Hello everyone!!!
These past few days we have been digging in to the Word to prepare our hearts and minds. It has been great to feel God’s presence during our times of prayer, study and worship.
To see how God is bringing us together as a group is amazing. Also in preparation for our departure we have finished packing and are taking care of the final details now.
My prayer is, “God reveal yourself to me and those around me.”
Safe in the arms of Christ,
Charis Brandt (on behalf of the Bolivia team)
Departure is less than twenty-four hours away! This evening we will be driving to Minneapolis, from where we will fly out just after dawn tomorrow.
As Charis mentioned above, our time at Arrowhead has been a combination of packing, group connecting, and seeking to align our hearts with God. For our devotional times the past two mornings, we have been reading from the first chapters of Proverbs. One BIG praise: we finished all our of packing LAST NIGHT! This afternoon we will take a good nap (anticipating tonight’s probable lack of sleep…) and spend time talking about spiritual gifts and how God has equipped each one of us to build up the body of Christ.
Thank you so much for your prayers. As you continue to pray, please keep these things specifically in mind:
- all things airport/travel related: that our flights will go smoothly; that entering Bolivia will be a smooth process; that we will be refreshed in Christ as we arrive in Bolivia
- the hearts of the team members: that we will care for one another and have patience as we travel; that our hearts will be aligned with Christ and that we will be saturated in His word
- Heather: that she will be refreshed in Christ and blessed by our team; that she will be aware of God’s agenda and direction as she schedules our days
Thanks for sending us; you are a blessing.
In the peace of Christ,
Ellen Warneke
Psalm 62:1 – “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.”
Received a phone call from Ellen this morning about 6:30 and everyone was on the plane ready to take off for Miami. She said everything went well in the airport last night and also getting through baggage check and security.
Just got off the phone with Ellen again and they have landed in Miami. They have a decent layover there and will eat lunch at the airport today and then head out to Bolivia this afternoon. She said many of them slept most of the plane ride from Minneapolis to Miami. I will update again when Ellen calls me just before they take off from Miami. Praise God for how smoothly things have went so far.
So glad to hear all has gone well. We will continue to pray for God’s protective hand upon all of you. We know God will use each of you in a mighty way. We believe in our hearts the greatest thimg we all can do is show “love.”
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” I Cor.13: 6-8
So love on each other and share God’s love “everywhere” you go! We love each of you and are so glad you have been given this special chance to share God’s loving message.
In God’s tender hands,
Shelley
Just off the phone once again. The team is on the plane in Miami and getting ready for take-off. Everything went well at the airport. So they now have a 7 hour or so flight before landing in Santa Cruz. We’ll keep you posted.
Well its late and I still have not heard from our group but I do see on the American Airline Website that our groups flight number landed in Santa Cruz at 9:21 pm their time so 8:21 pm our time. I’m sure by now they are all settled in for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow will be a restful day as they prepare for the ministry they will be doing the rest of their time there.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you as you have finally reached Bolivia. It is our prayer that as you step out to fulfill all God has called you to do; that you would remember Hebrews 10:23-24: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Be ready to give an account for the hope that is within you!
Very nice to log on and find out that the group is at their destination safely. Surly many prayers have been answered already. I too will pray for you as a group,that your mission is rewarding for both the group and those that they serve and that you all are safe during your trip.
It is good to know that the group arrived safely and the work they set out to do can begin. May each of you have a safe and rewarding time in Bolivia. Peace and prayers to all of you.
I am pleased to hear tht traveling has gone well. My prayers are that god continues to prepare each of the team members heart for the service He has prepared for them. May you all rely fully on God for the work that He will accomplish through each one of you. I also pray that you come back changed with eyes wide open to see the needs in your community and how you can meet them through Christ. Young people I believe that God uses you to change the world just as he used young people in the Bible, ie Daniel, David, Samuel, and others. I pray that He ignites a fire in your hearts that can not be extinguished.
Dear Kinetic team
I am so proud of you all for stepping out in faith, for getting out of your comfort zone, allowing God to do a real work in your hearts. Please know that you are the object of our fervent prayers. Praying that you will be in align with God’s plan, for team unity and good health. That the Lord will give you Spiritual eyes to see what it is He wants you to see. That God will plan “divine appointments” for all of you. That you will be a blessing and will in turn be blessed. That you will forever be changed, heart and soul. That you will all come home with a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Truly refreshed in the Lord. Lots of Love and Great Big Hugs!OXOX mom and dad
Here is a message I received from Heather this morning:
All is well with the Kinetic team in Bolivia. We are trusting God as He is at work here and we have the honor and responsibility of serving Him for His Kingdom. The team has be painting the New CV girls orphanage, while the other half of the team has been preparing for cementing and painting at Talita Cumi. Mostly though, we have been practicing our relationship skills with the kids in the
Childrens homes, hugging, playing, and keeping warm together. We also have been building relationships with the students in the Christian English speaking school in Santa Cruz. Praise God with us in this joy we have had. Pray with us as the weather has been freezing cold and we are under dressed to be outside all day. Pray that we will trust God in this and not be discouraged. Pray
for our health and safty and for each of us to experience the Presence of God in a new way.
2 cor 9:8 :)
Church at Pastor Juan’s was amazing…..
Saturday was a great day of painting and building and playing and loving the kids. We all ate chicken and Rice (Nescar) with all the Talita Cumi kids. We then had a tour of the SCCLC christian english speaking school. Then we had team time and ice cream with the Scclc students last night. Church at pastor Juan’s was blessed greatly as we shared and praised together in the Lord. This afternoon we rested and now we are on our way back to church. Praise God with us we see Him everywhere and are all healthy. Pray for the weather to allow us to do what we have been given and to be warm enough. :)
Wow, can hardly believe a week has almost gone by. Everyone is so excited to hear about how God has stretched each and eveyone of you. We have as christains have a lot of work to do for the kingdom and there is no better way then showing God’s love to his childern.
1John 3:18 Dear childern, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. God has called you as a team o carry this verse out and show the world his love. We are so proud of all of you and are praying hourly for you team and the work you are doing. Love to all and a huge hug goes out to Liz and Lindsey Rick!! We love you!
Mom and Dad Rick
Hello and Greetings to each of you. We are so encouraged to have read the details logged on this website. Your comings and goings are proving to be covered in Gods mighty hand of protection and mercy. So pleased to hear your travel details were smooth and blessed with sleep and no difficulties…PRAISE the Lord. We will be praying for the weather situation. It sounds like is it colder than anticipated and maybe not as prepared clothing wise to do things outdoors. May the Lords warmth and love continue to keep you comforted.
Will stay tuned as information is posted……..God Bless you all. A special hug and kiss to Nicole….
Love ya, Mom and Dad ( Patty and Marco Herrmann )
I’m glade to hear that everyone is healthy. It’s great to here how the Lord is working in everyone’s life. I pray that God will touch the heart of everyone you come into contact with. I ask him to continual to grow in your hearts and be an inspiration to everyone.
I pray for your safe return back to the states. We miss all of you and can’t wait to here all about you trip and how the Lord work in your life.
I’m lovin’ this website! It’s like I’m sharing in the experience along with you. I sit here in total amazement at this journey that God is taking you on. You all are blessed to be a blessing! Ryan, wear your jacket :-)
Thank you for your continued prayers. The Lord is so faithful to His people, both us and the people of Bolivia. Today has been a beautiful day of ministry and praise. To begin, we are greatly appreciating the SUN, which made a blessedly long appearance; throughout the course of the morning and afternoon, I shed three of my five layers! What a blessing to have some warmth! The majority of our team spent the day at Talita Cumi, continuing the work project and being with the children. A few people stayed back at the house, resting and/or helping Heather with errands/cleaning, etc. This evening we are having dinner at the home of Mike Banks (the youth pastor) and hanging out with MKs.
One quick story of God’s goodness to me: This afternoon, after the boys and girls returned from school and we ate lunch, a number of our team helped the kids with their homework. I got to help a young girl add and subtract fractions that have unlike denominators – one of the many topics that I teach! We had a delightful time, especially since this girl’s favorite subject is math.
May God continue to remind you also of His goodness and faithfulness.
My prayer today is Psalm 71:3a “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come.”
Another story of God’s work`(from Michael Kempf):
The boys today took concrete blocks that were hardened around poles and weighed 60 to 70 pounds each and had to pick them up and drop them. Doing this packed down the dirt that the other guys were bringing in to level out the floor for the patio. I saw God working through the four guys who were doing most of the pounding. Every time one of the kids would run around through the dirt and play in it we would just repack it with joy.
