Krista’s Blog

The traveling was really begging to get to me as it seemed it was unending and that I would never even make it there.  I just felt so useless waiting not being anywhere in particular and in many ways useless.  I just struggled so much trying to rationalize that it was all for a reason and that I will be there soon enough.  I think that is sometimes the hardest of all when you are completely unable to do anything it is usually because God is trying to teach you something or is try to let you see what is right there in front of us but I was unable to see and was just very frustrated by the whole situation.             Finally we had made it out of the Santa Cruse Air port with all of our luggage and through the customs without me even realizing we had gone through it.  Even though we still had several hours before we would get to be at our final destination of Chilimarka it felt so incredible just to leave the airport after more than a day of traveling between them and just get out and get our first glance at the country right up close.  We then got to go  to breakfast/ lunch there and get our first real taste of authentic Bolivian food which was really tasty.  Just from talking with David and seeing the little part of the scenery of Bolivia that we were able to drive past I was able to see how strong the relationship connections were here in contrast to that of those in the states, just in the sacrifice David was willing to make to take us around and share with us and spend his time all for a favor of Miguel whom he had never even officially met.  While touring a little around the city I also saw the tremendous importance of universities of Santa Cruz in how many there were and how many students went there.  I also tremendous areas where we would be able to help or areas that could really use some help whether it be man power or financial help.  Such as David’s camp which seemed like a really remarkable opportunity for teens in the surrounding areas to get to be kids and to experience the transformational word of God and his love in this camps.  Also the economic status of many of these individuals is very harsh and due to the economy many of them have to leave their communities and Bolivia all together to get stable jobs in other countries such as Spain.  There is consequently a strong need for improvement in their family support since love and care is very rare in the households at least according to David as the fathers are rarely home and often gone to try to find jobs to provide for the family while they are left with someone else.  Other issue that is extremely important here in Bolivia is that of Sexual abuse as it seems to be affecting an overwhelming number of the children/ teens and yet is still in need of being vocalize and brought out to change the governmental policy on the issue.  It is almost overwhelming to see all the areas that are in such great need and how much aid could be given them I just want to jump up and help with it all even though I know it is not possible. And even though all this seems so overbearing to think of all that needs to improve in the lives of these citizens it was great and very encouraging to hear of all that is currently being done in various programs and through such self sacrificing caring individuals like David and Brisa.  It was really great to see helpful and effective ways of dealing with such overwhelming issues even though they appear so undefeatable and it really inspired me to see that all problems are able to be worked out with God’s help and the determination to address it with all that you have.  After one final flight and a quick joint from the city to Chilimarka we finally arrive at the MAP complex after to really long drawn out days of travel I was extremely relived and overjoyed to finally arrived.  It was a lot different than I had imagined all along I am not all that sure what I was imagining but this was defiantly different then what I thought.  I was so excited just to be there and look around at everything and just observe and see how things were run and where all the action was happening. As we were all touring around the facilities I was really amazed with how much they were able to do for this whole community and surrounding communities even with what seemed to me as fairly limited resources.  I was also amazed by all the workers we were able to meet as they all had such an immense passion for their community and the betterment of their future and it was so great to feel the deep love and kindness they all had.  It was also inspiring and touching to hear all of their eagerness and enthusiasm as they all were so able to sacrifice there time to share with us.  They all had such a strong passion for the MAP program and how much it meant to them personally.   Walking through all of that and seeing everything just really helped me to see how important it is to use our resources more effectively as they have and how they have been able to do so much sacrificing everything while we have so much excess and yet can’t ever seem to spare any of it for those around you. And I greatly admired how connected every one and the whole program was and how it so adamantly brought the whole community together through their programs.  I seriously can not wait to learn more and more about this whole program and about this beautiful place and to see the impact they have had on this community and surrounding area.

