Paz y Justicia, entre cosas.

un mois plus

2009-06-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Our office is closed this week for much needed vacation time. Since my favorite friends Christina and Kate are coming in to town next week and we will be traveling, so I decided to stay in L.P. and collect my thoughts. Plus, I really do not enjoy traveling alone- pretty over that.

This afternoon I decided to venture to my old neighborhood, up into the black market (real name: Mercado Negro). I have been wanting a pair of red, high top, Chuck Taylors and I was feeling lucky. My luck died after asking 10 stall owners if they carried a size 10. 8 gave me a quick NO, one said the pair I was holding (a size 7) was in fact a 10- do I look a) blind o b) stupid, the 10th said "yes", went to storage, came back and without making eye contact handed me a laced size 8. Seriously- do I look stupid. He didn't even react when I pointed out the clear OCHO on the sneaker. Just a shrug, and most likely he honestly thought I could make it work. He isn't the first Bolivian to try to convince me that I should wear an 8, that I am just making up my toes existence.

The afternoon was redeemed when I got on a mini bus with a "vocero" (boy that yells out the buses route) with an EXCELLENT lisp. THeis de Agosto, THan Miguiel, uno-THincuenta. A great moment. It's the little things that keep me sane.

In other news, I am growing less and less motivated to begin applying jobs from here. I mean if one more person mentions the economic crisis in a "good luck with that" tone, I may just never move back to the U.S. and take a job waitressing in Cusco. I am indeed aware of the odds against me, but then again hold strongly to the reality that when people lose money, social problems are heightened- therefore more opportunities in the "social assistance" field. I think I will be fine. But most of all, my lack of motivations comes from really desiring some time when i get back and not having to rush into a new job, city, apt, friend search, etc. I kind of just want to stand still and be. Maybe go for a run, breath some oxygen and sit by running water. Just the little things that keep me sane.

ready for hello(s)

2009-06-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been thinking of how ready I am to say hello and how over I am of saying goodbye. As I count down the days to my 8th move (Waco, Santiago, Tokyo, Baltimore, Bangkok, L.A., La Paz...) in the last 4 years, I am facing the routine of taking in what this experience has been and anticipating what the next will bring. I know it will take a lot more than just a few weeks to let thing soak in and settle, but I like to get a bit of a head start- especially since I have the apt to myself and an upcoming week-long break from work.

While I have been genuinely blessed by the many places, experiences and most of all people I have met over the past few years, I am ready for some repeats. Bring on familiar faces and already experienced places, I am ready to say hello again. I am ready to relive old times and take a walk down memory lane. I am ready to reintroduce myself to people and assure them that I am mostly the same. mostly. OH I am so ready for hello!

As for the song posted bellow, if you know me- then you know. And if you don't, well then you should check out Tracy Chapman, she's an amazing artist.

Change, by Tracy Chapman

2009-06-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

If you knew that you would die today
Saw the face of god and love
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that love can break your heart
When you're down so low that you cannot fall
Would you change?
Would you change?

How bad, how good, does it need to get?
How many losses? how much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around
Makes you try to explain
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change
Makes you change

If you knew that you would be alone
Knowing right, being wrong,
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that you would find a truth
That would bring a pain that can't be soothed
Would you change?
Would you change?

How bad, how good, does it need to get?
How many losses? how much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around
Makes you try to explain
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change
Makes you change

Are you so up right
You can't be bent
If it comes to blows
Are you so sure you won't be crawling
If not for the good why why risk falling
Why risk falling?

If everything you think you know
Makes your life unbearable
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you'd broken every rule and vow
And hard times come to bring you down
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that you would die today,
If you saw the face of God and loved
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you saw the face of God and loved
If you saw the face of God and loved
Would you change?
Would you change?

I live here and haven't heard of this...

2009-06-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/10/chagas.bolivia.deadly/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Sigo Viva

2009-06-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Still alive. A busy month.

Working on an update.

Harder than I expected.

Processing the past 9 months.

Awaiting what the next few could bring.

controversial clothing

2009-05-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I joined two friends to take on the El Alto market, a place where you can purchase everything from a needle to a car. Bangkok's Jadujak marked was nothing compared to this. We left the south zone to head up and 9 a.m. and didn't get back till 16:00. A days work that paid off beautifully, spending 55 Bolivianos ($7.75) on 3 blouses, 3 sweaters AND a pair of jeans (that thankfully fit- dressing sheets are only in the more expensive stalls a.k.a. $10 jeans v $3). All items were used of course, but if you know me well that is pretty much what I wear. Used, cheap office and grubby sweats fill my closet.

The controversy does not lie what I bought, but in the clothing that is being sold. Since it is used and not made in Bolivia, the government has banned it from being further imported. Over the past year the government has decided that importing uses "american" clothing hurts the local economy and Bolivian clothing manufacturers. Most Bolivians choose used over new, stating that the quality is better. So far no more deliveries of Value Village/Goodwill rejects have entered the country, but there is still tons and tons in warehouses waiting to be sold. Officials had threatened to burn the remaining clothes, but after an initial series of protests decided to give the vendors 6 months to sale out.

Well, the 6 months are up and there are still tons of chompas (word used for sweaters here) that need to be sold. Over the last few months both sides, a.k.a the vendors at the market v. the local clothing makers, have raised up against each other and the government. Here that means an endless series of marches/protests/noise making/blocking of major city streets to gain attention and maybe, just maybe find a solution. Not sure how that works, but its all in the cultural taking in of things. I actually missed the semi-nude march in downtown L.P. and was very very disappointed.

The moral to this story, among many is: reduce, reuse, recycle- BUT keep it within the U.S. since your waist is causing controversy and forcing me to walk 1/2 an hour though city street that are blocked by angry clothing people. Although, I am thankful for the cheap finds, even if they did belong to your late Aunt Elsa.

retreat

2009-04-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

For those who are interested or those who are ready my blog out of obligation, the retreat was a success. I find it hard to choose adjectives to describe a retreat on sexual abuse, so I will keep this to a minimal. Pastors and leaders were very moved and motivated to start informing, educating and working with their local communities on the topic. The majority of women who attended (around 50) and a few men spoke with our speaker or counselor about past abuse. For many of them it was the first time to voice their pain. Three support groups for survivors of sexual abuse will start this week!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!

Eclesiastés

2009-04-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;

the more knowledge, the more grief.