I have spent the majority of my time at Cristo Viene Girls, where we have been able to just hold the girls and show them love. We have been fortunate enough to see their new land where they will be building in the near future and have been able to help clean up and paint the one building there. Today I was able to go to Talita Cumi where many of us helped to pound sand in one way, others painted and sanded window panes. After lunch, the kids had chores and homework to do. I got to help Juan Carlos with writing up to 500 by fives in numbers. God really showed me his patience with Juan to just help him and be able to be with him, show him love and attention he may not have gotten if we weren’t there. Tonight we got to go to Mike Banks’ house for supper and hang with his youth group. Some were missionary kids and others were kids that go to the Christian school here. It was a good time to just be able to talk to other Christians and see that God is working in lives all over the world, not just in the United States. I am so grateful and happy that God has provided me the opportunity to come to Bolivia to show God’s love and his word.
Praise the Lord for the sun and the warmth that it provides. I am blessed to be able to read the updates about how God is working in your lives. My heart is there with you. I pray your work produces much fruit. I am looking forward to hearing more about How god is working in you and through you.
We are so happy to hear that your positive presence is making such a wonderful difference in the lives of God’s children. Hug all the children and I pray for your safe return.
How blessed we are to have all of you sharing and receiving God’s love with those in your host country. Glad to hear you are warmed from God’s rays around each and all of you:) We continue to enjoy your updates, miss you LOTS and will pray for your continued health, safety, travel and joyous experience in worshipping GOD.
Can’t wait to see you Olivia and gang and hear all about your mission trip!
Love you MUCH — hugs all around, Grandma & Grandpa Wood
We are thankful to be able to read about your days, it helps us to be able to pray specifically. We will continue to pray for God to be glorified through your lives and that you see your relationship with Jesus growing.
Hello Kinetic team and of course Brittney: How nice to read the updates…. It is so nice to hear stories of you guys giving of your time to be with and help others. I will continue to watch for your updates, as I miss my daughter sooo very much. Safe travels and we will see you next week. Love Mom
Today the group split up into two teams for the first part of the day. A small group went to the Talita Cumi orphanage to do some silk painting and lay bricks. The majority of the group went to the new land owned by the Cristo Viene orphanage to clear brush and fences.
The girls who went to Talita Cumi had a wonderful day painting and learning from the workers at the orphanage. The girls went and helped buy paint for the scarves early in the morning, and then helped make two sheets of scarves to fill an order. God definitely used our team to help encourage and help Heidi (the lady in charge of the silk painting ministry for the orphanage).The entire team really enjoyed hearing about Heidi’s call to missions here in Bolivia, and everyone loved getting to know her better!
The team that went to the Cristo Viene land had some minor run-ins with a nasty coconut tree with thorns. The team won the battle, although they did not make it out unharmed. Please be praying for minor scrapes and sore spots. The team also did some tilling on the land to make a small garden for some new missionaries who are coming here soon. A few of the kids did some clean up on the grounds to make the job a bit smaller for the construction crew. They also did a prayer walk around the grounds for the future of the orphanage. This new land will give the girls a lot more room to run and hopefully will give the staff even more opportunities to care for them.
This afternoon everyone went to the current home of Cristo Viene and spent some time with the girls. We also had the opportunity to buy some of their crafts. I (Lindsey) definitely felt God using us at Cristo Viene today. When I saw the empty rack of scarves I couldn’t help but smile. This team is so generous and has definitely taken the opportunity to help support these great kids. The line in the small shop was incredibly long, and some people were going back a few times to get even more of the beautiful journals, pictures, and earrings they were selling. Parents and relatives, you would be so proud of this group! Please pray for us as we continue to be used by God for his will here in Bolivia. We are getting tired, but we still have a great desire to serve Him.
It is a pleasure to read the updates of what is taking place in Bolivia. All of the members have so much to be proud of. May the progress continue with team spirit and pride.
Hi Nicole and Erin….been praying daily for you all and sounds like our prayers are being answered!! Hope you are having a great time as well as a wonderful and meaningful ministry over in Bolivia. Love you……..Grandma & Grandpa Mason
It is so fun to hear how the Lord is using others to touch your lives for Him! Also just as fun to hear how the team is blessing the people of Bolivia. We hold you all in our prayers!
Love in Christ, The Speckeens & Otto
I have read your notations and it sounds very interesting with all you have been doing! We are anxiously awaiting your return. I am sure you have a lot of stories to tell. It is great how you show you care in so many ways. The painting, cement work, hugs, and just being there. Take care Bri††s and all.
We miss you but know you are doing and learning great things.
See you in a week.
We love hearing about all that God is doing in Bolivia. We are always praying for the team to remain healthy and fruitful. Kristen = in response to Peggi’s remark – wear Ryan’s jacket =)
Hello family and friends,
Yesterday we had the privilege of visiting two places that are especially dear to us: El Eben-Ezer and the South American Mission (SAM) base.
In the morning, we picked up the Eben-Ezer boys and took them to the park. It is delightful to see the pure JOY in the faces of the boys as they ride on the micro. If he could have, Julio would have climbed out the window to get to the “his” really big building (to which he kept pointing and saying, “Mio! Mio!”). Michael and Nick got their long-distance run in, trying to keep up with him as he untiringly ran laps around the park. Franklin climbed over the seats of the micro to sit down on Stephanie’s lap. When we got back to the orphanage and it was time to head back, Roberto got back in and sat down in the micro as if he were coming with us. What a treasure those boys are!
Wednesday afternoons are the SAM prayer meeting, and we always look forward to this time of being with the missionaries that serve in Bolivia long-term. The Lord led this time so clearly yesterday…Cody shared about Isaiah 6:1-5 and the holiness of God — what an honor and a weighty subject. The director of SAM was in Santa Cruz yesterday and was also scheduled to share at the SAM meeting. After looking at the holiness of God as displayed in Isaiah, the director had the group sit in silence for ten minutes. At the end of that time, he read Hebrews 12:14 — “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” It is so good to be called to focus on what is of utmost importance: our holy God.
Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for compassion, God’s leading, team unity, rest and energy, and Hebrews 12:1-3.
In His grace and grip,
Ellen (for the team)
It sounds funny hearing that Michael Kempf is packing bricks in holes . Here at home he just wants to break them with his hands. Then he stacks them up in his room.
Michael I’m glade you are enjoying what you are doing there. I’m very PROUD of you.
Wow! It’s fantastic to keep up with you all and get a little picture of all that your doing. We’ve been praying for your warmth and also for your health, strength and unity as the missions continue. Our hearts are full for you and we are thinking of you often. Special Hug to Molly! Everyone’s praying for you. Love to all Mark and Peg Kohler
To the Bolivia team it is good to hear all God is doing through you and touching the lives of so many people through your time, love and hard work. May God heal you from the scratches and sores and give you sunny days to keep you warm. May God continue to work through you to bring His love to those around you and to each other. May God reveal Himself and give you strength as you serve Him.
God’s Blessing to you all, Bonice Leifer Sipley
God works in funny ways sometimes. Oftentimes we don’t even understand what He is doing when He works in these ways. Like Me. I had one of these experiences here in Bolivia, and I would like to share it with you. Hopefully it will work in your heart like it worked in mine. Here goes. While the Kinetic Team was still at Camp, we had an afternoon set aside for planning and packing. Lots of packing, packing, packing and quite a bit of re-packing. Within this re-packing time frame Cody had gone around to everyone’s suitcases and eliminated the unnecessary things in our packs, making room for missionary supplies, etc. I thought I had packed pretty darn good when Cody surprised me by taking the makeup out of everyone’s pack. He didn’t do that last year. He explained to everyone that when we would be working with these young orphaned girls not wearing makeup was a wise choice. This way the girls we would be working with wouldn’t get the impression that to be fulfilled they needed to wear makeup and be “beautiful” like us American girls. That made sense. And I agreed. But when it came to my bag, something in my heart snapped. And what usually would be “no big deal” became a huge deal in my heart. I cried. I felt my heart exposed to the world and God that I was not willing to give it all up. I felt selfish and vulnerable. I reprimanded myself for acting this way. Even I was surprised at my own thoughts! I realized that God wanted me to give up this comfort, this confidence booster. And that I needed complete confidence in Christ alone, right now! And so I left it all at camp. And God granted me so much freedom. I discovered an even deeper confidence in Christ through this. What I didn’t know was that God was going to use my loss of self for His gain. When we got to Bolivia we became involved at this orphanage, Talita Cumi. And right away I found my everlasting “Amiga” in this 16 year old girl, Fernanda. Fernanda held on to me every time I would have to leave. Even though there was a language barrier, me with my minimal Spanish and her with a few English phrases, still we were fast friends. The second day we were there Fernanda approached me “You girls are so beautiful. You are so beautiful. I am not. I am Ugly.” And she hung her head. I was surprised! At first I wasn’t sure what to say. I felt anything but beautiful. I hadn’t showered that day, was dirty and sweaty from working and playing with the kids and had absolutely no makeup on! But this girl looked at me and told me I was beautiful. My heart broke. I couldn’t believe I had just heard this beautiful young woman tell me she was ugly! And right there I knew. This was why God chose to take my comfortable make-up away from me! For this very moment. I was able to talk with her then, and explain to her that she was beautiful because the God of the earth Created her beautiful. That beauty can only be found in loving God. And my witness was true that day, I don’t know if I could have been able to speak to her if I had brought my make-up with me on this trip. Would she have even taken me seriously??? But our God, in His Holiness predetermined this friendship. He knew this conversation would take place. Also, He has a great sense of irony. I think about this girl and smile. Praying to God she remembers how loved she is. We traded e-mails and I’m looking forward to keeping in contact with her. Maybe someday she’ll know how God used her in my life that day. She is a true beauty.
