Good Friday

I got to use the internet unexpectedly today. I wanted to quickly wish you happy Easter! THE LORD IS RISEN! We will have a Sunday service at 5:30 in the morning!

Today during the service teacher Erlin with high school boys showed a hight quality show about Jesus trial and crucifixion... so genuine, so real and so special...

Last night there was our usual Thursday missionary meeting where I had to speak. And I had prepared a 10 minute speech and I delivered the speech in Spanish. I prayed that God would speak through me because I really wanted to share some important things that were on my heart... and I managed to tell them! I made special apple empanadas. I bought the apples in Brazil. They are very rare here. I made delicious pasties with apples, raisins and cinnamon. I’ll make some in Latvia, too! They’re very delicious!

Last night a lizard walked on my pillow... she had never gotten so close to me. Weird feeling...

I received a package from my parents on Wednesday. Oh how delicious and good everything was there... even though it came for 2 months... everything was still good and this definitely was the joy of my day week!!! And I received a letter from Sandra - a huge happiness...

But yes, better don’t send me anything from Latvia... it might not come in time... if you send from The States it’s OK :)

Life goes on. And I’m going with it!

A lot of work and even more blessings! And I will be back in Latvia in three months!

One more week in horse speed

That’s how fast the time is flying by. You blink an eye and the day is gone... today was the same (April 19). It’s been 3 months since I arrived in Rincon and I’ve been away from Latvia for 3,5 months. Of course, of course I miss home. Sometimes I salivate thinking about a tasty Latvian food. Sometimes I miss someone to death, or a hug, or a shoulder, a conversation, an event in Latvia. I’m love to take a bath, wash my clothes in a washing machine, go to cinema or theater, I’d love to skype, call, chat with someone.. But you know - you can live without all those things when you don’t have other options! And I don’t have... And it builds up my character! There are some brave people who practice for marathon in Latvia (don’t they? :) ) But I train my character every day... and I’m very grateful to God for that. Although this gratitude doesn’t always come with shout of excitement. I can tell you honestly. But my gratitude is always genuine.

What has happened this week? Ondina and I went for a walk through Ayoreo villages last Sunday. We walked along clay and mud houses with straw roofs, across small rain created streams in the lower parts of the road where local women washed clothes or their children, passed thinner or thicker jungle parts. We walked to Rincon gates, where is a shop. I bought candles and waffles Ondina and I ate on our way home. A giant tarantula visited my bathroom this week and crawled down the wall... it seemed he’s coming my direction but luckily during the night he disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

One day pastor Samuel had to go to court to get legal rights to keep a tractor the mission had bought. Bolivian policeman confiscated it when they took the tractor to Rincon. The police had suspicions that something illegal is going on. We prayed and after 2 years of waiting they allowed the mission to get back their tractor. Theoretically at least :)

Fall is coming here. Seriously! Few mornings ago at 3 or 4 AM I felt like I need a blanket and I wore a cardigan when I had my breakfast! It’s something VERY rare. Some leaves are falling... and it’s not +39C anymore, it’s just +30C, +33C, +35C... sometimes it’s only +25C. One morning was the coldest - only +17C! But it’s hot again today. I have given Velta 2 computer classes. She is a very good student! I got lice! I was so happy I had escaped those insects for such a long time almost every girl has here. But I got them. I treated them with a really smelly poison and then washed them out with laundry soap :) I smelled a bit. But my head is clean now. A new building is being built in Rincon. There will be snack shop, school supply shop, and mission office. First trimester of school is over and we have to give grades to students. Therefore I had to work more with students who have lower grades. I remember how we begged the teachers to give us better grades... now I was surrounded with many hopeful and some desperate eyes. This Sunday I managed to connect my video camera with the TV and girls and I had a movie time with popcorn that Helena send from Nova Odessa. Big thank you! Popcorn was gone immediately. I’m very happy for this afternoon - girls very really excited to see my videos. I showed them last moments from Riga airport, my beautiful week in Brazil etc. It was interesting for myself to remember all these events :) Ondina and I hit a papaya palm with  stick and we got a papaya - it was so delicious!!! There was Palm Sunday, it was literally Palm Sunday, the church was decorated with real jungle palm leaves! What a beauty! A prayer for girls health was beautifully answered, she had a high fever one night and she was crying. We prayed that she would get better. An hour later she was able to get out of her bed and sit, and the very next day she went to school smiling. God also answered prayer for Velta’s back. One bone got misplaced one day. It’s unbelievable but the bone got back to it’s place itself. 

