April / May Highlights

Hello from Cochabamba! As I write Katie is in London and little Juju is in the states with her grandparents and cousin Sophie. Katie’s sister works for American Airlines and so Katie was able to travel on a pass with her sister to England. I am sure they are having a jolly good time. Jubilee of course is going to come home more spoiled than ever, but everyone needs to be a little spoiled sometimes. So that leaves me here, but I have Gary and Laura about five minutes in one direction and Vicente who is a brother of the church about five minutes in the other direction. I also have Fiona our dog, but we kind of have a love-hate relationship going on right now as she is still a puppy and is really good at driving me crazy.

New Sister in Christ

Last week we had our second baptism of the year. Our first baptism you may remember was Camila whose mother is a Christian and who had been exposed to the gospel for quite a while. We of course rejoiced with Camila when she was baptized and continue to be encouraged by seeing her growth as a young Christian.

Talia did not have the same exposure to the gospel so it was quite a different feeling to see someone who came to us as a complete stranger become a sister in Christ. From the first time Talia came to us as a student of our conversational English classes, we could tell that she was a special and unique person. She has a great way of communicating her opinion in a funny, honest and direct way. She has already expressed interest in helping Katie at the prison since Billie is no longer here to help. Katie will be thrilled! We are hoping and praying that Talia’s decision will motivate some of the other people who we have been studying with to also make the choice to become a Christian. Please pray for Camila and Talia our young sisters in Christ that they may become more like Christ each day. Also please pray for the other contacts we have that they may also make the choice to follow Christ. Among those contacts are Sonia, Omar, Gabriella and Augustina, and Carla. It never hurts to be specific so please mention these people by name as you pray.

New Arrivals

Just last week the team formed mostly at the Quito School of Preaching arrived in Sucre. The team is composed of two couples, two single men, and one single woman. One of the couples of course is Josh’s sister and brother-in-law Eric. We also got to meet the rest of the team when they came to Cochabamba two Sundays ago. We even had the pleasure of hearing Eric and fellow-teammate Pancho speak during the bible class about their previous experiences and their plans for Sucre. Please pray for the body of Christ now in Sucre. Sucre is at the heart of big changes in Bolivian government and will surely be an interesting place to work. We pray that God may use the dramatic changes taking place to remind the people of Sucre to seek first the Kingdom.

Next month we will also be receiving a group of interns from Harding University. We are already hard at work at thinking of ways they can serve while they are here for six weeks. One thing that I am very excited about is the help I will receive for our English conversation courses using the Bible. I will have 4 or 5 additional teachers meaning that we can take more students than last time. Please pray for our conversation classes that God may send us people who not only want to learn English but who are seeking Him. Also let us pray for our interns. These young men and women are spending six weeks of their lives to contribute to the work in a great way.

On top of the Sucre team and the Harding interns, we are also happy to welcome a group of Aggies for Christ who of course hail from Texas A&M. It will be hard for us to figure out how to use all these brilliant young minds, but I am sure we will figure it out. Their arrival conveniently coincides with a gospel meeting that we are planning in July. One job they will have is to help us get the word out. We may also have a few other projects lined up for them. Please pray for this group of Aggies, that God may be able to use them to His glory and that searching hearts may be brought to hear the Word because of their efforts.

On a more personal note, Katie, Juju and I are very excited about the upcoming arrival of my parents. They are planning to come this summer to visit and I can’t wait! I have already thought of a million things I want to show them and tell them when they get here. Please pray that they get their passports and visas on time as there has been quite a wait for these two things.

Somewhere there are a lot of people petitioning God to send workers to Bolivia so keep it up. Jesus words apply so very well to Bolivia when he says the fields are ready but the workers are few. You never know, God may just convince you to come!

