¡Bolivia!

The middle of March, I, along with ten other volunteers for the Azmera Haven retreat arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia after 30 hours of travel.  Our sleep-deprived minds and bodies had to work extra hard to roll with the surprises that awaited us around nearly every corner.

For many, it was the first time that they had been in a county where the toilet paper cannot be flushed down the toilet and has to be tossed into a basket after use! Some learned about the challenges of Bolivian plumbing the hard way. 

Another surprise was that even in an international hotel, few spoke English, and it was my joy to hear, “Shelly!! I need you to help me” for everything from ordering food, to bargaining for souvenirs, to arranging for the retreat sound system! 

As we prepared to receive our missionary guests, the team began to realize that we had landed in the middle of a dark, heavy, weary, fear-full, and battle-scarred group.  The first night of the retreat, we met and broke into the discussion groups that we’d be in the rest of the retreat.  As we were getting to know one another, one woman (*Cathy) in my group broke down as she told us how deeply traumatized she was. On December 23, the wife of their mission director went to a Bolivian home to purchase eggs and milk.  As she entered the property, dogs attacked and killed her!

The horror of the experience was fresh to *Cathy and the burden of it touched all of us in the small group—it was as if a black, sticky, suffocating tar had reached up from the pit and splashed all over us. Another of our ladies cried for most of the first two days.  In the volunteer meeting before my first message, as we shared some of what we had learned the night before, we began to realize how many of the attendees had their own stories of horror and fear because of their arduous lives in ministry.

I’ve lived some of those same horrors and walked in their shoes.  I wondered if the message that God had given me to share with them would address their needs. As we delved into what it means to have a “grace strengthened heart”, the Lord worked!  Here are just a few testimonies in their own words.

“The speaker at the retreat (Shelly) challenged us with many things, but what spoke to my heart was that it is time to choose to refocus.  I came carrying a heavy burden but leave focusing on wearing a crown of beauty, with oil of gladness, a garment of praise and everlasting joy!” *Diane.

“Personally, from this experience of the retreat, I have been cared for, I have been made to feel special, I have been reaffirmed in my giftings. God has totally used this time to bless me.  It was very much needed during a dark time in ministry.” *Danielle

Several weeks ago we received this from *Cathy who was in my small group: 

“Yesterday I was able to encourage our Bolivian teacher in her walk with Jesus using all the things I was reminded of about God’s all sufficient grace for us.  She is exactly where I was when I came to the retreat and your retreat encouraged me to go on. Thank you for being there for us.”

So, your financial investment and prayers are paying big Kingdom dividends!  Thank you!  Only in eternity will we know what the big picture of what God did.
* Names Changed