GOING TO BOLIVIA 20

GOING TO BOLIVIA 20  

EPILOGUE - ADIOS!

This series entitled "GOING TO BOLIVIA" comes to an end with this post.

I began to share my story of the circumstances from 1991 of my call to serve in Bolivia in June 2007 and have only now in 2016 brought that part of my story to a close in the previous post, "Going to Bolivia 19".

Perhaps I should start on a new series of posts which relate my experiences from 1993 onwards? We shall see.

THE END AND A NEW BEGINNING

The post "GOING TO BOLIVIA 19" ended on our safe arrival in 1993 January in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It signaled the end of my ministry in Asia and the beginning of a leap into the unknown in South America. It has taken me nearly 9 years to put together a series of events which covered a three year period from 1991 to 1993.

I am tempted to redo these posts with a fresh perspective, in the form of a book. Much has happened since 1993 which has given me a deeper understanding of our journey.

Michelle and I didn't plan for a long-term missionary service in Bolivia.  Ironically we've been in Bolivia now for more than 20 years! During this period the Lord's done some awesome stuff. We've seen him transform families and individuals. He's raised a fledgling national leadership to replace missionaries and it has also been a joy to witness the growth of the church.

On a personal level, it would be disingenuous for me to say its been easy for us in Bolivia. No. Our families have paid a price. For instance, we were not there for our parents when they needed us and not being there during their funerals was difficult. The distance between Singapore and Bolivia made it impossible for us to hop on a plane and return to Singapore. The Lord has been faithful and good to our loved ones in the midst of our trials and disappointments.

TIME TO LEAVE?

Yes, there have been moments when the time to leave Bolivia and return to Singapore had finally arrived. And 2007 appeared to be the right moment to move on. A local clergy, whom I had worked with and trained, took my place, as Pastor of the church. It seemed right to return to Singapore, for good. Michelle and I planned to return to Singapore for a 2 year period in 2007 with the aim of providing support for our son, Elijah's endeavor to fulfill his National Service obligations.

We hosted someone who encouraged us to consider returning to Bolivia after our stint in Singapore. John Sutton, the then Secretary General of SAMS UK, visited us in Santa Cruz a few months before my departure. He told us of the dire need for experienced missionaries to help guide the new pastors and the national leadership. He made a convincing case.

We prayed about the matter and Michelle, my wife, and I felt the Lord's peace to return to Bolivia, after our stint in Singapore. She has a heart for the Bolivian people and John's appeal for us to help raise a mature national leadership made sense. And so we returned in November 2009.

May the Lord grant us the grace to humble ourselves and to seek His glory in all our decisions.

¡He is faithful and trustworthy!

GOING TO BOLIVIA 19

GOING TO BOLIVIA 19

FLYING TO BOLIVIA!

After the exploratory trip to Bolivia in 1991, we had to wait for a year and a half before all the details of the mission to serve in Bolivia were confirmed. Michelle and I began to prepare for the trip and made plans for the task of living in a foreign country.

I had to get the relevant travel documents: innoculations against yellow fever as well as a good conduct certificate from the Singapore Police. The plan was for us to leave Singapore in November 1992, spend a month with my sister, Rebecca and her husband Jim in the US. We would then subsequently leave for Cochabamba, a city in the Bolivian valley, where Michelle and I were due to start language and inculturation classes from January 1993 for 6 months.     

PROBLEM WITH THE VISA 

My application for a visa for the family was a test on my nerves and patience. I had already sent our visa applications to the Bolivian embassy in Japan in the beginning of 1992. We were told by the staff in Japan that it would take some time for the application to be processed. And so we waited. I felt uncomfortable after not receiving any news from the Bolivian embassy concerning my visa application. And so I rang the embassy in Japan. My discomfort was justified. They had lost the applications for our visas! There was no time to redo the applications and send them to Japan. Also I had lost confidence in the embassy staff. There was no guarantee that they would issue us a visa before our projected departure for the US and Bolivia.   

I immediately rang up the Rev Simon Thomas, the national director of the Bolivian Church and explained to him my predicament. He told me he would help us get a visa in Bolivia. We were a month away from our planned trip and we had no visas. I toyed with the idea of getting a visa on my arrival from the immigration authorities at the Bolivian airport. Bishop Moses Tay vetoed the idea because of the possibility of getting stranded. In the midst of this mini crisis. Simon faxed me a document which gave me permission to enter Bolivia. It did not look like a visa, but Bishop Moses was satisfied.  

BOLIVIA HERE WE COME!

So we left Spore toward the end of November 1992 and embarked on a journey which would forever change our lives. We spent a month with my sister, and her husband in Fullerton, Southern California. The flight was insanely long and we needed a week to recover from the jet lag. I had a chance to do some readings on mission at Biola University and visited a few anglican churches. In the beginning of January 1993, we packed our bags in anticipation of our trip to Bolivia. At the LA airport we said goodbye to our generous hosts, Rebecca and Jim, and boarded the flight to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. 

The plane landed safely in the afternoon of 5th January 1993. I remember the anxious look on my wife's face as she peered at the Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, through the window of the American Airline plane. Elijah was only 3 years old and he looked excited as the plane came to a stop. Compared to the airports in Changi and LA, the facilities at Viru Viru was rudimentary. We had no problems with immigration and picked up our bags from the belt. 

We were met at the airport by Rev Simon Thomas and his 5 year old daughter Megan. She gave us a big hug and welcomed us with a big smile. We were very tired but happy! It was great to finally meet up with Simon. He took us to his house where we stayed for 5 days.after which we flew to Cochabamba to do our language and inculturation studies.          
It was unbelievable! We had finally made it to Bolivia. It was a relatively long wait. The process to serve in Bolivia began in mid 1991 and here we were in January 1993.  
                

GOING TO BOLIVIA 18


¡IMPASSE IN SINGAPORE!

Michelle and Elijah were a welcome sight after not seeing them for more than 2 weeks. 