Community Outreach

Even when we first came to Bolivia a year and a half ago, I could sense right away that God was calling me to figure out someway that we as a church family could reach out to the people of Cochabamba. I along with the team have had trouble identifying where to begin because the needs are so numerous and so great. We strive to do something that has a true impact on people’s lives while also striving to maintain our focus of sharing the gospel as opposed to becoming simply a humanitarian operation. I mention community outreach specifically because I had hoped to begin some kind of outreach by June even if it is just a temporary trial run. So as June fast approaches I am figuratively biting my nails hoping that I make a good choice as to how to go about serving our community. The good news is that I have Katie and Trish helping me as well as many community contacts, not to mention that I am certain God will lead us in the right direction. Please pray that God continues to bless us with wisdom concerning our decisions for community outreach.

National Network

The networking ministry which is in charge of communicating with the other Bolivian churches had trouble translating networking. So we are calling it the national fellowship ministry which I kind of like better anyway. I am getting to work with Josh and Katie to create opportunities for national fellowship which is so vital to Christians in nations where congregations are so isolated from each other. One very exciting item to report regarding the national fellowship ministry is that Josh has put a lot of work into creating a national newspaper for all churches of Christ in Bolivia. The idea is to keep church members informed of different activities going on throughout Bolivia. To start the newspaper will be put out four times a year. The first edition has already been printed and sent out. Josh did a great job getting the paper together as well as his “editors” and “writers” which included Butch and Katie. Please pray that the national newspaper will be a great tool to bring Bolivian brethren closer together.

March Highlights

March Highlights

Saludos (greetings) from Cochabamba

La Familia Forbess sends their warmest greetings and love to all those reading our post this month. March has been a spiritually uplifting time for Katie and I and we both thank God for that. We hope that all of you also have been experiencing a month of growing closer to our Heavenly Father. Below are the most recent goings on here.

Santa in February

Two weeks ago our brothers in Christ, DeWayne Neel and Steve Ham from Evergreen, Colorado came to visit and encourage us in the work. They are both members from one of our supporting congregations in Evergreen, Colorado. If you are ever in the area, please visit the Evergreen Community Church of Christ. You will most surely leave feeling the warmth of that great church body. DeWayne and Steve were able to spend one week with Katie and I accompanying us for Bible studies and other activities. They also spent time encouraging Katie and I with helpful feedback about what we are doing here in Cochabamba. They also set aside time to pray with us about specific spiritual needs which was wonderful.

Another fun event DeWayne and Steve participated in was a pancake breakfast. When Katie and I first began getting to know the Evergreen congregation we attended a Santa breakfast offering breakfast and pictures with Steve dressed as Santa Claus to all children in the community. We repeated the tradition in 2006 when we were in Evergreen during December right before we left in January for Cochabamba. It was wonderful for us to get Jubilee's picture with Santa Steve again this year even though it was in February. Thanks again DeWayne and Steve for visiting. And thanks to everyone in Evergreen for your continued love and prayers! Please take a moment to thank God for the Evergreen congregation as well as the congregations in Chillicothe, MO; Hamilton, MO; Dora, NM; Denver, CO; Highlands Ranch, CO; Brownwood, TX; Rogers, AR; Houston, TX; and Olive Branch, MS that have shown Katie and I their love through support of this work. Their are also many individuals and families from these same locals in addition to our family members who have been very generous.

Katie & Girls Off to Brazil

The day DeWayne and Steve left, Katie along with Laura, Julie and Patricia headed to Sao Paulo, Brazil. There they attended a retreat for women missionaries graciously hosted and sponsered by Continent of Great Cities. Because of flight changes, the girls arrived three days early which actually worked in their favor. They were able to relax on Brazil's beautiful beaches and by the time the conference started they were ready to dig in their heels and focus. They were all split into different groups with other ladies working in Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. Katie came back with a peace and focus that has already made a difference in both of our ministries. Thank God for this special time and also we would like to thank the ladies from Continent of Great Cities who served in such a Christ-like way. Please pray that the peace our ladies came back with will remain.