Today was basically a work day at an orphanage for handicapped babies. The orphanage is still in the process of construction so we all had plenty of tasks to do. Jobs included shoveling dirt, wheel-barrowing, pounding ground, and digging giant holes. The work was hard, but it was very satisfying. By the end of the day we had transported almost four truckloads of dirt and dug two giant holes.
It was great to see how well the team worked together. We all traded off jobs to minimize exhaustion, and the team made sure no one worked too hard or too long. Words of encouragement were spoken often, and several times the boys burst out in song together. Jobs were done without complaining, and work was accomplished with cheerful demeanors. Even those with blisters shoveled as though their hands were in perfect condition.
It was really incredible to see how God used our team today. He definitely gave us a lot of strength and energy. A lot of people were tired, and many already had blisters on their hands from other work, but they worked all day with cheerful and happy attitudes. Constantly I am struck by our team’s focus and reliance on God. Without Him, I think a lot of us would have become discouraged and tired. We would have stopped and lost focus of why we are here. But this isn’t the case. Instead the team is turning to God for strength and support. Occasionally people would stop working to pray, or just read the Bible. Throughout the day people sang worship songs, or recited Bible verses. Instead of trying to get the job done as quick as possible, we are truly worshipping God with our actions, and through this God has just poured blessings of endurance and strength out on us.
-Storm
Wow! A blister the size of a pea, sand in my shoes, and arm and back muscles that feel like Jello: all remnants of a hard day’s work at the orphanage being constructed for babies. Today, the team was split up into two groups. One group stayed at the house and did a mini one-day discipleship with some of the students from the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. I was with the group that left and walked about four blocks to the new orphanage being built. Today, we had three jobs at the work site. Wheelbarrow sand, shovel sand, or pack sand down. The orphanage is on a flood plain, so the entire place needs to be filled in with around two feet of sand. It has been a great learning experience for me. We arrived around 10:00 am and worked until lunch. At lunch the team seemed really tired. I have to admit that I really wasn’t sure how much longer we could fill in holes with sand, but the afternoon was amazing. God really did give us supernatural strength. It was such a blessing to worship God with our strength. I learned a lot about praising Jesus by using the able body He has given me. Still, I wonder how we worked so strong throughout the afternoon. We should have been getting exhausted, but instead we were being filled with joy. People were laughing and Derek was running with his wheelbarrow dumping sand as fast as he could. It was also a great time of prayer for me today. As I waited for the wheelbarrow to arrive or as I waited for the wheelbarrow to be filled, I was able to be in constant communication with my Father. It was one more step toward understanding what it means to “pray without ceasing.” After our hard day’s work, we were blessed with the opportunity to pray for the Hoffman’s (the family that is starting the orphanage.) They were so encouraged by our willingness to work. We barely made a dent into the extensive amount of work that needs to be done, but God blessed that small dent and multiplied it. It encouraged me to see the joy in their faces. I’m so tired; my back hurts, but I feel fantastic. The Lord is so good. There is no better place to be than in the hand of God worshiping Him in everything that I do. We appreciate your prayers. Please continue to pray that our eyes would be open to opportunities and that God would be glorified in all that we do.
In His Grip,
Natalie Jorde (for the team…that did construction today.)
P.S. The Lord also amazed me at the amount of food I consumed today. I ate a normal breakfast (two pancakes, and a piece of coffee cake), but then three full plates of spaghetti for lunch (I know Mom, I LOVE PASTA!) and for supper a hamburger, two large servings of rice, a salad and a chicken breast. Not to mention all of the snacks I ate during our breaks from the work. (fruit snacks, pop tarts, cookies…)
Thank you for the updates on what the team is doing. My thoughts are with you all; and I think it is a wonderful thing that you are doing. Miss you Stephen. See you soon.
God is amazing! We (your faithful cyberspace supporters) are able to see who He is much more clearly, through your selflessness –a love offering of your whole being to God… heart, soul, mind, and strength. Encouraging. Incredible. Challenging!
Kristen- we are all so proud of you and your faithfulness. Can’t wait to see you on Thursday. Follow God, He will never lead you down the wrong path.
Love ya, Dad and Mom
I find it amazing to read day after day how god is working in all of your lives. My prayer is that when you all come back to the us that you will live out what you have learned from your experience’s in Bolivia. I pray that the rest of your time over there you will all see god working in each of your lives. I pray for your team every day. Brittney you are amazing and we miss you every day. Love your mom
The Lord works in many ways; some ways are very hard for me to understand and accept. God has been working on my heart from the very beginning of this trip. As I’m typing this for the second try it’s hard for me not to get tears in my eyes.
On Tuesday most of us went to a boys and girls orphanage, Talita Cumi. Heidi, the missionary volunteer, told us that two of the kids had to leave that afternoon. At that moment I got a weird pain around my heart. They were brother and sister, the girl was 11 and the boy was 7. Orphanages in Bolivia can only take certain kids, these two kids ended up being street kids, which means they could have been into drugs, alcohol, or prostitution. The people working there don’t want that kind of influence on the other kids, so they needed to be separated into another orphanage. I couldn’t tell you what the girl’s name was, but the boy’s name was Miguel. That day I helped some of the boys with their homework; Ellen and Andrew were with Miguel. The other two boys that were in the room were being a distraction. Andrew was talking to Miguel about how much God loves him and how much we loved him. I was trying to have the other two boys quiet down a little, but every time I’d look at Miguel I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my face. All I could think about was how unfair it was to make them leave. They had no choice in the matter, they couldn’t help the fact they were street kids. Every time I start to talk about them I choke up. I have a request for all you supporters, please keep Miguel and his sister in your thoughts and prayers. Pray for safety and for them to know that God will never forget them and He’s with them wherever they go. Thank you!
Through God’s Unfailing Love,
Katie
P.S. xoxoxoxo to Mom, Dad, Barton, Kimberly, and Grandma
WOW! God has done so many amazing things through us and others the past week and a half! God is so good! This morning, a few of us who stayed to help out with the mini-basic discipleship program yesterday went to the new orphanage to do some work. Throughout our time there, everyone was filled with such joy. We didn’t worry about the task but rather about glorifying God. I personally felt the presence of God along with His all consuming love as we worked. He has shown me what it truly means to live like Christ. I have changed in so many ways because of that and I’m sure others have been changed as well!
Thank you so much for all your prayers! They have helped a ton! Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for our trip home. Pray that we continue to stay healthy as right now most of us are well in that department. Also pray that we would not lose what we have gained in our relationship with Christ and that we will continue to live out our lives for him when we return to the States.
