The World is Your Baño

I first heard this quote a couple years ago when Mary McDonald (the original SpendYourselves-er) was recruiting me to fill her very big shoes here in Bolivia. Allegedly, a vet student on a short term mission trip here once asked where the bathroom was, and Bill, now my co-worker, replied, "The world is your baño." Traveling all over Bolivia for more than a week with three men has made this statement very real to me. After over 50 hours in the car I really missed rest areas.

Our trip was cut short by the cancellation of our Trinidad vet school visit due to some political unrest, meaning the university president was thrown in jail. But in spite of the road blockades, marches, construction, water shortages, and power outages, we made it safely to and from Apolo, the most remote town I've probably ever been to.

Home to about 3,000 inhabitants Apolo is ten hours North of the city of La Paz, Bolivia's capital, and consequently ten hours from the nearest gas station. Linda is a missionary veterinarian, the only veterinarian, working there. Her husband Pete is an agriculturist, inventor, now farmer and livestock breeder. They chose Apolo because the huge majority of missionaries work within two hours of a city, so they wanted to minister where others weren't already, and they definitely achieved that goal!

With their four kids, they serve there by supporting churches, discipling leaders, training farmers, facilitating a daycare, running youth groups, hosting short-term missionaries, venturing to even more remote communities for house churches, workshops and vet care. Pretty much doing exactly what I'd love to be doing, but have increasing doubts that I'm cut out for. For now, I think God has me right where He wants me, adapting to the new culture from the city, with opportunities to support other work in the countryside, by spaying and neutering dogs on kitchen tables to the entertainment of local onlookers. Our adventures gave me a fresh respect for Pete and Linda, a renewed appreciation for my home and the conveniences of the city, and a lot to pray about for the future.

"I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation." -Romans 15:20