#8-14 part 2: Nations and Generations (Bolivia)
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
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Hope Chest Home School News
with Virginia Knowles
November 4, 2005
#8-14: Nations and Generations
Part 2
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Dear Hope Chest readers,
Here is part 2 of the Nations and Generations issue. I think you'll enjoy the long-awaited pieces by my oldest daughters, Mary and Julia, about their trips to Bolivia this summer. As a mother, it was somewhat hard for me to let them go so far away, especially when Bolivia was such in terrible political turmoil. In the end, with assurances from the pastor in La Paz that it was finally safe enough, we decided to trust God and send them on their way. I'm glad we did. As I have long said, I don't think a person's education is truly complete until they have served for at least a wee bit of time in a third-world country! There is nothing quite like a dose of reality to open the eyes of an American teen!
Blessings,
Virginia
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Bolivia Journal by Mary Knowles
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[My oldest daughter, Mary, who is 18, spent ten days in La Paz, Bolivia, on a mission team this summer. Here is one day from the journal that she kept for her team.
July 4
July 4th marked the first day back to school for Bolivian students, and we returned to visit Colegio Vida y Verdad. This time, we met with specific grades in the Korean church nearby the school, for a brief message, testimonies and the Chair Skit. Since we were at a Christian school, we focused on the importance of a personal relationship with Christ as opposed to simply a hand-me-down faith received from their parents. Emily, Kipper and Ian shared their testimonies to show how God can work in the lives of students. The message seemed to resound with our audience, as several middle and high school students accepted Christ.
After these sessions, we split the team into two groups, one to teach 3rd-5th grade and the other for 1st-2nd grade. With the older group, the team taught a lesson from the Biblical parable about the woman who lost her coin and searched everywhere for it. Then they made bracelets with five colors of beads symbolizing the gospel message: black for sin, red for Jesus blood, etc. After the lesson, the kids asked for our signatures like we were celebrities!
With the younger children, we played outdoor games and made balloon animals. After many requests for elephant balloon animals at El Alto, we learned to restrict the balloon options to three: perro (dog), sombrero (hat), or espada (sword). Having released some of their energy, Debbie Cox taught this group a Bible lesson.
That afternoon, some of the team went on a final shopping run, while others opted to rest. In my posse of jewelry-hunting women, we found a little girl wandering in the street. Probably younger than two years old, this little girl stood only yards away from oncoming traffic. We set out to find her mother in the nearby shops, and couldnt track her down after asking several people. Finally, with some in our group contemplating adopting this child, we got a lead. Behind the storefronts, we wandered through a slum with sewage running in the narrow streets. Knocking on doors, we finally found someone who reluctantly claimed the child. That episode showed us that God would hand opportunities to us even while we were shopping!
At the youth meeting that night, we said many goodbyes. In only a week, we had forged friendships based on Christ. The Brañez family, the Dueris, the del Castillos, and so many others had become close to our hearts. Meeting all the people here from the church was just one of the major highlights of the trip, as Donovan said. The church bathed us in prayer before sending us off. As God brought you with peace, He will return you with peace, Marcelo said that night.
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A Love for Bolivia
By Julia Knowles
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Julia, who is 16, also spent 10 days in Bolivia, but she was way down in Entre Rios near the border of Argentina. Here is what she wrote about it for her Composition I class at Valencia Community College, where she is dual enrolled.
A Love for Bolivia
Julia Knowles
9/29/05
This summer, I had the privilege of going to Entre Rios, Bolivia, on a construction team with my church. A remote village near the border of Argentina, Entre Rios is so small that we had to take a bus for four hours through the mountains to get there. We packed our bags with eager hearts, not knowing what we would be doing when we arrived. One thing we did know was that there was plenty to be done.
While there were many aspects of this trip I could discuss, there was one that changed me dramatically. These wonderful people had so little, but they were always so happy. They always greeted us with smiles and small kisses on the cheek. They constantly looked for ways to serve us and were always willing to give up anything they had for us. They were continually amazed that we gave of our time and money to travel over 3,000 miles to come to help them at their mission. They did not understand, however, what a joy it was for us to serve them when they had selflessly served so many others. My team ended up cleaning and painting their mission and church. Painting for ten days straight might not seem like a fun summer to many people, but I had the time of my life and will never forget the experiences I had in Bolivia.
Countless times, they expressed their gratitude to us for coming to help. I wish that they knew how much they touched the hearts of our team members. Normally, when I thought of mission trips, I thought of what one was giving the other end. I sincerely believe that I took much more from this trip than I gave.
Everyone was moved in different ways. For me, I will never look at things the way I did before the trip. Before the trip, I didnt know what truly being selfless was. Raquel, the pastors wife in Entre Rios, was seven months pregnant while we were there. That didnt stop her from being on her feet all day cooking for us and others in the village. I will never look at material things the way I did before. When we gave a child a sticker or a lollipop in Bolivia, the child acted like it was Christmas. Experiencing the childrens excitement and joy over such small items moved me in more ways than I could imagine.
Now I will never look at a map of Bolivia and not have my heart overflow with love for the country. One item I can assure you I will not miss is the paint; I dont want to see it ever again!
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Web Links for Learning About the World
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Rachel saw an ad in a home school magazine for a free Rosetta Stone demo CD-ROM and ordered it. She, Joanna and Lydia have been using it, and say that it is very effective. It has the first several lessons for two dozen different languages. When I went to the web site, I found a link for a few on-line demo, but not for the CD-ROM. I guess the on-line demo is more cost-effective. Please do check it out, because one way your family can prepare for cross-cultural ministry is by learning another language! The full program costs $209 per language for Level 1, but I think its worth it. http://www.rosettastone.com/hs/free_demo
Barbara Franks article about learning current events
http://www.cardamompublishers.com/current-events-and-homeschooling.htm
The other day I received a copy of the 2006 Mission Maker annual magazine. There are myriad thoughtful and provoking articles in it which can clear up a lot of misconceptions about cross-cultural ministry. You can order one on-line for $7 at http://www.missionmakermagazine.org
Beyond the Gates of Splendor, is a feature length documentary narrated by Steve Saint, son of one of the five missionaries martyred in Ecuador in 1956. It is already available on DVD. End of the Spear, based on the same story, is a movie that is coming out in January in the theaters.
http://www.beyondthegatesthemovie.com/
Do you want to be notified of any news related to another country or any other topic of your choice? Sign up for automatic news alerts at http://www.cnn.com/youralerts/
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A Final Note from Virginia
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I hope that you have been blessed by this issue. Id like to close with a song that speaks my heart. It is from the CD called My Heart Rejoices, which is produced by Integrity Music, and written by John Chisum and George Searcy.
Heavenly Father, your mercy showers
Down upon all people, every race up on this earth
May Your Spirit pierce the darkness, break the chains of death upon us
Let us rise in honest worship to declare Your matchless worth!
Our heart, our desire, is to see the nations worship
Our cry, our prayer, is to sing Your praise to the ends of the earth
That with one mighty voice, every tribe and tongue rejoices
Our heart, our desire, is to see the nations worship you!
In His Sovereign Grace,
Virginia Knowles
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