Back in Cochabamba

We are back in Cochabamba after an AMAZING time in Confital. We saw God move in many ways...thru medical clinic, VBS, school campaign, Pastor´s training, and in ways we didn´t anticipate. Everyone is doing well. Health issues were minimal. Thank you for your prayers. Please keep them coming. We´ll be flying to LaPaz tomorrow...will spend the day/nite there. Thu we´ll fly from LaPaz to Miami to DFW...spend the night in the DFW airport. Fly home Fri morning.

Looking forward to sharing more later, but must get to bed...have to be ready to leave at 5:15 am and can hardly keep my eyes open. Love to all!

Shari, for the team

She´ll be comin´ round the mountain

We´re loading up and will be heading up to Confital shortly. We have to stop at the FH office in Cochabamba and pick up Hortencia, our wonderful cook and off we go round the mountain.

The excitement builds as we think about meeting our sponsor children again, or for some, the first time. We think about seeing old friends and making new friends. We think about what is in store for us - many projects and plans, much anticipation, yet not our ways but His.

More when we return from Confital a changed people.

Love
Judy

Greetings from Cochabamba!

We arrived safely in Bolivia and are settled into our hotel. No one is experiencing altitude sickness yet...the new dosage that Thomas has us on seems to be working well for everyone. Praise God! Tonight we will enjoy a fantastic steak dinner (suffering for Jesus), and tomorrow morning we head up the mountain to Confital. Your prayers are appreciated over the next 6 days as we participate in work projects, health clinics, pastor´s training, and VBS. We are all excited to see what God is going to do! We will update as soon as we return to Cochabamba...probably not until Tuesday evening. Hopefully other team members will be able to steal a moment to blog tonight or in the morning.

Much love to all of our families, our friends, and our dear church family. You are loved!

Shari, for the team

And we're off...

And once again I find myself excited and ready to go...well almost! Can't believe it's been 11 months since last I sat here full of excitement of what is about to happen. Oh it may look simply like 14 people and LOTS of luggage are headed out for a great adventure, but that is only the tip of the iceburg!



Yes there are 14 of us, yes we do have lots of luggage, yes this is a great adventure, but things we see but do not know...130 lbs of luggage is medical supplies. We have new crayons for the children in Confital. We have soccer balls and basketballs and whistles, but mostly we have hearts that want to serve the children, hearts which will never be the same. How awesome is that???



We want to make a difference for the people of Confital where the need is great, yet our God not only blesses them, he blesses us. It is a very humbling thing...



Please pray for our safety & health and that we would be a blessing to all we meet.



Muchas Bendiciones, mi amigas!


Judy

Bolivia: Then and Now

Countdown Continues...One More Day

So today is the day that the team will be wrapping up all the final details before leaving tomorrow morning! I have about 90 lbs to stuff into a bag that can only hold 45. Not sure how that's going to work, but I'll figure it out. I also have a million thoughts scrambling around in my little brain that can only hold a few at a time. Daddy instructions, kids' school stuff, home remodel, VBS materials, packing, charging camera, planning worship for Women's Mini Retreat when we return, shipping orders, paying bills, contacting customers, hoping to visit family, laundry...you get the idea.

Although I'm not sure how to pack all that stuff in my bag, I do know what to do with the overloaded brain. It's time to be still. It's time to be still and know that HE is God. That beyond the packing and the laundry and the bills there is a God who has ordained this appointment with the people of Horizons and the people of Confital. That His purpose is greater than anything we can imagine. That regardless of the reasons we think we are going to Bolivia, His ways are higher and He is allowing us to be a small part of His work in a forgotten part of the world.

So as you are praying for the team...for safety and health and strength...please pray for the precious people of Confital. Pray that they will know that they matter. That there is a God who loves them and thinks they were worth sending His only son to die for them. Pray for the children who so need to hear that they matter...that they have a Friend, and that they can be part of God's Family.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement over the many long months of planning. Know that YOU are loved, too!

Blessings,

Shari

Less Than A Week

Talk about a slooooowww week ...
I can't believe it's less than a week till we leave. I have been through so much in the past four month's and now it's all down to this week. I have witnessed God all over my life and that of Cliff's as well as many of my fellow team mates. This is going to be an incredible experience I am so excited to see what God does with each and everyone of us. I met with the Children's Director at our church today and just the thought of what we plan to do for the kids in Bolivia during this very un-vbs is so exciting. The simplest things we have in store for them is going to change there lives. I can't wait to see them face to face and share that Jesus is there friend and they can be apart of our family, The family of God!
We will be leaving at 8:15 am from the church to the airport. We should arrive in La Paz the next day in the am. Then spend the day there getting acclimated then off on a crazy bus ride to our home for 10 day's in Confital. I will not be able to blog or facebook while were in Confital. We will be very busy doing many things but also hanging out with the locals and getting to know them more and vise a versa. Keep us in your prayer and thank you for all your support
All our love,
Lory and Cliff

Now on Facebook too!

We have also set up a Facebook Group, for those who may find it easier to follow us there. Search for "HCC Bolivia '09" or ask any team member for an invitation.