B O L I V I A !

OUR LITTLE PUMPKIN

2011-10-10T10:19:00.005-04:00

LOOK WHO'S WALKING!

2011-09-26T20:10:00.003-04:00

MICAH TOOK HIS FIRST STEPS TODAY!!! It has taken 22 months, over 100 physical therapy sessions, major surgery and recovery, visits to pediatricians, neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons in two countries plus an orthotist, countless hours of workout sessions with Mommy, Daddy, and Grandparents, as well as encouragement from many, many people, but most importantly prayer and faith that this day would come!

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living." (Psalm 116:1-9)

GRANDPA LEMING

2011-09-02T13:18:00.295-04:00

(by Claire Plantenga)

Just a few weeks after our arrival in San Antonio, my Grandpa Leming passed away and we returned to Indiana to be with my Grandma and the rest of my extended family. He was someone that I consider to be a true self-made man who was part of a great generation within American history. The achievements and distinctions worthy of this description are reflected in his obituary.

However, as his granddaughter, I can tell you that during my childhood I did not understand enough to appreciate any of his achievements or honors. To me, he was just my Grandpa and I loved spending time with him. He was a great storyteller, and I always liked it when he would tell me stories about growing up in the 1930's and 1940's. I believe I learned a lot of lessons not just about American history, but about important lessons for life in general.

While he was growing up, his family didn't have a lot of material possessions. He was not raised with perspective that he was "entitled" to anything. Instead, he worked hard and learned through experience. He had mentors that he respected and he grew through their guidance. I remember that he talked about learning the value of a dollar while working at a restaurant with a boss who emphasized to him the importance of carefully calculating exact change and treating the customer with respect. Later in life, he would apply these same basic principles of business in a way that would lead to great success.

Now that I am an adult, I have a new admiration for the way that he devoted his life to work and service. He dedicated himself to providing for my Grandma and their four kids (including my mom) through working at a locally-owned business for 32 years, where his value of hard work helped him to earn the position of Vice-President. Meanwhile, he also served his state and country for 22 years in the Indiana National Guard and held a commission as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. After my mom and uncles were grown and gone from the house, most people would have considered retirement from so many years of work, but instead, my Grandpa and Grandma decided to join with partners to open a wholesale business, with a vision of providing quality products and excellent customer service. I was only 3 years old when they opened the doors for the first customers. I have vivid memories throughout my childhood of how exciting it was to visit my grandparents at the store. Now, 28 years later, they have three locations, and the business continues to thrive under the guidance of my uncles.

As a kid, he was my Grandpa, but as an adult, he became my Grandpa plus a role model. The book of Proverbs says the following:

“My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:1-6 NLT)

I believe that my Grandpa was a person who went through hardships, but also received abundant blessings from God, and he lived many years with a satisfying life of a good reputation.

May God help me to remember the life of my Grandpa by following the wisdom of these verses from Proverbs, in the hopes that I, too, will someday be able to look back on my life and find satisfaction from a life well-lived, full of kindness and loyalty, favor with God and with people in my community, a good reputation, a heart that trusted in God instead of my own limited understanding, and a life in which I sought God's guidance in everything.

I'll miss you, Grandpa Leming!

PICTURE PRAISE! (JAMES 5:6-8)

2011-08-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."

PICTURE PRAISE! (PSALM 27:4)

2011-08-27T20:29:00.003-04:00

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."

(Photo taken from the neighborhood "Los Libertadores" in Sucre, Bolivia)

PICTURE PRAISE! (1 Corinthians 5:5-7)

2011-08-26T11:43:00.001-04:00

"Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."

(Photos of bread ovens in the countryside of Bolivia)

A PERIOD OF REFLECTION

2011-08-25T15:28:00.000-04:00

As we settle into daily life in the United States, I see us entering a period of reflection about our experiences living as missionaries in Bolivia.

We think about our life in Sucre constantly. It's amazing how such small, everyday occurrences can bring back vivid memories. For example, we heard a tune on the radio and hummed along, wondering why we didn't know the words when the tune was so familiar until we realized that it was a song we've only ever heard in Spanish. We look for foods that are "familiar" to us, but find that the food products we used to eat regularly are now just categorized into the "ethnic foods" section of the supermarket. Bible verses often bring pictures to our minds of places we've visited and people we've met during our journey. When Derek and I talk with each other, we often find ourselves framing our American experiences by adding to the end of our paragraph either, "Wow, that would have never happened in Bolivia!" or "Wow, wouldn't that have been nice in Bolivia?"

We're entering a time of processing what we've experienced as we move forward with a new phase of life. Over the next several posts, we'll share a few "Picture Praises", or images from Bolivia that flood our minds when we read certain Bible verses.

IS THE BOX HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?

2011-08-20T17:57:00.036-04:00

To an adult, moving is stressful, chaotic, disorganized, and frustrating. Our moving truck was delayed in delivering our items, and from the moment that it finally arrived we've been slicing open cardboard lids, moving things from room to room, sifting and sorting through boxes that we packed over three years ago before we left for Bolivia, and trying to solve whatever has become the moving mystery of the moment (i.e. Have you seen any cereal bowls? Didn't we used to have forks?)

However, to a kid moving can be fun! Opening a box is like opening a present. Some of the boxes have toys hidden inside and you can play with them in a new environment. There are new closets and cabinets to explore, and since we don't have much furniture yet, there is plenty of room on the floor to play!

It's all a matter of perspective. Adults may be more efficient at the task of moving into a house, but kids sure do have a lot more fun with the process!

TRAVEL WITH TODDLERS

2011-08-11T16:37:00.002-04:00

Traveling with toddlers is definitely an adventure! Three days in the car together was stressful at times, but for the most part, the kids did really well. (It helped that we brought an abundant amount of little toys and activities to keep them entertained!) When they got restless, we took breaks to get out of the car and stretch. When they got hungry, Claire passed bags of Goldfish crackers, Cheerios, and other favorites to the backseat. We also purposely sought out restaurants along the route with a play area, such as Chick-fil-a and McDonalds.

We made it all the way from West Lafayette, Indiana to Little Rock, Arkansas on the first day of driving. Loading and unloading the car was a breeze because we let Micah handle all of the baggage (just kidding!)

Our hotel happened to be just 2 exits from the headquarters of Heifer International, an organization that we are familiar with because of some common goals with FH programs, so we decided to start our second day of the journey by visiting a part of their campus known as "Heifer Village." Noelia and Micah both seemed to enjoy the interactive, museum-like activities, and it gave them a chance to play before the next long segment of carseat time.

The next segment of our voyage stretched between Little Rock, AR and Waco, TX. For our first meal in Texas, we just had to have barbeque!

On the third day of travel, we finally arrived in San Antonio, with growing anticipation as we neared familiar roads and signs. We pulled into the driveway of our rental house and waited to meet the landlord. Derek turned off the car engine, and Micah (who is just beginning to put together sentences) said, "We made it!"

What a relief to finally be at our destination! We opened the car door to take out the kids, and toys fell out of everywhere. Traveling with toddlers is not always easy, but we were blessed with three days of safe travels, well-behaved toddlers, and finally after several months of transition to life in the U.S., we have a place to call HOME. Thank you, God!

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

2011-08-08T16:55:00.002-04:00

Today we will begin 1,200 miles of family fun as we move to San Antonio, Texas. It will take us about 3 days to drive, stopping frequently for our two little ones to have a break from their carseats. The car is packed and we're ready to go!

ADVENTURES WITH PODS

2011-08-04T23:42:00.005-04:00

After much deliberation and price comparison, we decided to contract PODS to move our belongings to San Antonio, TX (our future home). It took about 3 full days to pack the box you see in this picture, including a support team of Claire's cousin to help with heavy lifting and our parents who helped watch Noelia and Micah. It was a lot of work, but moving cross-country seems pretty easy compared to moving internationally! The PODS company came back with a machine they call a "podzilla" to hoist the box onto a semi truck, which will meet us at our new address in Texas. We anticipate that we have been able to save quite a bit of money by having our household items stored for free rather than needing to purchase everything brand new, which will greatly help us to live within our budget. Thank you to Claire's dad who graciously stored many, many boxes and plastic containers for us in his barn and basement during our time in Bolivia!

Noelia enjoyed watching as the box was lifted up and transferred onto the truck...until the truck started to drive away and she remembered that her toys were packed inside! She cried and we tried to reassure her that the truck (which to her probably looks kind of like a city garbage truck) would not throw her toys away. It's hard to explain to a 3-year old that she will see her toys again in Texas!

RETURNING TO RILEY

2011-08-03T15:01:00.015-04:00

It's been 3 months since Micah's brain surgery in Indianapolis. With each passing day, he appears to be healing. He seemed to recover from the pain within the first week. Then, following the doctor's guidelines, the bandages were removed and the stitches eventually dissolved. The rest of the three months he has been working with a physical and occupational therapist toward developmental milestones that his brain and muscles were not able to coordinate due in part to the excess fluid causing pressure within his brain.

During just 3 months, he has made INCREDIBLE gains!

Just to mention a few: He can now pick up food, sit up unassisted, point at objects, crawl, climb, transition from vertical position to squatting in order to reach an object, and he can say over 75 words with correct association (including a few three-syllable words and two-word phrases!) He's very social and has a sweet personality. He's ticklish and has a really funny giggle. If we support him, he can stand and walk. And, with continued physical therapy, we believe that he will eventually walk all by himself. This kid is truly blessed.

We're seeing a lot of developmental gains, but the pediatric neurosurgeon also monitors the shunt to make sure it is working properly, so this week we went to Indianapolis for a 3-month post-surgery MRI to check his internal progress. The results were GREAT! His ventricles are reduced in size. They're still bigger than kids of his same age without hydrocephalus, but the shunt is working well and helping to control the amount of fluid. PRAISE GOD!!!

The doctor was very pleased with Micah's progress. He doesn't need any medicine and has no activity restrictions (although he said that he would not encourage Micah to try out for wrestling or tackle football someday, which is fine with us!) We do need to have another MRI in 6 months just to check to see that everything still looks good and we need to be vigilant and get him to a doctor immediately if he shows any sign of shunt infection or malfunction. However, from a medical standpoint, he's currently doing really well!!!

He loved the fish tank and other toddler-friendly activities in the MRI waiting room.

Micah's head has been measured so many times, he thinks he can do it all by himself!

With the successful result of this appointment, we are officially ready to move to our more permanent U.S. location in San Antonio, Texas. We said goodbye to Micah's current pediatric neurosurgeon and the nurses that have cared for our family, plus Micah's physical therapist and occupational therapist. (We will be continuing with new providers after the move.) It's always difficult to say goodbye to people who have made such a difference in our lives and have so greatly impacted our son's ability to acheive his potential. God truly provided us with the blessing of the exact doctors and therapists that we needed right now, and for that we are very grateful. We will always remember the love they showed toward our little boy!

Micah saying "Thank You God" on the way home from the hospital

4-H FAIR

2011-07-18T13:41:00.002-04:00

After spending a few years in Bolivia, we've enjoyed sharing an American summer with our kids!

Claire was a 10 year 4-H member growing up and has an appreciation for the local county fair and the amount of time, effort, and fun that goes into the event. It was a real joy to be able to share the excitement of the fair with Noelia and Micah this year! Noelia was a bit intimidated by the larger animals, such as the cows and horses. Micah, however, wanted to pet every animal and I think he would have been happy to jump in the goat pen and play around! Bunnies were a big favorite with both kids. We walked around the fairgrounds with Claire's extended family, enjoying the animal exhibits, the blue-ribbon winning projects, and of course, special treats that we wait for all year long, including warm, freshly baked White County Fair Cookies. This year, Claire got to share the cookie tradition for the first time with Noelia, who is quite the cookie monster!

Even though we did not plan to be in the U.S. right now and wanted our time in Bolivia to continue, we thank God for the gift of an American summer.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE SUMMER?

2011-07-15T13:24:00.004-04:00

POST-COLORADO WHIRLWIND

2011-07-14T22:04:00.030-04:00

We found our debriefing experience in Colorado to be very calming. Or it was until the next-to-last day of the conference!

In God's timing, we were finishing a session about transitions when Derek received a phone call: He got a job interview! He absolutely loves his job with FH Bolivia, but our contract ends in November and now that we are in the U.S. with mounting medical bills from Micah's surgery, the time is coming soon for us to transition into a different job opportunity. We are searching in Texas, in San Antonio specifically, which was our home before we moved to Bolivia.

Receiving a call for an interview was great news, however, we were in Colorado at the time so we immediately searched online for a flight that would leave after the debriefing ended and get Derek to San Antonio in time for an interview. What an emotional whirlwind of a week! The interview went well and now we're in the process of waiting to hear if this job is part of God's plan for our future in the United States.

After the interview, Derek was able to look at housing options for our family. He visited so many apartment complexes that he lost count! We were trying to narrow down from a list of not-so-great possibilities when Derek happened to drive by a "For Rent" sign on a small rental house within our budget. He visited the property with the realtor and emailed a few photos to Claire, who was back in Indiana with the kids. We emailed the leasing information back and forth and (drumroll please) we now have a place to live in San Antonio! Finding housing now that we are back in the U.S. has been a major source of anxiety for us and we're so grateful that God provided this property at just the right moment and in just the right price range for us to be able to afford it!

Thank you, God, for your many blessings!

COLORADO

2011-07-10T16:23:00.012-04:00

Serving as missionaries in Bolivia was a wonderful experience, but of course it was not stress-free. We faced stress from life events (moving internationally with kids), daily hassles (strikes, random outages of electricity/water/gas/shortages of certain foods), situational factors (rainy/dry season), traumatic events (Micah's birth), and personality (time-oriented people in a event-focused culture), just to name a few!

