Bolivia’s tough. It’s a landlocked country, and most of it sits at about 4000 meters above sea level (that’s 12,000 feet, or 2.5 miles). Let me paint you a picture of where we’re stationed: Uyuni is in the Potosi department in the south of Bolivia, just off some of the largest salt flats in the world. It’s a desert region, barren — like being on the moon or in a dusty old ghost town (except this place is actually populated, the ramshackle buildings either rundown businesses or dilapidated residences). The temperature fluctuates between scorching hot in the sun and blisteringly cold in the shade (only slightly exaggerating there…literally, only slightly), and the difference between day and night is at least 60 degrees at its most extreme. But that’s the desert for you — between this, the altitude, and the dusty air (I’ve begun wearing my buff around my neck instead of on my head, that way I can cover my mouth to keep some of the dirt out of my lungs), I’ve had a few health issues since arriving: one headcold, some altitude sickness, and just overall shortness of breath. We walk 2-8 miles every day, and yet we get out of breath just walking up the stairs to our rooms, or even just rolling over in bed.
Like I said. Tough.
The housing situation isn’t the easiest, either. We have an outhouse that 6 of us (plus our translator, plus the house owner and her husband, plus the two families living in the back of the property) share; the toilet doesn’t flush (we have to pour water into it and flush it manually); and in order to take showers it’s either walk 1+ miles to the public restrooms/showers or take a bucket shower at home (time-consuming and not easy to accomplish with a hectic ministry schedule and sharing a single bathroom with so many people).
Let me just stop right here real quick to say: THIS IS NOT A VENT SESSION. I’m seriously NOT COMPLAINING, I promise; because despite these difficult conditions, I actually LOVE Uyuni. There is a GREAT ministry here for evangelism, especially with backpackers and tourists coming to see the salt flats, the ghost-town-feel grew on me really quickly (I smile each time I imagine tumbleweeds blowing past — kind of reminds me of being back in Texas), the people are very open to hearing about Jesus, and these people KNOW HOW TO WORSHIP THE LORD. They will play the same song in church for 20 to 30 minutes, singing and dancing and clapping the whole time…and their prayers! Oh, they are on their knees, crying out to the Lord. It’s beautiful, and so inspiring!
Truly, I am not complaining. But I do need to explain just how tough Bolivia is in order to get to my point — which is that God loves you so much He sent me here. Yes. He sent me here because He loves YOU. Maybe that doesn’t make sense, because you didn’t ask Him to send me here, but it’s true, and here’s why.
Any time the Light of Jesus shines down on a community — any time the power of God is released in the world — it is always (ALWAYS) a good thing — for you, your children, and your children’s children. I mean, okay. So Bolivia is really far from the US. And maybe what happens in Bolivia doesn’t directly affect the US (or EU, if you’re one of my friends across the pond), but there is definitely a connection there, and that connection is only separated by a mere few degrees.
For instance, did you know that much of the cocaine that comes from South America originates and is manufactured in Bolivia? It’s then transported into Chile and Argentina for transport into Europe or the US. That’s a HUGE EFFECT, because drugs affect so many people across the world. But did you also know that my teammates and I gave a presentation to high schoolers on drugs and how they destroy lives? I have one heck-of-a-testimony in this department — darkness from my past that a lot of people don’t know about– and so the kids were enthralled by everything I had to say, and our presentation really and truly affected them. One girl even started crying right there in class.
Now, you can’t tell me that one less drug addict or/or drug dealer in Bolivia isn’t a good thing for the United States. It is a VERY GOOD THING, and I tell you this: Holy Spirit was there, touching the hearts of those kids (not just one, but several of them!) because we weren’t just talking to them about drugs and alcohol. We weren’t just giving them a list of rules, things NOT to do. We were sharing Jesus with them and shining His perfect, mighty Light into their lives. We were sharing our own personal stories, being very vulnerable and honest…we didn’t sugar-coat it. We told them all the real, gritty details of what drugs do to you….I told them what drugs did to me back in the early 2000s, how it seemed like drugs were the escape I had been looking for, how I thought they would satisfy that void inside me (the “hole in my heart” as my teammate Jenny so-well put it), but how that turned out to be a LIE. I told them that drugs only made my problems far worse, and I told them it’s not worth it to “buy the lies that promise more” because they will always fail to deliver those promises. By the time I was done, those kids believed me. Why? Because I was speaking truth to them, and Jesus was there, softening their hearts to my words.
THAT IS HOW CHANGE HAPPENS. And that change affects you and the lives and futures of those around you. So when missionaries leave the comforts of their homes behind and go to developing nations to hsare the Love and Light of Jesus, it is a really big deal. It affects things. It changes things. It changes people’s histories — not just mine, and not just the people we’re meeting, but yours too.
So yes. God sent me on the World Race to tell the people of these countries that He loves them and that He has a place prepared for them in His Kingdom. But He also sent me for another reason: Because He LOVES YOU too. Oh, and He also has a place prepared for YOU in His Kingdom — did you know that? Did you know you’re a daughter or son of a king? The One True KING? Did you know that His Kingdom is all around us, and that He loves and trusts you enough to help Him usher it in for more people who need Him?
Just something to think about, in case you didn’t already know. 🙂
Help continue changing lives and painting a better future for ourselves, our children and our children’s children — be a part of this World Race ministry by praying for me and my team and by helping me reach my next fundraising deadline on July 1st. I still need to raise almost $5000 to finish this mission, and by donating, you are spreading God’s Love and shining His Light on the dark parts of the world that need it most. And whether you realize it now or not, the darkness in this world spills over into our lives every day. Let’s fight it together, in the only Name that saves: JESUS.
Thank you for all your encouragement and support. With love. -K