Michelle listened to my stories concerning the trip and my descriptions of the place with great interest. I remember commenting on the similarity between Bolivia and parts of Malaysia as I tried to help her picture Bolivia. She had never been to that part of the world and was anxious to know about the conditions and the medical facilities available. 

By God's grace we go to know an  Australian missionary couple in Singapore, Patrick and Wendy Marman, who had served in Bolivia. The Marmans were teaching at the Discipleship Training Centre and gave us some valuable tips and information concering life in Bolivia.  

NEED FOR CLARITY

Bishop Moses and I had left South America with a sense of ambiguity in 1991. There was an expectation on the part of the Bolivian church for me to serve at a congregation in La Paz, a city in the highlands of Bolivia. I was however convinced that I was called to serve in Santa Cruz, a bustling city in the lowlands. The other hurdle was to agree to a condition of the Bolivian church to serve 2 terms of 6 years in Bolivia. I could not see a commitment beyond 2 years. 3 appeared to be bearable but a 6 year commitment was not within our radar screen. We had to pray and seek assurance of the Lord's leading in moving forward. Bishop Moses although keen on us to commit ourselves for 6 years, spoke to me about the importance of having peace in our hearts as steps of faith are taken.   

There did not appear to be a way through this impasse until my wife Michelle shared with me her insight concering our future. She suggested we commit ourselves to a term of 3 years with a promise of doing another term of 3 years if the Lord were to lead us in this direction. We sent a letter to Bishops and Moses and  Winstanley with our proposal. After a few months of deliberation the Bolivian standing committee accepted our proposal. We received a letter from the Peruvian - Bolivian church in my mail box, stating their acceptance.  We were overjoyed!    

CHURCH I WAS PASTORING 

The question of finding a pastor to replace me in All Saints english congregation needed to be looked into. Till then, I was their longest serving pastor and was concerned for them to have a pastor beforeI left for South America.  This was the prerogative of Bp Moses Tay and he appointed Rev Henry Seow from Holy Trinity english congregation to replace me. Henry was fellow seminarian at St Peter's Hall where we trained for ministry. I was happy with the Bishop's appointment because of the fit between Henry and the congregation. Henry however felt he was not ready to move and wanted more time to work with the congregation at Holy Trinity.  Wthin a month of his appoinment he resigned and felt called to lead a new work in a non anglican setting. This difficult situation however was resolved when Rev Rennis Ponniah was appointed the Pastor a few months later. Rennis was a very active layman in the congregation and his presence had a calming influence on the congregation.        

GOING TO BOLIVIA 17

1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU & BOLIVIA - Part 6

Bishop Moses, Cynthia and I bade farewell to our new friends in Santa Cruz. 

We returned to La Paz and shared our impressions and thoughts of Santa Cruz with Greg Blaxland and his wife Judy. Greg was  disappointed at our decision to explore ministry opportunities in Santa Cruz instead of La Paz; he was planning to leave the work in La Paz, Bolivia in early 1992 and was hoping that I would take his place as Pastor of the congregation. This is an important issue in the mission field. Almost all responsible missionaries pray and hope for a replacement who can carry on the work.  And Greg was keen on leaving the church in the hands of a pastor from a diocese, before his departure. 

We were glad that our trip to Bolivia was coming to an end. The weather, the altitude sickness, the hectic schedule together with long energy sapping flights had taken its toll, on all of us, especially Cynthia. Bp Moses, the most seasoned traveller among us, always looked alert and fresh. I was beginning to miss Michelle and my 2 year old son, Elijah.

We left Bolivia and Peru on a happy note after having met up with our Bolivian brethren and missionaries from SAMS. Till this trip I had vague ideas about South America and most of my knowledge concerning the continent came from books and movies. 

We left Bolivia for Peru, on the 23rd Octobre to meet up with Bishop Alan Winstanley in Lima, the capital of Peru. The Anglican Church in Bolivia was under the purview of the diocese of Peru. He gave us a quizzical look on hearing of our interest in Santa Cruz and did not appear to be thrilled about the possibility of my wanting to serve in Santa Cruz. He was also godly enough to not react negatively but to be open to the Lord's guidance. 

He explained the necesity for a long term commitment in the field because of the need to inculturate oneself and to also have a good grasp of the language. He was therefore adamant about missionaries doing at least a 2 year term of 6 years! At that point I could only see us serving a term of 2 to 3 years. It was quite apparent that we had reached an impasse. We all decided to pray through the questions concerning future: would the Bolivian church acquiese to our request and invite me to begin ministry in Santa Cruz instead of La Paz? Would they allow me to serve for a period of 2 to 3 years? I remember Bishop Alan saying something to the effect that the Bolivian Church's standing committee would have to discuss our proposals. 

The idea for the Diocese of Singapore to invest in Santa Cruz instead of La Paz was unexpected on the part of the Bolivian/Peruvian leadership. Clearly, from a human standpoint, the urgent need for missionaries was not in Santa Cruz but in La Paz. We had to discover God's will in this maze and to not force issues.  We decided to pray for clarity in this cloudy situation, and avoid hasty decisions. I was also struggling with my weakness in languages: learning to minister in a new language (Spanish) was going to be a huge challenge.

And so our 2 week trip to Bolivia and Peru had come to an end. It was a tiring but rewarding experience.  The fatigue from the past 2 weeks had taken its toll and we spent the major part of our journey catching up on lost sleep. I was personally looking forward to seeing my family as the plane landed in Changi Airport.      

GOING TO BOLIVIA 16

1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU & BOLIVIA - Part 5

This post, is part 5 of the 12th post in an ongoing series GOING TO BOLIVIA where I relate the circumstances surrounding my response to the Lord's call to serve Him in Bolivia. The 12th post in this series is significant because it tells the story of my first visit to Bolivia with Bishop Moses Tay and his wife Cynthia.

So here I was in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in 1991.

I spent most of the morning and afternoon with missionaries in Santa Cruz.