As a part of our transition from life in Bolivia to life in the United States, FH encouraged our participation in a missionary debriefing and renewal program in Colorado designed to help returning missionaries reflect on our experiences, to take a "critical pause" during a time of many changes, and to prepare for the next chapter of our lives.

Here is a list of some of the basic stresses that missionaries face:

-learning a new language
-being away from family
-illnesses and limited medical help
-difference in sanitation
-constant moving
-loneliness
-different foods
-worries about finances
-adjusting to new coworkers
-cross-cultural work setting
-new job responsibilities
-physical danger
-change in climate
-concerns for supporters "back home"
-giving up a hobby or recreational activity
-limited privacy
-feeling a lack of purpose or effectiveness
-concerns about the mission
-marriage stressors
-concerns for the adjustment of children into a new situation

We were grateful for the opportunity to attend debriefing sessions with missionaries from around the world who have faced similiar stresses and understand what we're going through as we transition out of life in the developing world. We were able to process our thoughts with trained professionals, study examples from the Word, and consider how to seek balance in our lives.

A few things we learned from our studies that may encourage you today as well:

1. God comes alongside us during our hardships.

2. Passages in the New Testament that teach about comfort and suffering also describe patient endurance and perseverance.

3. Paul was a person who was doing exactly what he felt that God wanted him to do and he still suffered. He had to have asked himself "Why me?" Paul's writings show us that he believed that he was growing and becoming more reliant on God through his sufferings. Am I willing to allow my own painful experience to help me to grow in my faith and depend more on God and less on myself?

BIG TENT CONFERENCE

2011-07-02T14:39:00.001-04:00

(by Derek)

This week I had the opportunity to attend a national conference devoted to the mission work that the PC(USA) denomination is doing around the world. The purpose of my attendance was to learn more about the current international mission partnerships of PC(USA) and to make connections in order to find potential opportunities for the denomination to partner with Food for the Hungry in Bolivia.

It was a fantastic opportunity to meet people of the church from all over the world who are working to address issues of poverty and justice. Plus, in a coincidence that only God could have arranged, I even sat at the table with and got to know a couple of people who are currently working in Bolivia! I enjoyed learning about their work and exchanging ideas about current projects related to justice. In a different workshop, I had the opportunity to share and learn some good ideas on how to encourage the development of effective short-term mission teams.

By the end of the conference I felt that I had met some fascinating people, initiated some great potential partners for FH in Bolivia, and I learned more about the work that God is doing all over the world to advance His kingdom. Thank you to our financial supporters who made it possible for me to be able to develop my professional awareness and to make professional contacts that are important to the work of FH Bolivia!

FIRST (REAL) HAIRCUT!

2011-06-27T12:59:00.015-04:00

Micah's first haircut was technically at 2.5 weeks old. He was in a NICU in Bolivia struggling to survive and his veins were collapsing. The nurses needed to shave his head in order to look for a vein in his scalp to place an IV line.

His second haircut was at a children's hospital while getting prepped for brain surgery to place a shunt. Recognizing the sentimental importance of a first haircut, the pediatric neurosurgeon surprised us after the successful surgery by handing us a small lock of Micah's wispy blonde hair in a tiny sterile bag.

So, today we mark his OFFICIAL first haircut, the one that was not done in an emergency situation, the one from Mommy and not from a medical professional!

The "Before" Shot
(otherwise known as "the Micah Mullet")

And now, the completed haircut.
Lookin' good, Micah!

TAKING TIME FOR SOME TLC

2011-06-26T14:12:00.000-04:00

(by Derek)

How would your current life be different if you had witnessed one act of domestic violence when you were a child? What if you observed domestic violence every day in your home? What if the violence had been directed at you? What if everyone else's parents in your neighborhood acted the same way?

Kids who live in Bolivian communities where Food for the Hungry works often suffer the trauma of watching their parents and relatives experience long-term domestic violence. Their young eyes are observing brokenness every day, and without specific, professional intervention, they are likely to develop into an entire generation of young adults who will repeat the same actions with their own growing families.

As an employee of Food for the Hungry Bolivia, but currently located in the U.S., I have been asked to support the goals of the organization in a variety of ways, including helping to create a set of guidelines for working with children and families who are experiencing domestic violence by doing research and development into this area of high need. As part of my research, I recently completed a training with an important resource organization called the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. (You can check out their website here: http://www.starrtraining.org/tlc)

Drawing on insights from becoming a certified TLC school specialist, I am now in the process of creating new guidelines to give the staff with FH Bolivia a better idea of how to work with and support families experiencing domestic violence. Would you be able to support us in prayer as we seek for God's will for this area of FH's work in Bolivia?

MICAH, 19 MONTHS OLD

2011-06-25T12:55:00.000-04:00

PANDAMANIA!

2011-06-19T11:59:00.003-04:00

We've enjoyed watching Noelia blossom and grow this summer as she participates in various activities around the community, including Vacation Bible School. We value the opportunity to invest in her spiritual growth and for her to have fun with friends her own age. She's kinda shy meeting new kids and speaking in English (remember that living in the U.S. is a foreign country to her) and so you'll notice that in the video she wanted Derek to stay with her, but overall she seemed to have a blast at VBS learning about God through the "Pandamania" theme. The cultural concept of VBS and the practice of encouraging kids to see that learning about faith can be fun and exciting is much less common in Bolivia and we don't take these opportunites for granted now that we're back in the States!

The church where Noelia attended VBS has a partnership with a community in Central America. Throughout the week, the kids here in Indiana raised money for kids in Honduras and also decorated backpacks filled with toys to be delivered to their village. We enjoyed seeing a slideshow of cute photos of the kids who would receive the backpacks. Even though the photos were from Honduras and not Bolivia, the snapshots of the kids playing in their community seemed comfortingly familiar to what we have experienced. Small rustic homes, material poverty, the warmth of their smiles, the hope for the future that glistens in big brown eyes.

Although we realize that we are no longer in Bolivia and living on the "front lines" of international mission work, it still felt strange to us to have Noelia participate in this offering. I think it forced us to accept that our role in supporting mission work abroad has changed. Our daughter, who used to be playmates with kids living in similar communities to the ones in the photos, is now here in the U.S. It makes us sad to think that eventually she may forget what it was like to walk around on dirt roads through neighborhoods of adobe houses and play with kids in Horno Ck'asa. Her childhood memories of Bolivia will probably just be images from this blog. However, God calls us to serve Him wherever we are, and for right now, we are in the U.S. May God provide us with opportunities to raise mission-minded kids wherever we may live!

THINKING OF YOU!

2011-06-18T20:23:00.000-04:00

We've had the pleasure of meeting with many individuals from our support team during the past month. We appreciate the opportunity to enjoy fellowship with you. Thank you for your friendship, your financial support, and for your prayers as we transition back to life in the United States!

AN INTERVIEW WITH DEREK

2011-06-17T20:17:00.001-04:00

QUESTION: Now that you are living in the United States, what is your work situation?

We are temporarily living with Claire's parents as we search for housing. My "office" is a laptop with internet connection on a desk in the corner of my 3-year old daughter's bedroom. (This means the daily commute time is definitely shorter than what I was used to in Bolivia! :0)

QUESTION: What tasks are you working on lately?

I hope to be able to continue to contribute to the work of FH-Bolivia, despite being located in the U.S. In particular, my hope is that I can use my social work knowledge to help shape a few remaining policies and strategies and then support the office. The past few weeks have included the following tasks:

1. Translate legal documents for international office
2. Translate the entire strategic plan for FH Bolivia
3. Skype conversations with Bolivian co-workers to give advice on a new sewing co-op in the neighborhood in Horno Ck'asa (the community where I used to work) as they plan to connect with international markets
4. Assist in grant-writing process for FH Bolivia
5. Complete coursework for an online training on domestic violence as part of a plan to help write a new policy for FH Bolivia for working with children living in situations of domestic violence

QUESTION: What do you miss about working within the FH office in Sucre, Bolivia?

One of my favorite parts of working in the Sucre office was the camaraderie of working together with brothers and sisters in Christ toward the goal of transforming the communities of Bolivia. I especially miss the devotionals that we shared together as staff in the office. Every day we would begin by spending time in prayer and worship. Staff members would share a devotional message, always designed to inspire, guide or challenge us to continue to focus on God's will in every part of our lives. It was a great encouragement to me, and I miss those times.

Do you have any prayer requests you would like to share?

Pray that I can stay connected to my co-workers in Bolivia so that I can better serve them.

Pray that I can faithfully translate even the most technical documents that I am given to support international communication efforts.

Pray for encouragement, that I would maintain the sense of being a part of the Bolivian team even from another continent.

ANOTHER POST-SURGERY MILESTONE!

2011-06-11T20:38:00.001-04:00

18 months--sitting up on knees, pointing

THE VERY GRUMPY PRINCESS

2011-06-09T22:15:00.010-04:00

There once was a bee-yootiful princess who loved to play all day long. Her father, the King, was in need of some peace and quiet because he was attempting to work from home. Her mother, the Queen, was starting to go nuts from trying to focus on doing therapy exercises with her 1.5 year old Prince at the same time that the 3.5 year old Princess was running around her in circles. So the Queen decided that maybe it would be fun for her to travel to a nearby kingdom where she could participate in a three-morning "Princess Camp".

On the first day, the young Princess loved it! She learned some ballet moves, she glued together a lovely tiara, and she met lots of new friends. On the second day, she colored a picture, she played games, and she had so much fun that she even took an afternoon nap, which made the Queen very, very happy. On the third day, the Princess had just as much fun as she had the first and second day. She made a magic wand and her fingernails had been painted glittery pink. However, when the Queen (who is also the Royal Photographer) came to pick her up, the Princess refused to smile or take any cute pictures! Eventually, the Queen gave up on trying to get her to pose. It seemed impossible to please the Very Grumpy Princess, so the Queen rolled her eyes at the display of preschool drama, escorted her home for lunch and a nice afternoon nap, and they all lived happily ever after.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

2011-05-30T08:39:00.006-04:00

Noelia and her Grandpa

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

2011-05-27T08:25:00.001-04:00

What is life like for missionaries returning from the field?

So far, it feels like a mix of gratitude and grieving. We are thankful to God for the amazing experiences we had during our opportunity to serve Him in Bolivia and we're grateful for the medical care we have received for Micah in the U.S., however, moving back has also opened our hearts to feelings of grief and loss for a life we loved and had to leave behind, our sense of purpose and identity, our independence, our friends, and our hopes for our future.

We are temporarily living with Claire's parents, we are searching for a job for Derek, we are trying to find a more long-term housing solution, we are hoping to find a preschool for Noelia, and we are praying that Micah's upcoming 3-month post-surgery MRI and CT show that the shunt is working effectively.

As we try to process all of these changes and feelings of upheaval in our lives, we feel God reminding us to just savor each moment, even during difficult circumstances.

There is a Steven Curtis Chapman song called "Miracle of the Moment". The song glorifies God by expressing the importance of appreciating His many blessings, including the miracle of all of the little moments that make up a lifetime. Probably the most famous song on the album is called "Cinderella" in which he writes about taking time out of his busy daily life to just enjoy spending time with his child. How can anyone with a daughter listen to the lyrics of this song without a tear in their eyes? ("So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms, because all too soon the clock will strike midnight, and she'll be gone...") When this album was released, Steven Curtis Chapman had no idea that just seven months later, his precious 5-year old daughter Maria would be tragically killed in a car accident in their own driveway.

The joyful moments, the silly moments, the regrettable moments, the moments of mourning and loss. They all become a part of our personal experiences. Although everyone's lives include their own unique collection of moments, God provides comfort to all those who seek him. We have no idea how God has already prepared us for the next steps He wants us to take with our lives, so in the meantime, we're learning to be grateful for the miracle of each moment.

Thank you, God, for being a guiding and comforting presence in our lives no matter what we're going through! "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort."
(2 Corinthians 1:3, NIV)

Lyrics to "Miracle of the Moment"

by Steven Curtis Chapman (album "This Moment")

It's time for letting go, all of our "if only's" 'cause we don't have a time machine. And even if we did, would we really want to use it? Would we really want to go change everything?

'Cause we are who and where and what we are for now,
and this is the only moment we can do anything about.

So breathe it in and breathe it out. Listen to your heartbeat.

There's a wonder in the here and now, it's right there in front of you.

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment.

There's only One who knows what's really out there waiting in all the moments yet to be. And all we need to know is He's out there waiting. To Him, the future's history.

And He has given us a treasure called right now,

and this is the only moment we can do anything about.

So breathe it in and breathe it out. Listen to your heartbeat.

There's a wonder in the here and now, it's right there in front of you.

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment.

And if it brings you tears, then taste them as they fall,
let them soften your heart.

And if it brings you laughter, then throw your head back, and let it go. Let it go, yeah, you gotta let it go!

And listen to your heartbeat.

Breathe it in and breathe it out. Listen to your heartbeat.

There's a wonder in the here and now, it's right there in front of you.

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment.

Breathe it in and breathe it out,

And listen to your heartbeat.

There's a wonder in the here and now, it's right there in front of you.

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment.

GRANDPA BURTON

2011-05-20T13:37:00.029-04:00

A photo from back in the 80's, celebrating my Grandpa's birthday with my cousin (left) and my sister (center)

(by Claire)

One of the unexpected blessings of returning from Bolivia was the opportunity to be with our extended family during the difficult weeks surrounding the death of my Grandpa on May 18th. I'm so grateful that I was able to be here, tell him I loved him, and bring him one last piece of sugar cream pie. He was a wonderful man who left behind my Grandma, my dad, my uncles and aunts, and six grandkids (including me) plus our spouses, and six great-grandkids (including Noelia and Micah). We will all miss him!

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8, NLT)

PICTURE PRAISE! (ECCLESIASTES 3:1-2)

2011-05-14T18:55:00.002-04:00

Noelia and her Grandpa, playing with a kite at the home of her Great-Grandpa.

