Straight From Our Kids

"What do your kids think about going to Bolivia?"  If I had a nickel for every time I'd been asked that...  Of course, if it was contingent upon having a good answer, I'd still be broke.  So I finally decided to interview the kids, and see what they had to say in response to a few basic questions.

Q:  What do you think about moving to Bolivia?

K: I would be kind of excited because our friends have a Wii.  Excited to learn to speak Spanish.  For 3 years I’m not as excited.

S: Good.  ‘Cuz a gato is in Bolivia.

Q: Do you know where Bolivia is?

K:  No.  Do you know where it is Dad?  (long pause) Somewhere around a city close to the Sun I think.

  

Q: Is there anything you’re afraid of?

K:  You wasting all your money getting a new house & furniture & especially the stove.

S:  Dan & Daryl are a "kinda-know" right now.

Q: What are you excited about?

K: Get to see Nana in Bolivia.  And Michelle.

S: Kitty.

Q: You met Dan & Daryl.  What do you think about meeting their kids?

K: I’m excited about that.

Q: What do you think I should ask?

K: Are you excited about moving into a new house?

        -I’m excited about that.  I hope it will be a bigger area around our house so we can blast off rockets.

 

Q: How long do you think it will take to get to Bolivia?

K: Like three days.

Q: If you could take just one thing with you, what would you take?

K: Puppy (his beany-baby dog)

S: Soft kitty, little kitty, & blue blankey.

K: Daddy, you should ask me if I’m excited about growing up.  When we come back, I’m excited to be 8, ‘cuz then I can do things on my own without my parents.

Mom: What do you want your new teacher in Bolivia to be like?

K: Kind of blond hair, like Mrs. S.

Q: Why are we going to Bolivia?

K: We’re going to be missionaries. Because you like helping others.

S: To speak Spanish.

Q: Is there anything else you want to tell me about Bolivia?

K: It's gonna be fun going on the plane.

S: I liked it when you guys were at Bolivia, and I was at Nana & Papa’s.

Q: Thanks for the interview.

K: Could you write down even more please?  How about I ask you questions about Bolivia.

Interviewing each other after we were done.

Unemployment... And Beyond!

I am unemployed.  And I have been reminded of this today by pretty much everyone I have run into!  In my case, this really is a good thing, as it is an indicator of our progress toward Bolivia.  However, I find myself struggling with a variety of insecurities, and trying to project a confidence and excitement about everything in our lives. 

The image I'm afraid others have in mind.

So yes, I’m excited about being able to focus on fundraising, packing our house up, getting it rented out, connecting with friends and family, and generally getting ready for our move to Bolivia.  But being the fiscally conservative person I am (read tight-wad), I can’t say that I am truly “excited” about living on savings for a couple of months.  At the same time, I am proud of the fact that we have been disciplined enough to set aside money that can be used during this time.  I’m excited about actually moving forward, but I’m also a little overwhelmed by the thought of packing up for three years, with a two suitcase per person limit.  And while you would think we would be used to it by now, and I am truly looking forward to seeing more of our friends and meeting new ones, I’m nervous about getting up in front of three more churches in the coming month, not to mention still scheduling 1-on-1 appointments, etc. 

One area that Dana & I have been 100% in agreement upon is our general excitement for our kids in getting to be a part of another culture, learn the language, and grow up knowing the world is large, but they still have an important part to play in that world.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some stresses around all of that too.  Kellton started Kindergarten this fall, and while he seems to be doing well, he struggles with change and adapting to new situations…  Not that he’ll have to deal with any of that in the coming year.  Stori is such a fun little girl, but she has a stubborn streak and a wild side that we know are going to challenge us at times.  But we love them both so much, and can’t help but be excited about this as a family.

Overall, I would describe our attitude as “tempered excitement” right now.  We are absolutely looking forward to this challenge.  Yet, I’m pretty sure there will be days we feel we made the worst decision ever.  The good news is, we are very confident that three years from now, we will be very glad we stepped out in faith.

Picture of the... year!

Congratulations to my little brother Brett and his wife Micki on the birth of their new twin girls!

Another perspective on Missions in Bolivia

Daryl Collins is one member of the missionary couple we are planning to join in Bolivia.  This is a great video to see a little of her fun, crazy personality, as well as a great insight into their willingness to break out of the box and do missions in a way that reaches people right where they are.  Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/50089703?action=share

Sorry I can't get the video to show here, you'll have to follow the link.

