Esta Bien

Today, the team (minus one very important member--Laurie--due to an unpredictable twist in God's plans) went on a flight to the jungle. It was incredible. Beyond description. So completely and totally and wholly out of my realm of experience or even imagination that I have trouble equating it with reality. So how do I tell you about it?

We landed on an airstrip that was constructed of nothing more than some grass and dirt. Surrounding us on all sides were walls of green and shadow that you had to look closely at in order to realize they were actually great spans of trees. We were greeted by a ragtag group of men, women, and children--all dirty, all dressed in clothes that wouldn't have been considered nice even if they weren't faded and ripped, and all babbling in some undeterminable language (perhaps a mix of spanish and their native tongue?).

Many of us (myself included) were given the opportunity to hand out candy to children and adults alike. It was humbling. We were giving them so little and yet they desired what we had as though we were giving them precious jewels or sacks of gold. Who likes bubble gum and tootsie pops that much? People who don't even have shoes, that's who.

We then went on a tour of the, um... town? Village? Small collection of structures with four walls and roofs that vaguely resembled homes? They had a soccer field, you know. It was a patch of grass; the goals were nothing more than three log-type things roped together. No nets. They also had ducks and chickens and dogs. And bats in their homes. They had a school too--with a tile roof. An extravagence compared to the one-room, bat-filled, thatched roof, concrete floored boxes that surrounded it.

But I have to tell you, the most amazing part of the whole morning was not flying in a miniscule plane. Nor was it meeting a whole new type of person. Nor was it seeing how those people actually truly live. No, what I would consider one of (if not THE) most incredible experiences of my entire life was what occured on the flight back home. You see, our flight back from the jungle did not only transport our team. No, we carried with us a girl named Lydia, who was about ten years old and was in need of hospital care. Lydia had contracted a rare skin disease--a flesh-eating skin disease to be exact.

Now I'd like to take a moment here to pause and reflect on what a miracle it was that Lydia could come back to Coch with us. Due to seating arrangements and limitations on the two planes that our team used to fly into the jungle, if Laurie had been able to come with us, Lydia would not have been able to come to Coch in order to get the hospital care she needs. God used Laurie in a mighty way to not only touch Lydia's life, but also to radically affect all the rest of the team's.

And here's where it gets deeply personal for me: I was the one who sat in the seat next to Lydia on the plane out of the jungle. All I could think was "What do I do now? I'm sitting next to a young girl who lives in the jungle and has never been on a plane before or even been out of the jungle. And besides that, the only language she and I both have in common is Spanish and neither of us are very good at speaking it! And finally to top it all off, she has a flesh-eating skin disease that, to be honest, makes her left jawline kind of a hard place to look at. What do I do now?" And so I did the only thing that I could think to do: I held her hand in both of mine. And I stroked her hair. And I put my arm around her shoulders. And I repeated "esta bien" what could have been a million times--I wasn't counting. And I smiled at her and pointed out the mountains and the city and in the process I broke my heart to pieces praying for her.

She touched my life deeply. There is no way I could describe the way that that little girl from the jungle broke my heart. ...She's not saved, you know. She doesn't know the love and mercy and grace and salvation of Jesus Christ. And there she was, in a completely alien place surrounded by people who did not speak her language. She must have felt so completely and totally alone. And if during that plane ride I could have traded my salvation for hers I would have done it in a heartbeat just to erase that from her heart. But I couldn't. All I could do was sit there and pray with everything I had that she would come to know God. And that she would never have to be afraid again. Because that look in her eye said she was terrified. And I wanted to ease that--but the only thing I could do was hold her hand and fight back the sobs that threatened me. Those would have scared her even more, I think.

There is a man who works with Lydia's village in the jungle. He is native to that land, I think, and he is a believer. He has been working in her village for about 5 and a half years trying to bring the Gospel to them. Over the course of that time, he says only one or two people from the village have accecpted Christ as their savior. Only one or two. And that is likely where Lydia is going to spend the rest of her life. ...But I believe there is hope for her and her village. Because God is BIG and He cared enough for those people to die on the cross for them. And He's not going to let them go without a fight. The only thing I wish is that I didn't have to be on the sidelines of her life. The only thing left for me to do is pray--which is powerful, don't get me wrong, but I'd like to hold her hand again and whisper "esta bien". But God is going to take care of her. It's a good thing He's a whole heck of a lot better at it than I am.

