Ola!

Friday, Jan. 11 2008
Ola! Sorry for getting such a late start on this blog, I know people have been anticipating, and the moment is finally here!! Well just to recap if you don´t already know, the 5 of us are on a mission trip to Bolivia!!! John Melissa Cullen Bailey and Alison. Currently we are staying with the Michelsons, missionaries who live just on top of a hill above Caranavi. The Krafts live right next door, another missionary family. We have had relaxation days and working days.

I will tell you a little about the trip here. First we had nearly 30 hours of plane rides, from Edmonton, Toronto, Miami, and finally La Paz. When we got off the airplane at 730 am in La Paz we not only were exhausted, but felt a little light headed from the altitude difference. We landed at 13, 300 feet. Jay (Mrs. Michelson) picked us up and we went straight down to 2, 300 feet, where they live. The bus ride was 5 hours to go down the mountain. First we had to go up, so at 15, 600 feet we had to stop for gas. That definately was the time when breathing was the hardest! Sparatic weather changes are normal here, if it rains one day it is guaranteed to be sunny the next.

Our first working day (3 days ago) we pullied 1000 bricks up to the roof, and sifted sand. It was 100 degrees fehrenheight!! Some of us (Bailey) got their wish about hot weather. We wake up to torrential rain and talking parrots, and drink the best coffee in the world, literally. ´No ablo espanol´ is a very common phrase betwen the 5 of us, and it can be very frustrating at times.
The toilet paper is pink, and for a while it was illegal to have white toilet paper. The bolivians use it in the refining process of cocaine. Coca leaves are always drying out in the sun. It´s interesting to learn about the politics in this country. It may seem like there is control of drugs here, but there really is no restraint.

Well the food here is very scare. Hee hee just kidding, I don´t remember the last time I´ve eaten this good! Our first meal was pancakes!! Yesterday was a relaxation day and we had steak for lunch!! We went down to the airstrip. Mr. Michelson (Paul/Pablo) has a private plane and he took us for a spin, we got some really good shots of Caranavi and the house we are staying in. There is a freshwater river right by the strip, so we went swimming. Bailey learned she has no luck playing horseshoes.

Life is good here and when we work, we work hard but it is very rewarding. We also get to relax and appreciate the beauty around us, because it is so absolutely gorgeous here!

Well now you can comment and the blog is up and running, so feel free to go nuts!!

Ciao for now and God Bless!