Visitors from Canada!

A few months ago I saw on Facebook that my friends were going on a cruise and were leaving out of Miami.  Jokingly I wrote them and asked them why, if they were that close, they didn't just come all the way down and visit.  Marilyn wrote back with some questions about how that would work and I realized they were serious and then, low and behold, they showed up in Bolivia!

So it seems that annoying pestering thing I do asking all my friends why they don't come visit finally paid off!  =) 

It was great introducing them to Santa Cruz and showing them the house and ministry.  They had the chance to meet and hang out with the guys (Darcy taught Larry how to fix chairs and repair cupboard drawers!) and we had a lot of fun just hanging out and catching up. 

Their last day here we piled them into the truck and Yimy and I drove them to one of the guys' favourite spots....the waterfalls...

First you drive across the river...

 

The view looking back...

 

The road into the jungle...

 

Just to be clear...we're not stuck...

My truck goes through everything!  =)

 

My sandals after getting out to drag a log off the road...

 

Where we were headed...

 

Marilyn and Darcy!

 

Lunch on the rocks...

 

Nothing like a little after lunch swim...

 

Yimy on the ledge...

 

Darcy getting ready to cliff jump!

 

Hiking back down the mountain...

 

There are pools and waterfalls all the way down...

 

Yea...it was a good day!  Nothin' like a little adventure...

 

 

And that was hanging out in the jungle!  Sorry for those of you who were enjoying those -25 C snowy days back in Saskatchewan.  =)  Instead of getting grumpy with me, just come on down and visit and I'll take you here too!

Then all too soon it was time to say goodbye at the airport...

 

 

 

 

Who knew way back in 1984, hanging out at Ranger Lake that some day we'd be hanging out in South America!  Thanks for the visit guys!  It was awesome...

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Tropical Thunder!

So I'm sitting here in the dark with only my computer to keep me company...at least until the battery runs out.  We just had a major storm roll through...lots of lightning and thunder...and a rain that would turn any place in Saskatchewan into a disaster zone. 

And of course it knocked the power out.

But we're used to rivers in the street as high as your bumper...the water drains off fairly quickly.  But it's why we don't do basements here.

Anyhow...I snapped a few pictures off of my deck to keep myself entertained...

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

So it turns out getting pictures of lightning is hard.  By the time I started taking pictures most of the action was right above me...or behind the building across the street.  But I got a couple of okay shots.  The rain had mostly stopped by this point too.

 

But of course the rain managed to come down at exactly the right angle to force itself past the frames of my windows. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My living room window doesn't open...but the workmen didn't seal it correctly and water managed to get in between the window and the sill...right above an electrical outlet.  Fortunately, as I said, the storm knocked the power out, so it's all good....

 

Anyhow...that was my night.  How was yours? 

 



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Who knew I had an electromagnetic field...

I'm supposed to be posting pictures of Christmas here but I got bored and distracted and now there's not enough time before I go to bed.

So instead I'm going to regale you with the story of my latest "doctor" appointment for my back. 

In case you didn't know, I've been having back problems again.  I think it has something to do with crashing down the side of a mountain in my truck but I could be wrong.  It flared up again back in December right around the time I was shopping and cooking and trying to make Christmas happy for everyone.

Yea...

So anyhow, I've been sceptical of doctors down here ever since that Chinese fellow tried to light me on fire, but this new guy was recommended to me by some friends who said he really helped them after their car accident.  So you know...why not?   

The first mistake I made was assuming that we were talking about a physiotherapist. 

We weren't.

Actually...now that I think about it...that was really my only mistake.  Everything else kind of flowed out of that decision.  I knew there was a problem when we found the guy's "office" and there was a big sign that said "Terapias Holisticas" (holistic therapies).  I'm not against holistic medicine in theory but I do happen to live in a country where that could potentially mean a number of different things.

