Greetings from SIFAT, Alabama! I should have written this a week ago, coming back here in the USA, I slid back to the norm  (?) of  busy, busy  and fast -track American life. Anyway, here is  to share with you my last couple of days in Bolivia, and also to share some of my reflection on my 7 -month life in Bolivia. 

I had a good visit with the family of Ivan Roman (a.k.a. Bully), as they had been a great host for me everytime I was in La Paz. I really enjoyed my time with their kids. Also I congratulate them with their  new bundle of blessing, Anna Irena, their 1- month old baby. I was also blessed to have a little time of visit with a couple of sisters in their Fellowship, Maria and Naomi Ruth. 

On my last evening,Sunday night, I was happy to get together with the former dorm supervisors of Internado, Judith and Ruth. We had fun talking and reminiscing Internado memories while having coffee in Calle Sagarnaga. We all then had to say good bye, with tears in our eyes, as we do not know if we will see each other again in this lifetime. I was thankful to the Lord as those two sisters have been my good friends. I told them, they were my first Boliviano friends.

I thought that was my last good- bye in Bolivia, but then another surprise. Monday early morning, Isaac Paredes and his  dad,  Benjo drove me to the airport. It was my a blessing to meet for the first time  Mr.Benjo, an ever faithful servant of God. 

When I boarded the plane for the flight La Paz-Sta. Cruz to Miami, just after I buckled my belt and wore my shades,  the  long over due tears finally rolled down  my cheeks. It was I think from all the overwhelming mixed -emotions. Knowing it’s time to go, I was of course very sad to leave the children from Internado and to say good-bye to some great people in Bolivia who became friends.

I was also overwhelmed with God’s grace and good ness and I kept telling myself, “Lord, I do not deserve your goodness”.

Maria, a dear sister from a church, asked me something like, how I would remember Bolivia. Of course I said that Bolivia is a beautiful country and I like the diversity (it was true though). I told her that “Bolivia people are the most beautiful and nicest people I ‘ve met”.  They are very humble, polite, friendly and kind. Now I understand why Ms.Sarah Corson just love these people.

I am truly thankful and blessed with the way the people of Ixiamas and La Paz had received me eventhough they did not really know me, a total stranger, from a different culture and far away place.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with the Internado folks.  My time with the children of Internado  was fun  and exciting. Eventhough it was not that long, my 7 month time being with the kids I hope had been a positive influence in their lives. It was fun to see them use the service of computer with their studies. I know I didn’t do much, but at least they were able to be familiar with the use of computer. With  my limited language, I still had fun times with the kids.  I they  they had felt the love of  Christ in me eventhough my Spanish was not very good.  They know that I will miss them, I’m just thankful that most of them left for home after the school year before I left.  (At least, it was not too bad,  they left first :))

I am grateful to all the folks, churches and individuals who have been supporting the work in Internado, Ixiamas for the past few years. The Internado (Boarding Home) has a unique opportunity to reach out and train the young people of Ixiamas and other communities around. I am blessed to work with Rachel and the staff at the Internado. Again, I am thankful to the SIFAT folks in Alabama for the opportunity they had given me to serve in Ixiamas.  I am most thankful to all the staff of SIFAT for their prayers, love and support. I also thank the Lord for Ms.Sarah Corson who had been an inspiration, an encouragement and a friend especially during some difficult times.

For those who have been reading my stories in the blog and had prayed for the Internado folks and for me, thank you so much to yall!

It was a blessed and fun year of new adventures being in  Bolivia.  He has taught me a lot of things, and has changed me and space is not enough to write them all. The Lord bless yall!

Ciao to yall, hasta la vista!

Vicky

   

  

We have exciting news to share – the bridge project in Quesimpuco, Bolivia, has been completed! Bolivar Sanga, the SIFAT engineer overseeing this project, called right before the SIFAT staff sat down for Thanksgiving lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 26. He e-mailed some photos of the bridge to us, and we wanted to share these with you.

Thank you for your prayers and support during this project. By partnering with Bridges to Prosperity, we learned new appropriate technology to build this bridge with the community at a much lower cost than anticipated. Auburn UMC raised the money for supplies and sent multiple mission teams to help with the project. Mt. Bethel UMC’s first SIFAT team to Bolivia also served with this project.

Here are some of the photos for you to enjoy:

Attaching the decking to the bridge

The bridge is about 400 feet long.

It is 100 feet above the river.

      

All the materials not available at the site had to be transported by hand from Quesimpuco down the mountain to the site. Cable, cement, sand and wood were carried on people’s backs for hours.

       

This year, people will be able to safely cross the Chayanta River to reach the village of Quesimpuco, where they can attend church, receive medical treatment and go to school. They will be connected with the rest of the world, even during the rainy season!

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 

 

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