Just wanted to do a little update.
Jeff is in the states for the Connection Conference (thank you to everyone for supporting us over the last 5 years!) He also finished his classes and took his comps examen on the 22 of May, meaning that he is done!!! He did a fabulous job and I am very proud of him.
Jubilee and Malakai are doing well. Malakai has been sick with asthma but it is under control and we are thankful! Jubilee is growing and has become quite a wonderful sister and daughter :)
The Chalenburg's are here in Cochabamba for a year and we are enjoying their company. The Marcum's are on furlough until August. My mom is returning, Lord willing, with Jeff to visit us! The Sandoval's will be back on the 20th of June. Lora Beth is coming to visit on the 28th of June. There are others traveling to and fro but those are the main ones that come to mind.
The church here is doing great! There are lives changing and the Spirit is moving. Please continue to pray for the baby Christians and the ones that are on the verge of giving their lives to Christ.
God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good! God bless!
Katie
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Laying Foundations
Buenos dias to all of you. A little birdie reminded me that it had been a while since our last blog update, so I am sending out a recent newsletter article that I wrote about the church and raising funds for a building.
As we enter the month of May the church body here in Cochabamba finds itself busy with many important activities and events. Many of those activities lately have been centered on raising funds for the permanent building the congregation one day would like to purchase.
To begin with however, it is important to have an understanding of why a permanent location is so important to the work here in Cochabamba. In a predominantly Catholic society such as Bolivia a great importance is placed upon the physical meeting place of a church. It is not that we wish to emulate all the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church, although for many Cochabambinos a permanent meeting facility goes a long way to convey a message of presence and long-term commitment. More importantly than the message implied throughout the community though, is the significance a permanent meeting facility has in the lives of the individuals who make up the local church body here in Cochabamba. A building for the Cochabambino Christians will mean that they will have a place to continue to grow both numerically and spiritually, a place where they can reach out to the community and a place where they can meet together often to encourage and teach other in the Word. In fact, a small group of Christians including the Vargas family and Wendy who are both present members of the current congregation used to meet in Cochabamba before the mission team arrived. Unfortunately, many of the members of this small group moved away and with them was taken the ability to continue paying for a rental facility. The small group that remained continued to meet in homes but found it in increasingly difficult to grow and reach out to the community in such circumstances.
We have seen an encouraging example of how a permanent meeting facility can affect the growth of the church in the city of Santa Cruz. This is a city that continues to enjoy growth and multiplication of local congregations. One of the important factors in this growth is the fact that several of the congregations have been able to purchase meeting facilities either on their own or with the help of brethren in the United States. The Tres Pasos congregation for example, has a permanent facility and they have been able to grow and mature to the point where they now have deacons and elders and do indeed have a presence in the city of Santa Cruz. Other congregations such as El Pari, which also owns its’ own facility in Santa Cruz, also shows the same potential to grow and enjoy an image of permanence in the community. In a country where non-Catholic churches are often regarded as temporary imported store fronts, the concept of establishing permanence is of vital importance. The people of Cochabamba have seen many churches started by foreign missionaries but those churches that have had a truly lasting impact in the city have distinguished themselves by offering the same permanence that the people find in the Catholic Church.
The church members of the Iglesia de Cristo are well aware of the importance of a meeting facility and they have shown great effort and enthusiasm in regards to doing all they can to contribute to the goal of purchasing a permanent facility. It is important first of all to take into account the fact that average salaries in Bolivia hover between one to three hundred dollars a month. Many people in fact, make due on much less including some of our members. We have been humbled by the generosity of the giving that we have seen as part of our fund raising campaign which asks members to give above what they are already contributing weekly. We also continue to teach on concepts of sacrificial giving as opposed to the idea of giving “limosnas” which is akin to reaching in the pocket and pulling out some loose change. The members are becoming increasingly aware then of just what it means to give faithfully.
