Feliz Navidad

Christmas! Very weird to have Christmas with no snow but we all decorated the houses this week and so all the houses are all very festive! The Tias have been busy making cookies and delicious food for Monday night when they all celebrate. There will be a presentation where the kids can sing and dance. I've been practicing with the Guarderia to do 5 little monkeys sitting in a tree and then after they will sing Jesus loves me in English. Lots of practicing! :)

Moved into one of the houses last week to help out because the tia is expecting her baby any day now. Love living in the house and waking up every morning with the kiddos. Lots of fun nights with the girls!

The boys finally finished a bike trail they had been working on for the past 2 months. They carved a road up on top of the mountain that goes down and it is pretty cool. They got to use some newly donated bikes for the first time and they had a blast.

Christmas here is going to be completely different than what I'm used to. I will miss my family and friends and how we celebrate. But I love the simplicity of Christmas here. It's about Jesus. Not about tons of presents and food and decorations. Yes there are those things just not in abundance. It's about focusing on Jesus' birth. Praise God!

Have a wonderful merry christmas! Enjoy the time with family and friends and Christmas cookies and gifts and giving and candy canes and fancy trees with ornaments. Enjoy a wonderful Christmas dinner and a church service with candles. And enjoy the fact that Jesus is alive. That on one very special night,  He was born in a stable with sheep and other animals and because of this special night, we can now be with Him!

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!
~Lily

Bolivian food

Today I made lunch and dinner (BOLIVIAN food without recipes) for 70+ people. And it ended up being yummy! YAY!!! Hopefully will have a long update soon! Crazy that Christmas is in a week! God has been really faithful in the last week! Been so filled with joy even though there's lots of work to be done and all the craziness of getting ready for Christmas! Love seeing the simplicity of Christmas here. And it's really weird not having snow! God bless you all! Thanks for continuing to follow this blog! Love from Bolivia!
~Lily

A little fly...

Sitting next to little David today during the movie. "Tia Lily! Look at this little fly!" He tells me holding up his finger. "It was in my booger!"
These are moments when I can't stop laughing.
Loving Bolivia and moments like this!
~Lily

Snapshots

The beautiful Jazmin

Cielo swimming

Jhoseline

Jazmin

Guiselle

"TIA LILY!!!"

"TIA LILY!!!!" I had 10 little ones yelling my names. Puts a huge smile on my face and a lot of love in my heart. I love hearing all the little ones calling me Tia and being surrounded by them and getting hugs and kisses. Nothing like it!

A team from the USA came this week to hang out with the kids so been doing lots of translating. Now my brain is so confused between Spanish and English! :) Tomorrow 10 of the kids here are graduating from high school so there will be a lot of change for them. Keep them in your prayers as they start this new adventure in their lives!

Have a wonderful weekend! God bless!
~Lily

He heard my voice

“When the enemy was all that I could see. I cried out to the Lord. He heard my voice. And he rescued me. His grace has set me free. What a Savior what a God. Oh Lord you a shield about me. Your my glory the lifter of my head. And Lord you are the one who saves me. Your my glory the lifter of my head. Your the lifter of my head. I was dead within. Surrounded by my sin. I cried out to the Lord. He heard my voice. And at Calvary He beat death and set me free. What a Savior what a God. Arise oh Lord for Salvation is Yours. Only You can save us. By Your death You raised us.”  -Lord you are a Shield by David Potter

“Bless the Lord oh my soul. Sing praise to Him and Him alone. Sing praise with me you heavenly host. Cuz I can’t help myself. For there is no-one else like you God. I could sing a song a hundred miles long but it won’t come near. Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord. Hallelujah! My soul rejoice.”  -Hundred miles by Judah & the Lion

First off if you don’t own the music by these great bands go immediately to itunes and buy their music! So encouraging and I love worshiping every morning to these songs. Beautiful sunny day today... amazed by God's grace in my life!