Resurrection Sunday

On April 8th we are planning a special celebration focused on the resurrection of Christ. Because many people come to us from faith traditions which emphasize the death of Christ on Good Friday, we felt it good to balance that observance of death with the observance of life. Sometimes life can seem very hopeless for Bolivians because of violence, corruption, and poverty. This celebration provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate in a powerful and life changing way the hope that we have in Jesus. In a climate where it is difficult to plan a week in advance let alone a year, etc... it is remarkably refreshing even for mature Christians to be reminded of the one thing we can always count on which is God's love for humanity manifested through the life, death and resurrection of the Messiah. Please pray that our celebration of our Lord's resurrection may be bring both Christians and non-Christians closer to God in a powerful life-changing way.

Instituto de Estudios Biblicos Avanzados

(Institute of Avanced Biblical Studies) The Institute is scheduled to open its doors this coming Monday evening. The Institute has been in the back of our minds ever since we began brainstorming evangelistic tools in Brownwood. It is based closely on the model used by Butch and his colleagues in Santiago and Vina del Mar, Chile. It is a 13 week course that gives students who complete the program a very good foundation to understanding the Bible and God's plan for mankind. Each Monday evening the students will meet for 2 to 2.5 hours giving students and instructor plenty of time to delve deep into the scriptures. Although it is an advanced course meaning that expectations of students is high, the course is open to all regardless of religious background or training. I am scheduled to give two of the classes because I am hoping to mostly observe Butch in action during the first offering of the course. It is our dream as a team to one day take in more students and perhaps offer the course more than once a week. For right now we so far have 25 people signed up who mainly have responded to an ad in the paper. Please pray that this course may provide an opportunity for many true seekers of God to come to know Him. Also pray that God may use Butch, Josh and I as His instruments in teaching this course.

Grupos C.A.F.E.

(Coffee Groups) The Coffee Groups as we would translate it in English are our small groups. I have previously written about them, but because it is such an important part of our evangelism program I feel it is important to update frequently. They are going well although we would probably like to see more people involved in them. Currently the small group that Katie and I attend with the Sandovals and Custers in the Sandovals home is going well. We have a core group of four ladies who have demonstrated that they are truly wanting to learn more about God's Word and how it applies directly to their lives. Sonia, Talia, Gabriella and Rosario are the ladies who are attending. Gabriella also brings her son Gabriel. Rosario we met through our neighbors across the hall when we still lived in the apartment. Gabriella is the daughter of the couple that owns the apartment building. Sonia came to us by "accident" one Sunday and has been with us ever since, and Talia was Jamie's English students from the conversation classes.

Please pray that Sonia, Talia, Gabriella, and Rosario may continue to learn about God's will for their lives so they may experience the freedom of living in Christ. The Marcums and Bulls also host a small group in the Bulls home on Tuesday evenings. Please also pray for the people attending the small group hosted by the Bulls and Marcums.

There are always many more things to tell about, more than I have time or room to record for youl. Please always know that we appreciate everyone so much. Our visit with the brothers from Evergreen served to remind us how important our prayer warriors and financial supporters are. To all of you please know that we love you and miss you and are blessed to have you in our lives. Thanks for letting God work through you to touch the hearts of people in a land far away.

La Familia Forbess

Post-Launch Update

The above pictures are of our newest sister in Christ here in Cochabamba. Camila is a precious young lady who decided to give her life to Christ. Please keep Camila in your prayers as she begins to a new life in Christ!

The other photograph is from the launch as Roland Bowen and I say goodbye to some of the visitors.

Welcome to all. We have heard through the grapevine that many more people are reading our blog than those who leave comments, so it is nice to know you are out there in cyberspace somewhere keeping up with the Lord's body here in Cochabamba.

Since the church launch last month we have been quite busy. I cannot remember everything in chronical order so I will just tell about what comes to mind. One of the greatest blessings is that Katie and Billie have finally gotten permission to enter into the ladies prison to conduct a series of classes about the Bible. The course will take place over 7 sessions. Billie has waited for over 6 years to come to Cochabamba and begin a prison ministry, praise God for her patience and persistence!