Mientras más sabiduría, más problemas;

mientras más se sabe, más se sufre.

1:18

Work has been draining lately. I have been translating a manual/outlines for support groups for survivors of sexual abuse. My capacity to take in and spout out words from English to Spanish has come to a halt and the reality of what we work with is settling in a deeper manner. I cannot think of a darker sin or worse evil than sexual abuse. Murder kills the body, but the soul remains alive. Sexual abuse kills the soul, but the body remains alive. Not only does it murder, it also steals and destroys. Taking a child's innocent, a person's dignity, destroying their sense of trust, self-esteem, and love. The more I know, the more I hate it, the more devastated I am. Such a dark evil that it almost seems to get darker the more light is shed on it.

Knowledge may cause grief and wisdom, sorrow. Yet, are we not called to desire wisdom? Have we not been given knowledge from the Knower of All? With this wisdom we shall not mourn alone, nor shall we let those who mourn be alone. Sorrow should not kill our desire and duty to support those who have and will overcome.

The more I know, the more I hate it, the more devastated I am. Such a dark evil that it seems to get darker the more light is shed on it. Yet the darkness makes me think of light, I become fixated on how light can and will make the darkness disappear. Similarly seeing and knowing of such blatant evil reminds that there is Great Good. Good that restores hope to the hopeless, peace to the troubled, comfort to the devastated, and strength to the defeated.

Next week is our big pastor/leader's retreat on sexual abuse and (in) the church. This retreat will be huge. Pastors and leaders representing over sixty churches in La Paz and El Alto are participating. Some have never heard of a Christian perspective on sex, aside from don't do it until after marriage. Some have been abused. Others may have been abusers. As much as I am excited to see Greatness move, I also realize how devastating, heartbreaking and overwhelming the topic can be. I ask that the grief would not overwhelm, but that it would encourage those who participate to raise up; and mourn with those who mourn. To not forget or look away from this darkness, but instead to be reminded of the power of Light. To not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with Good.

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night- then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

Al dedicarme al conocimiento de la sabiduría y a la observación de todo cuanto se hace en la tierra, sin que pudiera conciliar el sueño ni de día ni de noche, pude ver todo lo hecho por Dios. ¡El hombre no puede comprender todo lo que Dios ha hecho en esta vida! Por más que se esfuerce por hallarle sentido, no lo encontrará; aun cuando el sabio diga conocerlo, no lo puede comprender.

8:16-17

one story

2009-03-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/20/boliva.girl/index.html

One story out of thousands of cases in Bolivia.

Millions throughout the world.

A sensationalized tale.

A raw reality.

God help us.

Northern Ireland is not so far away

2009-03-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

In the past week I have been asked if I was a Christian more than in my 23 years combined. I hated it each time.

While the Christian community here is tightly knit, it sometimes seems too uptight to me (actually not just here, but in lots of places). I have decided that next time I am asked I will respond, “Yes, I go to mass every Sunday” just to see how the person will react. Here Christians are separated from Catholics. My question to this is- Who exactly do Catholics believe in? I am pretty sure we broke off from them. I have met amazing people who believe in anything, everything and nothing. I have met wonderful Catholics and horrible Christians, inspiring Jews and loving Buddhists. There are few things that really make me angry, but segregation among “loving” believers is high on my short list.

How valid is my response to this question? If I say I am, does that really make me one? I mean Bill Clinton said he didn’t have sexual relations with Monica, and we all know how that ended. People say things all the time they don’t really mean or that they intend for them to mean something completely different.

How true is our Christianity, which calls us to love our neighbor, when our second question to our neighbor is; are you one of us? Of course I realize that it could be intended with love, but love is usually felt- and I haven’t really felt the love when I have been asked that. Plus, such a question seems to segregate and segregation is the complete opposite of the unconditional love of Christ- whom "Christians" claim to follow.

things I miss that cannot be mailed:

2009-03-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

1- baby spinach

2- running at sea level (or any level lower than 2 miles in the sky)

3- efficiency

4- tall people

5- beaches

6- sleeping in

7- blame taking

8- Target

9- a choice group of family and friends (who I think could adapt and live here- for a while)

10-Chipotle

The top three are pretty much on my mind daily, the rest were harder to think of, which I think is a good sign.

a sermon I am translating...

2009-03-10T09:04:00.001-07:00

and thought it was worth sharing (Spanish version available upon request).

http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org/downloads/siwo.pdf

moving down moving up

2009-03-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I moved to Zona Sur, the lowest part of La Paz. Like I mentioned long ago, La Paz us relatively bowl shaped and while I used to be right at the point when you realize that you need more milk or cereal, I now live at the level where the flakes are always present. Basically, I have more oxygen to breath, less congestion, less public urination and most importantly less mini bus riding. A few other perks include making my own meals, washing my own clothes, making my own bed and having a living room that I feel comfortable hanging out in.

Yes, its the simplest things that make life great.

Stats.

2009-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence — yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, 8 March 2007[i]

IN BOLIVIA…
· An estimated 7 out of 10 women suffer from violence.
· In 2007, 32,814 complaints of domestic violence and/or family violence were filed in Bolivia.

AROUND THE WORLD…
· 85 to 95% of domestic violence victims are female.[iii]
· Based on data gathered by the General Secretariat of the United Nations on Violence against Minors, the study shows that 275 million minors are currently exposed to domestic violence.
· For women between the ages of 15 and 44, violence constitutes a major cause of death and disability.[iv]
· In a 1994 study conducted by the World Bank on ten risk factors that affect women, violence and rape were ranked higher than cancer, traffic accidents, war and malaria.[v]
· Based on several surveys from around the world, half of the women who die from homicides are killed by their current or former husbands or partners.
· Limited availability of services, stigma and fear prevent women from seeking assistance and redress. This has been confirmed by a study published by the WHO in 2005: on the basis of data collected from 24,000 women in 10 countries, between 55 percent and 95 percent of women who had been physically abused by their partners had never contacted NGOs, shelters or the police for help.[vi]
· According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 48 studies conducted around the world, up to 69% of women stated that they had been physically abused by their partner at some point in their life.
· Over half of men who abuse their wives will also abuse their children.[vii]
· One out of every five women has to miss work as a consequence of domestic violence.[viii]
[i] http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/facts_figures.php
[ii] http://www.ine.gov.bo/indice/visualizador.aspx?ah=PC3090102.HTM
[iii] http://www.aidv-usa.com/Statistics.htm
[iv] 1994 World Bank Study.
[v] General Assembly. In-Depth Study on All Forms of Violence against Women: Report of the Secretary General, 2006. A/61/122/Add.1. 6 July 2006. 52.
[vi] García-Moreno et al. 2005. WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence Against Women. Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses, Geneva: WHO. 74.
[vii] http://www.catwinternational.org/factbook/LatinAmerica.php
[viii] http://www.catwinternational.org/factbook/LatinAmerica.php

Carnaval

2009-02-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend Bolivia celebrates its version of carnaval. Lets just say its a once in a lifetime experience that I embraced and have checked off my life list. Oruro is where the main celebration takes place and everyone since the day I have arrived in Bolivia has told me that I had to go. Of course none of them wanted to accompany me to the great celebration, so I booked a day tour to insure a safer journey.