~lily

Summer program

Febe

Summer Vacations for the kids. And I have a lot of work!                                                              -Every morning I have the Guarderia and continue to work with the 14 little ones working on getting ready for kindergarten. Really love working with these little guys. They are a joy and LOVE learning.                                                                                     -Then directly after the Guarderia is a devocional that just started. Needing lots of prayer as lots of the kids don’t want to participate and see it as boring and as a waste of time. I am the leader of 10 boys all ages 13 and 14. It is a hard group but I know God has a plan for placing me with them. There is a couple from Holland here helping me lead it but they don’t speak Spanish. Each day I’m learning more on the best way to get the boys to listen. Lots of questions and patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for the boys to settle down and listen. Please be praying that God would really be at work in this work. Been encouraging to see some honesty as we talk about questions like “Are you a Christian?” And I get 9 boys saying “No”, one saying “Yes” and another saying “sometimes”. Be praying that God would change the “No” to a “YES!” God knows these boys hearts and LOVES them. Pray that God would save them. We are all lost and rejecting Christ before God breaks through.                                                                         -I also just got handed the reigns to being completely in charge of the summer program as the lady who was in charge suddenly quit during the first week of summer vacations. Every afternoon I am in charge of planning a daily activity for all the kids. So in the process of changing and reworking the program to make it more fun for ALL the kids at the same time and easier to run. Some of the things on the schedule... Trip to waterfalls, bikes, scavenger hunts, game days with all the board games and legos, Wally ball, soccer tournaments, swimming, videos, team competitions, talent contest, a camp fire and lots more... It’s always an adventure getting 40 to all participate especially with all the different ages. This will be very interesting and I’m hoping that the kids have fun! Last night we had a campfire and earlier in the day several older kids and I made 300 pancakes! Really fun day with lots of dancing!

Some of the pancakes!

Easy to feel overwhelmed.  Then I am reminded again and again that my strength and rock is Christ. I can do NOTHING on my own. Every bit of strength I have is found in Jesus. And all I have to do is call upon His name. I am weak. I am helpless. I am impatient. But Christ in me makes me strong. He is my help. He is the one who shows me what it is to be patient and loving. And I have joy in the fact that it is not me who lives, but Christ who lives in me. 

With Jacob on our way to the waterfalls

Just read this quote this morning in Morning and Evening by CH. Spurgeon “Whatever you do for Christ, throw your whole soul into it.”                                                                                                              

Reminded each and every day that even if there are hard moments, it's the joyous moments I want to remember and focus on. God is so very good to me! So blessed.

Lots of love from Bolivia!!!

~Lily

Give Thanks

Give thanks...