I’m very excited to blog about my day at Eben-Ezer, the home for mentally challenged boys. On the ride to Eben-Ezer I was very nervous. I had worked with mentally challenged kids at my school before, and it had been very hard for me. In the past, when working with the mentally challenged, I struggled with the smells, drooling, and being patient. As I sat on the micro waiting to arrive at the orphanage, I prayed that God would humble me and not let things like smells, or lack of control over bodily functions hinder me from fully giving myself to the kids and showing them God’s love. When we arrived at Eben-Ezer, we all stayed on the bus while Heather went inside to say hello and tell them that we were all there and ready to take them to the park. As we were sitting on the bus waiting to go to the park, Cody saw Roberto, one of the boys from Eben-Ezer, peaking through a hole in the door. Cody jumped off the bus immediately and ran out to greet Roberto. When the door of the orphanage opened and Roberto came out, he ran into Cody’s arms and gave him the biggest hug! As I sat on the bus and watched this interaction happen, I was touched and I started crying. Roberto was so happy to see Cody. He had the biggest smile on his face, and the sounds coming from his mouth were indistinguishable, but they were sounds of joy. I had never seen so much love for, what seemed like to me, someone who was almost a stranger. When I saw the immense and genuine love that Cody had for Roberto, I saw and felt the love that Jesus has for me and every other person in this world. I couldn’t stop crying. I saw Jesus through Cody and his love for Roberto. There was just so much love. As I read over what I have just written, I don’t feel like I’m giving the situation justice. It’s hard to explain all the emotions that came over me through such a small incident, but in a genuine hug to a young boy I saw Jesus and it made my heart melt. Like I said before-there was so much love! The boys had to change their shirts before they could come to the park with us so I had a few minutes to dry my tears. When the first little boy came on the bus, I couldn’t wait until he got to the back of the bus so that I could shake his hand and give him a hug! The things on the outside didn’t bother me, and all I could see was the immense amount of joy that these boys had over a trip to the park. A simple trip to the park where the boys could run and play resulted in some of the most joyous faces I have ever seen. God used the boys to show me what real joy truly is. I honestly could go on and on forever, but since I have already written a novel, I will stop. It truly was a wonderful and moving day.
Thanks for all of the prayers! Mom, Dad, and Kim- I can’t wait to see you all in six days!!!! I love you and miss you all VERY much!
We feel honored and blessed to be able to read EACH note written on this site. As we read our hearts break in hearing your tender spirits. GOD DOES DO THINGS IN MIGHTY WAYS – HOW COOL! :)
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.” Ps 89:1
God is directing you as He uses you to reach many more generations, now and to come!
We love you all and a special prayer of love and encouragement goes out to our Katie! Know you are always on our minds and in our hearts. We are so eager you see you, but again would have never wanted you to miss out on this chance to be used by God! (Remember, we are only but a prayer away!)
Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Dad, Mom, Barton, and Kimberly
P.S. We just got the word, your new sister, Ann-Kathrin arrives from Germany on Aug. 13th. :)
Everything is great here! We’re getting ready to leave for Hotel Cortez tomorrow morning. I just wanted to wish my Mom a Happy Birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY! I hope you had a blessed day I love you <3.
Katie
It’s incredible to see how God is using us in the most diverse ways. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to go to the market and witness to people. Our group ended up speaking to two women and handing them Bibles in Spanish. One of them appeared to be a believer, and the other was certainly receptive. God has also worked through us to help build orphanages, play with orphans, encourage missionaries, and minister to each other, building each other up in the body of Christ. The most amazing thing, however, is that it is so clearly God working through us, so that we do not succumb to pride. God is certainly working on us just as much as he is working through us. I feel that the ministry God is doing in us now pales in comparison to the future ministries He is preparing us for to complete. Thank you ever so much for all of the encouragement and prayers we have somewhat unknowingly received, and we pray that God would work on your hearts just as much as he has worked on ours.
How amazing you all are and what amazing work God is doing through you! Stormy Loops we think of you contstantly. WE will continue to pray for everyone and your work, travels, and experiences. May your remaining days be just as complete as the previous and your trip home safe. We miss you and love you.
Greetings,
Just wanted to let you as a group know that we are praying for you and your last few days there. We will be also be praying for safe travel and that the feelings you are feeling now will never go away. Being apart of something this wonderful is a memory that you will never forget and God has made you His Humble Servants and you can never have that taken away from you. Excited to see all of you and hear just how much you enjoyed your work.
Love and Kisses to my girls and my girls from Maranatha! What a joy to see how God has made you Whole…. Love you Biz and Roonie!!
PS….. Dad wants to know if you two and Kayla found his dog? Michelle says hurry home and she loves you!!!!
I am sooo… blessed to hear all the updates, the praises, the hard work, the love for all the children, and for one another on the team.
We have been praying Romans 15:5-6
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….”
Press on and finish well, because He is strong & faithful to complete the work He planned for you to be about!
Thank you all for serving Him there in Bolivia–
Looking forward to seeing you, Tricia & Derek!
We love you,
Mom
From Alicia: I hope you guys are having a good time. I am praying for you all especially for those horrible roosters. haha May you see the Lord move among you all these last few days!
From Clara: Roses are red, violets are blue. Now that you’re gone, I am missing you! Dandilions are yellow, daisies are white. I hope you are healthy and have a good flight! Marrigolds are orange, snapdragons are pink. You will be home sooner than you think!
Dear Mary Ann and team members in Bolivia,
How inspiring it has been to read of your mission work in God’s name! You have been ‘on’ our hearts and remembered in our prayers for your whole stay and now we pray for your safe travel back to the states.
Have you been surprised at how much you have benefited from using your God given gifts to do His work? It is true that what we do in His name benefits both the giver and the receiver.
You’ve proven to be good disciples–I can only imagine that God is smiling down on all of you for the LOVE that you’ve given in His name!
God bless you all!
Auntie Bev Callahan
Cody wrote to me this morning from Hotel Cortez and said everyone is there safe and sound. He also said they are having fun at the hotel. Pray for their last full day in Bolivia today as they finish doing debriefing as a group.
It has been thrilling to read all the “blogs” here and know that God has been working in a marvelous way through each one of you who have given of yourselves on this missionary adventure. You will have wonderful memories that you will never forget and special new friends that you may never see again this side of Heaven but you can be “prayer buddies” to them. God bless each one of you.
We will be praying for a safe trip back home for you all….special hugs to you Nicole and Eryn. Love you, Grandma & Grandpa Mason
I have not heard from the group this morning but assume that no news is good news. The team should have been in flight now for about to hours on their way to Miami. American Airlines list the flight as “On Time”. The board at Miami International Airport lists the updated arrival time in Miami at 4:33 pm instead of 4:05 which was the original arrival time to Miami. The flight from Miami to Minneapolis is still listed with the original time for this evening. We should have them back to camp at about 1:30-2:00am with beds waiting for them. They will then be ready for pick-up at 9:00 am on Thursday morning.
I’m excited to hear more details about their trip.
Just got a call from Ellen and she said they made it through security fine and are waiting at the airport for the next fight to MN. They will be boarding at 7:15 pm. Yeah!! Almost Home.
Hi from Memphis,TN. WELCOME BACK! Sorry I will not be at the airport to pick you all up and help pack the trailer with all the luggage but I am in Memphis. It was fun to get to know some of you better on the ride to the airport and as the weeks has gone by through the web postings. May God continue to work both in Bolivia with the work you have done and in your lives as you have a chance to evaluate what you saw and did there. God is not done working. Be open to His leading and listen to His still sometimes small voice. May God bless you and give you joyous reunions with family and friends. Ian Call me when your at camp and I will see you on Saturday. Love, Mom (Mrs. Sippi)
Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and support. It would be amazing if you continued to pray for Bolivia. God is still at work there! Also, pray that God would continue to change our hearts and use this trip to bring us closer to Him. Keep our dear sister, Heather in your prayers too!! Thank you!
Just read through the letters from Bolivia my heart has been touched by how our mighty God has worked in the lives of those in Bolivia as well as in the hearts of the team that went. Rejoicing that you had a safe and fruitful trip!
Cindy
aka Heather’s mom
-Take advantage here to see how the team is doing. Also feel free to leave your own feedback.
WE are praying for all of you!
Hello everyone!!!
These past few days we have been digging in to the Word to prepare our hearts and minds. It has been great to feel God’s presence during our times of prayer, study and worship.
To see how God is bringing us together as a group is amazing. Also in preparation for our departure we have finished packing and are taking care of the final details now.
My prayer is, “God reveal yourself to me and those around me.”
Safe in the arms of Christ,
Charis Brandt (on behalf of the Bolivia team)
Good morning, family and friends!
Departure is less than twenty-four hours away! This evening we will be driving to Minneapolis, from where we will fly out just after dawn tomorrow.
As Charis mentioned above, our time at Arrowhead has been a combination of packing, group connecting, and seeking to align our hearts with God. For our devotional times the past two mornings, we have been reading from the first chapters of Proverbs. One BIG praise: we finished all our of packing LAST NIGHT! This afternoon we will take a good nap (anticipating tonight’s probable lack of sleep…) and spend time talking about spiritual gifts and how God has equipped each one of us to build up the body of Christ.
Thank you so much for your prayers. As you continue to pray, please keep these things specifically in mind:
- all things airport/travel related: that our flights will go smoothly; that entering Bolivia will be a smooth process; that we will be refreshed in Christ as we arrive in Bolivia
- the hearts of the team members: that we will care for one another and have patience as we travel; that our hearts will be aligned with Christ and that we will be saturated in His word
- Heather: that she will be refreshed in Christ and blessed by our team; that she will be aware of God’s agenda and direction as she schedules our days
Thanks for sending us; you are a blessing.
