Saturday Post -- 08/10/16

These days, at times it feels like our ministry life in Trinidad takes place between weekend visits to Santa Cruz. Three weeks ago, I (Craig) was there for a weekend course, and last week we were back for a few days at a hotel resort courtesy of Amanda's mother, before all returning to our respective homes by plane.

While Sam splashed, I surfed (the internet, in a desperate quest for any site that was streaming the Ryder Cup) and Amanda went blonde (sort of). An inaugural visit to the zoo was squeezed in too, a cheeky monkey accompanying us all the way round (bah-doom, and if you will, ching), and one or two favourite eateries were further enriched. Without a doubt, we made the most of our short time in metropolis, ensuring no opportunity for refuelling was wasted.

And with good reason. Because that will almost certainly be our last family break before the year's end. More to the point, October -- always our busiest month -- is looking more jam-packed than ever.

For, in addition to multiple sermons to prepare, 2017 spending-plans to draw up, staff interviews to conduct, a Langham weekend follow-up visit, a Latin Link team leader visit, Fundación Totaí's anniversary celebrations and more...the month ends, as usual, with camp. And this year, camp is bigger than ever, with the whole church invited, as well as interested youth from other churches. Exhaustive and exhausting preparations are required from all concerned and, of course, being camp, the reward is two nights' 'sleep' in the company of hordes of sugar-fuelled teenagers and the best Trinidad has to offer in insectary. 

More immediately, we are preparing for a special, one-off event this coming Friday, a 'Happy Anniversary' reunion evening to mark a year since the Marriage Course. The evening will have a more informal feel than the course itself, with a meal, a little 'Mr & Mrs' action, and even a contribution from Andrew & Ruth, who have kindly recorded a video message. We also reckon the evening is a good opportunity for the couples involved to reflect on progress they've made since, and think about areas in their marriages in the present day where they could benefit from going back to the Marriage Course booklet for counsel. That time will be built in to the evening as well.

God-willing, in about three weeks' time, we too will be afforded a period of reflection on the intensive month gone by -- roughly thirty seconds, before our eyelids finally give up the fight.

Prayer

• We are both doing a little Bible teaching this weekend, Amanda with the youth tonight, and Craig is preaching tomorrow morning at church.
• We've been really challenged recently (Craig in particular) about the need to focus on the task in hand here and not let thoughts about the future distract us. Pray that we would continue to trust God for tomorrow, and have allow ourselves the freedom to serve him as best we can today. And that, especially in this busy spell, that we would take each day as it comes.
• Pray for an encouraging evening for the Marriage Course participants on Friday.
• Pray for the English course participants. The core reading text for the year becomes increasingly gospel-focused as it reaches its conclusion. Pray for receptive hearts.

Praise

• While in Santa Cruz, we also spent a day with our friends Graham & Debbie Frith, who have been paired with us for fellowship and mentoring as part of the Latin Link Bolivia team. We were greatly refreshed by our time with the Friths; a timely visit.
• For safe travels over the last week, both for ourselves and Amanda's mother, who returned to Toronto in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
• We were a little nervous about readjusting to life post-Grandma, both practically and, for Sam, emotionally. However, Sam's doing OK, and the house hasn't collapsed. Just yet.
• Craig started a new mentoring relationship this week with a young leader in the church called Diego. Give thanks for this new opportunity.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda

Saturday Post -- 20/08/16

Have you ever stopped to wondering how much you've changed over time? Do you think your former self would recognise who you are now? I (Amanda) had a week which really highlighted to me how much I've changed, not in good or bad ways, but I saw how I was now different.

Instance 1

On this week fell Day of the OANSA Leader -- OANSA is the Bolivian version of the AWANA children's and youth programmes, which originated some years ago in the USA. I'm not sure about which day specifically because I don't actually care about these things, but being the OANSA youth ministry coordinator in our church, I was supposed to be celebrated at some point this past week. The OANSA ministerial team for Trinidad organised a dinner for all OANSA leaders on Wednesday night at 8pm. Craig and I looked at each other, and I decided to bite the bullet and go on our behalf, thus allowing him to stay in, because he might die a slow death if forced to actually celebrate a Hallmark holiday (he made an exception for Mother's day this year, me being a new Mom and all, but we've become quite unromantic with Valentine's Day, it being overly corporate). 

