Four Wheeling, Samaipata and much more..

Hello!

Well I think it´s about time that I gave an update on how things are going. We returned last friday from Samaipata... a beautiful small village about 4 hours out of Santa Cruz. This was where our MCC retreat was held. We left last Wednesday morning and arrived there in the afternoon. It was such a rewarding and much needed time to get away. All of the MCC staff in Bolivia came and spent time together. I feel like I have so many new and funny stories to tell. While we were there, we had a lot of time to get to know the other MCC workers who are in Bolivia. I met some pretty great people, and am looking forward to continuing to get to know them. We had 2 days of meetings, a very interesting but challenging topics to talk about. On the last night we were there the mosquitos were so annoying at night. I woke up in the morning and found that I have 46 bug bites on my face and 64 on my left arm. It is ridiculous. I look like I have chicken pocks. Anyways, I think they are bed bug bites or from a spider. We had a talent show at the retreat and all of us salters sang a nice song for everyone. It was very nice! It was a cooler temperature in Samaipata compared to Santa Cruz.

I have a pretty scary but funny (now) story to tell. Last week (Tuesday- the day before we left for retreat) when I was at work I was eating a piece of bread and I ate it too quickly, so I drank some water to help it get down... but THEN I started choking. It was so scary! I was by the sink and I started to choke and I couldn´t breath for about 30 seconds. So then people started surrounding me and no one knew what to do. But then one of the cooks came and did the hymlick remover (don´t know the spelling) on me and I then was Ok. but it was really scary. It was funny because the thing that was going through my mind was the movie Ms. Doughtfire when the guy starts choking and then Ms. Doughtfire comes and saves the day. Anyways, it was a scary experience. But I am fine now!

This past weekend me and Cesia and my host dad went to the river. Now this is not the type of typical river I thought it would be. Honestly, it was a huge area full of sand and then there was a little place where the river was.. I wish I could show you pictures. So anyways, we stayed there for a while and then my dad let me drive his car. Now this car is pretty hilarious. It only goes about 15 km an hour so while we are puting along, cars are honking and letting us know that we are going too slow. So anyways in order to get out of the river we needed to get up this huge muddy hill. So I started driving up the hilll but then we got stuck. So me and Cesia climbed out and started pushing the car up the hill. But we were too weak so then 5 random guys come and help us push the car up the hill. It was so hilarious. So finally we got the car up the hill. But then the car overheated. So we had to wait until the car cooled down. But during that time a guy on a 4 wheeler came by and my host dad asked him if I could go for a ride. So me and Cesia climbed on (I was in my church clothes) and we went for a ride ... in the river. We got totally soaked and muddy but it was probably the funnest thing ever. I have some pictures that my host dad took that I will send when I get the chance. So it was a pretty fun afternoon.

This past tuesday the After school program went to the picina (pool) for the day. It was so much fun! So we swam around all day in the pool, played futbol and volleyball. I got completly burnt though!

My host dad Walter makes these booklets that are sent out to Argentina, Columbia, and over places down here, and he showed me his latest booklet for October and my picture was on it, and there is a whole page about me in the booklet. So I guess my face will be all over down here. I thought it was pretty funny!

Yesterday, the SALTers went to a Mennonite Colony about an hour away from Santa Cruz. It was quite an interesting experience. We had time to ask them questions about their life and beliefs and then had lunch with them. I took some pictures so I am going to try to upload them onto here when I get the chance.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving... my first holiday away from home this year. The Canadians who are here in Santa Cruz, all got together and made a huge meal! It was so great! We were going to buy turkey but it was too expensive, so we had chicken instead! I definetly missed being with my family in Calgary this year!

So tonight is the big night were I am preaching! But I figured out last night that it´s not in the church but ON THE STREET! It´s pretty interesting to have a church service on the street, and we light firecrackers to attract more people to come. So wish me luck! It´s in spanish I am continuing to practice my pronounciation! I´m a little nervous though!

Ok well I should go practice my speech for tonight. I kids are coming in an hour so I need to get going! Please keep e-mailing. Honestly, I have enjoyed checking my e-mail and seeing what a big support network I have back at home! I must say that I am lacking in my responses to e-mails mostly because I don´t have much time on the internet. But just know that I continue to think of everyone a lot and I will reply to e-mails when I can!

I love you and miss you all!