I recelved two fantactic letters from Latvia last week - this time big thank you goes to Anete K. and Liene P. - they gave me both emotional and gastronomical pleasure. Huge thank you! It took very long for these letters to arrive here based on the stamps but it’s good that they came. One night I was homesick... I missed Latvia and home so much... I cried... but then I pulled myself together and continued to go forward!

Doctors visited dorms the other day, they gave a shot. Girls made me get the shot too and now I have got a shot against tantum or something... I didn’t quite understand what it is but the nurse said I need it. OK. Now I’m imune to a local disease!

Everything is OK. I’m still in the right place and the right time. And at the end I want to quote Paul: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.“/Phil. 1:8,9/ Amen!

I continue to go

Where I’m going you’ll ask? Nowhere. I’m  still here - in the little village of Rincon in the middle of Bolivian jungle. But I have a feeling that I’m going along a long, long road in a big and stable car. Through one window you can see what one Latvian rapper once said: “Pole, pole, tree, tree, pole, pole, tree, tree... or something like that. The point is that nothing changes, everything repeats... it’s the same way here. Alarm goes off at 5:40, breakfast is at 6:20, right after I have “forced” out of their rooms to the Bible class. They always have some problems in the morning - lost shoes or skirts, for example... the Bible and notebook they used a day ago can’t be found. Then I have to help them get ready and leave the dorms more or less on time. When there is time and demand I make their hair, too. Then there are daily chores - breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen, cooking for lunch or English classes, lunch, kitchen, afternoon nap, school or kitchen, dinner, kitchen, snack shop, helping with homework, shower, evening devotions, teeth check-up... I have to do the same things in the same order. With some exceptions... and those exceptions are what I see through the other window - nothing is the same there. Everything is colorful, bright, joyful, full of surprises and real happiness and gives joy. There are all those “extra” times when I afford to spend more time with girls - when we sing, draw, play a game, go for a walk to the nearby bamboo grow or pig court, count in English or in Latvian (they love it). On this bright side of there road are all walks with or without Ondina. There are all those special moments when Velta, Ondina and I sit down after lunch and have snacks and talk and laugh. When we have an unusual meal, some kind of a celebration, an unusual sunset, bright full moon, a girl’s grateful or excited smile or hug, a letter from outer world, a special conversation, a good dream...

Everything reminds me of a normal family life - there is a daily routine, there are some joys. There are duties and surprises. There is responsibilities and rights. There are joys and sorrows. It’s easy and hard. There are mountaintops and valleys. There is laughter and tears. There is hurry and leisurely moments. Like we all have, don’t we? But the best thing is that the driver of my life never changes. It’s always stable, trustworthy, purpose driven, caring and completely safe. My Heavenly Father is always driving and he doesn’t let me off road :)

Big thank you to God for that!