So a whole pile of leaders from our church went to this organised dinner, where we arrived on time, and proceeded to wait for almost another hour before anybody else showed up from any other church. Even, our own church members were getting antsy about this time. And then there was still a whole programme to get through before we could eat. The food came out about 10:40. I don't think we left until 11:30, and we still had to drive some of the youth home to the village of Maná, about 20 minutes away. 

The most revelatory aspect of this evening to me, however, was the fact that I had fun. I suddenly remembered that when I was younger I liked going out and being in large groups, laughing and joking, but that due to business, tiredness, and a lack of a social group in our stage of life [you can start playing your violins around now, folks -- Craig] we just don't do that any more. And I had fun! It was fun! And I got dropped off at my door in a large carpool, just like when I was at Uni coming back from a youth event. I felt young again... until I realised it was past midnight and I was about to turn into a pumpkin. Seriously, I remembered why I had changed: my body is falling apart and I am old. Okay, I'm only 30, but it is true -- my body is falling apart and I am old. So, great to be reminded of who I was in my glory days, but I think I get more excited now about early bedtimes than a long night out on a the town. But thank you, Trinidad OANSA Ministerial Team: the chicken was lovely!

Instance 2

This week we finally organised another FT staff training morning. The Board had been meaning to organise one since June, but people kept scheduling surgery over the mornings I had fenced off, apparently thinking that emergency surgery was more important. As if. Okay, maybe it is. But finally on Thursday morning we got all the staff together in one place and made them say nice things to each other. In all seriousness, that was the first activity Mariana pulled out of her bag of tricks. Everyone had to say something positive or something they were thankful for about the person sitting on their right. The activity was supposed to highlight how much easier it is for us to think of negative things to say about each other, and to really force us to try and be positive. It was generally a success, with a few minor hiccups. One person ended her positive comment by saying, "But I would also advise her to try harder with her personality." Someone else started by saying, "Well, he's a lot better now than he was at the beginning." And finally, someone said, "I like how she wants to do everything right. People may think she has an ugly and hard personality, but it's because she wants to do everything right." My jaw hit the floor when that was said. Obviously the PC brigade never got this far into the Amazon jungle.

But being the HR Director, these staff mornings are generally my show, so I chaired the morning and led people through the activities. Our morning GP, Dr. Vargas, organised a seminar on the purpose of and how to properly put together a Procedures Manual, because FT doesn't have an updated one. We need to get it organised by the end of the year and most staff looked at me funny when I asked people to write in point form how they go about their jobs. So, we had a training morning. And Dr. Vargas did a really good job. Even I feel more confident about sitting down and writing out the details of my job (which I haven't started to do yet).

But as I was sitting through the seminar and my mind started to wander to other things (hey, I said Dr. Vargas did a good job, I didn't say the material was gripping), I kind of thought about how I would never have dreamed of being able to do my job when I was in University. My insecurity always killed my confidence, and while I never shied away from standing up in front of people, I always had intense nerves. Now, I just do it and move on to the next thing, and sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and say, "Who are you? And where were you in grade 7 when I was supposed to be Patty in Charlie Brown's Christmas play?"

Instance 3

Our new volunteer arrived this week, Roseanne Sanders from England. And she's really nice. We're going to be friends. And right there is another change. I have never made friends really easily. I have always been too insecure and worried about what people thought to really give myself to friendships easily. It has always taken time with me to really becomes friends with someone. But it has become easier and easier to just give myself to people and make friends in recent years.

So, Rosie and I are going to be buddies for the next three weeks. I mean, she brought shortbread for everyone to share at FT. Who doesn't want to be friends with someone like that? And she is up for anything. I'm sure there are some things that she didn't come out her to do, like intense manual labor, but she hasn't said no to me yet...I wonder what else I could get her to do. I wonder how she feels about babysitting. Can you say 'Date Night'?

And I have never seen anyone less stressed and polite after losing their suitcase, which did not leave Brazil when she did. Thankfully, she has her suitcase again. I'm pretty sure I would have lost my cool at some point, but she was really relaxed about the whole experience.