For historical details on Oruro's Carnaval see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnaval_de_Oruro . Basically its a endless parade of dancers that make there way to a church where they enter kneeling and pray to the virgin. The costumes are elaborate and colorful, the dancing left more to be desired, but I guess if I were asked to dance for 5k I would also come up with simple steps. The first few hours were great, but after 10 well, I was done. Plus half of the "fun" was an ongoing water fight between the bleacher sections. Lucky me to be sitting on the edge, so I was pelted with half full (aka hard) water balloons for ten hours. I almost picked a fight with the supremely annoying Irish guy behind me, but I kept peace. There is nothing that gets under my skin more than foreigners who play the "foreigner card" and ignore local social norms, as in don't throw balloons while dancers pass, wait for the break. I mean sure, I play that card, but usually it doesn't offend the majority (sneaking into five star hotels to use their pool) and it most defiantly has never caused someone to get hit by a water balloon.

The trip came to an eye opening end. When we were dropped off in downtown La Paz, three blocks from my house, I witnessed two women being beaten by their spouses/boyfriends/men. I have almost grown accustomed to seeing violence here, since almost daily I see someone loose their temper and hit something or yell at someone. But this made me feel so helpless since there wasn't anything I could do but say a silent prayer and run up to my house. To get involved would mean that I would likely get beaten, by the man or even the woman- since its "none of my business" and calling the police would be equally as pointless. The saying here "if he loves me he hits me" is a norm for the majority. Seven out of ten women in Bolivia suffer from abuse. Next month domestic violence is the topic we will be discussing in the churches we are working with, hoping to break the silence on this epidemic. Hoping that churches would be a voice against violence and become safe havens for victims as well as help to abusers. My heart breaks to think about the two women I saw a few nights ago, thinking how many nights they are beaten, yelled at or raped.

My heart breaks at the problems I have seen and feel that there are so few answers. Seeing so much evil- pure evil, while a times debilitating, it has also renewed my hope and belief in The Good that exists. Complete Good that will ultimately overtake evil and daily restores the broken. The idea of working for peace has been in my meditations lately. Peace is hard work and not just a simple wish. Work that can be heart breaking and devastating, but ultimately what else is there to stand up for if not for peace? Is not peace a product of love? If we simply just wish, we throw away the chances of true change, we throw away what True Love calls us to do- to act and work for peace, even with a silent prayer.

a few links of interest

2009-02-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

The following links will provide some insight to this beautiful and sometimes questionable land I now call home....

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bolivia_and_its_new_constituti.html?s_campaign=8315

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hNEMhtxY8H4x4Mm_S1AqRDjn8lOgD96901280

Back in L.P.

2009-02-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have officially been back a week and am also back to almost having a heart attack each time I come back to my house up 3 inclines. My lungs must have shrunk back to size while I was at sea level.

Being back has reminded of my love/hate relationships with this city. Then again I think that is how most people feel most of the time no matter where they live. I have been wondering what people think of La Paz when they only experience it for a day or even a week. Thankfully last night I received an answer when a visitor described the city as "having a constant frenetic energy, a chaos that works." Then today a Bolivian described La Paz as a city where "everything and nothing happens." This is very true. From the outside, and even on the inside from an outsiders prospective, it feels like this place could explode at any moment. And many times it has. But ask any local and they will repeatedly insist that all is well and normal and that nothing there is nothing to worry about.

Since my arrival, I have seen more public urination and breast feeding here than in my 23 years combined. I have seen houses built of steel and stone, and others made of cardboard. Just like any other city, this is a place where worlds collide and contradictions are as far marked as black is to white. Yet I still feel that its energy and spirit is unlike any other place I have ever lived. I mean, who in their right mind chooses to build a city this high? And furthermore, who decides to continue to stay? I am in awe of this city, I really am. The way the chaos works and the way that it eventually seems normal.

La Paz, here's to second round and many more days of experience!

If I am traveling at 32 I hope....

2009-01-29T20:14:00.000-08:00

1- I invest in decent luggage, the kind that doesn't loose its wheels after one trip.

2- Have someone to pull, push or carry said luggage.

3-I learn how to pack less than I weigh in case no one else can carry the expensive, yet broken wheeled suitcase.

4- To stay in places where I am not sharing a room with complete strangers.

5- Having a private bathroom would also be a perk, but I can't be too picky.

6- I own clothes that were bought new and are made to look a) nice while traveling and b) like I actually get paid to do my job.

7- I have better sense not the spend the night in a not so international international airport so to save $10 on a hostel.

Let's hope the next 9 years afford me such luxuries.

Direction, just in time.

2009-01-29T04:12:00.000-08:00

I recently spent three days trekking through Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia. This was my first real dose of trekking and I not sure I would recommend this one for a first experience, but I survived and for the most part I really enjoyed my time in nature. The hardest trail by far was up to the Torres lookout. One must cross a couple of rivers (with and without bridges), walk through mud, forest and finally the last 30 minutes is a 100-degree incline on a pile of rocks. If I had spent years on a Stairmaster this still would have been a challenge. I did make it and it was gorgeous.

Along this particular trail there were parts that were very well marked and others that made me second guess the previous markings and think that I would end up at a cottage made of candy or simple get eaten by a puma. Just about the time I felt like I had no other option but to backtrack, I would see a little orange bit in the distance, that would reaffirm that I was on course. The markings were not consistent in shape, form or the distance between them, some were flags, others were circles painted on trees, or arrows on a rock, or plastic posts. The only thing in common was their bright orange color.