Katie and Billie also continue to work with the ladies at Manos con Libertad. They continue to study with the ladies on Wednesdays at the shop and now have also added a Friday afternoon study at Billie's home for those ladies who want to study more in depthly. Katie had considered prison ministry in the states but didn't really know where to begin. It seems as though God is helping her with that! Please pray for God's continued guidance for Katie and Billie as they embark on a great adventure to bring the good news to willing ears and hearts.

Since the launch we have also continued with our English language Bible study on Monday nights. This has been a really good way to maintain contact with our English students after the formal English classes ended before Christmas. Please continue to pray for our contacts. Among the ones who we have been able to spend the most time with are Talia and Omar, please pray that God continues to work through us to minister to these two precious people. Just last night I also began tutoring Talia's son Marcos in English as well. Katie has also begun studying with Talia in Spanish a book about the power of a praying parent. Omar comes to our English devo. on Mondays and also comes weekly for a one on one Bible study with me.

This Monday and Tuesday our team had two days set aside for a review and planning session. It went extremely well, praise God! We had time to review our goals for year one and to see how well we met those goals. We then set aside time to modify our plans for the next three years, especially for the year 2007 now that we have lived in Cochabamba for one year and have learned a great deal. On our second day we had time to talk about team dynamics and how we are getting along as a group. As with any group we have our struggles but everyone had a true spirit of humility and love as talked through some difficult issues. We of course still have room to grow, but every family including the best has room for improvement. We came out very encouraged and excited about working together during this new year. Please continue to pray for our team that we may always grow closer so that we may serve the Lord better.

Our small groups have really seemed to have taken off since the launch as well. One very special couple, Jose and Sonya, have been coming to the small group faithfully on Thursday evenings at the Sandoval's house. This is a couple who found us, because they were looking for a friend's church and came into one of our Sunday services by "mistake". They liked what they saw and heard and have chosen to continue meeting with us. They are coming to services, to small group Bible study, and they also have begun a one on one Bible study with Butch and Trish. Our English student Talia has also been good about coming to the small group Bible study on Thursdays. Please pray for Jose and Sonya that God may soften their hearts and lighten their burdens by leading them to putting Christ on in baptism.

On Friday nights we have begun another activity which has also had a great impact on us as a team and church family. We have begun a Friday night prayer service. We usually try to split the night up into four parts. We start off with a prayer of thanksgiving, we then have a prayer for the sick, we then have a prayer dedicated to four congregations. We select one supporting congregation to pray for, we pray for one mission point other than Cochabamba, we pray for one of the other Bolivian congregations and lastly we pray for the Cochabamba congregation. The last prayer is a special request time for other specific needs of the community or church family. Please pray that this time continues to be Spirit-led and that it may be a time of encouragement to the body and visitors.

In personal news, we have decided to leave our apartment for a house. Nothing in particular was wrong with our apartment, in fact it is the nicest place Katie have ever lived in. We just decided that for the same amount as rent or a little more we could find a house with a yard for Jubilee. We also wanted something that we felt Jubilee can play outdoors and in the surrounding neighborhood when she gets a little older. We were blessed to find a very nice house close to Gary and Laura, Vicente (Bolivian brother in Christ) and one of our regular visitors Priscilla. We are planning to make the move in a little over a week. Please pray that our new home will be used to its utmost potential as a refuge for us and the people we minister to.

To conclude, it is exciting to see how God is working here in Cochabamba. Please know that all those of you who read this blog and lift us up in prayer are a big part of what is happening here. As in all parts of the world we are engaged in a spiritual battle against the powers of darkness, thanks for putting yourselves out there on the battle lines through prayer, we truly cannot do this alone. We love you family!

La Familia Forbess

Successful Launch

Success is always such a subjective thing to measure, but I would feel safe in saying that yesterday's official launch of the church was a great success. It was so because God was glorified, the gospel was preached, and people walked away having been encouraged and touched by the Word of God. Altogether we had 160 people, including our team and Cochabamba Christians, the Christians visiting from Austin Avenue church of Christ in Brownwood, Texas, a group of Christians from Santa Cruz and a group of about 100 invited guests from Cochabamba. It was an emotional moment to stand before our friends and loved ones of Cochabamba after a week of calling each other to find out how everyone was admist street riots. To then see all of those people under one roof on such a joyous ocassion was an unforgettable moment. To the visiting Christians it was also a time of great encouragement and they in turn encouraged our team and church family immensly. Grover Beakley an elder from Austin Avenue gave a blessing and prayed for the work as well as Fernando S. who is an elder from the El Pari congregation in Santa Cruz.