We're all looking forward to spending more time with her over the next three weeks and I know that Odalys and Maye, in our Speech Therapy and Audiology Department, are especially excited to have the extra help.

Conclusion

Craig mentioned that we had attended a one day conference on mentoring while in Sucre by Rick Lewis. Rick highlighted that the purpose of mentoring is identifying and promoting the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And he asked us all to think of the ways that we knew that the Lord was currently working in our lives, possibly convicting us of specific sin or challenging us in certain circumstances. Yet he said that mentoring had to do with all the ways in which God was working in us, but that we couldn't specifically identify. That's why we need the help of mentors. Because the reality is that God is doing so much more than we are actually conscious of at any given moment. God is changing us, moulding as, and growing us and the truth is that when I look back on my life, I can see some evidence of specific change, but the rest has just kind of happened slowly over time. And for this I am grateful: that God knows and me and loves me enough to want to change me where I need to most, without me even noticing sometimes. I like being more confident. I like being able to come alongside people without a lot of insecurities getting in the way. I like making friends. And, while getting excited about early bedtimes might not be an overly spiritual change, I know that I know myself more now than I did before, and I know how I need to take care of myself...and sometimes it is an early bedtime. And I am sure that in another 15 years I am going to be a completely different person again, and that's kind of exciting.

Prayer

• For Rosie and her three weeks with us at FT.
• Craig is preaching on Sunday from 2 Kings 2; please pray for him as he shares God's word.
• We tried to apply for Sam's passport this week, after successfully applying for his Bolivian ID Card, and we hit some obstacles. So, please pray that we get his application submitted on Monday.
• For some delicate pastoral care situations that Craig and the other church leaders are involved in right now.

Praise

• For Sam's ID card and updated birth certificate being processed
• For Rosie's safe arrival and the arrival of her bag two days later.
• For a really beneficial staff training morning
• For a good time out with the other OANSA leaders on Wednesday night

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig, Amanda & Sam

Saturday Post -- 13/08/16

Plenty of horses in Trinidad; it's just that they're usually eating our garbage
at the end of the street.

Back in the summer of 2003, I was wandering through the local park with a friend. Tall trees shaded us from a strong sun as we watched children float across the pond on pedalos, parents sharing quiet jokes as they pushed their various baby transportation devices and cyclists gently meander by around the vicinity. So far, so ordinary. Well, if you're from the west, that is. For this was in the heart of Bolivia. And I'd never seen anything quite so, er, civilised in this extraordinary country. I resolved to return to Sucre...and preferably with a family.

Well, after several years of talking about it, a few months ago we were presented with compelling professional reasons to make the trip to the white city, and so we decided to make a holiday of it.

If, like me, you're one of those endless founts of utterly useless information, you will surely not have tired of those dinner-party opportunities to remind people that Australia's capital is not Sydney but Canberra, Brazil's is not Sao Paulo but Brasilia, and, of course, Bolivia's is not La Paz but Sucre (I'm looking at you, Andrew Craig). La Paz, with a population of 2.3 million, has the parliament and the governmental offices, but Sucre retains the high court. Yet in effect, Sucre is, to all intents and purposes, not a city, but a town. And all the better for it.

Sucre is the cradle of Bolivian history. It was founded in 1538 by the Spanish, and was to become a major city of their Latin American empire. In the early 19th century, Bolivia's independence was declared here. In the town centre, Sucre's colonial roots are in evidence on every block, with gargantuan churches gracing most street corners, and classical architecture as far as the eye can see. Moreover, buildings are required by law to be whitewashed once every year. Combined with the perennial sun, it makes for quite a sight. I say 'perennial', not punishing; the high altitude means temperatures rarely push past 25 Celsius, and the night-times are fresh to say the least. Put it this way: Amanda hasn't had so little laundry to do for a long time!

It gets better. Bolivia's oldest (and best) seat of learning is located in Sucre, and so a sophisticated vibe prevails. The many fine and varied restaurants flog their own craft beers. Music festivals come and go (a Beatles-fest was due to take place this week). A French institute shows nightly films en français in a small screening room. It all sounds very pretentious, doesn't it? You can see why I love it!

Our home-from home for the week.

