Bolivia Mission Trip- Sunday

            As I write this blog post, I reflect back upon our first full day in Cochabamba and how the time here has already consisted of so many wonderful sights and experiences. Not only does the country amaze me with its immaculate natural beauty and structures, but the people here display an immense amount of hospitality and kindness. We began the day with a delightful breakfast of pancakes, fruit, and cereal. Several of us enjoyed the food on the patio outside while the sun began to beat down and the cool breeze continued to blow. It was the perfect setting and a nice start to the day.

            After breakfast, everyone headed up to the Christo: the largest statue of Jesus in the world, despite the fact that the Christo in Brazil gets most of the attention. The statue and surrounding area amazed us all. It towered above us, and the city of Cochabamba and the mountains surrounded the base of the mountain it stood upon. Harper made a comment about how small she felt next to the statue of Jesus, and we all agreed that maybe it is meant to make you feel that way. The Lord is so vast compared to us, and he continues to reveal his power as we explore Bolivia and worship with other believers.

            After admiring the Christo, we went to a morning church service at a small open structure. The doors remained open throughout the service, and we enjoyed watching people go in and out throughout the service. Church began with songs of praise, and although they were in Spanish, we thoroughly enjoyed listening and attempting to sing along. Witnessing the different ways in which people worship makes you realize the immensity of our God once again, and it doesn’t matter how He is worshipped, for the same God receives all of the praise. Matilde translated the sermon for us after we finished the praise and worship. The pastor preached on Joshua 6 and 7, and he explained how we must not rely on our own strength, as the Israelites did when they were defeated, but we must do three things instead. We must seek the advice of the Lord. We must not underestimate our enemies. Finally, we must confess the sins that we hide- for we are a part of the whole body of Christ, and our decisions affect the body as a whole.

            We then went on to check out the worksite above the church and ate lunch at a delicious steak restaurant. They served us each a large piece of meat along with several different sides. It all tasted wonderful! After lunch, we went back to the house where people relaxed, watched the soccer game, read, and enjoyed our time together.

            The evening church service provided us with a unique and beautiful experience, just as the morning service did. We attended a different church this time, and it was all in Portuguese. We began singing in Portuguese, and although we didn’t know the words they sang, we felt the presence of God as they raised their hands in worship and tears filled their eyes. Several of the later songs happened to be ones we knew in English, so we simultaneously sang in our own languages. The unity and beauty in that moment gave me chills, and I continued to adore how we can worship the same God in our own unique ways. One other memorable experience from the service was when we paired up with another person from the church and prayed for one another. We prayed for them in English while they prayed for us in Portuguese. They displayed such passion and love through the prayer, and although we didn’t know what they prayed, we could all tell they wanted the grace and peace of our God to be poured upon us. After the service, Beth told me the passion the people displayed inspired her to show more boldness in her prayer and worship. I would say we can all agree with that statement.

            We ended the day with some delicious pizza and a small group meeting. Caleb gave a devotion from Joshua and spoke on going out of your comfort zone to spread the love of God. After sharing how we saw the Lord working today and praying for the team, we all headed to bed. I am so encouraged and excited after our first full day, and I can’t wait to experience all that still lies ahead. 

 

Grace and peace,

Adria Fox