My suitability to serve in Bolivia was tested in interviews and meetings with the missionaries, Sue Woodcock and Ernesto/Denise Obregon who were serving at the Anglican Church in Santa Cruz. The first question Sue Woodcock asked me was if Michelle was supportive of my willingness to uproot ourselves and come to Latin America. I replied in the affirmative. The question was important, I found out later, because the rigors of inculturation normally brought to surface unresolved issues in marriages. Sue Woodcock was a no nonsense silver haired lady. She was single, disciplined, persisent and a good bible study leader. She used to serve in Uganda before she came to Bolivia, and was recently serving in Spain before she passed away from cancer. I managed to speak to her a few days before she passed away.

Ernesto Obregon and his wife Denise were a fun loving couple and complemented Sue Woodcock. Their daughters were pre-teens. Ernesto was an anglican from a pentecostal background. He liked traditional liturgy and was trying to bring in more elements from the church's tradition in the church he was pastoring. Denise, his wife had an effective ministry with the young people.

The highlight of the visit was the opportunity to visit the small YWAM base in the grounds of the Anglican Church. David Hulford, an anglican,  was the leader of the base. We sort of interrupted a lesson  on the 10/40 as we walked into the church grounds while the lesson was on. Our arrival was timely because of Spore's location near the the window. It was here that I saw the bilateral missionary connection between Asia, Latin America and back to Asia. To some extent this has already been fulfilled as Latin American missionaries are already making an impact in Asia. The Bolivian church have already sent missionaries to India.            

At night in the house of one of the local lay leaders Bishop Moses Tay taught the scriptures and shared testimonies from the church in Singapore with the local Bolivian leadership and the missionaries. I felt at home and was happy to mingle and to get to know some of the Bolivians. I had translators to help me out as I listened to Bolivians share their stories of conversions and daily walk with the Lord.  

We returned to La Paz the next day after spending a night in Santa Cruz.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 15

1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU & BOLIVIA - Part 4

Breakthrough In Santa Cruz!

Santa Cruz?

Where or what was Santa Cruz? I thought it was a little village in one of the outlying areas near La Paz.

You'll be taking a plane to Santa Cruz. Its in the east and part of the lower regions of Bolivia, someone remarked. The distance between La Paz and Santa Cruz is slightly more than that of Penang and Singapore. And so we hopped onto a plane, early in the morning, at the La Paz airport. The biting cold did not distract me from the events of previous night: I had told Bishop Moses that I had no sense of leading to serve in La Paz; the phrase in Psalm 23:2, He makes me lie down in green pastures, began to have an impact on me.

As the plane took off and headed toward Santa Cruz, I could literally see the dawn of a new day. The idea of God the Shepherd making me to lie down in green pastures as a personal promise to lead me in the next step of my journey was taking on a life of its own. I peered through the plane's window. The sky was clear; no sign of the massive snow capped mountain ranges around La Paz. Below was dense jungle and various tributaries from the main rivers of the Bolivian lowlands.

As the plane made its descent...I saw something which made my heart leap - green pastures. At that moment, I made the connection between my experience of Psalm 23 last night with the sight of the huge green coloured tracts of land below. My heart began to race. Was I being led to serve in Santa Cruz?

The plane hit the tarmac and slowly made its way to the arrival dock. Airport workers pushed the portable staircase toward the hatch; the air hostess opened the door and invited the passengers to step out and leave the plane. I walked out of the plane, saw the airport and walked toward the arrival lounge. The first few steps were more of a bounce than a walk. My heart bubbled for joy and a sense of "homecoming" gripped me powerfully. I could not contain myself. I hugged Bishop Moses, telling him more than once, The Lord has called us to serve in Santa Cruz...I'm sure of it. He smiled and was taken aback by my exuberance, We'll see...we'll see, he said. It was strange. I had never been to Santa Cruz before and yet somewhere deep in my heart was a quiet conviction of Christ's call to serve there.

Sue Woodcock, a SAMS UK (South American Mission Society, United Kingdom), greeted us with a friendly handshake at the airport and directed us toward the church transport, a pick up truck. She was an experienced missionary and filled us in on some of the history of Santa Cruz. Bishop Moses quizzed her on ministry in this part of Bolivia. Ministry was tough, rewarding and frustrating...I wish she we had more experienced help, she remarked.

We were only due to spend a day in Santa Cruz! And so making use of the time was absolutely crucial.

Parts of Santa Cruz resembled Singapore in the 60's and would not have been out of place as a Malaysian town. It was easier to breathe in Santa Cruz; the weather - hot and humid -reminded me of Singapore. Santa Cruz is flat and huge; its buildings as a consequence are laid out horizontally. It attracts migrants from within and outside of the country. People, from the highlands of Bolivia, in search for jobs and better prospects, flock to the lowlands of Bolivia, especially Santa Cruz. Large Japanese, Mennonite and smaller European colonies dot the rural landscapes with their farms and light industries - soya, cotton, livestock and poultry.

Santa Cruz, billed as one of the fastest growing economic regions in South America, partly because of the vibrant drug trade in the 1980's. The drugs were processed in the valley regions of Bolivia. The financial deals and the transfers of money however took place in Santa Cruz. With the passage of time, other industries - petroleum soya, cotton, sugar cane etc - grew and are now powering the economy.

Sue Woodcock, interrupted my thoughts in the pick-up, "We'll be having breakfast with the Obregon's and then we'll go to the church grounds" (Ernesto & Denise Obregon were missionaries from SAMS USA).

I had forgotten how hungry I was in all the excitement. Breakfast sounded like a great idea.

As we drove our way to the Obregon household, my thoughts began to centre on the Lord's plan for us to serve Him in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

GOING TO BOLIVIA 14

1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU & BOLIVIA - Part 3
Personal Crisis In La Paz
We were taken, after some rest at the Blaxland residence, to a swirl of events: a pastor's meeting, a city wide intercessory meeting, pastoral visits, church services camp; meetings, special luncheons etc..we were kept busy. I preached a sermon on the prodigal son at a Sunday service.

The church council interviewed me in extensively in an attempt to assess my suitability for the work in Bolivia. Most of the questions centred on my ministerial experience as a Pastor in Singapore. Would I be able to cope with the rigors of missionary work in a faraway land? The missionary attrition rate was high in Bolivia, especially in the Anglican Church. The possibility of having an Asian to serve in Bolivia had never been explored until now. Some reservations had been silently expressed because of the cultural differences between Asians and Latin Americans. Most of the missionaries were from Europe or the US.

Doubts however about my sense of calling to work in La Paz surfaced and continued to consume me. I felt trapped, embarrassed and uncomfortable in Bolivia. Was my sense of discernment to serve the Lord in Latin America flawed? There were clear indications in Singapore directing me toward South America. Had I made a mistake?

A lot was riding on this trip. Bishop Moses had invited me to go along because of a common conviction of the Lord's leading to serve Him in Bolivia. The thought of disappointing him was also beginning to gnaw away at my soul. Valuable resources had been spent on this trip! It would have been easier to catalogue my doubts as negative feelings and to move on. My conscience however did not leave me in peace; sharing with Bishop Moses about my sense of emptiness for La Paz was inevitable. And so with a a sense of trepidation, I approached him one night and opened my heart. He looked stoic and did not respond directly to my comments Cynthia was sympathetic. He urged us to focus on the activies at hand and complete the programme which the Bolivians had prepared for us.

I went to my room feeling deflated. My heart cried out, Lord what are you up to? Had I made a mega mistake?

I found His comforting presence in Psalm 23. The 2nd verse touched me deeply: He makes me lie down in green pastures , he leads me beside quiet waters. His hand was over my life; there was still something which I had yet to see and experience.

The activities of the day and the high altitude fever left me tired and breathless. A restful sleep would hopefully give us some peace of mind for next day's activities, which included a change of scenery.

We were going to the lowlands of Bolivia, a place called Santa Cruz!

GOING TO BOLIVIA 13 1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU &  BOLIVIA - Part 2

Trip To La Paz, Bolivia

Bishop Moses, Cynthia his wife, and I hopped onto the plane to La Paz, Bolivia’s capital after our brief one-day stopover in Lima, Peru.

La Paz, a city situated in the Andean mountain range, is not only home to Lake Titicaca but also cradle to Tiwanaku, a mysterious ancient civilization that predates the Incas. The intricate irrigation canals; when seen from an aerial view, speak of an advanced culture ahead of its time. Titicaca is the highest and largest lake in South America.

Those with heart ailments are discouraged from going to La Paz because of the high altitude and thin air, commonly called Sorochi. Some of the symptoms are shortness of breath, nausea, fever, loss of strength, and drowsiness. Sorochi coupled with the biting cold weather takes a heavy toll on its visitors, especially if they’re unprepared and traveling to La Paz for the first time.

Rev Greg Blaxland together with Judy, his wife received us warmly at the airport. Greg and Judy gave us a warm Bolivian hug. Greg and I were formally introduced to each other by Bishop Moses. I never met the man personally although I had heard him speak at the Tuesday clergy meeting where he shared with us a wide array of needs in Bolivia, the most pressing being trained clergyman.

Judy, on seeing Cynthia shiver incessantly from an unexpected blast of cold wind blowing through the airport, immediately wrapped a winter coat around her. Cynthia, although by nature tough, succumbed to the full fury of Sorochi and was confined to rest during our stay in La Paz. I was beginning to feel the effects of the altitude and was told to walk slowly but survived the experience.

The drive to the Blaxland’s apartment was a fascinating exposure to the sights and sounds of La Paz – undulating rollercoaster-like roads, endless alleys, poor beggars, men and women in elegant suits, old and new cars, modern buildings, ancient monuments, cobble-stone roads, riot police with helmets and gas canisters; chaotic traffic, freshly baked bread; women with bowler hats and thick bright skirts; sounds from drums and flutes; bright exotic food stalls in pavements, graffiti on walls, revolutionary slogans, banners, beautiful flowers, broken down trucks and men in blue overalls. La Paz, the nation’s capital reflects the charm of Latin American idealism as well as the scars of Bolivia’s history.

The Blaxlands were staying on the 7th floor of an unfinished apartment block. Apparently, this was not uncommon in La Paz. The staircase railings were yet to be fixed; there were no lifts and parts of the external walls had not been built yet! Apparently, this did not discourage owners of the apartments from moving in. Losing one’s balance while climbing parts of the staircase was risky, to say the least! So we learned the art of walking carefully and slowly up the stairs. After a while, we grew accustomed to our habitat.

Nothing prepared us, especially me, for La Paz. It was all very overwhelming: the sights, smells, sounds, new language, high altitude, and people.

But what was worrying, for me anyway, was a slow but growing sense of spiritual discomfort; I just didn’t seem to connect spiritually with La Paz….

GOING TO BOLIVIA 12

1991 EXPLORATORY TRIP TO PERU & BOLIVIA - Part 1

Arrival In Lima, Peru 14th Octobre 

Bishop Moses Tay invited me to accompany him and Cynthia, his wife, on a short two and half week trip to Peru & Bolivia. The trip was the result of 3 converging elements. First, was Bishop Tay's sense of leading to get involved in Bolivia. Second, my own sense of calling to serve in Latin America and thirdly, the willingness on the part of Bishop of Peru & Bolivia, Alan Winstanely to forge a misson partnership with the Diocese of Singapore.

Rev Greg Blaxland, the national director of the Anglican work in Bolivia was the driving force of the growing relationship between Bolivia and Singapore.

This was my first visit to the American continent. Our journey began at Changi Airport, Singapore; we arrived in Japan after a 5 hour flight. We then took a 15 hour flight to Los Angeles and hopped onto a connecting flight to Lima, Peru. This was probably the most difficult flight I had taken in my life! The journey was long, uncomfortable and draining.

The stop overs between flights left me totally drained. It was past midnight when our flight finally touched down at the airport in Lima. The airport was empty. Immgration officials let us through without a hitch. A friendly looking, bearded man waved his hands and called out to us. It was Bishop Alan Winstanely. He gave us a hearty greeting and led us to his car. We managed to squeeze all our bags into his Volkswagon.

