Hello and Goodbye, Bolivia!

Of the past five nights, Angie and I have spent three in transit, reclining as well as we could on buses and planes, finally getting back to our cozy beds last night. Today, as I wade through a sea of laundry, emails, grocery and to-do lists, I pray she's staying bright and alert through her first day of middle school. But even if she's a bit drowsy as they train her on such important sixth-grade skills as opening her coveted locker, I'm confident she'd say it was worth it.

Angie's best friend Maria, on her first day of school this year in Santa Cruz.

Going back to Bolivia, if only for a week, was a great way for Angie to visit old friends and stomping grounds, such as her school, her orphanage, and our church. She can be introspective, but not on demand, so I can't be sure how it affected her to see some of the poverty, and the despair of the kiddos she grew up with. But more than reverse culture shock I think what she experienced might be called reverse language shock. Returning to your mother tongue after a nine month hiatus, turned out to be more difficult than we'd anticipated. Don't worry, we'll try to be more intentional about maintaining her Spanish, it's just that her English still isn't perfect... Now, sometimes the poor kid can't figure out how to express herself in any language!

For me, it was an awesome opportunity to touch base with all our Latin ministries; see how some of them needed encouragement, and see others growing. My next prayer letter shares about lots of these updates, but to tide you over until September, I'll say that our final adoption follow-up was a success! 

Sunday, was one of the busier days of our trip. I started the morning with a long jog with my dear friends. Then we had the treat of attending La Viña our sweet little Vineyard church, with the sweetest part being the company of our first-time guests, Moira and her husband Ariel. Moira is the vet I carried the ultrasound machine down for. It was awesome to see her and her husband flipping through the pages of my old Spanish Bible I'd left with her last fall. And when the message brought tears to her eyes, it gave me hope that maybe they'll get involved and give in to the Lord's loving pursuit of them.

Enjoying church with vet friends at my side and sponsor child in my arms...

After church, Moira and Ariel joined us for lunch and then came to our VetRed party. A little get together with quesadillas, empanadas, and an assortment of other goodies was a great way to catch up with many of the people I worked with in Santa Cruz for three years. And it was wonderful to be able to connect some students, vets, and university faculty with each other in hopes that they'll continue to share in ministry even when we're not around.

VetRed Gathering

Oh, here comes Angie off the bus, time to stop daydreaming about South America and get back to the realities of life in Kentucky. Bolivia, we'll be praying for you and missing you. Vaya con Dios siempre. And know that you are loved.