Highlights- Week 6

Ok, so this post is a little late, too, but after getting back on Saturday, I have had nonstop goodbyes until last night when I climbed the stairs of Viru-Viru and said goodbye to very dear friends.  One year since I left (with one quick trip in-between), I set foot on US soil this morning and heard, "Welcome back," from the customs officer in Miami.  




However, in between helping host a team of 21 and saying goodbyes I escaped to the city of La Paz to be a tourist in Bolivia and see the beauty that this country that stole my heart has to offer.  It was SO good for me to take a step away from the city where I've lived for a year before flying back to my home country.  I think some of my pictures should show why it was healing in some ways.

This is the only picture of all of us that we took.  From left: Andy, Esther, Yenny, me, and Daniel in Los Yungas biking down the road of death.  Yenny and Daniel left after two days.

Here we are in front of the presidential buildling in La Paz.  Evo really is in the building behind us!

Beautiful Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon)

Shadows in the valley

Crazy roads in Bolivia

Cold friends driving through the mountains (this was our grandma picture)

Lake Titicaca on the way to Copacabana

Snowcapped mountains!  I <3 the Andes!

Andy and a traditionally dressed (with a lifejacket-- tradition meets modern safety!) woman on our boat ride across the lake.

Sunset on our way to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun)

Sunrise on the Isla del Sol-- This was one of my highlighs

Our smaller travel group on the Isla del Sol

Beautiful clear water of Lake Titicaca.  Also, this outboard motor carried about 40 people across a lake for 90 min!

Harbor at Copacabana

Climbing up a hill called Calvario in Copacabana

We also traveled to the Tiwanaku ruins to see the famous Puerta del Sol (Sun door).  This is actually the Puerta de la Luna, but I really like this picture.  :)

Another beautiful shot of Los Yungas

Los Yungas

What is not healing about running under waterfalls with friends?

Last goodbye picture of Mt. Illimani

So, overall, this trip was probably one of the highlights of my life.  God gave me a heart for the people who live in these lands and need to hear the gospel during this trip.  He also taught me about the difficulty of living between two cultures and my inability to serve Him without His strength.  Psalm 121 was heavy on my heart all week.

I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day; nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.  The LORD will keep you  going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.