checkin in :)

**Hola!** I only have a minute but wanted to check in real quick...

I'm loving being here! I have had so much JOY lately. Thanks for all your prayers! This last week I've been super busy with English classes, watching kids, studying Spanish, cooking, and church meetings. Angela and I have also been putting some stuff together for the Mission:X medical team coming this summer. They really want to educate the people as well as provide medical care, so we are putting together some presentations and brochures on different diseases and also on drinking water, hygiene, and getting the right vitamins and nutrients from foods.

Angela and I went to Tarija on Friday. We got on the bus at 3am Friday morning and got into Tarija around 7am. We had some hot chocolate and bread at a little cafe in the freezing cold! It was so fun and I could def do that every morning!! We made some copies, stopped at the bank, met up with Loraina and had lunch. We also stopped at the immigration office to ask about my visa days. I am coming back here in July with Mission:X for two weeks (I'm so excited!!!!) so we had to make sure that I would be able to get back in. You're only allowed 90 days a year and this trip is 85 days leaving only 5 left. I was going to change my ticket which costs $200 and come back a week earlier this trip so I would have enough but we found out I didn't need to! They are going to charge me 7 bolivianos a day for the amount of days I'm over so it will only be about $7 in fees when I leave. Praise God! So I'm still coming back April 10th... :( and :)

We had worship rehearsal last night and it was amazing! I love learning songs in Spanish...

I just found out Dave Harvey is coming to Metro Life on May 3rd . I´m soo excited! He came to Metro in October and gave a message called "The Audacious Claim of the Unstoppable Gospel." It was a life changing message for me! If you have some time, I really encourage you to listen to it! He came during the time I was struggling with the decision on whether to come here. The Lord really spoke to me during the message, it was so clear that I was to GO! I listened to that message probably 10 other times in the months leading up to leaving. If you don't come to Metro, you should come visit! The service starts at 10am and it's off of Winter Park Dr. and Red Bug in Casselberry.

A couple prayer requests por favor! :)

1) There is a girl who works in one of the little stores here. I go in there a couple times a week to get things and each time I've been able to talk with her for a little bit... She's pretty snotty to a lot of people but she's always been nice to me and I really have a burden on my heart for her. I really want to share the gospel with her before I leave so please pray that I will have the chance! I know I will have the chance, so actually pray I will not be nervous and that she understands my Spanish. :) I don´t know her name (first step I should figure that out I guess, hehe) but if you could pray for her this week and whenever you remember to. Pray that the Lord would begin to soften her heart so when the gospel is shared she will receive it!

Also...

2) Please please pray for the youth of Entre Rios!! I'm not sure what I should write on here, so until I find out please just pray for them...whatever comes to mind! There have been some things involving witchcraft with some of them. Thanks so much!!!!!

Last night I hung out with 5 of the girls in the youth group. It was so fun and despite the language barrier we had a blast! Here are a couple pics. The internet is really slow right now so only two...

Taking the kids to the park...ok bye!

Love,

Julia

Country life

O. My. Goodness. What a trip! We did go to San Josecito and Las Abras and wow, I will never forget it. I kept thinking this weekend... I can't believe I am experiencing this, seeing this, doing this...

We left Entre Rios Friday afternoon at 5 and got into San Josecito around 10pm. We made our beds in the church and went to sleep so we could get up early the next morning to hike to Las Abras. We woke up around 6am, had some bread and tea at the pastors house and started hiking!

my bed :) two benches pushed together

Leaving San Josecito...White Flag=Bread! Stopped to get some....

Leaving San Josecito...crossing the river on the scary bridge!!

Crossing a stream....

We took the long way this time (6 hours) so we could stop at all the brothers' and sisters' houses to invite them and their kids to the meetings.

What a place...it's a village in the middle of the mountains where everyone calls you hermana.

Crushing peppers for our soup

I learned the best way to kill a pig and how to make tea from avocado leaves. It's a place where chicken soup for lunch is a treat. It's a place where getting your child to bed is rocking them while picking lice out of their hair. They have a school, but the teacher just left after only teaching 2 classes. I guess teaching 6 grades together is hard?! ;) All the kids are grades behind in books but they know how to make sling shots and kill birds for dinner.

Some of the kids and Angela!

