moving... and HOME again!

party w/ the youth at my new house

I moved for the first real time since coming to Bolivia, and it was one of the easiest things I've ever done.  I was really only moving about 8 blocks down the road, but a good portion of the church offered to come over my second to last night in Coch to help me move everything.  They brought over their aguayos, the traditional blankets, and carried all my boxes on their backs.  When we got to my new house, we ate snacks and they prayed for me, my journey, and my new house.

carrying my boxes w/ aguayos

A few days later, I got on a plane (unbenownst to my family) and flew to Spokane to be at my brother Collin's graduation.  I wasn't supposed to come home until the beginning of June, but my boss gave me special permission to leave school 2 weeks early to be able to go to Collin's graduation from Whitworth.  I pulled up to Whitworth right when my parents were walking across the parking lot and ran to give them both big hugs as they just looked at me open-mouthed.  When I saw Collin, he was so surprised he just froze, unsure of what to do with himself or me.   It was really special to spend unexpected time with my family during graduation.  We just soaked in time together over blueberry pie, a worship service together at Collin and my church in Spokane, and hugs and pictures together after graduation.

 the fam

Granddad, Grandmom, Grampy, Gramma

me, Collin, mom, dad

My trip home brought several realizations.  When going through immigration, I was told that if I wanted to keep my residential visa of one year, I could only be out of the country for 90 days.  If I leave Bolivia for longer than 90 days, I will lose my visa and have to start all over again from scratch, beginning with ANOTHER objeto determinado, more long days of waiting in lines at immigration, and possibly another long journey before I can get a one year visa again.  So, long story short, I need to raise all my support before August 14th so that I can return to Bolivia and keep my visa.

goodbyes with 2nd grade
(they threw me the sweetest surprise going-away party EVER)

I must really need a lot more lessons in patience, because it seems like the visa process is NEVER over, and there’s almost another twist that thickens the plot.  But, as of yet, I've never been kicked out, arrested, or had any permanent repercussions, so for that I am grateful.  I have lots of Ebeneezers, lots of memories of God's faithfulness in the past.  It's the Ebeneezers that give me the confidence to keep moving forward in faith.

 saying goodbye to my housemates

My second realization came when I was getting on a plane for one of my connections to Spokane and the lady next to me asked me if I was leaving home or coming home.  I didn’t know what to tell her.  Where is home for me?  According to the Bolivian government, Bolivia is now home.  According to my family and half of my heart, Colorado is still home.  It's just the beginning of the tensions I'm going to feel living in Bolivia two more years as a missionary.

So, 79 days and about $25,000 left (or only $900/mo) to raise.  Thank you to all of you who have already come alongside me in prayer and financial support.  If you are planning to support me before I return to Bolivia, make it sooner rather than later!  I can't buy my return ticket until I have 100% support raised or raised in monthly pledges.

P.S. I leave soon for over 2 weeks of training in Chicago with International Teams.  If you want to write me, my address at training in Chicago from June 10th -June 25th is:
  Katie Stewart
  c/o International Teams 
  411 West River Road
  Elgin, IL  60123-1570

otherwise, I'm just at home in Carbondale, CO:
745 Sebree Place
Carbondale, CO 81623 

trust.

Psalm 139

  O LORD, you have searched me

       and you know me.

 You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.

 Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.

 You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.

traditional folkloric dance

most of the youth group

at a special event

So, here's where push really comes to shove.  My time in Bolivia is coming to a close and I have a LOT of support raising left.  I am grateful to those of you who have already committed to support me.  I know I said I want to learn to trust, and to trust God's timing, but TRUSTING IS HARD!!

the Lopez family

dedicating their new baby

I also get ready to say goodbye to the city I love for an undetermined time. The ambiguity of it is painful: a tightness in my chest, an ache deep within me. I know I will return, but not knowing when is just plain ¡DIFICIL!  Things with some of the youth are still in a hard, tense place, and it's difficult to leave them behind, knowing I will have little to no contact with them until I return.  But, at the same time, maybe it's a good thing.  Pulling away may be the reminder I need that it's not in my hands, but completely in His.

the neighborhood the Center is in

A few bullet points to pray for:

1. future housemate to live with me in my new apartment when I return.  I've never lived alone and it's a very frightening, hard prospect for me.

2. Someone to live in my apartment while I'm away.  I had to rent my apartment starting in June in order to have a place to store my things and a place to live in my neighborhood.  The longer I'm away, the more rent I have to pay while I'm not there.  I'd love to be able to bless someone in need, or find someone to offset the costs of my rent.

3. Support raising.  Like I said, it's a lesson in trust, but the longer it takes me, the longer I'm away from ministries I've deeply invested in, as well as close friends.

4. The Center.  It's going thru a lot of changes (good ones), but also is going thru some financial strain as they try to figure out where they will be located long-term, as the lease on their building is almost up.

Thanks for your prayers!