Butch preached an uplifting sermon about Jesus being the only one capable of healing a nation. He compared Jesus to the teachings of popular thinkers such as Freud and Nitzche showing how their philosophies have miserably failed the post-modern world in the endeavor of improvment and world peace. After the week that the Cochabambinos experienced the message was incredibly timely and well received. God truly spoke through our brother Butch on that day. Other brothers and sisters of the congregation also helped in many ways to make yesterday possible. A special thanks is due our brethren from Austin Avenue who helped us out in countless ways. We also send a special thanks to the Santa Cruz brethren who braved a difficult journey to be with us.

Thank you also to all of you who took a moment or two to pray for the success of this event. I believe that it will truly serve to bring us into the lives of many more Cochabambinos with the good news of life in Christ.

As for the political situation, we are simply watching and waiting. The weekend was for the most part very peaceful, one of the reasons that we had such a great turnout. We do not know if that was a permanent change or if it was only a temporary recess for the weekend. It is rumoured that things may become ugly again but there is no way to know that sort of thing.

May God bless you all.

La Familia Forbess

Cochabamba in Peril

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have mentioned our economic situation a few times on our blog, but today there is something much heavier on our hearts. If you have watched the news perhaps you have seen coverage of the street violence here in Cochabamba. One of the worst spots is below our window, six stories below. This is not to frighten or worry you, but for you to know the gravity of what is happening. We, I believe are very safe. Foreigners have nothing to do with this fight and as long as we stay out of view I am sure that we are fine. However, we are not able to leave our homes at the moment and the families of the congregation are spread out. We have spoken with everyone on the phone and almost everyone is home and accounted for. Please do pray for Cecilia's brother Franco who is not at home. There is a large group from Texas arriving in a few hours, pray they can get to their hotel from the airport. Pray that all the brethren in this city especially can be protected. Pray that the leaders of this nation who can stop what is happening will do it. Please be aware of what is happening here. We continue to trust in our Father. We will update you as soon as possible.

Answered Prayers

A quick update for all the prayer warriors out there. God is good and He takes care of His children without fail. As you may have read in the last post we lost a substantial amount of monthly support. Since that posting we have had pledges come in for an additional $250.00 a month. We continue to seek additional support, but this is an indication that everything will work out just fine. A special thank you to those individuals and congregations that have stepped up and pledged an increase in support.

Two new prayer requests for this posting are for the Church Launch to be held this Sunday and the political situation. As I write this protestors march down our street with sticks and tires to burn at the main plaza and government buildings. The political situation here is hot and the fires continue to be stirred. Please pray for peace here. This situation affects everything including our church launch. For the launch we were to have almost 50 people coming from the congregations in Santa Cruz, for the very reason the country is so polarized it will be a great thing for Christians from the two opposing regions to gather. What better testament to our non-Christian visitors of the love that exists between Christians? Even when the Christians come from groups of people who generally oppose each other. As it stands now the highways have been blocked by protestors and we are uncertain if the people from Santa Cruz can travel safely here. Only God knows how to use these situations to His glory and we ask that all of you pray for our launch, for the safety of the Bolivian Christians traveling to Cochabamba, and for the Bolivian people in general. The vast majority of Bolivians, simply want to live their lives as people all overthe world do and the actions of a few have caused many to live in fear. We know though that we serve a mighty God, He who parted the Red Sea and crushed the armies of Pharoah continues to hold His people in the palm of His hand. We know that God sees the heart of men and knows those who love Him. We know that many Christians in the past have lived in turbulent times and that it is at these times more than others, when all people are faced with the reality and brevity of life that notice perhaps their relation to God could improve. Please pray that these things that are happening do not impede the freedom of life in Christ being preached. To God
be all the glory, honor and praise.

