I’ve been writing a lot lately about the political situation here (for obvious reasons), so I thought today I’d write a bit about how the guys are doing.

As I’ve said many times, there are always ups and downs at the house. From what I understand, that’s normal with teenagers at the best of times. I don’t remember being especially difficult as a teenager, but other parents have shared stories with me about their kids (I can say this ‘cause my folks have dial-up and don’t regularly check my blog…).

Our situation is, of course, a bit more unique. Some of our guys have families, but most aren’t especially close to them. One of the fellows is planning to spend this Christmas with his parents. He told me the other day that this was the first time he can remember being home for Christmas.

Others of the guys have no family at all. One of the guys was on the streets from when he was four until he was fourteen. He really has only vague memories of his parents. So I need to constantly keep in mind that, even though some of the guys were in a Christian boy’s home for awhile, most have had no significant parenting for the majority of their lives.

I don’t want to use that as an excuse for bad behaviour with the guys…and I don’t. But it’s helpful to keep things in perspective. I wonder who I would be if I hadn’t had the Christian upbringing I did.

That all being said, things are going remarkably well at the house these days. Ask me tomorrow, and that opinion may have changed, but today…it’s mostly all good. I can see God at work in their lives and that they’re growing. Some more quickly than others…but that’s to be expected.

One major encouragement has been Jimmy. He received Christ while living at the home in San Luis, but I always questioned how much he really understood. He could never really articulate why or what happened when he became a Christian. He wasn’t at the other home for that long before he went back to living with his parents (he was mostly at the home to play soccer and because his family didn’t have much money). He moved in with us about a month or so after we opened.

Jimmy has a great personality. He’s generous and compassionate, and even though I would say he’s the youngest and most immature Christian of the bunch, he is by far the most trustworthy guy I know. Lately he’s been reading his Bible most nights before he goes to bed. He rereads what the pastor preaches on each Sunday. He’s also at least a chapter ahead of everyone else in the book on sexual purity we’re studying (he made me laugh a while back when I saw him carrying around Josh Harris’s book on dating because “…he wanted to know when it was okay to have sex.”).  =)

It’s been amazing to see the growth in him. He’s studying to be an electrician, but lately I’ve been seeing more and more ministry gifts in him. I wonder if maybe God has something else in store for him. Please pray for protection and for wisdom for him. He’s learning and changing, but I’ve no doubt that he’s still experiencing a lot of temptations some days to go back to his old life.

I could tell stories about each of the guys…how God is changing them…how past lifestyle and sin issues are still struggles some days. I can see God working and I can see Satan trying to destroy. It’s why I come back to John 10:10 so often. The thief is trying to steal kill and destroy…but Christ is here to bring life. That becomes very obvious, very quickly here.

So please continue praying for them. Pray for me too. =)  Because of where these guys have come from, and how hard it is for them to trust that other people do care for them, I need to make sure I spend one on one time with each of them on a regular basis. I told a friend the other day that it’s kind of like being one of those guys who spin plates. You get them all going, but then have to come back to spin each one some more or they start to wobble.

Of course it’s not just me doing the spinning…which is nice. =)  God’s Spirit is moving and working and mostly I just need to pay attention and see where He wants me. A week or so ago, one of the guys was going through a difficult time. He was out on the deck by himself for a couple of hours. At one point I went out to see him, but to be honest, I was tired and it was cold out there. I didn’t really pay enough attention to the situation. The next night I was sitting in a meeting at church and felt God convicting me on that and prompting me that this young guy needed someone to talk to.

So all the way home I prayed that God would give me another opportunity to talk to him. As I drove up to the house, he was standing there by the front gate by himself. We had probably the best conversation I’ve had since starting this ministry. God was at work…I just needed to be available. Even my Spanish worked better than normal that night. =)  We ended up praying, standing by my truck in front of the house, right on the street. Once again I’m sure my mostly Catholic neighbours wonder what the heck kind of cult the gringo is running…but it was a good moment.

The guys in the home these days are; David, Jimmy, Juan, Andres, Jesus, Franz, Ruddy and Sandro…in case you want to pray for each by name. Pray for spiritual and physical protection…for wisdom and strength to do what they know is right…for peace and joy…for spiritual growth. They’re all studying these days, and that’s been challenging for some of them. So pray for understanding in their classes as well.

Thanks for reading and for praying. Please feel free to pass this blog address onto anyone you think might be interested in what’s going on down here. We can always use more prayer!

It’s hot and sunny today…summer is on it’s way!  =)  Just thought you’d like to know…
 

The good news, the bad news and the surprising news…

The good news is, all the campesinos (highland people who oppose our civic government here in Santa Cruz, and who support our president) who’ve been marching towards us for the past weeks suddenly decided that they would not enter the city. This was a welcome piece of news for sure. At one count, there was over 8,000 of them bearing down on us here, most armed and all angry. They were told that they could enter the city, but not with their guns. Perhaps the idea of a fight with the police before they even got to the city was enough to deter them. They held rallies and demonstrations in smaller towns surrounding the city (and still are in some places), but that’s as far as it’s gone. We need to be cautious though. Although some groups have disbanded, others are still active. The blockades between here and the Boy’s Home out in San Luis are still up and last I heard, there are a LOT of people still demonstrating. But all in all, it’s obviously good news.

The bad news is Evo our president. I’ve stated before that I appreciate some of his ideas and if he could implement them in a rational, thoughtful way…I might be more supportive of him. But it seems he can’t. This week he spoke to the United Nations, and by all accounts, parroted Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. This is not good news. The most disturbing part (that I know about) was his comment that, “Bolivia is for Bolivians…” That`s basically exactly what Chavez said about his country before he kicked out all the missionaries… The difference here in Bolivia is, of course, Evo doesn’t have the same support from the masses that Chavez had. But still…not what one wants to hear…

The surprising news is that another missionary organization is pulling out of Bolivia this week. Gospel Missionary Union (Corina’s mission) made the decision over the weekend. That makes two missions to pull out in the last week. It’s surprising because (in my opinion) things are much more peaceful this week. But they were bothered by Evo’s speech at the UN, and decided that it was time. I’m sure that there were other considerations for them as well. I was telling my friend today that of course they (GMU) have to think about families with kids and whatnot. Not just single guys like me who are mostly oblivious.

It’s hard though. That means more friends who are leaving. Corina will be staying (her husband isn’t able to leave) but Heidi (who runs the children’s ministry at El Jordan) has to go. She is not happy about that. She loves being here. I think it would be easier if there was a sense of impending doom or something…but like I said, there’s really not. So they all have to be gone by the end of next week.

Please pray for us here. It’s a bit of a confusing time. Some people are very concerned…others not at all. TV reports are contradictory…one station says one thing and another the complete opposite.

But in the end it’ll work itself out. For the time being, I have no doubt I’m where God wants me and that’s good enough. It’s nice to be able to tell the guys that I’m staying with them. It makes them smile every time. We were making plans today on how to defend the house if/when the fighting starts. We’re planning on a big tower on one corner of the property and a tunnel out the back if we have to escape (for future reference…we’re definitely watching too much TV). I said we needed to make bows and arrows to defend ourselves. One of the guys told me he knew where to buy illegal guns.

Good to know.

Thanks for praying everyone! I’ll keep you updated as best I can…