Back in Cochabamba

Friday was a busy day. We had the morning off because we had scheduled presentations in the afternoon and evening. It is the policy of Christ for the City to always give short-termers one-third of the day off. We again got up late, had breakfast and worked on what John was going to talk about in the evening in the couples' workshop. The hotel has computers and printers, so we were able to do some research and type an outline for him. Before lunch, we took a long walk to the Central Plaza. It is an interesting place because an important government building is across the street; therefore, it is a gathering place for protests and demonstrations. There are also speakers at the park. Yesterday there was an evangelist. He had a captive audience because people were looking for a shady spot to rest, and that is where he was. We walked back to the hotel for lunch. Then it was time for me to get ready for my afternoon presentation at a women's fellowship meeting. My ride came at 3:30, but John stayed behind at the hotel. We traveled by taxi quite a distance from downtown where we are staying. The picture below is where the tea took place, but behind the church there is a large area with buildings that house the denomination's seminary, dinning hall and other buildings. They were having their 37th annual meeting, so the place was full of pastors. I suppose about 300-400 men.

 When I arrived and saw the women there, I prayed to the Lord to give me grace on their eyes because they were very ethnic looking. I just did not know how I would be seen. I was actually dressed up because the evening couples' event was going to be dressy, and I was not going back to the hotel. I also had a "senior moment" and loaded the wrong power point. When I started to speak and clicked to the second slide, it just wasn't right. Then I realized that it was the wrong presentation altogether. I had to stop and load the right one. The women just sat there and listened without any facial expressions. We had tea and cakes after my talk, and they hurried out because they had to go to the seminary's graduation ceremony. It is the end of the school year here. Summer is just starting. There was a young mother with a baby wearing thoroughly modern clothing: sequined jeans, but when she got up to leave, she took out a native blanket, wrapped her baby and put him on her back, just like her mother would have done. This is a society steeped in tradition. They tried to give me a love offering, but I did not take it. How could I? Yet, when I mentioned this to Carlos, he told me that I should have taken it because it was their blessing. I am new at this missionary thing. We hurried out at about 6:30, grabbed another taxi and went to Christ for the City's office.

This is Mila, her husband Angel, and eight-year old son Samuel. She is the administrator assistant for Christ for the City. It was her church I went  for the tea. They are building this house on the weekends. It is not finished, but they are moving in anyway tomorrow. Both Mila and her husband are seminary graduates. He was pastoring a church, but now is working at an orphanage.

We arrived at the office on time, and soon John was there also, so John and I, Carlos and Rosario, Aldo, who is a worker here for Christ for the City, another worker, and the driver's little boy all climbed in a Toyota Highlander. The church again was located a long distance from the office, but we still made it before 8:00. They were showing the movie "Fireproof" to the early arrivals. Soon the church was packed and it was time to start. Carlos and Rosario had been there the previous night, so they were just doing the second half of their presentation. John and I shared at the end on Philippians 4:2-3. I have to tell you that John is called "Pastor" wherever we go. We have come to accept it. Carlos answered questions written the night before, then we went to the patio to have supper. It was 10:00 by then, and I was cold, but the pastor's wife lend me an  alpaca wool shawl, very light and very warm. There were about 90-100 couples. All were very dressed up for the event. The young people served and did the entertainment. Dinner was vegetable soup, beef with mushroom sauce, white rice with cilantro (they love cilantro here), corn, and very small potatoes. Dessert was some kind of cold chocolate torte, and we had a sesame seed drink that I have never tasted. All very good. By the way, there is no such thing as disposable plates and cups here, which means that somebody has to do the dishes in all these churches after the events. Dinner was over at eleven o'clock. While we were waiting for our ride, a man came over to say hello and gave John and offering. Since Carlos had told me that I should have taken the afternoon's offering, John humbly accepted it. We got back to the hotel at almost midnight. It was past midnight by the time we went to bed.




Today is Saturday, and again we got to sleep late and had a leisure breakfast. Our friend Luis, the worker in Tarija, came at eleven to take us to his house for lunch, but first we had to go to Mila's house because she  wanted all of us to have a time of prayer. Remember, her house is by the church where I had the tea yesterday afternoon. On our way back we saw this bus stuck in  the middle of traffic, so the men got out and pushed it out of the way. They pushed so hard that it bumped the car in front. We quickly left as both drivers started to argue. 

Lunch was delicious. Afterward, we went to the local market for some shopping. That was a lot of fun. We also went for ice cream. Rosario had a therapy appointment at five, so we dropped them first at the office and then went back to the hotel. 

Last Saturday, at the first tea, the women asked why there wasn't a similar event for men; therefore, it was decided that they would have a tea for men only to talk about relating to the wives. The girls in the office have had so much fun with this event that they called it "Te de machos." The name stuck. John just left for the tea, and I have had time to blog. I am now going to start packing. We are going to church tomorrow, but not preaching, and we have to check out because we are flying tomorrow night back to La Paz, and Monday to Argentina, via Lima, Peru. We are spending Monday night in La Paz. 


The wind is picking up and it is starting to rain. The weather has been very pleasant here in Cochabamba until tonight. 


You are now up to date. Until next time...from South America...