Bless Sports Ministry Video

This is Hans Finzel, president of WorldVenture, with Ariel, who helped start Bless ministry in Bolivia.  This project is really taking off in Cochabamba, and has a lot of potential to impact the community.

News article about Bolivia

From the category of "Random Bolivia information" here is an article that was on the front page of NBCnews.com today about one of the national parks there:

"Bolivian Park Declared One of the Most Diverse Places on the Planet"

Beginnings and Endings

The past few weeks have contained many beginnings and ends:

Last and 10^th annual Masterpiece Theater at Intermountain.

• End of 13 years as Chaplain at Intermountain.
• Beginning of my confusion as to how to introduce myself.  Stay at home mom?  Unemployed?  Carpool driver? Or the über-cool title, missionary?
• End of blissful no rush mornings.  Jammies for kiddos at 10 am…no problem, no more.
• Beginning of school clothes laid out, double checking that the kids have actually brushed their teeth for over 9 seconds.
• End of quarterly search for our next babysitter for the kids while I work.
• Beginning of my helping Quinn more on raising funds to ship off for Bolivia.  

• End of 13 years of chapel service on Monday nights. So Mondays is reserved for praying for Intermountain.

First day of school.

It can be a struggle to begin and end well.  Case in point:   Kellton was physically peeled off me in front of his class Friday.  Poor guy, on day 2 of Kindergarten, he was so nervous he ran out of the classroom thinking he was going to vomit (he didn’t, but beginnings can be rough).  Astoria on the other hand, ended time as “mommy’s shadow” very well.  Her first day of Preschool, she asked me to leave (however I couldn’t as I was the mandated teacher’s helper).

As emotional as leaving Intermountain will be more for me in the coming weeks, I felt a certain undeniable blessing from one of the residential girls with whom I was the closest.  She was my right hand gal during our Easter service last spring, and had a lead role in our Masterpiece Theater production of the life of Joseph.  

No one gave me more or tighter hugs than this girl, and yet she said, “It’s good for you to go so you can help poor people in Bolivia.”  What more could I ask for in a sendoff?

Astoria's model for our housing in Bolivia.  
Note the 4 beds and "people" in the beds.

Intermountain planned several surprise thank yous, send off, and gifts.  I was tongue tied as I know Intermountain had given me more than I could certainly have repaid, professionally and personally.

And yet, that’s just like God.  He sends us His grace, that unmerited favor that we can never repay.  And He sends us out to begin a new life of faith, and end our destructive flirting with sin.  We begin and end in Him, from our very conception to the end of our days.  He's our beautiful beginning and end.

Family Vacation

A view of the cottage from the boat.

After 6 years, it was beyond time for our family to return to Dana's home in Indianapolis, and travel to her family's vacation destination of choice: a wonderful cottage north of Toronto in Canada.  This cottage is a rustic site on an island in the French River, with no electricity, access only by boat, and little to do but relax with family, cook, eat, and generally recharge.

With a couple of days to connect with Dana's brother and his family, and uninterrupted time with her dad, this was a great opportunity for our kids to connect with Dana's roots.  It was great seeing our kids experience so many new things, and build new relationships that will matter long into the future.

From learning to fish and swim, to sleeping together in a bunk bed, enjoying pancakes almost every morning, squealing with glee at the frogs, snakes and minnows, and spinning around in the "Sky Chair" (a canvas chair hanging from the ceiling), our kids definitely made the most of the experience.  It was a joy just seeing them have so much fun.

By the time Dana & I also got in, this was a full boat!

Since Dana grew up traveling here almost every summer, this location has many emotional ties for her, not the least of which is the fact that so many of her extended family also travel to this same location, resulting in numerous generations living all across the country continuing to have a personal connection.

As I think about our commitment to serving God in Bolivia, this wonderful extended family reminds me of the importance of relationships.  For me, it can be far too easy to get wrapped up in the race for success, the rules of engagement, the practicalities of each situation, and the search for continued improvement; that relationships can easily be lost in the process.  Yet, relationships are absolutely integral to serving God's kingdom.  We are to be known by our love, and without relationships that go beyond basic interaction, it's impossible to really exhibit such love.  Additionally, it's impossible to build solid relationships without putting some time into it.  Two weeks of almost constant time with my family did wonders for my relationship with my own daughter.  Stori has always been Mommy's girl, and probably always will be, but getting to spend so much time together really seemed to help her bond with me in new ways.  In the same way, we can't expect to have a true relationship with God if we don't prioritize spending time with Him.

