Yesterday Corny and I got to go out to a Mennonite community for a visit. This had been a dream of ours when we first heard about the Bolivia mission trip. Corny and I have both been raised in German Mennonite homes so this was of great interest to us. However the missionaries that serve there were having a 2 week Bible school and would not be able to take us out there. But God saw fit that we could go. We happened to meet their daughter who was able to take us with her. The settlement is about 1 1/2 hours from Santa Cruz. So Monday morning we piled into the taxi and off we were for a wild ride. We made it there for lunch and got right to work. We chopped up LARGE amounts of potatoes, carrots, onions, and cabbage for the borscht for supper. Rudy & Erna Friesen have been serving there in Pailon for 5 years now. Their main ministry is through low German radio broadcasting. They have just recently opened up a ministry center for retreats and other ministries & a women's center for abused women. They now had a team there that was doing VBS for 2 weeks. This is for ages 4- adults. Here they teach the children about Jesus and the adults have classes on parenting, marriage, health etc. Some people traveled 1 1/2 hours in the back of a grain truck with 32 people piled in the back. They feed them supper and a snack between classes. Some of the children came with no shoes and very empty stomachs. Coming back for seconds and thirds. This was heart wrenching to see. But the smile on their faces when they were done eating was priceless. God is really working in the hearts of the German Mennonite people here in Bolivia. They are searching for more and this ministry is definitely reaching out in a way that speaks to them. Praise God we got to go, it has really touched our lives.
As for the rest of our team they got to tour the city and listen to a great testimony of a Bolivian woman. Today we continued with our VBS and lots of painting, sanding & bending rebar, and we're exhausted again. Weather has been great. Thanks for all your prayers. God's great!
~ Corny & Laura
The Couple in the first picture are Rudy and Erna Friesen, the missionary couple that we got to go see there.
Thanks for sharing other areas of mission work. What an eye-opener of all that could be done & how much we have to be thankful for here in the states. Thanks for being our eyes to see into their world. Hugs & prayers. mv
ReplyDeleteOh that was great. So glad you got to go there and see first hand how they minister to the German Mennonites. How awesome it is to see God working there, and all over Bolivia.
ReplyDeleteWe look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
We continue to pray for you. Last night as Keegan was praying, he asked how many more days till mommy and daddy come home? So he is starting to miss you....
We will continue to pray for good weather for you construction projects and open hearts for your ministry. Missed you all in church and missed Ken on the golf course. Steve G
ReplyDeletefinally at the office after being gone for 5 days but all of you are frequently in my prayers. may you have energy, strength, health, protection, unity, favorable weather as you go through this day and may hearts and lives be chgd because of you being right now where God wants you to be. Laura, I will miss you as my prayer partner tonight at prayer meeting. Love and prayers to all
ReplyDeleteHey team!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear all is going well. Just returned from Wednesday night prayer meeting. All of you continue to be flooded with prayer!! Looking forward to seeing you all again and hearing all of your accounts of how God worked in your lives and in the lives of those you encountered. Stay strong.
Brent