Quarter of a year in South America

That's exactly how long I have been away from Latvia. I don't know if it's a lot or not... I had sitting alone at my lunch table. Literature teacher Luis Bautista sat at the other table and upon seeing my look he asked if I miss home. Maybe he saw a quiet message in my eyes with his literary soul. But I have to thank God that I don't swim in tears every night which theoretically could happen taking into account the fact that I'm so far from Latvia, family, friends and everything that's dear to me there... God really strengthens me and lets me feel like home here. Of course, I'm not saying that I don't miss home. Of course I miss it. But helps me and makes there longings bearable. And it's very important to me as a girl :)
I wanted to send a message to all Latvians who still want to send me a parcel - you have to send them out in April because the things you have sent me come to me were slowly. They come so slowly that I have received only one letter from Latvia but I have received messages that many more letters and parcels had been mailed along time ago. Since I will be in Rincon until the end of June (approximately June 20-ish) you have to mail everything until the end of April so I can receive it while I'm still here. It would be very dumb if these things arrived when I'm already gone. Parcels from The USA arrived faster, from Brazil and Belgium, too... by the way :)
I haven't mentioned that I have visited her office two times as a patient. A pice of my tooth broke off when I ate some meat and bit a piece of bone. Ondina showed me all the professionalism :) And my tooth is like newborn. I had never been in a dentist's office with a camera in my hand :D I had always been afraid of those tooth pullers. But now I have  dentist/friend :)
It's interesting that live forces you to learn not only now to speak and sing in Spanish but how to rebuke, too. Girls sometimes do such things that I have to raise my tone. Sometimes they don't hear words in a normal tone and volume. I have learned how to rebuke in Spanish. Then girls have surprised eyes that Profe Liene can talk like that. Then they behave better... until the next time. They have something in them that wants to experiment how far they can go outside the set boundaries. Then I have to turn them back within the boundaries. as it is said in the Bible - we should rebuke the youngest :) So I do it with all my heart. Interesting things happen at night when the lights go out. When the doors open and I catch them them by surprise there they always say they're going to the bathroom :) I wonder why that bathroom usually turns out to be another girls' room :D Little cheaters. They try to be very good... but I think there is a rebellious spirit in their blood. Please pray that Velta and I and secretary Sharon who lives here can be both friends and good leaders, live examples, encouragers and everything else they need to them. And most of all pray that new people would come to manage girl's dorms next year. Maybe God is calling YOU to this exciting ministry? A little job advertisement :D We are looking for Girls' dorm manager. We offer - stable housing, regular meals, company of 60 girls who can wonderfully sing, color, laugh, talk, play, help etc... Work hours: 24/7. Remuneration: a huge crown in Heaven :) However, an emotional satisfaction and joy already here on Earth :) We ask that persons interested in this position would not call because you can't call us. Write emails! They work pretty well! :)
I'm sending greetings from the bottom of my heart to all my loved ones... I'm looking at Latvia pictures, reread letters, try to imagine what is going on and what it looks like there...
I had to open a letter from Liene Viskupaite on April 7. She had written that I have to read it under a palm tree. So I went to Rincon cemetery during the lunch break because there is a nice palm. I sat on the enge of a grave stone and read the letter, sun was shining brightly. Liene - if you're reading my blog - HUGE thank you for your letter! It was exactly what I needed to hear :)
And may God bless you mission trip to the far away land where you are now!
Love,
Liene


Pictures:
1) I together with girls during evening teeth check up. I'm holding the youngest one - Rosita!
2) A picture from a wonderful afternoon when I poured some water on girls while I took the picture... And they quickly got the lesson - I got some water behind my clothes too.
3) With a letter I received from Agrita! This big and even bigger is my joy when somethings arrives in the mail! And I guess I'm a little tanned... good that I had time to upload these pictures...

