Team Member #5!

This is our newest addition to the team:
Eduardo attended my church in Cochabamba. He is a mechanic. When I told him about the trip to Potosi and invited him to come along he promised to pray about it. Shortly thereafter, he wrote and said he wanted to go with us!

He is also good friends with the Hedvalls-the missionary family I became really good friends with when I was in Coch. He will also be good motivation for us to use our Spanish more and help him learn lots of English!

Introducing the Team!

We're excited to be representing you!

This is your team in alphabetical order:

David was part of the team last year. He's traveled throughout the world on military and missionary journeys. David's goals for this trip are to stay healthy, be able to communicate better in Spanish and to make it out of Miami on schedule.Kristen (that's me!), has lived in Cochabamba (for nearly a year in 2008) and has been back twice since on mission trips. I'm so looking forward to returning to Cochabamba and Potosi...!

Laura is from Cochabamba Bolivia. She is studying in the university there to be a teacher. Laura has been involved in children's ministry in Cochabamba.

Miss Sylvia is from Mexico and works as a Teachers Aide at a boys home. She has also travelled around the world on many mission trips. This will also be her 2nd time in Bolivia.

Please pray for us!!

Introducing Missionaries with BIG Hearts:

Katie works at the Friendship and Support Center along with the Porters, Quirogas and others... (See below).

Nate and Cindy have a carpentry ministry and build beds, cribs, tables and desks for schools, orphanages, and other ministries around Bolivia. Nate has expanded the ministry and has several boys who previously lived on the streets that work with him. A Bolivian pastor mentors these boys during and outside of work hours.

Nate and Kate are missionaries with International Teams. They support the Center, but their main focus is developing a support foundation for national ministries. They've been in Cochabamba about 4 years or so...
The Quirogas, Porters--along with others--work at Centro de Amistad y Apoyo (Center of Friendship and Support). This ministry is in a rough neighborhood. Many of the kids don't live with their parents (often instead with Aunts or Grandparents). They struggle economically as well as in school. The Center offers support with homework, teaches manners (and hygiene), shares the gospel and offers nutritional snack.

The Timmer family has been in Cochabamba for several years (I think it must've been about 9 or so?). They started International Orphanage Union which has three homes currently open and the capacity to care for up to about 35 children with their current houseparents. Other homes are under construction currently also... (This is the ministry I primarily helped with when I lived there). The Timmers also coordinate BAby WAshing on the weekends. They set up tents on the square, warm up water and bathe the babies who live on the streets with their moms. Then they give them new clean clothes, warm milk and fresh bread all in the name of Jesus.

Drs. Waldo (above) and Jorge (below) are founders of Red Vida de Esperanza (Life Hope Network). Jorge is a general practice physician and Waldo is a dentist--who incidentally has also been a clown (you'll see it once you meet him!). Both doctors travel frequently throughout the countryside providing medical care, spiritual encouragement and discipleship and assist local schools.

Operation Christmas Child

Dear Potential Deliverers of Christmas Cheer:

Here are some things that you should know for the trip:

1. You need a passport--obviously!
2. There will be a $100 deposit and application due as soon as possible. (By this weekend). If you have not gotten an EMAIL, send me your address via facebook, text, or otherwise and I will send you the attachments.
3. Flights are filling up and getting very expensive very fast. We need to buy our tickets soon--it's possible by next weekend... (from last Friday to this Monday tickets for Christmas week went up by $500!). I'll give you more info in the email.
4. Once we get plane tickets we will be able to start working on our visas. For your visas you will need a yellow fever shot, and a passport size picture. List price for the visa is $135, I think if we get the correct paperwork from the missionary we can get them for FREE! So pray about this too! (Speaking of shots...it would probably be a good idea to go to a travel clinic and make sure you have everything you need. I think they will recommend tetanus, hep A and B? and yellow fever. They will probably try to give you malaria meds too, but you can talk to me if you have doubts or questions...)
5. You also might want to stock up on some necessary things for the trip:

flashlight
acidophilus
big suitcases
sunblock
warm clothes for evenings/mornings in the mountains
etc...

I'll send you a more complete list later on.

Hmm, that's all I can think of now. I'll introduce you to the missionaries next time and give you a brief introduction of the area and kiddos.

Let me know if you have any questions!