In the peace of Christ,
Ellen Warneke
Psalm 62:1 – “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.”
The group just left camp for Minneapolis. It was a privilege to pray with them and see the excitement on their faces.
Received a phone call from Ellen this morning about 6:30 and everyone was on the plane ready to take off for Miami. She said everything went well in the airport last night and also getting through baggage check and security.
Just got off the phone with Ellen again and they have landed in Miami. They have a decent layover there and will eat lunch at the airport today and then head out to Bolivia this afternoon. She said many of them slept most of the plane ride from Minneapolis to Miami. I will update again when Ellen calls me just before they take off from Miami. Praise God for how smoothly things have went so far.
So glad to hear all has gone well. We will continue to pray for God’s protective hand upon all of you. We know God will use each of you in a mighty way. We believe in our hearts the greatest thimg we all can do is show “love.”
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” I Cor.13: 6-8
So love on each other and share God’s love “everywhere” you go! We love each of you and are so glad you have been given this special chance to share God’s loving message.
In God’s tender hands,
Shelley
Just off the phone once again. The team is on the plane in Miami and getting ready for take-off. Everything went well at the airport. So they now have a 7 hour or so flight before landing in Santa Cruz. We’ll keep you posted.
Well its late and I still have not heard from our group but I do see on the American Airline Website that our groups flight number landed in Santa Cruz at 9:21 pm their time so 8:21 pm our time. I’m sure by now they are all settled in for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow will be a restful day as they prepare for the ministry they will be doing the rest of their time there.
Here is a message I received from Heather:
Hey the team arrived after their best travel ever. God is amazing!
Great night,
Heather and team…..
Dear Kinetic ’09 -
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you as you have finally reached Bolivia. It is our prayer that as you step out to fulfill all God has called you to do; that you would remember Hebrews 10:23-24: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Be ready to give an account for the hope that is within you!
Be Blessed in Serving Him,
Betsy, Jim & Katie Tschumper
Very nice to log on and find out that the group is at their destination safely. Surly many prayers have been answered already. I too will pray for you as a group,that your mission is rewarding for both the group and those that they serve and that you all are safe during your trip.
May God Bless You All
Gary Newville
It is good to know that the group arrived safely and the work they set out to do can begin. May each of you have a safe and rewarding time in Bolivia. Peace and prayers to all of you.
God Bless You
Jean Morse
I am pleased to hear tht traveling has gone well. My prayers are that god continues to prepare each of the team members heart for the service He has prepared for them. May you all rely fully on God for the work that He will accomplish through each one of you. I also pray that you come back changed with eyes wide open to see the needs in your community and how you can meet them through Christ. Young people I believe that God uses you to change the world just as he used young people in the Bible, ie Daniel, David, Samuel, and others. I pray that He ignites a fire in your hearts that can not be extinguished.
God bless and protect you.
Michelle Kempf
Dear Kinetic team
I am so proud of you all for stepping out in faith, for getting out of your comfort zone, allowing God to do a real work in your hearts. Please know that you are the object of our fervent prayers. Praying that you will be in align with God’s plan, for team unity and good health. That the Lord will give you Spiritual eyes to see what it is He wants you to see. That God will plan “divine appointments” for all of you. That you will be a blessing and will in turn be blessed. That you will forever be changed, heart and soul. That you will all come home with a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Truly refreshed in the Lord. Lots of Love and Great Big Hugs!OXOX mom and dad
We are praying for a fruitfull ministry.
Here is a message I received from Heather this morning:
All is well with the Kinetic team in Bolivia. We are trusting God as He is at work here and we have the honor and responsibility of serving Him for His Kingdom. The team has be painting the New CV girls orphanage, while the other half of the team has been preparing for cementing and painting at Talita Cumi. Mostly though, we have been practicing our relationship skills with the kids in the
Childrens homes, hugging, playing, and keeping warm together. We also have been building relationships with the students in the Christian English speaking school in Santa Cruz. Praise God with us in this joy we have had. Pray with us as the weather has been freezing cold and we are under dressed to be outside all day. Pray that we will trust God in this and not be discouraged. Pray
for our health and safty and for each of us to experience the Presence of God in a new way.
2 cor 9:8 :)
We are all healthy……
Hello to all! We are praying for you. May the Lord Bless each and every one of you in a special way. Keep warm in His love!!!!! Love, Nancy Vandermus
Here is an update I received at 6:00 pm Today:
Church at Pastor Juan’s was amazing…..
Saturday was a great day of painting and building and playing and loving the kids. We all ate chicken and Rice (Nescar) with all the Talita Cumi kids. We then had a tour of the SCCLC christian english speaking school. Then we had team time and ice cream with the Scclc students last night. Church at pastor Juan’s was blessed greatly as we shared and praised together in the Lord. This afternoon we rested and now we are on our way back to church. Praise God with us we see Him everywhere and are all healthy. Pray for the weather to allow us to do what we have been given and to be warm enough. :)
Psalm 46
Wow, can hardly believe a week has almost gone by. Everyone is so excited to hear about how God has stretched each and eveyone of you. We have as christains have a lot of work to do for the kingdom and there is no better way then showing God’s love to his childern.
1John 3:18 Dear childern, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. God has called you as a team o carry this verse out and show the world his love. We are so proud of all of you and are praying hourly for you team and the work you are doing. Love to all and a huge hug goes out to Liz and Lindsey Rick!! We love you!
Mom and Dad Rick
Hello and Greetings to each of you. We are so encouraged to have read the details logged on this website. Your comings and goings are proving to be covered in Gods mighty hand of protection and mercy. So pleased to hear your travel details were smooth and blessed with sleep and no difficulties…PRAISE the Lord. We will be praying for the weather situation. It sounds like is it colder than anticipated and maybe not as prepared clothing wise to do things outdoors. May the Lords warmth and love continue to keep you comforted.
Will stay tuned as information is posted……..God Bless you all. A special hug and kiss to Nicole….
Love ya, Mom and Dad ( Patty and Marco Herrmann )
Hello to Heather and everyone.
I’m glade to hear that everyone is healthy. It’s great to here how the Lord is working in everyone’s life. I pray that God will touch the heart of everyone you come into contact with. I ask him to continual to grow in your hearts and be an inspiration to everyone.
I pray for your safe return back to the states. We miss all of you and can’t wait to here all about you trip and how the Lord work in your life.
God Bless and Peace be with you
Allen
I’m lovin’ this website! It’s like I’m sharing in the experience along with you. I sit here in total amazement at this journey that God is taking you on. You all are blessed to be a blessing! Ryan, wear your jacket :-)
Love and prayers for your safety,
Peggi
Monday, July 27, 2009
Hola family and friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers. The Lord is so faithful to His people, both us and the people of Bolivia. Today has been a beautiful day of ministry and praise. To begin, we are greatly appreciating the SUN, which made a blessedly long appearance; throughout the course of the morning and afternoon, I shed three of my five layers! What a blessing to have some warmth! The majority of our team spent the day at Talita Cumi, continuing the work project and being with the children. A few people stayed back at the house, resting and/or helping Heather with errands/cleaning, etc. This evening we are having dinner at the home of Mike Banks (the youth pastor) and hanging out with MKs.
One quick story of God’s goodness to me: This afternoon, after the boys and girls returned from school and we ate lunch, a number of our team helped the kids with their homework. I got to help a young girl add and subtract fractions that have unlike denominators – one of the many topics that I teach! We had a delightful time, especially since this girl’s favorite subject is math.
May God continue to remind you also of His goodness and faithfulness.
My prayer today is Psalm 71:3a “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come.”
Dios les bendigan,
Ellen (for the team)
Another story of God’s work`(from Michael Kempf):
The boys today took concrete blocks that were hardened around poles and weighed 60 to 70 pounds each and had to pick them up and drop them. Doing this packed down the dirt that the other guys were bringing in to level out the floor for the patio. I saw God working through the four guys who were doing most of the pounding. Every time one of the kids would run around through the dirt and play in it we would just repack it with joy.
Hola,
I have spent the majority of my time at Cristo Viene Girls, where we have been able to just hold the girls and show them love. We have been fortunate enough to see their new land where they will be building in the near future and have been able to help clean up and paint the one building there. Today I was able to go to Talita Cumi where many of us helped to pound sand in one way, others painted and sanded window panes. After lunch, the kids had chores and homework to do. I got to help Juan Carlos with writing up to 500 by fives in numbers. God really showed me his patience with Juan to just help him and be able to be with him, show him love and attention he may not have gotten if we weren’t there. Tonight we got to go to Mike Banks’ house for supper and hang with his youth group. Some were missionary kids and others were kids that go to the Christian school here. It was a good time to just be able to talk to other Christians and see that God is working in lives all over the world, not just in the United States. I am so grateful and happy that God has provided me the opportunity to come to Bolivia to show God’s love and his word.
