The kid with 100 faces

So this is Ezekiel. The kid with literally 100+ faces. Every time he got a hold of my camera I knew I would have a few laughs waiting as I uploaded them on my computer. Ezekiel is 13 years old and probably one of the sweetest kids ever. He was always asking how I was doing and always wanted to talk. Such a sweet kid. Enjoy these pics!

This face is called: LILY WINS AT UNO!!!

Imagine this face plus He growls. How can I not laugh? :)

Yup! Pretty much one of my best friends! :)

Swimming in Bronsini

Bronsini!

  On one of the last weekends with the CEC students, we all piled into the back of the Kia and drove an hour or two from Caranavi to Bronsini and had a wonderful day swimming in a beautiful river, playing soccer, eating yummy and REALLY spicy food, playing with probably the cutest puppy in Bolivia and hanging with some great friends! 

Jessa with Elias and Marcos

We had a lot of fun swimming across the river with the current and climbing up unto a big rock before jumping in and fighting the current back to the other side. We had a blast! On the way home, there was a BEAUTIFUL double rainbow that was so bright. All the CEC students graduated from the discipleship program that weekend and it was sad to see them leave but what a blessing we have in all our new Christian brothers and sister. And lots of REALLY fun memories we'll share. Gracias a Dios!
~Lily

CEC and Spanish course

One of our views. Surrounded by Mountains

So the first month in Bolivia... We lived at CEC which is connected to Casa de Esperanza and is a Spanish course and also a discipleship course for Bolivians who are around 17+. our main goal was to learn as much Spanish as possible in our class. Every morning we would have four hours of Spanish class where our teachers would only speak Spanish and our textbook was only in Spanish. It was crazy... I went from not even knowing how to say what my name was to slowly but surely being able to speak more and more spanish.

CEC students on their last day

During our stay we got to hang out with the CEC students who were part of the discipleship course for 3 months. Some of them were orphans living at Casa de Esperanza and others came from all over. It was really fun to be able to make lots of new friends who were the same age as us and to be able to practice our Spanish with them. And they were really patient with my Spanish. :) Really patient. Even when I accidentally would say bad words in Spanish they would just laugh and actually tell me how to say the word right!

Our beautiful view overlooking Caranavi

 



Jessa and I were so blessed by all of our new friends and we learned so much from our stay at CEC. During this month we also went up to Casa de Esperanza every afternoon to help with homework but our main goal was to get as much Spanish into our brains as possible. We were blessed with some amazing teachers. Ximena, Jasmin, Jameson and Marco all were so patient with us and made learning SO fun! There were times where we would just die laughing in class.

Two of our good friends from CEC: Marcos and Misael

Some of the highlights from living at CEC:

*The FOOD!!! We were so spoiled with all the yummy meals. Lots of rice and potatoes but really tasty!

*Chuño! First of all the dog. Jameson and Diedra's dog Chuño was such a love bug and I loved snuggling on him.
 The other chuño is a little black potato that's been freezer or something and it tastes kinda weird. Not gross or anything... I just could never decide if I actually enjoyed eating them or not.

Our AMAZING Spanish teacher and friend: Ximena

Noelia, Jessa and I swimming in Caranavi    

*Sleeping with the warm breeze blowing into our windows and the sound of TONS of crickets everywhere. Seriously the most amazing sound to go to bed to.

With Jameson, Diedra and MaryLuc

*Rain! Lots and lots of rain. Going to sleep to rain and waking up to rain and lots of rain in between. Lots of classes would be interrupted by the sound of rain and everyone running to get clothes off the line before they got more wet!

We were also incredibly blessed to be able to spend time with and learn from Jameson and Diedra who are from our church and had been serving in Bolivia for over a year. So fun to get to know them better. God really used them to encourage me on days where I was discouraged with Spanish or with life in general. 

I really learned how important it is to be able to laugh at yourself. While learning a different language, there were times where my brain didn't want to take anymore and I would just start repeating the same word over and over again in a daze. Being able to laugh was such a crazy blessing. It seems like a simple concept. :) 

“I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then before you know it, the times we had together were gone.” 

― Dr. Seuss
 
More coming!
~Lily

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