--Jessica

Facing the Unexpected

The unexpected happens, well, unexpectedly. Here's how it happened for us today.

At about 1:30 this afternoon (10:30am PST), Laurie's pain that she has been experiencing on her right side had reached a crescendo of 'unbearable' and, unbeknownst to her, her body decided it was time to get help. She collapsed at the hangar and we had to put her on a stretcher, give her oxygen, and rush her to the hospital in downtown Cochabamba. The team members not assisting with securing her and administering oxygen/monitoring pulse/etc. were quickly gathering to pray. The van we had available did not have 'pop out' seats, so in order to convert it into an 'ambulance', we had to unscrew nuts/bolts from inside and underneath the vehicle. Thanks to available power tools and a saw for cutting out the bolts, we were able to transport her within 10 minutes. We loaded her and drove 15 minutes through Bolivian traffic to the ER. For the next 5 hours, Laurie was tended to by a very competent group of nurses and physicians. A wonderful wife of one of the missionaries here (an Argentine!!) - who is also a nurse - stood by her side the entire time. What a blessing!

In the meantime, the team gathered in the waiting room to pray...we looked at each other with some tears and were reminded of our verse for the trip. Hebrews 11:6 - 'without faith it is impossible to please God...' Though we didn't understand why, we agreed that God intended for this to happen and He would take care of Laurie!! As I write this, she is chatting on the phone with her family back here at the mission house. She is MUCH better and has been given some medication to address the pain. After an MRI, she was cleared by a fantastic neurologist to continue the trip (being careful to not over-exert)!!

Unfortunately, there's one limitation - she cannot join us tomorrow as we fly into the jungle for the morning. As many of you know, this was one of her most anticipated moments!! Please pray for her continued recovery and that the Lord would fill her with His peace and deep joy as she rests!!

Oh, by the way...As a team, we've agreed that Laurie wins the prize for the MOST UNIQUE souvenir of the trip...a Bolivian picture of her brain!! God is so good!! Our team has bonded in ways we never imagined - NOBODY left each other's side as we walked through the ordeal this afternoon. The NTM missionaries with whom we have fallen in love gathered around us in amazing ways as well!! And so, we lay our heads once again on our pillows after a day of ministry both to the dear people of Bolivia as well as each other ... who would have thought.

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" - one step at a time!! Words cannot express how grateful we are for each of your prayers and partnership in this amazing trip!!

Impressions

My impressions of Bolivia are fleeting compared to my impressions of the missionaries that we have come to support and encourage.

First, my impressions of Bolivia...A whirlwind of insane traffic, honking horns, the sight of wandering dogs EVERYWHERE, the abundance of COCA-COLA that tastes SO much better here than at home (many of you now know without looking who is writing this!), and the beauty of the God's creation in the snow-capped mountains that surround the city.

Seeing the sights is fun, but God called this team to Bolivia to encourage the missionaries who live here. I hope we have done that, because I honestly feel that THEY have been the blessing and encouragement to US! We have been guests in their homes and rubbed shoulders with them in the places they work. I have been constantly impressed with the love and generosity that has been extended to us. And don't make the mistake of thinking that they are just glad to see folks from home. We have spent time with missionaries from other places, like Ecuador, Germany, and Canada as well. Our common bond is in Christ, not geography. God's power and glory is well represented in each of these men and women. You see it in the way they love each other through health crisis', frustrations in dealing with a government that almost makes you wishful for the one at home, and in their strength as they say goodbye time after time because of reassignment or furlough. When I watch the interactions between the husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and co-workers called to serve in this difficult place, I am convinced that I am seeing Ephesians 3:14-21 in it's best illustration. So, I leave you with this...

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

--Laurie

Do you know the way to...Tunari?

Saturday, some of the team rose up early in the morning (5am) and headed out to hike to the highest peak in Cochabamba - Mt. Tunari - while others enjoyed the bliss of sleeping in and spending the day with Laura Swanson. Those of us who made it to the top of the massive mountain were explicably satisfied and joyful...and FREEZING cold! It's strange what altitude can do to ones senses as well - things that are not normally funny are stinkin hilarious at 16,590 feet. The team challenged and encouraged each other all the way up, and came back down with shouts of laughter as we skipped and skid across miles of shale. We even spotted the star from "Man vs Wild" on the mountain. It was awesome. Here are some pictures...

One of the homes in the mountain region.

