Ministry Day 6

What a powerful end to a life impacting week. I am sure that the Farthings & all at the Bolivian Hope Center have felt a ripple effect of love that will last for a long long time.

Thursday was pretty much a finish up day as we finished up the 3rd floor walls. Because of the different type of day this was, I spent much of the afternoon playing the role of horse for about 12-20 children. THEY NEVER GOT TIRED! I certainly did, prancing around & whinneying like a horse - but it was so worth it. I kept telling myself, 'in a few hours I'll be gone - I can give a few more horse rides'.

Later that evening, Pastor Freddy's wife thanked me for taking time to play with them. Apparently, none of them have fathers - and to be able to play with a positive male role model is a very special thing to them. It's no wonder they never wanted me to stop. At one point when I was tired, they encouraged me to sit down ... IT WAS A TRAP! After getting me to sit down, they gathered around me as if to take a picture when suddenly ... THEY TICKLED ME! I was so weak and tired, it was almost impossible to get away. They were having fun though, and so was I.

After the work day was over, we all went to dinner and shared our personal perspectives on this missions experience. It was a time of great blessing to the Farthings and the Bolivian Hope Center. I had already given our offering of $1,400 to the Farthings, but the other churches did the same thing. Words cannot describe the mood in the dining room that night - suffice to say that every single person there is anxious for the opportunity to return and continue the work of establishing a place for children and families to learn about Jesus, grow as people and be safe from the difficult world they live in every day.

There was not a dry eye in the room (including my own) as we prayed for the missionaries and the Hope Center. I truly believe there are many many places in the world just as needy as in Cochabamba, Bolivia - the difference here is that in this place there are missionaries with vision, a divine timeliness that seems to be connecting churches to pool together resources, supernatural acts that are facilitating the purchase of land and materials, as well as a team of people (led by Pastor Freddy) who are not simply into this to set up a work and leave, but to continue until the fulfillment of the vision for the Bolivian Hope Center.

I am proud that we have supported this endeavor - and even moreso that we will continue to be involved in a work that is truly impacting their world.