Love your sister in Christ,
Shelby Rae Lofthus
Praise the Lord for the sun and the warmth that it provides. I am blessed to be able to read the updates about how God is working in your lives. My heart is there with you. I pray your work produces much fruit. I am looking forward to hearing more about How god is working in you and through you.
May God continue to bless and protect you.
Michelle Kempf
Hello to Brynn and Everyone,
We are so happy to hear that your positive presence is making such a wonderful difference in the lives of God’s children. Hug all the children and I pray for your safe return.
Gayle
Hello Kinetic Team:)
How blessed we are to have all of you sharing and receiving God’s love with those in your host country. Glad to hear you are warmed from God’s rays around each and all of you:) We continue to enjoy your updates, miss you LOTS and will pray for your continued health, safety, travel and joyous experience in worshipping GOD.
Can’t wait to see you Olivia and gang and hear all about your mission trip!
Love you MUCH — hugs all around, Grandma & Grandpa Wood
We are thankful to be able to read about your days, it helps us to be able to pray specifically. We will continue to pray for God to be glorified through your lives and that you see your relationship with Jesus growing.
A big hug to Katie.
Leland, Marcia, Nathan and Joel
Hello Kinetic team and of course Brittney: How nice to read the updates…. It is so nice to hear stories of you guys giving of your time to be with and help others. I will continue to watch for your updates, as I miss my daughter sooo very much. Safe travels and we will see you next week. Love Mom
Today the group split up into two teams for the first part of the day. A small group went to the Talita Cumi orphanage to do some silk painting and lay bricks. The majority of the group went to the new land owned by the Cristo Viene orphanage to clear brush and fences.
The girls who went to Talita Cumi had a wonderful day painting and learning from the workers at the orphanage. The girls went and helped buy paint for the scarves early in the morning, and then helped make two sheets of scarves to fill an order. God definitely used our team to help encourage and help Heidi (the lady in charge of the silk painting ministry for the orphanage).The entire team really enjoyed hearing about Heidi’s call to missions here in Bolivia, and everyone loved getting to know her better!
The team that went to the Cristo Viene land had some minor run-ins with a nasty coconut tree with thorns. The team won the battle, although they did not make it out unharmed. Please be praying for minor scrapes and sore spots. The team also did some tilling on the land to make a small garden for some new missionaries who are coming here soon. A few of the kids did some clean up on the grounds to make the job a bit smaller for the construction crew. They also did a prayer walk around the grounds for the future of the orphanage. This new land will give the girls a lot more room to run and hopefully will give the staff even more opportunities to care for them.
This afternoon everyone went to the current home of Cristo Viene and spent some time with the girls. We also had the opportunity to buy some of their crafts. I (Lindsey) definitely felt God using us at Cristo Viene today. When I saw the empty rack of scarves I couldn’t help but smile. This team is so generous and has definitely taken the opportunity to help support these great kids. The line in the small shop was incredibly long, and some people were going back a few times to get even more of the beautiful journals, pictures, and earrings they were selling. Parents and relatives, you would be so proud of this group! Please pray for us as we continue to be used by God for his will here in Bolivia. We are getting tired, but we still have a great desire to serve Him.
–Lindsey Rick (for the team)
It is a pleasure to read the updates of what is taking place in Bolivia. All of the members have so much to be proud of. May the progress continue with team spirit and pride.
God Bless Each of You.
Hi Nicole and Erin….been praying daily for you all and sounds like our prayers are being answered!! Hope you are having a great time as well as a wonderful and meaningful ministry over in Bolivia. Love you……..Grandma & Grandpa Mason
It is so fun to hear how the Lord is using others to touch your lives for Him! Also just as fun to hear how the team is blessing the people of Bolivia. We hold you all in our prayers!
Love in Christ, The Speckeens & Otto
Hi Team (including Brittney),
I have read your notations and it sounds very interesting with all you have been doing! We are anxiously awaiting your return. I am sure you have a lot of stories to tell. It is great how you show you care in so many ways. The painting, cement work, hugs, and just being there. Take care Bri††s and all.
We miss you but know you are doing and learning great things.
See you in a week.
Love from,
Brittney’s Grandma Carol
We love hearing about all that God is doing in Bolivia. We are always praying for the team to remain healthy and fruitful. Kristen = in response to Peggi’s remark – wear Ryan’s jacket =)
Hello family and friends,
Yesterday we had the privilege of visiting two places that are especially dear to us: El Eben-Ezer and the South American Mission (SAM) base.
In the morning, we picked up the Eben-Ezer boys and took them to the park. It is delightful to see the pure JOY in the faces of the boys as they ride on the micro. If he could have, Julio would have climbed out the window to get to the “his” really big building (to which he kept pointing and saying, “Mio! Mio!”). Michael and Nick got their long-distance run in, trying to keep up with him as he untiringly ran laps around the park. Franklin climbed over the seats of the micro to sit down on Stephanie’s lap. When we got back to the orphanage and it was time to head back, Roberto got back in and sat down in the micro as if he were coming with us. What a treasure those boys are!
Wednesday afternoons are the SAM prayer meeting, and we always look forward to this time of being with the missionaries that serve in Bolivia long-term. The Lord led this time so clearly yesterday…Cody shared about Isaiah 6:1-5 and the holiness of God — what an honor and a weighty subject. The director of SAM was in Santa Cruz yesterday and was also scheduled to share at the SAM meeting. After looking at the holiness of God as displayed in Isaiah, the director had the group sit in silence for ten minutes. At the end of that time, he read Hebrews 12:14 — “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” It is so good to be called to focus on what is of utmost importance: our holy God.
Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for compassion, God’s leading, team unity, rest and energy, and Hebrews 12:1-3.
In His grace and grip,
Ellen (for the team)
It sounds funny hearing that Michael Kempf is packing bricks in holes . Here at home he just wants to break them with his hands. Then he stacks them up in his room.
Michael I’m glade you are enjoying what you are doing there. I’m very PROUD of you.
Love Dad
Wow! It’s fantastic to keep up with you all and get a little picture of all that your doing. We’ve been praying for your warmth and also for your health, strength and unity as the missions continue. Our hearts are full for you and we are thinking of you often. Special Hug to Molly! Everyone’s praying for you. Love to all Mark and Peg Kohler
Yes!!! The Lord is at work. Praying Romans 12 for you! Pure joy to hear of your work-ministry-worship in Bolivia! Love you Eryn Grace, Mom
To the Bolivia team it is good to hear all God is doing through you and touching the lives of so many people through your time, love and hard work. May God heal you from the scratches and sores and give you sunny days to keep you warm. May God continue to work through you to bring His love to those around you and to each other. May God reveal Himself and give you strength as you serve Him.
God’s Blessing to you all, Bonice Leifer Sipley
Hello Everyone.
Thanks for the messages so far! The lifeline
you send is something we look forward to everyday!
We are excited to hear about the work of God all
around you and will continue to pray for specifics,
God’s leading, team unity, rest and energy.
Say Hello to our big girl (Kinsey) and a big
We Love You would be appreciated too!
In a week you will all be home – we’re looking
forward to that but wouldn’t trade this experience
for anything.
In Loving prayer and support.
