An Unexpected Getaway

As we shared in our last email, the country of Bolivia has been in turmoil since the presidential election that was held October 20. At first the demonstrations across Bolivia were peaceful, and blockades were set up throughout Bolivian cities as a form of protest. These were inconvenient for sure, but presented no danger. Over the course of time, other groups were sent in to forcefully remove the blockades and disperse the protesters, leading to violent confrontations. This only strengthened the calls for the current president to step down, as there was evidence that some of these violent groups were supported by the MAS party that is currently in power. Huge numbers of people began meeting in public spaces in the cities across Bolivia to stand for democracy in Bolivia, and are calling for new elections. The current president has already held on to power far beyond constitutional term limits allow, and there are many allegations that fraud has taken place to keep him in power.

It's hard to explain in one post all that's been happening, but it's clear that the situation has been escalating and there is no end in sight. On Saturday evening, the opposition called for the resignation of President Evo Morales, giving him 48 hours to comply. That same evening we received a call from our leadership asking us to consider whether it would be best for our family to return to the States until the situation in Bolivia was resolved. On Sunday morning we got another phone call strongly encouraging us to leave, and that same afternoon we were taken by motorcycle to the airport in Cochabamba—the only means of transportation that could get past the many roadblocks in Cochabamba. We had about six hours to get our things in order, and to pack bags that we could carry on a motorcycle. By Monday morning we were arriving in Miami—where we found what may have been the last rental car available—and drove to stay with Tara's family near Tampa.

So here we are in the States, not sure what we are doing or how long we will stay. We are thankful to be here for the safety and security of our family, but our hearts still ache for the people we left behind in Bolivia. I have already been experiencing a mix of emotions, and I'm sure more will come. We believe that coming back to the U.S. for a time was the right decision for our family. But it's hard to escape the feelings of guilt and the thought that we have abandoned our Bolivian brothers and sisters who have no choice but to endure this time of hardship. But the reality is that—as expatriates who had only been in country two months—we could do very little to help. If anything, we felt that we were becoming a liability, consuming local resources and needing help from our Bolivian co-workers that could otherwise be directed to help people who really needed it.

The reality is that most Bolivians I know wouldn't leave right now if given the chance. They love their country and see this as a pivotal time in the history of their nation. They are proud to be a part of it! Another ray of hope is that the church has united and mobilized to pray for Bolivia. It is a difficult but exciting time! Surprisingly, I feel sad that I cannot be there to go through this with my Bolivian brothers and sisters. When we return to join them, hopefully in a few weeks, they will share the bond of having endured this trial together and emerged on the other side, while we were away in the relative safety of our home country. I know that if I was there I would not be able to be out on the streets with them anyway, and that there was wisdom in the decision that was made. But there is a part of me that wishes I was still there, if for no other reason than a demonstration of solidarity.

Please pray for us, but more importantly for Bolivia. We are praying for a peaceful resolution, that the church would be united, that God's will would be done, and that He would be glorified through what's happening there.

We just obtained our long-term visas and have every intention of returning. We will be in the States at least through Thanksgiving, but we really don't know how long we will be here or what our time in the U.S. will look like. For now we are just recovering and resting for a bit. We will share more in the near future, but in the meantime please feel free to reach out if you'd like to connect personally. Thanks so much for your prayers and support!

At first the blockades were peaceful, and there were even families out on the streets with their children. They were often taken down for short periods to allow people to get out and buy food.

Over time the blocks became more intense and more difficult to pass. The demonstrators also were refusing to temporarily remove them to allow people to buy food and supplies. Violent confrontations were also on the increase.

Two Months in Bolivia

Has it been two months already? I wish I was sitting down to write a happy post about the fun experiences we've had during our first two months in Bolivia. Maybe I'll get around to writing that post, but this one is a bit more somber.

On October 20 (last Sunday), a presidential election was held in Bolivia. It was a peaceful day and we were hoping that the following weeks and months would continue to be peaceful. But that has not been the case. Over the last week there have been protests in the major cities, including ours. The demonstrators are protesting due to accusations of election fraud—among broader issues. The president (who has claimed victory for a fourth term) is accusing the protesters of racism against the indigenous people who live in the rural parts of Bolivia. All of the major roads in our city have been blocked, and violence has begun to break out amidst increasing tension between the two sides. Most recently, the president and his supporters have threatened to cut off the food supplies of cities that continue to dispute his victory in the election. Rather than making concessions, it seems that both sides are digging in their heels and preparing for a prolonged fight.

As I wrote in my last post, we knew that we would face some difficult times, but we didn't anticipate them coming so soon. At this point we feel that we are safe, and we have enough provisions to last for a while—hopefully until things settle down. But, then again, there is no guarantee that the situation will get better before it gets worse.

This morning I read the following passage from 1 Timothy: "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." We know that God is sovereign, and no one comes to possess power and authority on earth apart from His will. Please join us as we pray for the leadership of Bolivia, that the Lord's will would be done, and that people would ultimately come to know Jesus through the turmoil in our city and in this country.

We also appreciate your prayers for our family. We have been mostly confined to our house for the past week, and it looks like this week will be more of the same. We have been unable to attend language classes, and with limited language it's difficult to have significant interactions with our neighbors (not to mention they are usually behind locked gates). Please pray for wisdom during this time, and that we would find peace and rest in the Lord. Pray that He would use this time to mold and shape us, and to increase our dependence on Him as our provider and protector.

Finally, please pray with us for peace in Bolivia. In times like this I'm reminded to look forward to the day when the Prince of Peace returns to establish his reign. Until then we pray that His peace would reign in the hearts of those who call him Lord, and that this peace would extend to the world around us.

Celebration and Loss

On August 28 we will board an airplane for Bolivia. For months we have been holding off on purchasing tickets (see our last post), so we are celebrating the fact that we have a move date! But at the same time we are grieving a great deal of loss—loss of relationships, belongings, opportunities, and pretty much everything that is familiar to us.

The last six months have been good, but difficult. We have had great times of fun and fellowship with friends and family and visited churches that have encouraged and supported us on this journey. Unexpectedly, we had a great deal of time with my brother's family, and our children really enjoyed their “cousin time”. We've enjoyed many of our favorite places in Ohio, and shared those experiences with people we love. But we've also had to say goodbye to those same people. We've had to sort through everything we own and part with belongings that are important to us, or that are attached to special memories. This process has taken longer and been more difficult than we expected.

There are lots of books, tools, and insights to help missionaries (or anyone moving cross-culturally) cope with the transition to life in a new, unfamiliar place. We’ve taken advantage of some of these helpful resources, but also missed out on some potential opportunities. We want to be well-equipped, but it’s our conviction that no matter how prepared we are we won’t make a successful transition unless we are walking with the Lord, relying daily on His Spirit and meditating on the truth of God’s Word. This is not to downplay the importance of preparing for the future, but is a recognition that we can never be fully prepared, and that only God’s grace can sustain us through unforeseen trials and difficulties.

I didn’t anticipate that, after seven years of preparation, this would be the hardest moment yet—the time when I would be most tempted to give up and retreat to the comforts of suburban America. We've persevered through resigning from a good job, raising financial support, leaving three homes behind, years of training—even an airplane crash! But the thought of quitting has never seemed so appealing. So we daily trust in the Lord, knowing that He will sustain us day by day, looking not to our ever-changing circumstances and feelings for comfort and peace, but to a loving and unchanging Savior who carries us each step of the journey.

Surely there will be more difficult times to come, and we appreciate your prayers for our family as we face this transition and the many challenges yet to come. We will continue to grieve the losses we are experiencing, but celebrate the future that the Lord has prepared for us. We want to trust that the best days for our family are yet to come! The future may or may not be what we envision, but in all things let us cling to Jesus, trusting in His love and goodness, having our eyes set on the hope we have in Him!

We're moving this month!

As evidenced by the long gap between posts, it's been a challenge to write updates lately. Not because nothing is happening, but because I either struggle to find a moment to sit down at my computer, or I'm not sure how to communicate what's happening in a way that you will find interesting. During this transitional time, we are staying in Perrysburg, Ohio but have travelled several thousand miles already. As we prepare for our move to Bolivia, we have been visiting family, friends and churches in Ohio, South Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. We are so grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many people, and for the ways in which God is using the Church to provide for our needs as we get ready to begin serving in Bolivia.

Lord-willing, we will be moving to Bolivia at the end of this month! We leave for a church visit today, but next week it will be time to shop for plane tickets! We had originally planned to move a few weeks earlier, but when our nephew's open-heart surgery was scheduled for July 31 we decided to postpone our move. Praise the Lord the surgery went well, and we continue to pray for Bowen's recovery, and for his body to adjust to the changes that were made to his cardiovascular system. If you don't know Bowen, you can read his story at BowensHeart.com or watch the video below.

I realize this short post isn't very informative, but we just want you to know we are still here and still excited about the work that God is doing in Bolivia through ITM. We can't wait to get there, and are trusting the Lord to provide all that we need for this transition by the end of August. Thank you for your love and support!

July 2019 Newsletter

It's time for another newsletter! You can read our latest letter here.

We have a house in Bolivia!

Moving to another country is not easy. There are many difficulties, but one aspect of this move that the kids have struggled with is this: not knowing where we will live when we get to Bolivia. This is certainly an opportunity for them to learn to walk by faith in God, trusting Him to provide. But we also know that they have a legitimate need for security. And I think a basic component of feeling secure is knowing that you have a safe place to lay your head at night.

Until this week, we didn't know where we would settle in Bolivia. Yes, we knew we would live in Cochabamba, and that the mission house would be temporarily available for us. But we had no long-term housing arranged. That was okay with Tara and me, but this idea was more difficult for the kids (and for one child in particular, who will go unnamed). We planned to move into the mission home until we could find a more permanent place in Cochabamba, then move a second time into that house.

Well, earlier this week we received a pleasant surprise. ITM has decided to rent a different place to serve as the mission house, and Tony called to ask if we'd like to rent the current mission house. It didn't take long to come to a consensus, and our answer was a resounding, "Yes!" It's a huge relief to know that we have a place to settle in to when we arrive in Bolivia. Not only that, but the kids have actually stayed in this house, so it's a place that's familiar to them. It has sufficient bedrooms for our family, room for an office and/or music room, and space for guests to stay—all things that are lacking in our current house. What a blessing!

It's exciting to see the Lord providing for our needs as we prepare for this move. There's still a lot to do, and we feel overwhelmed at times, but we have confidence that God will provide what we need when we need it!

A Time of Refining

It's hard to believe it's been so long since I've posted, but to be honest we've been a bit overwhelmed with everything going on in our lives recently. The past several weeks have been filled with organizing, packing, sorting, as well as saying goodbye to people and places, and experiencing many "lasts" here in North Carolina: the last day of school at BCA for Ian and Ella, their last middle school tennis match, their last field trips, last award ceremonies, and final goodbyes to many of their classmates.

There have been difficult moments, especially as the kids ended the school year. While all of their friends are looking forward to next year (especially Ian's classmates, who will be starting high school), our children are leaving everything they know to move to an unfamiliar place. Not only are they leaving people they care about; they are also having to sort through all of their earthly possessions and select the few things that will "make the cut" and go to Bolivia with us. Some things can be stored, but many have to be given away. There are certainly good lessons to be learned in this process, but that doesn't mean it is always easy.

Even though it's hard to say goodbye, we are thankful for the time we've spent here in North Carolina. We know that we have great things to look forward to, and that many of the people we've come to know will be life-long friends.