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

MOMMY, LOOK AT THIS!

2011-05-13T19:59:00.024-04:00


I was supposed to be napping when Mommy came into my room. Instead, I was practicing my first post-surgery milestone: Sitting up unassisted!!! (17 months)

THE WINDING ROAD OF RECOVERY

2011-05-02T19:38:00.002-04:00

A few days after surgery. Bandages are off, wound is beginning to heal.

Recovering and adjusting to life with a programmable shunt...

...and feeling healthy for the first time!

THANK YOU, GOD!

2011-04-29T21:50:00.002-04:00

Micah's hospital room had a TV and we were able to watch some of the royal wedding of Prince William to Princess Catherine. It was a gorgeous event. The decorations were perfect, the bride was lovely, and millions of people around the world watched as the couple exited the church and traveled through the streets of London in a priceless carriage to begin a new phase in their lives.

Micah was discharged from Riley today, and to my eyes, this little boy waving as he left the hospital in his red wagon was a much more beautiful sight!

AWAKE AND ALERT!

2011-04-29T11:00:00.002-04:00

This kid is so incredibly tough, it's hard to believe! It is the morning after brain surgery to place a shunt (a procedure which also requires abdominal surgery) and Micah is awake, active, and very hungry! He's already polished off a bottle of milk and a jar of baby food. He's annoyed with the velcro cuff guarding his IV and monitors and even trying to roll over!

We transported him in a little red wagon filled with pillows to the radiology department for a CT and an x-ray, which revealed that the shunt is placed in the correct location and already starting to help his condition!

After some more pain medicine, a nice nap, and many evaluations of his vitals to check for signs of infection or other problems, the pediatric neurosurgeon determined that Micah is healthy enough to go home, not even 24 hours after entering the hospital. Wow!

We are so proud of our very brave and resilient little boy and grateful to God. We knew when we got married that we hoped to have kids someday. We knew during pregnancy that becoming a parent means choosing to commit to loving someone no matter what. We did not fully understand at that time that our commitment would include experiencing more joy and heartbreak than we could have ever imagined.

No parent wants to have their son or daughter in need of a children’s hospital. Everyone thinks of their newborn as “perfect” and dreams of a future filled with happy moments discovering their child’s talents for things such as sports or music. When the parent discovers that their child has a diagnosis requiring specialized medical care, they realize that they are instead living their worst nightmare.

For anyone reading this who finds themselves in need of medical care from Riley Hospital for Children, we have found firsthand that it is a wonderful facility with skilled personnel, impressively advanced technology, and extreme attention to cleanliness.

We've probably met almost 30 staff members who have been involved in some aspect of Micah's care, and absolutely everyone has been very professional, but also respectful of the fact that to us he's not a surgical case number, he's our son. We appreciate the respiratory therapist who sang lullabies to him while doing a nebulizer treatment, the nurses who have lifted him gently and with care each time that he's been transported, and the special touches such as saving a lock of his blond hair when it was shaved in preparation for brain surgery. Volunteers made a sweet dog-shaped pillow that was in his bed when he woke up from recovery, gave gifts of toys (new and in sterilized packages) to use as a distraction, provided food for parents available at the Ronald McDonald House, and for older patients and those who suffer chronic illnesses there were activities going on in the Atrium of the hospital directed by “Child Life Specialists.”

We were impressed and grateful for the ways in which they helped to meet our needs. We will always remember this experience because it has been such a traumatic time in our lives, but we are also thankful for the way that Riley helped to make our experience as tolerable as possible.

"But you, O Lord, area shieldabout me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Icried aloud to the Lord,answered me from hisholy hill...Ilay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me." (Psalm 3:3-5 ESV)

THURSDAY NIGHT

2011-04-28T20:45:00.003-04:00

Micah's doing great so far! We are upstairs in Riley for an overnight stay. The "Simon Family Tower" is brand new and the rooms are well-equipped to provide excellent care for patients and families.

More important than the equipment are the nurses and doctors on the floor, who have all been very kind to our son. There has been a steady stream of professionals coming in to check his status, including a high school friend now working in the hospital and a nurse who happened to recognize us when Micah's bed was wheeled into the room--she was in the congregation when we spoke about our Bolivian experiences at a church in November. The church is over an hour away from this hospital...she just happened to have been visiting her parents and went to church with them on that day! God's loving provisions are amazing!!!

With the help of morphine and several other medicines, Micah is sleeping peacefully and shows no signs of infection so far (one of our biggest post-operative threats at the moment). He's opened his eyes a few times but needs to get rest and hopefully we will receive a good report from the doctors tomorrow.

BIBLE VERSES FOR WAITING ROOMS

2011-04-28T20:15:00.005-04:00

Somebody reading this might be experiencing a time of being in a “waiting room.” It could be that you are literally in a waiting room, or it could be that you are experiencing a time of life in which you are not sure what to expect next and it feels like you are stuck in a “waiting room” for an indefinite amount of time.

Waiting rooms can leave you feeling paralyzed by fear and anxiety about the future. Some people prefer to use distractions to help it seem like the time is passing more quickly (TV, board games, iPod, magazines, etc.), but the next time you are in a “waiting room” of life, consider letting God’s words encourage you and provide you with comfort and strength. Here are some verses that we have found encouraging while in waiting rooms:

"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you...!That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you!" (Isaiah 43:1-4 The Message)

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go..." (Genesis 28:15 NIV)

"...The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT)

"When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way..." (Lamentations 3:28-33 The Message)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

"We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you." (Psalm 33:20-22 NIV)

"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 62:1-2)

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14 NIV)

SURGERY ON A 17-MONTH OLD BABY

2011-04-28T20:10:00.003-04:00

We were in the day surgery parent waiting area for over an hour. During that time, we saw several families come and go. I think we were all aware of each other’s presence, but at the same time, we were each living within our own bubble of anxiety and not in the mood to chat. A surgeon entered the room wearing scrubs and a serious expression on his face. We’re not sure what exactly he said to the parents sitting a few chairs away from us, but it was clear by the mother’s heaving sobs that they received bad news about their child’s surgery. The TV in the corner of the room was playing an episode of a talk show. Whatever the topic was that day, it seemed even more trivial in this environment.

A nurse came in the room two different times to tell us that Micah’s surgery was going as planned. She said that they gave her this information through the crack of the operating room doors because they would not allow her to enter after the surgery began in order to ensure the most sterile surgical environment possible. We were relieved that it was going well, but also to hear that every possible precaution was being taken since the threat of infections is extremely dangerous in brain surgery.

Eventually, Micah’s neurosurgeon entered the room. As he walked towards us we could see that he was sweaty and looked like he had been working really hard, but his face showed no distinct emotion to give us an instant indication of our son’s survival or the outcome of the surgery. His words were a blur to me. I remember the doctor telling us that he made a large incision on the back of Micah’s head and another one near his belly button. The shunt was placed as planned with no major problems during the surgery or anesthesia. I think we thanked him and maybe shook his hand, but how do you thank someone for helping give your child an opportunity to reach their full potential?

A few minutes later, the waiting room phone rang, letting us know that we were allowed to walk to the recovery area and see our son. We left the waiting room feeling relieved, grateful to God, and hoping to never come back.

READY OR NOT...

2011-04-28T20:00:00.105-04:00

Today we admitted Micah into Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA). He is scheduled for surgery this afternoon, which will take about 1 ½ hours from the time they begin the sedation (supposedly grape flavored) to the time his bed is rolled into the recovery area. There are many kids who are in need of surgery today, so the operating room lines are long and we are waiting for our turn.

The doctors and nurses that have been assisting with the various steps involved in the patient registration process have been apologizing for the long delay. Micah hasn't been allowed to eat anything since the morning and it is now late afternoon. We admit that it has been difficult to keep a very hungry, squirmy, active 17-month old occupied and distracted in a closet-sized sterile room, especially when there are kids in neighboring rooms who are crying and screaming as they leave their parents to be taken to the operating room! However, from our perspective, we spent several months trying to figure out an exact diagnosis, 10 days of frantically packing suitcases, we traveled 3 days to get from Bolivia to Indiana, and then waited 14 more days for him to be healthy enough to have the opportunity for this surgery—we can surely be patient for a few more hours!

The nurses gave us some sterilized toys for Micah to play with while we wait for his turn. They also have a stroller-like cute little red car that he can "drive" past the nurses station while Derek pushes a steering handle. We don't take a single smile or cuddle for granted because, just like all of the other parents we see in this same hallway who are also waiting for their child's turn in the operating room, we are all acutely aware that these moments with our child could be our last. We feel relieved and sad at the same time to watch our baby joyfully playing, smiling, and giggling like normal with no idea that he is going to have brain surgery today that will be incredibly painful, but hopefully help change his life for the better. Ready or not, today's the day a new chapter begins for our family!

ROAD TRIP TO RILEY!

2011-04-28T12:00:00.001-04:00

Micah's local pediatrician and the neurosurgeon in Indianapolis are in agreement that Micah is ready for surgery to place a VP shunt. We're so grateful that he is now healthy enough to proceed. We are scheduled for 1 PM. Go Micah Go!

RAINY DAYS

2011-04-28T11:44:00.001-04:00

We've had a lot of rain here in Indiana over the past few days. It's probably not a good sign when geese are landing on "ponds" forming in fields and floating from one side of the road to the other. Hoping that sunny days will come our way soon!

FEELING BETTER! READY FOR SURGERY?

2011-04-27T11:30:00.005-04:00

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-24T10:23:00.001-04:00

This morning before church, Noelia woke to find "bunny tracks" leading to a basket full of fun surprises. Bunnies and egg hunts are fun cultural ways of celebrating the season, but of course we know that the actual joy of the day is in celebrating the life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Easter, we are reminded of the depth of the God's love and the importance of the sacrifice He made for each of us, as well as our role in accepting this love and choosing to have a lifelong relationship with Him. Let this be the year that you experience the true joy of Easter!

"How Deep the Father's Love for Us"

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He would give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away as wounds which mar the chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross, my guilt upon His shoulders. Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no powers, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom.

©1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
Words and Music by Stuart Townend

SURGERY POSTPONED...THIRD TIME.

2011-04-21T19:51:00.000-04:00

We've been in the U.S. for 7 days. We have now been at the pediatrician's office for 5 out of those 7 days for appointments, antibiotic shots, follow-ups, etc.

The neurosurgeon in Indy is ready to place a shunt in Micah's skull as soon as he is ready, but right now his little body is not healthy enough for surgery. Today's report from the pediatrician is that his double ear infection is getting better, he no longer has a fever, he is slightly more perky and is eating more than he has been over the past few days, but he's still wheezing and coughing from the virus, which could potentially lead to complications related to anesthesia and we don't want to take unnecessary risks. So, the surgery that was scheduled for Friday has been officially postponed.

We're continuing medicines and nebulizer treatments every four hours (including during the night) over Easter weekend. We're frustrated to prolong the anxiety we feel over this surgery, but happy to have the opportunity to get the medical care he needs and we hope that he will turn a corner in the next few days so that we can try again to get on the schedule for surgery next week.

SURGERY POSTPONED...TWICE.

2011-04-18T11:03:00.003-04:00

Micah's had a fever for several days and Tylenol isn't helping. Over the weekend, he also started coughing, and after each cough he grimaces in pain as if he has a very sore throat. We called the hospital in Indianapolis and asked to postpone the surgery for a second time. We are disappointed to need to postpone, but we really need him to be as strong and healthy as possible before a major surgery and he's just not ready right now.

We took Micah to a local pediatrician this morning and then to a nearby hospital for a chest x-ray and blood tests. It looks like he has a severe ear infection along with some other unknown virus. The doctor considered keeping him overnight at the hospital for antibiotics through an IV, but later determined that he could stay at home if we were consistent in giving him medicine at the appropriate times. He received an antibiotic shot and a nebulizer treatment at the doctor's office. We now have a home nebulizer and he will have treatments every 4 hours, plus a specific schedule of prednisone and Tylenol, followed by another antibiotic shot in the morning on Tuesday. He's on the surgery list for this coming Friday, but we're taking things one day at a time right now.

A VISIT TO RILEY

2011-04-16T08:54:00.001-04:00

We scheduled an appointment with a pediatrician in Indiana for the morning after we arrived in the U.S., hoping to start over the chain of referrals necessary for Micah to receive surgery for a shunt (pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, pediatric neurosurgeon). At the end of the appointment, the pediatrician left the room to call about a referral and came back in to tell us that they could see us at Riley that same day! We were asked to bring clothes with us for an overnight stay, potentially doing the surgery for a shunt that evening. WOW. We were shocked that things were happening so quickly.

We drove back to Claire's dad's house (where we are staying for now), threw things we had just unpacked back into a duffel bag and drove to Indianapolis, which is a little less than 2 hours away. We were a "work-in" appointment and had to wait while the doctor was called away for an emergency. The nurse apologized for the inconvenience. Really, it was no inconvenience at all; From our perspective, we've just traveled for 3 days hoping to be seen at some point in the next few months and somehow we were able to get an appointment in less than 24 hours after landing in the country, so an extra 30 minutes is really no big deal, especially since we're used to the Bolivian system of just showing up and camping out by the door of the doctor's office and pushing your way into the room instead of appointments!

The neurosurgeon looked at the EEG, MRI, and CT that we had done in Bolivia and agreed with the neurosurgeon in Sucre that Micah does indeed need surgery. Consistent with the other doctors, he also said "Sooner rather than later". He was available for surgery that same day, but as it turns out, Micah was running a fever, and the risk of complications would increase if he was sick. So, we went back home, with surgery postponed until Tuesday.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

2011-04-12T08:03:00.006-04:00

Preparing for an international move in only 10 days is really not enough time. If we could have planned to have more time we would have, but you can't plan medical emergencies, so we did the best we could to make this transition happen in only 10 days. Tuesday was so rushed with necessary last minute preparations that we didn't have much opportunity to experience the sadness we were feeling to leave a place that we love. We did a walk-through with our landlord who thanked us for being great renters, we packed the last items, we took boxes to the post office to be shipped back to the U.S., we cleaned one last time, and that was the end. We took down the sign from our door that said "Familia Plantenga" and walked out to the street with our suitcases.

