Lost in the Andes  No.32 April 2003  Passing on lessonsWe were given our first opportunity to use what we have learned in living in the campo to train others to do the same.  As was explained in last month's newsletter we will be focusing more on training others during the months of June, July and August.   However, we were asked to do a training this past month with a group of employees with FH who have started to live full time in the campo.   It was encouraging for us to realize that we have learned valuable lessons while living here in Sorocoto and our experience can be used to help others live and work among the people in the campo.  The themes that we discussed were how to live incarnationally, what attitude should one have, how to maintain your health, and working with FH.  It has given us a good base to work from when we focus more on the training in a couple of months.    Fox Visit  We were blessed by one more visit from Lori's parents, David and B.J. Fox.  They spent two weeks with us and experienced a few adventures (one can never go without an adventure here in Bolivia).  Our travels did not go quite as planned and we spent more time on airplanes and stuck in other cities than we did in our actual destinations.  We were able to travel down to Tarija, a city close to the southern border of Bolivia, near Argentina.   The land surrounding Tarija is beautiful with green rolling hills, vineyards, and waterfalls.  From there our plan was to travel back to Sucre and out here to Sorocoto for a week, but because traveling in Bolivia is never reliable our time in the campo was shortened to three days.   Being together, however, was the important part and we enjoyed every minute we had with David and B.J.   Thanks again, you two, for coming and spending time with us!  New and Improved (almost)  Some of you might be wondering, what's up with our jeep?  Our mechanic has been working on it for over a month and he finally turned it back over to us last week.  It felt great being able to drive it back out to the campo after having to rely on FH for transportation, or public trucks, which are not the safest.  Our truck's engine and parts have been thoroughly cleaned, the roof, top cabin, and windows were replaced, and it has a fresh coat of paint.  The mechanic chose the color and it is taking us some time to get used to the bright orange/red new look of our jeep.  After driving the jeep out here to Sorocoto we learned that it needs a few more kinks worked out, but we are thankful to have it again.   As we drove it into Sorocoto we saw an excitement in the people as they watched us go by.  When we lost the truck in the river, the people shared in our sadness and now they share in our happiness of having it back with us. God's Blessings Pete & Lori TOP

Lost in the Andes  No.33 May 2003  Lights, Action, Camera We were privileged to host four men in our home this past month including two professional videographers.  They were here to make a video for FH to use for fundraising.   They wanted to get a good picture of life in the campo and how FH has had an impact on this zone.  We were involved in setting up the interviews by finding the appropriate people and thinking of appropriate questions to ask, accompanying them to the locations and hosting them.  It was interesting for us to hear the different stories from people in our community and two other communities down the valley of how their lives had been changed from the work of FH.  During the same week, FH inaugurated a canal project that had taken six years to complete.     The US ambassador to Bolivia was invited to come to the inauguration, as well as US officials from Washington, D.C.   It was quite a day, to say the least!  It felt like President Bush was coming because everyone was hustling around trying to get the campo looking its best.   We accompanied our videographer friends and helped them take video and interview different people.   We both were able to speak to the Ambassador and shake his hand.   T-shirt Time It was time for another annual Sunday school party, or exposition.   All of the parents were invited of the 90 students.   The Lord's hand was orchestrating and His Spirit was present.   Many of the parents came and all of the students except four were there.   Lori explained to the parents what their children had learned over the last 8 months and the children also shared the verses they memorized and the songs they learned.  Pete and our good friend Rene performed a skit that explained the Gospel and Rene then explained more of the Gospel to the parents in Quechua.   It was then time for the t-shirts to be handed out and the prizes for perfect attendance and for memorizing their verses.   The students did a great job as they shared what they had learned with their parents and their teacher Doña Lori was very proud of them.   It's obvious that the Lord is working in the kids' lives and we pray that their parents, too, are being impacted by their children's involvement in the Sunday school program.   Speaking of Sunday school, Lori has officially begun to train Ceprian, the 22 year old son of Simon Condori, to take over the program.   This past week he was up front translating, helping with the music and taking the roll call.   He did a great job and Lori is encouraged by his desire to work with the kids.   Please pray for Ceprian in this next month as he receives more training and begins to step into this leadership role.    A needed break The week that the videographers were here was the same week of the Sunday school party so at the end of the week we were exhausted.   The Lord's timing is perfect and He gave us just what we needed when we needed it.   We had planned a trip to Chile to meet up with Pete's younger brother, Ben, and it just happened to be the week after our visitors and the party.   It could not have come at a better time and it made our trip even better since we needed to relax.   Relaxing was the theme of the week as we traveled first to Santiago, a beautiful city, then to the coast, where we got to see two gorgeous sunsets, and then down to southern Chile, where we enjoyed breathtaking scenery.   We had fun riding mountain bikes through a nearby national park, although we were extremely sore in the rear end area since we had not ridden bikes for the past three years.   It could not have been a better vacation and now we are refreshed and ready to finish strong here in Sorocoto.    Thanks again for your continued support and prayers.   May the Lord bless you this month.    In Christ, Pete & Lori TOP