We rang the buzzer (one of the guys was with me) and were met by a fairly normal looking Bolivian guy who it turned out, spoke excellent English.  That was a bonus.  The Chinese guy didn't and I didn't know what was happening until he lit me on fire.  So you'd think I'd be better prepared for what was going to happen this time.

You'd think so wouldn't you.

We chatted for a bit and I explained what had happened and the problems I was having.  He talked about some of his therapies and what he does.  He didn't seem like a wackjob.  I was mostly on-board (or at the very least curious and ready to be entertained) so we went into his...I don't know...therapy room?  There was a computer and one of those electric glass ball things that looks like there's lightening inside and your typical massage bed and books kind of piled all over the place.

I expected to be told to lay down on my stomach but he laughed and said that everyone thinks that's what they should do (uh...yea) but he does things differently and so I should lay on my back. 

He explained a bunch of stuff about what he was going to do but honestly I didn't really get much of what he said.  I mean...I understood the words...I just didn't have a clue what he was talking about.  There was a lot of talk about my body's electromagnetic field and magnets and bad bacteria and whatnot.

In my head I was like, "Okay sure....let's get on with this."

So I laid there as he held my feet and tapped my ankles together and started talking to my body's electromagnetic field.  I kid you not.  He ran through a list (in Spanish so apparently my electromagnetic field understands Spanish better than I do...) of all my different body parts and I guess my body told him what the problems were. 

Then as my body talked to him (in Spanish?) he put magnets on the areas that had problems.  My eyes...my arms...under my legs...on my stomach.  I guess I had a lot of issues.  Either that or my electromagnetic field speaks Spanish like the rest of me does.

So there I was lying on this table with magnets all over me and with this guy mumbling away down by my feet.  Honestly it felt a little strange.  I admit that I did say a little prayer at one point and asked Jesus not to let me get any demons. 

Now to be honest, he did get a couple of things right.  He asked if I'd had my appendix out (I have) and if I'd lost a lot of weight lately (again, I have).  But those are fairly broad questions and I'm not sure they're very indicative of his accuracy. 

After we were done with the magnets and whatnot, he did start manipulating my body in directions it doesn't normally go and then was happy when he heard popping noises.  He kept asking me if I heard them and sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't but I said I did because I'm a nice guy and he was so excited and I didn't want to disappoint him.  That also happened when he got me to walk around to see if I felt any better. 

So the question remains...did it work?  Well, that's a tough call.  If my brothers and I ever complained about something that hurt my Grandpa would punch us in the shoulder and tell us that he'd healed us because now we didn't feel the original pain anymore...just the new pain. 

There may have been some of that at work here.  But...who knows.  It's a couple of days later and I think maybe I feel a bit better.  The pain kind of comes and goes so I'm reserving judgement for a few days longer. 

At any rate, I have another appointment on Tuesday and yes I'm going back.  He told me that he also does acupunture and I've always wanted to try that.  So...you know...why not?

Besides...he didn't set me on fire.
   

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My pastors....

I've said it before and I'll say it again, God has given us an amazing church down here. It's a church that stands out from most other churches I know. I remember back when I first started going there five or six years ago...I didn't always understand much of what was being said, but I always left with a sense of God's presence...like I'd met with God's Spirit.

And that's still the case today. I never have to work at convincing the guys to get up for church on Sunday morning. They enjoy it as much as I do. I think they probably have better friends there than I do.  They seem to know everyone.  =)

A big part of why we love Kairos so much is the leadership of our pastors, Jorge and Tonchy. They're two young guys (brother-in-laws) who really love God and who really love people. It shows in everything they do. They're gifted speakers, amazing musicians and just all around fun guys.

Last November they recorded some of Tonchy's music (a lot of what we sing at Kairos are original songs that Tonchy has written). They video taped the recording session and put together a little documentary.

It's just over half an hour (and in Spanish), but if you're a musician or you just want to listen to some great Spanish music, give this a listen to. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. It's just Jorge on accoustic guitar and Tonchy singing (Caronport people...pay attention to what Tonchy is playing...look familiar?).

