Bolivia blog Pt. 2

... continuation from pt. 1

Me

I spent just about every morning in Bolivia praying about what country to go to next. Short term? Long term? What continent? A lot of people ask me if I feel called to one place long term, and the short answer is maybe. With the race my options of places to live doubled. Not only do I feel confident I could live in another culture, I’ve experienced many and know I could do it. That doesn’t help me narrow it down though. One morning I heard God say, “look around, where are you?” After I had been reminding Him I wasn’t supposed to go home after the race. I wasn’t expecting this to be the answer. But we talked through it and I realized I had fulfilled that dream by being in Bolivia. But then what? Now I was in uncertain territory that was going to require a lot of trust. I knew I was called to go back to the States for a time, and didn’t have direction on what was next.

I settled in to life in the States and a routine, and pretty quickly after, God opened the door for me to go to Romania( blog about this coming soon). More exciting than more international missions, was when I was able to recognize the freedom that comes with giving your dreams to God. Letting Him hold them and fulfill them and trusting His timing. His thoughts and ways are higher and He knows what He’s doing!! Ever time I come home from a country now, I’m less and less scared of life in America. My grace for ministry here felt gone for a period of time, but each time I return from a foreign country I can feel my grace for life here grow. I’m very excited for what that means for the future!

My mom

All things had come together, and watching my mom plan out which costumes were going to each specific kid was so cute. During my dance years I was pretty independent and my mom and I’s relationship wasn’t the best. Getting to see her be dance mom in the way she wanted and be so excited about fulfilling Ellie’s dream was really full circle. We convinced my dad to go. It was his first ever trip to South America and his first mission trip. We got my older sister Nadia to go, she normally keeps a very tight schedule as a professional dancer and taking the time off of training was a big deal. The only one missing was my oldest sister and her family (hopefully in the future!). My mom had been on mission trips with my dancer sister and my little sister, but this would be the first one me and her were on together. What seemed like a far off dream in my teen years was coming true for her. Our family was doing missions together, and using our dance talents for the Kingdom. Her and my dad loved all the children, but particularly made an impact on the tias(tias = aunts in Spanish, it’s what all the kids call those who work in the orphanage) who take care of the little babies.

My dad is low key a baby whisperer and can get just about any crying baby to stop

The babies get bottle fed 4 times a day, and my parents never missed a feeding. This was the first time many of the tias had ever seen a man feed a baby. Seeing the picture of a happy marriage where both people were invested in the wellbeing of the children was an awesome thing for them. We would share funny stories of the day, teach the kids about Jesus together, and generally get to to ministry together. Mom’s dream come true.

The whole crew! Including Kayla (if you've read any of my world race blogs you know I mention her constantly haha), Emma (affectionately known as Kolda 3.5), and Whitney (the director of the orphanage and one of the most amazing women I've ever gotten to know!)

Ellie *

*name changed for safety

The day had come, time for Ellie’s first dance class. She was a little hesitant at first, after all she hadn’t had formal training so jumping straight into private lessons with a professional was a bit intimidating. But if you know my sister Nadia, you know she’s incredibly kind and gentle. After her first class, Ellie was sold. She asked every day if it was time for ballet (she pronounced it bal- lett). When others tried to join she pushed them out so she could have her special training time. I ended up teaching a jazz number to all the other kids that wanted to be a part of it without the formal ballet. An idea struck, we should have a recital! We had these beautiful costumes for them, our artist friend Emma (who is insanely good and gave private art classes to the kids interested in art) designed and drew a gorgeous program for the evening, and me and Nadia did our best to get their hair in professional dance buns(it worked for some, and some said thank you, but our tias can do this better haha). We were ready, with the whole staff and all the babies lined up in the multipurpose room to watch the dances. Ellie’s eyes just lit up once she was in her costume. She made me turn back with her halfway there cause she wanted to wear her high heels into the room, even though she would be dancing barefoot. We had gotten all the participants flowers earlier that day and had them lying on the table for after their performance. Two of the little girls were staring at them, hugging each other, swaying, and saying it was the best day ever. Me and Nadia performed a short dance, Ellie did her solo, and all the kids did the jazz number as a finale. Everyone enjoyed watching it so much they asked us to do it all again, and again haha. It was magical to see how a dream of Ellie’s was able to come true, and how God had orchestrated all the right people to be there at the right time to fulfill it.

Trying to get the littles excited about jazz

He knows you’re coming and going, He cares about the desires of your heart.

Recital day!!

Matthew 7:7-8 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; aseek, and you will find; bknock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Matthew 6:30-33 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.