Most of the men there have left to work in Argentina because the recent drought ruined all their crops. This past week the rain finally came, and it CAME! Two months worth of rain, ruining the roads and wiping away a whole town nearby. We had two kids' meetings with puppets, stories and crafts. This trip was awesome because several of the kids who are really shy opened up to us and were on our laps or holding our hands the whole weekend.

Cute little girl I was holding. No diaper on...praying she wouldn't pee on me!

This is Santiago's daughter. She is deaf and mute.

This is her son. He´s 7

Crushing corn and scraps for the dogs

Jonni...:)

Rosie...

We left Sunday afternoon, after 3 bowls of chicken soup (they keep giving you more and it´s rude to not eat what they give you). When we got back to San Josecito we were able to take a quick shower before the night meeting. The church is very big there. They actually have a worship team :) I shared with the church on loving others, even our enemies. The church was packed, people were sitting outside the doors listening.

best friends in San Josecito!

Empanada stand outside the church in San Josecito...:)

The way home from San Josecito is a whole story in itself! Our plan was to catch the bus Monday morning at 8am. Well, the bus didn't come because it rained the whole night ruining the roads, so we spent the day with the Pastor's family. A bus also leaves at 4pm, but nobody knew if it would...everybody in town had their own opinion. According to them, the driver that day was the crazy one so he probably would attempt the trip. Comforting right? :) Well, they were right, we left at 4 and had no idea what was ahead of us!

We had to stop several times to move fallen trees and rocks out of the way. We stopped around 7pm because of a land slide which blocked the road. The crazy driver didn't drive back to San Josecito, he decided he wanted to stay overnight and wait for a bulldozer to come clear the way. He knew if he turned around he wouldn't get paid. So we slept on the bus that night. Half of the people decided to walk back to San Josecito. Once they left, everyone remaining scrambled to get two seats to themselves so they could sleep better. Pretty funny! This guy kept trying to wake me up (I was pretending to sleep) so he could sit next to me...."Señora...spanish spanish spanish something" I was trying so hard not to laugh. It worked and he left and I had two seats to myself. We woke up from our great deep sleep (not!) at about 5:30am. Another group decided to leave then to walk to where the crossroad was (about 4 hours) to catch the other bus to Entre Rios. We decided to leave with that group and so we put on our hiking shoes and we left!

Leaving at 5:30am to hike the rest of the way...

We didn't have any water, only a piece of bread. I made sure we stuck with the guy who had the chicken (it was alive!). You never know!! Gotta stick with the food. :) It started to rain, the road was so soft, in parts of it you would just sink! We had to cross the river 4 times on the way. The current was so strong our whole group had to cross together, holding on to each others' arms. I SO wish I had a picture for you of it...but then again everyone stripped down to their underwear to cross because it was waist deep so I wouldnt post it...but yeah, it was a sight!! We stopped at a little house to get water but their pipes had broken because of the storm so they just had rain water to give us. We hiked about two hours and came to a bus coming our direction that couldn't go any further. That bus was turning around towards Entre Rios so we got on, muddy and wet but happy. That bus had to stop several times for several hours so everyone could get out and help repair a stream so we could cross. We finally got to Entre Rios about 5pm yesterday!

There is a leadership retreat at the mission this week (the pastors or their wives from the country come). I was really moved last night by the meeting. During the worship time, I opened my eyes and everyone had tears streaming down their face...crying out to God asking for his help. Please pray for the rest of the retreat! Pray the Lord would strengthen the weary and encourage the depressed. I need to run, I'm making soup for dinner for everyone.

One last thing... You know what I was thinking this weekend? When God tells us to do something, it's not just a "Go do that...", it's a "Come with me here..." It's like he takes our hand, and says, "Come with me, let me help you love others, let me mold you, bless you, show you." :) Pretty neat!!

Love and miss you all! Thanks for all the emails!

Julia

Buen día!

Hola!! It's been raining here in Entre Rios the past several days. They hate here it but I love it! The mountains are covered in white mist and it's cold! Nothing like coming out to the market and getting a hot empanada when it's cold!

Walking back from church *thanks mom for making me bring the ugly rain jacket :) It was a lifesaver. And the double pillow cases. And all the zip lock bags...:) You were right.

Nice lady and her empanada stand. Amazingly good!

I met these two girls while eating!

