I have my final farewell from Internado and Ixiamas folks last Thursday. Since most of the kids have left school and Internado at different times for the last 2 wks, I have been saying good bye for the last 2-3 weeks. Our dorm supervisor for the girls left about 3 weeks ago also.

Our oldest boy in the Internado, Miguel is having his high school graduation today in Ixiamas. I felt so bad to miss it, as I needed to be here in LaPaz to catch my flight on Monday.

We had our farewell dinner with all the kids, Internado staff and parents last Sunday.Some kids are left in the Internado this week for their make -up class and exams.

I will be at SIFAT, Alabama from December 2nd to December 20th. It`s a long journey to get home to the Philippines. I hope to be in the Philippines just before Christmas Day.

I have had many, many  good -byes in the last 10 years of my life, still I am not good with it. I have improve though. It`s still always emotional. 

I hope to share some of my reflections with my time here in Bolivia and Internado in my next  posting.

Hasta la vista,

Vicky

 

 

Here´s a letter I posted to the SIFAT staff last weekend. I want to thank the Lord for those who have been praying for me and with me for the Internado folks. Also I thank the Lord as  once again has shown that He is a God of impossibilities.

About same time last year, when the opportunity to go to Bolivia came up, I had no imagination how in the world I could get to Bolivia from my far away country. While praying to go to Bolivia or not, I also did research on how to get a visa and exhaust all possibilities of flight routes. For about 4 – 5 months I tried to find a route from Philippines to Bolivia. I thought it was almost impossible. I did not know that time of any Filipinos going to Bolivia.

However, the Lord made a way! To God be the Glory! Here´s my letter to SIFAT staff just to share with you. I wrote this last week, I only have a week now in Bolivia. (Courtney, thanks for your letter!Its an encouragment to know that there people reading my blog :))

Hola SIFAT staff,
Can you believe I only got 2 weeks in Bolivia, but only 1 week with the kids? School year ends by next weekend. And kids go back to their homes. It seems it was just yesterday, when I started researching for Bolivia. Around same time last year, when I was looking and researching on visa how to get to Bolivia, and praying same time how to get here. And now, my time is over.I can´t explain all the mixed emotions going on inside of me. I wish I could describe it better with words on how I am feeling right now. Of course, very sad to leave…I am excited though to see yall again, and anxious for what is next.
Just when I hit 5 weeks before  I   leave BoliviaI I almost checked out. I started to think of things I will be doing next. I started thinking what I could be doing, and the things I hope I could do, or will do. Again, I forgot this main thing…here, now. 
Here.Now. With due respect to the Learn and Serve folks, please excuse me Nate and Jamie for borrowing this title,”Here.Now”, just to share some reflection and thoughts as I leave Bolivia. “Here and Now” is a big lesson I´m still learning (todavia) in my life.
Actually, few months prior to coming to SIFAT last year, I wrote in my journal an article on my reflection from my time in China, and the title is the same, “Here.Now”. So,  I was surprised when I came to SIFAT and saw the theme of the Learn and Serve as the same.
I realized that one of my regrets or mistakes,or a main lesson I should have learned long time ago, is to be “Here and Now”,  Which means, to enjoy the moment. I had the tendency to make myself busy with so many things, at the same time think and plan ahead or sometimes worry about the future, instead of enjoying the time being, for that particular time, for that particular place with the very people I am with. I ended up loosing the  joy of capturing the opportunity, the moment.Then, afterwards, I ended up wasting my time regretting what I have lost. I was also guilty of wasting the time by complaining and whining instead of being “thankful” for what God has given me for that time.
One week, 7 days, and two weeks, 14 days. I could still watch the orange -yellow sun that  rises above the trees infront  of my room   when I wake up in the morning. I could still watch the colorful sky that turns yellow, with pink,to purple as the sun  goes down behind the hills at the back of my and balcony.
I could still see the birds that fly around and above the building. I could still watch the zillion of bright stars that dusted the sky on every pitch dark night.  I could still enjoy playing and washing in the river.   I could still enjoy my walk to and fro the town as I watch the little and big pigs on the road, with the chickens, and wild horses and cows roaming around the town. I could still play with Snicker,(the little black dog) and sometimes with Scott and Stronger (the other dogs of Internado).
And most of all, I could still be with the Internado kids, for now, here at this moment.
Right here, right now.
The Lord has taught me a lot of things while being here in Bolivia. HE has blessed me in everyway. I hope to share more next time.
Hasta la vista!
Vicky


 

Hola de Ixiamas! Believe it or not, I  only have 3 weeks left here in Bolivia, and only  couple of weeks with the kids! I am having all kinds of mixed emotions.