As a family, then, we spent much time simply climbing up church bell towers, sampling great food, and wandering around aforementioned park. When not out and about, we made the most of our hotel, which was also in the colonial fashion, and which boasted a stunning roof terrace. Sam was never happier than when he was playing his game of throw-the-Duplo-piece-and-then-bum-shuffle-in-hot-pursuit.

We were in Sucre primarily for two reasons. Firstly, we were invited by some friends of ours in Santa Cruz to a mentoring day-conference they had organised, with a guest speaker (Rick Lewis) having come all the way over from Sydney (not the capital of Australia, apparently). The conference itself was highly practical, and really got us thinking about how we approach mentoring relationships here in Trinidad, and how we can manage these more efficiently. We've been talking a lot since coming back about how to implement these strategies.

Secondly, and most importantly, we had been invited by Latin Link Bolivia's board to an interview, with a view to us joining Latin Link on the field. If you support us financially from the UK, you will be aware that our UK support comes through Latin Link's office in Reading. However, we are not commended by Latin Link, but by Latin America Mission Canada. Latin Link have simply very kindly offered this service on our behalf, with LAM Canada in overall charge. 

But over the last few years, as close missionary friends have gradually left Trinidad, we have become increasingly aware of our need for greater on-field fellowship and accountability. We are pretty isolated in Bolivia -- where there are no LAM Canada missionaries -- and in Trinidad, there are no real opportunities for us to be 'fed' and encouraged by others. So over the last 18 months, with LAM Canada's support, we have been exploring the possibility of Latin Link on-field membership. In the weeks prior to our time in Sucre, LAM Canada and Latin Link had drawn up an agreement regarding the nature of our relationship. The proposal was essentially that Latin Link would provide us with these on-field services, while we remained LAM Canada workers.

Casa de la Libertad, where Bolivia went all indie.

Essentially then, the heavy lifting had been done prior to Sucre, and our interview proved to be more a chance to get to know the board members themselves, the nature of the Latin Link Bolivia operation, and what we could expect to receive and contribute as members. We will be expected to attend two annual meetings (a conference and a retreat), and have been paired with a couple in Santa Cruz, with whom we will be required to meet twice a year. We can also expect to receive visits from Latin Link Bolivia's team leader, and Latin Link will begin exploring the possibility of sending short-term volunteers to Trinidad to work under us. Officially, we join on the 1st of September, and we're excited to see what comes of this new partnership.

All in all, then, a capital trip! 

Prayer

• Pray for wisdom as we seek to implement these mentoring strategies in our work here and pray for discernment as we work out whom else God might want us to be meeting with.
• Pray for Roseanne Mackay, a volunteer from the UK who arrives this week for three weeks supporting the speech therapy work at Fundación Totaí. Pray also for Amanda who will be overseeing Roseanne's time here, and that of another volunteer who arrives for a longer spell at the end of August.
• Elías, our church pastor, has announced he will be standing down at the end of this year. Pray for wisdom for Craig and his fellow elders as they seek to know the way ahead for the church.

Praise

• For a truly refreshing break in Sucre, and some much-needed concentrated family time to boot.
• For our acceptance on to the Latin Link Bolivia team.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda

Saturday Post -- 26/09/15

With our old Spanish teacher (and still friend) Farid, who defended his
tourism thesis with aplomb this week. The more observant among you
may note that the room was not air-conditioned.

As we continue to wait for movement in the adoption process, we’re often reminded of the need to trust God that the tough stuff we’re going through will all make sense in the end.

And for a good example of that, we need look no further than March of this year, when we were in the midst of another pretty trying time. One morning, a woman came to Amanda looking for help for her sister and brother-in-law, whose marriage was seemingly in crisis. Amanda was keen to help, but aware of her limitations in this area, having had no training whatsoever in marriage counselling, and particularly uncertain as to how to approach this with non-Christians. The woman was unperturbed: “No problem, just pretend you’re qualified,” she responded! In the end the couple decided to go elsewhere, yet the episode served to drive home our inability – as a couple, as a foundation, and as a church – to meet such needs.

Later that same week, Amanda had a conversation with a friend whose niece was looking to get married, and yet had received no help from her pastor at this time, despite actively seeking out opportunities for marriage preparation. It was clear that Christians here were indeed hungry for such input, yet hadn’t the faintest idea where to find it.

All the while, Amanda and I were some weeks into housing a friend of ours whose marriage was in a dire state, having crossed the line one time too many. And so, time and again, we were reminded that week of the great needs in the marriages in our community, yet a lack of resources, training and time to be able to address these.

The following Sunday, in keeping with tradition, we touched base with the folks back home, who were completely unaware of the week's goings-on. As it happened, Dad had just got off the phone with a couple from Hertfordshire, Andrew & Ruth Richards (Ruth is a cousin of my Mum). Dad explained that as their careers were beginning to wind down, Andrew & Ruth were looking to increasingly devote their time to missions and to supporting missionary work worldwide. To that end, they had made some enquiries, and the work at Fundación Totaí had surfaced. Hence the contact with my parents. 

But Andrew and Ruth, an engineer and schools inspector respectively, were particularly keen not to simply observe, but to go where they felt they could play an active role, albeit for a limited period. "Well, what do they feel they have to offer?" we asked, and Dad proceeded to share the Richards' own ideas. Many and varied though their talents were, we were struggling to see where we could use them in this particular ministry in such a way that they wouldn't go home feeling they'd simply had a relaxing break in a hot climate.  

At which point, Dad mentioned one final possibility, almost as an aside: "They've also run a marriage course in the past." 

Why, of all the gin joints! 

In due course, we made contact with Andrew & Ruth and began to discuss how such a course might work here. From an early stage, we were impressed by their attention to detail, their desire to serve and, particularly, their awareness of the need for flexibility in a very different relationship culture to the UK. So we were delighted when, a couple of months down the road, having considered a range of other 'offers', they went with Trinidad, Bolivia.  

And so to the somewhat less tropical Stonehouse, Scotland, where at a nearby hotel in July, the four of us sat down one afternoon to plan the course in greater detail. The Alpha marriage course is a great tool (we are graduates of their marriage preparation course), though a little Bible-lite. We were encouraged to hear of Andrew & Ruth’s plans to establish greater Scriptural foundations. This naturally led us to discuss the makeup of the group, with several non-Christian couples likely to be in attendance; again, the course would be tweaked where appropriate to ensure the gospel is preached. A particular cultural quirk here is that most co-habiting non-Christian couples are not, in fact, married, and so the importance of the marriage commitment would also be highlighted; there would almost certainly be couples in attendance who had not yet, in fact, made this commitment.

A big chunk, then, of our time since returning in late July has been spent in preparing for the course. Amanda has been particularly busy along with several other women from the church in preparing the décor. This is important as the course (which will take place on weeknights over one week) is set up like a ‘date night’. Though we expect a large group to attend, the interactive part of the course is not done by the group as a whole, but by the couples themselves, each of whom will discuss these important topics at their very own, candle-lit table, complete with a take-home centrepiece. So the aesthetics play a big part. 

As I made clear earlier, this is a relatively new venture for this part of the world. And yet, despite that (or, more probably, because of it), the response has been tremendous, with us having to up the numbers slightly to accommodate a few extra couples. We are very excited to have Andrew & Ruth come and lead this, and we’re particularly conscious of the need for this to be a platform to build on, rather than a one-off event; we have a couple in mind in the church to be the people to take this forward, and we’re hoping that Andrew & Ruth will be able to get alongside them at various points during their two-week stay here.

While I was writing this very entry, I’m sad to say that we learned of a morally compromised situation between two Christians we work alongside. These things just do not go away in this culture. We pray that the marriage course will play a small part in establishing God’s declared will for loving relationships here in this small corner of Bolivia.

"Chau"/"Bye"/"Sniffle"/"So long" (L-R). A quick snap before Maicol & KC
boarded the first of many, many vehicles.