An excellent day off

Oh, my dears, what a day I had yesterday (Tuesday, April 5th)! Since it was 90 days since I had entered Brazil I had to go to the border to officially leave Brazil and officially enter Bolivia with all the stamps. It meant that had to fly to Puerto Suarez with pastor as he flies there every Tuesday if nothing unexpected doesn't happen. It was raining a bit in the morning and thunder was roaring in the bight orange sky but we were able to go to the airfield shortly after 8 in the morning. Principal Panfila joined us because she had a ton of papers that needed to be taken to Education council of the region. Since Rincon school is not the only one under her supervision there are always a lot of papers. Rincon school has 9 branches - tiny schools somewhere deep in the jungle in this area. So Panfila has to take care of 10 schools!!!
Pastor usually has a VERY long shopping list and to do list. He has couple of hours in the outside world to do get everything Rincon household needs to "survive" for a week. That's why he has a lot of responsibilities.
I flew by the famous Rincon's avion (that's how they usually call the plane) for the first time. The little airplane turned out to be a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Panfila and Samuel pushed it our of garage so easily like it was a bicycle. We quickly threw in some bags and took off. Pastor operated the plane just as easy as he would a regular electronic appliance. I was in wonder how easy it all looked. Panfila was steering the plane at one point (there are two steering wheels in the front) and she created some fun moments in the sky by turning and shaking us a little bit. She's an excellent pilot, too.
We flew right under the clouds and under us - jungle, jungle, jungle... some water and again jungle, jungle, jungle... When you live in Rincon court it seems that you're not really in the jungle because we have all the critically important amenities. But when you see that you're indeed in the middle of nowhere that you start to think about life differently... it helps you appreciate how CRITICALLY important Rincon mission is for this area which is nothing but jungle, jungle, jungle but at the same time there are many people who need to hear the message of Christ, education, medical and other help. Again, huge thanks to God for Rincon mission!
When we approached the airport, I felt something unusual and surprising. It even scared me a little bit - my phone beeped! I couldn't believe - I got phone coverage already there in the air :) How happy I was! I could read a couple of nice messages from Latvia and quickly answer while I was still in the clouds.
We landed in Puerto Suarez airport, pastor found his car he had left there and we went to downtown Puerto Suarez where he rushed to do some business while Panfila made uncountable copies and binded the documents. Then we went to Education council. A dark little office with icons and portraits of Bolivian historical heroes on the wall. Employees there gave me surprised looks and one men showed off his English skills by saying "Yes, yes. OK, OK." several times. While Janson couple took care of some paperwork I had a chance to walk along the coast of the fantastic Pantanala lake. Who would have imagined that there can be such a beautiful place in Puerto Suarez with a well kept park and a nice platform by the lake where you can sit and enjoy the view. Only couples walked there. No wonder - the atmosphere is so romantic there :) On the other side of the lake you could see mighty mountains, there were fluffy clouds in the sky and you could see that it's raining somewhere far away but sun was shining brightly above my head. And two very special phone calls and several texts from Latvia made this moment even more perfect :) It was so hard to believe that I really can communicate with home.
When they had finished all the paperwork we went to Brazil, to Corumba where pastor goes every week to get mail and mail what needs to be mailed. And he does his shopping there. While he was running errands and getting things from his shopping list he let Panfila and I walk in a girlier area where we could go to different shops. At first I didn't know how to behave in a shop :D But then I got used to the beautiful brightness and was able to by something for myself. Girls, you will really love my new earrings! :)
Panfila and I had an hour but since we didn't look at the watch when this hour began we were a little late... 40 minutes late :) But Panfila bought candy for Samuel and he forgave us! Then we went to eat. Oh, that was a celebration too because I could indulge myself with things I don't usually get. I had chicken!!! I think it was one of the tastiest chickens of my life! And I had some other things I hadn't had in a long time. We ate at a nice place where you could buy t-shirts with Pantanala lake symbols. And I have a new t-shirt now :) Panfila gave it to me. I hadn't been so excited about a new t-shirt in a long time :) I really appreciate every new thing now!
We bought some vegetables and other important food items. I bought a bag of apples - I will make apple empanadas :) We usually make these pies with cheese but I want to try them with apples. I bet they will be good!
