to La Paz 15 were killed and 21 injured when a coach and a lorry collided during the night run. Many of the dead and injured were young people travelling back to Chile. The week after 5 were killed and 47 injured when a coach crashed on the road from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz. The driver had been drinking and the police have charged him with homicide. This first week in February beyond Santa Cruz another 2 coaches collided during the night with 12 deaths and 70 injured. The press headlines are full of so many road tragedies in a matter of weeks. The Transport Minister has taken action on the road worthiness of coaches and the police are pursuing any drivers who show any sign of alcohol.
In La Paz last week the rains caused a landslide in the Bella Vista area and in the destruction that followed hundreds of houses that were built on the mountain side were catapulted into the abyss. No lives were lost as there had been an alert well beforehand but the resulting chaos has left the people poverty stricken. Television graphically covers all sorts of incidents such as this and rarely fails to show the injured or scenes of crime and violence when little is left to the imagination. For example they broadcast a robber who was made to walk round the perimeter of a field several times with a heavy rubber tyre round his neck watched by many onlookers. This is known here as community justice and is not uncommon. Falling exhausted he was promptly beaten by one of the community with a long split cane before being led away by the police. His shouts echoed in our ears, ‘I’m not going to rob anymore!
We are in the election season once more in Bolivia. ‘MAS’, the Movement of Socialism party won half the seats in both lower and upper houses of Congress in the 2005 election. A native Aymara, Evo Morales is the first indigenous president since Bolivia gained independence 180 years ago. We were present when his inauguration took place in January 2006. The Constitution was changed during his term to allow a sitting President to be re-elected. In the Presidential Election in December 2009 he won a massive victory with over 62% and took Office for a second term 2010-2015. He declared a public holiday on Friday 22nd January as it was the day of his Inauguration. Presidents from around Latin America attended in what was a spectacular display of pomp and ceremony in La Paz. We watched it unfold on TV and again on 23rd when he spoke at the induction ceremony of his Ministerial team in the Presidential Palace. April 4th is the next Election Day when the people again go to the polls to elect Governors and councillors for the 9 Departments and mayors for the cities. TV debates with the candidates just as in the UK fill our screens daily.
It is now summer in Bolivia and paradoxically the rainy season. We encountered our first road blockades in the last few weeks when at a moments notice our main road beside us to Oruro and La Paz was blocked all day by protesters – one way on Tuesday in the La Paz direction and on Wednesday one way towards Cochabamba. We found out later it was a protest about the poor state of public highways made much worse when many are constantly churned up by heavy goods vehicles and the inevitable overflowing of rivers throughout the region with the heavy rainfall and I mean heavy! There are massive floods in the Chapare (jungle) and Beni areas north east of Cochabamba with deaths reported. Death here in terms of incidents is a constant phenomenon and in some streets it is almost in your face as the practice here is for funeral parlours to display their coffins in the window many next to a café with Latino music blaring out.
Just recently on the road from Oruro to La Paz 15 were killed and 21 injured when a coach and a lorry collided during the night run. Many of the dead and injured were young people travelling back to Chile. The week after 5 were killed and 47 injured when a coach crashed on the road from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz. The driver had been drinking and the police have charged him with homicide. This first week in February beyond Santa Cruz another 2 coaches collided during the night with 12 deaths and 70 injured. The press headlines are full of so many road tragedies in a matter of weeks. The Transport Minister has taken action on the road worthiness of coaches and the police are pursuing any drivers who show any sign of alcohol.
In La Paz last week the rains caused a landslide in the Bella Vista area and in the destruction that followed hundreds of houses that were built on the mountain side were catapulted into the abyss. No lives were lost as there had been an alert well beforehand but the resulting chaos has left the people poverty stricken. Television graphically covers all sorts of incidents such as this and rarely fails to show the injured or scenes of crime and violence when little is left to the imagination. For example they broadcast a robber who was made to walk round the perimeter of a field several times with a heavy rubber tyre round his neck watched by many onlookers. This is known here as community justice and is not uncommon. Falling exhausted he was promptly beaten by one of the community with a long split cane before being led away by the police. His shouts echoed in our ears, ‘I’m not going to rob anymore!
January 19, 2010
Christmas!!! 2009
[In this letter I will ask for your prayers and name the children (even include some photos) but the blog or website information must be vague as authorities no longer want photos , names or specific info. of children on websites,]
It’s time to put pen to paper so to speak. Christmas is over. 2010 looms and we enter into our 14th year in this country, (tempus fugit,) Bolivia has seen great changes with the first indigenous president who starts his second term in January. Nobody knows the full ramifications of this, as this time he has a majority in the senate as well.
So too we have seen great changes. Another four little children. That is eight young ones within a few months. These are one two year old boy and three four/ five year old girls . (did you like that?) As is common in homes we receive children and give them birthdays for the day they arrive , guess their ages and make up names. Three of them are eligible for adoption and have already had medicals as the first step in a long process. So welcome to Damaris, Devorah, Rodrigo and Mari- Esperanza.
To accommodate these four we re-inserted four and one half children with family at the end of the school year. We say one half because her family reneged at the last moment. Refused to sign necessary papers with the courts ,to take the responsibility of Sulma from us as legal custodians, and so she remains in limbo. But Samuel, Moises , Nilda and Elsa(one family unit) are returned to extended family (dad lives in jungle region without facilities or recourses) and Sulma is an uncertain part of the future at this time. Pray with us on this one. After seven years with us, Nilda was only four when she came, it was not that easy saying goodbye. Jheyson who has now had one year in Canada has received the blessing of the courts and can remain in Canada indefinitely. A real answer to prayer.
2010 we pray will send us a couple to work with children whilst under the umbrella of Bolivian Children’s Mission but in a different location. We now have 11 pre-schoolers and they could benefit from being in a place separate from teenagers with their different agenda. We also have a group of adolescent boys, and if littlies aren’t your cup of tea we can also find a place to accommodate you and them. Despite being over our supposed limit we still get asked to receive children so fear not we will fill you up rapidly. Write separately if you want more information about this.: peter@bcmission.com
Another prayer item relates to a furlough for us. 1999 was the last break for me whilst Delia has taken a boy to England for medical treatment and delivered Jheyson to Canada but she definitely finds the going heavy and my desire is to manage some family time together. It would be good to see so many who have kept us here for these years and to express our thanks personally. Pray with us on this. One aspect of this desire is the returning of Olga and Edgar from England. They are a Bolivian couple who wish to commit themselves to BCM for the next five years. We feel confident in letting them run things so one of the hurdles has been overcome. They arrived early December, have this month with family and begin January to learn the ropes and to support us. It gets to be fairly tiring 24/7 after a few years.. Thirty plus wonderful children but not without its moments. Pray for Edgar and Olga.
Our license renewal (approx 600 pages) as a home was submitted in 2007. At the end of 2008 we were informed it was fine. In 2010 we still don’t have it in our hand. Not a panic (80% of institutions are unlicensed) but it would be nice to see it finalized. Pray with us on this one.
Just before last photos and a wrap up. Today we ate lunch with our pumpkin, onions, spinach, tomatoes and some of the flavourings from our garden. Wonderful way to enjoy fresh, cut costs and see children with rosy red cheeks. The new ones came in various stages of malnutrition and with sores, infections , infestations and the like which are now gone.
Keith and his wife Ann, who keep the whole BCM organization going, came towards the end of 2009 and it was great to show our progress, account for our spending and present the children to them. Then Adrian from Tassie made sure the childen got a better Christmas than we alone could do and so our thanks to both them, and him, for seeing out the old year in good shape. Going in to 2010 only one failed the school year (Claudia) and so we look to the vacation, a new school year, new helpers and anticipate a great year of consolidation. Thanks for your thoughts, emails, and may God bless you.
It’s time to put pen to paper so to speak. Christmas is over. 2010 looms and we enter into our 14th year in this country, (tempus fugit,) Bolivia has seen great changes with the first indigenous president who starts his second term in January. Nobody knows the full ramifications of this, as this time he has a majority in the senate as well.
So too we have seen great changes. Another four little children. That is eight young ones within a few months. These are one two year old boy and three four/ five year old girls . (did you like that?) As is common in homes we receive children and give them birthdays for the day they arrive , guess their ages and make up names. Three of them are eligible for adoption and have already had medicals as the first step in a long process. So welcome to Damaris, Devorah, Rodrigo and Mari- Esperanza.
To accommodate these four we re-inserted four and one half children with family at the end of the school year. We say one half because her family reneged at the last moment. Refused to sign necessary papers with the courts ,to take the responsibility of Sulma from us as legal custodians, and so she remains in limbo. But Samuel, Moises , Nilda and Elsa(one family unit) are returned to extended family (dad lives in jungle region without facilities or recourses) and Sulma is an uncertain part of the future at this time. Pray with us on this one. After seven years with us, Nilda was only four when she came, it was not that easy saying goodbye. Jheyson who has now had one year in Canada has received the blessing of the courts and can remain in Canada indefinitely. A real answer to prayer.
2010 we pray will send us a couple to work with children whilst under the umbrella of Bolivian Children’s Mission but in a different location. We now have 11 pre-schoolers and they could benefit from being in a place separate from teenagers with their different agenda. We also have a group of adolescent boys, and if littlies aren’t your cup of tea we can also find a place to accommodate you and them. Despite being over our supposed limit we still get asked to receive children so fear not we will fill you up rapidly. Write separately if you want more information about this.: peter@bcmission.com
Another prayer item relates to a furlough for us. 1999 was the last break for me whilst Delia has taken a boy to England for medical treatment and delivered Jheyson to Canada but she definitely finds the going heavy and my desire is to manage some family time together. It would be good to see so many who have kept us here for these years and to express our thanks personally. Pray with us on this. One aspect of this desire is the returning of Olga and Edgar from England. They are a Bolivian couple who wish to commit themselves to BCM for the next five years. We feel confident in letting them run things so one of the hurdles has been overcome. They arrived early December, have this month with family and begin January to learn the ropes and to support us. It gets to be fairly tiring 24/7 after a few years.. Thirty plus wonderful children but not without its moments. Pray for Edgar and Olga.
Our license renewal (approx 600 pages) as a home was submitted in 2007. At the end of 2008 we were informed it was fine. In 2010 we still don’t have it in our hand. Not a panic (80% of institutions are unlicensed) but it would be nice to see it finalized. Pray with us on this one.
Just before last photos and a wrap up. Today we ate lunch with our pumpkin, onions, spinach, tomatoes and some of the flavourings from our garden. Wonderful way to enjoy fresh, cut costs and see children with rosy red cheeks. The new ones came in various stages of malnutrition and with sores, infections , infestations and the like which are now gone.
Keith and his wife Ann, who keep the whole BCM organization going, came towards the end of 2009 and it was great to show our progress, account for our spending and present the children to them. Then Adrian from Tassie made sure the childen got a better Christmas than we alone could do and so our thanks to both them, and him, for seeing out the old year in good shape. Going in to 2010 only one failed the school year (Claudia) and so we look to the vacation, a new school year, new helpers and anticipate a great year of consolidation. Thanks for your thoughts, emails, and may God bless you.
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