September / October Update
Family News: We are all doing well. Jubilee is growing up so fast, it is hard to believe she was not even walking when we arrived to Cochabamba in January. Everything with Katie is well, she continues to enjoy different aspects of the work she is involved in such as teaching Friday school for Jubilee and her friends, helping teach a ladies Bible survey class, and helping teach English using the Bible. I also am doing well and enjoying seeing the work here begin to accelerate. One new piece of news is that we have requested a furlough during the summer months of next year, so if all goes according to plan we could be in your neighborhood sometime next summer!
English Using the Bible:
We have recently begun a new program with the goal in mind to make more friends and contacts leading up to our January church launch. Katie and I form a part of a teaching team with Billie, Drew and Jamie. On Tuesdays and Mondays the five of us are offering conversational Bible classes using the book of Luke. I also teach a basic English course on Tuesdays for absolute beginners. We have had classes two weeks in a row now and just this week really got into the text of chapter 1 of Luke. It has been very exciting to read this passage with our students a few of whom have never heard the story of the angel coming to Zechariah to announce the birth of John. Our students questions and comments have been very interesting. Please continue to pray for the students of our English classes, that they may be blessed and grow closer to God and that God may us His servants to communicate His will to others.
Santa Cruz Trip:
In September and October the men of the team had two trips planned. One was to attend a national men's conference in Viacha which is outside of La Paz. The other trip was to make a blitz trip to Santa Cruz trying to visit as many of the numerous brethren and congregations in that city. The Viacha trip unfortunately was called off because the highways were in danger of being blockaded on our way back. The Santa Cruz trip however was a great time of fellowship. Josh, Drew, Gary and I all made the trip. I was fortunate only experiencing a 7 hour delay on the side of the road while the other three guys who left later than me experienced a series of delays turning the 7 hour trip into a 23 hour trip. We all eventually got there however, the trip is actually quite beautiful anyway, and the church family in Santa Cruz were very gracious and hospitable. On Sunday we split up with me attending services in El Pari, Gary and Drew attending Tres Pasos, and Josh attending the Plan 3000 congregaton. None of us were able to visit the brothers and sisters at the Quinto Anillo congregation but hopefully next time. And there will be a next time, because the sisters in Santa Cruz all warmly welcomed us again but on the condition that we bring our wives and children.
On the Saturday night of our visit we also had a very special time with the leaders of the congregations from all over Santa Cruz. The four of us spoke on what our team has done in Cochabamba up until now and what we plan to do in the future. The brothers were all very supportive and also showed a lot of enthusiasm concerning attending our January launch. There is sure to be a large number of Crucenos probably to outnumber visitors from anywhere else. Please pray that God continues to bless the congregations of Santa Cruz with great leadership and also to bless the brethren some of whom are increasingly worried about the growing divide between East and West Bolivia.
Opening of La Conexion Cristiana and Related Events:
On Monday, October the 2nd we celebrated the grand opening of our contact center now officially named La Conexion Cristiana which of course means "Christian Connection". We choose the spelling conexion because it means an electrical connection as opposed to connection in general. In a sense we hope that God uses the Conexion Cristiana to connect the Cochabambinos to the Bible and to himself in a very electrical and dynamic way.
The English classes started also on the 2nd are already held at the contact center. This next Wednesday Butch and Drew are planning to begin offering another special class to the community. Their class will teach students how to study the Bible in a more profound way and how to do that on their own. Please pray that God leads true seekers to this class and that He may use Butch and Drew as instruments to share His word.
Worship Center, (Centro de Adoracion)
This coming Sunday will be another special day for the church family here in Cochabamba. This Sunday will mark our first Sunday to worship in the other locality we have rented. Up until now the large classroom at Conexion Cristiana was big enough for our group but it is now starting to be a bit crowded. We also want to make the move so that we begin using the space which we are already paying rent for. It used to be a gym so it has plenty of room for us to grow, housing up to 2oo hundred people on the bottom floor. It has an even larger space up above where the Children's Ministry headed by Jamie will use to make classrooms for different age levels of Bible school students. Please pray that God blesses our first Sunday and that he continues to fill this place with people who are seeking to know Him in a profound and lifechanging way. May the words and actions that take place within and outside of its walls serve to testify to amazing love God has shown all men throught His son Jesus.
