Overdue news.... again

Well, this is very possibley going to be the last blog that I ever get the chance to write while still in Bolivia as I am almost down to counting single figures to the amount of days before I go back home again! I must apologise for the long time without any updates at all, while there is no real excuse for this behaviour, there have been a great deal of changes going on in the ministry which has resulted in a very busy, sometimes stressed out, me!

The most significant change in the home has been the rather sudden departure of the house parents for various reasons, which, while having been an understandabley difficult time for both the girls and the staff (and myself) has brought us the chance to bring some necessary change into the way the home is run, and some new perspectives. The timetable of the home has seen an overhall, having the girls spending a bit more time in class, and having a new worked out timetable of practical activities including computing, English and drawing classes replacing the time spent doing handcrafts. Changes have also taken place physically in the home, including a new living/tv room for the girls to use, a classroom for the teachers, floodlights for the basketball court and a huge amount of things in the kitchen have been replaced. All of this has required a lot of practical work both by the staff and the girls, as we work to make the home the best possible place for the girls to live in. These changes are all exciting and good, and the girls are thriving with a little bit more freedom than they used to have, and a lot more space to learn.

I continue going out on the street once a week which is very interesting. Recently the other team took one of the boys who we see regularly into hospital after having been beaten up badly by the police. Sadly, his girlfriend was injured so badly that she died but the boy himself is doing really well. I was able to go visit him in hospital to check on how he was doing and pay for any necessary medication or tests, and he seemed to be getting a lot better. The story ends up very happily, as the staff at the hospital went above and beyond the call of duty in taking care of hime during his stay, and have offered him a job in the hosptial. He plans on moving back in with his parents, and we would really appreciate your prayers for him that he can have success in his efforts to turn his life around.

Another new experience for me over the last couple of weeks was the chance to go to the palace of justice with one of the girls for her to testify at the trial of the couple who prostituted her and other minors. In the end she was unable to testify because one of the accused did not present himself. This is possibley one of hte most ridiculous situations I have ever been involved in, as the accused is in jail, so it seems that what happened is not that he was trying to escape trial, but just that the staff from the jail didn't bother to bring him in! Again, I would really appreciate your prayers that this situation would be resolved the next time she has to go in, as its a distressing experience for her every time, and ridiculous for it to have been prolonged as much as it has. On the plus side, I was really pleased that she asked for me to go with her, as I felt like it was a sign of her trust in me, and I have always really wanted for the girls to be able to trust me.

On a note aside from the ministry, I had the fun experience of going on a wee trip with the two girls I've been working most closely with. We went to visit La Paz, Lake Titicaca and the salt flats at Uyuni. I really enjoyed going to the Island of the Sun on Lake Titicaca which was unbelievabley beautiful, even if we did have to trek up what felt like a giant mountain with our backpacks on to get to the hostel. The salt flats were an incredible sight as well, 12 squared kilometers of pure salt which feels incredibley other wordly, a little bit like being on the moon. I really appreciated the chance to get out of Santa Cruz and seeing a bit more of the country before leaving here!

On a sad, or happy note, it really is just about time for me to leave Bolivia. I come back to Scotland on May 28th which is now less than 2 weeks away. I'm finding the thought of this really difficult, especially as I can see so many of the wonderful changes that are taking place in the girls home that I would so want to be a part of. Please pray for me that I will be able to leave her with peace of mind, and that I would be able to settle back in well to Scotland when I come home, and be able to find a nice job to last me over the summer. I'll try my best to get one last blog in before I go! Love to you all.