We are fortunate that friends offered to help us with the many tasks that needed to be accomplished that morning, and that we had friends who even offered to take us to the airport in their two cars (one for people, one for luggage) because there was a protest down the block from our house and traffic was completely stopped, making it necessary to find an alternative route to get to the airport, and it would have been difficult and even more emotionally taxing to do this with strangers at the wheel.

We were honored to arrive at the airport to find that many friends had come to say goodbye one more time, friends from FH, from church, personal friends. Passengers at the Sucre airport need to walk out onto the tarmac and walk up a stairway placed at the door of the plane in order to board. When we walked out of the airport onto the tarmac, we heard yelling from the rooftop of the terminal (the "observatory" area) and looked over our shoulders to see that our friends were waving a large Bolivian flag over the side of the building and little white flags in their hands. Derek's boss had told him earlier in the day that this would be a sign to us that they would be praying for Micah, even when we're far away. It was such a beautiful gesture, but even more beautiful is that we know that the people waving those white flags are not just saying that, they really will be praying for him.

We got our carry-ons settled on the plane and the kids buckled in. The plane turned toward the runway and started to gain speed for takeoff. We looked from the small window in our row and we could see our friends still cheering and waving the flags as the plane's wheels left the ground. We will miss you, Bolivia, and the wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that we have known here.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 1:3-6)

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!

2011-04-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

Micah has come a long way since his stay at the NICU! Before we leave the country we feel like we want to have a sense of emotional closure from the experience, so we scheduled a time to go over to the hospital and say “Gracias” to the wonderful doctors and nurses that cared for our son during that very difficult time in his life. It was a very strange experience to be back in the same waiting area where spent so many anxious hours praying for Micah’s survival. However, this time we were there for a happier purpose: to offer gifts of medical supplies to the neonatology staff.

Before we left Bolivia for furlough last November, we asked the NICU staff for a list of specific needs. For Micah’s 1^st Birthday, we had a party but instead of normal birthday gifts, our friends and family graciously offered money toward the purchase of a few special gifts for the NICU. We ordered the items from a medical supplier, brought them along with us when we came back to Bolivia, and offered them today to the staff. The items they requested are just basic things: neonatal stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, etc., but we hope that these supplies will be a blessing as they serve other newborns in need.

THEN
(December 23, 2009)

NOW

(April 11, 2011)

ADIOS A NUESTROS HERMANOS DE FH

2011-04-10T20:29:00.000-04:00

We were so honored by the goodbye dinner hosted by our friends at FH! Even from the very beginning of the party, we felt loved, appreciated, and special. They called us into an office to meet with Derek's boss, and when we opened the door to leave, there was a beautiful surprise: On each step of the stairway stood a staff member holding a white flower. As we walked down the steps crying, our friends each handed us a flower and gave us a hug. It was a special moment we will always remember! Next, they planned a series of videos showing highlights of our experience working with FH in Bolivia. They presented us with a beautiful plaque as well as vests handmade from traditonal Bolivian woven fabric. We danced the traditional "cueca" dance with our coworkers, and our FH missionary friends John and Jennie even made a heartwarming video tribute to Noelia's friendship with their daughter Ella. After tearful speeches and some laughter too, we went outside to see that they prepared a barbeque dinner, complete with steak, cheesy white rice, salad, grilled plaintains, and of course, llaqwa and potatoes (staples to every Bolivian meal!) We will always remember how wonderful it felt to be working alongside of this amazing team of brothers and sisters in Christ! ¡Gracias, FH-Bolivia! ¡Los queremos mucho!

Receiving a special gift of aguayo vests

Praying for our future as a family

A gift from our coworkers

Having fun at dinner (the baby wearing a red hood is Micah ;)

We brought potted flowers that formerly decorated our patio to share as gifts with our friends at the party.

The Grill Team (Filomena, on the right, was in the Bible Study that Jennie and I hosted last year)

Delicioso!

"OON MAY-KOH-VEHR"

2011-04-10T11:43:00.004-04:00

(by Claire) We love our church in Sucre! There is a real sense of community, the sermons are thought-provoking, and we enjoy the style of worship. We’ve been truly blessed by this vibrant congregation!

Another great thing about this church is that there are lots of other moms like me with babies. We are fortunate to have a nursery at the church, which is not very common for churches in Sucre, and I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know other families and sharing the journey of pregnancy and motherhood as our kids play together in this room. This is what it looks like…

Rusty metal crib in corner with chipping paint, the couch is an old car seat with blanket thrown on top, decorations are peeling from the wall, carpet is stained and dirty...

Window looking into sanctuary is covered by a gray lace curtain that I think used to be white...

The moms and dads who use this room are so welcoming and fun to be around, but the décor does not reflect this, so I asked the person in charge of Sunday School classes if it would be okay to donate some of the nursery items from our house to the church to help transform this room into a somewhat cleaner, more inviting place for the littlest members of the community. She was excited about the idea, so today during our church’s celebrations of the Bolivian holiday “Día del Niño” (Children’s Day), the nursery parents all worked together to take down the old, dusty decorations and change the look of this room.

We had so much fun chatting together as we brightened up the feel of the room with light turquoise cover on the car seat couch, new flannel sheets with jungle animals on the bed, and coordinating jungle animals on the wall. There are now bulletin boards on the wall for announcements and quality baby toys in nice storage baskets in the closet to replace some of the dingy, one-eyed, one-legged stuffed animals and broken toys.

I’m so glad to have the opportunity to donate directly to a place where I know that it will be a blessing to the babies of the church and their families. The nursery makeover turned out great, but more importantly, it was a relationship-building experience for the young parents who were there, and hopefully they will continue to grow together and support each other as their kids get older. We will miss being able to see these babies and their families as they grow in faith!

THE GOODBYES CONTINUE...

2011-04-09T11:28:00.002-04:00

The more we say goodbye, the more we want to stay! We realize with each goodbye how blessed we have been to know so many great people who have truly impacted our lives. Today, amongst the flurry of packing and preparations, we also said “adios” to many Bolivians who have over time become close friends, including Micah’s physical therapist. They people in these photos will always be in our hearts and our prayers.

WHAT GOES UP...

2011-04-09T11:16:00.001-04:00

We're so grateful that so many friends have helped us as we struggle to pack our house and move internationally within only 10 days! Even though we know leaving quickly is in the best interest of Micah’s health, it really been extremely stressful and a lot of work to do all of this within such a short amount of time. Our FH missionary friends have been a huge help to us with running last minute errands, lifting furniture, babysitting, and providing meals. We couldn’t have done this transition without the help of the Mouldings and the Wardens. THANK YOU to Ed, Sarah, Alana, Isaiah, John, Jennie, Ella, and Lydia!

ADIOS, PLANTITAS!

2011-04-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

Our little house, the "before" photo

(by Claire)

One of our favorite features of our little rental house in Bolivia is the patio. It has been a huge blessing to have this space for entertaining a variety of guests, for hosting special events, for time together as a family, and for me to have an outlet for creativity!

Purchasing plants in Sucre requires a visit to a road where indigenous ladies have set up stalls next to each other in a row, each vendor selling a variety of flowers. The ladies sit all day amongst the leaves, waiting for someone to buy a few clay pots or a small sapling.

When I walk by their booths, I always see some plants that I recognize and know how to grow from living in Indiana (zinnias, marigolds, geraniums, hydrangea, petunias), some that I recognize and know how to grow from living in Texas (lantana, palm trees, foxtail fern, elephant ear plant, succulents), and others that I have seen in the U.S. as houseplants, but grow well here outdoors within a courtyard (ficus, spider, jade, pothos, croton). And many, many others for sale are beautiful South American plants that I've never seen before. The beauty of God's creation is so inspiring!

I've worked hard to create a welcoming patio outdoor space for us to enjoy by purchasing inexpensive plants that can over time be divided and replanted into more and more pots, learning from the process how to grow during Bolivia's two distinct seasons (rainy season/dry season) versus four. It's been fun to enjoy this gardening experience with my daughter, who loves to help water the plants! I've had a lot of fun taking a room of high, thick cement walls within the noisy, smoggy center of town and slowly transforming it into a peaceful, little oasis of green leaves. We love our patio!

November 2009

March 2011


God has given Bolivia such a wide variety of plants!

The "after" picture!

Since we are moving, I needed to find new homes for all of these plants, and with our local church pastor's permission, I was able to donate them to the church where they will decorate a long open-air hallway that leads from the street to a small outdoor courtyard in front of the sanctuary. A coworker from FH brought a truck to load up all of the plants that I have lovingly cared for ever since we moved into this house and deliver them to the church. I participate in a Saturday afternoon Women's Bible Study, and my friends from the group helped to place the plant stands and pots around the courtyard.

These plants have been a blessing to our family and to many guests in addition to a variety of birds living in downtown Sucre who lack green spaces to live, and I hope that this simple gift will now be a blessing to the congregation as well as a reminder of God's beauty and creativity.

CHAO, BARQUITO

2011-04-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

Today was Noelia's last day of preschool. We've been trying to help her to understand that she will not see her teacher or her friends again, and to give her the opportunity to say goodbye to the things that are important to her. We need to find a new home for her toys and books since we have a limited amount of suitcases we can bring with us back to the U.S., so Noelia helped to choose a bag of toys and other items to give to her teacher as a thank you gift to her school--she even offered her favorite dress-up outfits! When we came to pick her up, she jumped into her teacher's arms and gave her a big hug. She loves her school and we know she's going to miss her "Tia" (aunt) so much! Our little 3 year old has thrived in this environment and we hope that at some point we will find a place to settle in the U.S. with a great preschool for her.

ONE LAST TRIP TO THE CAMPO

2011-04-07T09:44:00.036-04:00

(by Derek)

My goal while working for Food for the Hungry-Bolivia has always been to serve in whatever way I can. When we arrived in Bolivia, I was asked to work within the Child Development Program, focusing on the helping the staff of the office in the community of Horno Ck’asa as they reach out to children and their families. During the time that we have been in Bolivia, I was also given the opportunity to develop improvements to the way that FH visits the homes of families that are involved in our programs. This new methodology will have a significant impact on children in FH communities and I’ve been enjoying training my colleagues in several FH offices around the country on how to effectively implement these new techniques. We are currently very busy packing up our house and preparing to leave Bolivia permanently, but I’ve been planning a visit into the Bolivian countryside that has been postponed several times, and I really felt like I wanted to finish my work in Bolivia with the last of the series of trainings. My hope is that I can train enough staff members of FH-Bolivia that they will be able to continue the work after I have returned to the U.S.

After several failed attempts during rainy season, I was finally able to go to Ck’ara Ck’ara and Ravelo this week and teach my colleagues new methodologies for conducting home visits. Click on the picture below to see some photos of the journey. Please pray for my coworkers that you will see in this album, that God will give them the strength and determination to continue serving their communities, despite very difficult working and living conditions in a very isolated area of the country.

Trainings in the "Campo" (Bolivian countryside)

THANKS JENNIE!

2011-04-06T14:09:00.004-04:00

Thank you to my friend Jennie who brought us food and kindly offered to babysit Noelia for us while we packed suitcases, even though she has her own preschooler plus a newborn in the house. In case you can't tell from these pictures, trying to prepare suitcases and clean a house with a highly energetic preschooler "helping" every step of the way is NOT an easy task! Jennie, you are awesome!

CAFE GOURMET EL MIRADOR

2011-04-05T21:46:00.000-04:00

Even though we're extremely busy with packing and preparing for an international move, we've been trying to squeeze in opportunities to go one last time to places that we love in Sucre. "Cafe Gourmet El Mirador" located in a neighborhood called La Recoleta is one of our favorite local restaurants because the sandwiches and fresh-squeezed fruit juices are great, but also because we love the beautiful views at sunset of Sucre with the mountains in the distance. We will miss spending time together as a family at places like this!

A view of the streets of Sucre from the hillside neighborhood of La Recoleta.

There's a school nearby, making this plaza a popular hang-out place in the evening after classes are dismissed.

Enjoying one last sunset view.

Noelia made fast friends with the waitresses at the cafe, as well as the kittens that seem to live in the beautiful wildflower and herb gardens of the restaurant.

Our last "jugitos" from El Mirador!

A LETTER TO OUR SUPPORTERS AROUND THE WORLD

2011-04-04T22:31:00.000-04:00

It's with very heavy hearts that we need to let you know that we have made the difficult decision to leave Bolivia. We love serving here and we wish we could stay longer, but we feel that moving back to the U.S. at this time is necessary for our son Micah, who has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus and needs brain surgery within the next 2-3 weeks for a shunt that is unavailable in Bolivia.

We’ve been feeling so heartbroken about leaving, especially on such short notice. We met with Oscar Montes, the Country Director for FH-Bolivia, who also suffered a traumatic experience of having a newborn in intensive care. Suffering from meningitis, the doctors told them to let him die rather than to live a life with a disability. However, God heard the cries of their hearts for their son's survival and he’s now a completely healthy teenager who lives for Christ. We were encouraged by his advice to not dwell too much on the "por qué" (why) and to focus instead on the "por quién" (for whom), reminding us that we can glorify God even during the worst moments of our lives, sharing our testimony of His faithfulness, and trusting in His plan for our lives. He described the way in which Jesus fed the 5,000. The bread, once broken, was able to be multiplied and bless many more people than it would have if God had not blessed it during its brokenness. We're honestly not enjoying feeling broken, but as we struggle through this we hope that you will help us to remember these words from Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Whether that future is in Bolivia, the U.S., or wherever else, we want to choose to trust in His plan.

