We're back!

Just a quick note to say that we are back in the good ole USA! Only a few events occurred between my last email and this one. We had no problems with travel - The Lord took good care of us and returned safely.

Overall the trip was one of rest, focus on God, a time to make connections for our church to return to Bolivia for a pastor's conference this summer, and of evangelism to locals, patients, and doctors; a humbling (in the sense of not being used much medically) trip, and one that we gained experience (which i heard defined as "something you get when things don't go as planned") in another culture and rely upon The Lord to do what He has planned. We appreciate all of your prayers and support, and look fwd to answering some of your emails and calls. For me a verse that has been in my head for days is "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." - as God is continually breaking down my pride.

On the way home we were able to visit the historical Macchu Piccu (one of the last cities of the Incas high in the Andes mountains). The mountains in Bolivia and Peru are beautiful - jungle like terrain with dense undergrowth in Peru, leading up to snow caps in the highest mountains.

To get to the site, the only access is a winding train through the mountains. This provided for a God-sent interaction with a fellow we met, who sat directly across from me on the train. Kristen and i were both able to tell him about the greatest man in history, who came into this world to save the lost. He already had lots of ?s ready to be asked - as it seems back home he had no one to ask. We began by simply letting him know why we went to Bolivia - to share the gospel with the people there. To let them know our stories of how He has worked in our lives -e.g. - that He opened my eyes to show me that i was living my life in rebellion to a holy and just God who has given me everything (life, breath...) and that i have broken his commandments, and the Bible clearly shows the penalty for that is death, an eternal separation in Hell apart from God - which, of course, is all bad news. But, John 3:16 let s me know that He loved us so much, He came down here, to take the penalty for me - to die for me - and that i have eternal life by believing upon His work - not my good deeds, but trusting that He died for me, and that His work on the cross is all i need to enter heaven (there is nothing i can do to earn such a gift - only He can merit it)... anyway, He asked lots of typical ?s - like what about al the other religions, and do we believe they are the same or not - well, we just answered with scripture (it doesn't matter what i think, it matters what God says) - "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father apart from me?" - words of Jesus in John 14:6. I believe it was a divine interaction that God used to speak into this man's life - that was one of the highlights of our return trip.

If you ever plan to visit Macchu Piccu in Peru - book it early!!!! That was another lesson learned.