Crazy doesn’t even BEGIN to describe the past two weeks.
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| Heading out with ALL the youngest kiddos and all the bags |
I’ve been camping before... but not in Bolivia with 95 kids, over 30 adults, 2 dogs, and a team of 35 from the States. 5 days, lots of tents, a river to wash everything needing to be washed, three sick toddlers... it was an adventure. A very tiring adventure. We had a blast though!
Every day there were games and TONS to eat with the final stragglers in the food line having to wash the big pots and pans. “LUNCH TIME” always followed with a STAMPEDE to the make shift kitchen. All the big boys strategically placed themselves next to the little ones who wouldn’t be able to finish their EXTRA large plates of food. Plus there were always seconds and thirds. Oh those boys were happy.
Those kids LOVED the river! I haven’t uploaded my pics yet but they had a blast floating down the river on inner tubes and exploring and jumping off of rocks. We had a soccer tournament and for the girls the team of Tias won! YAY! I got 2 goals!!! :)
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| Ely and Ismael riding on the mountain of bags |
At night there was movie nights, late night tea, the kids played volleyball and everyone just enjoyed being together. Sleeping with 3 toddlers in a tent is very interesting... especially with 3 sick toddlers. Let’s just say we didn’t sleep much!
On the last night before the rain came and soaked most of the tents (It’s gotta happen sometime) one of the Tios went and shot a Capybara! I had ALWAYS wanted to see one and it was HUGE!!! The next day for lunch the menu changed from chicken to Capybara. It was definitely a weird experience. It tasted like chicken and fish. :)
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| Matteo, Tia Carla and Tia Ana |
On Saturday we rolled up the tents, washed the rest of the clothes by hand, ate Capybara, loaded EVERYTHING into the 3 trucks and piled into the cars and headed home. Everyone was happy but tired.
Getting home late at night meant getting as much dinner into my little ones as possible before they fell asleep and then unpacking. We had TONS of clothes to wash and we still have blankets to wash.
This past week most of my house (including myself) ended up getting sick so 100 things I had to do got reduced to 1 thing. Rest. I find it funny sometimes that God uses stomach bugs to slow me down. I push myself HARD here. It’s a nonstop/ 24 hour job and honestly it can be exhausting. Wonderfully exhausting. But this week I put too much pressure on myself and wore myself out. When I try to do everything in my own strength I see so quickly that I just can’t.
I’m weak. God’s strong.
I can trust His strength and His plan each new day even if I don’t cross everything off on my to do list. I want to take time to wash a sunrise or to just sit and watch my babies play.
Life is short and fragile and I don’t want to waste a minute of it. I want to use up every moment reveling in God’s amazing glory and His love. He delights in His creation. He delights in us.
Let God use you. Slow down and listen. Just wait on Him. Because when You hear His whisper you’ll be blown away.
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| Peniel gives a thumbs up for going home :) |
We make so much noise. In our heads, in our hearts, in our lives... Be quiet little heart.
Isn’t that what God tells us? “Be still and know that I am God.”
In the midst of the craziness STOP and laugh. In the midst of rainy nights in a tent with 130 other people around you and a dead capybara in the back of a truck waiting to be cooked for lunch and a sick toddler laying pretty much on top of you be filled with joy.
We are His! We aren’t going anywhere!!! Not one thing can seperate us from His love!
Much love and blessings!!! I’ll be posting more pics soon!
~Lily
