Farewell Bolivia (At Least For A While)

Today is the end of an era for the Elliott’s. We go to the airport tonight for our 2:30 am departure to the States. Thank you to all who have prayed for us and given financially to make this past term possible.

Ch’airo will continue but at a more infrequent pace. I will try to keep both the prayer request and schedule pages more or less up to date.

Before I go I want to share a couple of lists:  First, what I won’t miss about Bolivia:

All things chuño

Long lines and perceived inefficiency in government offices

Road blocks, strikes and demonstrations

The inability to buy a replacement washer instead of having to buy a whole new faucet

Loud music at church

Things I will miss:

Cecilia Canny

Hershey (our dog)

Faithful co-workers and best friends

Pollo al horno (oven baked chicken)

Yuca frita (fried yucca)

IC Norte food court and Wednesday shopping dates

Hot and muggy days

The hermanos (the brothers) from the church

So that is it. A lot more could be added to both lists but one thing remains the same no matter if we are in Bolivia or the US. The faithfulness of God will continue and will both lead us and supply our needs no matter what, where or when.

We’ll see you in the States.

He Is Risen!

“He is risen.”

“He is risen indeed.”

For centuries Christians have greeted each other is this fashion as they celebrated the resurrection of our Lord. Our church in Bolivia is no exception to the rule and celebrates at Easter. Every year the Junta Pascual (Easter Conference) is a time of loud and noisy, thoughtful and meditative rejoicing that our Lord Jesus is alive.

The atmosphere is half carnival, half church and half unrestrained celebration as old friends meet, new friends are made and the church is able to see herself as a whole much larger than any individual congregation.

This year’s celebration included:

times of worship and instruction

lots of music

classes for all ages and language groups (Spanish, Aymara, Quechua)

games and activities in the street

good food

Sunday morning march

presentations from Colegio Libertad (Liberty School).

We were very glad to find that a good group of believers from the new church in Riberalta attended.

Niki and I were able to take a side trip to Lake Titicaca with some good friends before going home to Santa Cruz.

All in all it was an inspiring and challenging time calling us all to holiness of heart and life remembering that our Lord died and rose again to make it possible. Yes, “He is risen.”

“He is risen indeed!”