Jim, Betsy & Katie Tschumper
God works in funny ways sometimes. Oftentimes we don’t even understand what He is doing when He works in these ways. Like Me. I had one of these experiences here in Bolivia, and I would like to share it with you. Hopefully it will work in your heart like it worked in mine. Here goes. While the Kinetic Team was still at Camp, we had an afternoon set aside for planning and packing. Lots of packing, packing, packing and quite a bit of re-packing. Within this re-packing time frame Cody had gone around to everyone’s suitcases and eliminated the unnecessary things in our packs, making room for missionary supplies, etc. I thought I had packed pretty darn good when Cody surprised me by taking the makeup out of everyone’s pack. He didn’t do that last year. He explained to everyone that when we would be working with these young orphaned girls not wearing makeup was a wise choice. This way the girls we would be working with wouldn’t get the impression that to be fulfilled they needed to wear makeup and be “beautiful” like us American girls. That made sense. And I agreed. But when it came to my bag, something in my heart snapped. And what usually would be “no big deal” became a huge deal in my heart. I cried. I felt my heart exposed to the world and God that I was not willing to give it all up. I felt selfish and vulnerable. I reprimanded myself for acting this way. Even I was surprised at my own thoughts! I realized that God wanted me to give up this comfort, this confidence booster. And that I needed complete confidence in Christ alone, right now! And so I left it all at camp. And God granted me so much freedom. I discovered an even deeper confidence in Christ through this. What I didn’t know was that God was going to use my loss of self for His gain. When we got to Bolivia we became involved at this orphanage, Talita Cumi. And right away I found my everlasting “Amiga” in this 16 year old girl, Fernanda. Fernanda held on to me every time I would have to leave. Even though there was a language barrier, me with my minimal Spanish and her with a few English phrases, still we were fast friends. The second day we were there Fernanda approached me “You girls are so beautiful. You are so beautiful. I am not. I am Ugly.” And she hung her head. I was surprised! At first I wasn’t sure what to say. I felt anything but beautiful. I hadn’t showered that day, was dirty and sweaty from working and playing with the kids and had absolutely no makeup on! But this girl looked at me and told me I was beautiful. My heart broke. I couldn’t believe I had just heard this beautiful young woman tell me she was ugly! And right there I knew. This was why God chose to take my comfortable make-up away from me! For this very moment. I was able to talk with her then, and explain to her that she was beautiful because the God of the earth Created her beautiful. That beauty can only be found in loving God. And my witness was true that day, I don’t know if I could have been able to speak to her if I had brought my make-up with me on this trip. Would she have even taken me seriously??? But our God, in His Holiness predetermined this friendship. He knew this conversation would take place. Also, He has a great sense of irony. I think about this girl and smile. Praying to God she remembers how loved she is. We traded e-mails and I’m looking forward to keeping in contact with her. Maybe someday she’ll know how God used her in my life that day. She is a true beauty.
-Cheyenne
Today was basically a work day at an orphanage for handicapped babies. The orphanage is still in the process of construction so we all had plenty of tasks to do. Jobs included shoveling dirt, wheel-barrowing, pounding ground, and digging giant holes. The work was hard, but it was very satisfying. By the end of the day we had transported almost four truckloads of dirt and dug two giant holes.
It was great to see how well the team worked together. We all traded off jobs to minimize exhaustion, and the team made sure no one worked too hard or too long. Words of encouragement were spoken often, and several times the boys burst out in song together. Jobs were done without complaining, and work was accomplished with cheerful demeanors. Even those with blisters shoveled as though their hands were in perfect condition.
It was really incredible to see how God used our team today. He definitely gave us a lot of strength and energy. A lot of people were tired, and many already had blisters on their hands from other work, but they worked all day with cheerful and happy attitudes. Constantly I am struck by our team’s focus and reliance on God. Without Him, I think a lot of us would have become discouraged and tired. We would have stopped and lost focus of why we are here. But this isn’t the case. Instead the team is turning to God for strength and support. Occasionally people would stop working to pray, or just read the Bible. Throughout the day people sang worship songs, or recited Bible verses. Instead of trying to get the job done as quick as possible, we are truly worshipping God with our actions, and through this God has just poured blessings of endurance and strength out on us.
-Storm
Wow! A blister the size of a pea, sand in my shoes, and arm and back muscles that feel like Jello: all remnants of a hard day’s work at the orphanage being constructed for babies. Today, the team was split up into two groups. One group stayed at the house and did a mini one-day discipleship with some of the students from the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. I was with the group that left and walked about four blocks to the new orphanage being built. Today, we had three jobs at the work site. Wheelbarrow sand, shovel sand, or pack sand down. The orphanage is on a flood plain, so the entire place needs to be filled in with around two feet of sand. It has been a great learning experience for me. We arrived around 10:00 am and worked until lunch. At lunch the team seemed really tired. I have to admit that I really wasn’t sure how much longer we could fill in holes with sand, but the afternoon was amazing. God really did give us supernatural strength. It was such a blessing to worship God with our strength. I learned a lot about praising Jesus by using the able body He has given me. Still, I wonder how we worked so strong throughout the afternoon. We should have been getting exhausted, but instead we were being filled with joy. People were laughing and Derek was running with his wheelbarrow dumping sand as fast as he could. It was also a great time of prayer for me today. As I waited for the wheelbarrow to arrive or as I waited for the wheelbarrow to be filled, I was able to be in constant communication with my Father. It was one more step toward understanding what it means to “pray without ceasing.” After our hard day’s work, we were blessed with the opportunity to pray for the Hoffman’s (the family that is starting the orphanage.) They were so encouraged by our willingness to work. We barely made a dent into the extensive amount of work that needs to be done, but God blessed that small dent and multiplied it. It encouraged me to see the joy in their faces. I’m so tired; my back hurts, but I feel fantastic. The Lord is so good. There is no better place to be than in the hand of God worshiping Him in everything that I do. We appreciate your prayers. Please continue to pray that our eyes would be open to opportunities and that God would be glorified in all that we do.
In His Grip,
Natalie Jorde (for the team…that did construction today.)
P.S. The Lord also amazed me at the amount of food I consumed today. I ate a normal breakfast (two pancakes, and a piece of coffee cake), but then three full plates of spaghetti for lunch (I know Mom, I LOVE PASTA!) and for supper a hamburger, two large servings of rice, a salad and a chicken breast. Not to mention all of the snacks I ate during our breaks from the work. (fruit snacks, pop tarts, cookies…)
Thank you for the updates on what the team is doing. My thoughts are with you all; and I think it is a wonderful thing that you are doing. Miss you Stephen. See you soon.
God is amazing! We (your faithful cyberspace supporters) are able to see who He is much more clearly, through your selflessness –a love offering of your whole being to God… heart, soul, mind, and strength. Encouraging. Incredible. Challenging!
~Pasta Girl’s Mom (Kristy Jorde)
p.s. “You go, girl!”
Kristen- we are all so proud of you and your faithfulness. Can’t wait to see you on Thursday. Follow God, He will never lead you down the wrong path.
Love ya, Dad and Mom
I find it amazing to read day after day how god is working in all of your lives. My prayer is that when you all come back to the us that you will live out what you have learned from your experience’s in Bolivia. I pray that the rest of your time over there you will all see god working in each of your lives. I pray for your team every day. Brittney you are amazing and we miss you every day. Love your mom
The Lord works in many ways; some ways are very hard for me to understand and accept. God has been working on my heart from the very beginning of this trip. As I’m typing this for the second try it’s hard for me not to get tears in my eyes.
On Tuesday most of us went to a boys and girls orphanage, Talita Cumi. Heidi, the missionary volunteer, told us that two of the kids had to leave that afternoon. At that moment I got a weird pain around my heart. They were brother and sister, the girl was 11 and the boy was 7. Orphanages in Bolivia can only take certain kids, these two kids ended up being street kids, which means they could have been into drugs, alcohol, or prostitution. The people working there don’t want that kind of influence on the other kids, so they needed to be separated into another orphanage. I couldn’t tell you what the girl’s name was, but the boy’s name was Miguel. That day I helped some of the boys with their homework; Ellen and Andrew were with Miguel. The other two boys that were in the room were being a distraction. Andrew was talking to Miguel about how much God loves him and how much we loved him. I was trying to have the other two boys quiet down a little, but every time I’d look at Miguel I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my face. All I could think about was how unfair it was to make them leave. They had no choice in the matter, they couldn’t help the fact they were street kids. Every time I start to talk about them I choke up. I have a request for all you supporters, please keep Miguel and his sister in your thoughts and prayers. Pray for safety and for them to know that God will never forget them and He’s with them wherever they go. Thank you!
Through God’s Unfailing Love,
Katie
P.S. xoxoxoxo to Mom, Dad, Barton, Kimberly, and Grandma
WOW! God has done so many amazing things through us and others the past week and a half! God is so good! This morning, a few of us who stayed to help out with the mini-basic discipleship program yesterday went to the new orphanage to do some work. Throughout our time there, everyone was filled with such joy. We didn’t worry about the task but rather about glorifying God. I personally felt the presence of God along with His all consuming love as we worked. He has shown me what it truly means to live like Christ. I have changed in so many ways because of that and I’m sure others have been changed as well!
Thank you so much for all your prayers! They have helped a ton! Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for our trip home. Pray that we continue to stay healthy as right now most of us are well in that department. Also pray that we would not lose what we have gained in our relationship with Christ and that we will continue to live out our lives for him when we return to the States.
Serving Him,
Kinsey Tschumper
P.S. Love and miss you all!
