Another farewell to the Amazon!

I had not thought that i would return to the Amazon so quickly, after my trip to the Venezuelan Amazon last year, i desired to go back but was never sure when it would be, i defintely didnt think it would be this soon. As our plane landed in the Amazon, tears filled my eyes and an uncontrollable mix of emotions took over my heart. It's a feeling I am not sure how to express or explain, i just know that the Amazon has stolen a piece of my heart, and returning made me realize even more how much i had missed being there. The trees, the mountains, the river, the land, the people, everything. Our time in San Miguel del Bala, Amazon, was one that really taught me the importance of listening and learning from other cultures, it also gave me a perspective of how courageous the Tacana people have been. Their persistence in order to preserve their land, culture, language and traditions really speaks to me about the pursuit of true identity. I am so honoured to have been able to meet and share with the Tacana people, it truely was something life changing... my heart has been transformed.

Im sure i will return to the Amazon some time very soon... my heart longs for the fire in that land... it's a flame, that has been planted on this journey of justice... and is carried by true Love.

Inspired.

Como un pajaro libre de libre vuelo!! (Like a liberated bird, free flying)

Surrounded by mountains, trees, birds and water- feeling very small amidst these great beautiful things. Feeling so blessed and loved by God and getting to appreciate all that He has made here. We´ve been with our contacts for about a week now, helping out at the eco-lodge, cooking traditional dishes, learning how to make sugar cane juice and how to peel rice,learning a lot from our contacts, while learning about how much we can stretch ourselves in unknown territory. I´ve realized that i mostly take a lot of love from the places i visit, the relationships we have built with Julio and Reinaldo our contacts and Hermosinda(the lady that cooks at the lodge)- usually leave me bittersweet when leaving, its amazing to meet all of these people but when we leave, i always leave bits of my heart behind. Im learning to repair these broken wings with new dreams, leaving in a few days, with more blindfolds off- loving freely- free flying- letting the Wind take me.
Ready, ready to go!
This world is hungry for change, and i´ve been starving for it for a long time now!!

Leaving La Paz

In a few hours i will going on a little plane with all 11 of my team memebers to San Miguel Del Bala a community of indigenous people in the Bolivian Amazon!!! Im SOOO excited, but a part of my heart is also a tad bit broken... being in La Paz for the past week has slowly been changing my mindset about a lot of stuff and it feels like we have built a home here, befriending our hosts here, seeing other travellers come and go.
Felt like this was our stand-by of making relationships and connections with people from abroad in Bolivia, pretty amazing to say the least. In the past week we´ve befriended some pretty amazing people, Germans, South Africans, a girl from Montreal, and a girl from England. Being impacted by every single life as we all experienced the same time of culture shock, missing friends and family, attempting to speak spanish (well not for me but for my team lol). It was a great way of seeing how interconnected we are, and the love for adventure and thirst for change brings people from all walks of life together.

We got to spend a bit more time with our friend Adriaan from South Africa, felt like we had an extra team member, as he participated in highs and lows and life stories- it was awesome! Learning a bit about what life was like for him back home and all his travel plans for the months ahead, made for some really ispiring conversations, that have really set up this trip for me- Free falling, plans abandonded and moved by the Spirit.

Sharing my life story with the team and Adriaan last night made me realize how much life stories is so much more than just sharing "stuff" that has happened in your life but more about testimony and how the life that i have lived up until now is shaping every move i make in the present. Sharing who you are, the broken, the garbage, the meaningful, the awakenings- all adds up to encouragment and reflection.

Moving ahead and away from La Paz makes me realize that I come on these trips with a heart ready to love and I leave with SO much more love from the people i´ve met. Im constantly changed and stretched by my experiences, goodbye´s are always tough- but returning is near... See you soon! :-)

Surrounded by mountains and Love.

Sitting here, listening to the cars honking, the breeze of the Andes and the peace of God´s Love... no other way to live for me right now. I´ve been having a weird couple of days, unsure of how i feel about being on stand-by in La Paz , wanting so badly to be in the Amazon, being sick, having my whole team in bed, also sick- i was angry and in a miserable mood. I had also taken that anger on this beautiful opportunity that God had given me, to remain more time with the people here in La Paz, not sure of what to expect, or about how much Love i was receiving by being here.