Prayer

• For safe travels for Andrew & Ruth, who set off from Heathrow on Tuesday and eventually get to Trinidad on Thursday (the course begins next Monday, the 5th of October).
• People who came to hear our report in churches last year may remember Yoselín, a girl Amanda has worked with extensively over the years. She comes from a very challenging family background and now, in her early teenage years, her behaviour is being affected by such factors. Please pray for patience for Amanda as she continues to mentor Yoselín in the ways of God.
• Last night, our dear friends Maicol, KC and Caleb left Trinidad to begin their journey to the USA, where they will now be settling as a family. We give thanks for the way that God has so clearly paved the way for them to be able to return to Seattle over the past months, and for their great friendship to us and many others here. We will miss them greatly. Pray for the LORD’s continued guidance to them.
• Oh, and that means we are now the last missionaries standing here at Fundación Totaí/El Jireh Church (just to contextualise that, there were five full-time missionary couples when we arrived here in January 2010). That is both encouraging (the work does not depend on foreigners to move forward) and somewhat daunting! Please pray for wisdom as we seek to give a godly example in all that we do, and for others to come alongside us and encourage us, so that we can better serve others.
• There's been a last-minute cancellation for the youth service tomorrow night, and as a result, Craig somehow has to come up with a talk, er, today! Prayer appreciated.

Praise

• Craig had a really encouraging visit with Carlos & Carla earlier this week, who are holding up remarkably well despite the loss of their motorcycle, and who, in true Macedonian style, have even found opportunities to bless others this week. We’re delighted to see this.
• For a much-needed rest for adoption-related issues this week (our lawyer has been out of town). We know we need to push on with this again when she gets back, but we have really benefitted, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically, from this break in play.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda

Saturday Post -- 26/03/11

Much like Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins (though without the dodgy cockney accent), regular readers will know that I've been our church's one-man-band for most of the time we've been here. Unlike old Dick, I keep it simple with just a guitar, which I endeavour to strum in as rhythmic a fashion as possible, so as to create some semblance of percussiveness. It's not great for the strings, but there you go. Anyway, a couple of months ago, one of my friends and co-workers from FT, Wilson, started learning the guitar pretty seriously and approached me about playing along with me on Sundays. A few weeks later, a new family arrived at the church, whose eldest son, Diego, is a keen keyboard player and is interested to learn more worship songs. So I asked him if he'd be interested in joining a worship band while he was at it. He said yes and so Wilson, Diego and I are having our first church band practice this Monday at 5pm. I'm not expecting instant results by any means, but the prospect of a little responsibility being lifted from my shoulders on a Sunday is an exciting one -- and after all, mission work is all about training the natives and, in the process, 'working yourself out of a job'. We'll be away for two months later this year, so I would at least like to have a small bank of songs that the guys can draw from whenever I'm out of Trinidad.

On the subject of travels, with the drier winter months approaching, thoughts are turning to work-based excursions at Fundación Totaí. A team of ear & hearing workers from FT are hoping to travel to the remote village of Santa Ana in May or June and Amanda may get the chance to be part of that, on what would be her first such excursion. Beans on toast for me that week then!

Meanwhile, back in Trinidad, we've been overseeing the exams this week for the first module of classes. Most students turned up for it (a far from insignificant occurrence here in Bolivia) and most got themselves a pass. There were a few who didn't quite manage and we'd appreciate your prayers for them, that they would continue to come to the class so that we can keep up the contact with them. We want students to appreciate the value of learning new skills above the value of an exam pass. This coming week we're having snacks and the presentation of certificates to all students, with those who didn't pass receiving a certificate of attendance. And the following week, we'll begin the second of the year's four modules.

I also feel I'm settling in well to the classroom English I'm teaching at the school up the road from FT. I'm gradually getting used to the sloth-like pace; of the hour or so available, I'm finding that I need the first 30 minutes just to remind students of what we've learned so far. But I'm developing a good rapport with the students and I feel that's starting to pay dividends when it comes to motivation and behaviour. Probably the most important lesson I learned while teaching in the UK was that you can vanquish a whole range of potential behaviour issues in one fell swoop by simply developing a positive relationship with students.

We've just sent out our latest three-monthly newsletter. If you haven't been sent a copy, be sure to let us know and we'll add you to our mailing list.

Prayer
• For our English students, that all would be encouraged by their progress in the first module and that we would be able to maintain a contact with them all.
• For the new worship band, that we would be able to play in church some time within the next few months and that we would grow together as brothers in Christ in the process.

Praise
• For new opportunities opening up for Amanda outside Trinidad.
• For Craig's progress in his English classes in the local school.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda