T minus 3 days

It's Saturday night. Three days from right now, I'll be on a plane to Bolivia! Praise the Lord! I've been waiting for this day for so long! There are so many things I'm looking forward to when I return to my second home. One of the greatest one is finally getting to see Victor again. When I decided to sponsor him last summer, I thought that it was a great thing... something that would truly benefit him and his childhood. I never realized just how much it would affect me as well.
There are few days that go by that I don't think about Victor. I keep his picture on my desk at school. He is the first person I remember when I pray. I seriously doubt that anyone I care about isn't aware of my "adopted" son. I thank God every day that I have someone to care about in such a special way. And now, I'm less than four days away from being reunited with him. :)

Leaving a Mark

Bolivia has left it's mark on me. When I spent 7 weeks there last summer, my life was changed. I met four other hosts who I fell in love with. I got to spend a lot of time with my best friend, Anna. I found out that I have 64 little brothers/cousins/nephews/sons who live outside of a small village in Bolivia called Sipe Sipe. I got to know so many Bolivians in addition to the boys... Sandra, Gerson, Julia, Marcos, Diego, Juana, Corina, Jorge, Sergio, Pastor David, Arlet, Aurora. I could go on and on. All of these people touched my life, changed my thinking and molded my heart to something new. Beyond the people I met, however, the country of Bolivia itself was what inspired me to show people the mark that was left on me. I doubt any of my students are unaware of how I spent my summer. I talk about the trip incessantly. I also (until yesterday) had a picture of each boy on the walls of my classroom. My church family knows about the trip too. I sing on stage almost every week, so when I was not at church at all for almost two months, I think almost everyone was aware that I was in South America. My family knows. They were the first people I asked for prayer. They were the first I added to my email list to update them on the trip. But I come in contact with a lot of people who don't already know about the work we do in Bolivia. So, after months of pondering and considering, I decided to make a permanent mark to symbolize the way Bolivia has affected me. Therefore, I got another tattoo. :)
It's on the inside of my left bicep. It's about three inches by two inches. It's a thumbprint. I found a print online (no, it doesn't actually match anyone's thumb... it's artistically created) and recolored it. I took the colors of the Bolivian flag (Red, Yellow and Green) and changed the original black to match the flag. As you can see in the picture, the red portion of the print is at the bottom of the tattoo (closest to my elbow). The flag has the red at the top. No, it's not a mistake. When I considered what to get as a tattoo, I read a lot about flags. When the US flag is flown upside down, I learned, it is not a symbol of disrespect, but rather a sign of distress. It indicates that a life is in danger and help is needed. So, I made my thumbprint match the Bolivian flag upside down... because Bolivia has so many children who are living in the streets, who are doing whatever it takes to care for their families and we as North Americans have the ability to help them. So, I have an eternal reminder of the need of the Bolivians, and I have a way to start conversations with anyone who sees it.
I leave for Bolivia again in ten days. I'll reunite with the 64 boys I love, meet the 16 that I don't know yet but I already love and spend time ministering to the Bolivian people. Please pray for me, for the hosts, for Anna and for each of the missions teams that are coming to the Life Center this summer. God will do amazing things!