I’m very excited to blog about my day at Eben-Ezer, the home for mentally challenged boys. On the ride to Eben-Ezer I was very nervous. I had worked with mentally challenged kids at my school before, and it had been very hard for me. In the past, when working with the mentally challenged, I struggled with the smells, drooling, and being patient. As I sat on the micro waiting to arrive at the orphanage, I prayed that God would humble me and not let things like smells, or lack of control over bodily functions hinder me from fully giving myself to the kids and showing them God’s love. When we arrived at Eben-Ezer, we all stayed on the bus while Heather went inside to say hello and tell them that we were all there and ready to take them to the park. As we were sitting on the bus waiting to go to the park, Cody saw Roberto, one of the boys from Eben-Ezer, peaking through a hole in the door. Cody jumped off the bus immediately and ran out to greet Roberto. When the door of the orphanage opened and Roberto came out, he ran into Cody’s arms and gave him the biggest hug! As I sat on the bus and watched this interaction happen, I was touched and I started crying. Roberto was so happy to see Cody. He had the biggest smile on his face, and the sounds coming from his mouth were indistinguishable, but they were sounds of joy. I had never seen so much love for, what seemed like to me, someone who was almost a stranger. When I saw the immense and genuine love that Cody had for Roberto, I saw and felt the love that Jesus has for me and every other person in this world. I couldn’t stop crying. I saw Jesus through Cody and his love for Roberto. There was just so much love. As I read over what I have just written, I don’t feel like I’m giving the situation justice. It’s hard to explain all the emotions that came over me through such a small incident, but in a genuine hug to a young boy I saw Jesus and it made my heart melt. Like I said before-there was so much love! The boys had to change their shirts before they could come to the park with us so I had a few minutes to dry my tears. When the first little boy came on the bus, I couldn’t wait until he got to the back of the bus so that I could shake his hand and give him a hug! The things on the outside didn’t bother me, and all I could see was the immense amount of joy that these boys had over a trip to the park. A simple trip to the park where the boys could run and play resulted in some of the most joyous faces I have ever seen. God used the boys to show me what real joy truly is. I honestly could go on and on forever, but since I have already written a novel, I will stop. It truly was a wonderful and moving day.
Thanks for all of the prayers! Mom, Dad, and Kim- I can’t wait to see you all in six days!!!! I love you and miss you all VERY much!
Mary Newville
We feel honored and blessed to be able to read EACH note written on this site. As we read our hearts break in hearing your tender spirits. GOD DOES DO THINGS IN MIGHTY WAYS – HOW COOL! :)
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.” Ps 89:1
God is directing you as He uses you to reach many more generations, now and to come!
We love you all and a special prayer of love and encouragement goes out to our Katie! Know you are always on our minds and in our hearts. We are so eager you see you, but again would have never wanted you to miss out on this chance to be used by God! (Remember, we are only but a prayer away!)
Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Dad, Mom, Barton, and Kimberly
P.S. We just got the word, your new sister, Ann-Kathrin arrives from Germany on Aug. 13th. :)
Everything is great here! We’re getting ready to leave for Hotel Cortez tomorrow morning. I just wanted to wish my Mom a Happy Birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY! I hope you had a blessed day I love you <3.
Katie
It’s incredible to see how God is using us in the most diverse ways. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to go to the market and witness to people. Our group ended up speaking to two women and handing them Bibles in Spanish. One of them appeared to be a believer, and the other was certainly receptive. God has also worked through us to help build orphanages, play with orphans, encourage missionaries, and minister to each other, building each other up in the body of Christ. The most amazing thing, however, is that it is so clearly God working through us, so that we do not succumb to pride. God is certainly working on us just as much as he is working through us. I feel that the ministry God is doing in us now pales in comparison to the future ministries He is preparing us for to complete. Thank you ever so much for all of the encouragement and prayers we have somewhat unknowingly received, and we pray that God would work on your hearts just as much as he has worked on ours.
Nathan
Hello to all in Bolivia,
How amazing you all are and what amazing work God is doing through you! Stormy Loops we think of you contstantly. WE will continue to pray for everyone and your work, travels, and experiences. May your remaining days be just as complete as the previous and your trip home safe. We miss you and love you.
XOXOXOXO
Mom, Kevin, Sam, and Rosie
Greetings,
Just wanted to let you as a group know that we are praying for you and your last few days there. We will be also be praying for safe travel and that the feelings you are feeling now will never go away. Being apart of something this wonderful is a memory that you will never forget and God has made you His Humble Servants and you can never have that taken away from you. Excited to see all of you and hear just how much you enjoyed your work.
Love and Kisses to my girls and my girls from Maranatha! What a joy to see how God has made you Whole…. Love you Biz and Roonie!!
PS….. Dad wants to know if you two and Kayla found his dog? Michelle says hurry home and she loves you!!!!
Love, MOM
I am sooo… blessed to hear all the updates, the praises, the hard work, the love for all the children, and for one another on the team.
We have been praying Romans 15:5-6
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….”
Press on and finish well, because He is strong & faithful to complete the work He planned for you to be about!
Thank you all for serving Him there in Bolivia–
Looking forward to seeing you, Tricia & Derek!
We love you,
Mom
Hey guys!!!!
From Alicia: I hope you guys are having a good time. I am praying for you all especially for those horrible roosters. haha May you see the Lord move among you all these last few days!
From Clara: Roses are red, violets are blue. Now that you’re gone, I am missing you! Dandilions are yellow, daisies are white. I hope you are healthy and have a good flight! Marrigolds are orange, snapdragons are pink. You will be home sooner than you think!
Hey Eryn,
So nice to be updated and hear how God is working in Bolivia. Love and miss you, praying for you!
Love Elsa
Dear Mary Ann and team members in Bolivia,
How inspiring it has been to read of your mission work in God’s name! You have been ‘on’ our hearts and remembered in our prayers for your whole stay and now we pray for your safe travel back to the states.
Have you been surprised at how much you have benefited from using your God given gifts to do His work? It is true that what we do in His name benefits both the giver and the receiver.
You’ve proven to be good disciples–I can only imagine that God is smiling down on all of you for the LOVE that you’ve given in His name!
God bless you all!
Auntie Bev Callahan
Cody wrote to me this morning from Hotel Cortez and said everyone is there safe and sound. He also said they are having fun at the hotel. Pray for their last full day in Bolivia today as they finish doing debriefing as a group.
-jeremiah
It has been thrilling to read all the “blogs” here and know that God has been working in a marvelous way through each one of you who have given of yourselves on this missionary adventure. You will have wonderful memories that you will never forget and special new friends that you may never see again this side of Heaven but you can be “prayer buddies” to them. God bless each one of you.
We will be praying for a safe trip back home for you all….special hugs to you Nicole and Eryn. Love you, Grandma & Grandpa Mason
Good morning everyone this is Jeremiah,
I have not heard from the group this morning but assume that no news is good news. The team should have been in flight now for about to hours on their way to Miami. American Airlines list the flight as “On Time”. The board at Miami International Airport lists the updated arrival time in Miami at 4:33 pm instead of 4:05 which was the original arrival time to Miami. The flight from Miami to Minneapolis is still listed with the original time for this evening. We should have them back to camp at about 1:30-2:00am with beds waiting for them. They will then be ready for pick-up at 9:00 am on Thursday morning.
I’m excited to hear more details about their trip.
FYI for parents:
Pick-up for kids is anywhere between 9:00 and 10:00 am on Thursday morning. We look forward to seeing you then.
-jeremiah
The plane landed in Miami at 4:22 pm according to Miami Internationals website.
Just got a call from Ellen and she said they made it through security fine and are waiting at the airport for the next fight to MN. They will be boarding at 7:15 pm. Yeah!! Almost Home.
Hi from Memphis,TN. WELCOME BACK! Sorry I will not be at the airport to pick you all up and help pack the trailer with all the luggage but I am in Memphis. It was fun to get to know some of you better on the ride to the airport and as the weeks has gone by through the web postings. May God continue to work both in Bolivia with the work you have done and in your lives as you have a chance to evaluate what you saw and did there. God is not done working. Be open to His leading and listen to His still sometimes small voice. May God bless you and give you joyous reunions with family and friends. Ian Call me when your at camp and I will see you on Saturday. Love, Mom (Mrs. Sippi)
The team has landed in Minneapolis, got their bags, and are now on their way to camp. See you all soon!
Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and support. It would be amazing if you continued to pray for Bolivia. God is still at work there! Also, pray that God would continue to change our hearts and use this trip to bring us closer to Him. Keep our dear sister, Heather in your prayers too!! Thank you!
Natalie (for the team…I’m presuming.) :)
Just read through the letters from Bolivia my heart has been touched by how our mighty God has worked in the lives of those in Bolivia as well as in the hearts of the team that went. Rejoicing that you had a safe and fruitful trip!
Cindy
aka Heather’s mom