Many members have also chosen to participate in fundraising activities. These activities are especially important opportunities for those who are barely scraping by to be able give of their time and energy even in cases when they cannot give much in the way of money. One of the small groups for example collected donated items to organize a garage sell at the contact center. The sell was a great success in that almost all members contributed items to be sold, the small group worked tirelessly all day to sell the items, and at the end of the day over 1, 700 bolivianos were raised to go towards the building fund. Another activity that was organized by members of another small group was to take advantage of the Easter crowds around Plaza Colon near the Contact Center. This small group made api, pastelitos, queque, gelatin and other snacks to sell. Api is a hot drink made from corn meal and other spices, (it tastes much better than it may sound), pastelitos are something like a sopapilla with cheese inside and powdered sugar outside, and queque is cake. My job was to yell out at those who passed by, “Api! Pastelitos! Buñuelos!” since I guess I wasn’t cutting it very well as a waiter. The sell of api generated a little over 600 Bs. In addition to these two events, the ladies of the church often times make cake to sell after church service and their proceeds also go to the building. Another activity the church has taken up to raise money is what is called a “caneston”, (big huge basket). Each month we fill a basket with groceries contributed by members and then raffles are sold. The winning raffle takes home a nice supply of groceries and the church is able to raise some money in the process. Just this morning a woman who has been visiting the church for some time donated pearl two pearl necklaces to be auctioned off during the monthly potluck. Altogether, the church has so far raised approximately $2,000.00 USD which is something to be very proud of in a country where this amount may very well represent the annual income of many people including some of the church members.
We as missionaries are continually humbled by the dedication of the local church members here. We continue to stress sacrificial giving and yet they in truth challenge us to “practice what we preach” by their examples of giving. We are so thankful to the Bolivian brethren and for their tireless efforts and service. On their behalf we as missionaries wish to thank God first and foremost because we know that He is working in the hearts of many to convict many of you to give joyously and generously when the time comes. We would also like to thank all of you our brothers and sisters in Christ who have shared in this work for the past five years and who will continue to do so in the coming years and upcoming milestones of the Lord’s body here in Cochabamba. We love you guys.
As we enter the month of May the church body here in Cochabamba finds itself busy with many important activities and events. Many of those activities lately have been centered on raising funds for the permanent building the congregation one day would like to purchase.
To begin with however, it is important to have an understanding of why a permanent location is so important to the work here in Cochabamba. In a predominantly Catholic society such as Bolivia a great importance is placed upon the physical meeting place of a church. It is not that we wish to emulate all the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church, although for many Cochabambinos a permanent meeting facility goes a long way to convey a message of presence and long-term commitment. More importantly than the message implied throughout the community though, is the significance a permanent meeting facility has in the lives of the individuals who make up the local church body here in Cochabamba. A building for the Cochabambino Christians will mean that they will have a place to continue to grow both numerically and spiritually, a place where they can reach out to the community and a place where they can meet together often to encourage and teach other in the Word. In fact, a small group of Christians including the Vargas family and Wendy who are both present members of the current congregation used to meet in Cochabamba before the mission team arrived. Unfortunately, many of the members of this small group moved away and with them was taken the ability to continue paying for a rental facility. The small group that remained continued to meet in homes but found it in increasingly difficult to grow and reach out to the community in such circumstances.
We have seen an encouraging example of how a permanent meeting facility can affect the growth of the church in the city of Santa Cruz. This is a city that continues to enjoy growth and multiplication of local congregations. One of the important factors in this growth is the fact that several of the congregations have been able to purchase meeting facilities either on their own or with the help of brethren in the United States. The Tres Pasos congregation for example, has a permanent facility and they have been able to grow and mature to the point where they now have deacons and elders and do indeed have a presence in the city of Santa Cruz. Other congregations such as El Pari, which also owns its’ own facility in Santa Cruz, also shows the same potential to grow and enjoy an image of permanence in the community. In a country where non-Catholic churches are often regarded as temporary imported store fronts, the concept of establishing permanence is of vital importance. The people of Cochabamba have seen many churches started by foreign missionaries but those churches that have had a truly lasting impact in the city have distinguished themselves by offering the same permanence that the people find in the Catholic Church.