“Imagine you were living on this dung….oh so delisions place to be, delicious.”- Sullivan

“My other adivor was semi-intoxicated and played the ge tar…..oh wait no he what totally wasted…..at lest when I saw him since it was always after breakfast.”- Sullivan

“Oh wow there is a man on the beach that looks like a beached whale….I wonder if he is dead….oh never mind he is trying to surf.” -Mommy

“The we would have to go about supplying the dung, sanitaries following health precautions the pile of dung in you dorm would not really be the best idea even if it is nice and fresh.” -Sullivan

“There are no classes next week and prolly no hot water either”-Sullivan

“My neighbor peed all around the paramader of his yard to keep the dogs out….and apparently it worked” -Sullivan

“Where was this…. in Binghamton.”-Sullivan

“Who does that and more importantly who tells people that, If I was him I prolly would have done the same thing but I wouldn’t have told anyone” -Sullivan

“So know he has this brown line around the parameter of his yard, what is that from? Oh I donno”- Sullivan

“Knod your heads violently it will help you all wake up.”-Symons

“What pops in your head when you think a terrestrial animals….”-Sullivan “imbrediance avoidance”- Mike “Crickets” “Okay I was thinking more like dogs you know that run around urinating on everything…not on my yard or I kill them” - Sullivan

“Back in 1978 we were fighting to allow girls to wear pants they were only allowed to wear pants in the dorms past 6″- Pres. Mullen

“It is usually the males that battle it out for acess to the females but occasionally there will be females batteling females for acess to the females.”- Sullivan

Today began with an overwhelming amount of excitement in anticipation for all that would occur for the next few weeks.  It was partially surreal to me yet, at last the day I had awaited with so much anticipation was finally here I was finally going to Bolivia and yet it was still so unreal to me even as I finally got to the air port.  Of course a lot of that was due to my overwhelming exhaustion at the same time as I haven’t slept in a really long time getting everything ready the night before a big trip is never a good idea especially when you only arrive home the night before the trip.  But I can’t really complain this is it I am headed out of the country for three weeks.  I am really uncertain as to what to expect I pray only that God would keep me open to it all to experience it all and truly get to see Bolivian culture right from the source as well as to learn about all of the work that is being done through Map in the various programs they have.             I am filled with immense hope for the next few weeks in all that God will be able to show me through this whole experience and all I will be able to experience and learn so that I make take that all back and find ways of implementing that all in my own life and in the lives of my friends and family as well as in my community, or however I am able to.             When I arrived at the airport I was able to hang out with most of our team as we awaited for our flight time.  It was really neat getting to know them all a bit.   I am still a little apprehensive about not knowing them all nearly as well as I would like too since most of them are merely acquaintances and I have a lot of uncertainty of what to expect with the dynamics of everyone and how unified we may or may not be able to become over the course of the trip in addition to now having any idea of what to expect from the Eastern students.   For that matter there is much uncertainty of what to expect from all the MAP staff and Bolivians as well.  But with all that uncertainty and slight uneasiness there is so much excitement and I really am looking forward to meet an get to know each one of them.  From our bonding time in the airport to that on the flights I really think we have a remarkable group of girls on our trip and I am so glad that we have been given this great opportunity to build on our relationship and have this shared experience together.             After the second flight to Miami I had lost a lot of my excitement about the trip probably due to my sheer exhaustion and want to be there already sick of the traveling already which was a bad sign as the journey was only beginning.    I started to feel very doubtful that I had wasted all the money and time I had put in to and was planning on spending here that it was not what I should be doing and I really was starting to wish I was back at home not having to keep waiting and just starting thinking of all I might be able to have accomplish if I did stay at home and all I might potentially miss while being gone.             After getting some shut eye, I glanced out the window at all of God’s magnificent creation as we left La Paz.  Right then and there anything that might be going on at home did not matter I knew this was in fact where God had wanted me to be.  It was so incredible to look out and be able to see such a remarkable view of the mountains I just felt God speaking right to me through all of it in showing me the magnitude of his greatness.  I felt so silly for ever doubting that I should be on this trip for doubting that it was worth what I felt I was sacrificing.   Any little thing that I was worrying over could no longer be seen from our altitude only the truly remarkable magnitude of our God and I needed to stop worrying at start looking at all that was around me and all God had placed before me. Nothing would ever compare to this trip and I had not even arrived but I knew it was going to be the time of my life filled with breath taking moments like the one I was having as I saw the beauty of what lye out the window.            As we got much closer I got my first dose of real Spanish outside of classes and was really shock at how much I understood and yet how helpless I was to not know how to respond.  It was really humbling to realize how little I knew and really honoring to see them having the patients to put up with me as I tried to say something.  Yet it was really neat to be able to communicate with them and try to understand the Spanish.  I also was able to get really excited about all the work I would be doing on my trip as I was able to explain it to several people sitting around me. 

