Well, it's been a crazy week with two groups here - one from my ama mater, my beloved Bluffton University, and one a group of MCC volunteers who will be working in the Paraguayan Chaco with an indigenous resettlement project of the Paraguayan Mennonite Church.
It's been good to see familiar faces and to share with them a little of my life here in Bolivia. Both groups are composed of people I know - from Bluffton (of course) and the volunteers were a part of my MCC orientation group in Akron.
In addition to the usual trips to MCC programs we've also had a chance to eat ice cream together, walk together, and share good conversations. Although groups can be an additional stress for me, they also help curb the loneliness I often feel. Sometimes the job before me seems so daunting, but then there are good moments when I can see small glimpses of the progress we are making and I begin to think it might just be worthwhile.
Today we visited a cheese factory at one of the Mennonite Colonies just outside of Santa Cruz and then shared a meal with a Mennonite family. It was shocking how much the women looked like my Amish cousins (Elsie has a twin around her! Shocking!) I didn't take any pictures or I would post one of her (it just didn't seem like a respectful thing to do).
Tomorrow I have a recycling workshop to give and then I will be leaving early Sunday morning for La Paz. We'll be flying, but then returning in bus - a 36 hour bus ride down "el camino de la muerte" - the road of death! Can't wait!! =)
No comments:
Post a Comment