Yikes! It is already March. Sorry about my blogosphere leave of absence. I am very appreciative of my ghost writer Katie who did such a great job of keeping everyone updated the past few months.
FAMILY UPDATE
The kids are doing well. Malakai is really growing fast now that we are mixing cerealac in every serving of food (very high calorie cereal). He is beginning to stand up often by himself and he will probably be walking sooner or later. He is saying some words now, although his favorite mode of communication is yelling at the top of his lungs. He does say this, hola, chau, mama, dada, eat, etc.... (you know all the essentials). His breathing has been much better for a long time, but last night he had a cough and Katie is currently at the doctor´s. We suspect it to be false croup as some of the other kiddos in our bunch have been having that as well. Please pray for Malakai, his health, and developement. We are so blessed and happy to see another little one come into his own before our very eyes.
Jubilee is doing marvelous as well. She is attending a new preschool which we are so happy with. Her teacher Miss Anita is a little old school but we like that! Jubilee is learning to write letters and numbers and about her five senses. I had to do an observation in her classroom for one of my teaching classes and was thouroughly impressed with Miss Anita. Jubilee is also signed up to take French classes next week although we are waiting to see if enough children have enrolled. In general, Jubilee is a very smart, articulate and sensing little girl (all from her mother!). Jubilee is an incredible child, sometimes I feel inadequate as a father but I am so thankful for her. She has taught more about the love of God our Father and of that of His son than I ever could have imagined. Please pray for Jubilee that she will continue growing into the magnificent person that she is becoming.
Katie is doing well, as we had mentioned earlier we are ought to do more co-ministry this year and that is proving to be a little tricky with schedules and what not but we are still intent on finding the right balance for our family. One of the biggest news items for Katie is her trip to Paraguay in April. She has been invited to speak at a ladies conference and has been busy preparing for this important event. Katie has also been involved in the ministry here especially with the ladies ministry and helping Julie out with teaching the intermediate grades. What a fortunate man I am to have two wonderful children plus such a wonderful wife at my side! Please pray for Katie that she can continue doing such a great job at carrying out her dual persona as mother and missionary with grace and skill.
I am doing well and learning to fit my graduate classes into more of a regular schedule finally. At the end of the semester I will hopefully have finished 18 credit hours which will put me a little over the half-way mark for the 30 hour program. The program has actually had a very positive effect on my ministry here as it has really asked me to grow in my teaching methods. I think at the end I will be able to teach Bible, English or whatever subject may come my way in a more effective, impactful way. Along the way I have been reminded of how much I love teaching, yeah!! Give thanks to God that He has found a way to marry my continued studies and my current ministry! Please continue to pray that I maintain a healthy balance between home, school and ministry.
Highlights from the Work
There is too much to cover in depth but let me just hit a few high points.
* This previous Sunday there were 75 people in attendance. Not a record attendance including our special events such as Resurrection Sunday but this was certainly a high if not record for a Sunday accompanied by no special means of inviting new people. Our space is getting a little tight and we are so thankful for that kind of a problem. Please pray for our growth as a congregation, both spiritual and numerical, with the hope that both kinds of growth go hand in hand. We are excited about what the Lord has planned for His body here in Cochabamba!
* I have been privileged to become more involved in the jovenes ministry as of late (teenagers). I say jovenes because it is really not the same as the youth group we are familiar with in the states. I have really enjoyed working with Josh and Bruno as I am able to add a some support and participation to all of the great activities and classes that they are doing. On April 10, 11, and 12 I will travel to Sucre with a group of appx. 12 teenagers and 2 or 3 other adults to attend a youth conference. I have been invited to speak at this event which is very exciting and a great honor. Please pray for the jovenes ministry that we would be able to reach out to our teenagers and support them spiritually during an often confusing stage in life.