Picnic and music.

I look forward to building new relationships in Bolivia, but for right now, I'm reveling in the wonderful relationships we have right where we are.  I look forward to seeing our kids grow and develop in wonderful new ways, but I sure enjoyed seeing them have fun and develop their own relationships in the meantime.

Sometimes I feel a bit narcissistic writing about myself in this blog.  But with looming distance and time constraints, I hope this helps build and maintain existing relationships.  If you have the time or inclination, feel free to drop us a note letting us know what is going on in your lives, or even comment below.  But in the meantime, I hope you enjoy some more photos from our vacation!

Happy Girls!

Dana's cousin and her husband. Truly great people!

Silly cousins!

McCoy cousins teach our kids to fish.

With some success!

Yes, it did rain a couple times, but it doesn't seem to have dampened the enthusiasm!

Breakfast on the porch.

Thanks McCoy family!

Business Conferences in Bolivia

An invitation to participate...

The Bolivian business outreach is moving forward.  We are starting a business conference series and would like to add an international component through international BAM (Business as Mission) teams.  Pray about whether you might have skills to share with business people in another culture.

Conference Dates

Sept. 20-22nd, 2012 “The power of ideas and entrepreneurial courage”

Feb. 14th–23rd, 2013

March 25th–31st, 2013 “Top Ten Leadership Commandments” with Hans Finzel

May 16th–25th, 2013

Sept. 19th–28th, 2013

Possible Topics (open to other ideas)

➢            Basic principles for business start-ups

➢            Finance trends and international markets

➢            Character qualities of a high level executive

➢            True stories of success and failure in business

➢            Aggressive innovation

➢            Technology use – do’s and don’ts

➢            Designing production systems

➢            Customer service principles

➢            The power of a logo/brand

➢            Due diligence and solid business plans

➢            Marketing strategies and publicity

Want to be a part? Contact us and we’ll get you signed up!

Want more information? Click here

Growing up with World Travelers

Have you ever longed to go on the trip a friend of yours was taking?  I had this experience many, many times growing up.  My life long best friend, Sarah Gaither, and I met in the sixth grade.  She came from a family of travelers and adventurous eaters.  She was my only friend whose parents served me cow’s tongue, Yorkshire pudding, and Japanese food for dinner.  For the Midwest, this was certainly non conventional.

Sarah’s parents had the traveling and learning bug as well. I remember phases of trips to Europe, learning Japanese, and flying lessons.  My family got “crazy” by simply playing tennis and perhaps an afternoon at the pool.  So the Gaithers had a big impact on me, and I enjoyed my growing collections of post cards they sent me from around the world.

As we entered high school, Sarah and I grew closer and stronger in our Christian faith.  We sought to encourage each other to make good choices and have our faith shine.  We would leave each other notes and Bible verses in our shared school locker.  Like most teens, we sought mostly to show Christ’s love to our other friends and peer group.  (Looking back I dread recalling how my acts of kindness were less apt to show up at home with my younger brother and parents…)

Erin and Sarah make it to Seattle.

Most summers, Sarah would go on a fabulous trip, sometimes for fun, and sometimes to a foreign mission field.  Since Sarah studied Russian in high school, there was the YWAM trip to Russia just after the fall of the Berlin wall.  I still have the small hand painted oval trays that were given to her by Russian hosts.  Then there was Sarah’s mission trip to Brazil after college, where she even lived on a boat on Tapajos River, a tributary to the Amazon.  Portuguese was added to her former study of French, German, and Russian.

While Sarah’s family traveled the world, I soaked up every detail I could about each foreign land.  Her sister Laura lived and studied in Scotland.  I soon got hooked on “Thistles and Shamrocks” on NPR to be like Laura.   I longed to skip my boring life of summer jobs and travel too.  Looking back I see how working hard and saving money for college was a good move for me, but during those days I was heart sick to be a world traveler.

Indiana to the Pacific Ocean to Arizona.

One trip Sarah took was a hard one to watch from afar.  Sarah and our dear college roommate Erin did a cross country trip to explore the American West.  And what girl from the flat land of Indiana doesn’t have romantic notions about that?  (Cue music from “Dances with Wolves” and scenery from “Little House on the Prairie.”)  They invited me—and I was crushed to say no.  I was living in DC at the time, and I didn’t have permanent employment lined up yet, and little to no savings.  And yet, it seemed so responsible to “see the world” and take in the beauty of our National Parks…how could I say no when my heart and lust for adventure said a mighty “Yes!”

