Saturday Post -- 14/04/12

Say hello to my little friend!

Meet the latest addition to the family. Her name's Pinky and she's...well, we don't really know what she is. She first showed up around our neighbourhood a couple of months ago and a weird pink growth in her eye earned her her monicker. But she's a puppy so, by definition, Amanda took to her.

We came back from Costa Rica to some sad, if not entirely surprising, news: that Gemma, the old rottweiller we'd inherited from Diego & Jo back in December, had passed away. She died at peace and full of years. However, with one less mutt to look after, Amanda was keen to recruit a replacement.

For some time now, we've actually been keen on the idea of a house dog. However, good house dogs here cost a small fortune -- there's no way we could justify shelling out hundreds of dollars on a Yorkie (mmmm, Yorkies!). So, in a rare moment of inspiration, I suggested taking the Pinkster off the street, getting her properly bathed and vaccinated, and giving her a new home. 

Well, one week later, the rest is now history -- just like the mosquito netting on our porch windows, an old ring binder and a sock. Inevitable chewing bad-habits aside, however, she's been largely well-behaved and has carried out her business in appropriate workspaces.

We have a more important development (sorry, Amanda!) to relay to regular readers this week. Two years ago we agreed to buy two plots of land where we intended to build our home. Upon completion of payment, last October, we began what should have been a relatively short process of finalising the paperwork which said it now belongs to us. Alas, due to a smorgasbord of errors on the part of the vendor, combined with a complete unwillingness to do anything about it, we were still waiting, six months on. 

On Monday we decided enough was enough and called the vendor in Santa Cruz to request our money back. Her reaction, alas, was one of relief rather than remorse (most painful of all in this whole process has been the fact that she calls herself a Christian). However, the bottom line is that she was happy to refund us.

We then did what we really should have done a long time ago, and got in touch with our ever-dependable architect, to ask him if he might know of any other land for sale in our part of town. Well, within a day, Edwin turned up, told us to get in the car and follow him. We needn't have driven. The plot was a solid 3-wood from our balcony on a street which, while still largely uninhabited, is fully connected in terms of electricity and water.

So we have made a verbal agreement to buy the plot and the landowner is coming down next week from nearby Santa Ana to process the paperwork with us. And Edwin is going back to the drawing-board to make the requisite tweaks to the plans (for example, our house will have to be rotated 90º due to the street layout, meaning the location of the large porch windows will also have to be adjusted to take advantage of the prevailing north-west wind. You get all that?).

We are, then, grateful that this solution has presented itself so quickly, while trying not to get too excited. We have certainly been burnt in this process by depending on promises which didn't reach their fulfilment. However, we are encouraged that Edwin, who hasn't yet put a foot wrong, can vouch for the landowner. Please keep praying for the housing situation, then, and for the following.

Prayer

• For Craig's schools work. This has been one of those typically Bolivian much-interrupted weeks, with only one of the three classes having a lesson. However, once we get going, we'll be knee-deep in the Gospel of John, so please pray for understanding of the key themes for the students.
• For Amanda and her fellow 'Bible Explorers' (formerly Sunday School) colleagues as they organise a special 'Day of the Child' event at the church this afternoon.

Praise

• For a terrific Easter service at the church last week. The youth group took charge of most of the programme and did a great job. There were a few visitors too, so please pray for the impact of the message on them.
• For a relatively straightforward first week back behind our respective desks.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda