Project Bolivia
Aug 4—Aug 11, 2007
A group of NCCers will travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia and team up with Ron and Jeanie Burgin who are missionaries with Campus Crusade for Christ. Ron and Jeanie, and their 14-year-old son Andy, have various outreaches and ministries through Campus Crusade that they are involved in around the city. Ron trains local pastors during the "school-year" and brings American church groups down during the summer to kick start the new pastors' churches. An American missions team will bring down enough resources to provide the young church with a building, support the pastor for a year while the church gets started, share the Jesus Film in the surrounding community, and lead a vacation Bible school for the children to help make the neighborhood aware of the new church.
Please join in supporting the team financially and prayerfully as we being to prepare for what God is going to do in Bolivia.
Latest From the Journal
Day 7
Dave Clark · August 09, 2007 · 10:47 PM
Today was an action packed Thursday! We definitely packed in a lot today, but some amazing moments were the result of it all.
The day started out by heading to a local elementary school where we shared our testimonies, Bible stories and what life is like in America. We shared the four spiritual laws in each of the classrooms and then prayed with them. The kids were totally digging the team being there. They were constantly asking questions and trying to talk to us. They overall just wanted to play with us. They loved chasing Dave Hickox around the playground.
We capped the morning off by meeting with all of the teachers in what was sort of their faculty lounge/offices. Jenn Clark shared a little about what teaching and schools are like in America and then we shared the Gospel and prayed with the teachers and administrators.
After lunch we headed back to the school and spent time with more kids. This time we focused on High School age kids. We shared our testimonies and some US history and they asked questions about America. Then we presented the gospel and prayed with them in their classrooms.
In the evening we went to a dedication service for the local church that we have been helping plant and build all week. It was a great time of prayer and just asking God to bless and grow that congregation. The team was blessed with some gifts of appreciation from the local pastors. It really touched our hearts and humbled us just to see how appreciative they were for us being here.
The day was capped off with a visit to a local restaurant called Brasarget. Basically an all out meat fest! Anything you can think of as far as meat goes and all you can eat! It was a blast. =)
The week has gone so fast can’t believe were going home tomorrow (Friday) night.
Day 6
Dave Clark · August 08, 2007 · 9:42 PM
Can you believe we leave on Friday night? Seems like our time here is going so fast, but we are taking with us some great memories.
Waking up to yet another amazing Bolivian morning, we traveled to the church we have been constructing and briefly went over the remaining work to be done. As the church nears completion, the team is greatly anticipating our christening ceremony slated for tomorrow afternoon. We’re all excited to leave a lasting impact in Santa Cruz.
We then traveled to a local elementary school where we conducted a Spanglish rendition of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”. Our David and Goliath drama was once again a success and brought a warm reception from the kids. The response to the “Four Spiritual Laws” we’ve been using once extremely successful and a lot of kids expressed interest in faith. On an interesting note, while they may have been expecting Americans, the kids probably didn’t expect a surprise visit from Soccer legend David Beckham, better known to all of us as Pastor Dave.
Following lunch we conducted VBS again for the kids. VBS was punctuated by a narration of Jonah an the whale, given by our champion storyteller Dustin, and arts and crafts surrounding the story. Bolivian children are adorable.
We ended our day with a showing of the Jesus film at the school we visited in the morning. Preceding the film we went out in force across the neighborhood to do some door-to-door evangelism which had a good effect on both the team and the community. Praise God for all of the amazing things he has been doing for the Bolivians and teaching us as well.
Day 5
Dave Clark · August 07, 2007 · 10:48 PM
Today was an interesting day for a missions trip. Bolivia is currently suffering from political pressures and there was a planned military parade in Santa Cruz. Ron, our local contact with Campus Crusade for Christ, thought it would be best if we were all out of the city for the day. We drove 2.5 hours up a winding road with no guardrail (well, there was a barbed wire fence) into the Andes Mountains. We visited Samaipata for a quick hike to a beautiful waterfall. Everyone wanted to get as close to the edge as possible without falling 40 feet into a 5 foot pool.
We then traveled to the center of town for lunch at the White House. Apparently Bolivians don’t eat on Tuesdays as there was no restaurant open in the entire city. We found a local market and bought cheese, crackers, and cookies and for the first time all week, we did not have steak for lunch!
Again we drove up the mountain closer to the edge and with less room for mistakes. Several people on the bus strengthened their relationship with God through prayer. At the top of the mountain was “El Fuerte” (the fortress). These ruins date back over 1000 years and have been used by many tribes including the Incas.
Tomorrow we will finish the church’s floor by grouting the brick and visit a school. Hasta luego.
Day 4
Dave Clark · August 06, 2007 · 10:53 PM
What a great day! This morning the team got off to a somewhat early start and headed out at 9:00 back to the house church. Everyone dove right in preparing the ground for the new brick floor for the church. Prepping the ground included clearing rocks, weeds and other unidentifiable debris. After the ground was clear and leveled, everything needed a good stomping and we were happy to oblige. We proceeded to dance to the locals’ choice of music, which we enjoyed thoroughly. After an elongated dispute over “Wheelbarrow” vs. “Wheel Barrel,” thus began the laying of the brick floor.
