"La Union es La Fuerza"

"Union is Strength" - This is the cry from the streets of La Paz since the October 20th presidential elections. The people of Bolivia have bonded together over the cries of electoral fraud and abuse of democratic rights. President Evo Morales has stretched his power and influence far enough and, after almost 14 years in power, the people want a change, but Morales refuses to give it up. Since Sunday, the scene in La Paz has been filled with passionate chanting, Bolivian flags, and violence. At different times the protests have ranged from peaceful to destructive and I have heard reports of two dead due to the violence.

Highlands has taken precautions, as has much of the city, and we haven't had a full day of school since last Tuesday, October 22nd. No one is sure when we will resume classes again, or when any of this will be resolved. Many of the streets and intersections are blocked throughout the day, which prevents any sort of motorized transportation. Until things calm down and clear up we have been instructed to send our students work online through email or Google Classroom. We have also been instructed to stock up on food and clean water, as many that have been here longer have shared their experiences from 2003 and 2006 when things got very bad here and water was shut off throughout the city. Below are some videos I took last Tuesday night downtown La Paz. The protests were very peaceful for a while and then escalated to violence. People threw rocks at the police, which in turn brought on tear gas and panic. I was probably caught in the tear gas five times that night, as the police sought to break up the protests, put out fires, and restore order to an infuriated public.

There were some close calls that night, and at one point I heard the firing of a tear gas gun and then seconds later a saw a canister land about 5 feet to my left. It was quite the experience to which I know I will never forget. The situation here and the ensuing time off has allowed me spend some time thinking about God's sovereignty, and a Christian's duty during times of injustice like this. Luckily besides bringing my bible, I also brought a book I read in college called, Good News About Injustice, written by Gary Haugen, founder and CEO of the International Justice Mission. It has been an encouraging reminder of God's care for the oppressed and rejected. God cares about justice even in the midst of a world filled with injustice.

Haugen explain's the Christian's call to act justly and pursue justice as we serve a God who loves justice, and is truly just. Haugen points out what the Lord has required of us in Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Often overlooked is this call to act justly and to really live that out daily. I believe a major part of acting justly is to raise awareness of injustice and point people towards prayer and to a God who cares about fighting injustice. During unjust times, may we look to a sovereign God for help, may we become examples of good, and may we promote justice when others may be tempted to fight evil with more evil. My prayer and hope in this time is for the political turmoil to be resolved quickly, but more so for God to use this as an opportunity to point people towards Himself and redeem a fallen world of which I am a part. I continue to seek out my role in all of this, and continue to look for opportunities to spread the Gospel message of hope in a troubled time. I have continued to hit the streets and reach out to many of the Venezuelans who are caught in the middle of all of this, seeking a home and searching for peace. I also used this as an opportunity to talk with my students who can be so easily attracted by the violence and excitement of protests.

These are not easy times, but I fear not for I know the Lord will always sit on the throne and does not forget His people no matter the circumstances. One thing I know is that in times like these I turn more to prayer, and I do ask that you do too. Bolivia needs prayer. Hopefully the Lord will respond by bringing justice to a corrupt and unjust situation, while somehow using it to point people to a God of justice and love who does not forget them in a time of need.

Thank you for your continued support and prayer. I have heard from many of you concerned about my safety and curious about the situation down here.