I’m thankful for... A Savior who loves me unconditionally                                                                                                                   I’m thankful that... I can listen to hundreds of crickets 
each night 
                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...A wonderful family that loves and supports me                                                                                                         I’m thankful for...86 amazingly beautiful children                                                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...Yummy fresh fruit every day                                                                                                                                            I’m thankful that... I can watch two adorable twins do kung fu after watching karate kid                                                                    I’m thankful for...Fresh avocado                                                                                                                                                                  I’m thankful for...Incredible starry nights                                                                                                                                                    I’m thankful for...14 little smiling faces in the Guarderia each morning                                                                                                  I’m thankful that... I can make goals in the Concha every once in a while                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...The wonderful Tias who work here                                                                                                                               I’m thankful for...My group of 10 teenage boys for devotions every morning                                                                                 I’m thankful that...I can sing worship music in Spanish                                                                                                                              I’m thankful that...I can hear “Tia Lily” every day                                                                                                                                      I’m thankful that... I am surrounded by mountains                                                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...Skype dates with sissies and my parents                                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...emails from sisters                                                                                                                                                           I’m thankful for...Korean soap operas in Spanish :)                                                                                                                                  I’m thankful for...Kia rides down to town                                                                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...Tiny little hands in mine                                                                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...bug repellent                                                                                                                                                                     I’m thankful that... I’m Learning more and more Spanish every day                                                                                                  I’m thankful for...Delicious bolivian meals                                                                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...Little kisses from Peniel                                                                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...ice cold Pillfruit!                                                                                                                                                                 I’m thankful for...Great cousins and friends who keep encouraging me and checking in                                                               I’m thankful for...American Chocolate... you will never appreciate it fully until it is gone                                                                  I’m thankful for...A wonderful Church in the States and my brothers and sisters in Christ                                                                I’m thankful for...Thunderstorms during the night                                                                                                                                      I’m thankful for...Fresh baked break every week                                                                                                                                      I’m thankful for...Little notes my sissies wrote me for every morning                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...Teal nail polish                                                                                                                                                                  I’m thankful for...How blessed we are in America                                                                                                                                  I’m thankful that...My hope is found in Christ alone                                                                                                                                     I’m thankful for...movie nights with all the kids                                                                                                                                          I’m thankful for...Good health                                                                                                                                                                      I’m thankful for...Converse                                                                                                                                                                          I’m thankful for...joy each and every day s I serve to the glory of God                                                                                                   I’m thankful for...rellenos and leche con lemon                                                                                                                                         I’m thankful for... wonderful directors here at Casa de Esperanza                                                                                                       I’m thankful for... a completed 1 year visa process!!!                                                                                                                              I’m thankful for...a God who has compassion                                                                                                                                           I’m thankful for...real, honest conversations with the older kids                                                                                                           I’m thankful for...a fun trip to beautiful waterfalls with all the kids                                                                                                            I’m thankful for...a high pain tolerance when my toe nail gets ripped off completely                                                                          I’m thankful for...sunshine and an enormous blue sky                                                                                                                              I’m thankful for...hearing the little kids shout praise at church                                                                                                                 I’m thankful for...walking down to town with the older kids                                                                                                                   I’m thankful that...I am NEVER alone                                                                                                                                                          I’m thankful for...the blessing of spending a year in Bolivia                                                       

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all enjoyed the FOOD! Really missed American Thanksgiving food this year. My thanksgiving dinner... avocado, stale bread, some soup, an orange and half cooked potatoes since my gas ran out the same night. So enjoy your left overs and reheats for the next week or so... :)

~Lily

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

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

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!

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

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

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

A glimpse of a week

Sunday: Kia rides down to church staring out at God´s beauty. The HEAVENS declare the GLORY of God! Listening to little children shouting out praise songs. Lunch with one of the Tias and meeting her large and extended family. Delicious chicken and getting eaten by bugs at the river. Apples!!! Walking back down the mountain to church with 4 amazing friends. Laughing and slipping and falling down the dusty roads. Yummy food. Worship. Ride up to CDE wedged between my best buddies. Millions of stars overhead.

Monday: HEAT!!! Races with all my little ones. Being in charge of 4 young boys all afternoon meant lots of laughs. Fresh delicious bread and coca-cola and yummy noodles from my wonderful neighbor.

Tuesday: Laughing and giggling with Captain America aka Captain Chipmunk. Washing clothes. Sweet Peniel walking! Walking up to my house as it starts to hail. Banana cake! Laughing with tia´s during concha and carving soap into cute bunny rabbits for homework. My favorite soup with quinua and mani.

Wednesday: Singing in the Guarderia and the little ones playing instruments. New doll house that the kids love. The little boys all went crazy over the barbie motorcycle. Washing more clothes! Homework and lots of handwriting with R. Telling stories and talking with L and J. Helping burn frindges off fabric for the tia to sew. :) always new things to learn

Thursday: New Puzzles in the Guarderia which is the best thing ever. Favorite new puzzle, Ben 10! Finished reading the book of Esther and so encouraged by her faith and trust in God. I can do ALL things through Christ. Helping out in 1 and doing art homework with R for 6 hours. Hearing horror stories, rolled up paper wars, and craziness. Lots of laughter and screaming from E.

Friday: 2 babies in the Guarderia plus a visitor´s baby. Meeting the founders of CDE and getting confused trying to talk in English. Which ended up mostly Spanish and a little bit of English. Can´t talk in English here anymore! haha! Being in charge of 6 little ones ranging in ages from 1-9 all afternoon. CONCHA!!! Soccer, talking with crazy boys. Encouraging R and listening. God is good in the midst of trails. Be praying that God would draw near and save these kids. Watching the kiddos dance with sweet little J on my lap.