On my way back down from seeing the Torres up close, I began to think of how these markings were similar to how God provides direction. Life many times, for me at least, can seem more like a road less traveled, unpaved and rarely marked, rather than a straight, narrow, paved Roman road. There are times when I get desperate and am not sure which course to take. Nevertheless the Universe Herself presents me with markers just in time to affirm that yes, you are still on track. These signs can come in the form of a friend or coworker or complete stranger, they can come through a e-mail or telephone call, through a movie watched, a song heard or a poem read. Each speaks just enough to move me and direct me in this unmarked wilderness of life. For the slightest of moments these signs allow my mind, heart and most importantly my soul to unite, aligning my inner compass. I believe all humans posses this compass, this balance of mind, heart and soul, but few of us are willing to acknowledge or listen to it. If we allow, this compass can direct us, showing us our north and east. Providing us with enough direction, enough hope to satisfy any anxiety we bare. Even if it is just for a moment, we are at peace, knowing full well that the road that we have traveled was right and the course we are taking will eventually lead us to an end- even if ever so vague, we know things are just as they should be. Our inner voice is silenced and our compass is directed by the wise whisper of the Universe that these signs provide, the whisper that unified them all- making them known to us. A gentle whisper that reaches to the depths of who we are. Speaking, directing our soul.

Home

2009-01-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings from my birthland... yes, I am still here. For those of you who are not aware I am here till the end of January, waiting for the vote for the New Constitution in Bolivia to blow over (hopefully uneventfully, so I can go back).

I have taken this time as a sabbatical of such to reflect and regroup. Spending it in Chile has been all the more of a blessing, coming full circle of sorts (birth till now). Being here has made me realize why I am who I am and why I do certain things. I make more sense to me here. Cultural differences are sometimes hard to explain in words, it's in seeing and experiencing them that make them cognitively unique.

The greatest thing I have come to realize is that home is a sense of belonging. Home is not a place, nor a building with four walls, a few windows and a door. Home can not be defined by something tangible or concrete, though it can be represented by one. Home is feeling that you belong somewhere or to someone, and not only that, but most importantly, that you are needed. I believe a sense of belonging comes from a greater sense that is given off by someone else who not only needs, but desires ones presence. Feeling this from someone else and having a similar feeling in return, gives one a sense of belonging.

Home become a journey for many people my age, in particular those with stories like mine, who when asked where home is, they sigh and would rather move on to the next question. At this point, I am quite certain that nothing concrete could define my sense of home, nor could one specific person. And while one day I hope to feel that sense of belonging from a person(s), I am now satisfied with knowing that I am right where I need to be; nothing more or nothing less. This IS home; not a nation state or one of the united states, but a state of ones own.

ZEBRAS II

2009-01-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

In a previous blog entry I mentions the people dressed up as zebras to help the citizens of La Paz learn where and when to cross the streets.

Well well, I found a mini documentary on the matter. Please direct yourselves to the following link and enjoy

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bolivia#video-ltv-F6C841FC760DECE9

p.s. I live right behind the Iglesia San Franscisco and the intersection featured is minutes from my home.

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

2009-01-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

So far I have successfully enjoyed all of the eight things listed bellow. I forget how much I LOVE Chile. Maybe because in many senses its home, even though I technically do not have family or a house here. details.

Lucy was here for a nice 10 day visit. We spent most of our time in Viña del Mar, sitting on the beach and indulging in all the great food I have been missing in Bolivia (including a trip to McDonalds- pathetic, I know). It was refreshing to be with family and a good friend, having time to rest and relax.

I am now back in Concepción, my hometown. I was here for a quick weekend trip to be at my 5 year high school reunion. I was able to see the majority of my old classmates, catch up, and realize how little things change, in both good an not so good ways.

Right now I am trying to plan my journey to the south, which may or may not include a bus ride all the way to the Patagonia. It should give me a lot of time to think things through and just be, soaking in all the Chileaness I can before I return to La Paz.

8 days to Chile!

2008-12-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

Top 8 reasons why I look forward to my vacation to Chile:

1- Seeing/being with friends and Lucy.

2-The accent.

3- Oxygen.

4- Not being such a giant.

5- Sunshine and summertime.

6-Rich's Hamburgers (among other tasty treats).

7-Fresh air. (i.e. more trees, less urine on the streets).

8-No one daily trying to sell me fossils or flashlights.

thankful

2008-11-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

These past few days and weeks haven't been the easiest, so it is nice to have a holiday that reminds me to reflect and be thankful.

A year ago, eating my turkey sandwich at a subway in Bangkok, I could not have guessed that I would be in La Paz today. Today I cannot begin to guess where I will be in a year (I could guess, but I know it will most like be inaccurate). I am most thankful for the now, and for knowing in my deepest of deep that it is right. God's consistency through highs and lows, God's consistency in my most inconsistent hour. I am thankful for God's security amidst my many insecurities. For reminding me to embrace the now, to love the present and to rejoice in the living, not in the planning, nor in regret, nor in memories. To surrender and know this is right where I am to be on this Thanksgiving.

Mini Buses

2008-11-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

Words cannot quite measure up to the experience of a mini bus. I tend to assume things as normal or o.k. when first in country, then my mind catches up and I begin to observe reality. Mini buses are one of those things that at first were fine and now are daily either hilarious or horrible.

The Bolivian mini bus is the most common means of transportation around the city. Most are 6 to 12 (cramming 18-20) passenger mini vans, that I believe were chosen to fit the small streets. The only problem is that there are too many so congestion is still an issue. If I could statistically predict a way I could be injured here it would be by a mini bus.

Two people usually work these "mobilizations", the driver (who never speaks unless asked for change) and the assistant (usually his wife or an adolescent boy). The assistants role is to yell out the window to pedestrians to inform them of where the bus is headed. It sounds something like a cattle call with one or two words you can actually understand. Something like "6deagostoarcesanmiguelachumanicalocoto." The yell out even when the vehicle is moving way to fast for anyone, besides its passengers to hear (which gets annoying). They are also in charge of collecting the money. Heaven forbid one does not have the correct change. I break out in cold sweat when I have a 10bs bill ($1.40) and its 1bs. They give evil looks and make you feel like you are asking the world of them to break it. Sometimes they will hold you money till the last minute to give you change, or wait for you to ask for it. I exchanged some words with a young man assistant the other day when he already overcharged me and then gave me incorrect change. He gave me my 1bs and I tried not to think about how I was fighting over less than 20 cents. It's the principal of the matter, I refused to pay 1bs for the use of the bathroom in Rurre bc they all of a sudden decided to charge us in the national park which we already paid like $20 to get in to. That is another tiff.

