Bolivian Culture

This week I have learned some more about the culture here in Bolivia. One day while I was working in the chaco, I noticed some girls who were slowing down and taking frequent breaks, so I wanted to tell them to keep working. When I took a second look, I realized I did not have a clue who one of them was. She was covered from head to toe literally with clothes. She had a long sleeve shirt, pants, and a shirt over her head with only her eyes showing through the neck of the shirt. She was also wearing a hat which came down over her eyes. Lots of students wear long sleeves when they are working because they do not want to get more sun. This week I learned why. To them to be dark skinned means you are poor, it means you must have to work a lot in the fields and to be light skinned means you are rich, you don’t have to work in the fields. They also get that impression because they think all Americans, white people, are rich. It’s sad they put so much value in what others think of them, but when we reflect on our own lives and how we get dressed, do our hair, etc every morning we realize we are just as guilty of worrying about what other people think as they are. Praise God, He does not judge us on appearances. This past Wednesday I went to Yata to help start the health classes. Nancy, another missionary, and I went with two students to give the classes. The students had prepared the presentation on the 8 natural remedies of health: water, pure air, nutrition, rest, exercise, sunlight, temperance and most importantly trust in God. When we got to town we went door to door inviting people. The people were very nice and seemed happy that we were inviting them, many saying yes we will come, see you there. Wow, what a success we thought as we walked back. Then I remembered how it is in Bolivia…people always say that they are going to do something or come to something, but don’t really mean it. Maybe they are just trying to be nice and not hurt your feelings, but it seems like a lie to me. I explained to the girl that was walking around with me that in the US people would say they are not interested and/or shut the door in your face. We decided if you are the person knocking on the door, it is better they way they do it in Bolivia, at least you leave feeling happy. It made me think of the parable in the Bible in Matthew 21:28-32, where a master sends out two servants and one says he won’t go work and later decides to go, while the other says he is going, but never goes. Unfortunately even in the US the people who say they aren’t going really don’t go. Our faith must be seen in actions not just in words. Anyway the health class ended up going very well! We had 8 ladies who were actively involved. The girls did a great job teaching the material and they all seemed to enjoy it and were excited about next week. Next week they are going to teach them how to cook with eggplant and encourage them to start their own gardens. Most of the people in Yata eat rice, meat, and yucca with very little if any vegetables, so hopefully we can help encourage them to start eating more healthfully as we give them new recipes and ideas of what to cook. They do not sell vegetables in Yata so the people will have to grow their own. Praise God that he has opened the door for health evangelism there. Back on campus, we have a student who is really struggling with belief in God. He asked the question; “How does nature reveal God to us?” We began telling him about how God provides the rain to water the plants, how the plants give us food and provide flowers for our enjoyment, the sunsets with lots of colors and the stars at night all point to the majesty of God and how everything in nature has a purpose. Later that week I went to work in the chaco again and saw this student out there and realized why he was having a hard time seeing God in nature. The chaco is a huge piece of land, several acres, that has all the trees cut down and has been burnt. Everything out there is black and we work moving the wood into piles and burning the extra branches. It looks like death out there, so I told him that is where we see sin in nature not God and that he needed to go work in the garden to see God. This past week I taught the Sabbath school lesson all by myself and am praising God that He is giving me the words to say. It is difficult because it is hard to tell if they understand the material. They will gladly read Bible verses, but to get them to respond to a question is close to impossible, even after you just said the answer. Jason gave his first worship on his own in Spanish in our family worship and did a great job! Time is flying and we can hardly believe there are less than 4 weeks of the school year left. Pray that these students will continue growing in their walk with God so they will be able to remain faithful no matter what trials they may face during their vacation.