Food, The Ultimate Outreach Tool

It's only appropriate I finally write a post about food, considering most people ask me about the food here and know how much I adore food . However, more recently food has played a different role in my life, and instead has served as a gateway to evangelism and to progress in my mission here.

A surprisingly delicious quinoa bowl. Bolivia is a major producer of quinoa.

A couple of weeks ago It occurred to me that sometimes opportunities must be created, or at least initiated, on our part in order for progress to happen. I found myself frustrated at the slow pace to which I was grasping Spanish, as well as the lack of opportunities to spread Gospel truth. I don't want my time here to be one dimensional and only based on serving those at school. I want my life here to reflect Christ in all areas and I want to be an effective evangelist everywhere I go. Knowing that the faster I learn Spanish the more effective I will be in my mission, I decided I needed to try and create opportunities to practice both my Spanish and sharing the Gospel with those in need.

Hitting the streets like a man without a job, I pounded the pavement in search of opportunities. Having collected a decent sized stash of Spanish Bibles, and remembering the hotspots where I spotted Venezuelan refugees, I have spent the following three Saturdays meeting many in need of both real food and spiritual food. Hoping to kill two birds with one stone, I walked the streets carrying a proposition, "I will buy you lunch, if you will teach me Spanish." This seemed to be the best strategy and one that also opens the avenue for me to spread the good news and hand out the bibles.

Slightly nervous, I stepped off the Teleferico and prayed God would guide my steps as well as my words, and provide a clear opportunity to connect with someone in need. It didn't take long until I came across two brothers, Miacol (Michael), wearing the Venezuelan flag as a bandana, and Xavier. Miacol is 20 years old and Xavier is 14. They had been in La Paz for a week and came with their mother and four year old sister. I introduced myself and quickly asked if they were hungry and willing to join me for some food. They obliged and we headed to the nearest restaurant where we broke bread over my broken Spanish. I tried to ask about their story while also explaining a little of my own. We talked for an hour and half and I ended the conversation by giving them a Bible and my number in hopes of seeing them again. It was an encouraging experience and one I felt helped me in my Spanish , as well as them in their new transition and life in La Paz.

A week ago Bolivia celebrated a holiday similar to Valentines day and so my adventure downtown was met with another celebration and more parading. The foot bridge in the picture above is one of the spots I met a Venezuelan family in need. They had arrived in La Paz four days earlier and were selling candies on the bridge. I introduced myself and proceeded to exhaust the options of questions I know in Spanish. They seemed incredibly receptive as I explained what I was doing in Bolivia and how I was hoping to practice my Spanish and share God's word. Melanie, the 17 year old daughter in the family, was especially happy when I pulled out a bible. Her face lit up when I showed her that it was a Spanish to English Bible that included both languages side by side. This made it easier for me to share specific verses I like and felt would be helpful in their troubled time. I then decided to go get them some food after realizing they hadn't eaten anything that day. I returned shortly with some chicken and found their father had arrived and was holding the Bible and was opened to the book of Luke. His name was Adrian, and I proceeded to ask him questions about his life and experience with the Bible. He said he had a small one that he brought from Venezuela, and he joked that the one I gave them had a lot more words in it and would take much longer to read. I gave them what money I could in hopes it would help them pay for more candy to sell, and more nights in the hotel which all four of them share.

I know I am limited in more ways than just my Spanish, but I also know the Father in heaven can work in many ways with many broken people like myself. I felt like I was able to encourage and water the Gospel seed in hopes that maybe the gesture of giving food, time, money, and Bible conveyed the love that the Father has for them. As I went on my way to grab some api morada, which is pictured above and has become my favorite Bolivian drink, I ran into Xavier and his mother and sister on the street. They apparently lost the paper that I wrote my number on, and asked me if I would write it down again. I invited Xavier to come get some api morada with me, as well as some other food for his family. I gave him my number again and then joined his family on the street as we enjoyed some api morada and some pasteles de queso, pictured above. I proceeded to converse with them and practice my Spanish as well as teach Xavier's 4 year old sister some English. I asked him if he had read any of the Bible I gave him and he said he had not, so I am hoping that the more I interact with him the more I can encourage him to give it a chance. As I headed back to the Teleferico I was so thankful to have run into them again, and today as I write this I am thankful to hear from them today through text. God has definitely answered my prayers and provided abundantly for me to practice my Spanish and given me opportunities to evangelize.

Among these praises is the praise for a successful Spiritual emphasis week at Highlands. It was really cool to worship every day in two different languages, and spend time encouraging and challenging the students to grow and consider what each speaker had to share. Please continue to pray for the students at Highlands. The next two weeks I will have the opportunity to go on two different hikes with them. The first hike, called Tekesi, is this Friday with the 9th-10th graders. We will hike 20 miles over the course of three days, and will carry all our food and shelter on our backs, and get back to nature and away from electricity. A week after that the 11th-12th graders are going on a hike, called Choro, of which is 33 miles over the course of 4 days. The students, as well as myself, are really excited, and I am praying it is a great opportunity to invest in relationships and have Gospel centered conversations. Please be in prayer for these hikes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this in support of me. I feel very supported and prayed for, and I am very thankful for all those who have donated to this mission and helped pay for these opportunities to give both physical and spiritual nourishment to those in need. I plan to continue giving away bibles and seeking to use food as an avenue to spreading God's word and practicing my Spanish. I leave you with a collection of Bolivian dishes and different food experiences I have has thus far as an homage to this update.