Mini buses also have a distinct smell. It's like playing the lottery every time you get on one. You might get a man with nice cologne, or you might get...well smells that make me a bit nauseous. Today I was on a bus where I small child began to throw up. No, they did not stop the bus, they simply stuck her head out of the window.

Taxies exist, and you might be asking me why I don't take those. Well, they tend to be pretty sketchy (as in they kidnap people) and 10 times the price. But I do take them when possible or when with others.

My greatest mini bus experience took place last week, when Michael Jackson's greatest hits album was blaring and the man next me new all the lyrics to Thriller.

Just a spoon full of my daily life here in the L.P.

007

2008-11-23T17:25:00.000-08:00

I just got home from watching the new James Bond, filmed in Chile and set in Bolivia (neither party is happy about that fact).

A few comments:

I think it made La Paz seem more tropical than it is, I mean it's not tropical in the least and no one wears t-shirts at night. In general it was a pretty good sketch, especially the "cholitas" in the background and in a few scenes. There is FOR SURE no hotel that resembles the one in the movie, if there was I would have snuck in there by now. [ Side note: I did sneak into the nice hotel in town this weekend, but I did have a friend who had a room and she invited us to the the pool. I became an expert on faking a hotel stay, room number an all during my time in Bangkok.]

I don't think that another movie portraying U.S. involvement in propping up dictators in other countries, namely Bolivia, is the greatest idea. I kind of wanted to hide my face/skin tone and all around physical features during that part of the film. Most people believe movies to be all truth and I wouldn't be surprised if the movie does not catalyze another march to burn down the U.S. embassy.

On my mini bus (which will soon get it's own entry) home the helper (the person who yells out the window where the bus is going, collects the money and opens/shuts the door) began breast feeding her baby. Moments like these give me a nice dose of reality, the reality that yes in fact I am living in Bolivia.

Sex Ed.

2008-11-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

For the past two weeks, I have been going to El Alto to help with sex education workshops in local schools. The idea is to use sex education as a preventative tool for sexual abuse. In most cases, especially in El Alto, few schools provide adequate sex ed. or any at all. As in most places its still a taboo subject. With younger kids we start out talking/singing (yes, its back to Bangkok basics) about emotions, then go into talking about their bodies and lastly we do the preventative part or connecting emotions, touch and bodies; what is appropriate and what is not. Giving them knowledge about their bodies and allowing them to realize their value. We do get parental consent before we go into the school, if not it could be really bad. Have I mentioned that they linch people here? Oh yes.

Last week we were teaching a group of 9 to 11 year olds, using a puzzle that created the body of a girl and boy, we were asking them to name the body parts as they put it together. There is always much hesitation when it gets down to the genitals, a hush comes across the classroom and the child with the main body piece blushes and passes off the piece to the child next to them. Sometimes it takes a good 15 minutes to get anyone to give any name they may know for the part that differentiates a boy from a girl. The best response so far is "partes nobles" or "noble parts" for boys. It was cuter and funnier coming from an eight year old Bolivian boy. Everyone usually giggles and then eventually they know all the parts that make up their bodies.

Presenting kids with knowledges and appreciation for their bodies gives them more authority when it comes to taking care of themselves. I have realized how silly it is that we teach children the correct names for most part of their bodies, but make up nicknames or don't even mention the names of genitals. Some kids in our classes said they knew the name, but they said it was a bad word and they couldn't say it aloud. How sad is it that we devalue part of our bodies? All the more when it is the part that gives life? I realize that this isn't just an issue in Bolivia, but across the board. There is fear in providing correct information, what are we fearful of? A child knowing how to correctly name her/his body parts? The is fear in the unknown, but once its known the fear tends to fade. Children shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable about how God made them.

If I have a child, he/she will likely be like the little boy on Kindergarden Cop, "boys have penises and girls have vaginas."

one month vacation.

2008-11-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

Officially a month until I meet Lucy in Santiago de Chile and we embark on a fantastic trip in our homeland! The other day on the mini bus (which are loosing their appeal each time I ride), I began daydreaming of all the wonder Chile will offer me. I might pull a Pope and kiss the ground when I land.

Not to say that Bolivia doesn't have its charm. This past month I have been able to see the extreme beauty that this country has to offer. From the jungles in Rurrenabaque to the salt flats and colored lakes in Uyuni. La Paz is a bit of a crazy city, and I am so thankful I have been able to take trips to see other sites and sounds. I am also thankful that I get a nice break of r&r to see and be in Chile.

Zebras

2008-11-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

After many travels it takes a lot to surprise me. Yet sometimes the simplest of differences make my day. La Paz is a chaotic city to say the least. Cars and busses do their own thing as long as 90% of them are actually on the road, direction, speed, sense of distant... are all irrelevant. People tend to cross like deer- no offense Bolivians, but they do, they look wide eyed and scamper across not really taking into account that the mini van that they saw was a few feet away. For this reason the city has started a zebra campaign. Young people are paid (most likely a less than a dollar an hour) to wear a zebra outfit and stand at... you guessed it zebra crossings to "teach" people where to cross. They are a huge hit, as in people think they are cute, but don't really seem to get the message.

This weekend I was delighted to see, along with the usual zebra, a person dressed up as a donkey, i.e. burro i.e. idiot. I believe this was a counter campaign to better visualize the "idiots" crossing in between cars. So while the zebra crossed at the designated corner crossing, the donkey crossed in between cars.

I mean really, its stuff like this that becomes normal to me and when I go back to the U.S. or any other developed country, I expect this ridiculousness and become disappointed at the lack of entertaining social behavior.

some info (could be a bit of an overload)

2008-11-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

The following is a research project I worked over human trafficking in Latin America. Be informed. I was. I warn that it is quite long.

100,000 women and children are trafficked across Latin America, 500,000 girls under the age of 16 are prostituted in northeast Argentina, 35,000 Columbian women were sold within one year into the international sex industry, the U.S. CIA estimates that approximately 50,000 persons are trafficked into slavery in the United States annually, 15,000 of those enslaved each year are Latin Americans.