Saturday: Helping out in the kitchen. Rice, noodles, chopping up turnips, tomaotes, green veggies, pumpkins, onions, potatoes... lots of laughs... lots of yummy food. Eating and smiling all through lunch at the goofy 4 year old on my left and best bud across from me. Washing pots and walking down the mountain to town.

Just a peek into an average week. Crazy how fast time flies. So much happens in one week. Keep the kids in your prayers. That God would draw near and open up their hearts. My heart breaks as R tells me that he could care less about God. As E makes light of death and says he doesn´t need God. Pray that God would open up hearts and eyes to the truth. He is good and knows every pain these kids have felt. Thanks for your prayers! Lots of love from Bolivia! God bless!
Lily

2 months!!!

Happy 2 months in Bolivia!

Today I...
-Got lots of hugs from my wonderful listeners in the Guarderia
-Got told "My name isn't Juanes anymore, it's tweety-bird" by a 4 year old
-Killed a cockroach

-Talked all through a yummy lunch with my sweet little friend Ariel
-Washed and washed and washed clothes by hand :)
-Tickled a VERY ticklish, toothless 8 year old
-Laughed after little Andres dropped a spoon and searched and searched for it until realizing it was right under his foot! haha
-Helped cook a birthday dinner for Dani
-Ate yummy dinner and LAUGHED at some very crazy boys
-CAKE!!!
-Hung out and talked with the Tia and one of the older girls

Crazy how much craziness happens in one day. Always lots to do and lots of laughter. Times where it's really hard too but the happy moments outshine the rough ones. God is so very good!
~Lily

Rainy afternoon

Rainy afternoon

Rainy saturday afternoon... running outside to grab all the clothes hanging out to dry and laughing and screaming as we grab armfuls! Sitting with some of the girls and laughing and
telling stories. Running in the rain with broken flip-flops barefoot covered in mud. Laughter. Clouds above and below my mountain. Listening to rain and thunder farther away. Pretty amazing saturday. :)

The sky this morning

~Lily
*Just realized this was post #200!!! Crazy!

Back Home :)

Nothing like coming back to Caranavi!!! As I was walking up to my house I had several little kids scream "Tia LILY!!!!" and then got LOTS of hugs at the Concha. Love coming back home! I have to head back to La Paz sometime next week to finish up all the paperwork. Waiting to hear from my lawyer so please be praying that I will hear from him quickly so I can finish everything up. Kind of a bummer to have to head back one more time but trusting God's timing. He is good! More coming soon!
~Lily

Some of my loves

David and Andres riding bikes in the Concha

Missing these little cuties! Can't wait to head back to Caranavi tomorrow!!!
Meeting with my lawyer tomorrow morning to finish up all the paperwork
so please pray it goes quickly and smoothly! Can't wait to get back and get lots of hugs!

Peniel is getting sooo big!!! Walking now!

Lots of love! Crazy how fast the time flies!!!

~Lily

Almost 2 months

It's almost been 2 months back here in Bolivia which is crazy! In LaPaz this week for hopefully the last time! My passport is STAMPED with permission to stay in Bolivia for 1 year! Have one last thing to do tomorrow before I head back to Caranavi. I've been really blessed with an amazing bolivian friend helping me out and driving and helping translate and a great lawyer who knows what he is doing!

Even being away from the kids for 3 days, I miss them like crazy right now! Which makes me laugh cuz I'll see them this weekend.

It's crazy to think that by this time on my last trip, my time was almost up and now I am just getting started and still have LOTS more time to love on these kids and learn and LAUGH! Amazed by God's goodness!

I'm super excited because in a month or so there's gonna be giant flying ants for like 3 days. And in those 3 days you catch as many as you can and break off their heads, cook them up and eat them. :) And I am really excited to try it! I will definitely put up pictures when they come!

Seen some pretty crazy bugs. Some of them are HUGE! There's giant moths bigger than my hands, the other day there was a huge bug as long as my fist with HUGE pinchers. And lots and lots of little tiny bugs that you can never find until after they bite you. Thank goodness for bug repellent.