We could'nt see much of Lima as the Bishop drove us through the dark streets. A blackout was in force. I could see some brown smoke, evidence of a fire, in the darkness. Bishop Winstanely said jokingly, the best time to see Lima is at night, some say. I laughed out loud and felt a sense of relief, especially from the long flight. A sense of humor is a useful stress management tool for Christian workers.

The reason for the blackout was because Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), a terrorist group, had just launched an attack on the nation's capital. A couple of weeks earlier they had killed some World Vision workers and Roman Catholic nuns. Bishop Winstanely recalled because of the dangers posed by Sendero, all Anglican workers from the shanty towns in Lima.

Sendero Luminoso were fanatical; their methods and ideology were similar to that of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Violence was second nature to them. They were dedicated to overthrowing the current elected government in order to usher in a communist paradise. Aid workers and the gospel were the enemy.

Bishop Winstanely brought us to his home in Miraflores. Bishop Moses, Cynthia and I were tired. I went to my room, removed my sweaty clothes, took a bath and went to bed. We had been travelling on planes and waiting in airports for nearly two and a half days. The experience left me numb and knocked out.

I was tired but not tired enough to sleep soundly. I kept thinking of the aid workers and nuns who were killed. Clearly, working in South America was going to be a risky affair.

It must have been about 0200 in the morning when I finally went to sleep.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 11

The Sendero Luminoso Episode

Bolivia was not exactly a beacon of political stability and social harmony. And so there was anxiety on the part of some of our relatives over our plan to serve in Bolivia. Elijah's grandparents were especially vocal about his safety and future prospects. He was only 3 years old.

"Its ok, if you want to go to Bolivia, but what about Elijah and his future. He is so young. What sort of an education is he going to receive in that place? An elderly relative cornered me with his worries.

One day another relative, after expressing her fears concerning the impending trip, confronted me with an article about the growing influence and presence of the Sendero Luminoso (The Shining Path), the most feared Peruvian Maoist influenced terrorist groups in Bolivia. Their ideology and methods were not unlike the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. They had no qualms about using violence and murdering innocent people. I had already seen their impact in Lima, Peru during a trip with Bishop Moses Tay and Cynthia.

Did I really know what I was getting myself into, I thought to myself.

Sendero Luminoso, had made deep inroads into the poorer barrios of Peru. Its leader, Abimael Guzman, had a certain mystic about him; he was feared and spoken off in hushed and revered tones. His influence was spreading and there was a moment when his terrorist movement were winning the hearts and minds of the poor. And now this group were beginning to set up shop in Bolivia!

I read the article, treated her concerns seriously, told her of the Lord's protection and promised to pray over the matter and bring her concerns to the Lord. "If he wanted us to go to Bolivia, then He would have to deal with Sendero", I told her.

A week later, I was reading the Straits Times and was pleasantly shocked and thrilled to read the headlines, Abimael Guzman Arrested! Peruvian special forces not only nabbed him but also the top leadership in an upper middle class barrio in Lima. Their arrest dealt a major blow to Sendero and signalled the beginning of its end as a major threat to Peru and Bolivia.

There are no coincidences in God's kingdom. I was getting cagey about Bolivia's instability and Guzman's arrest was an encouragement. He'd take care of us. I rushed to tell my wife of the news. We were both excited and knew in our hearts that the Lord had given us a guarantee of His protection as we made plans for our flight to Bolivia.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 10 - LITTLE MIRACLES

Learning Spanish In Singapore

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Michelle and I were monolingual and not the best examples of proficiency in languages. We were unable to muster a decent conversation in our mother tongues. And so the idea of learning a new language, Spanish, a language we had never heard before, was very intimidating.

We were not gifted in languages. And so our hunt for language preparation began in Singapore. Some sense of Spanish, no matter how minimal, would help us before our arrival in Bolivia.

The existing courses were in a secular setting and expensive. I prayed for provision. Lo and behold the Lord answered in a week. Calvary Charismatic Centre, situated in New World, Jalan Bersah, sent a brochure which outlined, for the first time, a course in Spanish! I was of course thrilled.

We were staying in Tampines; the thought of changing buses and the long journey to Jalan Bersah was going to be a tiring affair. We decided to register for the course anyway.

One week before the beginning of the course, the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) started a new air conditioned service, no. 65, which took us from Tampines to Calvary Charismatic's door step! It was as if the Lord was urging us on to move ahead in faith!

Our instructor, Ruth Balch, taught us simple choruses and helped us with our pronunciation. I bought a thin black leather bound Spanish Bible from her. I remember the excitement of looking at words I had never seen before and the sense of being overwhelmed by the impending task of learning to preach and teach in a language other than English.

Compared to the 6 month inculturation/language course we took in Bolivia, the one in Singapore was a drop in the ocean. But in terms of faith building, the experience of God's provision of the course and the bus service were life changing. He does take care of the small things in our lives.

In retrospect, and this is a real irony: our inability to be proficient in our mother tongues pushed us to learn another language. We would probably be serving in ethnic based hokkien and tamil speaking congregations if we were effectively bilingual. The Lord's ways are mysterious.

Our decision to go was opening doors and removing obstacles, slowly but surely.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 9 - RESPONSES

The Ongoing Story of How We Were Led to Serve in Bolivia

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8

FAMILY
The news began to spread about my wanting to go to Bolivia. Most of the responses were a mixed bag of encouragement, discouragement, puzzlement and doubt.

My father was the most supportive.

According to the great commission we're supposed to go to the nations and if God has called you to serve Him in Bolivia…then go, was his rousing reply when I told him about my plans.

Where is Bolivia? Is this what you really want to do? Are you sure? How about Elijah? My mother, like all mothers, was interested in the details and fearful for the welfare of her son’s family.

Some relatives on Michelle’s side, not unlike my brother, thought I was making a mistake. Bolivia, like most South American countries, was not reputed for its stability and security. Elijah’s safety and future was on top of everyone’s minds, especially both his grandmothers.

