Teaching in Bolivia

I have another “interview” very close to my heart to share with all of you today! My sweet (real life) friend, Joy, is currently in her second year of teaching middle school in La Paz, Bolivia. She teaches 6^th 7^th, and 8^th grade math and 6^th and 7^th grade science at Highlands International School.

{The two of us during recess one afternoon.}

I met Joy the fall of my senior year of high school during my externship in a second grade. Joy completed her student teaching in the same class. We worked closely together and spent many afternoons together with our second graders. Over the year we developed a special friendship as we talked about everything from god scripted love stories to teaching to swing dancing. We still write letters and Skype when we can. She has been a faithful friend and it has been so exciting to share in her mission in La Paz. Here is a glimpse into her life in Bolivia…

1) What led you to pursue teaching overseas?

Good question! There are many factors that got me thinking about the possibility of teaching overseas, but I never really dreamed it would look like this.

When I decided God was calling me to be a teacher, I also decided that I wanted to travel so that I could bring real-world, first-hand knowledge of the world back to my students (who I assumed would be in the States!). After all, how much better would it be to have a teacher tell you about what he or she has seen and experienced versus what you have both read in a book? My desire to learn Spanish also increased when I started pursuing an education degree because for me the language is about connections with people. Speaking Spanish, I knew, could open many doors in building relationships with students and families from Latin American countries. If I ended up teaching in South Florida, I thought of all the people I could build more direct relationships with the hope of sharing the love of Christ with them.

One additional factor, and the one that most strongly planted the seeds that led me to Bolivia, was a short-term summer missions trip to the mountains of Honduras. I helped to coordinate and run the children’s program. While I was there, I saw the tiny elementary school building that children walked to each morning. Some children walked for hours to get to school. The 2 room school building was simple, the school had very few resources for students (even paper was hard to come by), and by 7^th grade, most students didn’t go to school anymore because buying a uniform for secondary school was too expensive. It was there that I first considered the thought of living and teaching overseas, not just visiting.

2) Tell me how you ended up in Bolivia.

It was such a God story. I guess it all started the spring of my Junior year at Florida State University…

Somehow, I had learned about the Fulbright Scholarship program that worked to send recent graduates abroad to teach English and build connections around the world. I prayerfully applied for the scholarship, trusting that God would open and close doors as he saw best. At the same time, I also began the process to apply to Teach for America. I have always had a heart for the public schools of America. I never planned to work in a Christian school, and I have seen so many great needs “in my own backyard” that my intent was to invest there. But God had other plans.

The fall of my Senior year, I started student teaching at Gilchrist Elementary School in a lively second grade class. (It was there I met Samantha, in fact!) One day, on my way home from school, I noticed a sign for a thrift store my church had often mentioned. I decided to stop in so I made a U-turn, ducked into the gravel drive, and popped open my trunk to carry my donations inside. I talked to the woman at the counter for a few minutes, looked around the small shop, and that would have been that…except, I saw the children’s books. I started looking through the used books and found several that I was sure would make a great addition to my collection. While I was debating what books to buy, a woman who had been standing by the counter when I came in walked over to me.

“Do you have a lot of children?” she asked.

I laughed to myself as I told her no.

“Well you must be a teacher then.”

I explained to her that I was in the Elementary Education program at Florida State and that I had just started student teaching.

She introduced herself to me as “Mama Bear,” told me she was a former librarian, and added that I should really look at this organization called NICS so I could pray for Christian teachers around the world. I shrugged, gave her my email address, selected a few good picture books to add to my collection, and hit the road.

That evening, I looked at the email prayer list Mama Bear had sent. I also looked at the NICS website and learned that the organization was the Network of International Christian Schools.

“Cool!” I thought. “Their mission is just where my heart is in education. And look at where all of their schools are!”

And then I forgot about it. For the next 6 months.

By January, I began planning to apply for schools in South Florida…until…one night, I found myself on the NICS website again. Truthfully, I can’t tell you what made me think of it or what prompted me to go to the website in the first place. But there I was. I started looking through the different schools, particularly those in South America.

“Huh…” I thought. “The school in Bolivia has an opening in 4^th grade…I wonder if this is somewhere God wants me to apply.” And so, on a whim, I sent an application to NICS with the prayer, “God, is this where you want me to go?”

Within days, NICS had requested a second application, this one more detailed and specific than the first, as well as a few references. I sent in the second application and references. Within two weeks, I had interviewed with the NICS home office and with my director, Scott Frost, and they had offered me a job teaching middle school. The irony is, the 4^th grade position I originally applied for was never even open. It was an error. My parents were skeptical at first, but the more they learned about NICS, the more supportive they became in favor of me teaching with the organization. I prayed about it, made lists of pros and…well…I couldn’t think of any cons, just fears and sacrifices. And those, I knew, God could handle. And so I prayerfully and confidently told Scott Frost that I would move to La Paz, Bolivia. .

{Part of the school that Joy teaches at!}

3) What do you appreciate most about the culture?

I love the experience of going to the market and buying fresh fruits and vegetables from individual sellers. I love that Bolivian culture is vibrant, and that parades wander up and down the streets with no apparent reason. I love the celebration of Carnaval, which involves city-wide water balloon and water gun fights…for a month! I love the artisan culture of La Paz and that so many people work with their hands. I love that Bolivia doesn’t have all of the modern conveniences of America. I love that it is less influenced by Western culture and still has such strong ties to its history and heritage. I love that most people don’t speak English. I love that life is slower here; it teaches me patience. And I love that relationships are more important than time here. My students are incredibly loyal to their friends and families.

{One of the Bolivian parades that happen often!}

4) Tell me about your church and worship in Bolivia.

This is yet another thing I love about Bolivia. I attend a small, Bolivian church that meets in our school cafeteria. There are a few missionary families that work with the church who speak English, and a few of my students go there with their families. The service is completely in Spanish, and we often sing worship songs for at least half an hour before the sermon begins. I love the emphasis on worship.

5) Are your students responsive to the Gospel? Have any of your students responded as you share and live out your faith?

Many of my students are already believers. It is incredible to walk with these students and to hear the things God is teaching them. I learn as I watch them live out their faith! On the other hand, many of our students come to school without a knowledge of the gospel, or at least without an accurate understanding of theology. There are some students who are open about their lack of belief. They are proud to claim atheism. There are other students who will tell you, “I’m not a Christian. I’m Catholic.” There are many students who ride the middle. Many of our students have questions. Although I have not had the privilege of seeing any of my students come to know the Lord, God has blessed me with many challenging and encouraging conversations. I hope to have many more this year. One challenge of working in a Christian school is that students hear the truth in many contexts and may become “used to it.” I hope and pray that the gospel doesn’t reach their heads without penetrating their hearts.

6) What has been the most rewarding part about teaching in Bolivia? The most challenging?

The most rewarding part of teaching in Bolivia is building relationships with my students. I absolutely LOVE teaching middle school. I am thankful that my classes are small enough that I can really know all of my students, and I have the opportunity to work with my students for multiple years.

The most challenging part about teaching in Bolivia is the workload. At a small school, there is a lot to do, and I often don’t feel like I have time to do it all well. There are challenging aspects related to a lack of resources, too, but it is the amount of stuff-to-do compared to time-to-do-it that makes work difficult.

7) What are some specific prayer requests you have for your country and mission of service?

Bolivia is a country that is very rooted in paganism. The traditional Andean religions still have a large hold on people here. In the mines, the miners make sacrifices to tios, demon idols that they believe to be protectors. Even in the city, Satanists make animal sacrifices. The government, in an attempt to preserve the culture and religion of the indigenous peoples requires all school personnel to be trained in Andean religion studies, and there is a move to put a witch doctor in every public school. There is also a witches market up in the heart of the city where you can buy ingredients for spells such as llama fetuses and herbs. Bolivian religion includes an element of ancestor worship, and there are celebrations for dead relatives who are said to revisit the living on given days.

Even among those who hold to Catholic beliefs, there is a great deal of ambiguity. There is a mixing of traditional beliefs with those of the Catholic faith, and as there is in the states, there is still a great need for evangelism in the churches here.

Please pray for the people of Bolivia to know the Lord.

Pray that God will send missionaries to La Paz and that he will raise up Bolivians to spread the gospel to their own people.

Pray for our students to develop faith founded on theology. Pray that they will take hold of the truth and to bring it to their friends, families, and co-workers. Pray that they will become bright lights in the darkness of Bolivia, and that the Lord will use them to bring the gospel to their own nation.

Pray for our teachers to have energy, health, and joy in the Lord.  Pray for our students who already know the Lord to recognize the worthiness of following him and that God will teach them to pursue him over everything else.

It is such a gift to be able to share God’s work with all of you. What a privilege to be a jar of clay carrying his magnificent treasures. Though we are weak, he is strong. Praise his holy name.

{Overlooking La Paz!}

Thanks for sharing, Joy! I hope this provided you with a glimpse into her mission in Bolivia. Joy and I are such kindred spirits and I have loved watching her story unfold.

Check out her blog here!

United Arab Emirates {It’s an Interview!}

Friends, I’m so excited about today’s post! I’ve corresponded with Ameera from The Wandering Theologian all summer long and was even able to Skype with her last week. Although we haven’t met in person, I truly consider her to be a friend. She recently graduated from Moody Bible Institute and has committed to being an ESL teacher in the United Arab Emirates this school year. She leaves TODAY, but before she left she answered a few questions I had. Now, I get to share this “interview” with all of you! Her answers blew me away with the amount of clarity and detail they provided. I hope they give you a small glimpse into her mission this year…

1) What led you to pursue teaching overseas?

I think the first time I realized I wanted to teach overseas was in the summer of 2005 when I went to teach ESL in Germany with a team from my church. I was born with a desire to travel and learn about other cultures (I'm a military brat) but when I realized the potential for teaching overseas my heart changed. Two years later I went to Venezuela, to work with the first missionary I had ever met, and I left with a desire to return forever. Both of these trips opened my eyes to the need for ESL teachers overseas and so I applied to Moody with the intention to enter the TESOL department. During my four years at Moody my passion for teaching grew and grew and I knew that God was calling me to teach overseas. My internship in Oman (just east of the UAE) confirmed this calling. 2 months with those students changed my life forever.

2) Did you have a certain country or region of the world that grabbed your heart before the UAE?

Ever since the summer of 2010 my heart has been for Arab Muslim women and children. I spent a week in Dearborn, MI (the highest concentration of Muslims in the US live there). This is what led me to seek out an internship in the Arabian Peninsula. Originally, I wanted to go to Yemen because of my experience in Dearborn. However, the political situation in 2011 made this impossible. This lead me to Oman where I was confronted with the reality of the situation in the Arabian Peninsula. My hope is to one day return to Oman but currently God is opening the door to the UAE (I'll be living a short 5 hour drive from where I was last summer) and the need is just as great.

3) Tell me about the church and worship in the UAE.

The churches that exist in the UAE are international or foreign churches. There are approximately 31 churches in the whole country. The UAE is tolerant of other religions so followers of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions are free to worship. Statistics put the Christian population between 8-9%, only 1.4% of these being evangelical Christians. These Christians include, American, Filipino, British, Armenian and Swedish people. Worship will depend on what type of church you attend but the evangelical churches look similar to the churches here in the US. However, due to the inability to evangelize openly the focus of many churches is simply to gather together. There are many Christians living in the country who have no desire to reach out to the people around them for fear of the government. Therefore, any team there with a desire to do outreach must do so without publicizing it.

4) How is Christianity and the Gospel accepted in the country?

As I mentioned in the previous answer, evangelization, proselytizing and conversion is illegal in the UAE. Muslims are not allowed to become Christians and the UAE censors websites with evangelistic purposes and those which have any negative portrayal of Islam. Islam is not just a religion but a way of life. Therefore, acceptance of the Gospel would mean exile from their families, communities and culture. As a result, many of the people are resistant to the Gospel. A couple other stumbling blocks are the negative propaganda they've heard from the leaders of Islam in their communities and the assumption that every Westerner is a Christian. They also accept Western television as reality and thus think Christians act the way they see people act on TV. I think my supervisor encapsulated the struggle to evangelize well in this statement, "The Arabian Peninsula isn't ready for the seeds of the Gospel to be sown just yet. We must first remove all the stones from the soil."