During our meeting, Oscar expressed his appreciation for several specific contributions Derek has made to FH-Bolivia during the past 2 1/2 years, highlighting the importance of the home visit methodology he developed. He said that literally thousands of kids in Bolivia who live in the communities in which FH works will benefit from this complete change in approach, and that it is creating such a positive impact that he would like to extend this methodology to all of FH-Latin America. May God be glorified through this!

Oscar would like to have Derek continue with FH until the end of our contract in November, but working from the U.S. instead of Bolivia, submitting work through email and participate in meetings via Skype. (Very modern missionary work! ;) This is a huge blessing because it will allow us to stay connected to a ministry we love for few extra months as well as allow us to have medical insurance while Micah is receiving neurosurgery and follow-up.

We pass all of this news along to you because we want you to know that we are truly grateful for your willingness to serve in the role of "senders" and for taking an active role in the holistic transformational development of Bolivia through the many ways you have supported our family. All of the people to whom sadly we must now say "adios" we may never have met if it had not been for your faithful support of God's work in Bolivia and for believing in the importance of the work of Food for the Hungry.

Thank you for your support and friendship.

May God Bless You!

Derek, Claire, Noelia, and Micah Plantenga

DECISION TIME

2011-04-03T18:59:00.003-04:00

Well, we received the medical advice we were waiting for and it seems that Micah will need surgery within the next few weeks, so we have decided to end our time in Bolivia after 2 1/2 years and return to the U.S. for surgery as soon as possible. We have purchased our return flight tickets and we'll be back in the U.S. on April 14th.

At the same time that we want to be able to grieve the loss of our life here in Bolivia, say goodbye to everyone and everything, and have a sense of closure after a wonderful experience, we feel like we don't have the time or opportunity for dealing with the emotional aspect of leaving because we're so busy with the practical aspects of leaving, such as packing our bags, finding new homes for everything in our house, cleaning, making decisions, making phone calls, etc. This is not the ideal way to end, but we hope that with time God will show us that we made the right decision in leaving and pursuing the medical care that Micah needs.

OUR LAST DAYS IN SUCRE?

2011-04-01T16:39:00.001-04:00

We do not yet know if these will be our last days in Bolivia, so we are continuing with life as normal, but savoring every moment even more than we usually do.

Derek has been continuing training his colleagues in home visit methodology. This picture shows the Horno Ck'asa team getting ready to leave the office to go to the house of a sponsored child by first praying for God's guidance to know how to be a support and encouragement to the family.

Even though we as adults are anxious about potential transitions and pediatric neurosurgery, we are going through our normal routines with the kids, who are blissfully unaware of how much our lives could change and how soon.

We're continuing with Micah's physical therapy, which is 6 days per week. He can now "army crawl" on his tummy! He will also lift up his foot and take a step forward if he is supported at the waist! YAAAAY MICAH!!!

We hope to have direction soon and find out what will be the next steps for our family.

WAITING FOR GUIDANCE

2011-03-31T21:38:00.000-04:00

We took Micah to his regular local pediatrician today to communicate with her the results of the CT. We're still not sure how to proceed with his medical care and waiting on some important medical advice from doctors we have contacted in the U.S.

Meanwhile, life goes on in Sucre. Derek is continuing his work on improving FH's home visit methodology and planning on trying again (3rd time, weather permitting!) to visit the countryside next week to train his colleagues. Today I (Claire) did a normal shopping trip to the sprawling, eclectic "Mercado Campesino" (Farmer's Market) and I brought my camera so I could take a few photos to share with you. This market is the "Wal-Mart" of Sucre. You can buy food and a random assortment of absolutely everything else for a low price. It took me a long time to learn the layout (it covers many, many city blocks), but now that I've gotten more accustomed to the feelings of claustrophobia, culture stress, and sensory overload that accompany every visit, I find it fascinating and unique. There's always something interesting to see!

Entering the market

Bananas, 5 Bs per dozen ($0.71 USD)

Sugar cane mill. The cane is stacked horizontally in the background of the photo.
This vendor mills the cane into whatever the customer requests (a fresh sugary drink, molasses, etc.)

On this block of the market you can buy fresh or dried herbs, items needed for witchcraft ceremonies (such as a dried llama fetus), used clothes from the U.S., wooden drop spindles, traditional skirts like the woman is wearing in this photo, pirated DVD's, woven aguayos (the blanket on her back), cowboy hats, and dried gourds that are used as ladles and bowls. Quite an eclectic assortment of items for sale!

HERMANOS EN CRISTO

2011-03-30T08:26:00.000-04:00

Last night Derek's coworkers came over to cheer us up with some pizza, their friendship, and to support our family with a time of prayer. We really appreciate their willingness to help us through this difficult time in our lives and we're grateful that God has provided us with such a great group of Bolivian friends!

POST CT APPOINTMENT WITH NEUROSURGEON

2011-03-28T22:49:00.025-04:00

(by Claire)

In case you didn't already know this, 1 1/2 hours is a very long time to keep a 3 year old entertained while sitting in a hospital waiting room chair. We did not intend to spend so much time waiting to see a neurologist, but he was unavailable at our appointment time due to a surgery, so we waited (along with all of his other patients that were supposed to have an appointment on Friday, but like us, had to be rescheduled).

I decided to take Noelia on a quick trip to the end of the street to buy her a snack and to provide us both with some distraction. It was starting to get dark outside, and I held her hand tight as we walked along the edge of the road, worrying about the many taxis speeding by and feeling insecure about being in a neighborhood I don't know very well.

We were waiting at the curb of a busy intersection for traffic to stop when I felt her hand being suddenly yanked out of mine. My heart immediately stopped, thinking that she was being kidnapped or something, and in that same instant, I somehow instinctively yanked her back. It all seemed to happen so fast, and when I looked up, the person pulling my daughter away from me was a familiar face--the OB who delivered Micah.

He laughed and let go of her arm. I think he thought he was being funny, sneaking up like that in the dark. I did not think it was funny at all; guess I just wasn't in the mood for humor. He looked down at Noelia and asked "How is he doing?" I explained that he was actually looking at my daughter, which led to a moment that was uncomfortable for both of us in which I could tell that he was avoiding asking outright if the baby had died. I very briefly explained the basics of Micah's situation: he eventually did survive after 33 days in the NICU, now has cerebral palsy, developmental delay, hydrocephaly. I motioned towards the hospital down the street with the CT and MRI result envelopes I was holding and said that we were waiting to see a neurosurgeon to find out if his opinion is that Micah will need surgery for a shunt. He asked a couple of questions that I don't even remember now, told me to say hi to my husband for him, and then he disappeared into the crowd walking by on the sidewalk.

It was just a 2 minute conversation on the side of the street, but it felt like a long time to me. I wished I had not taken Noelia to get a snack, that I had been waiting at a different street corner, that she had taken longer to decide on a pack of Oreos so that I wouldn't have crossed paths with him...

I was completely shaken by seeing this person unexpectedly and my perceptive daughter picked up on it right away. As we walked back towards the hospital, she asked me if I liked that guy who grabbed her arm and I said, "No." She told me in her sweet little voice, "It's okay, Mommy. Remember you can just say, 'No quiero jugar contigo' (I don't want to play with you) and then go do something else!" which is apparently her understanding of how I've been instructing her to react when other kids are mean and try to take toys away from her. So now in addition to worrying about Micah, I'm worrying about what I'm teaching her about conflict and forgiveness... sigh.

When we were eventually able to go into the doctor's office, he said that the CT confirms hydrocephaly and that a shunt is necessary in his opinion. We emailed Micah's MRI and medical history to a doctor in the U.S. that God has graciously provided for us to have a second opinion and to know how best to proceed with Micah's medical care. This provision is an answered prayer, and we are thankful!

We'll write more if there are any further developments, but we anticipate being in a holding pattern of "wait and see", maybe for several days, before making a decision.

BUSTER

2011-03-27T22:24:00.001-04:00

(by Claire)

When we decided to serve in Bolivia, one of the sacrifices that we had to make was to leave our beloved pets. Our yellow cat Buster went to live with Claire's parents and our sheltie Toby went to live with Derek's parents. We truly appreciate their willingness to meet our family's needs in this way. We didn't want to risk anything happening to Buster or Toby in the cargo area of the plane during several domestic connecting flights and then a long overnight flight all the way to South America, plus we had concerns about how they would adjust physically to living at high altitude and in a different climate, etc. It was a very difficult decision to leave them behind, but sometimes the right thing to do is also the painful thing to do. Now, I know it may seem ridiculous to some people to be so concerned about an animal, but we loved our pets, and anyone who had a special cat or dog as a child that they grew up with will understand what I mean.

If you've read the last few posts, you know that we've been having a pretty bad week and are grieving the fact that our son might need brain surgery. Also, if he does need this surgery, it would mean packing our suitcases, leaving a ministry that we love, and moving back to the U.S. permanently.

And now to top things off during a week already filled with many tears, today we received word that our beloved cat Buster died.

He was a rescued cat from the Humane Society who lived for 19 years, which means he has been a part of my life since middle school (a pretty long life for a cat!) His many adventures include getting disqualified from the 4-H county fair for being a bit overweight, catching his tail on fire briefly because he loved the warmth of the fireplace a little too much, and enjoying the scenery as he rode from Indiana to Texas in the passenger seat of a U-Haul truck.

Thank you for being a part of our family, Buster.
We will miss you!

MICAH'S CT

2011-03-25T20:46:00.002-04:00

On Friday morning we dropped Noelia off at preschool and then headed to the hospital with Micah for a CT under sedation.

We never intended for the Bolivian medical system to become such a part of our daily lives. During the past 16 months, this is now the 3rd hospital we have had to go to in Sucre (the 1st one was where he was born, the 2nd one was the hospital with a NICU, and now we need to go to this 3rd hospital because it has CT equipment.)

It was hard to have a good first impression of this hospital. The long, dimly-lit hallways were being renovated, which left very few places for patients and their families to stand, sit, or park a wheelchair without being in the path of doctors and nurses walking by. The construction workers, who seemed oblivious to the patients waiting for their turn to be seen by a physician, loudly clanged tools as they tiled and grouted the hallway walls.

Fortunately, the radiology department was tucked away behind closed doors at the end of the hall. The anesthesiologist hooked Micah up to various pieces of medical equipment and was very gentle in placing the mask over nose and mouth that left him sedated during the exam. They asked us to leave so they could start the CT and we spent a very, very long 6 minutes staring at the red light flashing above the door.

Eventually, the chirpping of the pulse oximeter clipped to his fingertip stopped and the doctors came out wearing lead smocks to tell us that they were done and the anesthesiologist was working to wake him up. When they handed him back to us, he seemed fairly perky. An indigenous family member of a patient who was next in line for a CT thought that Micah was really cute and came over to see him. The elderly man was wearing ragged clothes and very dirty sandals. He took Micah's face into his calloused hands and baby-talked to him in Quechua. Micah looked up at him and smiled, seeming maybe a bit disoriented, but his normal, playful self. The old man played Grandpa-type games of pretending to grab his finger and take it off. He was accompanied by an elderly woman wrapped in a blanket and sitting in a wheelchair who looked extremely ill. She watched from the other side of the room with a weak smile. I hope that this moment brought a bit of joy to their morning.

We went back to the hospital later in the day to pick up the results and have them analyzed by the neurosurgeon we saw last week, but he was called away for an emergency case, so we'll have to wait during the whole weekend and meet with him on Monday afternoon.

We want to thank everyone who has been praying for Micah. With God, all things are possible!!!

"TOMOGRAFIA"

2011-03-24T21:28:00.003-04:00

We have a CT scheduled for Micah on Friday morning. The neurologist we saw earlier this week suggested a specific hospital out of the only two in town that have CT equipment. Derek went there to try and make an appointment with the radiology department. Unfortunately, medical workers all over Sucre have taken to the streets in their white uniforms to strike about some regulation related to their profession (not sure what), so we can't get the CT today as we had hoped, but at least we were able to schedule it for when the hospitals open back up (which is hopefully tomorrow as planned). Micah will need to skip breakfast, a surprise change in routine that he will not like, and then we'll need to be at the hospital at 8:15 to prepare for anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will attempt to use sedation through a mask, but will be prepared to use anesthesia through an IV if necessary. We hope to receive the results and have them interpreted by the local neurosurgeon as soon as possible (Friday afternoon would be great but we might have to wait until next week) so that we can know how to proceed with his medical care. Please keep our family in your prayers!

FACING FEARS

2011-03-23T07:45:00.014-04:00

(by Claire)

Walking back into the hospital where Micah was born was a scary experience that made my heart race and tears sting my eyelids. The sign on the outside of the building was new, but my memories of that place remain the same. I had to face my fears and return to the same hallways because we needed a consultation with a neurosurgeon. His small office happened to be directly next to the office of the OBGYN that was on call when we arrived at the hospital to deliver Micah. A line of chairs against the wall of a dark, narrow hallway face the doors of the doctor's offices. As we waited, I was painfully aware of the other times I've waited in this same hallway.

First, when I was in labor: We called our obstetrician to let her know that I was having contractions. Unfortunately, she was out of town so she asked us to go ahead and go to the hospital, using the on-call doctor instead. After researching several different OB's around town and getting many references from friends, it was really nerve-wracking breathing through contractions outside the doorway of an OBGYN I'd neither met nor heard of before. That hallway felt like a trap I couldn't get out of.

My next memory was a cultural lesson I learned here: Although the chairs are in a line, the local rule that seems to apply in this hallway is that doctors accept patients "first shove, first serve". No appointments or a secretary, just a door and a mob of people that need to be seen during a brief window of office hours. At least that's the way it worked for the OBGYN, and I remember having to follow that terrible system with a fresh c-section wound.

