Day 4

One of the things that I am starting to realize is that my life was very predictable back in the states. I had my routine. I had my job and my daily to do list. I had my schedule. Another thing that I am starting to realize is that my life is very UNpredictable here in La Paz. And this is a big part of my culture shock right now. It is so hard to get things done here sometimes and it is so hard to plan for the next day because things change so much. Back in the states I used to plan my next day of work before I would leave my current day of work. Totally impossible to do here.

But I was talking with a few friends from the states tonight and it was nice to hear that I am not alone in feeling this way. One friend’s parents were missionaries here and she told me that one of her dad’s sayings was that he would try to just get one thing done each day here in Bolivia. If he got more than one thing done praise God, but try to focus on just one thing he would say. It sounds crazy if you don’t live here but it is so true. It takes so much time to move things forward and God is really teaching me about patience and flexibility right now.

Day 4 of our site visits continued this past Tuesday with visits to a project known in the states as the Bolivian Street Children Project. In Bolivia they are known as Fundación Bernabe. Their ministry has several layers and stages. Basically, the first thing that they try to do is visit the kids on the street and try to build relationships with them. There is a team that focuses in this area and this ministry has decided to just work with boys. They try to become friends with the kids who live on the street and convince them to leave the streets and come live in a home that they have. Not an easy task I might add. The project has one home called “Hogar Renacer” and “Renacer” in English means “Rebirth.” This is their transition home where the kids go directly from the streets. The kids are given a place to sleep, they work with teachers and tutors for education, they are given meals, they participate in Bible studies and worship services. And they are given the chance to stay. Some stay. Some don’t. Some steal things and jump over the wall in the middle of the night. Some stay in their beds.

If the kids do decide to stay they have the chance to move to a more permanent home after they have stayed in the transition home for six months to a year. They also have to demonstrate through their actions and words that they are ready for a more permanent home. If they are ready, they have the option of two permanent homes to choose from depending on where they fit in. The cool thing about the permanent homes is that the homes have parents that live there and act as the parents of the boys. They assume the role of parent and help the kids with their studies in school and also lead them in devotionals and other activities.

The more and more kids that I see and meet, the more I realize that it takes a very special type of person to live and minister to these kids. And the more and more I feel totally inadequate. Social workers and Psychologists work with these kids. Not someone who managed marketing for a theatre company in Atlanta, Ga. God is definitely using the marketing skills that He has blessed me with to impact projects working with kids here. What still remains to be seen is what kind of direct contact will I have with the kids here? I have contact with kids each week but I really want God to lead me to one project where I can volunteer some time.

But the trap of spreading myself too thin keeps coming back to me. It is one of my big fears right now. I am scared that I am going to spread myself too thin, try to do too much and in trying to do too much not do much of anything at all. Time management is so tough though. I have come here as a missionary so basically all I think about is how to serve others with every ounce of time that God gives me. But the problem is that there are only so many hours in a day and there are only so many days in a week.

Who do I give my time to?
Time = Life…so who do I give my life to?

Sometimes I think that maybe God just needs me to do the strategic marketing stuff right now. Sometimes I think that I might be trying to force His hand. I don’t know. Maybe He has something down the road that I can’t see right now.

All I know to do right now is ask Him about it.
Maybe He will read this post and we can chat about it.