Welcome! You might be wondeirng about the name of my blog and why I am starting a blog. Well, let me explain! Starting the second week of September I have been living and working as a volunteer at an orphanage in Cochabamba, Bolivia. For the next year I will be living and working here serving as a Salesian Lay Missioner. This has been a long awaited journey that started back in my junior year of college.
In the summer after my junior year of college I went on a 3 week mission trip to an orphanage in Ecuador. It was there that I felt God calling me to a longer term mission. And here I am, almost 3 years later (and a full day of travel to get here) finally living out this calling!
So, now that you know why I am here and how I got here, let me explain the name of my blog, "The Potter's Vessel". It was a few nights after I arrived in Cochabamba and I opened my Bible to read and reflect. Not knowing what passage I wanted to reflect on, I opened up a random page. And there it was, Jeremiah 18:6 "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand". I was instantly struck by how true this rang in my current time. I had (and still do) feel like I am constantly being molded and shaped, as if I am the clay in the hands of a potter. "There he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potters hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do", Jeremiah 18:4. I know that all the challenges and changes come with the intention of molding me into another vessel of His love.
To be completely honest, I was afraid to come here to Cochabamba. Afraid to leave the comfort of my everyday life and my family back in the States. But the fact is that the devil works in our fear, and loves it when we harbor in this fear. Complacency is the friend of the enemy. If I had not acted against this fear and complaceny, I would have never experienced the joy of 36 girls running up to me to give me a hug, soley because they haven't seen me yet that day. Or yelling across the yard "Mami watch me!" as they complete a task I have seen them do hundreds of times prior. Don't get me wrong, it is not easy by any means, and every night I go to bed more tired than the night prior, but with more joy and contentment.
Now you might be wondering what do I even do here anyway? Good question! Every day is different, but generally I start my day with spanish classes in the center of Cochabamba. After my classes I come home to the Hogar (orphanage) and spend hours working on homework and classes with the afternoon first graders. Because of the pandemic the girls have been doing online school this year. After we work we pray the rosary at 5pm. With enough time to play, eat dinner and put them to bed. So there it is, the general schedule of my day. And I am content knowing this is exactly where God has called me to be right now.
Thanks for coming to my little corner of the world! Now enjoy some pictures of my time here!
On the left I am standing with the two other volunteers in front of the 2nd largest statue of Christ in the world, largest in South America.
Below is the sunset in the
front garden at the Hogar.
In September all of Bolivia celebrates Dia del estudiante.
We planned games and prizes for the girls to celebrate!
Everyday the girls say, "Mami take a picture of me so I can see!".
Going to the pool in Cliza! Because of the pandemic the girls had not been to the pool in 2 years. They were very excited!
