February 2021

Posted on by

There is a lot to be thankful for in the month of January. Last month my parents and I painted three bedrooms and the living room in the boys’ house. Several of the boys were excited to participate in the process as well, not only painting, but sanding walls and cleaning the ceilings of cobwebs. The result is a warm atmosphere with fresh, vibrant colors and Bible verses. Here are some before and after pics:

Three middle-aged boys sleep in this room. Juan Pablo on the left helped out a lot. On the right side is Luke, a missionary who did the artwork. The verse says, “Nothing will separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:39)

The little boys sleep in this room. The verse says “I can do all things in Christ.” (Philippians 4:13)
Some of the youngest boys painting their living room.

Next Tuesday marks the day of my parents’ departure and their 65th straight day in Santa Cruz. In that time, we split all 28 of the children at the home into seven groups that we invited over to my house for games, a snack, pool time, and conversation. It was a unique time to get to know the children better on a more individual basis. We listened to the children’s dreams and reminded them of their worth in Christ.

Now that the dust has settled from the holidays and the children are returning to school (via Zoom) my vision is to carry on with the mentorship of the older boys. I will be focusing on teaching them about what it means to be a man of God: walking courageously with Jesus, protecting the defenseless, lifting up the downtrodden, and learning how to be a strong and humble leader. Please pray that the Lord gives me wisdom in this area and that the boys’ hearts are opened to the truths of Scripture.

The Talita Cumi team, my parents, and I.

I am excited to announce that El Alfarero launched its missionary school called Ayla. Ayla’s mission is to provide transcultural training for Latinos in accordance with the heart and character of Christ. We train Latinos in Bolivia and beyond who will take the gospel to far flung areas of world. My part in this training is to teach English. I am instructing six students representing two cities in Bolivia and another from Colombia.

My dream is that one day my students will bring someone to the Lord utilizing the English skills that they learned and developed in the course. Please pray that I can stay creative teaching with Zoom and that my students not only advance in their ability to speak English, but also are challenged and grow in their faith through the course.

Thank you for your continued prayers. My sincere hope is that one day some of you will be able to visit me in Bolivia and share in the joy of serving at the children’s home, Talita Cumi, and witness firsthand all of the exciting work being done at El Alfarero.