Saturday, September 27, 2014

And The Mountains Wept

The last day we were asked to name one high & one low point.



The Team building event on the last full day helped answer this question. The event in the cold rain was both a challenge and a fulfillment of our work together. The elements threw everything nature had to keep us from leaving. It was as if the mountains understood that we were going to leave. After such a powerful engagement with the people of Chuma, Huallapa, Luquisani, and Titicachi it was hard to return to La Paz and prepare to travel home. The 64 kilometer bike ride from 15,000 to 5,000 feet, down fog draped roads, with car and truck traffic passing on hair pin switchback roads, in the 3 to 6 degree Celsius temps was a test of our commitment. The lower one half was a gravel trail, under waterfalls, past jungle flora and fauna, was even more wet, but warming in sharing the experience of this exciting and enriching team builder trip. Sharing dinner with the these friends at the end of this trip and the final last day completed the mission of brining hope to others and finding an inspiration among ourselves in the shadow of these mountains and the warmth of these people. The last leg of the bike trip was on the same road biked that morning. Going back over the pass through the Andes' divide finally the fog lifted as if as a veil to disclose a panoramic view of a series of waterfalls.

 It was as if the Mountains were weeping at our going.

PSALMS 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shewth his handywork.*
* PSALMS Passage contributed by Team member Andrea Hair -  Last Sun Rise
 
Claudia, the Friendly Horticulturalist in Luquisani

( Photo by Preston Jazen)
 
A new Plum Grafted on to a old peach

Understanding of scientific methods

 

Using ancient techniques.
 
 
 
by people of a very different culture
 
Able to accept outside help

To utilize everyone's skills and abilites (Photo by Preston Jazen)

to build a church  (Photo by David Cachi)



The Team's Volunteers - Dragon Mountain pass 13,080 ft, Lake Titicica overlook  (Photo Charlotte Crosland)
Making sound investments in their future
 
A land of light traffic
 

With Roads to the Clouds

 

The Trip Home

Exciting Last Day
People from far away
Ready to take on the cold drizzle below snow cap peaks of the Andes
 
 


The fog, snow, drizzle and curves - all down hill (Photo by Steve Hesslink)
 
 
Limited guardrails
 
 
No turning back!

 
 
Beautiful small Waterfalls
 
 
 

And Spectacular waterfalls as the

Juan's Waterfall



Not a Time to act your age



Fellowship Break

The Australians
 
To the Beauty of the high jungle.
A Orquidea flower found on a tree climbing vine.

Preston

and just more and more to see

Self

Rare guard rail

 End of the Trail

 

And this time she let him Book It!

Little grass hut over looks the valley
Hotel Gloria in Coroico Bolivia

Just two ways in to the resort.
On a bike 64 Km down the manic hair-pin, 3200 meter drop, mountain trail  -
or
The La Paz two hour bus ride

 

Fellowship

 
 

 Mountain Lllimani watches

Airport above La Paz
State Sponsored commuter transportation (photo by Preston Jazen)
State Sponosred Soccer Fields, Schools and Medical Facilities (photo by Preston Jazen)
 
 
 
 
And the Mountains Wept
(photo by Steven Hesslink)

Waterfalls fed by a Spring Snow Tumble Hundreds of feet down a Andes Mountain
It was a sorrow to leave

The last leg was out of St Louis Airport to Cape Girardeau

 The Lord is my Co-Pilot


 
 Leaving St Louis
 From the Co-Pilot Seat


Take Off!

The City
Stopped by ground the guide

Cape Girardeau


 Take Time to Smell the Roses 

The Project - Luquisani Church Construction

First Sun Rise - Chuma, Sept. 2014

Ephesians 2:4-10
(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
 
 
 Introductions
 


Church Foundation
 


 Rocks Rocks and more Rocks
 

One bucket or shovel full of sand and gravel at a time - down the gravel flum (Photo by David Cachi)

A swirl of cement, sand and gravel dust  (Photo by David Cachi)
 
 
Early morning - Getting started for another day of hand work with picks, shovles, and wheel barrows (Photo by Charlotte Crosland)  
 
 

Capturing Hearts

 


Noon Meal
 
Maze Storage
 
Shift Change
 
Back to work- Cement Dance
 
Another Day


Zeus

 
Placing Rock
 


A job for everyone



Pouring Mesctca into columns


The Last Morning
 
Foundation and Columns Complete