While I didn’t travel in the faithful red LeBarron, my heart went with them.  I was thrilled that these two friends took some risk and bucked some convention to live life to the fullest.

The strange twist to the story is that now I live out west. I have more than travelled here in Montana, and God has been beyond generous with me. I’ve traveled to Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas, England, Scotland, and now we’re gearing up for a new life in Bolivia.  In middle school I was sure that I’d never really make it anywhere “thrilling” and yet God has spoiled me on many, many occasions.

My heart was full of (healthy) pride for Sarah and Erin that summer as they wrapped wide circles around our beautiful country.  I truly felt as if I were a part of the adventure as I clamored for every details and sought to learn everything I could, vicariously though their road trip.

Would you do that with me as I head to Bolivia this winter?  I hope for my friends and family to join our hearts for Bolivians, and soak up what we are learning and be thankful for what God can do through some risk, prayer, and God’s people willing to step out in faith.

Mind you, now being a mom of a 3 and 5 year old, beginning my 40’s, I am much less adventurous in many ways than I was in my 20’s.  I haven’t slept in my car to save money on a trip in a long time.   I ask questions about insurance, coupons, seeking wisdom, etc.  So I hope that what I learn and how I grow in faith, will be a blessing to our partners for Business As Mission, back in the States.

I hope you will join in this adventure…I may even send you some Cochabamba postcards.

10th Anniversary!

Before we were even engaged!

We celebrated our 10th Anniversary Friday! (June 29)

My mom (Kathy Holzer) was nice enough to drive over and pick up the kids to take them to "The Ranch" (as the kids refer to it) for the weekend, so Dana & I have had three days to just enjoy each other and relax a little.  We went out to dinner and even relaxed at home Saturday evening and watched a movie together.  ("Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" seemed like an appropriate title in light of their adventures in Bolivia!)

But we also spent time sorting through stuff to figure out what we're going to get rid of, and what can be stored while we're out of the country.  As with so many things in life, Dana & I have different experiences even as we share the same one.  I love seeing junk get thrown out, and knowing that we are purging useless stuff from our life.  Dana has sentimental attachments that make it harder for her to get rid of those things.

And just as we know that in so many little things in life we have very different experiences, we are very aware of the fact that our three years in Bolivia will bring vastly different emotional realities.  At times, it is difficult to look past those differences, but at the same time, we know we can rely on each other.  This doesn't necessarily come naturally, but we know that through our mutual faith in an all-powerful God, we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  (Phil. 4:13)

And it also allows us to set aside those fears and worries for another day, and celebrate and enjoy life today!  Thanks to the many of you who have been a part of our lives over these past ten years, and we look forward to seeing what the next ten brings.

Video of the Carpentry Shop in Bolivia

I've mentioned the carpentry shop to many of you, and it has been a subject of a previous blog entry as well. Here is a video from the field in Bolivia, coordinated with the World Venture home office in Colorado.  Check it out!

Seasons

It used to be that I couldn’t wait for Winter to arrive.  Winter brings skiing, sledding, building snowmen, or just a great excuse to sit by the fireplace and read a book.  Winter covers everything in white, and seems to wipe the slate clean for another fresh start.

But then, I got into Mountain Biking, and Winter meant an end to that activity for the year.  Suddenly, I was more in love with summer.  Now, as I tend my recently planted garden, I find myself enjoying the newness of Spring.  I can’t help but anticipate and look forward to Fall a little bit though, when we can really enjoy the fruits of our labors in the garden.  And each of these activities is changed by sharing it with my children.  Gardening is no longer just a chore, but something that the kids love to help out with, making it much more exciting.  I still love a good bike ride, but that’s something the kids can’t participate in yet, and so without diminishing the experience, it does mean making a choice to leave the family behind for a short time, and going out to torture my body on my own.

Riding with a friend last weekend.

In general, I’ve decided I just like the idea of seasons.  They provide an opportunity to continually renew my focus, change the outlook, and switch up the pace.  Summers in Montana are notoriously short, but offer a great many opportunities.  As a result, people tend to “go” every possible minute.  It’s a fun time, and can create some great memories, but when Winter arrives it seems like we have to re-introduce ourselves to friends and neighbors. 

