Lily's kids

Lily's kids

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Game day

The 3 musketeers

Game day on Saturday with all the kids. Lots of games and toys and the kids had a blast!

Andres 

Eriks, Caleb and Renan with their legos

Jacob

When these kids play they play hard! :) Lots of fun. Played lots of Jenga and loved watching the little kids running around with all the toys. Let school vacations begin!!! God bless!
~Lily

Friday, November 16, 2012

Whatever you do...



I am continually inspired by these kids. They are such hard workers. 
The other day, all of my little ones I work with ages 1-5 all went and picked up freshly mowed grass. They did such a great job and even though they ended up getting distracted a few times, they ended up cleaning the part of the lawn super well. I was amazed as they worked for over 40 minutes without stopping! I was so proud of them all!
An hour later I watched as 4 of the young teenage boys cut down 2 trees with a machete while balancing on a board and hopping from one foot to another to keep from getting bit by hundreds of angry ants who had been living in the tree. Pretty funny and really cool to watch the tree lean slowly slowly before crashing down. 
Every weekend, all the kids work for several hours cutting grass with machetes and all the little kids help clean the sala where we all eat. They all do such a great job and do it with very little complaining. It’s part of what keeps this family running smoothly. Definitely interesting seeing a young kid walking around with a machete almost as big as him. 
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Last day of school was last week and vacations just started!!! Helping plan the summer program and excited to hang out and have a blast with the kids! So amazed by God’s grace in my life. Don’t deserve His love!
Lots of love from Bolivia!!! God bless!
~Lily


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Say What!?

A few things you don't want to hear from your Bolivian neighbor who's house is connected to mine...

"Lily!!! A Snake just went into your house!!!" -Ensuing a hilarious story of me kicking a tiny snake out of my house before it slithered under my neighbor's door. Screaming from my neighbor and her finally being able to unlock the door before I kicked it out of her house before it slid down a crack in the ground.

"Where are you rat??? When I find you I will kill you!" -A wonderful thing to hear your neighbor say right before bed. Sleep tight!

"Did you see that crack in the ground by the house? It goes underneath and is full of snakes." -oh wow. thank you. Now I will forever be nervous walking around my house!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Love like Fire


“Tu amor es como fuego” translates “Your love is like fire.” This song blesses me immensely and fills me with joy. The love of God is like fire. All consuming, powerful, burning, branding, changing. Bringing death to sin but later bringing new life. Fresh green new life. 
And it challenges me, is my love for God like fire? Every aspect of my life. Every moment. Every breath. Is every part of my being on fire for God? Every day that I wake up. Every day of living. I want God to be my everything. Every thought and every breath. I want my life to be consumed by His fire. To be overwhelmed by His heat and as the heat burns away the old and grow and transform more and more into his image. 
I want to have love like fire. Because His love for me is like fire.
~Lily

Tujos

Tujos

Tujos were here! Giant flying ants that come once or twice a year. I learned how to catch them without getting bitten, break off their heads, then their wings and legs and finally detach their bottom section to eat. Very addicting to catch them once I got started! But their everywhere at the moment! Ate a few raw and didn’t have much of a flavor but they are delicious fried in oil with salt. One of the boys brought me a container with them which made me smile. Then later that day one of the Tia's told me to try something on a plate... looked over to see a big fat worm. Tasted like burnt rubber. That thing is NEVER going into my mouth again!  :) Only in Bolivia do I eat snake, cow tongue, ants and worms. 


Juanes
Only a week left of classes for the kids and their all getting excited for vacations!!! Lots of big tests this week so there will be lots of studying going on over the weekend. God is soooo very good! Crazy 3 months have passed! Christmas is coming soon and the kids are getting excited. Lots of love from Bolivia!!!
~Lily

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Visa- CHECK!

It's official! I have my visa and all my paperwork is done! God is soooo good! It is a very complicated waiting process but so blessed that mine went through and I can stay!!! 

Officially made it over Death Road 11 times! Their in the process of fixing it so every time I crossed it was improving little by little! So crazy beautiful though! Huge green mountains and falling waterfalls and beautiful trees and flowers everywhere. And for the first time yesterday, AIR CONDITIONING in the taxi!!! 

So blessed to be back in Caranavi with the kids and not have to worry about paperwork anymore!!! :) 
God is good! God bless and lots and lots of love from Bolivia! Happy birthday to my sweet sister Maddy!!! Love and miss all of my sweet sisters.
~Lily

Friday, November 2, 2012

Courage


“Only where children are gathered is there any real chance of fun.” ~Mignon McLaughlin

Broken flip-flops dangling from my fingers and my muddy feet avoiding rocks as I walked barefoot. Rain still dripped from the palm trees and I could still see the cloud of rain hitting the mountain alongside us. Cleaning the dirty pool with 13 laughing, splashing, soaking kids. Getting pushed in, finding marbles on the bottom, and everyone getting DIRTY! Wonderful, rainy, wet Saturday.

Peniel


It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.” - E.E. Cummings
Been an interesting few weeks here as some of the teenagers are learning the consequences of not following rules. Lots of anger and frustration as they learn and grow. It’s in the hard times that our character really grows. “I wish my mother never would have given birth to me. It would have been better to never have been born.” Said one of the girls the other night. How do I respond in moments like that. I feel so inadequate and can only listen, try to understand and continue to point towards Christ. His love for them. The hope and life and love found in Him. And love them. Love these kids who are and learning and growing through good times and hard times where they are hurting and alone and angry. 
Sara and I after church
“Change this world. Use your body like a tool meant to be used up, discarded, and replaced. Better every life you touch. We will reach the final chapter. Live now. Relish the tensions, the challenges, and laugh at the petty pains.” -N.D. Wilson
Skinned knuckles from hand washing clothes. Legs covered with bug bites. Bruised heels from running barefoot while playing soccer. Dry hands from washing dishes. Sore arms from scrubbing dirty uniforms, washing windows. Happy heart from learning, helping, loving, laughing, running, lifting, DOING. Living. Use the gifts God has given you and live for His glory. Love life because each day is a gift.
"The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last." ~Lemony Snicket

“Tia Lily, do you like to work?” they always ask me as I scrub clothes or wash dishes. Makes me laugh. “No... not always.” I tell them. “But I like to DO. I like to live.” And all the work here is a joy because the work I do here goes directly into 86 children who laugh and play and have hurts and joys and give me hugs and call me Tia and tell me their secrets and fears and their adventures. And it makes all the work and rough days worth it. Every hug, every smile, every time a tiny hand slips into mine, every time I hear “Tia Lily” it fills my heart with joy.
Me and the funniest David

Been an incredible 3 months in Bolivia. I have officially spent half of a year in all here in Caranavi. With these crazy amazing kids and learned so much and am learning more every day. Amazed by God’s faithfulness and love as He provides again and again. And I am amazed at His love and beauty. It is impossible to not praise His name every time I step outside my door and see green mountains surrounding me. His creation sings His praises. Finished up all the paperwork for my visa! God is good and faithful!
Please be praying for...
-The older kids here that God would save them and be their comfort when they are struggling.
-Wisdom for the directors as they deal with rebellious children.
-That God would send more children to Casa de Esperanza. 10 children are graduating this year making more space available for others to live in a safe home and hear of God’s love for them. 
God bless! Continue to pray for all the kids and Tias! God hears your prayers and is FAITHFUL! Lots and lots of love from Bolivia!!!
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My heart and my flesh fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” Psalm 73:25-28
~Lily