The kids at the Internado finishes their school year by the 3rd week of November.  I will be in the USA for 2-3 weeks in December to visit SIFAT,  then back to the Philippines for Christmas time.Yeah, time flies!  
 It has been an interesting and challenging time being in a new continent and a different culture from Asia.  As I mentioned earlier,  Bolivia I would say is a unique nation and very diversed compared to other Latin American nations.  I enjoyed the warm weather in the tropical jungle where I live with the Internado folks, and the same time,  I also enjoy my visits to the cold- weather highlands in LaPaz.   I see more and more the beauty of God`s creation in this place.   As I get to know more the culture and  the people I have come to appreciate more  this nation. I observe that Bolivianos seemed to be the most polite and the sweetest people I have met.  They are very humble people too but, they also have an interesting  way of expressing themselvesas their history have accounts of  a series of revolution, civil wars, political unrest, violence.Anyway, God has been so gracious to me allowing to be part of the ministry of SIFAT Internado, even though it was only for a short period of time. It has been a challenge, fun, adventure and a great blessing too. I had fun with the jungle tours I had been, the hike to the Falls, knowing all kinds of trees and shrubs, fishing piranhas with the alligators in a muddy river, and playing with the kids in the river. Washing my clothes in the river has been a normal way for me to have clean clothes.. For more than 6  months I survived without a phone!  I wish I could share more my fun and adventures here in Bolivia. But just to update you with the Internado folks.

Life Goes On in the Internado…

It’ Spring -Summer here in the tropics of Ixiamas. The weather is great at night and early mornings. And of course very warm on daytime.  Only two more weeks left for the kids to be in school, and It´s more challenge for Rachel and the dorm parents with the kids as they become more restless, awaiting for their grand school vacation. The kids are also busy with their school tests and completing their school requirements. 

Within the 6 month I have been, it seems to me that most of the kids have grown a inch taller, or maybe just my imagination. However, Snicker the used -to- be small pup has grown bigger for real. Scott the white-brown dog still chases the motorbikes, the pigs , chickens, and continues to pick up fight with the other dogs in town. He is now a mainstay on the road, and rarely visits Internado. Stronger the other dog, seem to support Scott more being on the road. The used to be three little pigs of Internado, are now two big fat pigs.

For about 2 weeks,  we had a new member in Internado, a brown squirrel that kids held in a small cage and became their pet. Rachel being merciful, let go of the poor little creature, and sent  back to the mother nature. Construction of the new building has done a lot of progress. The rabbit house is all ready for the rabbits to come.

I continue to take kids in the Internet to learn this technology. The kids are enjoying learning to write emails to our past interns. I really appreciate the Auburn interns as they faithfully answer each email of the kids.

Anyway, would appreciate your prayers for all of us as we finish the year. I would like to have a meaningful time with the kids for these coming weeks.

God bless yall!

Ciao, Vicky 



 

Hola from La Paz! I`ve been here in LaPaz this week for visa stuff. Again, I thank God for working it out. Prior to coming here it was quite an ordeal. Last week, I was in Rurre for my visa extension (again), then to La Paz for the US visa. However, in the middle of this travelling, there was a huge “marcha” or rally from different parts of the region to the main city of LaPaz last Monday.  My appointment with the US Embsy was moved to another day…and thank God, it worked out.

While stuck in Rurre, I saw the news about the huge rally in La Paz, and it was kinda scary. However, thank God it all work out, and it was not bloody nor violence. The people of Bolivia are having issues with having a new constitution. So, I got here in LaPaz 3 days ago safe and sound, and had a wonderful long bus ride again thru the Death Road. This time, I enjoyed more the bus ride.

I realized I only have few weeks left here in Bolivia. Time flies so fast.  I started to reflect on my time here  and would try to share them with you the coming weeks.

I am appreciating more being here and learning about the culture and the people. I am enjoying more and more the beauty of this country. Bolivia is special and unique in different ways. I love the diversity of this nation. Much as I like warm weather and simple life in the jungle (Ixiamas), I also like the beuty of the landscape of the highlands (LaPaz and Altiplano), as well as the cool weather.

Anyway, back to Ixiamas,just to share with you some stuff I had with the kids before I left for travelling.