CLERGY
A few of my friends kept a straight face and promised me their prayers and support. I could sense however that everyone was on a wait-and-see mode. Sending missionaries to South America seemed beyond the reach of the Singapore Church in more ways than one. Some were very concerned for my well being; they were under the impression that Bishop Moses had somehow twisted my arm to consider Bolivia.

I remember one clergyman telling me that he would, with my consent, talk to Moses about not forcing this Bolivian thing onto me. My attempts at clarifying matters did not register with him. On a positive note, these reactions were a sign that people were beginning to take the idea of going to Bolivia seriously.

ALL SAINTS ENGLISH CONGREGATION
My major concern was for the congregation I was pastoring, All Saints English Congregation. Again the response was mixed. Some were happy for me to go. Others were not keen on losing their pastor. All Saints were accustomed to short pastorates. At that point I was their longest serving pastor; I was there for only 4 years! One member told me with a sigh, I thought you’d be staying on for a longer period to help us build the church. Leaving a congregation involves a measure of grief. You lose contact with people you care for and vice versa. The passage of time however puts matters into perspective and we move on.

Going public about my intentions had stirred reactions, both expected and unexpected. These were instructive experiences which taught me to cast all my concerns and cares on the altar.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 8

Going To Bolivia 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7

A FEELING OF TREPIDATION

Yes, Rev Samuel you can go in now, Bishop Moses Tay’s secretary ushered me into his office.

Bishop Moses' office was simple without frills. I stepped into the office and sat on the visitor’s sofa with some trepidation. How was he going to react to my interest to serve in Latin America?I had never shared with Moses my interest or desire to serve in Latin America. Bishops in general are also wary of letting their clergy go on mission stints to unknown and distant places. A part of me however knew that the time was right. Moses in allowing Blaxland to share openly about Bolivia gave me the impression that he would not be against the idea of one his clergy showing interest. At least he would pray with me over the matter, I thought.

MEETING WITH BISHOP MOSES

I sat down, faced the Bishop and spoke to him about my reaction to Greg Blaxland's sharing at the Tuesday clergy meeting. And then I told him flat out about my desire to explore the possibility of serving in Bolivia. It took me only about 3 minutes to tell him what I had wanted to say. I was expecting a barrage of questions and comments.

His smile caught me of guard:

Well that’s great Raphael…Cynthia and I are going to Bolivia soon to see the place…It would be good if you could come with us…Would Michelle be able to go also...probably not…She'd have to take care of your son...Elijah is still a baby isn’t he?

His response was totally unexpected. Going to Bolivia on a exploratory trip was totally unexpected. The most I was expecting was an invitation to pray with him over the matter.

I just smiled and didn’t quite know what to say in reply.

I left the office happy, excited and dazed. It was like getting baptized in the Spirit and being born again all rolled into one.

BUYING A DICTIONARY

Strangely enough my first act was to not inform Michelle but to go to MPH bookstore along Coleman Street and buy a Spanish – English/English - Spanish dictionary. It must have been the Holy Spirit. A deep sense of wanting to master Spanish flooded my heart. I found a dictionary and bought it quickly. Deep down inside I knew that learning Spanish was going to be top priority. I remember clutching it close to my chest as I left the bookstore in a hurry.

Michelle looked excited and surprised as I shared with her my experience with Bishop Moses. The door was opening…slowly… but it was opening.

The time to go public about my intentions and sense of calling to South America to family, friends and church leaders had come. How would they react? Were they supportive of my intention to go to Bolivia? Check out the next post.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 7

Going To Bolivia 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6

A BOLIVIAN MACEDONIAN CALL
In my last post I recounted my experience at a Tuesday clergy meeting at St Andrew's Cathedral where the national director, Rev Greg Blaxland, of the Anglican Church in Bolivia shared the needs of the fledgling work. He also made a passionate appeal to those present about the possibility of serving in Bolivia.

Was Greg Blaxland's appeal an open door? this was like an unexpected answer to prayer! Light had broken through the grey clouds of ambiguity which had bogged me down for the past year.

MICHELLE'S RESPONSE
I left the Cathedral and headed for home. Michelle, my wife and faithful friend, needed to brought into this discernment process. She would need time to assimilate this unexpected development.

As expected, Michelle looked dumbfounded as I shared my experience at the clergy meeting. She had already sensed that the Lord was going to move us but was not expecting something of this magnitude. We talked at great length about our lives and the future. The conversation flowed freely. She had many questions about Elijah’s well being and his education. She was interested in the details. I had none to offer except this overwhelming sense of the need to answer God’s call to serve somewhere in Latin America.

A SPECIAL PEACE
We did not even know where Bolivia was on the map! We took a short 1 hour break and continued to talk about the implications of a decision to move to Latin America. It was getting late, way past our normal bedtime.

We were both, lying on the bed, and wide awake – thinking, praying and meditating. At 2 am in the morning, Michelle, turned toward me in the bed, looked me in the eye and said with faith, Maybe God has called us to Bolivia. I will never forget her remark because it was made in humility, like the offering of the widow’s mite. The atmosphere in the bedroom suddenly changed. It was as if we had crossed some sort of a spiritual boundary. There was nothing more to say or do. The Lord’s hand was over us over us. The only thing left to do was to get some rest.

Just before I went to sleep…my mind alerted me to the next step: sharing with Bishop Moses Tay about this sense of calling to Bolivia. I needed to rest and not think too much about what to say to him or his reaction...A part of me was anxious about this inevitable encounter (read the next post to find out why).

GOING TO BOLIVIA 6

Going To Bolivia 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5

CONTEMPLATING A BIG STEP
1991 was a turning point.

My time in All Saints as Pastor was coming an end. Although I was their longest serving pastor, I knew that the Lord was leading me to another part of the vineyard. He was giving me insights and thoughts which were related to God’s wider plan for Michelle, Elijah and I.