It is so hard to believe that today was only my first official day here in Bolivia, it feels already like I have been here for years.

I have learned so incredibly much today, more than many do in a life time.  From simple common since things to the Boliviaçs such as toliet paper goes in the garbage not in the toilet, or that showers are freezeing cold even though it is nearly 80 in the day.  And then miracouls amounts about the Bolivian culture from gender roles, to food and customs and traditions and even things of thier history and economic system.  In additon I have learned so much about comuunity heath and development mostly development thus far and how radically different things are from what I once saw them to be.  I have so much to impliment both here on my trip and back when I get home.  Most of the things are ones that I did know deep down things I had thought about briefly but never in too much debt and never really entertained them things that have ben able to widen my perspective so widely and help me to intergrate so much it is really amazing. 

In addition I have learned and been given tremendouse oppertunities to practice my spanish and realize how difficult it can be not knowing the language and at the same time how exciting it can be.

What is also truely remarkable is how much I can physically see God´çs precence here both in the MAP international and in the nature and the beauty of this enviroment of the mountains.  In addition to how much we as developent well off Americas have to learn from these poor unfortunate Boliviançs.  Yes we have more oppertunities and physical weath but they have so much invested in community that we really need to learn about.

Today we woke up or I woke up really early cause there is no heat and it is really cold and I went to bed early and then jump into a freezing cold shower after I walked to it and found it that is. Then we had breakfast in the kitchen which was fairly typical eggs and bread and pb and drinks and such …which I actually like more drinks here thenI have ever liked in America so that is exciting.  Afterwords we read some of our matierails and went exploring around the mountains for a bit.  Then the Eastern students where finally able to arrive after much much difficulties via cancelations and delays but there luggage is still not here.  Following introduction Dr. Kiiti talk about understanding deveopment which was the start of my vast increase of knowlege and enlightnment.  Then we had luch which was so delisious this breaded chicken and soup the food really is remarkable here.  Then we were able to go and play with the children in the school for a while and try out our spanish skills in my case the great lack there of.  Following the Heath Gardians members of MAP staff came and shared about thier work in the community and gave thier testimony.  Following we went for anouther adverture around the facillity and then Migel the learder of the program talked to us and introduced to us about poverty and development.  Then we all had dinner and that brings me to now in a very brief overview of my day.

I really wish I could better discribe to you what it is like here and all that I have learn but in addition to that being an impossible task without phsycially bring you here I do not have the time to give that all here either but I greatly look forward to sharing that all with you latter and will do my best to keep you up on the major highlights if you have any more specific questions I guess e= mail me and I will do my best.

Thank you all so much again much love.

                       Oh PS I need suvuneer request I donno what I will be able to get but I will do my best.

So the jurney began at 7am Monday morning May 12th and finally after several flights and hours of waiting I was able to make it in to Bolivia aroung 3:30pm today, tuesday May 13th.  There were no major issues, no delays, and no cancelations.  Thank you so much for your prayers as I journeyed into the othere side of the world.

 Although I a have only been here for a few hours I can tell that the long flight and waiting was well worth it and would gladly do it all again just for what I have seen and experianced thus far.  It is so beautiful here and the flight here was absolutely amazing expesially through the montaints of La Paz and I am really looking forward to getting to go back there in a couple weeks.   We actually stoped in 3 air ports, cities of Boliva it is much bigger than I thought bought the size of texas.

It was beauful when we first made it in to Cochabomba and Santa Cruz for that matter too which we got to turror around for a bit.  Customs was nothing it was so amazing I still can´t belive that hopefull we will be as blessed as were are now on the way back. 

Although it was in the 80´s we we first got here it is supposed to be just about freezing tonight…. So that will be fun our rooms are very nice and I think this willl really be a remarkable experainces…. There is so much I wish to say buyt unfortuyantely acesss is really limited and I am not able to in addition to me being extreemly tierd but I will keep in touch as much as possible.

I love you all very much and miss you lots and you are all on my minds keep in touch and I hope you are all doing well.