The team at the top of Mt. Tunari - 16,590 feet altitude.

We met these guys on our way back down the mountain. Llamas have a great sense of humor.

The crew at the "base" of Tunari. All smiles, and numb fingers.

Workshops, Seminars, Donuts...Oh My!!

Wanted to check in with ya'll since we haven't posted anything in a couple days. I guess you could say that we have been BUSY!! On Thursday, Chris and the team hosted the first part of a 2-day workshop for the NTM missionaries. He spoke about team dynamics (specifically "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team") as well as conflict styles/management. Who couldn't use some of that, right? The response from the people was fantastic. Not a single one complained that the material was irrelevant or unnecessary. As you may recall from our stories before we left, NTM as an organization is experiencing many changes these days...and, needless to say, when there's change, there's potential for conflict. It has been a blessing for the team to be able to support, interact, and encourage those who are serving here day in and day out with the common vision to reach people for Christ. We just have to say, these folks are the "real deal." But, please pray for them as they continue to move through the transition - it is hard work and requires a lot of patience and communication.

Thursday afternoon, the team went back to the NTMA hangar to continue painting and building the shelving unit for the storage loft. We've made some great progress and are looking forward to going back next week to finish it up!

Today was another day of incredible ministry opportunity. The team held the conflict workshop in the morning here at the Mission House. They went through the rest of the "Dysfunctions" material and discussed the results of the "Conflict Styles" survey they each took (this is the same survey our team did in preparation for the trip). The comments made by the NTM staff as well as our own team were profound and challenging, to say the least. I think all of us have learned a thing or two about ourselves, our team, and the healthiest ways of dealing with conflict. Now, of course, we'll probably have many opportunities to apply what we've learned given that we have been entrusted with this knowledge. Groovy! Oh, by the way, we handed out the first batch of coffee and books today...they were a hit! Thanks to all of you who donated those!

On a side note, while Chris was leading the workshop, the rest of the team was caring for and hanging out with the MKs. Let me tell you, these are amazing kids! But will you please pray for them? Being an MK can be hard. Like the rest of us, they have questions about life and situations to navigate as they grown up and, a lot of times, those things can be more difficult to deal with while on the mission field. Pray for solid support, counsel, and encouragement for them.

This afternoon, we headed downtown to do a little shopping. And, that's all I'm going to say about that...I don't want to spoil any surprises!!

Tonight, the team hosted a children's ministry seminar for about 65 local CM leaders in Cochabamba (and surrounding areas). Crista taught the folks about ways of sharing the gospel, creating friendly and welcoming classrooms, and keeping our ministries "R.E.A.L" (a concept that we, at Harvest, hold near and dear to our hearts!). It was a fantastic opportunity to interact with folks who share a love for kids and a passion to influence the next generation. One thing you have to know about Bolivian culture is that people just LOVE being together. So, the team worked together not only to bring the teaching material, but also to provide some time to fellowship and network during our "ice cream social." If you feed them, they will come!

As you can tell, we have been actively working to encourage, equip, and empower those around us. We would ask that you continue to pray for us as a team - for unity and understanding and that we would be a positive testimony to those around us of God's love, grace, and mercy.

In the morning, we head for a long hike up Mt. Tunari...um, all I can say is 17,000 feet and an oxygen tank. Hopefully we'll talk again tomorrow! We love you all!

The Beauty of Simplicity

Good evening, Harvest family.

It is the end of the third day of our time in Bolivia, and if we didn't miss our families and church so much, we might all decide to stay here. Cochabamba is beautiful. Having never been to a third world country myself, I didn't quite know what to expect before we got here. And three days in, I am still amazed at the sheer beauty of this land.

Bolivia is not a wealthy country. But there is an amazing authenticity to the life and the people here. It is not glitzy or glamorous. It is not pretentious. It does not try to lure or entice. It simply is. The people are beautiful and the life is honest.

The land is gorgeous, and all of us "Paso kids" are mesmerized by the sprawling lights at night. Who knew Cochabamba was so big (pop: approx 800,000)? Tonight we enjoyed the views of the city and the "Cristo"from the 4th floor balcony of an Ecuadorian missionary couple who graciously invited us over for an incredible dinner and dessert, and amazing fellowship. We have been so blessed, and amazed by the testimonies and the kind hearts of every person God has put in our path.