The church members of the Iglesia de Cristo are well aware of the importance of a meeting facility and they have shown great effort and enthusiasm in regards to doing all they can to contribute to the goal of purchasing a permanent facility. It is important first of all to take into account the fact that average salaries in Bolivia hover between one to three hundred dollars a month. Many people in fact, make due on much less including some of our members. We have been humbled by the generosity of the giving that we have seen as part of our fund raising campaign which asks members to give above what they are already contributing weekly. We also continue to teach on concepts of sacrificial giving as opposed to the idea of giving “limosnas” which is akin to reaching in the pocket and pulling out some loose change. The members are becoming increasingly aware then of just what it means to give faithfully.
Many members have also chosen to participate in fundraising activities. These activities are especially important opportunities for those who are barely scraping by to be able give of their time and energy even in cases when they cannot give much in the way of money. One of the small groups for example collected donated items to organize a garage sell at the contact center. The sell was a great success in that almost all members contributed items to be sold, the small group worked tirelessly all day to sell the items, and at the end of the day over 1, 700 bolivianos were raised to go towards the building fund. Another activity that was organized by members of another small group was to take advantage of the Easter crowds around Plaza Colon near the Contact Center. This small group made api, pastelitos, queque, gelatin and other snacks to sell. Api is a hot drink made from corn meal and other spices, (it tastes much better than it may sound), pastelitos are something like a sopapilla with cheese inside and powdered sugar outside, and queque is cake. My job was to yell out at those who passed by, “Api! Pastelitos! Buñuelos!” since I guess I wasn’t cutting it very well as a waiter. The sell of api generated a little over 600 Bs. In addition to these two events, the ladies of the church often times make cake to sell after church service and their proceeds also go to the building. Another activity the church has taken up to raise money is what is called a “caneston”, (big huge basket). Each month we fill a basket with groceries contributed by members and then raffles are sold. The winning raffle takes home a nice supply of groceries and the church is able to raise some money in the process. Just this morning a woman who has been visiting the church for some time donated pearl two pearl necklaces to be auctioned off during the monthly potluck. Altogether, the church has so far raised approximately $2,000.00 USD which is something to be very proud of in a country where this amount may very well represent the annual income of many people including some of the church members.
We as missionaries are continually humbled by the dedication of the local church members here. We continue to stress sacrificial giving and yet they in truth challenge us to “practice what we preach” by their examples of giving. We are so thankful to the Bolivian brethren and for their tireless efforts and service. On their behalf we as missionaries wish to thank God first and foremost because we know that He is working in the hearts of many to convict many of you to give joyously and generously when the time comes. We would also like to thank all of you our brothers and sisters in Christ who have shared in this work for the past five years and who will continue to do so in the coming years and upcoming milestones of the Lord’s body here in Cochabamba. We love you guys.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Back in Bolivia
After two months of cold wintery weather trailing us all the way almost to Miami, Florida we were greeted by beautiful Bolivian weather. The sun was shining, the air was warm but not humid, the breeze was blowing and the trees and plants looked as though it had rained each day that we had been gone. We so much loved our time in the United States with all of our loved ones, friends, family and supporters, but we as a family were surely ready to get back home. We arrived last Wednesday so we have been here for about a week and a half now. The kids are doing wonderful and even getting themselves back on a normal sleeping and eating schedule thanks mainly to Katie's hard work and we too are stepping back into life here in Bolivia. We even took the plunge and are having business cards made after having lived here for four years! Upon returning that was something we had always seemed to put off that we just decided needed to get done immediately upon getting back to Bolivia.
As a matter of fact at this very moment Katie, Jubilee, and Malakai just walked in the door with their new carnets which are Bolivian ID cards. They had tried to pick them up before leaving for the states in December but they were not ready. We are thankful to God that He is constantly at work in our lives even in regards to our paper work! Also, right now Katie and the kids just went up to see Roland Bowen of Brownwood who arrived today and will be here for about a week. We are also very thankful for Roland's time with us here in Bolivia.
I have been busy since we arrived getting things set up for my last semester of my MA program which entails a student teaching experience, a comprehensive test and two major projects due by May. Please pray for my sanity and that of Katie :) On a more serious note, I do ask for your prayers that I would be able to balance ministry, family and school in a way that glorifies God.