The process of purging our material goods has made me hyper-aware of the consumerism that is so pervasive in the American culture. I've also been reminded of how easy it is to develop an unhealthy attachment to things, and have made significant progress in breaking that attachment. I'm proud of our kids, who have been learning to do the same thing. There are still several boxes of valuable or sentimental items that will go into storage, but they are learning the value of blessing others with the useful items they no longer need, rather than letting those things gather dust (or worse) in storage. Even though it's hard to let some things go, there is joy in blessing others by giving them away.

As I write this I'm realizing there's a theme here: a tension we are wrestling with throughout these weeks and months of transition. Letting go of the old, yet holding on to those things that matter. Saying goodbye to people and places, but anticipating the good things to come. Filtering out the things that distract and detract from what's really important, while cherishing that which is truly valuable.

Come to think of it, this is not unlike the refining process that God is doing in us. He is always refining us, purging us of old thoughts and habits, and making us more like Jesus. We have desires and habits that distract us, and sins that hinder our relationship with God and others.  These need to be gotten rid of so there is room for new attitudes, habits, and practices that strengthen those relationships. This process is not always fun, but in the end there is great joy! My prayer is that as our family navigates this season of evaluation and purging, the Lord will also be working in us, purifying and refining us to be more like Christ. When we look back at this period of time in our lives, my hope is that we will see the hand of God at work, strengthening us and growing us into faithful disciples of Jesus.

Why Church Planting?

There are many organizations that have current needs for missionary pilot/mechanics. Some of them focus on medical care and relief work. Others focus on Bible translation or church planting, and some do commercial flying to subsidize "ministry" flights. So why am I excited about the idea of serving with an organization that focuses on church planting and discipleship? I'll answer that question, but take the long way around.

The term "Body of Christ" is often used to refer to the Church. There's good reason for that, since the phrase is used in the Bible (1 Corinthians 12:27, for example). I always thought of the word "body" according to this definition:

5 : a group of persons or things: such as

...
b : a group of individuals organized for some purpose
a legislative body
the university's student body

This makes sense, doesn't it? The verse I referenced above says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." The body of Christ certainly is a group of individuals organized for some purpose. But there is another sense in which the Church operates as Christ's body:

2a : the organized physical substance of an animal or plant...

For about thirty years Jesus physically walked the earth, but as He prepared to leave this world, he made it clear to his disciples that their mission was to carry on His mission. As Jesus' present-day disciples, we are the physical presence of Jesus in the world! For most students of the Bible this isn't really a new revelation. But if we really believed this and lived it out, it would be revolutionary!

Jesus' actions during the few short years of his public ministry included preaching and teaching, but also healing the sick, raising the dead, and advocating for the poor and oppressed. But these were not just random acts of kindness. They were accompanied by a call to reject and repent from sin, and to newness of life in Christ. Jesus was intentional about "seeking and saving the lost" (Luke 19:10). He demonstrated mercy and compassion, and broke bread with the despised and outcast. Yet he never failed to call people out of the bondage of sin and brokenness, and into His Kingdom.

So how does this relate to our excitement about church planting? If the Church is growing and truly acting as the Body of Christ, then we will naturally and organically see an increase in acts of love and compassion to the world around us. So it's not an either/or proposition; we don't need to choose church planting or compassion ministry. It's a both/and scenario! By focusing on the church—bringing people to Christ and then continuing to nurture them as disciples of Jesus—we will also see the Body of Christ responding to the needs in our communities, loving them as Christ loved the world.

My intent is not to downplay the need for compassion ministry. Rather, I want to affirm that it is important. Our desire would be for local believers to come to Jesus, and then to reach and serve the world around them according to their individual gifts and passions. The Church is God's chosen instrument for carrying on His work in the world until Jesus returns, and I'm excited to support the building up of the Body of Christ through the tool of missionary aviation.