* As of late we have had some returns and restorations. Miguel who has had quite a rough beginning to his walk in Christ was restored in February and we in addition to the angels in Heaven are rejoicing for his choice to return with his wife Corali and three children. We also have seen the return of Alvaro who had traveled to Tarija to visit his parents and the return of Palmira who had been in Argentina visiting her sister. We are so grateful to see faces that we have missed. Please pray for other members who still need to be restored and for those who are traveling.
* The classes at the Contact Center have experienced a somewhat unexpected boost in attendance in the classes that started a few weeks ago. The initial group of students was a little below average, but has grown to 17 if all students come. This is a really good sized group for our classes. These two classes are taught by Butch and Gary and I will be "subbing" for Butch while he is traveling in Chile and then in the states for about 3 weeks. I am looking forward to employing all those new group activities I am learning about in my grad classes! Josh also recently concluded a class on Revelations which proved to be very beneficial for some of our members as well as visitors. Please pray for all of our classes that we offer throughout the week that God may use the classes as a way to bring even more people to know his grace, love and mercy. If you are wondering, I have put my English classes on hold because I want to make sure that I am serving in all the other ministeries as I need to. We do continue to have English activities every two weeks. Tomorrow night is English worship night.
* The benevolence ministry has been difficult for me to give my full attention to but nonetheless God has provided this ministry with increased opportunity to serve this year. We have only sugar left in our food bank which is a good indication that it is being put to good use and we have been able to take advantage of our clothing room as well. In addition, to the food and clothing banks we have also been privileged to minister to some members with specific needs such as school supplies, and help with finishing some very needed home improvements. Continue to pray for this very important ministry that we can continue serving our brothers and sisters in their moments of need.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Happy New Year!
We were blessed with a fabulous finish to 2008! Rod and Darlene, Pops and Grami, came for a two week visit and therefore spend Christmas and New Years with us! We had a wonderful time and the kids were very spoiled and happy to have them here for such a special visit.
2008 started with the blessed birth of Frankie ¨Malakai¨Forbess. He has been a wonderful addition to our family and we are very thankful for him.
Jubilee has had a very busy year as well. She started pre-school in February and had a wonderful year with her teacher Ms. Gabby. She made many friends and learned a lot about what it means to go to school. She is a terrific big sister! We couldn´t have asked for a better reaction to her little brother. She will be starting at a new school with Ms. Anita as her teacher and she is very excited about going to the same school as Michaela Marcum!
Jeff started a masters program on line and has been challenged both academically and physically with the requirments and demands of balancing the program, ministry and family.
Jeff and I are excited about the possibilities of this New Year and thr blessings that it will not only bring to us but hopefully the opportunities for us to be blessings to others.
Love to all!
The Forbess Family
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Women's conference 2008 - Cusco Peru
Annual Women's Conference 2008 - Cusco, Peru
Well, it was wonderful! The most common comment about was the impressive amount of servanthood that was displayed by all the members of the church in Cusco. The ladies that attended from Cochabamba were so energized and met many other sisters in Christ from other parts of Latin America as well as the United States. The speakers were outstanding and the food was unforgetable!
The ladies from Cochabamba many of whom were unable to attend because of the dates that overlapped the end of the school year here in Cochabamba worked very hard on making favors for the conference. Here is a picture of the bookmarks! We also had help from Darlene Forbess and Phylis Farlander from the states in making some of the bookmarks. Thanks!
We also had financial help from the states from the Chillicothe Church of Christ in Chillicothe MO and the Hamiliton Church of Christ in Hamiliton MO. Thank you all! The funds that were raised were to go to over 15 ladies but unfortunately as I mentioned before there were only 4 that were able to go. I myself was unable to attend after Trish and I traveled to La Paz because of a lack of correct travel paperwork for Malakai. He is a Bolivian and therefore must have parential permission to travel that is worked out infront of a judge. We didn't what they wanted so we didn't get to go. God is good all the time and the ladies that went had a wonderful time and made relationships that will last an eternity.
We used the funds from the trip to fund Christmas presents for the children of the congregation here in Cochabamba.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this trip possible! To God be the glory!
