One week on

Well it has now been a week today since I arrived, though it seems like I’ve been here for a flipping month! I arrived last week into La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia and the highest city in the world (12,500 ft above sea level). Before I went all the guide books were all ‘be careful of altitude sickness when you arrive’ but everyone I talked to was like ‘you’re young, as long as you don’t run a marathon you’ll be fine’ So I thought yeah I’ll be grand. So when I arrived I was fine. for like an hour. then it all began. So I was in bed for the whole time I was in La Paz, literally. I didn’t go outside until the night I left. I was staying with the Bolivia team leader Maribel and her husband and they were so nice, really taking care of me, such a blessing. Thank you so much for your prayers, they REALLY helped when I was bringing up my glass of water. that was the limit of what I could eat. truly bad times.

But now I am in Cochabamba and it is definitely for the best. This is the city where I am doing a month’s language study to get used to Latin American spanish. While I am here, I am living with four other bolivian guys who are involved with a church here and planting other churches in the shanty town region of the city. They are Tomas, Angel, Puma and Ronald (which probably sound really weird to you all but its pretty normal over here, that’s how mental bolivia is) They are so nice and welcoming and friendly and everything. It’s so weird being with them because none of them speak english so we’ve been communicating in spanish, so good for my language but SO strange! So tiring as well, most of them are out doing holy work for the Lord during the day so we all eat breakfast together. at half 6. EVERY DAY. sleeping in is not an option here, they were asking me what time I got up in Ireland and so I went for 9 and they were all so shocked that I got up SO late, I’m sure my mum could tell them differently!

Being here is so weird because so much of the time I’m just like a giant baby. Yesterday Angel took me to el cancho which is the market here, and it was SO massive that I kept getting lost and he had to come and find me. Also, in so many situations I have no idea what the etiquette is and just have to copy what everyone else is doing. Also, being white here is mental. Everywhere I go, it’s kind of like being a celebrity, but a rubbish celebrity that everyone wants to steal from. When I go to the bus station or the market everyone is like ‘blalblalalsnddeeh scngubvcmxfu’ in my face. because that is what it sounds like to me. it happens all the time because I’m SO white, even more so that the other white people who are here. but it makes me laugh so it’s all good.

So…that’s prob enough for one post, I know I get so bored reading all of messages like these so if you do don’t worry. i totally understand.

just some prayer points for the holy amongst you:

-major thanks for safety, provision of a place to stay, and good health (which I definitely should not still be having, the other day we were coming back from the shanty church when we stopped at this random road side cochabamba juice stand and they were all ‘yeah try this typical juice’ However the water here is so dirty and so bad, people get typhoid and stuff from it. but also it is so rude to refuse anything esp when people are so poor or buy you sthg. so i drank it down in Jesus’ name accompanied by a hefty amount of prayer! That was 5 days ago now and I’ve been 100% every day. thank you Jesus!

-thanks for the guys I am living with. They are so supportive and have a group devotional time every morning which has been so helpful to help maintain bible study and prayer.

-prayer for continued settling in, it has been going really well and just pray that would continue.

Ciao for now amigos.

ps the weather here is amazing.

Goodbye Ireland!

Hey team! So I am leaving the fair isle of Ireland at half 7 in the morning which is mental sad times 😦 little face of sadness.

BUT then i’m of to freaking BOLIVIA!!!! yyeeeaah. that’s what I like to hear!

I am suitably very excited but also a little bit terrified of what to expect. I am so excited to just get out there and see the place where I’ll be working, the people I’m living with and the llamas. excited for them. Here’s a wee brief overview of what I’ll be up to over the next couple of weeks…. When I arrive on thursday (at half 5 in the morning.yess) firstly it will be wet and cold. not excited. I am in La Paz (the capital city of Bolivia) for a week getting my orientation with the latin link person there Maribel. She’ll show me around and I’ll learn how to post a letter, order food. all the classics Apparently La Paz is the highest city in the world, 12,000 ft (hence coldness of -4 at night), so I may also spend a lot of time with my new bestie altitude sickness. if all you holy ones out there could chuck that one up to jc that’d be much appreciated.

Then after that week I’ll be heading to Cochabamba, the city where I’ll be living and working for the next nine months. I will have three weeks of language study to get used to mental bolivian spanish and then I’m out with the lads in Pequeño David(the boys’ home I’m working in) It’s all going down. So that’s just pretty much what I’m up to for the next couple of weeks, email me and let me know what you’re all doing aye? yeah.

enjoy life, m

some prayer if you’re feeling like some jesus time:

-safe travel, always a winner

-confidence in my language when I get out there, that God would bring it all back (and more)

-preparation of my heart for what I’m going to see when I’m out there and openness to listen and hear from Him

ta

Three Days!

Just my first post to say hello to you all if you’re reading this! I have currently only got three days left before I go so they are being hectically spent packing and seeing everyone. busy times indeed.

I will update this regularly when I am away so keep your eyes peeled!

God bless