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

Second Grade Delights

75, 40, 31, 50, 100, 26 These are all ages that my second graders guessed when they were trying to figure out how old I was. I guess it makes me feel a little better that at least ONE of them guessed somewhat close to my real age. But 75? Really?

Rosalia, me, Humberto, Andreina & Reynaldo

A few weeks ago, a few close friends and I went to a natural hot springs way up in the Andes for Cochabamba Day. We survived the crazy, windy drive up, where the driver blared his horn as we flew around blind corners on the side of the mountain, and we had to back down a large section of the mountain because we stopped in the dust and couldn't get started again... But once up in the beautiful eucalyptus and pine forests, eating a communal meal with my friends on a large mossy rock slab, I was able to take a deep breath and soak it all in.

the beautiful Andes

What a gift true friends are. My time in the mountains with them was a good reminder of how much I need community, intentionality, and honesty. You can be praying for my friendship with Andreina. Because of her current job, she can't come to church. I meet with her several times a week, share scripture with her, and am hoping to begin to memorize passages with her. She's thirsty for the Word, but doesn't live in a Christian home, and doesn't have a lot of the tools she needs to study on her own. Aside from our discipleship relationship, Andreina is a dear friend, and has been a tremendous source of encouragement.

me, Andreina & Rosalia
at one of the waterfalls

Second grade continues to be a joy. A favorite from this week was a spelling test this Friday. One little girl's spelling test looked like this:
1. tree
2. fast
3. fly
4. try
5. I love you miss Katie!

No joke. It was great. I've been battling health issues on and off the past month, and was laid out last weekend with a high fever and 2 parasites. Ugh. I think I've given every possible fluid to the labs here to figure out what's wrong with me. I'd appreciate prayers for more consistent health, as I've gotten sick every two weeks since I've been back. Visa prayers are also appreciated. The Bolivian government is making it more and more difficult for Americans to get visas, so our process is currently completely stalled out. I know God has me here for a purpose, so I'm just going to rest in that. He'll work out the details.

Enjoy the fall for me!
Kati

Bolivian Friends

Mauricio, Paulina, Irma & Rosa

At the end of August, we took another church trip to Los Molinos, the favorite spot for church baptisms. Four people got baptized, one of whom was an elderly Quechua woman who wanted to turn her life around so that she could fight for her sons who had fallen away. Another was a young guy who has fought with alcohol and the wild life until Christ caught hold of him and completely transformed him.

making a wathiya

me & Franz

More than 60 people from my church came, and we barely fit on a trufi, the public bus we rented for the day. We had a singing contest on the way there, trying to see who could sing a worship song louder: the back of the bus or the front:) The day's activities included a communal meal of potatoes and other veggies, baked in the earth oven we all made (wathiya), playing a rousing women's game of soccer with all the women in their traditional skirts and hats, and caring for the 10 orphans from Frutillar who got to come with us. Franz was my adopted son for the day, and I sure got a picture of how hard it is to be a mom for a day! My heart is full to overflowing the blessings of my church. I am grateful every day to be a part of the body of Christ.

my classroom

"face in the cake" Bolivian tradition
Rosalia's birthday

Rosalia's birthday

Reynaldo, Rosalia, Vicenta, me, Charito, Sofia, Abel, Lourdes, neighbor

I have missed four days of school in the month since school has started. Most of them are "only in Bolivia" reasons:

1. 2 days for confirmed swine flu cases at school
2. 1 day for blockades (public buses block roads and shut down the whole city)
3. 1 day when I had the flu (swine flu?)

Enjoy the fall weather in the States for me!
Katie

P.S. The women's co-op I have been working with finally has an online website where you can order products. If you are interested, check it out. There may also be people from Bolivia coming back to the States sometime by the end of the year who can bring items back in their luggage. Check it out at: http://cooperativaesperanza.weebly.com/

by the river, right before the baptism

beautiful, diverse, Bolivia

Every morning, I get greeted with a hug. Every afternoon, when it's time to go home, small little arms wrap themselves around me, telling me they love me. When I get frustrated with my class for not listening or following directions, little Andres runs over to give me a hug, telling me that it's ok, wanting me to feel happy. Is it an understatement to say that I love second grade?!

What I don't love, though, is continued visa problems. I have a week left on my temporary visa to start the process again, and it sounds like it's not going to happen in time. I'm told that my contract, along with the rest of the teachers' contracts, need to be re-written. My visa process can't be started until that is taken care of... Guess I've still got a lot more to learn about patience! I'm trying to take it all in stride, as God has been SO faithful thus far, but gosh, I just want that dang visa!!! Keep praying, please:)

walking w/ 15,000 other people

On a lighter note, a few weeks ago, I stayed up all night to walk 18km with my friends on a pilgrimage to Quillacollo, the next city over. We were joined by about 15,000 other people who were walking to celebrate Urkupiña, a syncretistic celebration of both the Virgin Mary and Pachamama (indigenous earth goddess).

Rosalia, Andreina, & me

It was a fascinating taste of what so many Bolivians practice as their faith beliefs. I'm glad I went, to gain a deeper understanding of these people I live among, and how they live. I was able to deepen relationships with the two girls who went with me, as well as practice my Quechua at 3am with my friend Filemon, as we walked along the paved highway, kilometers 9-12.

When we arrived in the wee hours, we watched campesinos flock in the thousands to the Catholic cathedral, where they made offerings and burned candles in honor of family members. Directly above the cathedral, the same campesinos would then ch'allar, which is an indigenous offering to the indigenous God, Pachamama, with colored paper, spilled beer, and small fireworks. Vendors filled the area in front of the cathedral, where you could buy caged birds for good luck, candles for your loved ones, and other superstitious items. It felt like a real live "Jesus in the Synagogue" experience. Wow.

a traditional breakfast of api and buñuelo
a warm corn drink and pastry

all my friends who went:
Filemon, Reynaldo, Rosalia & Andreina

Thanks, as always, for reading, and for your continued prayers and support.

My mailing address is the same as last year. You can write me at:

Cochabamba Cooperative School
Atte: Katie Stewart
P.O. Box 1395
Cochabamba, Bolivia

Check out this short video from the caminata.

Back home again... Cochabamba!

God's hands were on each step of my journey back home. From the cheery "Welcome back!" from the immigration officer in La Paz as he stamped my passport without batting an eye, to the ticket from La Paz to Cochabamba bought 15 minutes before my flight left, He provided for each step. There is still much left to be done and many obstacles for my visa. Please keep praying, as I have a 3 week window to get my visa process started before my temporary visa expires.

my namesake
Kati, the parrot

My welcome home from all my friends, church family, and housemates could not have been more beautiful. Friends stopped by and called even while I was still in the air over the Andes on my way home. My closest friends prepared a welcome home/happy birthday surprise, which included this AMAZING cake below. Yum! My friend Henrri even asked me if he could name his parrot after me!

I haven't been able to stop smiling since I arrived. This is home. It was harder than I thought to leave Colorado, my friends, and my family, but the moment I landed in Cochabamba, I felt such a peace, such a profound joy, that I am convinced this is where I'm supposed to be. My church sends their greetings to all of you, and welcomed me home with open arms, laughter, and huge smiles. What a gift to be here.

my Bolivian birthday cake
Second grade is also much more of a fit than 6th grade English. It's my favorite grade to teach, and I am filled every day by the little delights of working with these little ones. I only have 13 kids in my class so far, which is also such a gift. I may get more throughout the next week, but for now, I have a perfect sized class. These little guys are so affectionate, giving me hugs and telling me they love me whenever they see me. My favorite quote so far was by a precocious girl named Gabriela. She looked at me hard and said, "Miss Katie, I like.... your face!" I think she meant to say something else, since her English is still rough, but I got a kick out of it anyway.

3 of my 2nd graders
Gabriela, Flavia, Celeste

Favorite Highlights from this week:
1. a drink my pastor served me with:
-raw egg
-cervesin (a non-alcoholic beer)
-sugar
2. a new Quechua teacher at Calvert!
3. a bedbug welcome home (or NOT so much a favorite...)
4. going to the new Quechua service at my church... and understanding some!

I covet your prayers, and will keep you posted as things unfold with my visa.

Sumaj p'unchay kachun (may it be a good day, roughly translated)
Kati

objeto determinado!!

me and high school friends at a wedding

One step down, a few more to go! My objeto determinado came in the mail yesterday, which is my temporary visa to come back to Bolivia and start the process of my one year visa. I was worried about this step, wondering if I'd even make it back on the plane to Bolivia in August. Once I arrive in La Paz, the next victory will be if immigration there honors my temporary visa and allows me to travel on to Cochabamba. My objeto will allow me to apply for a year work visa, which I hope to receive by late September or early October. Keep praying, as the journey is far from over.

visiting the grandparents... Yay!

Here are just a few snippets of my life since being back. I have been able to experience so many rich parts of my life here in the States. It's been such a joy to deepen friendships, rejuvenate relationships, and to soak in all that the Colorado mountains hold.

climbing a 14er

backpacking w/ Collin & Ryan

camping in the high desert

on the way to Spokane

hanging out with my cousin Joel

May our Lord and Savior hold each and every one of you in His grace, resting in the peace that comes only from trusting in Him.
Katie