Katie
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008!
Thanksgiving was great! We went to Tiquipaya to have Thanksgiving with the Marcums, the Bulls, and the Sandovals. As we were leaving the city in the Sandovals car we had to go around in circles a few times because there were some natural disaster drills going on. At one point we joked about taking a picture of us have Thanksgiving on the side of the road because there were lawn chairs in the car and a feast. We had a roast, cornbread, mash potatoes, and three kinds of pies. Thankfully though it didn't take long for Butch to find a way out and we made it to the Marcum's by 11. The kids had a great time playing while we got the food all put together and then we had a FEAST! After lunch we visited and the kids did a little turkey craft.
We are thankful to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for all the amazing blessings we have received in the past year. We have been blessed with the birth of Malakai, a growing church family here in Cochabamba and new friends.
May God bless our family and friends during this holiday season and the year to come!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Blessings on my head!
(Hi! This is Katie and there will be a noticable difference in the writing of this blog entry.)
I just wanted to update everyone on how we are doing and what's going on here in Cochabamba.
After a wonderful and powerful trip to the states to introduce Malakai and recharge our batteries we are back in full swing! The trip was a blessing in many ways and we thank everyone, including our team, family, friends and supporters, for their patience and encouragement.
Malakai and Jubilee are doing great! Malakia is growing and changing everyday. He is now saying no with his head - and many times I think he knows what he is doing. He is not crawling yet but he is very close. He loves to play and does a good job of entertaining himself as long as he doesn't realize that he is alone. His big sister is his favorite toy and she continues have an amazing amount of patience with him as he discovers the world. Malakai is still struggling at times with some breathing problems but prayer is powerful and we thank everyone for their continued prayer for his health.
Jubilee turned 4 on October 27th! She will finish her first year of preschool on Friday. She has learned many things and made great friends. She will attend a vacation program for about a month and then be out of school from the end of December until the beginning of February. We are looking forward to having her at home!
Jeff back to his English classes, preaching, teaching and serving. He also started working on his master's degree from UMASS and is doing a great job of balancing work, school and family.
We are also looking forward to a visit from Rod and Darlene - Jeff's parents - for CHRISTMAS! This is an amazing blessing and we pray that they have safe travel and a wonderful experience here in Bolivia.
The church here is growing and changing. We have had a couple of big events lately. We had the church retreat before we left for the states and then the national encampment after we returned. We continue to see growth within the body as people learn more about their relationships with Christ through service to each other.
Right now the ladies are preparing to go to Cusco for the Ladies Conference. The conference will be held in Cusco, Peru from the 20th to the 23rd of this month. This will be the third time that I have had the priviledge of attending this ladies conference. The conference is on a rotating schedule. I attended two years ago in La Paz, Bolivia, and last year in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I know it will be a blessing for everyone. There are about 120 ladies expected to be there in total. They will be coming from from Chile, Peru , Bolivia and the United States.
Please remember www.dropshots.com/forbessfamily is out their for you all to see!
May God bless each and everyone! You are loved by the Forbess family and we appreciate you all!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
We Are Okay
We wanted to send out a quick update to let everyone know of our status. By now many of you who keep up with our blog have probably also heard something of the escalating political situation in Bolivia right now. Basically, the same conflict between the central government and regional governments has continued and grown to the point that in some regions of Bolivia there have been some demonstrations that has turned into violence. That is not really a good summary and I would encourage anyone interested to follow the links on this blogs or go to your own trusted news website to find out more about what is happening.
I am writing this blog to let everyone know that Katie, the kids and myself are doing well. We actually had planned a short visit to the states right before the latest problems in Bolivia began. We arrived to the states on Monday the 8th and things started happening in Bolivia the next day. My plan was to return to Bolivia sometime this week and Katie was to stay until the 13th of October. Right now we are waiting to see when American Airlines will begin flying back into Bolivia and of course to see when things in general die down somewhat. The latest we have heard was that American would start flying again on the 30th of September which is next Monday.