Lots of love! God bless!
~Lily

Spock

Did you know I found Spock in Bolivia??? :)

Learning to laugh

The other night at Concha I said a phrase and immediately all the boys started laughing and mocking me. And I knew I had said something wrong. When they finally stopped laughing enough to explain it, I realized I had said something REALLY bad and was faced with two options. I could get embarrassed or I could just laugh at myself cuz it was an honest mistake. So I laughed and laughed and am still laughing at the many mistakes I make each and every day.

I love learning how to laugh at myself and see how God has a sense of humor. He has a sense of humor in giving me 4 sisters and then placing me here with 15+ boys ages 11-14 which always includes lots of make fun of Lily times which usually makes me laugh.

Last night after I had just gotten into La Paz, two Bolivian friends and I were talking about life plans and one said that his old neighbor had lots of plans but died without doing anything. So go and do something. Live and enjoy this life that God has given us. Laugh. Give everything to God in prayer and then do it. God will direct you and guide you. But don't wait. Our lives are short and quick and we are given this time to live and glorify God.

Carnivore

On Friday after lunch I looked over at a huge circle of kids and in the middle was the dead pig's frozen head. :) and it's huge body sitting a few feet away. Which meant eating yummy chancho on Saturday! Delicous! David LOVED it! :)

Celebrated the 25th anniversary of the church today and all the kids from Casa de Esperanza went down even the little little ones. They served tons of chicken for lunch and everyone ate lots and lots and got REALLY sleepy after. :)

In La Paz this week to finish up my visa stuff! Lots of love and more posts to come! God bless!

~Lily :)

My names

Lily

Leelee

Lily Goodman

Lily Flooflardy

Hermana

Tia

Leyla

La Leelee goooooodman

LEILEI!!!!

Lily Yuma

Madrina

Lily bruja del jardin

Lily Fluharty

Hermana Leelee

Tia Lily

La Lily

Americana

Lily Voovady

Gringa

mala

mi amor

Barbie

Flaca

Skeleton

these are just of few of the names i respond to here in Bolivia... :) plus a few more that I won't write here haha.

What they do to my heart

"Your my best friend Lily Flooflady" he tells me. and my heart melts.

"My older brother doesn't care about me but I care about him so it makes me sad to think about it" says another. and my heart breaks.

Spending 7+ hours helping her with 11 pages of math homework she hadn't done and having her actually understand the last page and doing it all on her own. a huge smile on her face. and my heart smiles.

Getting HUGE hugs every morning from 11 smiling little ones. and my heart sings.

Making goals and missing more goals playing soccer and LAUGHING LAUGHING LAUGHING with lots of crazy beautiful children.

~Lily

A fast forward day

If you fast forward my day...

*Making and eating DELICIOUS pancakes with homemade syrupish stuff

*Getting 11 little hugs

*Screaming the ABCs in Spanish with 11 little crazies

*Doing races with crazy 3 year olds crashing into each other and falling over laughing

*Waiting for an 8 year old slow poke to finish eating

*Checking two crazy 8 year olds socks to see if their clean

*Laughing and helping both crazy 8 year olds rewash socks

*Homework homework homework with both crazy 8 year olds

*Trying to clean the floors with all the dust! It's sooooo dusty :)

*Getting more hugs and kisses and fresh yummy bread

*Getting ambushed and my flip flops stolen by a crazy 13 ALMOST 14 year old viejo

*Feeding the doggy and making a yummy dinner

*Hanging out with 2 friends and listening to music and eating french fries i made and killing the buro in my house

*Thinking back on this crazy but wonderful day and SMILING! :) Lots of amazing friends and lots of laughter. And lots of yummy food!

God is so very good to me! Love to you all! 

Little boy in blue

Juanes and his motorcycle

This little guy makes me smile each and every day. Juanes seems shy at first but has the CUTEST giggle and is full of mischief. He gives the BEST running huts every morning too. Love him and his twin brother Javier. :) I love hearing them call me "Tia Lily" and all their adorable faces

Juanes and Javier were so cute in matching outfits

He was so proud of this face

Spock!!!