After lunch and a good scrubbing the team returned to the barrio where the neighborhood kids were once again awaiting our arrival. VBS this afternoon consisted of more songs, another grandiose story from our own Dustin with theatrical illustration from the rest of the team, craft time and more face painting. The kids particularly loved getting their picture taken and seeing the results.
Following VBS we departed once again with our Bolivian compañeros (volunteers from the local University) to share door to door and invite people to the Jesus film showing in the evening. Tonight was unique in the fact that the film was shown in the main plaza of the barrio. Basically the area is a big park and home to a local circus. Many people from the neighborhood turned out for the festivities of music, dancing, magic show and the children’s version of the Jesus film.
Tomorrow should be a blast as we may have a shot to go and see some ancient Aztec ruins. Stay tuned!
Day 3
Dave Clark · August 05, 2007 · 10:39 PM
Our day began with a trip to the center of the city, where we visited the main cathedral. The cathedral’s courtyard was beautiful in the morning light and today was refreshingly warm. We arrived just in time for the end of Mass. We then arrived at a Campus Crusade Conference where we met the national Bolivian Director Tito Ramos. Then we left for the local church sponsoring us called Casa de Dios. They welcomed us and presented us to the congregation, to whom we performed two songs in English followed by an encore.
We arrived at a restaurant following church called Bodeguero Cubano. The food was amazing. After lunch we visited a local street market and the girls bargained for a few necklaces. Afterward, we returned to the hotel and then headed out to the barrio (neighborhood) where we hosted another session of VBS. The kids were waiting for us when we arrived this time. We led the kids in songs and a narrated drama of David and Goliath. Part of the team prepared for tomorrow’s construction project by unloading 2000 bricks, while other team members painted the kids faces and each others.
In the evening we went out and evangelized house to house in the barrio. It was amazing to witness both the boldness of our hosts and the peoples’ receptivity to the basic gospel message. We saw many lives changed and many come to Christ. It was both beneficial for the community and emboldening for us as a team. We’re beginning to realize the lasting impact that the church we’re building will have on the barrio.
Our day ended with a return to the conference for an evening service followed by dinner at the Hotel. Our night was capped off with a trip to the delicious Bolivian version of Cold Stone – Bits and Crème. Our highlights of the day would be incomplete without mention of Cori’s great catch of the Bolivian ice cream maker’s Favre-ian throw of grandango mound of chocolate ice cream. More to come manana.
Moment of the day: Pastor Dave was taking in the scenery of the passing Vaca, (cows) when all of the sudden one of the cows thought that he was a little too close for comfort. Luckily no cows or humans were hurt. Our friendly intern Dave Hickox was totally oblivious to the approaching angry cow. =)
We’ll keep rocking on into tomorrow!
Hit The Ground Running
Dave Clark · August 04, 2007 · 10:19 PM
The team arrived safely late on Friday night at around 10:30 pm. Most of our luggage made the trip too. =) We received a warm greeting from the missions team here after we passed through customs. Then we hopped on the bus and headed to our hotel for some much needed sleep. (the rest of our luggage arrived the next morning)
On Saturday morning everyone got up and ate breakfast with Ron and Jeanie and then made our way over the “Jesus Film” headquarters. There we met with some Bolivian university students who are currently studying English and will help us out with interpretation this week as we interact with the locals.
We had a chance to hear the vision for the work hear in Santa Cruz. The idea is actually to plant house churches throughout the city. They say that most people will not travel far to attend a church so instead they bring the church into the local communities. Sounds kind of like NCC. Our team will actually help to plant 2 churches just this week!
Here is a picture of one of the “house churches” that we will be helping to build and plant.
In the afternoon we spent time going door to door and inviting people to come out in the evening to a VBS style service where we shared with them some crazy games, activities and music. Tons of fun! The evening was capped off with a showing of a version of the Jesus film that was geared for kids. It was absolutely awesome to see kids understanding who Jesus was and accepting him into their lives.
Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!
Less Than 24 Hours!
Dave Clark · August 02, 2007 · 10:39 AM
Can you believe it? We are T-minus 21 hours away from being in air and on our way to Bolivia! We’re getting all of our last minute details ironed out and making sure that we have everything we need for an amazing trip. Be sure to follow along with us right here on the blog. We will do our best to post highlights and pictures everyday, so stay tuned! Visit missionary Ron Burgin’s blog.
Oh yeah and in case you are wondering where bolivia is…
Bolivia Fundraising!
Dave Clark · July 17, 2007 · 11:04 AM
Well… we had our first fund raising event this past weekend and it went great! We hosted a yard sale at the Jonathan House on Capitol Hill. (320 East Capitol Street NE) The team was able to raise over $700! Praise God for his provisions!
The Bolivia team will also be running the concession stands at the NCC Variety Show this coming Sunday night at the 9:30 club. The team will be selling Candy, Baked goods and drinks. So come out and support the team. Come with your appetite and come prepared to laugh. It is going to be a ton of fun. Hope to see you there.
Here is a little slide show from the yard sale that one of our teammates, Cori put together. Bolivia Team Yard Sale