Back home but missing my other home

I'm home!!! I made it home safe and sound on Monday and have slept for hours, ate cookie dough and been enjoying the Minnesota weather. Really missing Caranavi and all my wonderful friends and kids there but know that God is in control over timing. :)
I'll have the whole story of the trip... what I did... who I met... all the kids... food... animals... etc in posts to come but here's a little sneak peek! :)

Beautiful mountains overlooking Caranavi. Our view every morning!

Me and the sweet Sara 

Antonio 

With the one and only Carlos and Rafa

I've learned so much from this trip! I learned basic stuff like how to delouse kids, cooking without recipes, washing poopy cloth diapers by hand, washing loads of clothes by hand, peeling potatoes really fast by hand, learning a new language, cleaning and what it means to take care of 80+ kids...

I also learned that smiles are a universal language

I learned how to ask questions over and over again if I don't understand.

I learned how to laugh at myself. A lot. 

All I have is Christ.

I am so blessed and thankful for these past 3 months spent with Jessa in Caranavi, Bolivia and can't wait to go back (more on this later). God is so good to me and it was amazing to see His faithfulness so visibly and how many prayers He answered and to see Him working in my heart and in the hearts of the kids. Left my heart behind in Bolivia!!!

~Lily

How did time fly???

So crazy that 3 months is almost up! Were flying home on Monday and it´s crazy how fast time flew. I will have lots of stories and pictures coming soon too so keep checking in once I get home! Spent my birthday hanging out with the kids and a little surprise birthday bash with four of the older kids from the primera casa where I got cake smashed into my face and eggs smashed on my head and overall had a lot of fun. Last Sunday at church me and Jessa were both able to share our testimonies with the youth group which was super encouraging. I´m really going to miss being with all these kids 24/7 and getting hugs and ¨Hermana Lily¨ all the time. I am going to miss playing soccer with the boys 3 times a week and all the yummy food here! It has been such an incredible 3 months and I am so thankful for every second of it! :) Blessings from Bolivia and see you soon!
Lily

Kids kids and more kids

3 weeks left! Before I had left I had hoped to blog every week and keep you all posted
but with spotty internet and a super busy schedule... well... I'll have a lot of stories to
blog about when I get home.

Jessa and I got back to Caranavi safe and sound and definitely miss the team and Jameson
and Diedra who left the week after back to the states. It was weird having me and Jessa
be the only American's up here. Every day I fall more and more in love with Caranavi and
with these kids. Our Spanish is continually growing and it's awesome to be able to have
conversations that actually can last hours with these kids.

My day is packed with kids kids kids and lots and lots of laughing and smiles and hugs.
This week I've been in the Guarderia which is where all the little kids go in the morning so
that the Tia's can get work done. The little guys are so sweet and continually screaming
"Hermana Lily!" at me so they can show me what their doing or get a hug. After lunch
I help in different houses every day with homework and help the Tia's clean or watch
the little ones. I LOVE every moment of it!

God is so good and I have been so blown away by His goodness and faithfulness!

~Lily

6 weeks!

Half way! This first month and a half has just flown by and as I look back on the first 6 weeks in Caranavi, I am completely overwhelmed by how good God is and how faithful He is and always will be.

Jessa and I finished up our Spanish classes and are amazed by how much grace God has given in learning a new language. It definitely helps being surrounded by Spanish 24/7. We are able to communicate all the basics and hold conversations and I was super encouraged to be able to share my testimony in spanish with several of the kids at Casa de Esperanza by myself. :)

The team from our church just left for the states this morning and it is sad to see them go. It was such an unbelievably encouraging 2 weeks. 2 new roofs, a newly painted concha for the kids to play soccer on, repainted play ground, fresh paint in the kitchen and bathrooms plus all the love they were able to give as they served the Tias, Tios and children at Casa de Esperanza. So grateful for all the memories we will now share with the team from Minnesota. Thanks you guys for how well you loved and served the kids here in Caranavi.

Me and Jessa have really been able to get to know the kids really well and we are so grateful for all of our new friendships in Bolivia. It is really hard to not fall in love with all these kids. Being called "Hermana Lily" or as some of them say my name "Leelee" has been so great!

Today, we head back on death road to Caranavi after a weekend in LaPaz. Can´t wait to spend more time with these kids. Keep us in your prayers! Love to all!
Lily

And one month flew by!

Happy 1 month in Bolivia!

Abby and Caleb got here this week and
next week the team from our church
comes.

Tomorrow is the last day of Spanish class
and then me and Jessa are transferring to
being up at Casa de Esperanza all day.

Three nights a week the kids have what they call
Concha and Jessa and I have been playing
football for a couple hours each time with the
boys which has been so fun!

So grateful for all your prayers. God has
been so very good and so very present. I've
been so encouraged to see Him at work in
me and in the kids.

~Lily

3 wonderful weeks!

3 weeks in beautiful Bolivia! Time is flying by and I am so blessed by God's goodness in my time here.

My spanish classes are going really well and it's been really exciting to be able to communicate more and more with the kids and students here.

The 30 something students staying at CEC which is a 3 month discipleship course just left yesterday so the house seems so quiet. It was crazy how close me and Jessa got with the students even though we've only known them for a short while. The last weekend they were here, we all went to a river about an hour away and swam in the current, jumped off rocks into the river, had a picnic and played soccer.

This is our last week in class before the team from our church arrives. Super excited to see everyone and the kids are super excited! :)

Thank you for all your prayers!

`Lily

Our little buddies!

2 weeks in Bolivia! The time is flying! 

Some of our new best buddies. 

Juan Gabriel, Keyla, Caleb, Me, Lizbet and Andreas