English classes are going great and keeping me busy. I just had another class added of youth. I've been able to communicate with everyone in Spanish a lot more -- more than, "Hey, how are you? Good... Good! OK, bye!" :) So that's been nice! I now have friends around town at the internet, bank, market... It's been great building relationships with them.

The last couple days I have picked Abby and Joas up from their mom's work in the afternoon and have taken them to the park by the soccer field. It's been a blast! As soon as we get there Joas introduces me to all the kids as his gringita from the United States. I´ve gotten to know a lot of the kids.

Yesterday was so funny... The kids and I were hanging out in the plaza where there are lots of rose bushes. The kids went and picked tons of roses and kept bringing them to me until my arms were full of them! Angela came out of the church and saw and she told the kids to not pick anymore (they aren´t allowed whoops). So were walking back to the mission from the plaza and suddenly Abby says very loudly getting their attention, "Look it's the police!" We were passing a couple officers... Joas immediately threw his jacket over my arms full of roses. While staring at them, they began to talk very loudly and nervously about how the police were going to come after us. They were hanging onto my arms making roses drop out beneath the jacket... I was laughing so hard! It was such a scene, everybody on the street was looking at us. Very embarassing but very funny. I'm glad the officers thought it was funny too.

Cute boys & roses ..ahh, life in South America ;)

Abby braiding my hair

More empanadas!

No more cheesy smiles! We had some lessons and Joas finally learned out to make a silly face....

Hanging out with the girlies!

:)

Angela and I are planning on catching the bus today at 5 to go to San Josecito, but since it's been raining, the bus might not be going because the roads may be a mess. Our plan is to get to San Josecito tonight and leave early tomorrow morning from there to hike to Las Abras. Tomorrow we would hold a kids meeting, a night service for the whole village, and another kids meeting Sunday morning. We would hike back Sunday afternoon and spend the night in San Josecito. They asked me to share Sunday night with the church on loving one another. Angela will translate. Please pray for me. Then Monday morning we'll catch the bus back to ER. Hopefully we'll be able to go. Were both anxious to go since we've been in Entre Rios for a little while... If it doesn't work out this weekend we'll go next!

Ok, well I´m off to make some banana bread to bring with us this weekend. I have found out that I love cooking!

Love, Julia

P.S. I'm praying for you Friday night evang team!

Picture post :)

OK, so people keep asking me for more pictures...to help them see more of where I am staying...so enjoy some random pictures from the past couple days!

Ttoday is a BEAUTIFUL day in Entre Rios! The mission is on the right.

My room

Esther (one of Tim Matayo's daughters) and I (I'm sick here sorry lol). She and her sister are staying at the mission during the school year to attend school here in Entre Rios. Love her.

The boys practicing a drama for the church service

This is dinner most nights (bread and coffee) and the other day I found out that they have never had chocolate chip cookies ...yeah! So I made some! Everyone has to have chocolate chip cookies!

Joas fell asleep during church...don´t you love his overalls? :)

Wouldn't wake up, so dad's carrying him home. Aww!

The kitchen!

Cutest couple ever:

Abby & Joas's grandparents sitting on a bench before Wednesday night church service

I have an awesome friend named Heather who wrote me a letter for every day (85!) that I am here! Some days it's a song or a Scripture verse, while other days it's an an inside joke, or simply an I love you and miss you. Wow, it's been such an encouragment! This card was day 5 -- I was having a hard day and opened it and was so blessed. I love you, Heather! Thank you again!

*bye* :) Love, Julia

Feeling better!!

Hey y'all :) Thanks so much for your prayers!! My throat got worse after I ran out of anti-inflammatory pills so I woke up early yesterday morning really struggling. Angela took me to the hospital and they said I had a really high fever, high pulse and a bad throat infection (tonsillitis they said). The anti-inflammatory pills were making us think I was getting better but it did not get rid of the infection. So apparently they don´t like using pills here for stronger drugs because the people don´t take them when they should and then they don´t work. So I got a shot. and...apparently they don´t like giving shots in the arm........;) Yeah that´s right.... It was quite the experience! After the meds kicked in I was laughing about it all day. Good thing is I´m feeling great!! I´m on lots of medication. I was feeling so great last night I was able to play soccer with the youth after the youth meeting. It was a lot of fun! We had our church service in Naranjos this afternoon. It was wonderful. This week is full of English classes! Next weekend Angela and I are off to Las Abras again. Hope you all are doing well!! <3, Julia