I am going overseas on a long 30 hour trip to Chilimarca Bolivia on Monday and will be there for three weeks with Map international both taking a course down there and serving in several areas to better serve thoes in Bolivia.  I am so excited to have been blessed with this tremendous oppertunity and can not wait to see just what God has in store for us while we are down there please keep us in your prayers as we make the journey and seek to minister to those that we will be in contact with.  Thanks and stay tuned in as I hope to give you as many updates on my trip as I am able to .

>  THEY WALK AMONG US AND MANY WORK  RETAIL
> I WAS AT THE CHECKOUT OF A K-MART. THE CLERK RANG UP $46.64  CHARGE.
> I GAVE HER A FIFTY DOLLAR BILL. SHE GAVE ME BACK $46.64. I GAVE  THE
> MONEY BACK TO HER AND TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN MY
> FAVOR.  SHE BECAME INDIGNANT AND INFORMED ME SHE WAS EDUCATED AND
> KNEW  WHAT SHE WAS DOING, AND RETURNED THE MONEY AGAIN.  I GAVE HER
> THE MONEY  BACK …. SAME SCENARIO! I DEPARTED THE STORE WITH THE
> $46.64.
>
>  THEY WALK AMONG US AND MANY WORK RETAIL
> I WALKED  INTO A STARBUCKS WITH A BUY-ONE-GET-ONE-FREE COUPON FOR A
> GRANDE LATTE.  I HANDED IT TO THE GIRL AND SHE LOOKED OVER AT A
> LITTLE CHALKBOARD THAT SAID  \’BUY ONE-GET ONE FREE.\’  \’THEY\’RE
> ALREADY BUY-ONE-GET-ONE-FREE,\’ SHE SAID, \’SO  I GUESS THEY\’RE BOTH
> FREE\’.
>
>   SHE HANDED  ME MY FREE LATTES AND I  WALKED OUT THE DOOR.
>
>   THEY WALK AMONG US!
> ONE DAY  I WAS WALKING DOWN THE BEACH WITH SOME FRIENDS WHEN ONE OF
> THEM SHOUTED,  \’LOOK AT THAT DEAD BIRD!\’.  SOMEONE LOOKED UP AT THE
> SKY AND SAID,  \’WHERE\’?
>
>  THEY WALK AMONG US!
> WHILE  LOOKING AT A HOUSE, MY BROTHER ASKED THE REAL ESTATE AGENT
> WHICH  DIRECTION WAS NORTH BECAUSE, HE EXPLAINED, HE DIDN\’T  WANT
> THE SUN WAKING HIM  UP EVERY MORNING.  SHE ASKED, \’DOES THE SUN RISE
> IN THE NORTH?\’  WHEN MY BROTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE SUN RISES IN THE
> EAST,  AND HAS FOR SOMETIME, SHE SHOOK HER HEAD  AND SAID, \’OH I
> DON\’T KEEP UP  WITH ALL THAT STUFF.\’
>
>   THEY WALK AMONG US!
>
>  MY SISTER HAS A  LIFESAVING TOOL IN HER CAR DESIGNED TO CUT THROUGH
> A SEAT BELT IF SHE GETS  TRAPPED.  SHE KEEPS IT IN THE TRUNK.
>
>   THEY WALK AMONG US!
> I COULDN\’T FIND MY  LUGGAGE AT THE AIRPORT BAGGAGE AREA, SO I WENT
> TO THE LOST LUGGAGE OFFICE AND  TOLD THE WOMAN THERE THAT MY BAGS
> NEVER SHOWED UP. SHE SMILED AND TOLD ME NOT  TO WORRY BECAUSE SHE WAS
> A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL AND I WAS IN GOOD HANDS.  \’NOW,\’ SHE ASKED
> ME, \’HAS YOUR PLANE ARRIVED YET?\’
>
>   THEY WALK  AMONG US!
> WHILE WORKING AT A PIZZA PARLOR I OBSERVED A MAN ORDERING A SMALL
> PIZZA TO GO. HE APPEARED TO BE ALONE AND THE COOK ASKED HIM IF HE
> WOULD LIKE IT CUT INTO 4 PIECES OR 6. HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR SOME
> TIME BEFORE RESPONDING. \’JUST CUT IT INTO 4 PIECES; I DON\’T THINK
> I\’M  HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT 6 PIECES.\’
>
>   THEY WALK AMONG US,
>
>  AND THEY REPRODUCE,

I am officially half way to 40 woooo hooooo!!!!!  Not really …..haha….