Currently, I am at my parent's house in Chillicothe and Katie and the kids are spending the next two weeks as planned in Hot Springs Village with her parents. Last week we were in Rogers, Arkansas with my sisters and grandmothers and before that we spent a week in DC with our good family friend Becky. So far it has been refreshing to be with family although each day we wake up hurting for our loved ones in Bolivia.
We have spoken with the three other families who are all in Cochabamba right now. They have informed us that things in Cochabamba itself are peaceful and the main affects being felt are rising food and fuel prices because of the blockades in other regions of Bolivia which is impeding the transport of goods. We are thankful to God that our teamates and the local brethren are out of harm's way. Let us all continue to pray fervently and without ceasing however, that this peace being enjoyed in Cochabamba continues. Let us pray that our Heavenly Father would sheild His children in Bolivia from threats to their homes and families. There are many brethren of the church in Santa Cruz where the situation is much more dire, let us pray that God would keep each and every brother and sister in Christ safe during this most difficult of times.
I have posted throughout our time in Bolivia other prayer requests during other times of political instability and I know that each time we have loved ones down on their knees. We know that this time is no different. We put our precious adopted homeland in the hands of our Father who knows our every need before we verbalize it. Let us be a people of prayer today and plead with our Heavenly Father that peace would return to the whole of Bolivia and that the hearts of many people would turn to Him in this time. Thanks!
La Familia Forbess
I am writing this blog to let everyone know that Katie, the kids and myself are doing well. We actually had planned a short visit to the states right before the latest problems in Bolivia began. We arrived to the states on Monday the 8th and things started happening in Bolivia the next day. My plan was to return to Bolivia sometime this week and Katie was to stay until the 13th of October. Right now we are waiting to see when American Airlines will begin flying back into Bolivia and of course to see when things in general die down somewhat. The latest we have heard was that American would start flying again on the 30th of September which is next Monday.
Currently, I am at my parent's house in Chillicothe and Katie and the kids are spending the next two weeks as planned in Hot Springs Village with her parents. Last week we were in Rogers, Arkansas with my sisters and grandmothers and before that we spent a week in DC with our good family friend Becky. So far it has been refreshing to be with family although each day we wake up hurting for our loved ones in Bolivia.
We have spoken with the three other families who are all in Cochabamba right now. They have informed us that things in Cochabamba itself are peaceful and the main affects being felt are rising food and fuel prices because of the blockades in other regions of Bolivia which is impeding the transport of goods. We are thankful to God that our teamates and the local brethren are out of harm's way. Let us all continue to pray fervently and without ceasing however, that this peace being enjoyed in Cochabamba continues. Let us pray that our Heavenly Father would sheild His children in Bolivia from threats to their homes and families. There are many brethren of the church in Santa Cruz where the situation is much more dire, let us pray that God would keep each and every brother and sister in Christ safe during this most difficult of times.
I have posted throughout our time in Bolivia other prayer requests during other times of political instability and I know that each time we have loved ones down on their knees. We know that this time is no different. We put our precious adopted homeland in the hands of our Father who knows our every need before we verbalize it. Let us be a people of prayer today and plead with our Heavenly Father that peace would return to the whole of Bolivia and that the hearts of many people would turn to Him in this time. Thanks!
La Familia Forbess
Monday, August 11, 2008
New Sister and Political Situation Update
Good News First
As of Saturday evening the Lord's body in Cochabamba now has a new sister in Christ. Mary Jane after having regularly come to worship services and other activities for several months now, made the decision on Saturday night to become a new creature in Christ. We certainly are rejoicing with the angels in Heaven over her decision to repent and be clothed anew with Christ. For any of you planning a visit you will surely enjoy meeting Mary Jane and hearing her story. Please be in prayer for Mary Jane and her new life in Christ, that God may protect and strengthen her as Satan will undoubtedly attack her in new and creative ways to pull her away from God. I phrase the prayer request this way because I have observed the time following the decision to become a Christian is often if not always followed by strange and difficult trials in the life of the new Christian.