But seasons are something we not only experience on an annual weather cycle, but throughout our lives.  Sometimes major points mark a transition; like graduation, getting married, or having kids.  These transitions to new seasons of life can be both scary and exciting, but clearly change our life as we know it.  Alternately, we may have times of slow gradual change that we don’t even realize are occurring.  That “How did I get here?” feeling is one that too often means a negative slide.  I stepped on the scale at the beginning of the year, and trust me…  I hadn’t planned to weight that much!  But that kicked off a much more intentional season of discipline that has resulted in me losing over 15 pounds this year. 

Spring means branding in Montana. With Dan Collins in 2004.

But as much as I like seasons, I’m still struggling with this season of waiting.  We’ve made the decision to become missionaries and move to Bolivia for three years, yet here we sit.  We’ve decided what school we will place Kellton in upon arrival in Cochabamba, yet we’re also preparing for him to start Kindergarten in Helena this fall.  We’re thinking about how to pack up and move, yet we’re planting and tending a garden right here in Helena.  It sometimes feels like we’re living dual lives and I don’t know which one takes precedence.  But all we can do is continue to manage our day-to-day lives while doing everything we can to hasten and prepare for our ultimate departure.

And the irony of this coming new season of our lives…  We’re moving to the “City of Eternal Spring,” where there isn’t much in the way of seasons.  But if we can leave in December, as we are currently planning, the change from a Christmas in winter, to a Christmas in summer will be an abrupt season change indeed.

November 2011 - Not so wintry in Bolivia.

Agriculture, Business, Fundraising, and Fun…

Between my agricultural background and experience working for the State of Montana promoting “value-added” business enterprises that encouraged the growth of businesses utilizing Montana agricultural commodities, I get excited every time I read about a success story that builds on locally produced commodities, and builds brand recognition around a whole new product.  Combine that with my M.B.A. and the understanding of the many challenges associated with small business development, and I have great respect for the people that take on these challenges and work to build our local economy. 

One such business in Montana that has successfully grown into a strong new category with a series of businesses spread across the state has been local micro-breweries.  They operate under some strict state rules and regulations, but have been able to create new jobs, and utilize products that Montana grows in great quality and quantity. 

Now, one of these local breweries, Lewis & Clark Brewing, has agreed to host a fundraiser for us!  On Tuesday, June 5, 2012, a portion of their sales will be donated to World Venture in support of our economic development work in Bolivia.  Quinn & Dana will both be on hand from 4-8 pm that day to host this event, share pictures of Bolivia, and visit about what we will be doing while we live in Bolivia for three years.  This should be a unique opportunity to visit with a lot of people we haven’t had an opportunity to visit with recently, and we look forward to seeing many people.

If you are in town, and can make it, please plan to join us Tuesday, June 5, to encourage the use of business success to promote positive community change, and hopefully engage in some great conversations about what we are planning to be involved with in Bolivia.  We hope to see you there.

Bury my heart in Montana

I was out for an early morning trail run, thinking about how much I love Montana.  I mean, I love it here.  I first came to the Big Sky state to move to Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.  I had been working on DC’s Capitol Hill, and had competed for an opportunity to help this community lay the ground work for a food bank.  So I left my silk suits and heels on the East Coast and headed out in my 1982 Chevy Citation.

Wanting to establish a good reputation in Lame Deer I didn’t travel off the Res too much.  Sometimes teachers are hired for the school, but go out of town every weekend, not putting down roots.  My position was for only 6 months, so I wanted to learn and see as much as I could.  I learned that to be given a nick name was a good sign—and my long blonde hair plus same colored car earned me the nick name of Goldilocks.  At least my car kind of fit in.

This was my first trip ever to Montana and I was hooked.  That year I “helped” herd cows through the gorgeous badlands and prairie, went to pow wows, and made friends with several Northern Cheyenne people for whom I have great respect.  But this corner of Montana was just a sliver of this state’s greatness.

After a required move back to DC, a trip to Kenya and the inevitable, “now what should I do with my life panic?!” I had to be honest with myself.  I wanted to go back to Montana.

Now, coming from “back East” as they say here, Montana isn’t on anyone’s radar.  Maybe you might hear about a neat family vacation to Yellowstone, but this one zip-code state isn’t exactly code for “arriving” in one’s career.  It seemed like all my friends were living abroad or living in Manhattan (and I don’t mean Manhattan, MT).  While job hunting in DC's hot August, there was a two week series on PBS called “The West” by Ken Burns.  It’s romantic, historic, and I was smitten with the idea.  So when a position opened up in the Governor’s Office in Helena—I tried not to beg too overtly for them to hire me.  Fortunately, they did!