Each number seem overwhelming, the equivalent of university campuses, football stadiums and entire communities. Yet we must remember that each number is made up of individuals; men, women and children who have their own story of deception, abuse and devastation. Imagine, if you can, being the eldest daughter in search for an honest way to help your parents provide for your younger siblings, you are told of a waitressing job in a tourist area in a neighboring country. You leave with your parents blessing, accompanied by an acquaintance, but soon find yourself abused, sexually and physically, far from home without any means to return. Imagine being a young boy on your way to school when you are offered a ride from a family friend, you never knew this man would hand you off to another man, and another and another until you found yourself half way across the continent. Imagine you are a father, a skilled laborer, who dreams of better opportunities for your children. An office offering work in Russia that will pay four times that amount you make each month, all that is required is for you to pay for the plane ticket upfront and visa work. The promise of getting refunded and paid the due amount soon fades when you find yourself cooking, eating and sleeping in the same small space, where you also share two restrooms with 200 other compatriots who have lost hope. These are the stories that make up the numbers.

Human trafficking in Latin America was documented at the brink of World War I by the League of Nations which conducted a three year investigation on the issue. The investigation concluded that “Latin America is the traffic market of the world.” Today the region follows Asia to be the second largest global source of enslaved women. Trafficking has become a lucrative business, third in line after drug and arm trade. Disguising humans to cross borders with false documents is much easier and less risky than narcotics or weapons. $500 million dollars is the estimated annual income for the Columbian trafficking market. Approximately 35,000 women are trafficked out of Colombia into the international prostitution market, averaging over $14,000 per trafficked person.

Men, women and children are trafficked throughout the region and internationally with the ends of sexual exploitation, bonded labor and illegal organ sales. In many cases the victims of trafficking travel willingly, following the promise and prospect of better opportunities abroad. Commonly one thinks of workers who willingly moving from their homeland to another nation in search of better wages and opportunities as migrants. However in many cases those who intend to be migrants end up in the web of trafficking. Knowing the difference between migration and trafficking is key to understanding the problems victims may face when moved from one location to another. Migration is the move of one place, country or location to another. People migrate with the basis to find better land, climate or job opportunities. For the most part, those who choose to migrate can also choose to return to their place of origin. On the other hand the U.N. defines trafficking as… “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.”

The difference between these two terms is the use of force, be this mental or physical, to move a person from one location to another. Victims of trafficking might not initially suspect any foul play. Many times the victims are willing participant in the move. A common example in Latin America is young women who “fall in love” with a man who promises them a better life and employment opportunities abroad. They travel with the man, many times with the consent of relatives, and soon find themselves working at brothel, humiliated, with no means to return home. A case in September found 3 Bolivian women between the ages of 15-17 who traveled to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina with “boyfriends”, men over the age of 30, who promised them jobs. The girls left with their parents consent and soon found themselves forced into sexual labor. Hundreds of Bolivian women are also taken to La Rinconada de Puno, a Peruvian mining town, with similar promises and outcomes. In 2006 only 2 out of over 200 young women were rescued from one of the approximately 180 brothels in this town. This year 23 women were repatriated from Puno, but charges are pending to the perpetrators. Government agencies rarely have the means to take on cases abroad, even in neighboring nations.

While the issue of trafficking has been around for decades, only in recent years have government agencies and authorities began to address the issue publicly. In Latin America the legal system of each country has its own terminology and conditions which determine the crime and punishment for traffickers. Records of human trafficking are not commonly kept within the region, leading government leaders and the general to believe that the situation is not a serious reality. Since they may not see or know of trafficked victims, they assume it does not occur, therefore not making it a pertinent issue to address in the public or private sector. The records that are kept along with surveys held by international institutions prove that the reality is serious and must be addressed. With the continued growth of facilitated international travel, traffickers have endless options on how to move persons and where to take them.

Trafficking can occur in stages, as is the case of Guatemala’s border with Mexico at Tecun Uman. Here men, women and children travel from throughout Central America in order to cross over and make their way through Mexico to the U.S. or Canada. Many come in the hands of trafficker or simply by their own means. If one unsuccessfully crosses the border, he or she is returned to the Guatemalan side and not to his or her home country. In order to cross again, a person will need funds to pay for documentation or help to cross. At Tecum Uman women and children become most vulnerable; many are forced into prostitution in order to pay debt that got them to the border or to pay fees to cross. There is a high demand for prostitution due to the amount of male immigrants. Many women who dreamed of arriving to the United States to be a domestic worker will never cross into Mexico and will spend their days and nights in brothels.

Border towns have long held the reputation for locations of commercial sexual exploitation. The tri-border of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil is no different, and has been deemed the Bangkok of South America by the director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Sex tourists are now turning to this region as alternate options to past sex-vacation destinations which are now more carefully monitored by authorities. One local agency was aware of 700 cases of child trafficking, but only reported 40 to authorities in the past 3 years. Here the issues of rightful authority allows for trafficking incidences’ to go underreported, while leaving government officials to believe the problem is under surveillance. Currently there are five security institutions that work at the Argentine border and while communication between these might be difficult, communication with Paraguayan and Brazilian counterparts is all the more complex. Security institutions are also better trained and prepared to combat narcotic smuggling and might not be aware of the ties between drug and human trafficking.

You might be asking yourself, with a problem so grave and widespread, what can actually be done to aid the victims and institutions in Latin America? There are several existing organizations based throughout Latin America that are working with authorities to prevent and try trafficking cases, as well as assist victims. IJM has offices in Guatemala and Bolivia, with affiliate offices in Peru and Honduras. Each office takes on case depending on the specific mission the office has in its country. In Bolivia abuse cases of minors are taken from the city of La Paz and El Alto. Training seminars on victim assistance have been provided for the local police force and other public officials. Seminars and workshops are also offered to local church leaders, congregations and the general public in order to raise awareness on the issue of domestic violence and sexual abuse of minors.

Rurre

2008-11-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings.

I keep going back and forth on new topics to post. So the next series of entries might be quite disconnected to most readers, but I believe best represent me...a 23 year old hogpoge of ideas, thoughts and experiences.

This past weekend I traveled to Rurrenabaque. A small town 15 hours north of La Paz or a 40 hour tiny plane ride. Surprisingly I opted for the later, even thought flying ofter terrifies me. The 17 passanger plane wasn't so bad, even though landing felt like a nose dive and I could see duck tape holding something together on the control panel. Oh and yes, I could see through the cockpits window from the last set.