Sit back and enjoy. This is what we're blessed with every Sunday...

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To keep you entertained....

I'm working on getting our Christmas pictures up...but until then, I offer up this for your entertainment. 

It's the final fireworks of our Christmas Eve celebration...

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"Can you promise me I'll come back?"

I went to see “The Hobbit” the other day.  I’m a bit of a fan, shall we say, of the whole “Lord of the Rings” universe.  I have all the LOTR figurines (not dolls as some uninformed friends want to call them) and I’ve seen the movies more times than I’m willing to admit in public.  So you can imagine how I’ve been anticipating “The Hobbit” since the day they announced they were making it.

Happily I wasn’t disappointed.  It was everything I’d hoped it would be.  I even saw it again a few days later in 3D.  In Spanish this time mind you…but still amazing.

In each of the LOTR movies there’s always a scene that sticks with me.  It’s not the big battle scene or the scene with the most special effects.  It’s usually a scene that resounds inside of me for some reason.

The same thing happened in this movie and you might be surprised at what it was that stuck with me.

Near the beginning of the story, Bilbo receives a visit from Gandalf the wizard.  Gandalf invites him to go on a grand adventure which Bilbo quickly and summarily dismisses.  Bilbo, you see, is a Hobbit, and Hobbits are generally happy and content with the predictability of their lives.  They don’t relish anyone or anything that might disrupt the peacefulness and tranquility they enjoy.  Bilbo was no exception. 

Then something happens to Bilbo.  Dwarves start arriving at his doorstep.  Rowdy, excited (and hungry) dwarves.  They turn his tiny, uncluttered house upside down with their singing and dancing, eating and just general revelry.  It about drives poor Bilbo crazy. 

Gandalf eventually returns and quite enjoys the party that has invaded Bilbo’s quiet little home and the discomfort it’s caused Bilbo.  Later in the evening when things have calmed down somewhat, he again presses Bilbo to accompany this band of dwarves on the mission they’ve set before themselves. 

Bilbo looks at Gandalf and then asks this question.

“Can you promise me I’ll come back?”

To which Gandalf replies, “No, and if you do, you will not be the same.”

Bilbo thinks for a moment and then once again declines the invitation.

Everyone eventually falls asleep until the next morning when Bilbo awakens expecting to be surrounded by the same chaos that filled his house the night before.  What he finds, however, is that his perfect little house and life has been restored to him.  Everything is neatly in its place and the house is once again quiet and ordered.

As Bilbo walks from silent room to silent room you can see him contemplating the situation.  His life is as it was…serene, peaceful and uncomplicated. 

The next thing you know (and this is the part I love), he’s tearing out of his house running after the band of dwarves.  He’s jumping over fences and running down quiet lanes, past his diligent, hardworking neighbours who look at him like he’s lost his mind.

And of course, he has. 

Well, maybe not his whole mind…just that part of it that yearned for a life of safety and security.  Until that moment, Bilbo’s whole existence had been about maintaining that sense of predictability.  Then in a flash, that safe, secure and peaceful world was completely and utterly disrupted.

Bilbo was given a gift that many people never receive.  For a moment he was shown a world that wasn’t safe.  It wasn’t secure or orderly.  It certainly wasn't predictable.  There was singing and dancing and plates flying through the air. 

In that moment, Bilbo realized that what he had mistaken for chaos and frivolity in his guests was really a sense purpose and adventure. 

These dwarves knew they were each a part of something greater than themselves and because of that, they were willing to step out into the unknown.  They were prepared to live lives that would be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.  They knew that win or lose their lives had meaning and significance and that gave them a great sense of joy.

When Bilbo caught a glimpse of that there was no going back.  He knew that the complacency of his earlier life could not compare to the adventure that had been placed before him.