So tomorrow Pat is asking my folks about us getting married I am so so excited and I just can’t wait to find out what there reactions will be I mean it has only been a few days since he asked me but it has been really hard not telling them or my grandparents and stuff the news cause it is so exciting so wonderful so it will be such a relief to finally get that out there and just see how they react to all of it… I am kinda nervous about all that but I don’t think I need to be … They know how amazing Pat is how perfect we are for each other and how much I love him so I think they will only share in our happiness..

Tomorrow is also the big day in another way as it is my 20th birthday though I am not letting myself get that old and I have officially decided to stay 19 for at least another year cause I am getting old way to fast and there is no benefits to being 20 anyways so why turn it…..that is what I think anyways….haha But the good thing about being 20 is I can break my fasting of wearing dresses made it through my whole teenage years with out wearing one…..hehe ….well just thought I would inform you all of some very exciting things happening tomorrow…. Oh I am so excited…. and that surely isn’t because of the birthday.

WAYCROSS, Ga. - Allegations that third-graders hatched an elaborate plot to knock out, handcuff and stab their teacher were met with shock by neighbors and with doubt by psychiatry experts who said it is unlikely that children that young seriously intended to hurt anyone.

Police say the plot at Center Elementary School began because the children, ages 8 to 10, were apparently angry after the teacher disciplined one of the students for standing on a chair.

Students brought a crystal paperweight, a steak knife with a broken handle, steel handcuffs and other items as part of last week’s plot, police said Tuesday. They said nine students were involved, but prosecutors are seeking juvenile charges against only three of them.

Experts said children that age are certainly imaginative and capable of creating elaborate games. But Dr. Louis Kraus, a child psychiatry expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said he doubts they would have actually attacked.

“The reality is it is highly unlikely they would have been successful at this,” Kraus said. “Even if it had begun, it’s unclear whether they actually would have followed through with it.”

Most premeditated acts of student violence in schools usually don’t occur until high school, Kraus said. Younger children have been known to bring knives or other weapons to school, experts said, but often it’s more a matter of showing off or acting tough than part of a deliberate assault attempt.

Police said the plot had been organized enough that some students were assigned specific roles such as covering classroom windows and cleaning up any mess.

Most children under the age of 12 don’t generally experience the kind of long-standing anger necessary for a premeditated crime, said Dan Mears, an associate professor at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

“Kids tend to be more spontaneous,” Mears said. “If they’re angry, they act on it right then.”

The district attorney is seeking juvenile charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault against an 8-year-old boy and two girls, ages 9 and 10. The girls are also charged with bringing weapons to school.

News of the alleged plot spread quickly through this small south Georgia city on the northern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp, where residents are preparing for their annual SwampFest celebration this weekend.

“They were so young, I just couldn’t believe it,” said Euleathia Harris, 50, who lives in a public housing complex near the school. “I wouldn’t think anything like that would happen in little ol’ Waycross. I guess if it can happen in the big cities, it can happen here.”

Police Chief Tony Tanner said the plot unraveled when a student reported to school officials Friday that a classmate had a knife in her backpack.

School officials say they punished all nine students, and some received long-term suspension, but they would not be more specific. Under school system rules, children who bring weapons to school may also face expulsion.

Tanner and District Attorney Rick Currie did not immediately return calls seeking comment Wednesday.

Shavette Owens, whose 7- and 8-year-old children attend the school, said she was glad officials had taken action, but was still somewhat shaken.

“Where were my kids at when these kids had all those weapons?” Owens said. “My heart just dropped, I didn’t know what to think.”

Georgia law prohibits bringing adult criminal charges against children under 13, but places no age limit on children sent to juvenile court.

Although juvenile offenders can be locked up in detention centers, Randee Waldman, director of the Barton Juvenile Defender Clinic at Emory University School of Law, said the children accused in Waycross seem far too young for that.

“It would take an extraordinary circumstance for a child under the age of 10 to be detained,” Waldman said. “Juvenile court is rehabilitative in nature. It’s not designed to be punitive.”

Children so young often aren’t considered competent to stand trial, Waldman said, because they lack the maturity to understand even the basics of the legal system. They may also be deemed too young to have had criminal intent, she said.