Bogotá so far…

A park near my house.

A lot of people have been asking for pictures and wanting to know about my life here. And now that I’m a bit more settled, well at least 2 weeks in kind of settled, let me share with you a bit about my life In Bogotá so far.

I’m living with a couple from a local Mennonite Church. They’re both university professors, and they both have 2 jobs at 2 universities. They’re a really nice couple and great at explaining things in language I can understand, and don’t mind all my questions. The house is a 20ish minute walk from the office where I’m working and also a 20 minute walk from their church.

In Bogotá I’ve been walking everywhere. I walk every day, and sometimes also use buses, or maybe a taxi. I don’t understand how to use the buses too well yet, or give directions to a taxi driver, so I’ve been walking and walking! Good exercise, right?

My street

The food here is also pretty good! I’m living with this couple, but responsible for my own food. So I’ve learned a few places I can go to buy food, and I’ve cooked a few meals. So far all have been edible and some even really tasty! I wouldn’t say that cooking is one of my strong points, so I’m glad that so far it’s going ok. Another great thing about Bogotá is that there are many little restaurants where you can go and get cheap meals, for like $3-4. I mostly do that for lunches at work. It’s nice not having to cook every meal.

During the week I’m at the office, and starting to do some work (i.e. web communications) and still having some orientation things happening. It's a really cool place. MCC and Mennonite World Conference are sharing the office, which is part of an old house that has been divided into 3 units and all rented. Our office has 3 floors, starting on the second floor. So you walk in the door and right away go up one flight of stairs. On that floor is a tiny kitchen, an eating room, and a shared office for the MCC Colombia admin. Go up another flight of stairs and you will find the MWC floor. There we have 2 rooms of offices, one for Cesar the General Secretary, and one that 3 of us share. There is also a meeting room and a “library” which are some bookshelves in a hallway. Plus there are 2 guest rooms on this floor. And on the top floor (which is yes, up the stairs again) there is a big room where about 5 people have desks, and a patio on the roof.

The wall behind me is the National Museum, it used to be a jail. And the mountains are on the East of Bogota.

I’m really enjoying being a part of the MCC and MWC community here. Everyone has been very welcoming and helping me get to know Bogotá. I’m excited to be working and serving here for the next 3 years. In our office, we laugh a lot. I mean a lot! It’s great!

Bathrooms can be expensive ;) haha

I am very thankful that my first two weeks here have been so good. There are so many new things, and it does feel overwhelming at times. I’m grateful that there are people here helping me with these adjustments and I am slowly getting more used to life here. I really appreciate all the prayers and support from my family and friends back home. It makes a world of a difference, so thank you! And if you have any questions for me about my life here, let me know… maybe I’ll blog about it! ;)

Already a Week

In some ways it’s crazy to think that I’ve already been in Bogotá for one week! I’m enjoying my time here, the people I’m working with, the people I’m staying with. Everything is going well so far! There’s still a lot to get used to, and that will take time. I’m thankful for all the support and encouragement I’ve received from people at home and people here, and most of all for God’s help through everything! I’l write more about this first week (hopefully tomorrow), but first I wanted to share something I wrote while traveling here last week, that explains a quick Facebook status I had posted. :)

February 1, 2013….

Here I am in the airport in Houston (which has no internet so I’ll have to post this later). I’m on my way to Bogota! It’s exciting! But I think I could have done slightly less excitement in Vancouver. After a tearful goodbye with my parents I got to go through some extra security checks, which was no big deal, and I made it to my gate with 5 minutes to spare before boarding. 

Thankfully I didn't need this!  Photo from Houston Airport.

When I reached for my boarding pass and passport I suddenly realized I only had my boarding pass! I don’t know how to describe how I felt. Like my heart stopped for a moment and then how fast it started beating, how terrified I was in that moment. I knew I must have left it back at security, which was a good 10 minute walk away. 

So in my freaked out state I started running back to security, but after 30 seconds I realized I wouldn’t make it there and back in time, so I did a 180 and ran to the desk at the gate to see if they could help me. Keep in mind this whole time my heart is pounding out of my chest and all I can think is to ask God for help.

I’m sure there were some amused passengers in the waiting area who saw me running back and forth. I ran to the gate and all I said was hi (I think, I’m not even sure I remember what I said – it was one word), and she looked at me and said “Kristina Toews, oh good, here you go” and hands me my passport.

All I could say was “thank you, thank you, thank you!” I sat down and tried to calm down, feeling relief seep into me. Another passenger told me she saw someone running to the gate and handing them my passport a minute before I arrived.

Cedric taking a break on my carry-on as I write this blog post!

I am so thankful right now that I’m sitting in this airport and I made my flight. Everything has just found a way to work so far so that I can go to Bogotá, and this situation is no different. I see it as another way God is protecting me and helping me, and I sure couldn’t do this without that.

Sunday to Sunday

Heading up to Cerro Monserrate

Today was my first Sunday in Bogotá and it was pretty great! I went to a Mennonite Church this morning and then walked around the city for hours with Bekah and Magali, whom I’ll be working with. We had a great lunch and then checked out Cerro Monserrate – a church on top of a mountain beside downtown Bogotá -  which had a great view of the city.

 We all got pretty wet when it went from light rain to a deluge, but still a great day!

