Before Noon Today

A few things I did before noon today:

A work video call with other Reps and our bosses throughout Latin America. (Isn't technology amazing?) I love that our job connects us with people who live in Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and Bolivia. We only get to see this group in person about once a year, but we so appreciate connecting with the only other people in the world who know exactly what we're struggling with in our job and the reality of trying to balance life and work and another culture.

We received some really good news that a recent Guatemalan applicant to MCC IVEP (an exchange program where young adults from outside North America live and work in US or Canada for one year) was accepted and will be traveling to the US this August. It's special because she also happens to have been my Spanish teacher for a short time, and she's a very sweet and deserving person of this opportunity. We went in person to tell her the good news, and she cried tears of joy, she was so happy and surprised. Another fun part of our job that we got to experience today.

Ruby had her one-year check-up and shots. She's 21 pounds, 74 centimeters (this wasn't a super accurate measurement, but it's around 29 inches). This puts her around 50th percentile for weight and height. Not too surprising as she's long and lean. 
Then I walked and picked up the girls, and walked home. Another day where I'm thankful our home and the girls' school, and in this case, the local Mennonite Seminary where we went this morning AND the pediatrician's office, are all so close to each other that I can walk with Ruby in the stroller and feel safe.

Bolivia: Food and Mud

Our trip to Bolivia, Part 2

French fries (and other forms of potatoes) are a staple food in parts of Bolivia. 

Also, a root called Yucca. We had some delicious "sopa de mani" (peanut soup) with french fries sprinkled on top.

Then there are chuños (Choon-yoze). I had heard about these from Michael as he remembers eating them growing up in Peru as a little boy. They are freeze-dried balls of potatoes.

Ellie's apprehensive face summarizes how I felt about them too. Not my favorite.

On one of our last days of our meetings we went to visit a low-German Mennonite colony, which MCC Bolivia partners with. There are groups of conservative Mennonites who live in Bolivia, Belize, and Mexico. They live simply, much like the Amish communities in the US.

We ate purple fruit soup, a Mennonite dish.

 On our way back from a visit to a Mennonite cheese factory, it started to rain.

And then this happened:

 We were stuck in the mud in a very large van, or more like a mini-bus. Our group was divided into two buses, and both got stuck.

The men tried to help push the first bus out of its rut. 

Mostly, their shoes got really dirty.

We quickly realized that these vehicles weren't going anywhere.

 Luckily, some friendly low-German Mennonites passed on by and decided to try to help us.

They went to the mayor's house down the road, who recently acquired a very large tractor. In these communities, as part of a commitment to live simply, the tractors and anything with wheels usually only have the metal rims (they take off the rubber tires). Fortunately for us, this tractor was so new it hadn't lost its rubber tires yet. (I didn't get a picture of the tractor).

After being drug out of the first spot, the tractor attached both of our buses together. We began to dovetail and ended up in some bushes:

I was nervous but everyone assured me we couldn't tip over. I had a hard time believing them.

 While we waited to be rescued, the girls watched a movie. They were fairly oblivious to our position.

Eventually, the mayor drug the first bus down the dirt road, out of the mud, and to the paved highway. He returned to bail out the large milk truck that was also stuck before dragging us out to the highway. In total, we were delayed almost two hours. It could have been worse. We could have been stuck in there all night. It definitely made our Bolivia trip more memorable.

Next, we headed to Lima and Cusco in Peru.

Santa Cruz, Bolivia

A few weeks ago we traveled to Bolivia and Peru. Here's the first post in a series I'm hoping to do from our trip.

Bolivia, Part 1

The first week we were mostly in Santa Cruz at a retreat center for meetings. While we were in meetings all day the girls had fun with the other kids. Unfortunately, I didn't get a group shot of the kids this year. Here's Ellie with the daughters of the reps from Nicaragua. They were buddies all week, just like last year.

Watching Frozen

 Just under a year ago we arrived in Guatemala in time for these same meetings, held here in Guatemala. It's fun to see how much some of these kids have changed in one year.

Guatemala, April 2013

We stayed at a place with a pool and a slide. 

It took some convincing, but eventually Ellie went down the slide with Daddy. Victory!

 And, a few more pictures of the kiddos in Santa Cruz:

The son of other reps, and Hazel's little buddy. We became reps around the same time as them and the family of the girls in the picture up above, so we will be seeing each other at least once a year (or more) over the next 4 years. It's going to be fun to see how much they grow and change.

Buddies. 

 Bolivia, Part 2: Mud and Food, coming soon.