Backseat freedom

It is amazing how a backseat crammed with four average sized young adults can seem so free when one is used to relying on even more cramped public transportation. One does not even notice their neighbor's knee or hip-bone when they are accustomed to elbows, shopping bags and small children continuosly invading their personal bubble.

But then we arrive at the question, what is our personal bubble? Can your bubble change when you move to a new place? If so, will it change back upon returning to your original location? Is your bubble merely a result of the environment and culture you were raised in? How much of it depends on personality? or on past experiences?

Most importantly, does one have a right to protect the space that they would consider to part of their personal bubble? and to what degree does this right extend? I mean, you can't just throw the small child out the door. Somehow you have to draw a line somewhere.

Stress and Dreadlocks

I have officially concluded that writing on my blog more regularly is going to be one of my new stress relieving activities. I enjoy writing, and surely I have plenty of interesting experiences, observances and thoughts to share.

For example, I saw a man today with dreadlocks down to his ankles. So many questions came into my mind:

1) How much do roughly 6 feet of dreadlocks weigh? Wet?
2) What happens if the hair gets closed in the door of a bus or elevator?!
3) Roughly how many different types of organisms might be living in all that hair?
4) How does his wife not object?!

Anyway, the real reason for this blog is to entertain myself and help relieve my stress. Hopefully though, it will be an insight into my life and a bit of entertainment at times. I will continue to post updates and prayer requests for the ministry in Merida as well.

November/December Prayer Update

Outreach

“¿Quieres una cita?” or for the non-Spanish-speakers out there, “Do you want a date?” This phrase was the theme of our first outreach for the year. The catch… the date is with Jesus!

We spent a whole day on the sciences campus with a bright yellow sign portraying this question, some candy and a variety of teammates and students throughout the day. The idea was to promote awareness about Vida Estudiantil and to invite students to our activities, as well as share our faith when opportunities arose.

We created a flier that helped us do this. At the top it asked this question. It then explained how to have a “date” or a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The outreach was a hit. We talked to about 200 students in all. Close to 60 signed up to find out more about our activities. We had many great spiritual conversations. At several points, there were 6 or 7 different groups or pairs of students talking through the gospel or other spiritual questions.

Highlights:

-One student decided that he wanted that “date” with Jesus Christ, and turned his life over to a relationship with Him.

-Watching the students from the movement eagerly and effectively share their faith and invite others.

-Meeting up with students we had met earlier in the year on this campus (several of which have since started to come to some activities).

Real Life

As you may have heard or seen certain things lately about the political unrest in Venezuela right now, let me fill you in a little on our actual situation.

There were riots on our campuses and in other cities off and on in the last few weeks leading up to the December 2nd referendum vote.

This meant some time away from campus for us. Which in a way was actually quite a blessing. We were able to hold a lot of activities in our apartments, which really served as a refuge both for us and for our students. It provided a lot of opportunity to spend quality time together and to deepen relationships. It also led into great conversations with students about peace, hope and placing our trust in God.

Thanksgiving

The week of Thanksgiving marked a bit of a change for us. Sunday night we traveled 8 hours on the overnight bus to Maracaibo. We spent the week meeting with all of the Crusade staff from around the country both Venezuelan and N. American, talking about the past 9 years of Crusade in Venezuela and dreaming about the future. We also began planning for our national conference in March… a huge production, and the biggest event of the year!

Thanksgiving was spent in the home of the national campus directors of Venezuela (Americans) and their family. It was a great celebration with lots of good, familiar food, all the staff, and lots of time together to thank God for all He has done in our lives, and in this year.

NOVEMBER IN PHOTOS

During the riots leading up to the December 2nd referendum vote we were forced to hold some ministry activities in our apartments, away from campus. We held a midday prayer meeting rather than the normal weekly meeting.

It was a very intimate time with the students who were able to come. We spent time in prayer for the university, for the students’ future and for the vote and the future of Venezuela.

Several students who were brand new to the ministry attended. It was very exciting to see some who had never really prayed before crying out to God for their country and their future.

Here is yet another gorgeous view of the Andes Mountains, from the gate of out apartment complex. Aren't they amazing?!

For Halloween we had a team pumpkin carving party and made carameled apples. Chelsea and I decided to put Ivan's "cartoon face" on our pumpkin. I'd say there is some resemblance, wouldn't you?

One of the days of our Staff Conference in Maracaibo we were given passes to a Private Club, complete with pool and canopies to meet under. I'm sure you're thinking... how does this count as work?! Actually, we spent most of the day beginning planning for the National Conference coming up in March. (I was very happy though for a quick break after lunch to swim, and a chance to stay for a while longer after the day of meetings ended to PLAY!)



Keith and Sheri Onishi, the National Directors here in Venezuela worked very hard to make sure that we wouldn't feel too homesick on Thanksgiving. We celebrated the day together with all the National staff and the Onishi family. The day was complete with all the traditional foods we might be missing, time in prayer and worship together, and time to just enjoy each other's company. (i.e. playing Dance Dance Revolution while waiting for pie... Having only played once before, the Onishi's three children, including 7-year-old Tucker, all beat me horribly!)

DECEMBER

December was a hard month in terms of the ability to do ministry activities. With the Referendum vote on the 2nd and students’ desire to be out of school for Christmas break, life continued to be interrupted with small riots on campus until the various parts of the University decided to shut down until January. We ended up with only about 6 days to be on campus in the whole month of December!

The highlight of the month was our Christmas party before students began heading home for the break. We were all pleasantly surprised with the turnout. There ended up being about 60 students present, many of which had never been to a Vida event or maybe had only attended once or twice.

I think we all had been thinking of it more as a party primarily geared toward those students who attend regularly, but God had other plans. It ended up being a great opportunity to spend quality time with many of these new students. Keren, one of the older girls in the movement shared the gospel with us in the context of understanding the true meaning of Christmas.

Of course, no Christmas party could be complete without some dancing!!

PRAISES:

Praise for many new students involved, several of which are very natural leaders and very "gung-ho".

Praise for our Fall Retreat in November: We had a smaller turnout than expected, but it was a wonderful time of learning and growth for the students who attended.

Praise for the huge group of students who were exposed to Vida Estudiantil and Christianity at our Christmas party.

PRAYERS:

Pray for our team and the student leaders as we begin to work through what it means to create a movement that will multiply and continue, rather than just a student club or a ministry.

Pray for organization and guidance in setting up discipleship with key students, and in helping them set up discipleship with younger, newer students.

Pray for finances and permission from parents for students to attend our National Conference coming up in March.

Pray for our student leaders, that they would grow in vision and in leadership.

Pray for our newer students who still don't fully understand what it means to be a Christian.

Thanks again for all of your support, prayers and encouragement!

Fiestas!

Venezuelans love to celebrate and they love to dance! Therefore, once or twice a month we have a huge fiesta (party). We usually hold them on the patio of our office.

Sometimes the fiestas are in celebrations of some event, like a birthday or Christmas. Other times they are merely a reason to celebrate and have fun in themselves.

A Vida Estudiantil fiesta generally consists of:
-an hour or two of people hanging-out and talking as guests trickle in (if the party starts at 6, the majority wont arrive until 8 or so!... welcome to Venezuela!)
-an hour or so of dancing: mostly Salsa and Merengue with an occasional Brittany Spears or Fergie song thrown in to mix things up
-After that someone gives their testimony or some sort of talk about God. They also explain who we are and what Christianity is all about.
-Then of course, MORE DANCING! Until the neighbors start asking us to turn down the music.
-We also sometimes have a dance contest or place some games.
-Sometimes the parties are costume parties or have some sort of a theme.

Estudios Biblicos (Bible Studies)

A very important part of the ministry are the Bible Studies. Each of the team members leads at least one Bible Study, as well as several of the more mature students. A few of the team members lead studies together with a student as well, to help train them to be able to lead studies on their own in the future.

Some of the Bible Studies are geared toward students that are either very new Believers or are still searching and want to learn more about the Bible and about God. We have a set of material called "Follow-Ups" that are usually the subjects of these beginner studies. They walk the new Christians through things like Being Sure of Your Salvation, Basic Biblical Knowledge, and How to have a Quiet Time with the Lord.

Other studies are made up of students that are more mature in their faith. Claudia's girls are working through a study called "Women of Excellence". My group, usually 2-3 girls is working through the "Follow-Ups" but more in the sense of preparing the girls to go through them with younger, newer girls.

Weekly Meeting Photos

Here are a few photos from some of our weekly meetings. Keep scrolling down to my last entry to read a description of what goes on during a weekly meeting.

Playing the human knot:











































Time for a drama! This particular one included BIG Eben as the baby of little Elvia.






























The audience greatly enjoyed it!!















Students leading a few worship songs:

Weekly Meeting

The biggest even on our weekly schedule is the Wednesday Meeting or Reunión Semanal.

Normally, we are able to hold the meeting in an empty classroom on the Humanities campus, though there have been a few acceptions. This campus has the largest number of students involved in the ministry and is also fairly central geographically. Students attend from several other campuses as well though.

The meeting begins at about 12:15, as soon as all the preparations are ready and the majority of the students have arrived. (Remember... we're on Venezuelan time. :) ) Each week two students serve as MC´s for the meeting. They welcome the students and explain what is Vida Estudiantil. Then they invite all the new students to introduce themselves. Most weeks we have had at least seven or eight new students. One week we had 12!

After the introductions we sometimes have a video put together by students. It may advertise a retreat or conference coming up, or explain more of what Vida Estudiantil is, or even give ideas on how to raise money for the National Conference.

Then it is time for the ice breaker game. We've played all sorts of fun and slightly crazy games including the human knot and a slightly more active and competitive version of rock, paper, scissors.

After the game we sometimes have a skit (usually pretty silly) that has to do with the meeting's theme. The best so far included Eben who is roughly six foot four, as the baby of Elvia who I would guess to be about four foot five!

Next, the MC's give a few announcements about Bible Studies, upcoming retreats or parties, and any other important information the students might need to know.

Then a few students lead a time of worship with three or four songs, again related to the theme. Usually there is a guitar and sometimes bongo drums as well. Keren, the student who usually leads the time does a wonderful job of explaining for the new students the purpose of worship. She explains to the new students that we sing as a way of taking time out to praise God for who He is and the wonderful things He has done in our lives. I love seeing new students as we sing, usually experiencing openly praising God through song for the first time. Some start off a little skeptical and just watch, but others immediately join in and you can see that they are really connecting with God.

After worship it is time for the speaker. Usually a student speaks, or sometimes one of the members of our team. It is just a short talk of 5-10 minutes. Sometimes it is someone's testimony or a story of something that God has taught them or done in their lives. Lately, we have been studying the Fruit of the Spirit. The idea is to teach something both to help "older" believers to learn and grow, as well as to clearly explain the gospel and teach something about God to "newer" students.

Then, after the speaker, some prayer, and sometimes a few more announcements, we all head out into the hallway for lunch. Sonia, the Pastor of one of the local churches very graciously cooks for us each week (along with a couple student helpers). The food is wonderful and it is a great chance to catch up with the students and to get to know new students.

The first week about 25 students attended the meeting. Each week up until Christmas we saw that number increase up to 60 students the last week before the break and we almost ran out of food! Lately I think we've pretty consistently had between 40-50 students!

Platano!

My new favorite food is the platano! So far, I believe that I have enjoyed it anyway I've had it prepared... though my favorite I think is very ripe platano, baked in the oven.

For those who aren't familiar with it, the platano looks like a very large banana. It is more of a starch than a fruit however. There are many, many different ways to prepare it. Some require platanos verdes (green) and some require plantanos maduros (ripe). You can fry them (in several different ways), boil them, bake them, put them in soups... anything you can imagine!

I will post a picture when I find one. I hope that you will all one-day get a chance to experience my beloved platanos!