Other Good News
Josh, Julie, Michaela, Eliana, and Jana Marcum all made it safely to Cochabamba on Thursday after being on furlough from June to August. We are very grateful along with the Sandovals, Bulls, and other church members for their return. They are a very big part of the work here and their absence was definitely felt! We praise God that the Marcums were able to return safely and that their request for visas came through in a timely manner.
Chad and Lisa Benton along with their two boys Mark and Grady who are representing the Austin Avenue Church of Christ arrived today on the same flight with Gary , Laura, Nathan and Grant. We are thankful for the safe travel, the return of the Bulls, and for this special time we have to share with the Bentons. We thank God that He heard our prayers requesting safe and uneventful travel.
As a lead-in to the next topic, we are also thankful that the Bulls' and Bentons' arrival on Monday was not overshadowed by any political unrest. As some of you may know, Sunday was an historic day in Bolivia. August 10th was the day when all Bolivians of voting age would vote to approve or dissapprove of Evo Morales (president) and the nine prefectos (governors) who represent the nine departments of Bolivia. To sum up the day, below I have cut and paste an email I sent to both sets of parentals to let them know of how we are doing.
Sunday was an interesting day indeed. Before leaving the house to walk over to the church building I reminded Katie that it would be very possible that we and the Sandovals would be the only ones at church. As in most Latin American countries, votes are held on Sundays. Additionally, as in most Latin American countries voting is more than just a right, it is an obligation with stiff fines and possible jail fines facing those who choose not to vote. On the day before and the day of voting the sell of any alchohol is prohibited. On the day of voting from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM all unauthorized vehicles are prohibited from operating, which includes all forms of public transportation. For this reason, we were fully prepared to see our meeting place virtually empty. Some members and regular friends of the church did make the trip however. All in all we had around 30 people in attendance. Some people who came live in the neighborhood and some others donned tennis shoes and made quite a trip to meet with the saints on that day.
While it was certainly a different kind of worship service, it was actually very special. We half joked that at least we knew everyone there was there because they wanted to be, because the ban on transportation did not make it easy to come simply out of a sense of routine or obligation. There were many people out on the street walking past our meeting place, some on their way to vote and many others just out enjoying a day in downtown Cochabamba with no automobiles dominating both space and sound. Although on the surface it was seemingly quiet and tranquil, doubts and fears hovered in the thoughts of most people. Many people stopped and peeked in curious about the church that met even on voting day. Although we certainly hadn't planned it, it was perhaps a quiet testimony about who we are and how important it is for us to meet as a church body to worship our Creator, learn from His Word and edify each other through song and praise. On a day when none of us knew the outcomes of the election nor the ensuing aftermath, it was a particularly meaningful context in which to reflect upon our need to completely rely on God and each other in the midst of an underlying current of worry and fear bubbling in the world outside from which we had entered. Praise God for our safety, for His protection, and for days such as this that bring our purpose for meeting each Sunday sharply into focus.
Below is the portion I have cut and paste which details the outcome of the vote.
Hey guys. Everyone except for me is quietly sleeping in their beds. Well, Malakai is actually in our bed but you know what I mean. Anyway, I just thought I'd give a brief update on the political situation here. Sunday went well, it was very peaceful. We were done with services and home by 1:30 which is unheard of so we took the opportunity to have a little picnic in our bedroom and then rested during the afternoon. Later we went outside and Malakai and I went for a walk as there were no cars allowed on the streets. Katie and Jubilee blew bubbles with Gabriella and her son Gabriel on the front steps of our building as watched other neighbors pass back and forth on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Later on when Mally and I returned we played lobo lobito outside with Juju, Gabriel and Gabriella which is kind of like duck duck goose.