I also ask special prayers for my Grandmother Leyda who has lost three siblings during the past year and I know that it has been extremely hard for her. The third sister to pass away passed just this week and I know that Grandmother is sad and rejoicing at the same time. I wish I could be there but I am so thankful for my wonderful sisters Darla and Mandi who are there with their great husbands and beautiful children. Along those lines I have a major prayer of thanksgiving regarding my little sister Mel who just got notice that she will be offered a transfer to Rogers, AR and she and her husband Chris will now be in the same town as my other sisters and their families very soon. This is great news and we are happy for Mel in both her professional achievements and for her personal growth as well.
Concerning the work here in Bolivia, as usual there is much to tell and not enough time or space. Let me begin with painting you a picture of our first Sunday back in Cochabamba. As people trickled in during the service the meeting room became fuller and fuller. At the beginning of service we had already greeted several people we had not seen but by the end of service there were many many more people who had arrived. I was asked to lead singing on Sunday so I was able to express how happy we were to be back and share communion with our brothers and sisters in Bolivia. As my eyes scanned to crowd, I noticed the faces of three individuals who have been attending worship service and other activities for quite some time now. Betty and Walter who are parents of Wendy and grandparents of Arianna who was one of the young ladies we lost in the accident were in the audience that day. The difference was that on this day Betty and Walter had now been baptized into a new life with Jesus and words cannot express how happy my heart was at that moment to see how God is transforming lives in this city. I know that Arianna would have been so happy for her grandparents!
Additionally, my eyes fell upon another new sister whose name is Giovanna. Jovi as we call her for short has also been worshiping with us for quite a while now but had also made the decision to begin a new life in Christ while Katie and I were gone. Jovi is a young woman whose office is now in our apartment building and therefore we have the blessing of getting to see her often. One of our favorite memories of Jovi is from one day when Katie was getting a little worried about the flower and mama bear costumes she was to come up with for the next day for Jubilee and Malakai's play at school, Jovi popped in and helped Katie create two wonderful costumes. Jovi is indeed a creative self starter and we know that the Lord has great plans for her new life of service and ministry. Please pray for Betty, Walter and Jovi in their new walk with Christ, that they may continue strong and come to know one day in fullness the spiritual riches they have been given.
That is all for right now. Not because that is all there is to say but because that is probably more than what you wanted to know :) In closing, we send our love and askk that God continue to bless you as well.
Jeff & Kt
As a matter of fact at this very moment Katie, Jubilee, and Malakai just walked in the door with their new carnets which are Bolivian ID cards. They had tried to pick them up before leaving for the states in December but they were not ready. We are thankful to God that He is constantly at work in our lives even in regards to our paper work! Also, right now Katie and the kids just went up to see Roland Bowen of Brownwood who arrived today and will be here for about a week. We are also very thankful for Roland's time with us here in Bolivia.
I have been busy since we arrived getting things set up for my last semester of my MA program which entails a student teaching experience, a comprehensive test and two major projects due by May. Please pray for my sanity and that of Katie :) On a more serious note, I do ask for your prayers that I would be able to balance ministry, family and school in a way that glorifies God.
I also ask special prayers for my Grandmother Leyda who has lost three siblings during the past year and I know that it has been extremely hard for her. The third sister to pass away passed just this week and I know that Grandmother is sad and rejoicing at the same time. I wish I could be there but I am so thankful for my wonderful sisters Darla and Mandi who are there with their great husbands and beautiful children. Along those lines I have a major prayer of thanksgiving regarding my little sister Mel who just got notice that she will be offered a transfer to Rogers, AR and she and her husband Chris will now be in the same town as my other sisters and their families very soon. This is great news and we are happy for Mel in both her professional achievements and for her personal growth as well.
