Welcome to Cocha!

At last we have time to fill you in on some of our latest adventures. Most have to do with Cocha (Cochabamba). Not only is the food amazing in this city but it is also full of the following: high altitude that causes Taylor to faint(we were at an elevation of over 2000 ft), adorable children, cholitas tearing up the dance floor and double weddings. That's right! Why only have one couple when you can have two!

I forgot to mention it also has a very large Jesus. It's actually bigger than the one in Rio Brazil. It's just not as famous. 

Seeing double... This was after we had waited over an hour for them to show up. Bolivians have their own time schedule that's for sure. 

This is Celine and Julien. They are a French couple serving in Cotoca. The same congregation as us. They are really looking after us and making sure we are safe. Julien gave the wedding talk for the two happy couples. 

Once at the reception we waited another almost 2 hours for them to arrive again. We had to pass the time somehow... Lots and lots of pictures and trying to understand this adorable little girls Spanish. This is Stacy and Andy. 

They taught us some pretty important things like:

Pray before you drink your whole bottle of Fanta and potato chips. 

How to put as many chips in your mouth as possible and still be able to talk. Really amazing trick she does. 

And last but not least how to tear it up on the dance floor doing their traditional dance using napkins. 

This cholita sister taught us a thing or two on the dance floor as well. 

What did they dance to you may ask?... Well... I would have to answer truthfully and say... Beauty and the beast. Yes, yes, the Disney song. 

Also when two couples get married it means you get to have 6 cakes!

French Revolution

From left to right you see Sandrine, French sister visiting Bolivia from her assignment in China, Hamlet( sandrines husband), Mateo and the Kyria-myster. 

We made dinner for these four French brothers and sisters who have all been serving here in Bolivia for years. ( save the visitor who left Bolivia to go serve in China) The whole night was a big mix of English, Spanish and French. We all managed to get our points/ stories across. The visiting sister(who I really regret forgetting her name at this point) knows a friend of Kyria and I who we met in Perth Australia. That was a neat connection to make. 

We made a great pasta and had brownies. Might I say, for as much as the French like to make fun of Americans( like they did tonight), they sure loved those Brownies and kept asking for more. 

Kyria and I are pretty determined to pick up French while we are here. Considering at least a quarter of the brothers here in Cotoca seem to be need-greaters from France, I don't think it should be hard. 

Paílon part 2

7 am at the Rocas house. Kyria brought a to-go coffee in an old jalapeño jar. We are finding, or shall I say, hunting down Mexican food here. (I guess this is time to confess that Taylor is dearly missing the Santa Monica Spanish congregation along with all the good Mexican food...) 

This is the street where the meeting hall of Jehovah's Witnesses is located in Paílon. ( it's not a Kingdom Hall yet) there is a strange make shift harness on this cow and its darling baby trailing behind. 

This is Karen. She has been such a huge help to us here in Bolivia. Making sure we know where we are going, helping us learn the language and is planing a welcoming dance party on a Monday night. 

Before the meeting we did two Bible studies that went super bueno! we also sweated so much walking we thought we were inappropriate for the meeting. After the meeting in Paílon we had a congregation/someone's anniversary party churrasco. ( not sure how to spell that but it means BBQ) other foreign brothers and sisters were there and they ate the meat so we went for it. It was Soo good! I love it when we can eat with the Bolivians. We have not gotten sick yet from the meat. 

This little girl is adorable. But don't be fooled she eats like a wolf who has not been fed in a month. No fork needed she goes for the huge BBQ pieces of meat with her hands. 

What you see here is our speakers motorcycle in the back of a wagon. Our speaker this morning was a Bethelite who was giving his first public talk out of his hall. Of course on his way back he gets a flat tire and has to be carted away to get it fixed. 

Hermano Hikaru came barreling down the scary highway on his Moto carrying his toolkit to come and help but was a little too late. Good effort though. 

Monday witnessing in Paílon

Every Monday a group goes out to the town of Paílon to preach this town is large and needs help (lots of help)between the 6 of us 19 bible studies  

were conducted, we chased cows and took a siesta in the Kingdom Hall. So just a regular day.