By Sunday evening the results were already pretty conclusive. Evo "won" with a 60% approval rating overall, although he lost the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Chuquisaca (Sucre), and Tarija while maintaining strong approval in the departments of La Paz, Potosi, Oruro, Cochabamba and a much less stronger lead in Pando. Potosi led the nation with Evo's highest approval ratings at about 83%. As far as the prefectos (governors), all but three garnered enough votes to continue in office. Of the three prefectos to be ousted are the prefectos of La Paz, Oruro, and Cochabamba. The prefectos of La Paz and Cochabamba are pretty much anti-Evo and Oruro's prefecto was a member of the Evo-affliated MAS party so it was kind of an upset for the MAS prefecto to be voted out while Evo maintained strong approval. The MAS party cited this as an example that the vote was legitimate and not staged. La Paz's prefecto Paredes is accepting defeat somewhat gracefully while Cochabamba's Manfred Reyes Villa has vowed to fight the decision albeit through a proposal of legal appeal. Manfred did show up for work at government offices this morning at about 7:30 AM as showcased by local news. This will be the power play to watch which will be essentially between Evo and his backers and those of Manfred and his. So far though, there has been no sign of street violence. We continue to watch the situation and will keep you all posted. Love you guys! Please continue to pray for Evo Morales, Alvaro Garcia Linares (VP), Manfred Reyes Villa, the armed forces and their leaders, members and officials of the MAS party, members and officials of the various opposition groups and all citizens in general, that God our Father would grant each one of them clarity of thought and an ability to discern and put into practice what is best for Bolivia and not individual interests. It is a long prayer request but surely you understand. We thank you as always for standing by our family, our team, the church body and our adopted home in prayer. We are fully confident that God hears and answers the prayers you lift before Him on our behalf.
In Him,
La Familia Forbess
As of Saturday evening the Lord's body in Cochabamba now has a new sister in Christ. Mary Jane after having regularly come to worship services and other activities for several months now, made the decision on Saturday night to become a new creature in Christ. We certainly are rejoicing with the angels in Heaven over her decision to repent and be clothed anew with Christ. For any of you planning a visit you will surely enjoy meeting Mary Jane and hearing her story. Please be in prayer for Mary Jane and her new life in Christ, that God may protect and strengthen her as Satan will undoubtedly attack her in new and creative ways to pull her away from God. I phrase the prayer request this way because I have observed the time following the decision to become a Christian is often if not always followed by strange and difficult trials in the life of the new Christian.
Other Good News
Josh, Julie, Michaela, Eliana, and Jana Marcum all made it safely to Cochabamba on Thursday after being on furlough from June to August. We are very grateful along with the Sandovals, Bulls, and other church members for their return. They are a very big part of the work here and their absence was definitely felt! We praise God that the Marcums were able to return safely and that their request for visas came through in a timely manner.
Chad and Lisa Benton along with their two boys Mark and Grady who are representing the Austin Avenue Church of Christ arrived today on the same flight with Gary , Laura, Nathan and Grant. We are thankful for the safe travel, the return of the Bulls, and for this special time we have to share with the Bentons. We thank God that He heard our prayers requesting safe and uneventful travel.
As a lead-in to the next topic, we are also thankful that the Bulls' and Bentons' arrival on Monday was not overshadowed by any political unrest. As some of you may know, Sunday was an historic day in Bolivia. August 10th was the day when all Bolivians of voting age would vote to approve or dissapprove of Evo Morales (president) and the nine prefectos (governors) who represent the nine departments of Bolivia. To sum up the day, below I have cut and paste an email I sent to both sets of parentals to let them know of how we are doing.
Sunday was an interesting day indeed. Before leaving the house to walk over to the church building I reminded Katie that it would be very possible that we and the Sandovals would be the only ones at church. As in most Latin American countries, votes are held on Sundays. Additionally, as in most Latin American countries voting is more than just a right, it is an obligation with stiff fines and possible jail fines facing those who choose not to vote. On the day before and the day of voting the sell of any alchohol is prohibited. On the day of voting from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM all unauthorized vehicles are prohibited from operating, which includes all forms of public transportation. For this reason, we were fully prepared to see our meeting place virtually empty. Some members and regular friends of the church did make the trip however. All in all we had around 30 people in attendance. Some people who came live in the neighborhood and some others donned tennis shoes and made quite a trip to meet with the saints on that day.