Concerning the work here in Bolivia, as usual there is much to tell and not enough time or space. Let me begin with painting you a picture of our first Sunday back in Cochabamba. As people trickled in during the service the meeting room became fuller and fuller. At the beginning of service we had already greeted several people we had not seen but by the end of service there were many many more people who had arrived. I was asked to lead singing on Sunday so I was able to express how happy we were to be back and share communion with our brothers and sisters in Bolivia. As my eyes scanned to crowd, I noticed the faces of three individuals who have been attending worship service and other activities for quite some time now. Betty and Walter who are parents of Wendy and grandparents of Arianna who was one of the young ladies we lost in the accident were in the audience that day. The difference was that on this day Betty and Walter had now been baptized into a new life with Jesus and words cannot express how happy my heart was at that moment to see how God is transforming lives in this city. I know that Arianna would have been so happy for her grandparents!
Additionally, my eyes fell upon another new sister whose name is Giovanna. Jovi as we call her for short has also been worshiping with us for quite a while now but had also made the decision to begin a new life in Christ while Katie and I were gone. Jovi is a young woman whose office is now in our apartment building and therefore we have the blessing of getting to see her often. One of our favorite memories of Jovi is from one day when Katie was getting a little worried about the flower and mama bear costumes she was to come up with for the next day for Jubilee and Malakai's play at school, Jovi popped in and helped Katie create two wonderful costumes. Jovi is indeed a creative self starter and we know that the Lord has great plans for her new life of service and ministry. Please pray for Betty, Walter and Jovi in their new walk with Christ, that they may continue strong and come to know one day in fullness the spiritual riches they have been given.
That is all for right now. Not because that is all there is to say but because that is probably more than what you wanted to know :) In closing, we send our love and askk that God continue to bless you as well.
Jeff & Kt
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Irene King
Well, they go by many many different names - Grandmother, Grandma, Granny, G-ma, Grami, Mamaw, Memaw, Nana, MeeMee, Honey and more - but their function is the same! They love their grandkids! They spoil their grandkids! After years of suffering with the imperfect parents they are blessed by the arrive of a clan of perfection! They verifiy what all children know is true unconditional love is modeled by their heros also know as grandma. They know that they are the most precious person in the room. They know that play-time goes all day at grandmas. They ask questions like, "are hot dogs junk food?" to receive answers like, "not today!"
Irene King, my grandma, was born on this day 91 years ago. She was to me the most beautiful, patient, kind, and loving woman. She made the best grilled cheese, took a nap everyday, read her bible everday, loved everyone of her children the same but in their individual ways. She wore a ring with the birthstone of each of her chidren in it. Among the 7 children she raised, she raised the most wonderful mother in the world, Linda Labowski, my mom!
During this time in the states we have been blessed to be around not only Jeff's grandmothers, and Jubilee and Malakai's grandmothers, but many other mature women who loved on them and Jeff and I in ways that were grandmotherly. We love each of these women and thank God for their displays of love towards us. May we pass it on!
Irene King, my grandma, was born on this day 91 years ago. She was to me the most beautiful, patient, kind, and loving woman. She made the best grilled cheese, took a nap everyday, read her bible everday, loved everyone of her children the same but in their individual ways. She wore a ring with the birthstone of each of her chidren in it. Among the 7 children she raised, she raised the most wonderful mother in the world, Linda Labowski, my mom!
During this time in the states we have been blessed to be around not only Jeff's grandmothers, and Jubilee and Malakai's grandmothers, but many other mature women who loved on them and Jeff and I in ways that were grandmotherly. We love each of these women and thank God for their displays of love towards us. May we pass it on!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Overdue Update!
Hey! Well, we are in Everygreen, CO. What a priviledge to be back with this part of our church family! Since the last posting we have been encouraged and loved on by wonderful people in Olive Branch, Brownwood, Austin, Brownfield, and Dora. We are so thankful for everyone, especially those that kept us in their homes, the Washburns, the Bottas, the Burketts! They are a big part of the reason that the kids are doing so great! Jeff has mastered the art of sharing his presentation! His furlough sermon is fabulous. Now we find ourselves in Colorado trying to figure out how to see all the people in Denver that we love and miss. What a terrific problem!
