All About the Mindset

 It’s been six weeks now since I flew across the ocean to this remote school/home for kids in central Bolivia. I thought my time at Southern went by quickly, but it was nothing compared to here. I need to cherish every moment I have here because before I know it, I'll be saying goodbye.

A Good Week

I had the opportunity to do something a little bit different than normal on Friday morning. Instead of going to the school or hanging out at our house like I would normally do, I went with T. Juan and a few other guys to retrieve some plantains that someone donated to Familia Feliz. It was a wonderful change of pace. My mental picture of Bolivia is minuscule because the only places I know or have been to is Familia Feliz and Rurrenabaque. Going to get these plantains allowed me to see some more of the Bolivian countryside and experience something other than the Familia Feliz landscape. To get to the plantains, we drove 45 minutes on a dirt road. Besides the occasional house tucked between tropical palm trees, there was no sign of civilization. It was absolutely gorgeous! When we got to our destination, we loaded all of the plantains into the back of the truck (at least a thousand plantains according to my estimations), turned around, and headed right back. On our way back, we made a stop at the Harding house to drop off some of the guys that had come with us, so I got to see what their house looks like, and I got to say hello to some of the Harding kids who were playing outside. They were precious! I was only gone for three hours from Familia Feliz, but those few hours were amazing. I'm grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to go.

There is always so much to write about the happenings on Sundays and the challenges and blessings they hold. This past Sunday was no different. I started that day with this mindset: “God, I am choosing to trust You and your plan today no matter how good or bad this day becomes. You know what’s best, so if this day ends up being the most challenging yet, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” That mindset gave me so much peace and assurance as I crawled out of my mosquito net to face the day. I felt ready to conquer the challenges that would be coming my way with Jesus by my side. But God, in His abundant mercy and His mysterious ways, saw fit to give Justin and I the best Sunday yet at Familia Feliz. I went throughout that day praising God and marveling at His goodness to me. I had done nothing to “deserve” this blessing, and yet here I was, basking in it. Besides starting breakfast earlier than normal, so we would have more time later in the day, Justin and I did nothing different with the kids, literally nothing. And yet, they behaved so well, especially during mealtimes. I don’t remember ever having to break up a fight that day. God was clearly at work, and Justin and I were simply along for the ride. God gave me assurance that He is the one in control and that I have absolutely nothing to fear or worry about. I will never cease to be amazed at His providence and provision in my life.

Monday was a different story. The morning and afternoon were uneventful, but when T. Juan and T. Emi left for town at 6:45 p.m., it got a bit crazy at the Leones house. It was a “normal” crazy, but it was a night and day difference compared to Sunday. The kids had buckets of energy that night. It took us an hour just to get all the kids to shower. Supper started out well, but soon the boys forgot their dirty plates on the table and started kicking their soccer balls, running around, and pestering each other again. I spent most of that night roaming around the house breaking up arguments and asking over and over for the boys to do their chores. By the time chores were finished and the kids were all in bed, it was 10:30 p.m. It took four hours for the kids to shower, have a short worship, eat supper, and do their chores. If the kids had been cooperative, we would have had everything done in half the time. Justin and I were exhausted by the end of the day, but my mindset remained healthy during those chaotic four hours. I would finish working out one situation with some boys and then tell God, “Okay, where’s the next challenge? I’m ready for it.” I’m finding it difficult to accurately describe in words, but it’s like I had this energy and perseverance inside me that pushed me through the night. I have no doubt it was God giving me what I needed to parent these boys. I’ve noticed that in the past few days, when things get hectic and it seems like peace and quiet will never come, I don’t get discouraged. It's not that I'm whistling a happy tune to myself while utter chaos is exploding all around me. It is still a struggle, but through those times, I have peace and this resolve to keep going. Why? Because I have blessed assurance that God is in control and that He is orchestrating everything according to His will. I'm amazed how much I'm growing in my relationship with God. I say that without the slightest hint of pride. On the contrary, I'm humbled at the unspeakable goodness of God. My prayer now is that I will be able to pass along the blessings God has so graciously given me to the incredible boys I am taking care of.

Lord,

How can I thank You in mere words for all You have done for me here at Familia Feliz? Help me not to take Your love, Your provision, and Your blessings for granted but rather help me to share them with everyone I interact with. May Your will be done in the lives of everyone at Familia Feliz. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. I pray all these things in Your name. Amen

Pictures

Cotton mustaches with Lauren and Dianara
(Photo courtesy: Justin Bobo)

As soon as I sat down, they hopped right on my lap

Adrian and his shower mohawk

I bought these, so I wouldn't have to use the
same bowls, plates, and silverware as the
kids. Plus, eating out of a wooden bowl
makes for a better eating experience.

On our way to pick up the plantains

There was a marsh/swamp that we passed, and there were
so many birds there. I so wish we could have stopped
for a few minutes.

The farm that the plantains came from

Beautiful Bolivian countryside

Caleb let me hold him when we stopped by the Harding
house. He is so adorable!

Some more Harding kids

Selim and Emir cleaning/playing with a pot

For our SM get together this past Friday night, Carlie made
us pita bread and garlic hummus, and I could go on and on
about how incredibly delicious it was.

The Flores singing for special music. They're so cute!

Goofing around on Saturday night

My boys!!

From left to right: Andres, Alex, Adrian, Marcelo,
Alvaro, Jesus

My favorite picture of the week! Santiago on the left
and Caleb on the right.

For some reason, the boys have been doing a
lot of headstands and handstands against
the wall lately.

Selim taking an afternoon siesta

Helping some of the Guerreros with their math homework
(Photo courtesy: Justin Bobo)

Alvaro coming back from visiting his family
(Photo courtesy: Justin Bobo)

We had burritos for lunch on Monday, and they easily made
it into my top three meals so far in Bolivia. I can't explain
how good they were!

I ate six burritos! My stomach hurt for like two hours after
lunch, but it was worth it.

Hanging out with Zeinet. She is the most
precious little girl you will ever meet.

Helping Tici learn the difference between
common and proper nouns.

Breakfast at Roots today. I have yet to eat food in town that
was average. It is all so incredibly good!

Laney will be joining us in the afternoons for our day off,
so we are now six strong. The more the merrier!

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem
 others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own
 interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4