I remember when I had that same experience.  There was no singing or dancing or plates being tossed through the air (I wish).  But I knew I didn’t want to live a life centered around being safe and secure.  I had no idea where that life would lead me (certainly not to South America to a country I would have been hard pressed to find on a map), but I was willing to step out into the unknown because I knew I was a part of something that was so much greater than who I was on my own.

My heart’s desire is that each of us should have that same moment.  That moment when we catch a glimpse of the life God is calling us to.  It’s not a life of complacency or security or predictability.  It’s a life of uncertainty and disorder and sometimes danger.  It’s also a life of joy and adventure and significance. 

“Can you promise me I’ll come back?” asked Bilbo.

“No,” replied Gandalf, “and if you do, you will not be the same.” 

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Bolivian New Years 2013...

For those of you I'm not Facebook friends with (Deb), here's a little video I posted of the view from my balcony tonight. I'm home alone (back problems) so I figured I'd put this up since I really have nothing better to do. =) The guys are hanging with people from our church.

Anyhow...enjoy. Bolivia...it's always entertaining!

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Andres' soccer ministry...

Lots of things to post these days, but until I get a little more organized with all of that, I thought I'd share this.  A year and a half or so ago, our church sent Andres and a couple of other church guys to Argentina to a training seminar to learn how to use soccer and coaching as a teaching tool. 

Andres came back very excited about the possibilities.  He started planning and eventually started a project at the children's home, Mision Timoteo (a children's home we help).  Last week they celebrated their one year anniversary.  The project has expanded to working with kids from the community as well.

This afternoon I did up a little video for him, to show at our church's annual Christmas/give thanks supper.  The church supports the project so this was his report to them.  It figured I'd share it here as well. 

Andres (with Sandro helping) is doing an amazing job and it's been exciting to see his teaching and leadership/mentoring gifts grow through this experience. 

I think I'm feeling that proud father thing going on....

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Christmas is coming!

Filming a big tarantula in the road.

This has been a fun week.  If you're a friend on Facebook you've seen a few of the pictures.  For the rest of you, I've been helping a friend from Canada while she films a documentary for a TV channel in Calgary.  I'm what's called a chauffeur/creative consultant.  For the past week or so I've been driving her and her cameraman around and helping translate and set things up with people/sights here she wants to film.  It's been a lot of fun and I've actually seen and done a few things I've never had the chance to do before.  I was joking with my mom that like a lot of dads I took on a second job to help buy the kids Christmas presents.  =)

So while there have been lots of upsides to this job, the downside has been that I haven't really gotten started on preparing for Christmas yet.  Well...that and the fact that it's 33 C out and it feels like Christmas is six months away still instead of Tuesday.  But tomorrow Andres and Yimy and I will start our Christmas shopping for the house and then Saturday I'll grocery shop for everything we need for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I only have to buy for 15 guys and cook for 35 so it shouldn't take that long.   

The other thing I didn't quite have time to do was write this post.  =)  I wanted to let you know about a special project we're doing.  If you've been following the blog for very long, you'll remember we did this last year.

For those of you who are new or don't remember (it's okay...it happens to the best of us) last year we helped a children's home we work with celebrate Christmas.  First we found out they didn't have any Christmas decorations and that they had nothing special planned for Christmas Eve (when Bolivians celebrate Christmas).  So we went out and bought some decorations.  Then we put on Christmas supper for them.  It was a ton of fun and made for some pretty happy faces.  Of course we'd like to make this all happen again this year.

As well, like I said, I'm starting my Christmas shopping tomorrow.  Once again we have a new face in the house and this will be his first opportunity to celebrate Christmas with us.  For a lot of the guys, Christmas with us was the first time in their lives that they'd received a personal gift or shared in all the joy that go along with Christmas.  Since those early days, we've established some great family traditions.  We invite any of the guys we know who maybe don't have anyone to celebrate with to come join us.  So there's always a full house.

Of course all of these things take time (which I mostly have) and money (well....).  So if you're interested in helping us financially to see these things happen, it would be a huge blessing to us.  As many of you know, some of our guys are approaching the end of their schooling or have graduated.  Here in Bolivia, those final classes are very expensive and as a result our coffers are pretty low.  We would hugely appreciate any help you might be able to give.

One of my favourite traditions my family has in Canada is reading the Christmas story together before we open gifts.  It helps us remember and focus on what it is we're celebrating.  It's a tradition we've carried on down here.  Christmas morning we read God's Word together, take time to pray and then open gifts.  We all know there's a lot of joy in that moment.

Thank you all for considering this request.  If you'd like, you can e-mail me at ken.switzer@iteams.org for any additional information you need or you can click on the link on the right hand side of this page "To Donate".  As well, you can call my mission at 1-800-465-7601 and they'd be happy to help you.

I'll post some pictures of our Christmas decorations soon.  Just as soon as we finish them.  =)  Tonight in about an hour I'm off to help my friend film the all-night butchering of 250 chickens for El Jordan's "Christmas on the Streets".

My life is never boring.

Feliz Navidad! 

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Roberto's Grad!

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the gradutation of our first university graduate! Roberto graduated from law school. So I officially have a lawyer...who I will never pay...for the rest of my life. =)

It was a good night...

Roberto with his family...

Roberto with me and the guys!

 

Our table...

 

Our plate of snack food...

So funny story...even though there's a meal included with the grad, it's always the custom to have plates of snack food for the guests, provided by the family. We usually go the potato chips, peanuts, a few chocolates and some banana chips route. It's pretty standard and has been fine for all the other grads we've been involved with.

Kind of forgot this was a law school graduation. Most of the families were a little more upper crust, shall we say, than us.

As I walked in and saw the other tables, I was like..."Oops."

There were full meals spread out. Fried chicken, empanadas, little finger foods...things I didn't even recognize....

So I dumped what we had, grabbed Andres and Jose Manuel and took off for the nearest grocery store. It was too late to do much, but we bought a big block of cheese and some olives and some fancy rich people crackers.

I have some very funny pictures on my phone of us cutting up the cheese into little cubes in the cab of my truck (I had to buy a knife and a cutting board). Also turned out I was the only one there who liked olives. But they seemed like something you would put on a fancy, law school grad platter of snack foods.

I did enjoy them...

Roberto walking in with his mom.

 

With the diploma!

Many Bolivians tend not to smile in pictures or in more serious situations. They can sometimes look a little severe. That was the case with Roberto's mom (and most of his family). Roberto was pretty serious too during the prossesional.

But I got some smiles out of him once he was up on the platform...

Liking that diploma!

It was pretty classy. As I mentioned...

 

The graduating class of 2012!

Lots of congratulations!

Roberto with his Grandma.

 

Awkward hugs between brothers...

 

With his younger sister...

 

Roberto with his mom and siblings.

Yea...there's not a single picture where they're all looking the same direction.

It was a pretty cool night. We've been looking forward to this for a long time. I actually got a little weepy when I saw Roberto up at the front. Of course, weepy for me is maybe not the same as weepy for other people...but I was still kind of emotional. It was exciting moment!

Roberto's mom was emotional too. I'd only met her one other time. She lives a long ways up into the mountains and the last time I saw her was eight years ago when she came to visit Roberto and his brother at the home I used to work at and where they lived.

Everytime she was near me, she gave me a big hug and thanked me again for everything I'd done. It was nice, but I just kept thinking that this was so much bigger than anything I'd done. It was also our church family here in Santa Cruz...it was the people that support us from North America...it was the people around the world who pray for us.

And most of all it was God who protected this kid and brought him to this place. It was amazing to be one small part in the plans and purposes that God has for Roberto. I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

And a huge thanks to all of you for your part in this process. Many of you have never met Roberto and yet you faithfully give and pray so that he has the opportunity to change the direction of not only his life, but of his family as well.

So yea...thank you!

I have no doubt that is just the first graduation of many to come!

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