La Familia Forbess

Happy New Year's!

Today is New Year's Eve. This is a time when many reflect on the past year in preparation for looking to the next year. I would like to begin this post by saying what an incredible year it has been. God is good, He fills our cup beyond measure both spiritually and materially time and time again. Katie and I truly feel unworthy for the blessings that have been put in our path. Yet, those same undeserved blessings are what motivate us to die to ourselves more and more each day and sacrifice more in honor and recognition of what we have received from God the Father through His son Jesus Christ. "For to live is Christ and to die is gain." This year what we truly hope and pray for is that God may transform us more and more into His image. Below is a collection of verbal snapshots of the mighty ways God has worked in our lives this year. To Him be all the glory, honor and praise.

January - The Forbess family says goodbye to friends and loved ones in Brownwood, Texas at the Send-off Sunday. We arrive in Cochabamba on the 10th of January where we first lodge at the Apart-Hotel Regina on Spain Street (Calle Espana). Soon after we arrive to our host families home and began language school.

February - The Forbess family sets up house behind the Mustafa family's house on Pasaje Man Cesped in the beautiful neighborhood of Cala Cala. The Mustafa's treat us as part of the family. We enjoy birthday parties, block parties, Sunday lunches, visits to Grandma and Grandpa Milan, watching Carnaval and who could forget watching the Mexican soap operas together each night for language practice! We even shared the illness of Faiz and the health problems of Katie together. The Mustafa's are very special and we were blessed to spend 8 weeks in their home enjoying their company and hospitality.

March - We say a teary goodbye to the Mustafa's and the taxi cab driver assumes we are leaving our parents to live in another country. The taxi driver doesn't quite get it when we tell him, "no they are not our parents and we are just moving 5 minutes away!". We first move into the Sandoval's apartment while they are in Chile as we await for our apartment to be finished. Around this time we are also put in contact with Cecilia and Aida who became Christians in Santa Cruz and now live in Cochabamba. We are also put in contact with a young man named Ramber who had befriended a Floridian elder before returning home to Cochabamba.

April-We get pretty settled into our apartment although we continue waiting for our curtains and other small items for the house. The work sees progress as we begin to make more and more relationships with Cochabambinos. We also were blessed to have a great visit by Roland and Carol Bowen. As a team we spend a few days out in Tiquipaya with the Bowens.

May-The weather in Cochabamba gets cooler as we settle into Cochabamba's winter months. Katie's mother and sister come to visit and see this wonderful place that we call home. As a team we begin searching for places to rent for the Contact Center where we can house our offices and classes. The church family is also visited by the Rufino and Alicia who serve the La Paz congregation and they introduce us to the Vargas family who greet us with tears as they explain how much they have longed for the fellowship of other Christians in their city of Cochabamba after the previous congregation shut its doors because of lack of funds and people moving away.

June-The weather gets even a touch cooler. We locate the property in the Prado just a few minutes walk from our apartment. Billie Gill and Jonathan Sandoval arrive to spend the summer with us. Denise Sandoval and her fiancee Daniel, who is now her mister, arrive to spend a little while in Cochabamba as well. Teammates of ours complete the basic language course at Maryknoll, just as Josh and I are in the midst of our Quechua course. Katie and I visit La Paz for the national ladies conference where we are able to spend quality time with brothers and sisters from both La Paz and Santa Cruz. Additionally some time around here Vicente begins to meet with us after finding our page on the internet and corresponding with Gary.

July- For some reason I can't remember this month that well. Perhaps it is because we had so much happen in June! We begin working on getting the contact center up and running. Towards the end of June or beginning of August we begin using the contact center for our meeting place on Sundays. In July the Marcums play very gracious hosts for a wonderful 4th of July party that really helps to take away any homesickness on a special day in the Forbess household.