Rurre was great, it surprisingly reminded me a lot of Thailand. Humid, hot, motorbikes, and even the people looke different from those in La Paz. We (meaning me and 3 Canadians I met in La Paz), took a 2 day tour of the Pampas. We rode a boat most of the time through a river FILLED with alligators, crocodilles and caymands. I mean they were EVERYWHERE, as in 200 in the first hour of our tour. We swam with fresh water dolfins, fished for piranas and went out on a night search of gators. That was probably the creapiest, most non-safe tourist thing I have ever done.

The trip was a great break from the city, nice to meet and make new friends and see more of Bolivia.

cookie monster

2008-10-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I was walking home from work right behind an older gentleman, he must have been over seventy, when I saw him make a swift move to scoop a pack of cookies from a street stand and place them in his coat pocket. At first I laughed at how sly he was, then I thought about confronting him. Then realized- maybe I should abstain from confronting locals for minor misdemeanors.

I have been thinking of this man, how completely unsuspected he appeared. How he would likely take the cookies home to his wife, or give them to his grandchild who would never suspect his grandad was a thief. I am reminded how ineffective judging solely on appearance can be. How often do we try to hide behind our stereotyped facades to make sure our wrongdoings are carefully hidden... But I am a pastor, I am a successful businessman, I am a straight A student, I volunteer, etc. Case after case and life experience after life experience, have shown me time and again that the most beautiful and seemingly great people can be living with ugly hidden double lives.

I am currently working on translating a study guide, in which the idea that injustice at times is not in plane sight. Yet that does not mean it does not exist. We tend take the saying "out of site, out of mind" and use it when we find convenient. If we do not see something then it might as well not exist. Maybe we try to excuse our blinders because we know that when we do witness something horrific we feel a certain level of responsibility to act, to speak out, to help.

When it comes to the most horrific things that occur on a daily if not hourly basis around the world such as forced labor, sexual slavery, child abuse, domestic violence, and abuse of power, we feel overwhelmed at what exactly we are to do and how exactly we are to react. Since its not part of OUR lives what can we really do? Yet in our silence we are acting, we are becoming complacent, we are shutting out reality, isolating ourselves under that nice facade of who we are supposed to be. I personally feel that I will be held accountable for not only what I have witnessed, but also for what I know.

We underestimate the power we truly have; as individuals, as small communities and even as the Church. History tell us time and time again that change began with one person who spoke out. Spoke out against injustice he or she observed, who did not settle for the reality what he or she was experiencing or seeing, but desired to seek and see change.

I don't want to seem like the pot speaking to the kettle, since I too failed to speak out to the man who unjustly stole the packet of cookies. A lessoned learned and perhaps next time I will have more courage or know how to tactfully approach the situation. Nevertheless, I hope that silence would not be my continued response to injustice, however great or small. That I would speak up, act out and confront those who knowingly are hurting others.

On that note, I would like you to check out the new "rockumentary" CALL+RESPONSE in select theaters nationwide.

p.s. 50,000 farmers and laborers are on their way to La Paz to block Congress. They are due in Monday. If you read this before then please pray, hope, meditate, whatever you believe in, that the march would be peaceful as promised. I have my doubts since all schools have suspended classes for Monday so to not expose students to possible violence. Hmmm.

food

2008-10-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

Thailand is a hard act to follow when it comes to the culinary world. Bolivia isn't renowned for its variety of flavor, but it does have a plethora of potatoes. So far I cannot stake too many complaints in the food department. Although this past week I had to use my creativity to hide/make disappear both a portion of cow tongue and a LARGE portion of cow stomach. I successfully did not even try a bite of either, I do have my limits (and so does my stomach).

Breakfast has been interesting. The lady I live with, Doña Lurdes, likes to wake up and make something for me. I am very grateful for her cooking, but I sometimes can´t enjoy hamburger patties and salad that early in the morning. Today I finally made it to a proper grocery store (most people shop at open markets) to buy snacks for work and oatmeal for breakfast.

For lunch I either go out with coworkers to local hole in the walls or share a salad in the office. There are three lunch clicks at the office and I am trying hard not to be placed in any of them. I have dinner at home, which is where I get most of my Bolivian cuisine. Usually lunch and dinner begin with soup and then there is a main course that usually has rice AND potatoes. As I mentioned there is a wide variety of potatoes, I have probably tried up to five types. I am a huge potato fan, which is a good thing, but have not found a liking for the chuño (dehydrated potato). Tonight I had the nice surprise of a banana sautéed in what I think was balsamic vinegar. Don´t knock it till you try it!

On the sweet side, Bolivians are huge coke fans, perhaps due to the huge use of the coca leaf. There are also tons of bakeries, coffee and ice cream shops around my office, which keep my sweet tooth quite satisfied.

The best part of all, is that rarely are preservatives used and most of the vegetables are organic.

bon appetite!

a way better weekend.

2008-09-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a 180 from last. Friday I went out with four coworkers to dance the night away at a local disco. My soul needed some cumbia dancing, it had been too long. I think I surprised the locals with my invisible yet present Latin blood that allows me to blend right in on the dance floor. All the years I offered to compete at school dance competitions in Chile most certainly paid off. Saturday I went with another coworker, Evelyn, to help out at her church’s youth group fundraiser. The organization, or might I say, lack there of, was expected and while hilarious, I really wanted to take charge and start handing out assignments. There were five of us working the snack stand and no one could decide how to price things. Sunday I went with Evelyn on her fiancés church’s picnic. It was great to spend time and get to know her and my other coworkers outside of the office.

After work today I went to the Bolivian version of Starbuck’s, Alexander’s, to write some postcards and have an after-work snack. I began to think of all the things I love here…

publicly affectionate people, natural foods (in fact certain things are only sold until noon due to the lack of preservatives), being able to listen in on a stranger’s conversation and not look suspicious, being able to have a four course lunch for under three dollars, the availability of anything I could ever need/want sold on the street on my walk home, the fact that I can WALK home, the idea that cobble stone streets might outnumber the paved ones and that dirt roads for sure outnumber them all. That you can dance and not be scandalous, that a fully grown adult may only make it to my elbow, that bowler hats and wool leggings have been in style for about one hundred years and likely one hundred more.

So far Bolivia has treated me well, one month almost down and looking forward to many more to go.

headed back.