So once again I packed up the 1982 Chevy Citation that my New York cousins had learned to drive in, and headed West.  It- was- glorious.  With no FM radio in the car, there was plenty of time to swoon over the landscape and grow wild about my hopes for living in Helena.

Montana has not disappointed.  I love it here now as much as that first week waking up in the Mansion district (which was so cool as I rented the apartment sight unseen).  But this brings me to my current burial season.

Yes, as much as I love my friends here, met my awesome husband here and adore his ranching family, it’s time to bury my heart in Montana.   There’s parts of my heart that I must leave here for a time, to open up new space for a new love.

My growing love is for Bolivia.  While the sights, poverty, elevation, people will all be different, this place is capturing my imagination, passion and hopes for what God in His mercy will do through my family in the next 3 years.

So if I look nostalgic, I am.  I love it here.  But from a big sky to a big world, Bolivia is my new love.

       ~ Dana

The Growth Stage is Boring!

It's been a crazy year so far!  Dana & I have just completed a class that we started in January and has kept us very busy with reading and homework every week.

This class is called Perspectives on the Global Christian Movement, and was a ton of great information.  I've never been a real history buff, but I did enjoy some of the more in-depth explorations of history.  From looking at the Great Commission throughout the Old & New Testaments, to considering the times of Genghis Khan, the Vikings, Monk Orders, and even the travesty that was the Crusades, we looked at a lot of interesting information.  I have to admit though, I am thrilled to be done with this, and moving on to the next stage.

Jalapeno plant started in the Holzer house.

And that is what the year 2012 feels like in many ways...  a stage that simply must be gone through in order to get to where we actually are doing life as we envision it.  Sometimes it is too easy to be looking past this year at what will undoubtedly be a major adventure and challenge for us.  But the reality is that we have some very important development steps to complete in order to set the foundation for a successful three year stint.

Kellton & I have been having fun starting plants indoors this year for eventual transplant into a garden box and containers outside.  My favorites are the Jalapenos that are currently really going through some great stages of growth, and Kellton is so thrilled to see the amazing speed of growth exhibited by the Sunflower plants.

Regardless of the plant though, it has to go through a series of stages before the fruit can be enjoyed. Water, light, soil, fertilizer: they all play an important role in getting there.  Oh yeah, and time.

I'm slowly coming to realize the importance of the process of preparation, even it is frustrating at times, and hopefully the knowledge we gain, the support network we build, and the connections developed will provide a better foundation for delivering sustainable fruit in Bolivia.

Cool example in the Billings Gazette today!

OK, so I don't know anything about this guy, and I am not promoting him or his business (not that I think would be bad in this case!) but I ran across this article on a business in Montana today, and I thought it was a great example of doing business for the glory of God.  Right here at home!

Quote from the article: "To become part of the team, the crew members have to be from the South Side, out of prison and have an interest in learning about the Bible.

“The idea is to teach these guys construction skills, introduce them to the teachings of Jesus and hope they pick up on what we are teaching and doing,” Houlihan said.

Click here to read the whole article. "Construction program gives former inmates skills needed for new life"

Why? (or Why not?)

An outlet in Bolivia...  If only all of
life's decisions were so clearly marked!

One thing I’ve struggled to summarize for you who have asked is “Why” we are doing this.  In the end, it would be easier to explain how we overcame the reasons not to, than simply the drive to move forward.  Dana & I have gone through a long decision-making process, and it was good for us to do together, but there was never a moment when we simply knew this was the right thing to do.  Maybe it would help to share our basic understanding of following God’s will in our lives. 

While I believe God can and does work in unique ways, when it comes to a vocation or job, I don’t think He generally gives most of us a clear path to follow.  Rather, He has given us this amazing gift of “free will” and expects us to use that gift in making wise choices.  We have been repeatedly asked about this “calling” on our lives, and I have to admit, I’m not sure I would use that term.  I think God has placed in us a desire for adventure, a desire to have a lasting impact in our world, a desire to see our children raised in such a way as to expand their horizons, and a desire to constantly strive to better ourselves.  Ironically, at times, feeling the urge to pursue these desires has seemed very self-serving, and even an argument against moving forward with this.  After all, we didn’t want to be doing this simply for ourselves.  There’s nothing too “Godly” about doing something from selfish ambition…  So yes, we struggled with numerous circular arguments and philosophical debates.