August- In August one of our best friends in the whole world comes to stay with us for one month. Becky Phillipart of Washington, D.C. comes intending to study Spanish and ends up opting for playing with Jubilee and exploring the wide selection of movies down in the Cancha! We loved having Becky with us, or simply -B- as Jubilee called her. Also during this time the whole team is visited by the Chesser family of the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. What a great time it was to see their youngest daughter Ruthie playing with Jubilee, Michaela and Nathan. We were very encouraged by their visit.

September - The work on the contact center continues. We also begin to keep our eyes open for a larger rental space where the church can meet. We locate a great space on Mayor Rocha just two blocks from our home. Also around this time, we as a team begin to look forward to the January launch with fervor and anticipation. Plans begin in order to make this a special time in the life of the church body in Cochabamba. Katie and I also meet with the Custer's and Billie Gill to discuss plans for an English class using the Bible. Katie, Billie, and Jamie also begin visiting the Free Hands workshop to lead a Bible survey class also with the help of Trish who spends tireless hours at night working on teaching aids for activities to go along with the classes. Free Hands is a very special organization that provides employment opportunities for ladies or children of ladies in need of rehabilitation.

October - Another big month for the Cochabamba work. October sees the grand opening of the contact center and also the beginning of our free English courses. Our conversational English classes used the first 6 chapters of Luke and proved to be a great starting point for wonderful discussions about Jesus and His purpose on Earth. Around this time we also begin meeting in the space that is located on Mayor Rocha for worship services on Sunday. In October, the guys also pay a very encouraging visit to the brethren of Santa Cruz. We are able to preach in three different congregations on Sunday and make lasting friends with many Christians in that city.

November - The biggest news of November would have to be the arrival of beautiful Eleana, who is the newest addition to the Marcum family and the Cochabamba team. We see Trish go off to the states to help Denise get ready for the wedding and Jamie continues to get closer and closer to the day that her and Drew's little one will come. At the end of November we celebrate a lovely Thanksgiving meal in the new home of the Bulls. We celebrate the conclusion of our English classes by hosting a N. Amercian style Thanksgiving meal with the help of Billie and and the Custers, being surprised with an attendance of over 40 people. We also hosted a birthday party for Jubilee at the church building complete with clown and all, and were very honored by a large crowd, some of whom included our host family, English students and some of the ladies who work at Free Hands. November also sees Butch and Drew offer a free course at the contact center on how to study the Bible. In November, we were also so excited for our sister in Christ, Cecilia whose husband arrived in Cochabamba after being in the states for several months.

December- Little Hannah Lynn joins the company of 4 other little ones (Michaela, Eleana, Nathan and Jubilee) plus two big ones (Denise and Jonathan). Our team is blessed with beautiful children and we are so grateful to God for each of them. Before Billie leaves for the holidays, she prepares over a hundred fruit bags to give away to the children who live in the womens' prison with their mothers. In December we continue with English devotionals in our home for those English students who would like to continue practicing and learning. Katie's parents and auntie Doris come to town for a visit before Christmas. The visit comes at a perfect time and we have a wonderful early Christmas celebration with them. Katie, Jubilee and I spend a week in La Paz to encourage and be encouraged by the brethren there as well as have a little family time.

There are so many other people and events to mention. This is certainly not an all-inclusive list of happenings. It is to show however, how much God has done during this past year in the city of Cochabamba through the lives of a small group of His servants.

Nothing that has been accomplished during this time could have occurred first and foremost without our Heavenly Father. In addition, Katie and I would like to send out a special word of thanks to those who support us with funds, prayers and correspondance. The phone calls, e-mails and care packages are incredible. We would also like to solicit your prayers for a very urgent request. Katie and I found out last week that two of our supporters will no longer be able to continue during the year 2007. Another supporter informed us that their contribution will be reduced. The lacking funds total $750.00 per month. We truly appreciate the sacrifice of these individuals and congregations and want them to know from the bottom of heart how special and important their help has been. We also are looking to replace the lacking support from other sources, so we would ask that you keep us in your prayers that God may take care of us during this time.

THANKS AGAIN! WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!