Saturday Post -- 07/05/11

Here are some pictures of Amanda doing what she does best in Audiology. In the first, she's checking the patient's timpanic membrane. In the second, she's carrying out an audiometry test using FT's specialised audiometer (the patient sits in a sound-proof booth).

Amanda was the recipient of good news about her visa, which regular visitors will have been praying for. Her re-submission proved to be successful and she is therefore free to stay in the country, along with myself, until March 2013 (when we will have to apply for the biggie, the permanent residency visa). Like me, she now has to deal with obtaining her identity card, another long process and with the chance that it won't arrive from La Paz before we leave for Canada in early August.

However, something else arrived from La Paz this week which was another source of great encouragement: a set of musical equipment for the church. My Grandpa Murdoch, among many, many other passions, loved people, loved music and, more than anything, loved the Lord. His death in January 2009, albeit 'full of years' at 91, left quite a hole in our family. So when we received word a few months ago that we had received a share in his inheritance, our thoughts instantly turned to how we could use it to build up the church. And what better way to honour the memory of a man who, when he came to visit the family, would quickly dispense with the niceties and plonk himself down at Dad's piano for half-an-hour, thumping out one gospel standard after another, than by encouraging the music ministry.

As you know, I've formed a small band in recent months and, although we haven't yet played on a Sunday, we're edging ever-closer to that possibility. The time is ripe to energise these guys. So our dear friend and brother Pastor Juan Antonio Maldonado (from our namesake church in La Paz) sourced a keyboard, a stand and a new amplifier, into which I can also plug my bass when we bring that down from Canada, God-willing, in September.

The keyboard also renders me excuseless when it comes to practising for Jessica's wedding. Mercifully for all concerned, I haven't been asked to take care of the service, however, Jessica and Dan would like me to tinkle the ivories for an hour or so at the reception. Having not even been within yards of a piano/keyboard for nearly three years, methinks it's time to get a move on.

Prayer
• For Amanda's identity card application, which we hope to deal with next week.
• For our friend and former Spanish teacher Farid, who has been coming along to church the last couple of Sundays, where we are teaching from The Gospel of John and, therefore, explicitly evangelistic messages abound.

Praise
• For the arrival of the year's first sur (south wind) this week. A dramatic drop in temperature and completely welcome in this climate.
• For the key arrivals from La Paz this week of the equipment and, most of all, Amanda's visa.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda

Saturday Post -- 26/03/10

Anyone who thinks that optimism no longer has a place in our world could do a lot worse than visit Trinidad on March 23rd. For it is on this date that Bolivia ‘celebrates’ the Day of the Sea.

On March 23rd 1879, a small force of Bolivian troops died while defending the port of Calama from Chilean forces. Chile subsequently settled the area and Bolivia lost its coastline. Thus, every year, the people of Bolivia take to the streets to mark this sad anniversary. Yet the overwhelming mood of the day is always one of defiance rather than defeat, with poems being recited and songs being sung of that glorious day when the country will once more have a beach of its own – intriguingly, Bolivia still maintains its own Navy.

Methinks positive thinking is only to be commended in these cynical days, and yet it rather causes that age-old dictum to spring to mind…

Aye, right then!

For all that Bolivia may lack its own coastline however, it has not wanted for water this week in the shape of rain. And with these storms came the year’s first sur (south wind). Coming from the antarctic circle, these cause temperatures to plummet – lows of 10 degrees Celsius have been recorded in recent years! That said, this week’s wasn’t too harsh and its effects had worn off within a day.

Much like snow in the British winter, surs are a great source of amusement, not least for us chocos. Indeed, nothing brings out the big girl in me like a cold front. “Hello, hoodies!” I squealed as I dived to the nether regions of our wardrobe. The downside of this is that, having hibernated all summer long, your ‘big clothes’ aren’t exactly lacking for must and mould, only adding to one’s social awkwardness. This, however, is quickly tempered by a fleeting glance at the multi-layered locals, festooned like Ernest Shackleton himself.

It is not, however, as if we are lacking for ‘rainy day activities’ and one of these is working through the Emmaus Bible Course. The Fundación has recently become an official Emmaus marking/distribution centre in Bolivia, so we have ready access to our examiners. Furthermore, we are working through the Spanish language version, which can only benefit our linguistic fluency.

On which note, as you’ll remember from last week that I’m giving a sermon on Sunday, my first in Spanish. It’s essentially taken double the time to write due to the language factor. In addition I’ll have to deal with added pressure in the shape of our language teacher, Farid, who decided to come along when I told him I was delivering a full sermon in Spanish. I’ll be looking closely at the Easter story, so our prayer is that he’ll leave with a little bit more than an assessment of my past-tense usage.

Prayer
• For Easter week in Trinidad, particularly with the elections looming, that the locals would not be distracted from the core message.
• For Craig as he gives a gospel message on Sunday.

Praise
• For Amanda’s deepening relationships with the nurses.
• For opportunities to share the gospel message, e.g., with Farid.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda