Friday, February 27, 2009

Feb. 29

That's the day my one year visa to Bolivia expires. It should be this Sunday but that day doesn't exist. Funny, huh? I guess when Bolivian immigration gave me my one year visa dates last year they didn't stop to check to see if the expiration date existed or not.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. I will officially be illegal in Bolivia this Sunday.

Paola is currently helping me run around the city and secure all the paperwork I need to renew my missionary visa for two more years. I was hoping to begin my permanent residency process since I am now married to a Bolivian citizen but it turns out that I need two years of residency in the country before I can apply for that.

So renewing my missionary visa is the current option. And it is normally not a difficult process but since my marital status has changed and I am now married I have to update various documents that I would not have to update otherwise.

I am hoping that Paola and I can pull together all the documents by next week but you never know. People don't move too fast here sometimes unless you pay them extra. I think you know what I mean.

But we don't want to do that so the timing is in God's hands right now. I will have to pay a little bit of a fine because I am going to turn in my paperwork AFTER my visa expiration date but other than that I should be legal in the next week or so to stay in the country for two more years.

I will probably begin the permanent residency process after one more year in the country. Paola and I know that we will be here for at least the next two years and then we don't know where God will send us, IF He sends us.

But if He sends us out of Bolivia it will make it much easier to visit Bolivia in the future if I have my permanent residency.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Day Trip

Well, this past Tuesday marked the end of Carnaval here in Bolivia. Last year during Carnaval I traveled to Oruro, a city in Bolivia that boasts the second largest Carnaval celebration in South America. This year I took a day trip with Paola and her family to visit her cousin who lives about two hours outside of La Paz.

It was nice to get out of the city during this crazy time. Carnaval is alot of water balloon throwing, dancing and drinking. Last year it was a cool cultural experience that I was getting to know but this year I did not really want to have anything to do with it.

So on Monday I jumped at the chance to go with my wife and enjoy a BBQ with her family outside of the city. Her cousin is in the military and he serves at a base about two hours outside of La Paz. He invited the family to come enjoy a BBQ since Monday and Tuesday were holidays here in Bolivia. It was cool because it was my first visit to a military base here in Bolivia. A place that I would probably not be given access to as an American unless I was with my Bolivian wife and her family.

But all went smoothly. They just took our names and they didn't even check my backpack which I was sure that they would do. Anyway, we had a great day playing some games, eating some great food and playing a little volleyball as well.

We all arrived back into La Paz very tired later in the evening.

But it was just another cool experience in a long line of cool experiences that I have had here. And it is nice once again to walk the streets of La Paz and not worry about being pegged by a water balloon.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Wedding Photos

Finally...I uploaded an online album of wedding photos.

Check them out HERE.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Prayers Please

Wow. Another post in just two days.

Could Curt actually be blogging again?

Hey y'all. I just wanted to send you a prayer request.
Sometimes God works in unexpected and mysterious ways.

Paola and I got called into a meeting with the pastor of the church we attend to talk to us about the possibility of being the youth leaders of the church. Very unexpected I must say. I thought we were just going to talk about how WE thought we might be able to serve the church. But it turns out that the pastor had something specific in mind. In the leadership meeting of the church our names came up as candidates because we are a young newly married couple and have a heart to serve.

I have to admit. At first, I said "No way."
I have never felt the call to work with youth. I have always felt a call to serve young kids. But I must tell you that as we talked more, the more I felt God speaking to me. And I realized in the meeting that in was during MY youth years when I turned away from God and went on my own path. And I have the scars and consequences to prove it. I felt God telling me that I have a testimony to give these kids.

I guess to put it simply: Paola and I have an opportunity here to influence some Bolivian youth. It would not be something that would occupy all of our time and we can still serve kids in Bolivia as well. In fact, we can serve kids in Bolivia WITH the youth from the church. We have the opportunity to serve as a couple and no doubt grow in Christ like never before.

I feel scared, nervous and unprepared for this. But sometimes that is right where God wants us. Paola and I have prayed for God to bring us something specific and we have asked Him for an opportunity to serve together.

So this just might be that opportunity.

Please pray that God will give us guidance and direction these next few days with regards to taking on this new and exciting responsibility.

Thanks so much.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Hi again.

What an out of date blog. I was doing SO well. Then I fell in love. And then I got married. Then I went on a honeymoon. And then I get back and there is this hot girl in my house all the time and I have to decide…computer or girl? You know how it goes.

Well Paola and I are back in La Paz after a wonderful wedding and an amazing honeymoon in Jamaica. I praise God and thank my parents for sending us to Jamaica. There is no way that we could have made that trip if someone else had not covered the cost. So thanks mom and dad.

Paola and I have had a crazy few months. The trip to the states, followed by the wedding and honeymoon. I have pictures galore to show you but please bear with me. I am sorting through everything now and I hope to post some online albums in the next week or so. I want to post photos from our trip to the states and of course wedding/honeymoon photos.

Ok. So here are a few photos to hopefully tide you over…


One of the things that I am learning already is that it is much harder to find time for the computer now that I am married. I am not complaining because I love the changes that are going on in my life and spending time with Paola is one of the most important things for me right now. I think I am just realizing how attached I am to this laptop. I feel that urge constantly to be checking my email and working and it is just not as easy now that I am married. I have no doubt that this is normal and that all you married folks reading this are laughing right now.

All good changes for me though. I am a little too addicted to this laptop and taking some time away is definitely a good thing. But communicating with you is also very important to me too so now that we are back in La Paz and getting into more of a routine my hope is to blog more regularly. I certainly have things to share. Being married to a person from another culture certainly comes with some surprises and funny stories.

I will leave you with just one…last night we watched a movie and it was the first time that Paola had seen someone pop popcorn in the microwave. Can you believe that? Wow. She had never seen that before. But she made popcorn too last night. The way her grandmother taught her. She put kernels in a pot with some butter and made popcorn on the stove. What? That was a first for me.

So we are both learning new things. And that is the point. Not only are we going through the normal issues of living together and merging two lives into one but we have cultural differences as well on top of everything and that keeps things interesting. We have all the normal man/woman stuff going on but then we also have the cultural stuff too.

It is a HUGE change being married but I must say a very blessed and welcome change.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Married

Well...this past weekend I officially became a married man.

And Paola and I leave tomorrow morning for our Honeymoon.

I promise pictures and stories when we get back.
Talk to you in about a week.