5) How can teaching be used as an outreach in the UAE and countries similar to it?

Teachers are highly respected in the Arab culture. The more education you have the better. In addition, the Arab people are the most hospitable people I've ever met. They open their homes, families and lives to you just because you're their teacher. In a short two months, I was able to visit many students' homes and became very close with their families. They took me out  to see sights around their community, they went shopping with me and I even had one family take me and my friend out to their farm for the whole day. Relationships form in the classroom in a way I've never seen before. They want to know all about what America is like and hope to learn English to better their chances of going to the best universities. In return, they're willing to teach you all about their culture and their language. It is through these relationships that conversations about life and faith (as the two are inextricable) begin.  It is through these relationships that stones are removed from the soil. It is through these relationships God is opening doors for the Gospel to be preached.

6) Can you tell me a little more about sharing the gospel in the UAE?

As far as sharing the Gospel, it definitely happens. Discussions about what you believe are commonplace because of how profoundly the Muslim faith affects their lifestyle. It comes down to a lot of discernment of knowing when to share and when not to. For example I noticed the girls were more willing to talk when their mothers/aunts/grandmothers were out of the room. It takes a lot of time to understand what kind of claims I can make and what parts of the Gospel they're ready to hear. Working with Muslims has taught me, more than anything, that evangelization is a process. It takes time and it's ultimately the Holy Spirit's role to convince them of the truths you're presenting.

7) What are some specific prayer requests you have for your country and mission of service?

-Please pray for unity among the team of teachers. We're coming from all over the world and we barely know each other. Pray that God would form friendships  and bonds that will further the work being done in the UAE.
-Pray for the hearts of our students. We know that God is already preparing them for this new school year. Since it is an international school there will not only be Emirati students but students from all nationalities. This is a huge opportunity for the Gospel.
-Pray for safety for everyone, both physically and spiritually. Driving in the Arabian Peninsula can be quite dangerous and there is always a concern for single women, even in such a westernized country. Spiritually, it is a very dark place. The devil has a real foothold in this country and I had never experienced spiritual warfare the way I experienced it in Oman.
-Ultimately, pray that God would be glorified through our work there, that the students would see Christ's love through us and He would draw people to Himself, (just fyi, one of the most common ways for Muslims to become Christians is through dreams and visions).

{Ameera being commissioned at her church in Chicago}

Follow Ameera’s journey here!

Called to Peru {Guest Post}

Hello from Peru! My name is Amanda from La Blondie Peruana...I'm so happy to be a guest blogger today! {Thanks Samantha!}

A little about me: I'm 27, I've been married to the most incredible man, Shaun, for the past 7 years and in October we are expecting our first {long awaited} little blessing, Judah. We are from Texas but are currently living full time in Lima, Peru but more about that to come!

Samantha and I haven't been blog friends for long, but she has been an incredible encouragement to me so far and I am excited about our new friendship. The first day I visited her blog, she had written a post about Missions and Prayer, where she explained her desire to teach overseas one day, and how she had challenged herself to start lifting up missionaries who are currently overseas. One of the pictures in the photo she took featured Peru, so we started a conversation mostly because I was curious if she knew anyone in Peru.

The answer is...NOW SHE DOES! Funny how God connects people :)

So, it is my pleasure to not only share with her, but also with you, more about my daily life and our ministry in Peru! I could really be all over the place with this...but fortunately, Samantha has provided me with a Q&A to help keep me on track! I'll try to be as thorough and as brief as possible! So without further ado...

1) What led you and your husband to become missionaries in Peru?

In August 2008 Shaun was approached by a friend and invited to go to Peru. His friend had lived in Peru several years ago, and it was always his dream to return  for a Basketball tour/missions trip. He had several connections that would allow his team from the states to play professional teams in Peru. Shaun had played basketball in high school, but not really since then, but as we prayed about it, we felt like it was right for him to go. 

While he was away, I really felt God was prompting me to pray and prepare my heart for something big that would come out of his trip. I had no idea what it was, but I prayed anyway. When Shaun returned one of the first things he said to me was, "How would you feel about moving to Peru?" I was...shocked to say the least, but at the same time I wasn't. I only laughed and thought, "OK God, thanks for preparing me!" 