My last memory of that long hospital hallway is the strongest and most painful: I will always remember (although I wish I could forget) walking toward the OBGYN's door for a 1 month post-surgery check-up, seeing other moms with their newborns snuggled in flannel, and knowing that my baby was still in the hospital fighting. Although I do not believe that Micah's traumatic birth was entirely caused by the on-call OBGYN, I do believe that he made specific mistakes in care (which would probably be considered medical malpractice in the U.S.) Never at any point during several postpartum checkups did he seem to empathize with us or indicate any personal responsibility for any of the medical decisions or mistakes he may have made. Instead, he looked me in the eyes and told me with a cruel, smug arrogance that he thought my newborn would die.

I was already so vulnerable. He crushed me flat, or close to it anyway. I've cried many sobbing tears in that hallway.

Yesterday we found out while waiting in that very same hallway that the obstetrician who delivered Micah is no longer employed by the hospital. A nurse told us that "his contract was not renewed." She saw Derek in the hallway, recognized us, remembered our case, and was so excited to see that Micah not only survived, but looks great! After she told us about the doctor's departure from practicing in this hospital, Derek chatted with her for a few minutes and she encouraged us to remain hopeful about Micah. She said that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and was not expected to live more than two years, but is now a cancer survivor and is learning to trust in God's plan for her life.

We thank God every day that Micah survived, and for the sake of others who may come to this hospital, we are relieved that this particular OBGYN will no longer be a potential danger to expectant parents and their newborns. Her words were a great source of encouragement to us. She's right. We do need to be hopeful. God has done incredible things in Micah's life, and as He already has shown us, His power is limitless, no matter what any OBGYN had to say.

Even when sometimes we are surprised to find that people we respected, such as this doctor, cannot be trusted, God can ALWAYS be trusted, and we are trying our best to keep our trust, faith, and hope centered in Him as we go through this next round of medical issues.

"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."(Psalm 9:10)

"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." (Isaiah 26:4)

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

WE'RE NOT PACKING OUR SUITCASES...YET???

2011-03-22T06:25:00.002-04:00

We've had a very confusing week of doctor appointments for Micah.

During the past month, he's been taking pills (acetazolomide) with the goal of reducing an excessive amount of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) suspected through rapidly increasing head circumference measurements and confirmed with an MRI. Since that time, we've noticed continued progress in physical therapy, reduced vomiting (finally!), and the best news of all is that his pediatrician measured his head and found NO INCREASE in the size of his cranium!!! We were ecstatic!!!

However, the very next day we met with a local neurosurgeon who looked at Micah's ever-growing medical file and concluded that Micah needs surgery for a shunt to permanently manage the hydrocephaly.

This was devastating to hear. Basically, if Micah needs this surgery, not only is that scary enough in itself, but it would require us to end our ministry here in Bolivia and return to the U.S. as soon as possible to find a doctor and schedule the surgery. The neurosurgeon recommended a specific type of shunt called a Hakim, which is not available here in Bolivia and there is no one here who is trained to adjust it if something went wrong with the valve.

We asked him to request a CT scan just to have more information (which was the original reason for our appointment) and he said that we could get one, but that comparing the two types of reports would be like comparing an apple and an orange...to compare with more accuracy, we should be comparing the previous MRI to a new MRI...which would mean flying back to Santa Cruz. sigh.

There are 2 places locally that have CT scan equipment, so we are going to try that test first and take things one step at a time. Unfortunately, there is a medical strike on Thursday, so we will have to wait until Friday or maybe Monday to do the test, then schedule an appointment next week to hear the results.

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS:

We request prayers to God for Micah's health in the following areas:

1.) Micah needs to be sedated for the CAT scan. This is scary for us. We need God to provide someone who really knows what they're doing and will monitor him adequately.

2.) We want the results to be obvious enough so that we know exactly what steps to take next and to feel the comfort and confidence that comes with knowing that God is directing those steps.

3.) We want God to help us to stay strong because we are very sad at the thought of leaving, and especially the thought of leaving in a hurry. We feel like we're starting to grieve even though we're not officially leaving yet, and even though we would be leaving Bolivia for the right reasons, we still feel sad. May God remind us as always that whatever happens, He is in control, He loves us, and He will take care of our needs wherever we are, probably in better ways than we can even imagine. We need to trust in HIM.

PICTURE PRAISE! (ISAIAH 40:8)

2011-03-20T09:50:00.001-04:00

(Flower seller on Calle Ravelo, near the Mercado Central)

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, NLT)

2nd ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL TO THE CAMPO

2011-03-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

(by Derek)

During my first attempt this season to go out into the campo (countryside) and lead a training for coworkers, the roads were flooded and we were having problems with the car's brakes, so we decided to reschedule.

Today I tried again-notice the word "tried."

My coworkers (who also needed to go out to the campo for various work-related reasons) and I showed up at the office at a very dark 4:30 AM so that we had plenty of time to reach a specific construction checkpoint during the journey. Travelers must pass this checkpoint before 7:00 AM, or they are refused entrance and cannot continue down the road due to construction workers who guard the road, blocking it with a rope and large stones so that they can complete road maintenance without the danger of cars passing as they work on the curvy mountain roads.

The first sign of trouble came about 45 minutes into the journey when our driver noticed that the planks of wood we were asked to deliver to the FH community of Ravelo had shifted with the many bumps and potholes in the dirt road through the mountains and were beginning to come loose. We stopped, inspected the cargo, and quickly realized that we needed to rearrange everything in the back of the truck (which was too small for the length of the lumber, but the only vehicle available). Working as a team, myself and two coworkers removed every single plank as quickly as possible, came up with a plan, tied them on much more securely, and we continued our journey.

About 15 minutes later, the rocky road below our truck had loosened the boards again and we noticed a long piece of wooden trim fly out the side. We quickly stopped, and while inspecting the lumber, our driver noticed a rear tire was quickly going flat. With speed and expertise, he changed the tire and we continued toward our destination, but at this point, we knew we would be cutting it close to arrive at the construction checkpoint by 7:00 AM.

As we hurried to make up for lost time, it began to rain, which turned the unpaved dusty road to complete mud and slowed us down even more. We finally reached the checkpoint at 7:25, and despite our best attempts to convince the construction worker of our need to continue to Ck'ara Ck'ara, it was too late. (And we are living in a country in which almost nothing happens "on time"!)

All of the alternate roads to the community were washed out due to the rain, leaving us with no choice but to turn around and return to Sucre before the road we came on became washed out as well. I guess I will have to try again another day.

Looking forward to training with coworkers...whenever that may be!

DISCOVERING TALENTS IN HORNO CK'ASA

2011-03-18T18:18:00.004-04:00

We've enjoyed a great visit with Mountain Christian Church! They're back in the U.S. now and we're already looking forward to their next trip. Click on the picture below to see a slideshow of some of our favorite moments.

Mountain Christian Short-Term Team Visit, March 2011

WELCOME TEAM!

2011-03-12T21:22:00.001-04:00

We've been counting down the days until the arrival of a church mission team from New Mexico (USA). We are happy to report that they arrived safely in Sucre on Friday afternoon--in fact, they were even able to catch an earlier flight and get here sooner than planned! They've participated in several activities in the community and we can already see relationships beginning to blossom. Despite the constant rains we've been having lately, the sun came out not long before their plane landed and we've enjoyed great weather ever since. Tonight they're participating in a local church's campout under the dark Bolivian night sky and bright stars surrounded by the mountains God placed near the city. They'll be back in town tomorrow for several days of activities in Horno Ck'asa prayerfully designed to encourage the community members as they work with FH towards transformational holistic development. We're looking forward to a great visit!

PICTURE PRAISE! (JAMES 2:14-18)

2011-03-04T18:36:00.002-04:00

^"Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this world if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department."

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove." (James 2:14-18, The Message)

RAIN DELAY

2011-03-03T18:54:00.002-04:00

(by Derek)

My work schedule has been rearranged this week due to a rain delay. I was scheduled to go into the countryside to do an interactive training with staff on how to do home visits, but at the very last minute we had to postpone the journey because the roads are in extremely bad condition due to recent heavy rains that have caused severe flooding. I was disappointed because this last phase of the trainings is extremely important and will be most effective if conducted as a hands-on learning experience so that I can provide direct guidance and feedback to my coworkers as they are learning the steps of the home visit process. I feel confident that the methodology that I have spent months developing, seeking critique, refining, adjusting, and finalizing will help FH as an organization to better serve families involved in our programs and I'm eager for the rains to stop long enough to have the opportunity to share these improvements with the rural offices in Ck'ara Ck'ara and Ocuri.

This is what the flooding looked like from our airplane window on a flight back to Sucre from Santa Cruz last week.

CARNAVAL 2011

2011-03-01T09:28:00.006-04:00

Carnaval supplies for sale in the Mercado Central

Carnaval 2011 is coming soon to Sucre! Vendors along the streets of the market are selling all of the party essentials: masks, costumes, water squirtguns, water balloons, and spray foam in a can.

The house we are renting is located on one of the popular parade routes, which means that at various times throughout the day and night, our windows rattle to the beat of thumping drums and blaring trumpets. During the day, Noelia likes to announce, “¡Música! ¡Música!” and wants us to take her outside to check out the band. Amazingly, our kids have somehow learned to sleep through most of the night parade noise--even the fireworks!

At the beginning of Carnaval, we see swarms of teenagers followed by loud bands. No costumes, just high schoolers having fun, which is not all that impressive for the amount of noise that they make.

Over the next few days, the celebrations will become more elaborate as the “Official” Carnaval begins and the streets will be flooded with dancers and musicians who are more “professional” in the sense of having organized dance moves and elaborate costumes. Sucre will celebrate with the coronations of “kings” and “queens”, masquerade parties, and various other Carnaval events, including a party at Noelia's preschool in which all of the kids dress up in costumes and eat special snacks.

There are elements of Carnaval that are very unique to Bolivia and offer a valuable, fun celebration of culture. However, one unfortunate aspect is that people use Carnaval as a chance to “escape” their everyday reality through drinking an extreme amount of alcohol. The party starts as an “escape” and quickly speeds downhill into an excuse for excess and a lack of self-control, often resulting in problems such as unwanted pregnancies, devastating car accidents, robberies, or abuse.

We request your prayers for our Bolivian brothers and sisters in Christ as they struggle to balance positive aspects of cultural traditions with the negative social pressures of Carnaval.

AN EXTRA DAY IN SANTA CRUZ

2011-02-27T17:03:00.002-04:00

Basilica Menor de San Lorenzo

Plaza 24 de Septiembre (a great place for pedestrians...and pigeons, too)

Traveling with kids is always an adventure. Our flight from Santa Cruz to Sucre was delayed and we ended up having to stay an extra night. We were not exactly thrilled with this change in plans, but at least the delay gave us the opportunity to visit a few sites in Santa Cruz that we haven't seen before, including the main plaza and the city's most famous cathedral. The extra night in the city meant that we were in town during the celebration of Santa Cruz's 450th anniversary. There were lots of special events taking place around town. Unfortunately, this made it difficult for us to find a hotel room. We called several hotels from the airport trying to find a room and ended up staying at a hotel that was very modern in style, especially for Bolivia. Everything in the room was sleek, minimalistic, and not exactly designed for families. We still can't figure out why our room came with this silver canister and had a lot of laughs trying to guess its purpose. Is it a giant trash can, an oversized ice bucket, or some kind of baby bathtub from the future?

MEDICAL VISIT TO SANTA CRUZ

2011-02-26T21:10:00.002-04:00

We just got back from a few days in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, but it was not exactly a vacation. We live in a small town with very limited options for neurology so our local pediatrician advised us to travel to Santa Cruz, a city of over 2,000,000 people located in the eastern part of the country with much more advanced options for medical care than what we are able to access here in Sucre. By traveling a 20 minute flight over the mountains, we were able to find a great pediatric neurologist who had the equipment to perform an EEG, and Santa Cruz has an MRI machine as well. Both tests (as well as the neurologist's thorough evaluation) were extremely important tools for evaluation his current medical needs, determining the extent of any damage resulting from his traumatic birth and any ongoing concerns such as seizures.

EEG wires

Derek trying to keep Noelia entertained and distracted during Micah's exams.

The EEG wires are connected to the laptop on the desk. The box on a pole (above Micah's head) created a strobe light to test for epilepsy. After this test, we took a taxi in the rain (without waking up Micah!) to a place with an MRI machine.

The wonderful news is that the EEG came out PERFECT! No issues at all. No signs of seizures, epilepsy, NOTHING. The waves indicated a normal kid who was dreaming during the exam. Praise God!

On the MRI, however, it's clear that the ventricles in his brain are enlarged. Basically, the ventricles are damaged, but his body has been in a process of healing, during which the ventricles have enlarged to overcompensate from the damage. This is pushing up on the nerves that control his arms and legs, which is why we're seeing the physical milestone delays. The delays should be able to be corrected with physical therapy. We asked if she felt is was possible for him to eventually crawl and walk and she said definitely! What a relief. Also, he had no issues with the sedation necessary for this exam. Again, PRAISE GOD!

The bad news is that there is more brain fluid than normal. We're trying to figure out how much is in there and what this will mean. The pediatric neurologist got us an appointment (same day!) with an excellent opthamologist at an eye hospital. He did several rounds of drops to dilate Micah's eyes and used anesthetic drops as well. The doctor used instruments to look at the back of Micah's eyes and determined that for the moment the fluid is NOT pushing on his eyes. Yep, another PRAISE! This is very important, because if it was pressuring his eyes, that would indicate a more urgent situation and we would have probably needed to have a shunt placed to remove the fluid.

So, overall, it was a positive evaluation. For the fluid in his brain, there's nothing to do but pray about it and wait. His body is capable of absorbing a certain amount of cerebral spinal fluid and the issue could resolve. In one month, we'll need to follow up with a CT scan in Sucre and have it evaluated to see if the fluid has gone down. If not, the next step would be medicine to reduce the amount of fluid, and if that doesn't work, the next step would be surgery for a shunt.