2008-09-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

The past 24 hours has made me

a) Feel like little Alex on his horrible, terrible, very bad, no good, very bad day.

b) Realize how much a like routine.

c-) Wish I got married young and was expecting my first child (which might not have brought happiness, but it would have likely avoided this).

maybe this is an exaggeration, there were some Lima highlights, which include

a-) Oxygen

b-) Manjar ice cream

c-) a much needed hair cut

But all in all it has led me to be most excited to return to La Paz and get into the swing of things again.

Thank you for your support. Please continue to pray for peace in the political situation, that a solution might be found, and that people of both sides would not be at a place where they are willing to risk their lives and the lives of others to be heard.

¡Feliz Diesiocho desde Perú!

2008-09-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

I am currently sitting in a local coffee shop in Lima, Peru. Yesterday we flew here just as a precaution to what is happening in Bolivia and its current tiff with the U.S. There was a march of 8,000 people with the intent of burning the American embassy, but it police controlled the situation and it was unsuccessful. There were also a couple protests that attacked local media buildings in La Paz. For the most part these attacks are isolated to the locations of the building, on the day of these marches I went out to lunch and didn't even realize they were going on a few blocks away (well aside from the booms, but those sound everyday). Yet since things are a tad unstable it was decided that the Americans from the office should watch things unfold in Bolivia from the outside.

For now we are planing on returning to La Paz on Saturday. Hopefully things will have calmed down. As for long-term, the country will continue to face challenges (including the passage of the new constitution) that are quite unpredictable and might mean another trip to a calmer neighbor. I am fine, safe and learning a lot. Lima is way nicer than I had thought, very clean, lots of western and Chilean things and pretty much nothing like La Paz.

taking it in

2008-09-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

If you have watched the news, perhaps for a second across the bottom of your screen there was something about Bolivia. In the past week there has been violence in the eastern provinces, road blocks and casualties. Oh and the U.S. ambassador was ousted. Tonight they have declared martial law in one province where the violence escalated.

I am fine. La Paz is under no threat, which everyone here says is a surprise because usually the action is here. I hope things will continue to settle and that the different factions will come into peaceful dialogue.

In other news life here is swell. Right now I am taking it all in; the people, the politics, the colder weather, the food (too much of it) and the beauty that lies in being in a new place.

politics

2008-09-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

So apparently when it comes to gas U.S. news sources cover Bolivia...

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/09/bolivia.unrest/

I hope La Paz lives up to its name. Thus far its all in the east.

Work

2008-09-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Bellow is a link that will provide you with an example of what the office here does.

www.ijm.ca/bolivian%20conviction.html

dia dos

2008-09-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

I have arrived and can now officially can La Paz home. Tomorrow I am hoping to play tourist and take a bus around the city to check it out and become further acquainted with my surroundings. I am staying at a house in the old center of town, a few blocks from San Francisco, for those into goggle maps. The area is pretty touristy, meaning I see a few other gringos when I walk around. I am convenient to public transport, which consist of taxis, private taxies, mini-vans, and mini-buses. So far mini-buses are the best bet, some people greet the other passengers, which I find quite friendly, especially since we are all going to be smooshed together anyway- why not make friends. (I was partially in me neighbors lap this morning).

La Paz is bowl shaped, I am right at the point where you begin to question your cereal to milk ratio. There are lots of ups and downs, which take the wind out of me due to the altitude/lack of oxygen. I think if I built up endurance to run here I would be unstoppable elsewhere, the tragedy is that I would likely get run over trying.

Work is great, I mean seeing it has only been two days. Not many details will be shared here due to confidentiality. The important part is that everyone has been really welcoming and I will have plenty of interesting things to do during my months here. Hearing and understanding the political climate here will also keep me busy and entertained (and hopefully relatively safe). Oh, I had my first cup of coca tea upon arrival and had coca pasta for lunch yesterday. There are t-shirts here that have a coca leaf and then cola, pretty clever, I will for sure get you on Lucy.

Just wanted you to know I am here and well. More on life in La Paz as it unfolds.

Countdown.

2008-08-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

I figured a pre-departure post was needed to dust the blog before the adventure begins. Two weeks till I fly to La Paz. What I have learned from my many transitions is that the two weeks leading up and the two weeks after are usually the worst. Emotions are heightened; the dreaded goodbyes and the nervous ‘nice to meet you’s’ are just a few plane rides apart. Yet all the feelings affirm a real and great journey ahead. The rush one gets before jumping off the high dive or when the safety bar comes down on a roller coaster is half the reason we love and take these risks, the rest is pure fun- right?

My summer in L.A. has passed quickly. I have been working two part-time jobs, which have taken fifty hours of me week. My California tan is not quite up to par, but I will surely be grateful when I use the dollars earned to see old friends and make new ones as I travel. I am hoping to fulfill my dream of traveling the length of Chile, Atacama to Patagonia. Feel free to join in if you like, I can only offer free translator and tour guide services, all other expenses are yours to cover.

I will be flying to MS the 28^th for a wedding and then from there I fly to La Paz September 2^nd. I would appreciate your prayers, since those of you who know me know how much I hate being in an airplane, especially when a big move is in store. I’ll keep you posted on my transition. Thank you again for your love and support.

Dear Friends,

2008-06-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, soon after I graduated from Baylor University I moved to Bangkok, Thailand to serve as an English teacher. During my time in Bangkok and in my travels through South East Asia, the issue of justice continued to press my heart. Poverty, oppression, prostitution and forced labor are just a few of the abuses I witnessed during my time in the region. At times my heart felt overwhelmed, knowing that all I had to offer the victims were my prayers. These experiences confirmed my passion to seek justice in more practical means. This September I will begin a ten-month internship in La Paz, Bolivia with International Justice Mission (http://www.ijm.org/).

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems. Since 2000 IJM has been working in Bolivia with cases involving the abuse of street children. Approximately 3,500 children live and work on the streets of the city of La Paz, many fleeing abuse at home. IJM has provided training courses for the Bolivian National Police, equipping them on handling street children cases. An IJM office was established in La Paz in 2005, continuing their work with local government officials to make sure justice is truly served.

As a field office intern, I will assist in office duties, translating documents and informing the local church of IJM’s work. I am eager to return to South America, having and to have a chance to use my “first language” to serve the people of Bolivia. I am certain that this opportunity will provide a greater scope of where the following years will take me.

I look forward to sharing the many experiences in Bolivia with you.