Holistic Community

Last Sunday, most of our church spent the whole morning cleaning up the area around our church, particularly the riverbed next to the church... a.k.a. TRASH DUMP. It was a neat bonding experience, although a little ironic, because a good deal of the trash is created by the church. The youth especially just throw their wrappers outside the church door, without regard to how it looks. Plus, we created more pollution by burning the trash and all the weeds in the riverbed. But, when in Bolivia...

Drew & the Sunday school kiddos moving rocks

me raking the fire

My community at school is becoming just that: a community. I am so grateful for connections that I have built with my co-workers, and that my job is no longer just a job, but a place where I am holistically building relationships. Just this last week, I discovered that another one of my co-workers is a believer, and as a result, I had several really encouraging conversations with her. Two years ago, there was only one believer working at Calvert. Now there are ten or more! We're all meeting next Friday for a time of fellowship and prayer. It's just beautiful to be surrounded by other people in the family:)

Last weekend, we also had a staff party to celebrate our recent full accreditation as a school, based on an accreditation team's evaluation last week. It was held at the country house of my boss, way up in the mountains, overlooking the city and the flower fields. We ate good food, played games, and danced all sorts of traditional Bolivian dances together. It was a rich time of fellowship and community. All the workers came, too, and it was the first time I've seen them truly be included in our school community like they were last weekend.

a goofy pic taken on my computer

with my friends

friendship night at youth group

An Australian guy I volunteered with last year has been working to create a Christmas sponsorship program for the ministries I was/am involved with in Cochabamba, as well as a few additional ministries. He has created a website dedicated to these ministies and their needs, so if you are interested in sponsoring one of the kids from the Frutillar orphanage for a Christmas gift, or meeting the daily needs of the Center I worked/work at, then visit: http://www.navidadenbolivia.info/. If you decide you want to donate or sponsor a child, fill out the information on the website, but also let me know since I am the direct contact for the Frutillar orphanage. Your payment will go to me, as I will then distribute the money here in Bolivia once the sponsorships are all filled.

a reader's theater we did today about penguins

my second graders did an AMAZING job

and here they all are! (missing 2)

Katie

P.S. Found the first scorpion of the season in my room. 2009 scorpion count: 3