The Deluge

 It’s hard to believe that one week ago I was saying good-bye to my church family at Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church. I wanted to share the good-bye speech I shared with them here, as it explains a bit about my discernment process in deciding to transition from Eben-Ezer to MCC + MWC in Bogotá. When I spoke at Eben-Ezer I add-libbed a fair bit, so this isn’t exactly how it went… but close enough :)

Good Morning family.

We’re going through some big transitions here at Eben-Ezer, and I’m also going through some transitions. And changes are exciting, yet they can also feel daunting and hard. Still we have hope and trust that God is with us through everything, and that the Holy Spirit is at work in our midst.

I am so thankful and blessed that we are a family. You are my church family and that means so much. And I want to have right relationship with my church family, so if I have hurt or done wrong to anyone, I apologize and ask for your forgiveness.

I also want to thank all of you for the support, encouragement and love you have blessed me with. You have gifted me with many opportunities to grow. Our church family has helped me to grow in faith in Christ, and walked with me through good and hard times. Thank you for trusting me with the leadership of our youth ministry, that I could grow, learn and walk with our youth these past years. What a blessing that has been! We’ve had fun and funny times, learning and growing together. I’m sure they have more embarrassing stories about stuff I’ve done that anything. J

You have helped me go to CBC and graduate, and you’ve been completely behind me as I’ve served with Mennonite World Conference. For this, and the smiles and the hugs, and all the many ways God has blessed me through Eben-Ezer I say thanks.

I believe that God called me to serve here at Eben-Ezer 5.5 years ago, and though I had some doubts and uncertainties I tried to follow that call as best as I was able. And I am so thankful that I did, that I was able to be stretched and to grow here so much, with my church family.

And now I feel like I have come to another time in my life where God is calling me to take a step of faith, to walk with him in a new way that will really stretch me and cause me to grow. I believe he is calling me to go to Colombia with MCC and Mennonite World Conference.

This wasn’t a decision that I made lightly. I had been in some discussions with MCC and they encouraged me to apply for this position. I started the conversation about this position, to learn more about it, and within a week and a half they offered it to me and I had only a few days to decide, because they needed this person to start very soon.

To make this decision I focused on discerning in two main ways. First of all I discerned by spending time with God. I prayed with scripture, I prayed by myself and with others, seeking to hear God’s wisdom and leading. The second thing I focused on was discerning in community. I talked about it with several Christian friends and family, who know me well. We discussed pros and cons, and all the impacts this decision would have. I was seeking to hear God’s wisdom and leading through others. It was very important for me to not only think of how this transition would impact me, but also my family, and my church family. I felt like this time of transitions at Eben-Ezer was also the right time for me to transition. Through this process of praying and discerning with others I came to feel peace about making this transition to serving with MCC and MWC.

So what exactly will I be doing? I am going to be a voluntary international service worker with MCC in Bogota, Colombia for three years. I will be working 80% with MWC and 20% with MCC Colombia, as a Web communications worker. This means that for MWC I will be in charge of all the content on their website, updating it, and putting up new information from around the world in the global church. I will also be managing MWC’s social media, how they work with facebook, and possibly other social media websites, to connect with more people around the world. For MCC Colombia I will be managing their part of the MCC website and their web communication for some of their programs.

I’ll be living and working in Bogota. MWC and MCC Colombia share an office building in Bogota. At first I will live with a host family, and they will help me get used to living in Bogota. Then after a few months I will move into an apartment, on my own or with a roommate. I already speak some Spanish and am very excited to get a lot better at it!

Right now I’m feeling a lot of different things. I’m joyful to be able to live out my faith with Christian brothers and sisters in Colombia. I’m also sad to say good bye to friends, family and my church family. I’m nervous about life in Colombia and I’m also excited about taking this step.

I can’t express how grateful and thankful I am for the support and love of my church family, in Eben-Ezer and MCBC. I’m really going to miss you. I know that God is at work here and hope that we may all continue to be open to being led by the Holy Spirit as we follow Jesus Christ together.

Transitions

I made it hear to Bogota! This morning I had a tour of my neighbourhood and now I have some time to relax and unpack. All is going well. Before I blog about what it's like here, I still have some blogs I wrote earlier and wanted to post, but didn't because I was crazy busy and then had not internet at the Houston airport. Here's some of my thoughts from the last week...

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu

Transitioning away from home is, well, kinda weird. It’s strange, because it’s not something that I do a lot, it’s all new experiences. It’s a time of so much blessing, and also sadness, and excitement, and nervousness, and joy, and so many emotions I can’t even describe them all.

I had a few goodbyes before I went to orientation, and then just less than 2 weeks of time at home afterwards, and it was a really intense time. There are a lot of people who want to have some time to connect and visit with me, and I really wanted to connect with them as well, but time is limited. I was feeling crazy rushed and busy trying to pack for moving, stuff to leave, papers and business to take care of before I leave the country. 

That said I feel incredibly blessed for the wonderful connections and relationships I have here in BC. There are so many people I’m going to miss. 

Something I didn’t really expect is all the ways people want to bless me and send me. I feel so blessed and encouraged to know I have this amazing community around me, supporting me. It makes a huge difference to me as I start in Bogotá!