I dont think i realized it until i was walking down this street yesterday and heard drums and flutes playing in this building- being drawn by the Spirit in this place, i gradually went in as my team followed. I was met with native dancers doing a traditional dance in thanksgiving for the new season... seriously!!??- could that have been more on point with what i should of been doing?? Being so afraid about where God is taking me on this trip and on the journey ahead, i dont think i had stopped purposely to be thankful for this new season. These dancers were there for a conference called Boldness in Identity Through Art- AMAZING!!!! just the name, almost made me fall over... we got to go into one of the sessions, and the honour and blessing towards the indigenous people in Bolivia blew me away!! I was automatically ordered by God to get out of the rut that i had placed myself in. As i looked at these people dancing i looked at one specific older man, as he danced with this deep gaze and this peacful smile- "The wailing of His people i could feel". The happiness, the sorrow, the peace, the love, the liberation, the justice- everything! generation upon generation of the Bolivian people- in my heart.

How could i deny what i could feel in my heart? Being afraid to be broken, to be a witness, to walk in Boldness- everything He has called me to be. The people here have gone through a great deal of sorrow, through colonization, through massacres of their indigneous people, the change in government and the very obvious poverty cycle that seams to be entangling itself within society here. Bolivians have constantly been struggling for acceptance, constantly they have had to leave their lands, to go off and find work in other countries. Often being hated and mistreated in other countries- for generations they have been living as a tolerated people- The Bolivian people are called to be Loved!!!

Today, i woke up with this peace in my heart, that everything was going to be fine, that God was taking care of the team and that all of this had a purpose that would shape the journey ahead!

After Lunch today we walked around some of the shops and stumbled upon this music store, that had a whole bunch of interesting instruments- i was mostly drawn to this saxaphone made of wood- i approached the store owner and asked him how it worked. As he lifted his gaze i realized that he was blind- he started to play this song- that my mother had sang to me as a child- as tears filled my eyes I realized how big God´s presence was in that moment and how much He loved me. Being brought back to that amazing childhood memory, thinking about my mom as Mother´s day approaches, i couldnt help but be thankful and so honoured to have this amazing woman as my mother. She truly has played a huge roll in setting my life up Purposely- always being supportive, encouraging, and constantly always meeting me with open arms and a smile- everytime i come home. (Gracias Mami la quiero MUCHO!!!)

After the man finished playing I looked around the store and saw tons of paper cut outs of Him playing this little guitar, I said "do you still play shows?", He said
"No i dont anymore, i dedicate my life to teaching underprivlidged youth"- that one sentence totally rocked me. It had been two days of contstant encouragment and God flashing His love and presence in every situation i was in. How can i be angry or sad? Looking at being in La Paz as a "stand-by" hasnt really helped either, because we can build connections and relationships in every situation- and it seemed that God has just put the right people on my path to love on :)

I am happy here, surrounded by mountains and Love!
Heart abandonded, arms wide open, ready to go, walking in Boldness!!
Walking in Peace!!

In Bolivia!!!

i have been really questioning the fact of whether i should write on my blog on this trip because i really didnt think i would have any time, however due to weather we are on stand-by in La Paz before heading out into the Amazon in a few days, sooo here goes :-). It´s been some very exciting days though, just driving into the city of La Paz you are met with these beautiful majestic mountains, i´ve seriously just been in awe of God´s wonder... the beauty of His people and environment here has creeped into my heart! Im very happy here!! The elevation has been a bit of a fight for me, so im just hoping it goes away... haha please pray that it does!
We have really experienced some crazy stuff, been to a Francsican Cathedral from the 1700´s, into a Monastery,then to the Ruins of Tiwanaku all in two days and 4000 meters above sea level..awesome...sooo awesome!!
excited to get to the Amazon though, ready to be back there!!! I´ve missed it sooo much!!
Love you all!!
Peace and Blessings!