In Closing:
Thank you all for you prayers and continued support. We pray that this news may find you well and in good health. We love you all very much!!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Sonrisas Bolivianas
Pic #1: Betty is an amazing baker!!! She made the cake by hand for my b-day.
Pic #2: Katie and I with our sister in Christ Cecilia. She is the mother of beautiful little Brianna who was featured in a post from about two months ago.
Pic #3: Billie Gill and my English student Karla.
Pic #4: Drew and Bruno hanging out. Bruno and his brother Freddy are the sons of Renan and Leticia. Bruno by the way is an awesome goalie, we play soccor with him and his friends on Sundays and they usually make us feel a little old but we always have a great time.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Juju's special shampoo
Our beautiful daught daily reminds that she has inherited our wacky sense of creativity. The following are pics of her and her desire to wash her hair even though I had just washed it. She is not only creative but resourceful, using what was on hand at the moment! In that first picture she totally has a devious Frank Labowski smile and squinty eyes too for her Auntie Joyce who likes squinty eyes. To Auntie Darla, Auntie Mandi and Auntie Sissie here is something to make you laugh and you don't even have to clean it up!
Monday, August 21, 2006
August Happenings
Comings and Goings:
Today is Monday, the 21st of August. We send our love and greetings to all of you out there. This month again has been a very full month. Since the last post we have two very special visits. One was from the Chesser family of Austin Avenue and the other was from our good family friend Becky Phillipart of Washington, D.C. Having visitors is always a very encouraging experience for us and we look forward to other visitors.
We ourselves will be visiting other places in the next three months. In September we have been invited to a congregation outside of El Alto which is near La Paz for a men's conference. We don't know if it will be a whole family trip yet, but I am definitely planning to go. We also have a visit to Santa Cruz planned in October as Katie and I have not made a formal visit to the congregations in that city yet. We did get to see some of the Santa Cruz bretheren in La Paz during the ladies conference but we of course would like to see them again. In November we are planning to go to Honduras for the Pan American Lectureships. As a team we decided to set aside some team funds to send one family as Cochabamba representatives each year to the Pan American Lectures. The Pan American Lectures for those who may not know, is a yearly event alternating locations in Central America, Mexico or South America and it is for all people interested in the Lord's Church throughout Latin America. Katie and I are very excited about getting to see many old friends and making new ones. We will probably have to spend one night in Miami on our way, perhaps we will have a little Miami reunion with old friends in the South Florida area!
Reaching the Lost & Encouraging the Lord's Body in Cochabamba:
This month has seen some special moments in the life of the work here. Yesterday on the 20th was our fifth Sunday to worship in the contact center, which is the small space we are renting downtown on the Prado for offices. It is already too small for our group which is now usually between 25 to 30 people. Granted most of our worship assembly is made of of the team, but we do have Bolivian Christians who regularly meet with us as well as ocassional visitors. The contact center is pretty much ready for us to begin using it for our offices. To solve the space problem we have already located another larger property that was formally a gym. It has plenty of room for us to grow and it has a great area upstairs that the Children's Ministry is already planning on using for our children's Bible classes.
Many people may wonder what we are doing with our time right now, as we are still working up towards the January Launch date and our official launch of the work here. As the year progresses we see our time becoming more and more filled which is of course a marvelous thing. Currently I am leading two weekly Bible studies, one of which is with my friend Ramber and his mother and also ocassionaly his sister. This study is going well and we have been able to cover a lot of the basics, I am hoping and praying that this family becomes a part of our church family soon. Another Bible study I am leading is with our door man. This study is also going well, but we are going a little slower because I feel the need to explain things a little more in depth with Juan Carlos. However both men often surprise me with their eagerness to continue studying and it is uplifting to be able share such good news with people who really have not heard the gospel in its' entirety as of yet. Please continue to pray for both Ramber and Juan Carlos that God may work in their hearts to bring them into a reconciled relationship with Him.