Despite these issues, Micah's doing great. He's smiling, happy, and rolling everywhere. We celebrated his good EEG results with lunch at Burger King (a big treat for us--there are no chains like this in Sucre) and as soon as we put him in the high chair, he reached out and grabbed a fistful of french fries! :)

We are grateful that we were able to travel and receive important ongoing medical care for our son! We know that Micah is a very strong little boy and he has surprised us many times with his ability fight back medical issues. We trust that God has a plan for him and we would appreciate your prayers as we try to get through this month of waiting to see what God reveals next for Micah.

AIRPORT IN SUCRE, BOLIVIA

2011-02-22T18:52:00.004-04:00

We are headed out of town but our flight has been delayed so I thought I'd take a few pictures of the Sucre airport to share with you.

The airport is very small but adequate. You won't get lost here--there's only one area for departures and one area for arrivals! All passengers departing Sucre must pay a departure tax (located at a desk near the ticket counters). After the tax is paid, you can explore the main floor of the airport, which includes two small chocolate shops (of local brands Para Ti and Taboada), a small snack stand for things like gum, crackers, and sodas, a store selling hats, and bathrooms. There is a small restaurant on the second floor and a "mirador" on the roof.

Here's our local airport! The traffic control tower you see in the back is very important. There is no radar system; radio communication is vital! Flights are almost always delayed or cancelled when clouds or rain cause poor visibility for landing.

A view of the runway

The rooftop of the airport has a "mirador" (observation deck) with a beautiful view of planes taking off and landing surrounded by mountains in the distance.

Passengers exit onto a staircase (left) rolled to the doors of the plane and then walk on the tarmac to the terminal. Meanwhile, luggage is collected onto a cart (photo center) and then brought to the arrivals doorway where it is placed by hand onto a small conveyor belt. Taxis are always available after plane arrivals and it costs 30 Bs (which is less than $5) to go from the airport into Sucre.

BACK TO NORMAL?

2011-02-21T16:38:00.004-04:00

The recent strikes around Bolivia seem to have reached a "peaceful fizzle" for the moment, at least here in Sucre.

People were mainly protesting against increases in cost of living (in particular, food and transportation prices) and in a related complaint there is a movement to improve income stability by increasing the national minimum wage for employees. (By the way, their goal is for it to be set at 8,309 Bs, which is still only $1,187 USD of income PER YEAR, which would be $4.57 for an entire DAY of work, or an established minimum wage of $0.57 per HOUR (assuming a 5 day work week, 8 hours/day).

Now that the "paro" is over, the routine of life seems to be back to normal this week, despite the fact that there really have been no specific resolutions for these problems and people remain concerned. Many businesses were closed on Friday but are now open again, traffic is moving normally around the city, and schools are open.

A BOLIVIAN BABY "FIRST"

2011-02-19T17:29:00.010-04:00

(by Claire)

Micah will be 15 months tomorrow. Many moms record first words, first steps, etc. but for this little guy growing up in Bolivia, we have a unique first to share--his first salteña! Sucre has several restaurants and many, many street vendors who specialize in making these small, inexpensive savory pastries filled with chicken and potatoes. Our current favorite place for salteñas is known as El Patio, where the salteñas are so popular that they can be ordered individually or by the dozen! I was walking by El Patio this morning and it occurred to me that other than the olive pit (which we removed) it's a surprisingly good baby finger food because the warm, oven-fresh pastry is soft and everything within the small pocket of dough has been diced. As you can see, he loved it!

"PARO DE 24 HORAS"

2011-02-18T20:41:00.002-04:00

This is a video of Av. Hernando Siles, a main road in the city of Sucre along the busy Mercado Central (central fruit/vegetable market), which is also a major bus stop location.

On most days, the sidewalk you see in this video is extremely crowded with people. Some are walking to and from the market carrying bags full of purchased food. Others are rush hour commuters and schoolkids wearing uniforms and backpacks hustling by each other as they exit and enter a steady stream of old city buses that choke and spit gray smoke as they lurch up to the curb. There are also usually street vendors sitting on the sidewalk surrounded by a blanket covered with a variety of goods they hope to sell.

Today, however, the city begins a 24-hour transportation strike, and there are no "micros" or taxis available--only privately owned vehicles are on the roads. In the U.S., public schools generally provide free transportation through the use of school buses, but in Sucre that service is not offered, which led many schools here to cancel classes today due to lack of transportation for students (including Noelia's preschool).

It's very strange to see this side of the road so empty on a weekday morning! We're hoping that the strike will end peacefully and everyone here in the city will be able to return to their normal routines soon.

SCHOOL ABSENTEE RATE IN BOLIVIA

2011-02-18T06:37:00.002-04:00

(by Claire)

When I was a kid growing up in rural Indiana, I used to love "Snow Days" when school was cancelled because of weather. After a heavy winter storm, we were "snowed in" until the roads were cleared by a snowplow pushing and scraping a pathway through the white drifts. It wasn't dangerous or scary, just a fun day of staying inside and watching TV.

Bolivian kids who live in one of the rural area served by Food for the Hungry known as Chuquisaca Centro are experiencing "Flood Days" this week. Unlike staying home for a "Snow Day", this is NOT a fun experience. While North American seasons include Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter, here in Bolivia, we have a season known as "Rainy Season". We've had so many days of rain this month that rivers and creeks are flooding and putting kids in danger.

School is in session, but attendance is low. Some kids can't get to school because the rocky, dry riverbeds and dusty creekbeds they normally walk across every day on their way to and from school are now suddenly swollen rushing rivers, making it impossible to swim to the other side without risking their lives. Some kids have found that they can't get home because dangerous flash flooding has completely washed away the paths and roads they walk on, so they have had to wander around trying to find higher ground, looking for shelter and food until the waters recede. An additional problem is that many kids traveled with their parents during summer vacation to larger cities (such as Sucre) to find temporary employment between planting seasons just to make ends meet, but now can't get back to their hometowns because the few roads that existed are completely covered with water. They are country kids stuck in an unfamiliar big city for now, and they don't know how long they will need to stay there.

When we write on this blog about vulnerable populations suffering the effects of temporary migration in search of work, seasonal undernutrition, high school absentee and school dropout rates, and kids who grow up with a sense of hopelessness and despair, this is what we mean. Many people make assumptions about families who live in countries like Bolivia and judge their poverty as a result of laziness, or lack of intelligence, etc. but as we can see in the case of Chuquisaca Centro, it's not that these families can't work or don't work, but they work as farmers and their fields are now covered with ponds, so it is likely that their already small profit for hard work in the fields will be even smaller this year, making it next to impossible to feed their family until the next harvest.

However, we know that even when many people have had to escape the rushing waters in Chuquisaca Centro, God has not abandoned their community. This week, our FH coworkers Marco, Armando, and Claudio are actively trying to locate all of the kids, make sure they're safe, and encourage them to eventually rejoin their classmates in school when the waters recede to a safe level. Please pray for the families in Chuquisaca Centro!

p.s. For more information on this issue, click here for an article in the local Sucre newspaper, which describes damage to school buildings due to the flooding, as well as the efforts of devoted parents who have been attempting to get their kids to school despite the high waters by having their kids ride through the currents on cargo animals (donkeys, oxen, etc.)

FROM THE BOLIVIAN "DICCIONARAZO"

2011-02-17T08:34:00.004-04:00

(by Claire)

This cartoon was printed our local Sucre, Bolivia newspaper, El Correo del Sur, on February 16, 2011. I admire the way that the editorial cartoon artist was able to illustrate the growing public sense of anger and resentment against price increases and how this feeling is communicated through use of vocabulary.

The price of milk (leche) is controlled by a government-set rate which has just been increased (lechazo), the price of gas (gasolina) skyrocketed in December until the change was revoked by the President (gasolinazo), sugar (azúcar) has doubled in price (azucarazo), public transportation costs for buses and taxis (tarifas) are supposed to increase in Sucre on Monday (tarifazo).

The cost of living is definitely going up here, and the media reacts to the public sentiment by adding "-azo" to the end of the noun for emphasis (Spanish language teachers call it an "augmentative suffix"), creating a whole new vocabulary reflecting the hardship experienced by Bolivian families who live in poverty and are drastically impacted by these price increases. A difficult situation, but a very clever illustration!

PREPARING FOR OUR 2011 GUESTS

2011-02-16T06:26:00.001-04:00

Mission teams for 2011 are coming soon to Horno Ck'asa and the FH office is buzzing with activity!

In addition to our normal work with families, we are also busy preparing for the arrival of several church mission teams from the U.S, who generally schedule their visit anytime from American spring break to the end of the (northern hemisphere) summer. The time that they are here in Bolivia with us goes by so quickly and we want to really have the opportunity to enjoy their visit to the communities in which FH serves, so we plan every detail as thoroughly as possible before they arrive.

Hosting groups of 10+ people requires staff meetings for prayer and event coordination, booking hotel rooms, asking the community members what kinds of activities they would like to do together with the visiting team, organizing events, planning 3 meals/day plus snacks for each person every day and also making reservations for meal locations, hiring extra translators, purchasing supplies for things like construction projects and arranging delivery of materials, asking moms when would be a good time of day for their child's sponsor to come over to their house for a visit, figuring out how to transport a large group around town for every hotel pick-up/drop-off/transfer, etc. And no matter how organized we are ahead of the visit, this is Bolivia, and things don't always go as planned, especially when flight arrivals/departures are unpredictable during rainy season, so of course, every aspect of the planning also needs a "Plan B". :)

It's a lot of work, but it's worth it because we know how much it means to kids and their families to meet their sponsors and we know that it is a wonderful time of spiritual growth for everyone involved. Looking forward to welcoming our guests in 2011 to witness God's restoration in Bolivia!

p.s. If you would like to know more about becoming part of a short-term mission team through FH, click this link to learn more!

PICTURE PRAISE! (PSALM 71:5-9)

2011-02-12T15:45:00.001-04:00

(photo taken in Plaza 25 de Mayo)

"For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone."

FOOD RATIONS IN BOLIVIA

2011-02-10T09:00:00.008-04:00

Just an update on current food rations in Sucre...

The Bolivian government entity "EMAPA", which is an abbreviation for "Food Production Support Company", has increased their control over sugar rations. Previously, each family was allowed to purchase 10 kilos of sugar every 15 days, however, the rules have now been changed to be more restrictive, and now each family can only purchase 10 kilos of sugar per month. The local paper in Sucre reports that there were 25 people waiting in line at one of the sugar distribution points yesterday (February 9, 2011).

10 kilos of sugar is equal to 22 lbs. That might seem like a lot of sugar for a family to use up in 15 days, but in Bolivia, there are many people who are small business owners and could easily go through that amount through preparing and selling food either on the street (such as "salteñas"), in small restaurants (such as bread, pastries, and desserts), or to individuals through special orders (such as birthday cakes, wedding cakes,etc.). It is not clear whether small business owners are affected by this change in rationing or if they will receive some kind of an exemption and can purchase sugar more frequently or in larger amounts.

Sugar is not the only concern; prices are higher for most basic foods, yet pay wages are staying the same, so people are finding it harder to make ends meet. Families who were already living in poverty are suffering the effects of high inflation and those who were vulnerable before are even more vulnerable now.

Social tension has been growing over the issue of food shortages and inflation, which has led to protests in various parts of the country. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that the inflated prices will return to normal any time soon. The rate of inflation in Bolivia was 7.18% in 2010 and high inflation is projected to continue to be a concern in 2011 as well.

Please pray for the leaders of Bolivia as they work to address this food crisis, and for the people of Bolivia who are living with the effects of these shortages.

OUR PRESCHOOLER!

2011-02-01T08:21:00.020-04:00

We readily admit that the past three years of parenting Noelia have been exhausting. In addition to learning how to raise a newborn, infant, toddler, and now preschooler, we've also changed jobs, sold our house, moved across the U.S, sold our car, packed our bags and said goodbye to everyone and everything we know, moved internationally, live in a different hemisphere and climate, learned to speak a new language and work in a cross-cultural setting in the developing world.

Whew--that makes me feel tired just typing it!

However, despite all of the stressful moments, we also know that our lives have been absolutely blessed by the privilege of being a parent to Noelia. We've experienced life in a different way through seeing the world with her eyes. We're proud to see our bilingual, multicultural missionary kid who adapts so easily to new experiences. We're entertained by her energetic, enthusiastic personality, which allows to experience a kid who is silly, sweet, funny, cute, and has the capacity of doing things that range from annoying and heartmeltingly cute within the same five minute time-period.

We love "our little Noelia"...except she's not so little anymore! Today she started preschool. She's in the 3-year-old class which is called "Nidito", a word in Spanish meaning "little nest". She's been a part of our "little nest" for 3 years and we've loved the experience...and now it's time for her to fly a little bit on her own!

FOOD INSECURITY IN BOLIVIA

2011-01-30T13:28:00.000-04:00

Food security remains an ongoing problem in Bolivia. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says that, "Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life." By this definition, food security is not happening at the moment here in Sucre. This is a link for an interesting document (produced by the World Food Programme) describing the status of food security from November 2009 to January 2010. It has been a year since this document's publication. Unfortunately, food insecurity has been a problem in the year 2011 as well, leaving Bolivian families to cope with hunger. At the moment, flour, sugar, and rice are scarce and being sold at very high prices.

Like most Bolivians, we don't know exactly what is going on and which political decisions about imports/exports are creating the food shortages, we've just noticed that prices for most foods have increased substantially with the result that our grocery money will not stretch as far as it used to, and for other foods, they're just not available any more. There is a sign on the shelves of the local grocery store saying that they are now imposing a limit on how much pasta can be purchased per family, and even the lowest quality of sugar being sold in the market is selling for twice as much as it used to at the end of 2010. The Bolivian government has suggested that citizens should substitute sugar with stevia or honey while waiting for normal distribution of flour, sugar, and rice to resume, however these products are basic staples of Bolivian daily meals, and this food shortage and subsequent price gouging in the local market have created an economic hardship for families, especially those who were already living in poverty before these newly inflated prices.

