Giving thanks and remembering our brothers and sisters in Potosí

Dear friends: 

THANK YOU for your prayers! 

We're still recovering and processing from our week in Potosí. It was beautiful and fun, and it always takes me a while to unwind afterwards.  There were so many times that I thought, "I really hope someone is praying for us right now because ___ feels so impossible right now". Seriously! So between sickness, hailstorms, rain, long hikes, unexpected changes in plans, etc, we felt the hand of God and His favor upon us.

It was a great week, and I'm still recovering!  An extra bonus praise was that I got my new camera and battery right before the trip--to be able to capture just a bit of the beauty that we experienced.  God is so sweet and kind to remember those little things too! Pray for me as I seek God's direction in decisions, and how to encourage and assist in my spheres of influence here. 

Our TEAM was fantastic! I loved watching everyone plug in and help where needed, encourage when able, and finding unique ways to bless others. I continue to be confident that God really does hand pick each member every year.  Keep praying for them as they continue to process the week. It feels like it happens in fast forward, so it will take some time to balance it all out.

L-R: Selenia, Madei & Donalto, Eliana, Eduardo, Christina, Chochy, Raquel, Jesael, Ruth, Fernando, Rosy, Neymar & Jhonny, Kristen (Not pictured: Katie). 

The KIDS were such a joy!  We loved (as always) the chance to play with, share with, and teach. Pray that God's word would continue to work in their hearts. And that in spite of the short time we were with them and the language struggles we sometimes encountered that God would give them understanding of who He is, and their need for Him. 

Kids in Kharimayu Tomas Frias.

Kids in Cienegoma.

We travelled with DONALTO who is like an itinerant pastor. He lives in the city with his wife Selenia and daughter Madei. He travels 2 weeks out of the month to several communities in the mountains and spends 2 weeks in the city with his family. Donalto is from one of the communities in the mountains close to one of the ones we have visited in the past. It's a great help to have him to speak in Quechua-and his understanding of the culture and circumstances is so much greater than we ever will have. Pray for him as he follows up in the communities and continues to witness and disciple there.

Donalto and our bus driver Jhonny. 

The CHURCHES continue to struggle and grow.  A lot of the families shared struggles in the community with lightning. Pray that this draws them closer to the Lord. One particularly sad incident was a 13 year old that was struck, we offered to take him to the city for treatment (it was serious) and the parents refuse because he is being "treated" by the "curanderos" (Healers).

Primo and Lydia aksed for prayer for varios trials they are going through.  They've had some lightning hit close to home-literally and ask for protection. 

Some of our favorites from the church in Huayk'u Mayu

Continue to pray for JORGE and his involvement in the communities and that the work would be one that is beneficial to the growth of the believers and a help to individuals and communities (long term).