Episode 22: The Perils of Paddleboats

In our latest podcast episode, we give a nifty guide to the beautiful city of Sucre. We recently spent a weekend break there, and here are some pictures from that trip (more pictures from our last visit, in 2016, here). 

With the Beetles.

The main cathedral in Sucre's beautiful plaza.

Craig & Mark enjoy a stroll.

Sucre awakens.

Zebras (now bemasked, of course) are the Bolivian 
equivalent of crossing guards/lollipop men+ladies.

For the first time, we visited Sucre's legendary 
'Parque Cretácico'. You find us at the feet of a 
Titanosaurus, of course.

Sam could have played in the paleontology pit all day!

To close, some pictures taken from a (long!) 
walk Craig took with Mark (pictured) and others, 
at 3,600m altitude.

What a stunning part of the country this is.

A few closing pictures from back in Santa Cruz. 
We recently celebrated Bolivian independence 
day (6th of August) in the appropriate fashion.

Alas, that same weekend we were rear-ended by 
a drunk truck-driver. This was the result.
Thankfully we emerged unscathed, but please pray 
that our car can be repaired ASAP.

Sam falling asleep on the bus (or micro, pronounced 
'mee-cro'). We're seeing a lot more of these just now!

Last, but not least: Sam goes back to school.

Prayer Points

• Pray for Maribel's visa application. She had her appointment at the UK visa office in La Paz in late July. It is now just a case of waiting and praying. She is due to begin serving in Manchester from October.
• Pray for an increasing sense of 'normality' and for an extended season of blessing in our ministries, now that the third wave is behind us. 
• Pray for peace and wisdom for the three of us as Sam returns to school, with all that full-time hybrid schooling could entail!
• Pray that our car can be repaired soon.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig, Amanda & Sam

Episode 21: Head First

Do you like our blog re-design? Big thanks to Mr. Pete Bailey!

A bit later than planned, here is podcast episode 21, and here are all our pictorial goings-on from the last couple of months:

Sam marked the start of the school holidays 
by graduating from Kindergarten.

He has plenty more time for this kind of thing now.

We took a few days away to a favourite haunt
of ours: Refugio Los Volcanes. 

Here they are playing in the river.

Craig got excited about football again.

An expat gathering for the Euro 2020 final. Spot the lone 'Italian'. 

Prayer Points

• Give thanks for the recent opportunity to get a break from the city as a family.
• Give thanks that we have been able to return -- once again! -- to in-person church. Pray that we will be able to get as long a 'stretch' as possible, in order to re-establish some kind of normality in areas like hospitality and children's ministry.
• Pray for our Latin Link Strider Maribel, that she will be able to travel successfully to the UK. Pray for wisdom for Amanda and others as they guide her through this process.
• Pray for Bolivia, that the vaccination programme might advance quickly and we can achieve some degree of 'herd immunity' sooner rather than later.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig, Amanda & Sam

Episode 20: Your Honour

Walk this way for our latest podcast episode, the first since returning to Bolivia earlier this month. 

An important announcement: We will have a live Zoom session at 7:30pm BST/2:30pm EST on the 7th of June. There will be time for prayer and a general catch-up, for anyone who is interested in us and our work here. We will send the meeting link to those on our mailing lists. If you are not already, please write to us at cramandaham@gmail.com. 

Some pictures:

Quality time with Grandpa "Grandpa Bear" Kearon.

And one last cuddle with cousin Philip!

As you can see, Sam got glasses in Canada 
(though he was initially more intrigued by 
the box!) 

Charlotte Airport, en route home.

Back home, straight to the park, of course.

Prayer Points

• Give thanks for a safe return, and smooth transition, to Bolivia.
• Give thanks for Amanda's improving health.
• Give thanks for Sam's Kindergarten graduation, and pray for him over the holiday period.
• Pray for patience and wisdom as we settle back into our ministries.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig, Amanda & Sam

Episode 19: A Little Respect

Our time in Canada is coming to its end and we've found time to record a podcast episode looking back on our two months here, while also continuing in our series on cross-cultural differences. Here is the episode: we hope you are blessed by it.

And here, as usual, are a few pictures we've taken recently (prayer points below):

The weather here has been fascinating! This was proper shorts 
and T-shirts weather at the end of March...and it is snowing as 
I write!

Crucially, Sam has had lots of quality time with 
his cousins, Philip and Simon. It was worth the 
trip for that alone.

Sam also marked his 6th birthday here, on the 14th. 
Octonauts to the rescue!

Obligatory visit to the British shop!

When in Rome...

Prayer

• Give thanks to our gracious Father for this time in Canada...
• For the understanding shown by our various ministries, and their ability to cover for us while we've been gone.
• For the chance to tell old friends and new here about what's going on in Bolivia.
• For getting our key administrative tasks here done in good time.
• For the support of family, especially Amanda's mother, who has stayed with us and cooked delicious meals every evening!
• For the extended time we have been able to spend with family, especially Sam with his cousins.
• For the rest we have enjoyed here. What a difference non-stop free evenings make!
• For safety in the face of Ontario's third wave, and the God-given patience and grace to roll with the punches.
• Pray for safe, hassle-free travels and a smooth readjustment to Santa Cruz. We are due back on the 1st of May (next Saturday)
• Sam's school has requested permission from the authorities to reopen. Pray that this might be granted soon.

Finally, our latest email update is hot off the press. If you would like to be added to our email lists, send us an email to cramandaham@blogspot.com.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig, Amanda & Sam

Episode 18: London Calling

Hello, friends! We are now mere days away from the end of our two-week quarantine period here in Canada. For more on this, listen to our latest podcast episode, where we also continue in our series on cultural differences. This time, our focus is on individualism vs group identity.

Some pictures and prayer requests, below. 

Our last major commitment in Bolivia was the Latin Link Bolivia 
retreat. Here we are, socially-distanced and bemasked. Not since 
the first outbreak had we been so careful to follow the rules as a family.

A few days later, we were awaiting the 11pm 
flight to Miami. 

Sam didn't waste time in getting to grips with 
the snow.

Nor did Mummy.

We are glad of our backyard, which has made 14 
days of quarantine a little more bearable.

'Freedom' awaits!

Prayer

• Give thanks for our time with our Latin Link team at retreat; under the circumstances, it probably went as well as we could have hoped.
• Give thanks for a safe, smooth journey to Canada. 
• Give thanks that Sam is able to continue with his schooling from here.
• Quarantine hasn't been as testing as we'd feared. Give thanks to God for his mercies every day.
• Give thanks that last week's Biblical Contextualisation's course, taught by Craig, went well.
• Pray for discernment as things open up here slowly.
• Pray for positive engagement with churches and supporters here.
• Pray for continued rest.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda

Episode 17: About Time

Happy new year! After a fairly restful start to 2021 for us, and a wee bit later than planned, here is our first podcast episode of the year. We're embarking on a short series exploring the differences between 'hot climate' and 'cold climate' cultures. These are pretty fascinating, and even after 11 years in a 'hot' context, we're still learning so much. 

Thank you for all your show feedback! In response to this, we are trying to keep the episodes a little bit leaner and meaner; this one clocks in at a relatively nippy 21 minutes. 

As usual, to accompany the episode, here are a few recent photos, and some prayer requests (below).

We got away for a few days between Christmas and new year. 
Sam and Amanda contemplated life over a bag of goldfish 
crackers in this stunning fern forest. As one does.

Samaipata -- geddit!

It's been exciting to relaunch the men's Bible study over the last 
month. We are studying J.I. Packer's 'Knowing God' together.

Hora de selfie.

Prayer Points

• Give thanks for a period of rest over Christmas and new year.
• Pray for Sam as he embarks on a new term of virtual schooling.
• Pray for wisdom for Amanda in her work with short-term volunteers, particularly those who are 'on the move' at this time.
• Pray for Craig as he teaches the Biblical Contextualization course next week.
• Pray for some solid fellowship and spiritual growth at the Latin Link retreat next week.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda