Official

Good Morning,

It's official, we are moving to Bolivia!!! (Lord willing)

We have accepted the invitation to serve full time with EFCC missions in Bolivia. The Radio ministry under Worlds Trans Radio will be our main focus as we keep our mind open to other opportunities God may have for us there. (There is plenty).

We are excited and obviously a bit over whelmed as we start the process this process. But this is the plan we feel God has lead us to so please pray with us for things to fall into place according to God's will.

Our tentative schedule is to focus on fundraising until next July (trusting all will be in by then). Then to head off to Texas for Spanish language study for 8 months and then head to Bolivia from there. Yes, it will be a bit yet before we get to Bolivia but these are very important steps that we need to take to make God's ministry through us successful.

The first and most important thing we need for this ministry to succeed is PRAYER. So if you would like to be on our prayer list. Please give us your address and email and we would love to have you join us on this journey.

I leave you with God's words out of 1 Peter 4:10
"Each of you should use what ever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

Love & Blessings,
Eva

Excited, nervous and any other emotion out there!

Buenos Tardes, Goden owens, Guten Abend, Good evening!

AHHHHHH! Yes it's true, we've been accepted into full time missions with EFCCM (EFree Church Canada Mission). As you can see by my title, we're feeling a bit of everything. But more then anything we feel that this is God's plan for us. There are still a lot of details that need to be figured out but we will take one day at a time and trust that all will happen in God's timing.

At this point we are praying for clarity in exactly what ministry God wants us, feeling certain that it is Bolivia. Please pray with us as we continue to discern for specific details with the leadership of EFCCM.

We will try and keep you updated as more details become available.

Thank you so much for walking with us and keeping us in your prayers!

Until next time,

Eva

Guten Morgen

Ok so I really need to just sit here long enough to get some of my thoughts down. That seems to be almost impossible these days.

It's crazy to think that our time here is coming to an end. We have a couple more "visits" planned and then a field trip on Friday, Santa Cruz Saturday and Sunday we fly out. AAhhh hard to believe. But all things must come to an end.

We have seen a lot since I wrote last.

Last week was mostly "radio" week. We spent 3 days in Santa Cruz with Jake & Dorothy Fehr who are the directors of World Trans Radio partnering with Efree. It was so good to see how incredible the radio ministry is. Gary and I both shared our testimonies on radio and after we were done we got visitors who knew me from Canada. Was neat! As I was speaking I wondered how many people were actually listening and if people would actually be impacted by our story. Apparently they were, because people came to the radio and asked if we could speak again this Sunday because they knew there was more to the story and they wanted to hear it. (We only had an hour the first time) So I went on for another half hour this Sunday to finish. I pray that God will be glorified through that and many people will find hope.

I also got a chance to do the children's hour on the radio (this is all in low german) well lets just say that I think I'm hooked. I loved it!

Saturday I spent some time with the girls from the shelter again and it's so good to see them warming up to us. They sure are gems that have been through so much.

We hear so much that some days we just feel over whelmed with the need here. But that seems to be the case all over the world.

Last night at one of our `visitations` the lady shared an astonishing fact with me. In Bolivia 90% of women have C - Sections to deliver their babies. I couldn't believe it. I want to research this more but what she told me makes sense. A C-Section costs twice as much as regular delivery, so many doctors tell the women they are in danger and need to have a C-Section for what ever reason so they get more money. And because the women are so "sheltered" and uneducated they believe what ever the doctor tells them. The other thing is they don't like to be bothered at night to deliver a baby so they schedule C-Sections so they can have a "set" schedule for the most part. This breaks my heart! I feel that something really needs to be done with this. Efree has had one info session here (recently) for the women to educate them better on their choices. But so much more is needed. This has been happening in the last 10 years, before that home births were their only option as they had no way to get to a doctor. Now that transportation is easier they are faced with this dilemma.

I could continue writing but Gary just went on a prayer walk and I need to spend some time with God before Alayna wakes up from her nap.

On our travels to Bolivia we really felt all your prayers, so I asked that you would please join as again as we make the voyage back this weekend. This is what our schedule looks like....

We are leaving here Friday to go on a sight seeing tour of the Inca Ruins, then we will be dropped off in Santa Cruz Friday night, (because of the common road blocks here (strikes) they have to take us to Santa Cruz couple days before so we can be there for our flight Sunday)

Leave Santa Cruz Sunday 9am - fly to Miami - Spend night there.

Leave Miami 4pm Monday - fly to Dallas - fly to Calgary - arrive midnight - spend night there

Drive back home to Coaldale Tuesday.

Please pray that Alayna would do well again and that we would be at total peace as we travel with her. Pray for us as couple as we wrap up our time here and start thinking about our time ahead. And all the other "regulars", safety, health ect.

Thank you so much and we look forward to sharing with you when we get back!

Until next time,

Eva

Taken back in time...

So we went to visit a family in one of the colonies and Gary's says it was like it was 1930 all over again. (I knew he was old, just not that old). And for me it felt just like home. :)

The colony that we visited is one of the most conservative colonies in Bolivia. They have no electricity, well they're not allowed to have light bulbs but they have solar panels and use that for "important" things like fridge ect. They drive horse and buggy and their tractors have metal wheels. They have carts to bring in the harvest, but it can only be hauled by the horses (not the tractor) because anything that makes life "easy" is against there religion. All these things are so strange to Gary. Although I never grew up this conservative, these "strange" rules are not foreign to me.

My favorite part was the sweet little grandma that lived there. She was a feisty one. Shortly after we got there the women went inside (the men stayed outside). So we asked little grandma how she was doing and she says "well I still live in this deep dark hole, so doing as always." I asked if she didn't like living there and I was hardly done talking and she says "NO! I hate it here." I had to giggle because she was so cute, but my heart broke for her. I asked why they still lived there and she says, "If I was single like my daughter, then I wouldn't be here but being as it is now, it seems I will die here." I understood it was her husband that did not want to leave. Later at faspa the men talked about moving ect. and I heard the old man say that if they were free to live where ever they wanted like we were they wouldn't live there. But since they were born into the colony they had no other choice, if they moved they had no chance of going to Heaven. (The chuch preaches that if they leave to go into the "world" they are forever condemned).

They were glad we came to visit, and sad when we left. There is so, so much work in those colonies.

We're spending a couple days in Santa Cruz to experience city life and working with the Boliviano's, totally enjoying it so far!

Today as we were having supper with the long term missionaries, we were saying how hard it is to try and figure out what ministry we may fit into if we came here. And they reminded us that we don't need to figure it all out now, but just have a willing heart and God will figure the rest out. Such a good reminder!

Until next time!

Photo's

The view from our Balcony!:)

Having supper with the Isaacs for Helmuts Birthday.

This is where we live, Radio Trans Mundial. Beautiful place!

Sandbag house building, very neat. It's a trial and if it works well many will use this much cheaper method.

"Our" girls from the womens shelter in the parade at Pailon.


I see you,,, Hanging out with mom, she gets to do that lots these days!

I prefer the window seat, so I can see the scenery.:)

Muy cansado en Bolivia

One of these days I might get to blogging before 10pm so that I can actually function and think properly...

It's been a busy couple days for us... I am so ready for a day off and so is Alayna.

Yesterday we went to a Bible Study in one of the Colonies... We had Bible Study outside with one bulb going from a generator. This is for the people that are shunned from there community church and this is their only opportunity to share in the gospel with others. It was intense. There was so many kids there. Some that aren't shunned also come but they have to come after its dark so no one will see them come, because if they are caught they would also be shunned from the "camp" leaders. Because they are not to go to "wordly" people to learn about God.. It should only be taught by the Bishop in their church. But the have NOTHING and are so hungry for something that will bring them hope they will do anything to come. They LOVE to sing and listen with such intent to the Bible study.

My heart breaks for these people as they tell there stories.... You hear things that aren't even human in any way and these poor, poor souls endure it. Especially the women and girls.

I love that we can bring a bit of light to there day though. We brought our camera (which they rarely see) and we would take pics of the kids and show them and they would giggle and giggle. Hearing them laugh melted my heart. Even the moms would have to smile... So beautiful!

The other missionaries that we went to the Bible study with said that I looked like a hen with chicks, because from the moment that I greeted the little girls there they followed me where ever I went... They need so much love.

Today was CRAZY, the hardest day yet. We left for Santa Cruz at 7:30am and got home at 8pm. What a long hot day for poor little Alayna.:( But we made it and she is sounds asleep in her bed now.

We spent some time at the Orphanage and at 6 de Agosto (street full of menno's, great for ministry) I haven't had time to digest what I saw today so I will write about that once it's digested.

What I do know is that Santa Cruz has the best Chinese food and that you can fit all 3 Cools in a front Bucket seat of a taxis... First dad, then mom on top of dad then Alayna on top of mom. Only for a 20 min drive in CRAZY traffic, 35 degrees and BUMPY roads. It's really Not that bad!!! (yes God's hand of protection was over us)

I need to wrap it up for now, have a women's Bible Study at 9am tomorrow and I really can't keep my eyes open any longer.

Pray that as we have seen many different opportunities here and continue to see more that we would really sense where it is that God wants us.

It dawned on me today in a "NEW" way that my life and what I do really is not at all about me but completely about God and where her wants us.. (sigh) A good feeling but oh so hard....

Until next time,

Eva

Bolivia!!!

Buenos Tardes Amigos!

Ahhh what a journey life is!

(Gary says I need to be in bed by 11 so that would mean I have 2 minutes to write this.... Ha ha, this might be one of those times where I don't listen to him.:)

So a quick recap on our trip and time here so far. We left Calgary Tuesday morning and had smooth travels for the most part. Alayna did real well, she's such a trooper. We had a stop in La Paz and with the Altitude being so high there she all of sudden turned all white and before I could think she threw up all over me, her and the seat... Poor girl, but we cleaned her up, gave her some meds and she bounced back in no time.

We arrived in Bolivia on Wednesday morning (tired as could be) to brisk temperatures of 12 degrees. Everybody was wearing scarfs, toque's and coats.... (I wished I had mine) but it has warmed up since then.

They have introduced us to many of the ministries here.... WOW the need is so, so huge here. We spent some time at the womens shelter today. My heart breaks for those girls. Sexual abuse is so awful here, its hard to stomach. The girls warmed up a bit to me today, its hard for them to trust anybody, so we're working on it slowly. (Reason why short term is not a good idea for places like that. They need stability).

As we go about the days and see all the different things, I find myself constantly thinking/questioning of whether or not I could be here long term. Thats a big question, so I'm going to try not to focus on that so much and just try and see what God has for us and have HIM guide my thoughts and direct my feelings in the right direction.

We are very well taken care of as for lodging and food ect. So thankful for that!

We have sensed all your prayers in a real, real way. Thank you and many blessings on you! A few things to keep in your prayers over the next couple days: Many of the kids here have chicken pocks, lice and worms. Please pray that we would not get them, especially Alayna. With the flight and changes Alayna has needed more formula then normal so we will run out of our Canadian formula sooner then expected, pray that the stuff we buy here would be ok for Alayna. Pray that we would be able to LOVE on all the people here in ways they need it. Pray also for me as I try and juggle Alayna and helping out where I can.

I better go because I'm not sure how much sense I am making at this point anymore.

I could write forever because there is truly so much going on here but that will come with time.

Hugs & Love,
Eva