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Our current intern in Ixiamas, Bolivia, is 2008 Practicum graduate Becky Forrest. During Practicum, Becky shared her experience on our blog. Now that she is in an intetn in Bolivia, she will post updates as our interns in 2008 did. Becky served on short-term mission trips in 2007 and 2008 in Ixiamas. We are continuing the rice harvest, and I am beginning to get the feel of it, even though the kids and everyone else works rings around me. The neat thing about being out there is the sounds. There are so many different kinds of birds with some very strange sounding songs, singing constantly. One day, we were working near the tree line and things kept falling out of this really big tree. The kids said there was a monkey up there, but we never saw it. Saturday, a couple of pairs of parrots were sitting high up in a palm tree making all sorts of sounds. You can hear all the insects and their songs. The field is beautiful with really tall trees all around it, and when the wind blows in the field through the tops of rice, making a sort of rattling sound. Everyone is spread out cutting the rice tassels many times in silence just working away in their own thoughts as they cut the rice trying to get more done than the person working just a few meters away. Sometimes someone will start singing, and the song floats across the field. Occasionally, a cooling shower of rain will come along or it could be a downpour, most of the time when we leave our clothes are soaking wet from sweat. That is when I am glad to have these nice cold water showers. Several people have asked if I am really eating rice three times a day. No, but close. Some days we have noodles. My favorite, being a southern girl, is having black-eyed peas and rice twice a week. We have an excellent cook that seasons everything really well. Several times a week, we have rice and a salad made with cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. On Saturday, we have potato salad made with potatoes, carrots and chicken mixed up with homemade mayo. We have a little meat of some sort daily. It is usually ground beef, chicken, canned meat sort of like spam and canned fish with a tomato sauce. We have soup several times a week; one of my favorites has a grain called quinoa which is very high in protein. My least favorite breakfast is rice with beets and onions. I like beets okay, just not for breakfast. We have fried plantains with almost every meal. The rice and noodles are always browned before cooking. The reason for this I don´t know yet, except that is how it is done in Bolivia. Thanks for all the prayers and financial support, so I can be here in Bolivia to live this fascinating journey God is taking me on. Grace, love and peace Hermana Rebecca (Becky) Our current intern in Ixiamas, Bolivia, is 2008 Practicum graduate Becky Forrest. During Practicum, Becky shared her experience on our blog. Now that she is in an intetn in Bolivia, she will post updates as our interns in 2008 did. Becky served on short-term mission trips in 2007 and 2008 in Ixiamas. I have been here almost a week now and am beginning to get settled in. All the unpacking is done, and my room is just about fixed the way I want it. Some hot water would be nice occasionally, but you can’t have everything! The trip from La Paz went well, but I must tell about the mini bus ride from Rurre. Rachel and I had to wait several hours for the bus to get full before they would leave, but then the driver was not around. Finally another driver said he would take us. His bus was an ancient Suburban–Rachel and I figured it was from the early 70’s. If it had been in the states it would have been long turned into scrap. There was a man traveling with a broken leg, so he had the back seat and paid for 3 seats so he could stretch his leg out. That left where the normal third set would be. Well they had removed it and replaced it with a bench seat on each side. There were three of us on one side and four on the other. Most Bolivians are very short people and don’t require a lot of head room, but I had to really pay attention to the road so I didn’t bang my head on each bump. Those of you who have been here know there are quite a few pot holes in the roads here which are all dirt. With only two stops to make minor repairs, one being getting water out of a ditch to put in the radiator that was beginning to overheat a little, we made it to the Internado for supper. I made a grand entrance by toppling over backwards from the weight of my backpack as I got off the motor taxi I had ridden on from town. Needless to say all the kids had a good laugh. Monday morning, we all went to work harvesting the rice. This was really an experience for me. All the rice is harvested by hand with a pocket knife. About six acres have been planted, and the harvest has just begun. I managed to fill a little over a half a sack. Needless to say, I had the least amount. Then you have to carry your sack back to the truck, which is a good hike. The kids work really hard and several were singing to pass the time. We saw several pairs of McCaw’s fly over while out there working. The countryside is so beautiful here, and being the rainy season, everything is very green and lush. The views out of my window are gorgeous, and I thank God everyday for creating such a beautiful world for his creatures to live in. Most nights are cloudy, so I haven’t really been able to spend much time stargazing, but I anxiously await a good clear night because the stars look like you could reach out and touch them.
Thanks for all of your prayers for everyone here at the Internado. Grace, peace and love, Hermana Becky Our current intern in Ixiamas, Bolivia, is 2008 Practicum graduate Becky Forrest. During Practicum, Becky shared her experience on our blog. Now that she is in an intetn in Bolivia, she will post updates as our interns in 2008 did. Becky served on short-term mission trips in 2007 and 2008 in Ixiamas. It doesn’t seem possible that I have been in Bolivia for two weeks. Time has been flying by, and although Spanish is improving, it still has a long way to go. Pastor Ivan Roman has been a very patient teacher. Along with Spanish lessons, he and his family have taken me in and given me some very delicious local meals with a few Puerto Rican dishes thrown in. One was a stew containing tripe. This was a first for me, but I did take a try at it. It was sort of like eating frog legs for me I just couldn’t get past the mental thing, but the stew itself was very tasty. I joined the family for a trip up to Alto for Bible school with the children there. Unfortunately, I left my camera at the hotel and missed out on some beautiful pictures of some very dear children. The Christian brothers and sisters of Bolivia have been so warm and welcoming. I have enjoyed two services with Pastor Ivan in his home church. Today I actually was able to join in with most of the songs. One evening before Rachel and Mateo left for Ixiamas, Mateo’s church had a special prayer service at his parents’ home. This was a very spirit filled evening that I will always remember. I cannot thank everyone enough for their prayers and support. It means so much to know that I have so many praying for me from all over the world. I have had many emails from my SIFAT Practicum family assuring me that I am in their prayers as I begin this new journey of my life. Many of them have much persecution in their countries and they also need the prayers of all who read this. On Thursday, I will be traveling to Ixiamas. I will be so glad to get to the Internado and see the kids. They will help me improve my Spanish very quickly. My posts will be much more interesting when I am living at the Internado. Hasta luego Hermana Rebecca (Becky)
Do you ever want to give more to SIFAT, but find that you don’t have much spare change to contribute? We have many ways of donating to SIFAT – financially, volunteering, wish list items. However, you can sometimes give indirectly to SIFAT by continuing your daily routines! Using the Internet can help SIFAT! You can sign up for iGive (it’s free!), choose SIFAT-Servants in Faith and Technology as your charity and start searching the web or shopping online. Unlike GoodSearch and GoodShop (where you do not have to sign up), members have the option of sharing theirnames to SIFAT, as well as getting tax-deductions for the donations. Each iSearchiGive search gives two cents to SIFAT, and through iGive shopping, percentages from your purchase are given by the merchants to SIFAT. Click here to see what stores are part of the Mall at iGive. More stores are being added daily. The direct links are www.iGive.com/sifat or www.iSearchiGive.com/sifat. Happy New Year! Constance, one of our 2008 Practicum graduates, has recovered from a successful surgery and is now back home with her family. She arrived in Nigeria on New Year’s Day. In her e-mail to us, she excitedly told of reuniting with her family at Sunday morning worship on Jan. 3. During January, she will be joining her church family in prayer and fasting as she seeks how God wants her to implement the training she received at SIFAT into her work with women and girls. Don’t forget, you can always access both present and past Journals on the news page! |
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