The church is Cochabamba seems to be doing great! Major news:
1. Betty and Walter, the parents of Wendy, were baptized last Saturday. Praise be to God!
2. Also, we will having a special event to celebrate 5 years of partnership in the mission to Cochabamba, Bolivia! Everyone is invited to join the Cochabamba Mission Team on May 28th and 29th at the DFW Hilton Lakes. Registration is $50 per person for a one-night stay at the Hilton. To register or for more information, contact Josh Marcum by ...email at jjmarcum22@hotmail.com or call Austin Avenue Church of Christ at 325.646.0855.
Remember God loves you! Praise his holy name!
Katie
The church is Cochabamba seems to be doing great! Major news:
1. Betty and Walter, the parents of Wendy, were baptized last Saturday. Praise be to God!
2. Also, we will having a special event to celebrate 5 years of partnership in the mission to Cochabamba, Bolivia! Everyone is invited to join the Cochabamba Mission Team on May 28th and 29th at the DFW Hilton Lakes. Registration is $50 per person for a one-night stay at the Hilton. To register or for more information, contact Josh Marcum by ...email at jjmarcum22@hotmail.com or call Austin Avenue Church of Christ at 325.646.0855.
Remember God loves you! Praise his holy name!
Katie
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Update from Forbess furlough
Well, we are still at it!
We have been to three states and have been blessed beyond belief! God is so good! Reconnecting with family and making memories that will last a life-time. The Forbess family unplugged retreat was wonderful and the time in Hot Springs Village with the Labowski's was as close to perfect as it gets.
Yesterday we had a wonderful time in Searcy, AR. We had the opportunity to meet the Chalenburg's, a family that is going to be in Cochabamba this summer and stay a little over a year, learning language and working with our team. We also met the Bower's, who are looking into the possibilites of working with our team. They were both wonderful family and a blessing to be with in Searcy. We staying with the Sandoval Jrs. and spent time with the Richardsons, the Hooks, Michelle, and made a new friend, Kaylee (sorry I don't know how to spell that). A true miracle to go back to the place were Jeff and I met and reflect on the blessings of 9 1/2 years of marriage. God is awesome!
Tonight we are in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Tomorrow we will be at Friendship Church of Christ. Jeff will do the preaching and teaching and I will try to sit pretty and keep the kids in-line :)
Hope everyone is doing great!
Please pray for the celebration of the 3 year anniversary of our church in Cochabamba that will be going on tomorrow.
God bless!
Katie, Jeff, Jubilee and Malakai Forbess
We have been to three states and have been blessed beyond belief! God is so good! Reconnecting with family and making memories that will last a life-time. The Forbess family unplugged retreat was wonderful and the time in Hot Springs Village with the Labowski's was as close to perfect as it gets.
Yesterday we had a wonderful time in Searcy, AR. We had the opportunity to meet the Chalenburg's, a family that is going to be in Cochabamba this summer and stay a little over a year, learning language and working with our team. We also met the Bower's, who are looking into the possibilites of working with our team. They were both wonderful family and a blessing to be with in Searcy. We staying with the Sandoval Jrs. and spent time with the Richardsons, the Hooks, Michelle, and made a new friend, Kaylee (sorry I don't know how to spell that). A true miracle to go back to the place were Jeff and I met and reflect on the blessings of 9 1/2 years of marriage. God is awesome!
Tonight we are in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Tomorrow we will be at Friendship Church of Christ. Jeff will do the preaching and teaching and I will try to sit pretty and keep the kids in-line :)
Hope everyone is doing great!
Please pray for the celebration of the 3 year anniversary of our church in Cochabamba that will be going on tomorrow.
God bless!
Katie, Jeff, Jubilee and Malakai Forbess
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Furlough - Day 12
Well, in all the excitement I missed a few days :) We have had a very quick wonderful trip to Rogers, a white xmas in Dallas, a visit to Sea World (with the Johnsons, Labowskis and Escalantes!) and a fantastic lunch in Austin (with the Bottas) since the last time I updated this blog. Safe travel and happy children. Couldn't ask for anything more! I hope to post pictures today! Love, Katie, Jeff, Jubilee and Malakai
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