So in March 2009, we boarded a plane and came back to Peru together. During that time God made it 100% clear that this is where He wanted us. When we returned to the states we sold everything we had, quit our jobs and moved in with my parents. By December 2009 we were both settled in Peru.

{Our excited faces, the day we got our missionary visas}

2) Tell me about your specific ministry in Peru.

I will break this one down into two parts: As a team and personally...

As a team:

The community we live in currently is not where we started out. We lived in another area for the first 2 years we were here, and God really used that season to prepare us for what He had next. It allowed us to get accustomed to the culture, and the language (neither of us spoke any Spanish before we moved here!). Then God moved us on to a community in Chorrillos, where we are now, last September.

We are now part of a team called OIKOS, which is Greek for "Extended Family". Our team is made up of members from America, England, Canada, and of course, Peru. We know God has called us together to be an "extended family" so that as a team, we can reach out to individuals, families and and communities around us.  Currently as a team we focus on three areas: Pacifico (a Shanty town about 5 min away), The Jungle, and Los Cedros (the community where we live).

{Pacifico}

{Calleria: One of our Jungle Communities}

Each community is very different, and like looks different each day. But we are dedicated daily to the following foundations: Personally abiding in Christ, Sharing the Gospel, Life on Life daily discipleship, Disciples making disciples, Worship, Prayer and Living as a community. This is what we live by and what we hope to communicate to the people we live and work with. It's been incredible to see lives transformed as we build relationships!

Personally:

I am currently the worship leader of our communities. It will forever be a mystery to me why God chose ME, but I am growing daily in this process and learning more about the Character of God through worship. I have no previous experience in leading OR worship, but God has given me a talent that I would be silly not to use for his glory. There is only one place I am truly comfortable being, and that is in HIS presence. At the time there are 3 other members on my team and they are amazing. God is growing us each individually and as a team. We have recently started a new discipleship program, in which we are all learning more about becoming leaders and worship. I feel God is leading us to teach the people what we are learning about DAILY worship..that it's not just about singing songs during the specified "worship time" on a Sunday morning..but about truly LIVING a life of worship to God for the things he has done for us. It's been an exciting process and I look forward to seeing how God will use this team here in Peru!

3) Tell me about your church and worship in Peru.

Oops! I kind of jumped ahead on this one...but that's ok I will expand a little more on the "schedule". On Sunday mornings we go out to Pacifico. Our "service" (for lack of better words) is held in the house of Ines. It is a small and humble home, but she willingly opens her doors to us and to her neighbors every week. Twice a month we hold a "formal" service, with worship, a message and fellowship and the other 2 weeks of the month we have an "informal" service...basically we go with drinks and cookies and the people come and we just fellowship. Sometimes we break up into groups and go out into the community, sometimes we just stay in the house and the people come and we just have a great morning talking. It looks different every week.

Sunday evenings, we have a service in our teammates, Mark and Anna's house in Los Cedros, the community we live in, where there is worship, a message and fellowship.

The rest of the week, we just live life together...building relationships, meeting each others needs, visiting...etc.

{During an “informal” service in Pacifico}

4) What do you appreciate most about the culture?

Hmmm...LOTS to appreciate! Culturally, the Peruvians are a very loving people. It would be so easy for them to reject us as foreigners, but they have accepted us as part of the family and allowed us to make our lives here. They are very helpful and patient when it comes to the language...which I have heard from some missionary friends in other countries, can be extremely difficult. Like I said earlier, neither of us knew any Spanish when we came, and we are far from being fluent, but everyone around us is so willing to help!

5) What is a typical day like for you and your family?

We often get this question...and the answer is, there really is no such thing as a "typical" day. Yes, there are things that we have scheduled and that are routine, but every single day and week looks completely different. Our team really moves in and out of seasons, which means the way we do things, as well as the people we work and live with.

However, some of the things we have scheduled would be: Leadership Meetings, accountability, visits, discipleship, etc...Really focusing on building relationships within our team as well as out in our community.

One of our EVERY day activities includes our team lunch! Every day (but Saturday), we come together and share a meal together, which is SO fun, encouraging AND a little crazy. There are anywhere from 8-20 people around the table every single day! To us it is normal now, but every time we have a visitor I remember just how overwhelming and different it was the first few weeks.