We thank you for your continued support of this ministry. We feel your prayers daily in the unity we continue to experience, and the health that prevails among us. Praise God. You are as integral as we are in this trip; we simply could not be doing this without each one of you.

Our muscles are aching and backs are sore from days spent working in the hangar, painting (the girls) and welding (Josiah). But many hands make light work, and it is a blessing to work along side this entire team.

Tomorrow begins the 2nd component of our missions trip: we've already become quite well acquainted with the manual labor portion, but Thursday and Friday we begin our first Missionary Seminar here at the mission. We ask for your prayers, that the Lord would use Chris to bring encouragement to the full-time Bolivian missionaries. The rest of the team is on "child care duty" and will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with nearly every person on the NTM staff (close to 30, if not more) throughtout the morning. We welcome your prayers for that as well. :)

As they say in Cochabamba,

Chau!

-Noelle

Crash Landing

Don't worry, this is not a post-jungle-flight picture for our team!

Last year, one of the NTMA planes crashed and was totally destroyed. It was being held in the storage loft at the hangar and used for parts. When our team removed it and brought it to the ground floor, we had a little fun. Boy, are we glad that this was not our plane for the trip down here!

WOW! What a Day ...

We launched our day with a Bible Study alongside some of the veteran missionaries in Bolivia. How humbling to listen to them share insights. Off to the hangar after breakfast and we kicked into gear. We will get some great photos up tomorrow for you to see the projects unfolding. Needless to say, though, we had a great time. NTMA had planned on us taking the whole week to accomplish what was done by noon today!! So - we moved on to some additional and much needed work. Part of our team is doing a full inventory of aviation parts (from nuts/bolts to larger items). Josiah is working with the Aviation Mechanics creating a large shelving area to store airplane wings, fuselage, etc. ... they will follow this project with the construction of a 40 foot railing in front of the 'upper' storage area.
Friendships are being forged, our life stories are being told along with us hearing amazing ones from Bolivian men & women, and ministry is happening. Please pray as this Thursday and Friday, we will be leading a 'teambuilding' seminar for the missionaries in Cochabamba. Friday night, Crista will be conducting a training for area Children's Ministry workers from around the city.
Finally, as many of you can imagine - whenever you step out in faith ... it ticks Satan off! So, we are encountering spiritual warfare at its fullest! Tonight we gathered as a team to pray against these attacks. We believe the victory is a done deal! Again, thanks for all your prayers.
We hope you check back frequently ...
From Cochabamba, Bolivia - Dios les bendiga!!


Up in the storage loft, before all the cleaning and renovation.


Up in the storage loft, after all the cleaning.


Josiah, cutting the steel that will be used to make the shelving for the storage loft.


While the men cut and welded the steel, the ladies were hard at work doing the airplane parts inventory. This hasn't been done in, oh, 20+ years!


At the end of the evening, we were invited to spend some time at the Hedvall's house, the family who lives at the NTM Mission house. It was great time to chat and connect.

Here we are!

WE MADE IT TO BOLIVIA SAFE AND SOUND!! Thank you for praying for us! It's been interesting travel - but no delayed or canceled flights! The team is tired but still excited for the adventure ahead of us in the next 2 weeks. When we arrived at the NTM guest house, we were pleased to see real beds (versus upright chairs that lean back at a 45 degree angle) and began to meet some fantastic people! More stories in the days to come...for now, we all need some rest. So, here's signing out with love from Bolivia!

Hanging out with Dan, who flew in from Cochabamba to pick us up!

Goofin around...

7 people, 14 suitcases, one van.

Dinner is served - the biggest pizzas on the face of the planet!

Here we go!!

Our team departed from Paso Robles Sunday morning at 1am, after being prayed over by the friends and family who joined us at the offices. We know that all of you are excited for us and we are looking forward to posting stories and pictures as the days go by. So, we thought we'd start with today...Here's what we've learned at the Miami International Airport:

1. There is no Cinnabon. We looked near and far. But there IS a Dunkin Donuts.

2. Chilly Willy is not very chilly (see picture).

3. Assisted bathrooms do not necessarily offer assistance.

4. Do not judge a book by its cover - talk to anyone and everyone and you'll discover some amazing stories.

5. Turbulence reminds us of our dependency on God.

6. Technology of today is better than the silence of yesterday. We've already talked to family and skyped with Dan, Laura and the kids...all in the last few hours!

Here are some pics of the team doing their thing! Talk to you next time, from Bolivia!