Another couple serving in Bolivia.  We had a great conversation about
"Why?" and they had a totally different path to their decision, yet we are
so excited about arriving at the same conclusions and serving together!

In the end, we know that we will not be outside of God’s will for our lives in pursuing this opportunity to improve the world as we know it.  However, we truly believe we (and you are included in this!) can serve God right where we are.  In fact, that is one of the goals of Business As Mission: to chip away at the “secular-sacred” divide, and help people see how they can serve God with the skills they have, right in the workplace, just as effectively as if you decide to pursue “full time ministry.”  In fact, if you think about the realities of who a small business person interacts with throughout a week, compared to who a church pastor interacts with, I believe the small business person has more potential to impact non-Christians on a regular basis.

Bolivia... Even the terrain offers some challenges.

For most of us, I don’t think God insists on a specific career path, or the correct toothpaste.  Some things are left to us to figure out.  I don’t know what this means for you, but I do hope you are seeking to live a life that glorifies God.

This concept of finding “God’s will” for our lives has been tricky for many people I have talked to.  Not that this will have all the answers you are looking for, but if you are interested in learning more about this topic, our pastor did a great series on this last fall, and those teachings are available online here.  I hope you find them interesting and thought-provoking.

-Update: Our church updated their website after I posted this link, so if it didn't work for you, I have updated the link to direct you to the new website location.

Family Update from Dana

Kellton and Astoria in Miles City, with their friend Perri for the 4^th of July, 2011

While we were in Bolivia, I wanted to try and visualize what it’d be like to really live there for three years.  Traveling without our two mini demolition crew bosses (Kellton 5 and Astoria 3) it was tempting to picture life in Cochabamba as a bit of a cinch.  And then I’d snap out of my “vacation daze” when we’d get into a taxi with the pressure to communicate.  I’d say to myself, “Now picture doing this without Quinn and with the kids.”  Mind you, we won’t even bring down car seats to Bolivia…we’ll have to convert our American ideals about safety in quite a few areas.

So to picture our new lives in Bolivia, my “must see list” included the open air market, grocery store, and school options for the kids.  A little school background is needed before I post a photo of the school our kids will likely attend.  Where I went to school in Central Indiana, there’s seemingly no end to a school’s financial resources.  The schools have beautiful grounds, immaculate classrooms, and Gifted and Talented programs beginning in the elementary schools.  You can take Japanese and Russian in high school, in addition to the other languages you’d expect.  We had a phenomenal planetarium.  Graduation rates top 95% for the high school, even with 4,000 in the student body.  So growing up as a student, it was just what I came to expect school to look like.

Our friends' daughter in front of her classroom.

So touring a potential school, Cristo Nación was not only a cross cultural experience, it was a bit of a shock in terms of the facility.   Most everyone has emotional ties and memories to their elementary school.  So picturing Kellton and Stori going to school at a playground without grass, or any play equipment to speak of was, well, pretty much what I’d expect of a developing world school.

So what impressed me about Cristo Nación?  First of all, the Directors.  They have a big heart for orphans and so a whole orphanage is schooled there.  Impressive when you think of approximately  20% of a fledging private school offering a free education to so many students.  Secondly, the rebar sticking out of the first story of much of the building.  Ok, so this wasn’t the “dream setting” of Orchard Park Elementary School where I attended, with all fresh paint, new books, and cheery wall murals.  But the rebar was there because the school Directors fully plan to grow and expand the school as God supplies, and they’ve completed in two years an impressive amount of remodeling.  They have faith and vision to impact their country by raising up solid students who have a good education and heart for God. 

Quinn looks over the school courtyard.

At some level every parent wonders if a school is “good enough” for their child.  And yet Quinn and I believe that the opportunity to live in Bolivia and see more of the world, much of it poor and non English speaking, will also be a special way to show our children first hand the big world Jesus loves.   Yes, we want our friends and family to pray for safety, and for Kellton and Astoria’s language acquisition to go well (so they can translate for me!) but we also believe that they will be blessed by fellow orphan class mates in a classroom that looks like the year is 1850.  Education will likely be less technological and entertaining…and that’s not all bad.

So yes, I want to the very best education for my kids.  But I also want their hearts full of compassion and wisdom, and tender to the things that really matter most.