Barricading Tarija
June 16,
2014
Well hello
everyone! This has really been a wild week, full of crazy moments and
challenges, but also full of miracles. I’m loving it here in Paraiso!
To start off with some crazy news from
here in Bolivia (Dad you’ll like this, I know you always want to know more
about the culture here)... our area happens to include the biggest university
in Tarija, el Tejar. That means that our ward has tons of university students
and the YSA group is huge here. Also, the majority of our investigators are
YSA. But, the student leadership group and the faculty in administration had
some kind of huge tiff and two weeks ago the student leaders got so mad that
they blocked off the university! Seriously... like 30 students took over the
university and barricaded it off with furniture and stuff, and then fought off
anybody that tried to take them over again! They literally fight with the
faculty and the police and everything, and the really wild thing is that they
win! They have now had control of the university for over two weeks now, and
there is a group that camps outside it every day with signs and things making
sure they can’t open it. It’s not like it’s been dangerous for us or anything,
but it has been pretty inconvenient and killer for the people we’re teaching.
The majority of the students here come from other cities, and especially from
little pueblos, to study, so when classes are closed for over two weeks, they
have just gone home! So we’ve been losing investigators with baptism dates,
investigators who were really interested, right and left. They just all leave!
Also, this happened just in the moment when we’re working harder than ever to
pull up attendance to over 200, and attendance has definitely taken a hit. So
it’s been a bit of a challenge for us here, but nothing kills my or Hermana
Lopez’s spirit. :) We just keep working harder than ever despite the
challenges!
It’s saddening to see that all these people can’t progress thanks to the university, but Hermana Lopez and I have felt that this is the Lord’s way of telling us He wants us to focus more on families and people who live here permanently in Tarija. Not that these university students aren’t important - they’re super important and, like I said, I’m really sad that we can’t teach them right now - but the Lord needs FAMILIES that can support this ward if it is going to stay open. With that in mind, we have titled this week "The Week of the Family" and we are praying that the Lord will grant us with a family to teach this week. I know that if we truly give this week everything we’ve got, He will bless us with a family to teach. But despite the challenges, we do have several people who really are progressing, and like I said, we saw miracles this week! One was that a girl, Lourdes, approached US in the street and asked us to come visit her! She said she has been looking for a church and feels like the Catholic church doesn’t have what she’s looking for. Unfortunately, she also went home since the university is closed, but we want to pass the referral to Yacuiba where she lives and hopefully she can start attending church there! Also, we started teaching a Christian woman, Adriana, and her son. They went to our church before and thought it was boring so they didn’t want to go back, but a member introduced her to us a few weeks ago and she went to church with us yesterday. I don’t know what changed this time, but she really liked the church and recognized that this is what she needs to come unto Christ more fully. We have also seen progress in the miracle investigators from last week, Cristina and Grover. Both of them really liked the message of the Restoration and feel that it is true. They continue to be interested in baptism. Unfortunately, Satan always puts challenges in the way of baptism, and Cristina is sick in the hospital right now so neither of them could come to church. But that’s one of the big things I’m learning in the mission - that the Lord often gives us the miracles we ask for, but He rarely gives them to us in the time we want them. I know that He wants me to learn patience, and I’m trying to do so. The important thing isn’t whether or not I’m there for the baptism, it’s whether or not they make it. And I know that I need to be more humble to be able to accept the Lord’s will.
It’s saddening to see that all these people can’t progress thanks to the university, but Hermana Lopez and I have felt that this is the Lord’s way of telling us He wants us to focus more on families and people who live here permanently in Tarija. Not that these university students aren’t important - they’re super important and, like I said, I’m really sad that we can’t teach them right now - but the Lord needs FAMILIES that can support this ward if it is going to stay open. With that in mind, we have titled this week "The Week of the Family" and we are praying that the Lord will grant us with a family to teach this week. I know that if we truly give this week everything we’ve got, He will bless us with a family to teach. But despite the challenges, we do have several people who really are progressing, and like I said, we saw miracles this week! One was that a girl, Lourdes, approached US in the street and asked us to come visit her! She said she has been looking for a church and feels like the Catholic church doesn’t have what she’s looking for. Unfortunately, she also went home since the university is closed, but we want to pass the referral to Yacuiba where she lives and hopefully she can start attending church there! Also, we started teaching a Christian woman, Adriana, and her son. They went to our church before and thought it was boring so they didn’t want to go back, but a member introduced her to us a few weeks ago and she went to church with us yesterday. I don’t know what changed this time, but she really liked the church and recognized that this is what she needs to come unto Christ more fully. We have also seen progress in the miracle investigators from last week, Cristina and Grover. Both of them really liked the message of the Restoration and feel that it is true. They continue to be interested in baptism. Unfortunately, Satan always puts challenges in the way of baptism, and Cristina is sick in the hospital right now so neither of them could come to church. But that’s one of the big things I’m learning in the mission - that the Lord often gives us the miracles we ask for, but He rarely gives them to us in the time we want them. I know that He wants me to learn patience, and I’m trying to do so. The important thing isn’t whether or not I’m there for the baptism, it’s whether or not they make it. And I know that I need to be more humble to be able to accept the Lord’s will.
It really
has been a crazy week, and there’s tons more I could mention... a man with a
monkey who tries to attack us, a possessed investigator, an attempted robbery
with a hero who came at just the right moment, stomach problems, stomach
problems, and more stomach problems... ha, we got everything this week, but the
Lord always keeps us safe and protected. I know that the mission is where the
Lord needs me to be and I LOVE IT!
Just a few
more things... first off, shout out to Dad! Happy Father’s Day yesterday! Also,
keep Esteban in your prayers... he’s supposed to get baptized next week, but he’s
still having problems with his wife. Looks like the decision might come down to
get baptized or keep his family intact, despite everything we’ve tried. We’re
praying that the Lord opens up a solution!
Love you all! Have a great week!
Love,
Love,
Hermana Chelsie Faulk
No comments:
Post a Comment