Lost in the Andes  No.34 June 2003 Passing on the torch  We have entered into our homestretch.  It's hard to believe that our 3 year contract is coming to an end and we will be saying goodbye to our friends soon.   This past month has been filled with training up leaders to take over the Saturday night Bible study and the Sunday school.  There is a huge interest in the people to continue the informal Bible study that Pete has been teaching and he was able to train a few of the men in the church in how to teach the study.  The last Saturday that we hosted the study, we had 30 people packed in our little living room.   Christians and non-Christians have felt comfortable coming to our home to study the Bible in a non-threatening environment. An interesting offer was made at the end of the evening as the people discussed the possibility of continuing the study and where it should be held.  Some of the teachers from the local school have been coming to the study and are interested in learning more from the Word and their offer was to host the Bible study in the school since there is one schoolroom with lights.   We are praying that the men in the church would continue teaching the study and that they would see the great opportunity they could have in holding the study in the school.  Due to the stigma associated with the church building, more of the community would attend a Bible study held in the school as opposed to one in the church.     Lori held two trainings on how to teach children about God and the Bible.   She spoke in church about the importance of teaching children about the Lord and then invited them to come to our home the next night.  The living room was filled with people and she was especially encouraged that 3 of the women in the church attended.   She was able to give them simple, easy to understand ways to teach children and hands on training in how to do it.   We are praying that the Lord would put a vision in the hearts of the Christians for the Sunday school and they would step up and take leadership of the program.  Lori is also finishing up a two year Sunday school curriculum complete with everything the people will need including crafts that will be left behind for the church to use.  Passing on the toilet One of the projects that the 2002 team helped to finance was building three public flushing latrines near the school.   It has taken a while for this small project to be completed, but last week the finishing touches were made and the latrines were opened for public use.  The teachers were especially happy since they had been using nasty pit latrines for the past few years.  Pete asked an FH worker to come out to Sorocoto and train the students and teachers on personal hygiene and how to use the latrines.  The mini water system that brings water to the latrines and the school is the same water system that brings water to our house.   This was a project initiated by the 2001 team and Pete has been the maintenance man for the system, using his own tools and resources to maintain the system.  Since he is leaving, he has turned the system over to the school and community to maintain.   They have taken ownership and will be paying a regular fee to help buy the needed tools and supplies to preserve the system. Please pray  We want to thank those of you who have remembered us in your prayers while we have been here in Bolivia.  We believe that your prayers have helped carry us through our time here.  We ask you to continue to pray for us during these last few months.   We are going through a lot of change right now.  The first big change, that happened this month, was a move.   Since we will be spending more time in the city during these last 3 months we wanted to go ahead and move all of our things to the city.   This does not only affect us, but it affects our friends in Sorocoto, too.   They have become accustomed to us living there and they are beginning to mourn our leaving them.  Our friend Victor told us that we have become like a mother and father to the community and that we have stolen their hearts.  He shared that they do not think there will be anyone else who can come and help them like we did.   Lori's heart breaks when she thinks about leaving her friend Sinferosa.   Sinferosa's relatives live in another part of Bolivia and through Lori's friendship that void has been filled.   She does not know whom she will turn to for help or advice when Lori leaves.   She and Lori cried together and told each other how much the other has meant to them.  Lori won't be leaving someone who she ministered to, but someone who ministered to Lori.   So please keep the people in your prayers, too, when you think about us leaving.   Another change that is soon to take place is our move back to the states and the big questions right now are where will we go and what will we do.  We do not know.   We would appreciate your prayers for the Lord's guidance and wisdom as we seek Him.   We are confident that He has a plan for us and we are waiting on Him. Thank you for your continued prayers and support, God's blessings, Pete & Lori TOP