Bolivia: Mt. Bethel UMC Team Checks In!
The Mt. Bethel UMC mission team is currently in Quesimpuco, Bolivia. Each year, a group of men from Marietta, Ga., look forward to spending time together serving the people in this remote Andean village and sharing during devotions. SIFAT’s executive director Tom Corson, administrator Terry Haynes and board member Art Stephenson joined this team. Bert Blanchard, a former team leader, could not go this year, but he has been sending out daily updates he receives from the team to family and former team members. Bert’s updates include photos, descriptions and stories from previous years that will help you understand the landscape and culture of the area. For more information on SIFAT’s work in Quesimpuco, download our latest update here.
Update 1
The team left Atlanta on Friday, October 23, to begin the long journey to Quesimpuco. We have combined Bert’s updates from Saturday through Monday into this first post. Tomorrow, we’ll post the next couple days of updates.
Saturday, October 24
The team made it safely to La Paz after a long overnight flight. Everyone and everything made it through customs, and the group ate breakfast before starting the long road trip. They were able to send the photo below.
 Local guys help the team load their luggage on the roofs of jeeps for the second leg of their trip to Quesimpuco – a day-long drive on mountain roads!
Today’s devotion: Our Image is His Image
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26
View More →
Ecuador: Summer Intern Wrap-Up
Bethany Lake interned in Ecuador with us this summer. She has now been back for a few weeks, but wanted to share her final journals with us. Thank you, Bethany, for your service in Ecuador and for sharing your experiences on our blog! You can read Bethany’s previous posts here (introduction) and here (first two weeks).
 Thank you, Bethany, for all of your energy helping our Ecuadorian teams this summer! We could not have done it without your enthusiasm and hard work.
Ecuador: Update from Bethany
Bethany Lake is sharing about her five-week internship in Ecuador this summer. She traveled to Ecuador twice as a middle schooler, participated in Learn & Serve with her youth group and just completed her freshman year of college. We look forward to hearing about her adventures this summer with our short-term teams! You read her first post here.
These past two weeks have been absolutely incredible! The Lord has been moving in Ecuador. The first week, I was picked up from the hotel by Dr. Roberto and Jose to go to the airport to receive the team from Texas A&M, as well as Tom (SIFAT’s executive director) and Peggy (SIFAT’s international team coordinator). The team had about 28 members with the majority coming from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College of Nursing, Ragel College of Pharmacy and School of Public Health, but about 9 came from the Texas A&M Department of Construction Science. We had an incredible week with amazing results.
 The Texas A&M team at the middle of the world! This was the first SIFAT team of the summer in Ecuador, and they brought both medical and construction components.
Ecuador: Meet our 2015 Intern
Bethany Lake will be sharing about her five-week internship in Ecuador this summer. She participated in two trips as a child that made a lasting impact on her life. Bethany also attended Learn & Serve Summer Experience with SIFAT. She has regularly supported SIFAT, as we chronicled in the May 2008 issue of the SIFAT Journal. We look forward to hearing about her adventures this summer with our short-term teams!
 Bethany’s first trip to Ecuador in 2007.
Hi, my name is Bethany Lake, and I am a sophomore at Elon University in North Carolina, double majoring in biostatistics and public health. I went on my first mission trip with SIFAT in 2007 as a fifth grader when my world was changed. I saw and understood global needs for the first time and recognized what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ. As I left Ecuador to return home, I knew that I wanted to be back, and I hoped that the Lord wanted me back in Ecuador, as well. The next year, my church once again took the high school students to Ecuador. I was able to again tag along with my mom and older siblings, even though I was younger than anyone else on the team. This within itself was an answered prayer to me. Just the opportunity to go back to the place that captured my heart was the most amazing thing! Fast forward eight years, and here I am, once again watching my dreams come true as I intern with SIFAT. I have had the dream of again returning to Ecuador as an adult to not only work with children, but also experience the medical/public health side of missions. Not a day goes by that I’m not in prayer for the people of Ecuador, and I am in complete awe of the way the Lord is working in my life and that I have the opportunity to go back to the place that captured my heart so many years ago.
 Bethany in 2015 as an international intern for SIFAT
Spring 2015 Journal
Our Spring 2015 Journals have been mailed. We also post each issue on the News page of our website. To read the latest issue, click here.
|
|
