Well, I almost can't believe it! I'm actually going to Bolivia! This has been a dream of mine for a very long time. This dream has 2 parts:In the 1960's, my father had 4 siblings that had moved down to Bolivia near the Santa Cruz area and lived in the Mennonite colonies. Now there are many large colonies there with hundreds of relatives that I have never met. It has always been a dream of my parents to go to Bolivia to visit dad's siblings there but that dream was never fulfilled. So now, I feel I am now going in there place, I am fulfilling this dream for them. D
ad has a sister that is 92 and a brother that is 76 that are still living - he hasn't seen his brother in 46 years! I am going to do what I do best - take pictures - and I will bring Bolivia home to my parents. :-) I have met one of my cousins from Bolivia a couple of years ago. T
hey are a missionary family near Santa Cruz and so I will be staying with them for 8 days. She will know many of my cousins there and so they will know where to take me to visit my relatives. You can read up on their ministry at www.emmc.ca/journals/dave_lisa_janzen The above photo (right) is taken at a colony near Santa Cruz of the Sugar Cane press in that colony (photo taken by Lisa Janzen). The family photo on the above left is taken in Bolivia. The Bolivian monkey photo is also taken by Lisa Janzen. She has a love of photography just like I do - I think we'll get along quite well for a week. :-)
The 2nd part of this dream is this: I have a dear friend who has bee
n living at Tarija, Bolivia for a few years with her family. They also are missionaries and run a coffeehouse ministry - you can check it out at www.elcandelero.com We have known each other for many years. I will be spending 2 weeks with them. I will be exposed to many different things I'm sure, including bugs. :-) I know it will be a wonderful experience and I can't wait to come b
ack and share my photos with friends and family back home. I will have many stories to share as well as photos. I will be exposed to many different things on this trip, I'm sure, including different types of bugs like this green one here. Yuck! These photos in this section are from Larry & Colleen's website as well as the map of Bolivia. The bug photos Larry sent to me through 
email just to let me know what I'll be up against - although he didn't know it when he sent it. :-)I know God will be with me and He has a wonderful purpose for me going on this trip. His hand has been in the planning and in this heart's desire of mine. I love my kids and my hubby who are sending me with their blessing. I love this wonderful man in my life very, very much - I will miss him greatly. It is so amazing to me how he loves me so much to help me to fulfill this dream of mine. God will bless him for that, I'm sure. I want to be a blessing to those that I will be visiting and I want to be a blessing to those when I return home to share all my pictures.
3 comments:
Have a great trip Lisa
I know you will have a great time!
HELLO FROM BOLIVIA!
Yes, I am here but not at my final destination yet. I have been on quite an adventure - I tell ya!
From having a flight with no overnighters, I now am about to have my second one. :-) Last night I stayed in Miami and tonight I get to stay in Cochabamba Bolivia. Tomorrow afternoon I should reach Tarija.
Thank you so much to many of you who have been praying for me. God has been very good looking after me and sending me angels along the way - English speaking ones too! :-) That is always good. I am seeing beauty and different things that I am used to all over the place. God has created a beautiful world and I still can hardly believe that I am exploring it in this unique way. As I am typing this, I am trying to read instructions in Spanish. What a journey I am on! It´s all good. I really feel for most of the other passengers that I have been flying with though - young children, old people, and others who have been trying to travel here since Thursday. So, I really have nothing to complain about. I flew over the Amazon Rain Forest today and it was raining - imagine that!! hee-hee. We had touched down in Manaus, Brazil. What incredible beauty! I saw the Amazon River too with cruise ships on it. What sites!
So, anyway, I´d appreciate your continued prayers. I get to take a taxi to the airport tomorrow - some very kind people (mother, aunt, brother, daughter, grandma and child) gave me a ride to the hotel here today - that was wonderful! Like I said, many many angels along the way. :-)
Take care and I will greatly appreciate your continued prayers.
I am very much enjoying this adventure! There have been so many things to thank God for along the way - little things but all the same big things. He cares so much - certain things have blown me away with the little things He has looked after. I praise my God and my Lord - Thank you Jesus!
Lisa
What a wonderful day I've had!
I have spent the day in the beautiful city of Cochabamba site seeing with another set of angels God had sent my way. Larry & Colleen had friends in Cochabamba that work for Compassion come to the hotel and take me around to see some wonderful sites. I felt very safe with them and they knew exactly where to go.
We had taken a taxi up to a mountain that is situated in the middle of the city and has a HUGE white statue of Christ at the top. It was a beautiful narrow cobblestone road winding round and round. The city completely surrounds the mountain and the statue overlooks the whole city. It was gorgeous! I'll share a picture at some point.
The plane ride to Tarija was only 45 minutes and beautiful. The mountains around here are all brown with very little green. The scenery is breathtaking.
It is wonderful to be here with my dear friend. I still can hardly believe that I am here. Colleen says that it is a miracle and I agree.
What an experience it has been getting here and I've loved it all.
God has been so good.
The devotional readings the past couple of days have been just for me. The one was about leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus and the other one was how God looks over and protects the ones who love Him. That is exactly how I've felt - loved, protected and strengthened by Him. He has looked over me so well! Each time I've prayed for protection from food, or not being hit by water bombers,... he's answered those prayers!
What an amazing God I serve!!
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