Since time was coming quickly to an end we had to drive back to Bolivian border to stamp me out of the country. We didn't have any problems with that. They began when I wanted to get the Bolivian stamp which is also a visa. Panfila and I entered a very Bolivian office :D There were 3 tables, behind those tables sat 3 sweaty men whose shirts were unbuttoned too low. And the shirts really needed some ironing. Calendars and portraits of Bolivian historical heroes were raped on the walls. On some places there was only tape on the wall. The man who served us was very short with long nails. He was very surprised about my passport , he asked where is Latvia. And then he asked me a question that shocked me. Where is your Yellow fever document? OOPS!!!! Of course I have one but I had totally forgotten that I have it and that I might need it on the border... Panfila begged him to give us the stamp and she explained that I had forgotten it at home but the clerk was very stubborn. So we left the office with sad faces. It was almost 4:00 PM... we had to be back at Puerto Suarez airport at 5:00 PM to make it back to Rincon before it gets dark. And it wouldn't be good to return to Rincon without a Bolivian visa because I could go to the border again in  a week but then we would have problems because I;m no longer in Brazil but not yet in Bolivia. They would ask where had I been all this time and Jansons said they would put me in prison... but I believe they overexaggerated the part about prison... We needed a solution. Thank God pastor's and his wife's head works well. We quickly returned to downtown Puerto Suarez to an office where Samuel's acquaintance works and he makes all kinds of documents. Thanks to a nice conversation this man wrote a new Yellow fever document. I got a new last name there - Liene Latvijas :) He made a little mistake copying data from my passport... but it's OK, he fixed the mistake. But it was interesting that I received Yellow fever shots in August, 2008. He said it's because you can't have those shots too often... OK.
So Panfila and I quickly found a taxi that took us back to the border. In the meantime pastor did some more shopping in Puerto Suarez market. We were lucky that the taxi driver was a friend of our short clerk. He said he would help us if there were any problems. We walked back into the office. The little man carefully examined the document with his colleague, they turned and scratched it. He asked where I got it and how much I paid for it. The best question was - How come I got Yellow fever shot in Bolivia in 2008 but my passport doesn't show that I was in Bolivia at the time? A good question, isn't it? Thank God Panfila was with me and she asked them back: Couldn't she have changed her passport since then? Then little clerks looked at each other and said: Well, yes, it could be so... But it didn't seem they really believed us. I think it helped that our taxi driver was standing behind us and maybe he gave them a sign without words that we are their own people. Finally he let me fill out the form and put the important stamp in my passport that allows me to stay in Bolivia for 90 days! YES!! At the end the little man smiled and asked me what's my real name and where I actually come from.
Then we rushed back to Puerto Suarez market where pastor was still shopping. Spent some time in the local "supermarket". It was so interesting to see all the cups, plates, spoons, toilet paper, cookies and other items we use daily there. Now I know where they all come from. Three plump women with long, long, thick, thick braids sat in the middle of the supermarket. They bagged beans. All prices in the supermarket were written by hand with a marker. A good store! Our car was packed really full. I was under toilet paper :) We briefly stopped by pastor's house in Puerto Suarez to go to bathroom and take packages from parents who are sending some city goodies for their loved ones. And then we rushed to the airport. On our way there I was thinking we will never put all this stuff in the tiny airplane. But one of pastor's God's given gifts is the gift of packing. There was space for everything. Every inch was used. They made a seat for me on rice bags. We took off and flew above the jungle again. Sun was coloring the clouds in unusual shades and phone coverage soon left my cell phone... we landed in Rincon where cows were slowly walking across the airfield. It had been raining heavily during the day - it was all muddy. And mud is VERY muddy here!!! My dinner and Velta awaited me in the kitchen. Ondina joined us, she had received a parcel from Helena from Novo Odessa church. And there was a letter for me too! A big thank you to Helena for all the nice words and things! I will definitely respond!
When I returned to the dorms... oh... it felt like I had been away for a really long time because girls greeted me like they hadn't see me for a month. The little ones looked at me with big eyes and said: We cried during the day because we thought that you had left us and returned to Latvia. Girls hugged me very tightly. They asked what is the city like. Those who were supposed to have English that day said that it was sad without Profe Liene... my heart almost melted after this night... I love my 60 chicas so much! I told them that I can legally stay here until the end of june... and they all asked - and what then? When will I come back? I didn't know what to say... just the answer I always give them - as God wills...
This Tuesday flew by so quickly. Thanks to God that I got the visa. I guess my dream and Panfila's promise will come true now to take me to the city of Santa Cruz! I need a visa to go there. And now I have one :) I'm really looking forward to our trip!
On our way home Panfila gave me a clue: for all this visa hassle I should change my ticket and stay here until the end of school year... I knew she was just kidding. But there is a piece of truth in every joke. And it seemed like there was a lot of truth in this one...
Thanks to God that the mission has an airplane and  such a wise, talented, humble and caring pastor who runs like the wind to provide everything for the mission.Pray that Rincon's airplane will last long and Samuel will have enough strength, endurance and energy to continue to take care of all purchases and other 8347 duties! I will definitely write more about him :)