While it was certainly a different kind of worship service, it was actually very special. We half joked that at least we knew everyone there was there because they wanted to be, because the ban on transportation did not make it easy to come simply out of a sense of routine or obligation. There were many people out on the street walking past our meeting place, some on their way to vote and many others just out enjoying a day in downtown Cochabamba with no automobiles dominating both space and sound. Although on the surface it was seemingly quiet and tranquil, doubts and fears hovered in the thoughts of most people. Many people stopped and peeked in curious about the church that met even on voting day. Although we certainly hadn't planned it, it was perhaps a quiet testimony about who we are and how important it is for us to meet as a church body to worship our Creator, learn from His Word and edify each other through song and praise. On a day when none of us knew the outcomes of the election nor the ensuing aftermath, it was a particularly meaningful context in which to reflect upon our need to completely rely on God and each other in the midst of an underlying current of worry and fear bubbling in the world outside from which we had entered. Praise God for our safety, for His protection, and for days such as this that bring our purpose for meeting each Sunday sharply into focus.
Below is the portion I have cut and paste which details the outcome of the vote.
Hey guys. Everyone except for me is quietly sleeping in their beds. Well, Malakai is actually in our bed but you know what I mean. Anyway, I just thought I'd give a brief update on the political situation here. Sunday went well, it was very peaceful. We were done with services and home by 1:30 which is unheard of so we took the opportunity to have a little picnic in our bedroom and then rested during the afternoon. Later we went outside and Malakai and I went for a walk as there were no cars allowed on the streets. Katie and Jubilee blew bubbles with Gabriella and her son Gabriel on the front steps of our building as watched other neighbors pass back and forth on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Later on when Mally and I returned we played lobo lobito outside with Juju, Gabriel and Gabriella which is kind of like duck duck goose.
By Sunday evening the results were already pretty conclusive. Evo "won" with a 60% approval rating overall, although he lost the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Chuquisaca (Sucre), and Tarija while maintaining strong approval in the departments of La Paz, Potosi, Oruro, Cochabamba and a much less stronger lead in Pando. Potosi led the nation with Evo's highest approval ratings at about 83%. As far as the prefectos (governors), all but three garnered enough votes to continue in office. Of the three prefectos to be ousted are the prefectos of La Paz, Oruro, and Cochabamba. The prefectos of La Paz and Cochabamba are pretty much anti-Evo and Oruro's prefecto was a member of the Evo-affliated MAS party so it was kind of an upset for the MAS prefecto to be voted out while Evo maintained strong approval. The MAS party cited this as an example that the vote was legitimate and not staged. La Paz's prefecto Paredes is accepting defeat somewhat gracefully while Cochabamba's Manfred Reyes Villa has vowed to fight the decision albeit through a proposal of legal appeal. Manfred did show up for work at government offices this morning at about 7:30 AM as showcased by local news. This will be the power play to watch which will be essentially between Evo and his backers and those of Manfred and his. So far though, there has been no sign of street violence. We continue to watch the situation and will keep you all posted. Love you guys! Please continue to pray for Evo Morales, Alvaro Garcia Linares (VP), Manfred Reyes Villa, the armed forces and their leaders, members and officials of the MAS party, members and officials of the various opposition groups and all citizens in general, that God our Father would grant each one of them clarity of thought and an ability to discern and put into practice what is best for Bolivia and not individual interests. It is a long prayer request but surely you understand. We thank you as always for standing by our family, our team, the church body and our adopted home in prayer. We are fully confident that God hears and answers the prayers you lift before Him on our behalf.
In Him,
La Familia Forbess
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