Devotion

As I slowly learn to navigate through the culture and the city, I can rejoice over small victories: single-handedly buying food at the market, vastly improving my Wally Ball skills (that's the popular sport here), getting a taxi, or baking brownies in my temperature-challenged oven.

. . . but then, I did tell the man on the phone last night that he didn't speak Spanish, instead of telling him that I don't speak Spanish. Oops!

Besides spending lots of my time at school each day, I have had opportunities to experience and explore Cochabamba. August 14 - 17, Cochabamba celebrated Urkupenia, a festival on behalf of the Virgin Mary.
During these few days, thousands of people walk to the shrine of Mary. They parade and dance and eat and buy miniature homes and cars, or money or diplomas to offer to Mary in hopes of being blessed in that way.
Watching the parades and dances and seeing the extravagant costumes was a highlight for me so far, but in the midst of the celebrations I saw the church where Jesus is still laying in a tomb, and lines of people waiting to touch a doll, and many more paying money to take a "blessed" rock home with them.

As I sat at the little shrine on the hill where Mary supposedly appeared, I was overcome with a sadness for so many who are trying and trying to get on God's "good side".

Myself, and the people I was with, spent some time praying for those who are consumed by the outward marks of devotion and miss out on the reality of our God, whose mercies are new every morning, and who made the way for us to freely enter his presence.

As you think of Bolivia, pray for a greater spiritual hunger to know the God of freedom and grace.

THANK YOU to so many for your emails and prayers. I am praying for you, please let me know how specifically.

Blessings and Grace, Kelly















In this church, there is a figure of Jesus laying in this glass coffin.














These people paid to be blessed by the priest.

Bienvenidos a Bolivia!

1 hour time difference, 3 countries, 5 airports, 15 hours of layovers, 30+ hours of travel ... and I arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia on time, with all my luggage! (Thank you for your prayers.)

This first week has been FULL of Bolivian orientation,
meeting new people, assimilating into a Spanish speaking culture,
trying to comprehend the public transportation,
cooking at a high altitude (= less baking powder & quicker boiling water),
and frantically preparing my classroom and curriculum!

WHEW! My mind has been on overload this week. But nevertheless, I am excited to begin teaching on Monday; and look forward to a rewarding and challenging year teaching a multi-ethnic classroom (So far I know that my class represents at least five nations).

Enjoy a few pictures:


The view: I took this from my apartment just
after a short rain shower. We are in SPRING
down here, moving into the summer rainy season;
you can't see the mountains behind.


Market scene: the ladies are wearing
the traditional white hat of Chochabamaba.


School entrance: The school administration feels
blessed to have a full teaching staff this school year,
last year they were very short.


Playground: I'll be teaching a class of 16 students (one of
the biggest classes), nine Bolivians and seven MK's.




Chochabamba from the mountains, I live somewhere down there.


PRAYER: Health, A smooth and productive first week of school, Open and sensitive eyes and ears to the unspoken cultural differences all around me.