"ENGLISH ON THE GO" WORKSHOPS

2011-01-28T16:23:00.052-04:00

(by Derek)

It's not everyday that I witness 60 Bolivians boot-scooting in sync to Billie Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" but this week was an unusual--I had the opportunity to serve as lead translator for a special workshop called "English on the Go," led by a group of visiting missionaries from Canada. The mission of their organization is to teach English as a foreign language and share the Gospel at the same time by using games, lessons and conversations.

I was impressed by how quickly the Bolivians began to open up to each other through the various language-building activities. All of the participants started with a decent level of English, some were even English teachers, and almost all were college students or professionals. They began the week as timid strangers, not wanting to risk making any mistakes, but by the end of the week, they were having fun with each other, sharing deeper conversations about faith in their small groups, and yes, participating in cultural activities such as line dancing!

It was fun to serve as a link between two distinct cultures and languages, and to meet brothers and sisters in Christ from Canada.

SHOULDA USED A SHARPIE!

2011-01-26T09:49:00.003-04:00

(by Claire)

My little Noelia is now 3 years old! She's starting preschool next week and the school requires all students to wear a smock over their clothes while working on art projects. I bought the school's official smock and the secretary asked me to label the pocket with the name of the student. Most Bolivian moms would embroider the name. I have no idea how to embroider, but I love learning new crafts and figured, how hard can it be? I'm a proud Mommy of a preschooler and wanted to make the effort to make her art smock look extra cute.

Well, as it turns out, it's much easier to Google embroidery instructions than to actually embroider. (yes, I knew that in the back of my mind, but still wanted to try!) My attempt looked terrible and I decided to rip out the thread and try again. Unfortunately, I used a needle that was too large and ended up with fabric dotted with punched holes. At this point, I considered just writing her name with a Sharpie marker and being done with it, but decided to think of another solution that would cover the holes--puffy paint! A brilliant solution. I found a store selling small bottles of navy blue just like I remember purchasing back in the 80's when puffy paint was cool. However,when I got it home and tried it on the apron pocket, it was all crusty and dried out---aaaugh! Got another bottle from a different store and carefully painted N-O-E-L-I-A. It looked great! Then later I noticed the edges bled into the white fabric. At this point, I acknowledged to myself that, good grief, this was way more effort than necessary for some art smock. Ever the perfectionist, I got out a turquoise sharpie and traced the puffy paint edge of each letter, covering the smeary paint edges.

Sigh.

I shoulda used a Sharpie all along.

Oh, well. But, hey, look how cute it turned out!?!

FERIA DE LA CULTURA DE TARABUCO

2011-01-22T21:58:00.055-04:00

(by Claire)

Tarabuco is the name of a town not far from Sucre where the traditions of the Yampara culture are evident in many ways, including the style of dress. I love crafts, and have an appreciation for artisans who can create weaving, textiles in general, yarn, beadwork, crocheting, and pretty much any beautiful, handmade item, so when I read an article in the local “Correo del Sur” newspaper about a celebration of the traditions of Tarabuco, I was very interested in attending! By walking just a few blocks to the “Casa de la Cultura” in Sucre, I was able to "go back in time" hundreds of years, witnessing traditional artistry that had been carefully preserved and passed down for generations. Community members from the Tarabuco area showed how to spin fluffy handfuls of wool into thread, displayed naturally-dyed yarns, and propped the wooden poles of vertical looms against walls, allowing me to watch as they formed amazingly intricate zoomorphic patterns from thread and rustic-looking shuttles carved from sticks of wood. I’ve seen lots of examples of similar weavings around town, but it was a treat to chat with the artists themselves and be able to purchase a weaving directly from the creator.

We love living in such an interesting region of Bolivia!

A FEW POSES ON THE PATIO

2011-01-16T08:23:00.019-04:00

Noelia, 3 years old (with Toby, her favorite stuffed animal and constant companion)

Micah, 13 months old

SUGAR-FREE SUCRE

2011-01-15T22:03:00.001-04:00

Well, this is not the “sweetest” problem to come back to—Sucre is out of sugar. Actually, most of the country of Bolivia seems to be out of sugar. While we were in the U.S., we were following the news of the “gasolinazo” which was a political decision by the Bolivian government to change a law regarding subsidies and resulted in overnight price increases for transportation fuel. With no prior warning, everyday life throughout the country became drastically more expensive, and Bolivians expressed their anger through blockades, transportation strikes, and protests.

Although the law was revoked, we’ve noticed that prices remain higher for basic groceries than they were before the “gasolinazo” and we’ve also noticed that local grocery store and markets are completely sold out of sugar and have been for quite some time. The government has set up a few stands in Sucre where people can wait in long lines and purchase sugar in limited quantities.

So until this issue is resolved and distribution of sugar goes back to normal, in a city whose name actually means sugar in French (although it’s named after a person) it looks like we could be making recipe substitutions with honey, sweetened condensed milk, and locally-produced stevia for an indefinite amount of time.

2011 RAINY SEASON IN SUCRE

2011-01-14T08:28:00.003-04:00

As you can see in this video, the rainy season is definitely here! It is often sunny in the mornings with beautiful blue skies contrasting against the white-washed buildings of Sucre, but then by mid-afternoon clouds roll in and we have scattered rainshowers around the city. The temperature drops significantly with these bursts of rain, but then in the morning when it's sunny again, it warms back up and is very comfortable.

It may be the end of "summer" here in the Southern Hemisphere, but with all of this rain and the plants looking fresh and green, it sure feels like springtime weather to us!

STRENGTH FOR A NEW YEAR

2011-01-12T16:41:00.013-04:00

January 2011 has been a time of new beginnings for FH Bolivia, as staff have returned from vacation with renewed commitment and a real sense of anticipation for what God will accomplish this year through FH.

The team in Horno Ck’asa, the community where Derek works, has identified (together with the children, teens, parents and leaders of the community) the issue of child abandonment and neglect as a central problem in the area. Since stable work is hard to come by, many parents leave their young children alone for weeks at a time as they search for work in other parts of the country or abroad. Others leave their children with friends or relatives for years at a time. This means that many children in Horno Ck’asa spend most of their time unsupervised and without the support of loving parents. It’s no surprise that many kids end up finding community in becoming part of a gangs, escape their feelings through drugs and alcohol, or end up in situations leading to unwanted pregnancies. Hopelessness and despair are common problems.

So, now the question is, how will God be glorified in 2011 in Horno Ck’asa? We’re a small local staff of just seven people working from a small office within the community, but we’re seven people whom God has called to follow and to serve Him. How will we allow God to work through each of us this year? How will we be a part of transformational development within this community? How will we be able to express a Father’s love to kids whose own mother and father abandoned them or neglected them?

Throughout this year, we’ll be posting about the different ways that God is comforting, shaping, teaching and challenging the families of Horno Ck’asa through the work of FH, and in the process, revealing more to us about His amazing grace and love for the people of Bolivia.

WELCOME BABY LYDIA!

2011-01-10T15:32:00.028-04:00

On the day after we arrived back in Bolivia, our good friends and fellow missionaries, the Wardens, welcomed a new member into their family--Baby Lydia!

We’re so grateful to God for her safe arrival and for her Mommy’s health. She's absolutely beautiful and we're looking forward to getting to know her little personality as she grows!

"Lydia" is a Biblical name, and although the Bible doesn't tell us very many details about the woman referred to as "Lydia," the Book of Acts does offer a few beautiful facts about the way she lived her life:

Lydia had an open heart, an open mind, and carefully listened when some missionaries spoke about God. She didn't just hear the message and then go back to her normal daily routine, she carefully considered what she heard, became a faithful believer, and was baptized. Her willingness to listen, consider their message, and allow God to enter her heart changed her life.

As a wife, she was a homemaker who created a welcoming place for both her family and her guests, and was also capable of running a successful business. We can assume that she was a hard-worker who managed her household well.

As a business owner, she sold purple cloth and it's probable that she was earning a good salary, but rather than hoard her earnings for herself, she generously offered her home as a place for fellowship, inviting missionaries to stay at her house, choosing to share the blessings God had given her with others.

As a mom, she was a positive influence on everyone living in her house and she encouraged them in the development of their faith. Everyone in her household became baptized.

We don't know much else about Lydia from the Bible. We don't know much about Baby Lydia either yet...her story is just beginning! However, we're looking forward to getting to know her as she grows and we hope that she will become a woman who, like Lydia from the Bible, will have an open mind and heart, seeking to know God. May she be a woman who demonstrates love and faith in Him as she serves her family, her community, and her church, and may she live to see those whom she loves join her as believers!

WE'RE BACK IN SUCRE!

2011-01-09T09:27:00.039-04:00

For some travelers, airports are a comfortable place to spend an afternoon. They pleasantly breeze through security checkpoints, they wait in a travel lounge for their flight while calmly sipping on a latté, they enjoy reading the latest best-seller on a Kindle, and then they board the airplane for their first-class seat, while rolling a single designer carry-on suitcase behind them.

WE ARE NOT THOSE TRAVELERS!

Traveling over 4,300 miles with an active 3-year-old and a teething 13-month-old sure makes for much more interesting voyage! There is a certain level of unpredictability involved. We choose to see the days of travel as some kind of an extended athletic event, and mostly just try to survive until the finish line. Our favorite airport drink? Gatorade.

Fortunately, on our way back to Bolivia this time, we were blessed with mostly smooth flight connections, understanding flight attendants, and 2 kids who sometimes seemed to handle the traveling discomforts better than their parents. Noelia even made friends with some tourists while we were waiting in a line and entertained them (and herself) for a good 25 minutes just by dancing around and being silly!

When we were on the very last leg of the trip and we could see the familiar white-washed buildings and red tile rooftops of Sucre from the small window of the plane, we had such a feeling of relief. We were so glad to finally be back in Sucre! It definitely felt like coming “home”, especially when we were walking on the tarmac away from the plane and looked up to the airport’s observation deck where our friends were waving to us and welcoming us back!

We’re excited to get back into our routines, we’re happy to be in our own house, the kids are excited to see their toys again, but mostly we’re looking forward to getting back to the work of serving God in Bolivia through FH! Thank you, God, for the end of the journey, but for the start of a new one as we continue the work to which we have been called!

BUILDING FAMILY MEMORIES

2011-01-07T19:19:00.006-04:00

One of the aspects of home leave we were most looking forward to before the trip was the chance for our kids to build memories with their grandparents and our extended family. It was a joy for us to watch these relationships grow through sharing all kinds of experiences, from simple morning and bedtime routines to trips to special restaurants and museums, reading stories, making Christmas cookies, and more! Click on the photo below to open an album of just a few of the sweet, memorable moments with our families that we will remember for a long time after we are back in Bolivia...

MICAH DEVELOPMENTAL UPDATE

2011-01-04T18:01:00.004-04:00

As parents of a one-year-old child, we commonly hear the question, “So, is he walking yet?”

For most parents, the answer is pretty easy… “He just started,” or “Not quite yet, but he’s almost there.” For us, however, it hasn’t been quite that simple.

During our time in the States, we noticed that Micah was not developing on schedule. At first it seemed that he was simply a little bit behind, but when he quit log-rolling altogether (a skill he had seemed to master), and didn’t get any closer to crawling or walking, we started to become increasingly concerned….

We contacted First Steps (Early Intervention) for an evaluation. They agreed with our concerns and determined that he was showing significant delays, specifically in gross motor skills. We then pursued an appointment with a pediatric neurologist. And when I write “pursued” I mean persistently called doctor after doctor, contacted several children’s hospitals, and did not give up on finding medical care for our son, even though we kept hearing, "I’m sorry but unfortunately the next appointment is in 8 months."

Eventually, with help from our incredible pediatrician and his staff in Texas, we were able to get an appointment with a pediatric neurologist in Michigan just a few days before our flight was scheduled to return to Bolivia. (Thank you God for providing this opportunity!!!) During this appointment, Micah was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy, mostly visible in weakness on the right side of his body. He doesn’t need any medicines at this time, but we are staying alert for seizures, and we’ll need to follow-up with physical therapy and an MRI to add supporting clues to the diagnosis.

We left the appointment feeling actually kind of relieved because we learned that CP is not progressive, but also sad that he has a disability, unsure of what this means for his and our future, and filled with concern for our son. His survival after 33 days in the NICU was so miraculous. God was absolutely faithful—we know that this is just one more example in which God is in control, and we’re eagerly waiting to see the next chapter that God writes for Micah’s life.

A VISIT TO THE LAKE

2011-01-01T22:32:00.000-04:00

Happy New Year 2011! We are currently visiting family in Michigan before a brief trip back to Indiana and then returning to Bolivia. Time is flying! We're savoring every moment.

COVENANT CHURCH

2010-12-26T13:27:00.002-04:00

Covenant Church in West Lafayette, Indiana is one of our two supporting churches, and we were honored when they invited us to speak during today's services as a part of a special worship time for children. After the kids gathered on the steps in the front of the sanctuary, we showed a short video of Noelia's perspective on living in Bolivia and then talked with the kids (and the congregation) about how we remember, especially at Christmastime when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, that God loves us, has a plan for us, and wants us to show love to others, no matter where they live in the world. We were thankful for the opportunity to be able to share with the congregation and we hope that God was able to use our words to be a blessing to the church, especially the youngest members!

A SNOWY CELEBRATION

2010-12-25T12:45:00.000-04:00

As the cold wind blows and snowflakes continue to fall outside,

we're celebrating December 25th surrounded

by the warmth of the love of our family members.

We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas

from our Family to Yours!