The next step, I sensed would probably involve me leaving Singapore. Was the Lord asking me to pursue theological studies overseas? The only other unexplored dimension was a calling to serve Him in Latin America. And that sounded like a pie-in-the-sky idea. My personal conviction of remaining in the Anglican Church had also not waned. All these thoughts were bumping into on another in my heart. Integrating them on a human level seemed an impossible task. I felt overwhelmed. Thinking about these matters was frustrating because there seemed to be no visible opportunities or clear signs to chart a new course. What on earth was He up to? It can be quite stressful to understand the Lord’s ways!

THE BIG STEP FINALLY REVEALED
I went to a Tuesday clergy meeting in May 1991, burdened by weight of figuring out the Lord’s will for myself. We met at the South Transept in St Andrew’s Cathedral. I took a seat near Bishop Moses Tay. A Caucasian man was seated on his right. He turned out to be Rev Greg Blaxland, the national director of the Anglican work in Bolivia. Sy Rogers, a counselor trained in the area of homosexual reparative therapy was the other guest. Sy was the first to share and he did an interesting presentation on homosexuality from a Christian perspective response.

Greg Blaxland’s sharing was simple, short and straight forward. He talked at length about Bolivia and its challenges. His comments about Bolivian self esteem spoke to pastoral heart. Bolivia had lost most of its wars and gave up huge tracts of land to neighboring countries. Greg closed his sharing with a Macedonian call for help. Bolivia needed trained clergy to serve as missionaries in Bolivia. He looked at us earnestly and then placed a stack of calling cards at the edge of the table. We were invited to take his card at the end of the meeting and speak to him. In all my years of attending clergy meetings, this was probably the first time someone made an appeal to the clergy to pursue a missionary calling.

Joy In My Heart
Greg’s words made my mind swirl and heart beat faster. I was overwhelmed and excited; it was as if an invitation had been extended to board the train of the Lord's eternal purpose. Although I was caught totally off guard by Blaxland's appeal I knew the door to Latin America was beginning to open ever so slowly. It was tempting to speak to Greg and take his greeting card. I felt however that it was still premature to go public; Michelle, my wife, needed to be filled in first.

The clergy meeting ended at about 11 .15 am. I wanted to leave quickly, go home and start sharing with Michelle.

I left the Cathedral with joy in my heart.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 5
FACILITATOR
The Lord uses people to facilitate His plan in our lives.

Rev Ted Newing was such a person. Ted, warden of St Peter’s Hall in the early 80’s, was a lean, silver- haired Australian with an Irish background. He received my application, interviewed me extensively and pushed my papers through the various committees. His support for my application, in more ways than one, was invaluable.

Ted attended morning and evening prayers at St Peter’s diligently and shared the Eucharist with students of the hall. His Old Testament lectures helped us see the literary structures behind lengthy biblical passages. I caught him at the tail end – the last 3 years – of his ministry in Singapore.

His departure left me wondering if our paths would ever cross.

PROVIDENCE
By God’s providence our common passion for South America brought us together 7 years later!

Ted Newing returned to Singapore as General Secretary of SAMS Australia!

I will never forget his moving narration of Allan Gardiner’s (founder of the South American Mission Society) martyrdom at a clergy meeting in Singapore. The then Bishop of Singapore, Moses Tay had invited him to share with us the work of SAMS. His sharing did not appear to have had an impact on anyone, except me. One clergyman said that mission to South America was considered not practical. I suspect however that Bishop Moses gave Ted the opportunity to talk to the clergy because of an interest to develop links with South America.

I immediately cornered Ted after the meeting and we agreed to catch up over tea the next day.

REASSURANCE
We met at someone’s home over Earl Grey tea. I wasted no time in sharing with him my interest in Latin America. We knew each other and I felt safe in opening my heart to him. He listened intently. Ted Newing was the first person I spoke to at length about my sense of calling to serve in Latin America; I sounded discouraged because no one seemed to show any interest in following through with Ted’s presentation. He was however reassuring,

Not to worry, Raphael…seeds have been planted; in God’s time they will bloom, he replied.
He gave me a copy of Phyllis Thompson’s biography of Allan Gardiner and encouraged me to continue praying and to not give up on my dreams.

And true enough the seeds he planted grew into a sturdy oak tree.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 4

FIRST MISSION CONVENTION – SEA VIEW HOTEL 1990

The Diocese of Singapore (Anglican) organized its first missionary convention at the Sea View Hotel. I was a little hesitant about going to the convention. My duties as Pastor of All Saints English Congregation together with the struggle to hold together a young family had kept me busy. I went along anyway because cross cultural missions was not far from my concerns. It was also fun to get away from the daily grind of the ministry and touch base with friends from other churches.

SEND A NUDGE, LORD
Missions, especially as a diocesan initiated project, was a new subject. Thailand, South Africa and other areas in South East Asia hogged the limelight. The presentations were lively and the long buried interest to serve in Latin America surfaced. At one of the sessions I silently prayed for some sort of nudge from the Lord concerning my interest in Latin America. I asked Him to speak through the then Bishop of Singapore, Moses Tay.

My small group, which included Bishop Moses and Rev Gerry Khoo, met about twice during the convention. At one of the meetings we were asked about our involvement or interest in Missions. I remember Gerry asking me something to the effect if I had sensed a call to serve in the mission field. I replied in the affirmative but shared that I wasn’t ready to the details. To their credit, Gerry nor the Bishop pursued the matter. At that point it was a little premature to talk about Latin America.

HE SENDS A NUDGE
As the convention came to an end, we had sung the final hymn and all that was left was for Bishop Moses to send us out with his blessing. I was seated at the last row and ready to leave.

Just before the he raised his hands for the benediction, Moses hesitated and shared something from his heart, “We’ve received calls for help from many places…even from Alaska and South America”! His words, like a bolt out of the blue, opened my eyes of faith! Had the Lord given me the nudge I was looking for? I left trying to digest my experience.

I returned home a little tired and ready to unwind from the day’s activities. I had a bath; sat down on the sofa; switched on the television. Believe it or not the first images on the screen were part of a documentary featuring Peru and Bolivia!