{A normal lunch setting}

6) What has been the most encouraging part of your ministry in Peru? The most challenging?

Another toughie...This has been such a humbling experience because most of the time we are learning SO MUCH from the people we work with daily. We are constantly blessed by the things that they teach us! We love to see lives changed because of what God is doing here...and it's such an honor to be used by Him, when he could have called ANYONE else.

On the flip side: It is such a challenge to pour constantly into someone, only to see them resist change, or turn back to their previous lifestyle. We have each experienced some sort of rejection or disappointment because of this. Of course, it has nothing to do with us personally, but when you give so much of your time and energy and see SO much positive change, it can be the most discouraging thing when that all changes for some reason or another. We have to start back a "square one" a lot. But there is a positive to that as well, because it teaches us daily that our identity MUST be in Christ, and NOT the work we are doing, or even the people we are investing in.

7) What are some specific prayer requests you have for your country and mission of service?

For Peru: Our constant prayer is that everyone would experience and truly know the Love of Christ. We want them to know the freedom of a relationship with Jesus, instead of the daily burdens they struggle with.

For our team: Constant protection physically, spiritually and emotionally. It can be a daily struggle to be in a foreign country, away from families and the "comforts" of our respective countries. Also, there will be lots of traveling within the team soon. Prayer for those traveling, as well as those staying!

For my family: Please pray for my husband and I as we prepare for our first baby! Everything is about to change and we are so excited, but there are a lot of unknowns!

Also, our roles on the team will be changing drastically here in the next few months as I become more pregnant, and into the first few months with a newborn. Please pray for us as well as our team as we all adjust to the changes!

Thank you so much for reading! I know it was a little wordy, but it's a challenge to express EVERYTHING in a short post! I could go on and on and one!!!

BUT, If you would like more information or have any questions you can find me at La Blondie Peruana, or feel free to email me: amandalaura626@gmail.com You can also find out even more about our ministry at www.calledtoperu.org

Blessings!

Amanda

Thank you so much for sharing, Amanda! It has been such a pleasure to correspond with you so far and I’m excited about our growing friendship. Your willingness to follow God’s call to Peru is a huge encouragement to me and I love hearing about the community that you’re apart of.

So, will you join me in not only praying for Amanda and her family, but for Peru as well?

Missions and Prayer

{photos I've collected for my missions prayer board so far...}

Missions and prayer have been heavy on my heart lately. This summer I’ve made it a priority to spend time in prayer consistently. I’ve been challenged to truly commit to praying for those I’ve told I’ll pray for and for those whom God places on my heart. I want for people to know that when I say I will pray for them they can count on me to intercede on their behalf.

I've been thinking a lot about my personal friends living overseas. These thoughts spiraled into thoughts of my own desire to teach overseas one day…a dream that is wedged deep in my heart. Those thoughts led me to think about missionaries around the world. The believers who are sharing the Gospel in nations around the globe in a multitude of ways. I’m so thankful I come from a church that is heavily missions minded and I’ve had the privilege to hear stories upon stories from missionaries over the last few years. They always stir my heart!

Since I can’t physically go overseas at this time, I want to actively be lifting up missionaries around the world and the nations that they are laboring in. In order to be intentional about this, I’ve gone through my planner and assigned every week until the end of the year a specific country. Each week, I’m going to commit to praying for that country. The nation. The people. The missionaries living in that country. Etc.

This week I’m praying for Japan…a few facts about the nation:

-Population is around 126 million

-Nearly 80% live in cities; around one-fourth of the population lives in or around Tokyo

-Religions: 84% are Buddhist/Shinto/New Religions; 15% are Non-religious; 1% are Christian

-About 70% of churches have an average attendance of less than 30 people

-Much of the nation remains unresponsive to the Gospel…many want to worship the way that their ancestors have for ages

There is so much more to this country than just cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji. I’m lifting up this nation to the Lord this week. There are not any restrictions to witnessing or preaching the Gospel in Japan! The doors are wide open for ministry and I’m praying for a vibrant and biblical church to rise up.

Are you interested in hearing about the countries that I’m praying for each week or even joining me? If so, I would love to share from now on!