This is his mad face


Lots of love from Bolivia!!! Been super busy and been having a blast! God is soooo very good and learning so much!
~Lily

Gracias y por favor

It's been a crazy wonderful week with the kids! Lots of laughs!

In the Guarderia were working on please and thank you and it is a process to be consistent with 11 little crazies and having them ask nicely. But their doing a GREAT job. Sometimes it turns into one long question "Tia Lily can I please have this thank you?"  and their learning their numbers and alphabet really well! Some of the highlights were some of the little boys dressing up in dresses, reading Go Dogs Go and it's almost memorized by all the little kids, and playing playing playing!

Thursday and Friday I was the Tia in the afternoon in the 4th house because the Tia was down in town both afternoons. I took care of the two little kids in the house and washed clothes, gave baths, played, laughed, washed dishes and more dishes and took LOTS of pictures. Last night when the Tia came back I went to leave to go to my house to sleep and little Javier goes "Nooooo Tia Lily! No te vayas" which means "don't goooo!" Super cute!

 A church from the states donated 12 amazing new mountain bikes this week and the kids went CRAZY! They are super excited and it's such a huge blessing since the old bikes were falling apart!

My Spanish is continuing to grow and improve... words of the week "cochino!" "pues" and yes there's stories behind both of them :)

God is so very good to me! Please continue to pray for these kids that God would continue to work in them and draw them to Himself for His glory and honor! God bless!
Love from Bolivia,
Lily

Judah and the Lion

Your blood spilled for me.
Once a slave now I have been set free.
I can't help but sing
How your love came down and rescued me.

Torn apart you paid my price
The wrath of God was satisfied.
You gave me life
My hope is found on Jesus Christ

Here's my destiny
to walk with you for all eternity.

-Torn Apart
Judah and the Lion

Really encouraged listening to praise music. How He loves us. Once a slave but now se free and to walk with Christ for all eternity. I can't help but sing!


Trying to upload a video of one of the adorable little guys! We'll see if it will or not!

Love you all!
~Lily

Smiles giggles and joy

Every second with these kids makes me smile. They are so full of life. So full of joy and smiles and it is infectious. When they giggle it fills me with joy and reminds me again and again of how much I love these crazy kids. There are days that are hard where they struggle and don't listen and are angry. But I am reminded again and again how Jesus see's me as His child. When I struggle and don't obey, He still loves me and wants me and see's me as precious. I see so much of God's love in these kids! And it fills me with joy. 

Every morning when all the little kids come to the Guarderia and give me hugs and sweet little kisses. Every time they get sooooo excited because they finished a puzzle all by themselves. Every time they want to show me something that is special to them. It amazes me how much and how quickly I fell in love with these kids. 

And it makes my heart fly!!! I am soooo blessed to be here in these mountains with these kids. I am soooo blessed to be loved by Jesus and to be reminded every day of His amazing love for me.

Lots of love and smiles from Bolivia!

~Lily

Loving Caranavi

2 weeks flew by in Caranavi. I'm in La Paz for a few days for my visa but can't wait to get back to the kids. It was sooooo crazy to be back in Caranavi loving on the kids every second of every day! I love it. The last two weeks were filled with lots of hugs, smiles, hearing "Tia Lily", the Guarderia with all 11 little kids, passing out photos I brought from the team which the kids LOVED, evicting a family of cockroaches, yummy food, mountains, playing UNO, smarties, little hands in mine, bug bites, kia rides, laughter and so much more. I am so blessed to be back here doing what I love and getting to loveo n these kids and letting them love on me.

It is definitely not always easy. This week has been rough with one of the younger boys really struggling so please be praying that God would save him and give the directors wisdom. These kids have gone through a lot and they need hope and joy found in Christ alone. Reminded again and again that all I have is Christ!!!

Internet is up (ish) just really slow  so hopefully i will be able to update more once I get back to Caranavi later this week. Continue to pray for the kids that God would save them and draw them to himself! Lots of love from Bolivia and lots of little kiddos!
~Lily