After few months of teaching English and Computer to the kids, it is still a challenge for some of the kids to grasp foreign stuff to them. I started teaching Internet to my class. Since our facility at the Internado does not have Internet connection, I have to take the kids to the town for the class.I take 2 kids at a time,
 The small town of Ixiamas in the middle of the jungle has only certain hours of electricity in a day, (actually the electricity is run by public generator) which conflicts with the time of the kids at school. Sometimes, I have to take kids at night, which is not a preferrable time because it is usually dark to walk. And before I left Ixiamas last week, we usually were having power off nights..Anyway, it still work out to have internet classes.

 It still amuses  me  that with most of the kids ( middle and high school),  are their first time to know about the amazing wonder of Internet. With limited Spanish I try to explain to them how Internet works and how useful it is and it would be for their studies.
Anyway, for some of the older kids they are using more the help of computer with their studies.
I try to encourage them how it would be useful in the future especially in getting jobs or to get to university. (I still try my best to simplify the usefulness of Internet to aid them with their daily studies as the school in Ixiamas do not have library).  For a lot of kids in the countryside, I heard they usually do not think about going to the university for education, maybe because of poverty.
With my role with the kids, for me it is not just about teaching them knowledge or skills, but I also try to encourage them to dream, to hope, to believe, and for them to know how God could be real in their lives. When I look at their environment, the poverty and the seemingly hopeless
life in the middle of the jungle, I could agree with them how on earth could there be hope in life.
But when I think and remember what God has done in my life, how he brought me from a very small and poor little town in a place in the Philippines where no one would know, I know God could do it also in their lives.

Thank you for your prayers for the Internado kids. Let us continue to pray for them for God`s purposes and plans for each of their lives.

Ciao, Vicky

Chaco Day, A Bugs Life,

The last few weeks have gone by quickly and here are some of my adventures here in the Amazon Forest.

Chaco Day. Few  weeks ago, for 2 weekends, the Internado folks  (workers and kids) had to go to chaco   (farming field) to work. Its about 3 miles from the Internado Property. Hermano Andres works there everyday taking care of the banana trees, cacao and other vegetables. For 2 Sundays, we helped him weed the plants.  On the first Sunday, we worked all day using machete to cut the tall weeds and other wild grass that grew around  the field.  Few kids were assigned each row. I paired up with some of the girls, and since I was not familiar with how they do it, I had to ask her where is our area. As I carpir (cut) the tall, wild grass and other weeds, I was excited cutting anywhere. So  the girls had to  tell me several times, “that is not our row”.  Besides the heat of the sun, we also had to work through some attacks of the bees and other bugs.  I tried to be careful as I was already beaten by a wasp just few days before that. Sad to say, Rachel was beaten by some wasps. She is okay though Mrs. Marsha.  We brought our lunch ( a vegetable salad with sardines and rice of course) and had a picnic at the barn.  After the long day work, some of the girls walked to the nearby river or streams of water.

The following  day  I didn’t realized how tiring it was, and I was sore and achy all over. I thought it was the age, but some of the girls had the same thing.    We all showed each other the callous and cuts we had on our fingers from the carpir. I enjoyed though working with the earth. The following weekend, some of the kids who didn’t get to go the previous weekend, had to go. For which I had to stay in the Internado to watch the kids who didn’t go the 2nd Sunday.

A BugS Life.

Back to the story where I was beaten by a wasp couple of weeks ago.We normally have wasps and other bugs flying around (of course) esp at night when there is light, all kinds of bugs in different colors, shapes and sizes fly around. One lunch time, as a usual thing there were some wasps flying around, I did not notice one on my drinking cup, until I felt a sharp pain and sting on my mouth. I screamed but it was too late. (most of the kids were gone in the river, they did not hear my scream.)  Just after few minutes, a kid noticed my lip is different. For a couple of days, half of my lip is swollen, and  I felt the sting, eventhough I put some hydrocortisone and took some paracetamol.   Just before that, I was also beaten by giant red ants that left  some marks around my right hand up to now. Its funny for me that it seems coming here in the jungle has change my prayer from he place where I used to be. Before, I would pray, “Lord protect me from watching eyes, and from dangers of being caught by the country authorities because of the work I do for you.”

Now my prayer sometimes is like this, “Lord protect me from the bugs” and when I go to the river, “Lord let me not meet a bibora (snake) today, or something like  this “ I would not really appreciate a visit of a cayman, not today!”  Some kids claimed that they saw some snakes in the river.

To be continued…a Bugs Life

 

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