I am also teaching a weekly English class for one of the Spanish teachers from Maryknoll. She would like to attend a Presbyterian Seminary in Viriginia and she needs to take an English test before she can be accepted. I am helping her to prepare for this test, including giving her tapes of Bo Shero's sermons for listening practice which she seems to enjoy and they make a great starting point for conversation practice as well. Please pray for Karla as she prepares for this important test and also as she is gradually being exposed to some ideas on the Bible that she has perhaps not considered before.
In addition to the Bible studies and the English class I am also involved in a small group Bible study at the Sandoval's house being led by Butch. This is a small group time designed to encourage church members and give them a forum for sharing important prayer requests. Our family, the Sandovals, the Custers, Billie Gill and the family of Brother Renan and Sister Leticia are participating in this small group. Another small group which is more evangelistic in design will begin within the next two weeks in the home of the Marcums with the Bulls also attending. The small group at the Marcum's will focus on the sharing the gospel with visitors. In the future, once we have a better idea of how small groups work, Katie and I will begin a small group in our home. The Bulls and Custers will also eventually break off to lead small groups in their homes as well as Renan and Leticia most likely. We hope to make the small groups a very important part of both our evangelistic efforts as well as a way to encourage and mature the church body. Please pray for our small groups, that many will hear and obey the gospel as a result and that many will also be encouraged to spiritual maturity as a result of these study and prayer times.
Serving as Christ Served:
Another important role that Katie, Trish and I have on the team is to organize a benevolence/outreach program. Of course our first priority is to serve the needs of the body as they have need, and we are beginning to plan for that. We are currently considering how best to cloth and feed members as they have need. Once the larger building is being used for worship services we also would like to have storage space set aside for both dry goods and used clothing.
The Benevolence Team has also been visiting different organizations in Cochabamba that are already serving in some capacity. We would like to have a good idea of what the needs in our community are and which of those needs we can best serve. It is a process that is both exciting, daunting, and sobering at the same time. On one hand we can see great potential in serving others in the name of Christ in this city. On the other hand, how do we decide who and how to serve??? There is such great need here as there is in any city on Earth, and it is challenging to know where God would like us to serve. Please also pray that God may give us wisdom concerning this decision of how to serve our community.
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS, LOVE AND SUPPORT. SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG BLOG. WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!
PHOTOS OF THE CONTACT CENTER, URKUPINA PROCESSION, AND A FUNNY RENDITION OF MY TRIP TO THE CHAPARE WILL SOON FOLLOW.
Today is Monday, the 21st of August. We send our love and greetings to all of you out there. This month again has been a very full month. Since the last post we have two very special visits. One was from the Chesser family of Austin Avenue and the other was from our good family friend Becky Phillipart of Washington, D.C. Having visitors is always a very encouraging experience for us and we look forward to other visitors.
We ourselves will be visiting other places in the next three months. In September we have been invited to a congregation outside of El Alto which is near La Paz for a men's conference. We don't know if it will be a whole family trip yet, but I am definitely planning to go. We also have a visit to Santa Cruz planned in October as Katie and I have not made a formal visit to the congregations in that city yet. We did get to see some of the Santa Cruz bretheren in La Paz during the ladies conference but we of course would like to see them again. In November we are planning to go to Honduras for the Pan American Lectureships. As a team we decided to set aside some team funds to send one family as Cochabamba representatives each year to the Pan American Lectures. The Pan American Lectures for those who may not know, is a yearly event alternating locations in Central America, Mexico or South America and it is for all people interested in the Lord's Church throughout Latin America. Katie and I are very excited about getting to see many old friends and making new ones. We will probably have to spend one night in Miami on our way, perhaps we will have a little Miami reunion with old friends in the South Florida area!
Reaching the Lost & Encouraging the Lord's Body in Cochabamba:
This month has seen some special moments in the life of the work here. Yesterday on the 20th was our fifth Sunday to worship in the contact center, which is the small space we are renting downtown on the Prado for offices. It is already too small for our group which is now usually between 25 to 30 people. Granted most of our worship assembly is made of of the team, but we do have Bolivian Christians who regularly meet with us as well as ocassional visitors. The contact center is pretty much ready for us to begin using it for our offices. To solve the space problem we have already located another larger property that was formally a gym. It has plenty of room for us to grow and it has a great area upstairs that the Children's Ministry is already planning on using for our children's Bible classes.
Many people may wonder what we are doing with our time right now, as we are still working up towards the January Launch date and our official launch of the work here. As the year progresses we see our time becoming more and more filled which is of course a marvelous thing. Currently I am leading two weekly Bible studies, one of which is with my friend Ramber and his mother and also ocassionaly his sister. This study is going well and we have been able to cover a lot of the basics, I am hoping and praying that this family becomes a part of our church family soon. Another Bible study I am leading is with our door man. This study is also going well, but we are going a little slower because I feel the need to explain things a little more in depth with Juan Carlos. However both men often surprise me with their eagerness to continue studying and it is uplifting to be able share such good news with people who really have not heard the gospel in its' entirety as of yet. Please continue to pray for both Ramber and Juan Carlos that God may work in their hearts to bring them into a reconciled relationship with Him.
I am also teaching a weekly English class for one of the Spanish teachers from Maryknoll. She would like to attend a Presbyterian Seminary in Viriginia and she needs to take an English test before she can be accepted. I am helping her to prepare for this test, including giving her tapes of Bo Shero's sermons for listening practice which she seems to enjoy and they make a great starting point for conversation practice as well. Please pray for Karla as she prepares for this important test and also as she is gradually being exposed to some ideas on the Bible that she has perhaps not considered before.
In addition to the Bible studies and the English class I am also involved in a small group Bible study at the Sandoval's house being led by Butch. This is a small group time designed to encourage church members and give them a forum for sharing important prayer requests. Our family, the Sandovals, the Custers, Billie Gill and the family of Brother Renan and Sister Leticia are participating in this small group. Another small group which is more evangelistic in design will begin within the next two weeks in the home of the Marcums with the Bulls also attending. The small group at the Marcum's will focus on the sharing the gospel with visitors. In the future, once we have a better idea of how small groups work, Katie and I will begin a small group in our home. The Bulls and Custers will also eventually break off to lead small groups in their homes as well as Renan and Leticia most likely. We hope to make the small groups a very important part of both our evangelistic efforts as well as a way to encourage and mature the church body. Please pray for our small groups, that many will hear and obey the gospel as a result and that many will also be encouraged to spiritual maturity as a result of these study and prayer times.
Serving as Christ Served:
Another important role that Katie, Trish and I have on the team is to organize a benevolence/outreach program. Of course our first priority is to serve the needs of the body as they have need, and we are beginning to plan for that. We are currently considering how best to cloth and feed members as they have need. Once the larger building is being used for worship services we also would like to have storage space set aside for both dry goods and used clothing.
The Benevolence Team has also been visiting different organizations in Cochabamba that are already serving in some capacity. We would like to have a good idea of what the needs in our community are and which of those needs we can best serve. It is a process that is both exciting, daunting, and sobering at the same time. On one hand we can see great potential in serving others in the name of Christ in this city. On the other hand, how do we decide who and how to serve??? There is such great need here as there is in any city on Earth, and it is challenging to know where God would like us to serve. Please also pray that God may give us wisdom concerning this decision of how to serve our community.
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS, LOVE AND SUPPORT. SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG BLOG. WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!
PHOTOS OF THE CONTACT CENTER, URKUPINA PROCESSION, AND A FUNNY RENDITION OF MY TRIP TO THE CHAPARE WILL SOON FOLLOW.
Friday, August 18, 2006
noticias de agosto
Perhaps you will notice in our blog updates and bi-monthly newsletters that I increasingly switch between English, Spanish and a little Quecua. I do this as thinly veiled plot to increase your vocab to prepare you for your upcoming visits. We love visitors, we want you to come!!
This evening we said bon voyage to our good friend Becky. She is in fact much more than a good friend and although we are sad to see her go, we have immensly enjoyed the three weeks she got to spend with us in Cochabamba. I fear she did not get to do all the touristy things there are to do here in Cochabamba but nonetheless she got spend major quality time with the Forbesses especially with Juju which we know was her true motivation to brave the trip. Included is a photo taken before Becky and Katie head off to the airport. Next stop for Becky the world traveler is Cuzco and Maachu Pichu across the border in Peru. Please keep her in your prayers as she is going to brave Bolivian airlines and flota (bus) in the same trip, both of which can prove to be quite an adventure as I found out last week on my way back from the Chapare.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Contact Center Pics
This is the outside view. Our space is what is located behind the parked truck. The other side is going to be a medical laboratory of some sorts. 
This is the patio of our neighbors occupying property in the same building. Our patio is exactly the same being divided only by a planter where you can see the flowers. Our patio is the same but the truck was parked in it.
This is a view from the back of the space. It is hard to tell in the picture but the room is quite long and so we are having partitions built to divide the space up into a reception area, a reading room, and two office spaces in front of the stairs. The picture is taken from what will be a larger room for Bible Institute classes and worship service until we find a more permanent place for the church to meet. Upstairs above the large room is a space where three more offices will be located. These offices will be important for doing Bible studies, for the Bible Institute and for the Community Outreach Program.
Good Health Report!!
Hey to all of you out there. I wanted to let all of those prayer warriors out there know that our God has heard and responded in a mighty way. Katie is still battling the infection but it is healing very well. We went to the doctor on Tuesday and the report was very encouraging. Please share with us in giving thanks to God and continuing to ask for Katie's health. Thank you so much to all who have been praying for her.
Additionally, I am posting today some pictures directly on the blog and also on our dropshots page of the contact center that we are currently remodling. To remind everyone, the contact center is going to be a very big a part of our work initially. We have already had some people walk in off the street and we have no signage or anything up yet. The Lord, I believe, has led us to a very strategic spot and we are hoping that many people will come to study the Bible through means of this contact center.
Another important piece of news is that the Chesser family from Austin Avenue arrived safely yesterday. Gary had gone to Santa Cruz to make the last leg of the trip with them to Cochabamba. Rodney, Tracie, Chelsea and Ruthie had a safe and uncomplicated trip except perhaps for running out of diapers in the Miami airport which proved to be a bit of an adventure, but they worked it out and are to be here with us for 10 days. We also are giving thanks for their safe trip and for their encouraging presence among the team these next few days.
Additionally, I am posting today some pictures directly on the blog and also on our dropshots page of the contact center that we are currently remodling. To remind everyone, the contact center is going to be a very big a part of our work initially. We have already had some people walk in off the street and we have no signage or anything up yet. The Lord, I believe, has led us to a very strategic spot and we are hoping that many people will come to study the Bible through means of this contact center.
Another important piece of news is that the Chesser family from Austin Avenue arrived safely yesterday. Gary had gone to Santa Cruz to make the last leg of the trip with them to Cochabamba. Rodney, Tracie, Chelsea and Ruthie had a safe and uncomplicated trip except perhaps for running out of diapers in the Miami airport which proved to be a bit of an adventure, but they worked it out and are to be here with us for 10 days. We also are giving thanks for their safe trip and for their encouraging presence among the team these next few days.
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