Although there were other priorities in my life at that point - I was in the second year of my first pastorate - the Lord had sent a signal in this mission conference of an impending change of direction in my ministry towards South America.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 3

click here to Going To Bolivia 1

click here to Going To Bolivia 2


SOUTH AMERICA AND SOMA

After graduating from seminary I was sent to work as a parish worker at the Church Of The Epiphany. I jokingly asked my wife Michelle if she was open to the idea of going to the Amazon, South America. She laughed and said I was crazy. I was later ordained deacon and served in St Andrew’s Cathedral. The Singapore diocese in those days was a hub for Holy Spirit driven renewal and missions was beginning to assert itself.

The diocese organized a worldwide mission consultation for SOMA (Sharing Of Ministries Abroad) leaders. SOMA is an Anglican body which sends teams to dioceses and parishes. Their focus is mainly on bringing renewal to groups and individuals open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

I can’t remember if the SOMA leaders met in the Cathedral or at Peninsula Hotel. It was a real blessing for me to meet up with experienced Christian leaders from all over the globe – the US, Britain, Australia etc…

DISCOURAGEMENT

I heard they were looking for suitable candidates for short term mission teams to do some work in South America. And so I plucked up my courage and approached the American clergyman in charge. After exchanging some pleasantries, I expressed my interest to be part of a team he was putting together.

He looked me over and asked how long I had been in renewal.

The next question stumped me, do you have any Spanish.

I don’t speak any Spanish, I answered.

He sounded a little dismissive and short, We can’t use you, sorry…

It was like pouring cold water over my youthful enthusiasm.

God's calling on a person always involves experiences of discouragement and that day was certainly one of them. Discouragements reveal our vulnerabilities and shortcomings. Its a blow to the pride to figure out we don't really have what it takes to serve Him. And that's where the learning curve really begins: God's ability thru our inability.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 2

Check out "Going to Bolivia1"..click here

GETTING BAPTISED IN THE SPIRIT
I left the Navy, determined to study in the university and pursue my dreams outside of Singapore. As I laid these plans before the Lord I sensed Him moving me in a different direction - toward full time ministry. It was a time of testing, especially when a chance to work overseas in a well paying job surfaced. Under conviction I rejected the offer, much to the annoyance of the personnel manager and made preparations to serve the Lord full time.

In the midst of all this I was suddenly and sovereignly baptised in the Holy Spirit without knowing it. One day I went to window in my home, sensed a strange language in my heart and begin to verbalize a language I had never heard before. I did not know what was happening until I read books by Dennis Bennet and others. I had discovered a new found love for Jesus, a thirst for the scriptures and a boldness to serve the Lord.

CLERGY OR MISSIONARY?

One of the challenges I faced from the beginning was to reconcile my call as an ordained clergyman as well as a growing desire to serve in the mission field. My ordination interview, to say the least, left me intimidated. Its not everyday that one is put under the spotlight and questioned in a room full of saintly looking men with clerical collars. One of them told me it was difficult to envisage me in seminary due to a lack of funds. To this day I don't know what drove me to reply, Well that's all right I'll join Operation Mobilization. I left, feeling both relieved and curious as to the outcome of the meeting.

It was a bit of a surprise when my vicar informed me of the decision to accept me as a provisional candidate for the ordained ministry. The finances were soughted out when someone gave a hefty donation to St Peter's Hall (the place where anglican ordinands were trained).

VISIONS
In seminary my interest in Latin America did not dissipate. We were all caught up with the charismatic renewal in those days; I remember having two visions or pictures in the screen of my mind: one was of Jesus holding the globe with His bloodied hands; the other was of blood flowing, from His gigantic and bloodied feet, onto dry desert. The blood changed the dusty desert into beautiful green pastures and springs. I shared these two pictures with a very mature Christian lady; she did not blink an eyelid when saying that they probably indicated a missionary call. Her sharing cum discerment began to resonate in my heart.

GOING TO BOLIVIA 1!

WAH SO FAR!
I begin a series of posts on the circumstances surrounding my journey in response to God's call to serve in Bolivia, South America. After 14 years of ministry in Bolivia, I sense its time, with the benefit of hindsight, to tell our story.

One more than one occasion, people, be they from Singapore or Bolivia, look dumbfounded when told we are serving in Bolivia as missionaries from Singapore.

Some Singaporeans say, "Wah so far ah...".

Some Bolivians say, "Wow.. you've come a long way"

And so I hope that these posts, of which, this is the first, will provide a context for those who've supported us all these years.

LICENSED DIOCESAN MISSIONER
In 1993, Michelle, Elijah and I packed our bags, uprooted ourselves and went to Bolivia with the full support of the diocese of Singapore. I was licensed as a Diocesan Missionary. Bishop Moses Tay called the clergy together to pray for us during the Synod service, a week before our departure. I especially remember Canon Alan Cole's prophecy of how my family and I would rediscover God's presence in the ordinary moments of life in Latin America. Alan was right, doing long term missions is impossible without the graces necessary to find the Lord in the seemingly ordinary components of music, politics etc of a foreign culture.

The events and circumstances leading up to this decision more than 14 years ago have never been told in its entirety. And so...

ONLY GLIMPSES
The story begins...believe it or not with a schoolboy enthusiasm of the Amazon jungle. The Amazon was to me a massive, under explored region of jungles, lakes, rivers and all sorts of creepy crawlies, wild animals; it spoke of adventure and mystery. The Amazon through its tributaries runs through Bolivia not unlike the highways of a modern 1st world city. Going there was a silly adolescent dream. A part of my inner wiring was already pointing toward South America.

I received Christ when I was 14 years old after reading the Bible - a gift from my mother for my confirmation. At the age of 17 I went to see a lecturer at the Singapore Bible College about the possiblity of studying theology with a sense that my future lay in the Lord's hand to serve Him. He wisely told me to work out my faith in the world. I joined the Navy several months later; my personal walk with the Lord was not consistent and I backslided on more than one occasion.

After six years, my contract with the Navy ran out; I came to the conclusion that it was time to make a U turn in my life and return to the Lord. It was a significant point in my life...