Lost in the Andes  No.15 october 2001 by the grace of God. Most of you know that we were planning to travel home to the states on Sept. 11, but after leaving Santa Cruz, Bolivia at 9:00 AM our airplane was turned back 40 minutes later due to the attacks on the United States.    We ended up staying in Santa Cruz for five days, watching CNN, and waiting for our plane to leave.  We spent those days in a sort of shock as we watched the events unfold in the U.S. as we sat thousands of miles away.  The main reason for our return at this time was to go to Pete's sister Jamie's wedding on Sept. 16th.  As the wedding day approached we began to face the possibility of our plane not being able to take off by Saturday and then simply returning to Sorocoto.  It was by God's grace that when we arrived at the airport on Saturday morning that our plane was scheduled to leave, but it was not until we were actually sitting on the plane flying through the air that we believed we were heading home.  Other circumstances in Miami showed the evident hand of God in our return and we have been humbled by His care and love in getting us home to share in the joy of Jamie and Josh's wedding day.  After the wedding we were blessed by times with family and friends in Baltimore, Texas, Illinois and Indiana.  The time was short, but we cherish the moments spent with each one of you.   a time of reflection. We celebrated our one year anniversary for being in Bolivia on August 24th.  Reflecting on this past year, Pete put down on paper two of the main lessons we have learned while living among the poor in Sorocoto.  Here's the first lesson:   "My first expectations were to come to a place to begin helping the people and become the hero of the village through our ingenious ideas, technology, and knowledge in the Bible and God.  I came thinking that I would be doing God a favor by serving him in this community so far away; that God would be so proud of me and that when it was all over that I would have great stories to tell to my grandkids of the far away place we were missionaries.  After a year, I am beginning to see that that is not the way it is going to be.  Thankfully, I am not a hero of the community, in contrast I have felt very much unappreciated; even after all the service to these people such as free medicines, and medical help, rides to the city, trainings, and all my appropriate ideas to help move the people out of their poverty.  Then I realized that we had been praying to be servants, and how can a servant become the hero?  I began understanding what it is to serve. Being a servant implies that we will be unappreciated and unrecognized, but at the same time continue to give as much as we can to show God's love and compassion to the poor. My daily struggle is to let go of my pride and ego which tells me, 'hey I come from one of the most developed countries in the world, I have an excellent education, and I can solve your problems.'  But I have not been able to solve their problems. So as God has been pulverizing my ego, I have been learning more how to serve and He has been showing me through the image of his son, Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:5-8 we are called to follow Christ's example in attitude and obedience. In this passage we learn that Jesus was in very essence God.  He had all the accolades, all the power, wisdom, & love as God.  But it goes on to say that he made himself nothing and took on the nature of a servant. He goes from God of the universe to a servant.  He let go of who He was in order to serve His Father.  He had no ego or reputation. Christ did not want to exalt Himself but his Father. Throughout this past year we have reflected on this attitude of Christ and tried very hard to follow his example.  And it is very, very hard.  Some of you may recall a newsletter where I was struggling with this idea of Christ incarnation and the fact that we were trying to do the same… empty ourselves, become one of the poor and serve them with the Gospel and a cup of cold water.  Now, after making a home in a small village among the destitute in Bolivia, I am just beginning to realize how huge a sacrifice was made when Jesus was made incarnate.  Don't take Jesus' attitude and our call to exemplify it lightly. As Americans this may be one of the most difficult challenges of being a disciple of Christ…adopting an attitude of service. Its 6 AM as I sit here finishing this letter.  We are planning to drive to our community this morning but are leaving the whole day available in order to find a way through the rain havocked roads.   Ahh, the adventures of the rainy season in the Andes.  This month, our rural church, FHI and a church from the city are coordinating a large evangelical event in Sorocoto.  Please pray for changed lives resulting from this event.  Thank you for your continued support and prayers.   God's Blessings, Pete & Lori TOP

Lost in the Andes  No.16 November 2001 la campaña Last weekend we saw the hand of God working in our community and changing hearts of people. The church in Sorocoto had planned a revival and with the help of FHI and the "mother" church in the city, we had a successful weekend.  There were many people who came from our valley and over the mountain who heard the truth spoken during the days at the Bible classes for the adults and at night during the "revival" meetings on the basketball court.  Many people came who were not Christians and who had never set foot in a church.  On Saturday night our friend Marcelina's parents came forward to commit their lives to Jesus.  This was a huge praise as Lori has been praying for them every morning.  Our friend Alejandro Pacaha, who is the main leader in the church, was baptized on Sunday, which was a huge step for him because it publicly stated his faith to his fellow community members.  We were in charge of Sunday school for the kids and we had a blast all weekend teaching the children about Jesus.   The kids had fun on the last day as we sent them on a scavenger hunt with a list consisting of: a black rock from the river, a yellow flower, an empty can, a eucalyptus leaf, sheep's hair, a feather, and a potato.   