Not so rainy season…

Rainy season in Cochabamba… Has not been that rainy! In fact we have been having record breaking temperatures of 35 degrees (too hot) and just a few thunder and lightning storm downpours. So still shorts and T shirts for us!

Due to our visa, we had to leave the country. We decided to spend a few weeks in Mexico staying at an Air B&B near the beach in December. We had a super relaxing time and celebrated Christmas and Ruth’s birthday with sandy toes, and few mojitos and a view of the sea. 

A new year and a new flat. We sadly had to move out of our lovely flat which we have called home for the last 14 months. Luckily we have found another place about 15 minutes walk from the school. This time we have a view, rather than a brick wall and a tin roof. We thought we would miss the howling dogs, the 2.00 am Mariachi bands and car alarms going off all the time. But rest assured we have dogs, bands and car alarms here too! This is Bolivia after all.

We continue to help at the girls refuge home called Mosojyan. We have been teaching them dramas for them to practice and perform at their events. They are really talented and enthusiastic – always wanting to play the main parts and can mimic all our gestures. The next challenge is now to get them to create their own dramas and encourage them to express their feelings. We accompanied them on a “hike” into the mountains in Parque Tunari. It was, in true Bolivian style, a bit haphazard…. No map… No risk assessment ( what is that? ) no shade… But of course lots of food! After a long slog uphill we found a rocky patch to have lunch, sing songs and play some games. It was such a joy to see these girls having fun, retrieving some of their childhood and leaving their worries and experiences behind them – even just for a short while. We have grown to love them so much. 

One 14 year old girl, said looking at a single wispy cloud in the sky, “Wow look, you can see the sky moving!”

Another replied, “No, it’s the Earth spinning”

She was not convinced that it could be the Earth spinning.

Both were rather confused when we explained that actually it was the wind blowing the cloud across the sky.

Whilst we were away, they had an end of year event at Cometa. We were both sad to miss it as it involved the boys and girls performing special things they had prepared and giving certificates for achievements. We heard about it from Richard and have a few photos to share. Many of the boys said thank you to the volunteers who go in to help and expressed their gratitude for what they learned. The Christmas boxes were a huge surprise! No-one expected anything and they really appreciated the basic toiletries and personal items. They are now all proudly wearing their new sandals and even wanted to prove that they were wearing their new boxers by showing me the elastic tops, which I politely told them was enough… I believed them!

Thank you to those who contributed to the cost of these. Along with local Bolivian churches we were able to buy boxes for 100 boys in Cometa, 12 girls and 20 boys in CAMINO.

Taking a slight break from doing drama in Cometa we decided to help teach basketball with three volunteers from the USA. Our skills are improving, but it is joining in and having fun that seems to speak the most. Even on one of those very rare rainy days here in Cochabamba. We also enjoy playing volleyball with one of the Spanish teachers from our language school, who is a semi professional player and has agreed to go in to help. 

Some of the boys are allowed day release to go to college in the afternoon. They are on summer holiday at the moment, so we are doing some craft activities with them. We have made juggling balls from flour and balloons (thanks Youtube for the idea), friendship bracelets, threaded beads for necklaces, tie dye t shirts and drawing. It is wonderful to see them concentrating on something, focusing on a simple task and it gives us time to chat. One of our most valuable tools here has been our “story cube”. A book without words. The novelty and simplicity of being able to tell the story of Jesus in this way has been remarkable. Some boys want to see it every week and hear the story again and again.

We are busy planning for a visit from a team from Hemel Hempstead called Expressions who are coming out to Bolivia, from 16 March to 6 April. They hope to be able to teach dance, music and drama to the different projects we know here in Cochabamba. We will visit Sucre, where we worked in 2007-09 and co-ordinate with a church in Santa Cruz who do similar work to us in a youth rehabilitation centre. Please pray for them as they prepare for their trip.