We ask you now to pray for the people who heard the truth about Jesus for the first time, and also pray for protection and growth for those who committed their lives to Christ. reflection #2 Luke quotes Jesus reading in the synagogue from the prophet Isaiah saying "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind;" (Luke 4:18)   Scripture teaches us much about God's attitude toward the poor and likewise what our attitude as his disciples should be.  It has been our primary motivation, causing us to leave our home and serve the poor in Bolivia with Food for the Hungry.  Understanding our call has not been difficult compared to the challenge of defining who the poor are and why they are poor.  Well-educated and experienced people spend years writing on these subjects and so I don't assume to know much besides a few observations. Before this year, the face that I put on poverty was a starving child in Africa or a street bum in Chicago. I did not know either.  In this short year that we have been in Sorocoto, we have created many close friendships with very poor people and learned who they are. The poor live simple and very hard lives.  The poor have no opportunities, resources, or hope.  They are in need and are oppressed.  I used to think that the poor were people who lacked things such as electricity, running water, a good education, or health insurance.  But this year I have been struck by the simplicity, joy and peacefulness in the lives of some of the most financially impoverished people I will ever know.   So what is it to live in poverty? Is it only a lack of things? I read the following quote, which gave me much more clarity on these questions: " Poverty is not necessarily an issue of wealth, but more of ill being". Ill-being has to deal with unreconciled relationships between us & God, us & others, us & ourselves, us & creation.  These unreconciled relationships lead to oppression, god complexes of the non-poor, sin, bad choices, poor stewardship and much more. We live in poverty if we have not experienced the redemption that comes through Jesus Christ.  Christ's redemption brings about reconciliation of our relationships. God has called us to bring the good news to the poor; to be ambassadors of reconciliation.  Through these convictions our approach to the poor has been to meet immediate needs and work towards reconciliation.   Lastly, helping the poor is very relational.  It is about being a servant, and loving others.  Problems do not go away with money; they take time and can not be accomplished without the redemption and reconciliation that Jesus brings. We pray that as you continue to support our work in Bolivia, that you will have a fuller understanding of a Christian's response to the poor.  In this month of thanksgiving, remember our great God and thank him for all His blessings in your life. Till next month Pete & Lori TOP

Lost in the Andes  No.17 December 2001 LIGHT  You have heard about our solar panels that we have to supply us with power. They have been a novelty here at our end of the valley, but not any more.  Three of the churches in our area are now proud owners of small 14-watt solar panels that supply their buildings with electric light.  It was an answer to prayer that a gift of money was given to the churches so that panels could be purchased and brought down with us from the States.  This past month, Pete made frames and fastened the panels on the roofs of the churches, ran the wire, and connected the light fixtures on the ceiling.  Our friend Simon, the church leader in the Soroscopa church, was praising the Lord as we put the lights up inside the church.  He gave God the glory for supplying the church with light, which is much brighter than their former gas lamps.  The first night that the lights were used, Pete gave a message about our Christian witness and the church being a light for the community, (Matthew 5:14-16) just as the new lights were being seen throughout the village and beyond.   WATER A few months ago we excitedly wrote to you about the new water system and how we had water right outside our back door.   This month Pete connected the water system to a holding tank on top of our house, which gives us running water in the house.  No more trips hauling water from outside with the 20-L water containers.  We are now able to flush the toilet, take showers, wash our hands and faces, and wash the dishes in the kitchen sink.    This past year Pete has proven to be a successful home builder, electrician, and now plumber.   REST  During Thanksgiving week we headed to Cochabamba, an 11 hour bus trip, to join our fellow hunger corps (international staff) in Bolivia and enjoy a four-day retreat.  It was a time to catch up with our friends, relax, be refreshed, enjoy great fellowship, and share a delicious Thanksgiving dinner together.  We do not feel highly stressed here in Sorocoto, like many of the hunger corps who have jobs in the regional offices, but we were thankful for the time to rest and get away.  The Lord encouraged us greatly through prayer times as a group and simply sharing with one another what is happening in other parts of Bolivia.   CHRISTMAS  As we look forward to celebrating another Christmas here in Sorocoto, we have been brainstorming as how we can encourage the church to celebrate Jesus' birth. There are many festivals in the campo that come from the Catholic tradition and are usually mixed with the animistic beliefs.  These parties mainly revolve around the "chicha" or corn beer and many community members spend several days drunk during these festival times.   The evangelicals have removed themselves from these events, not wanting to participate in the drunkenness.  The sad thing is that the evangelicals have no alternative celebration times to call their own.   We believe that Christmas is a perfect time to celebrate, since it is the day that our Lord and Savior was born into this world.  Normally, a Bolivian Christmas is like any other day. This year we want to encourage the evangelicals to take hold of Christmas and celebrate in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.  We want to take this month to focus with the church on the birth of Christ and what that means for us.   Please pray for the evangelicals, that they will become excited about having their own celebration, and invite their family and friends to come and see what the Lord has done.  "I bring you good news of great joy…today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11 Have a wonderful Christmas as you celebrate Jesus' birth. Peace, Pete and Lori Newell TOP