The big news and more news

Since we've been back in the USA we've been even worse keeping this blog updated.  So here is a quick catch-up starting with the big news of course!

Gabriel Mateo Weigner was born 12/21/11 at 11:15pm.  He was 7lbs 7oz and 20in long.  It was a very normal delivery at the Puget Sound Midwives and Birth Center and both baby and mom are doing great (both sleeping at the moment).  Noah is loving his little brother.  When the first met, Noah gave Gabriel a big hug and kiss with no encouragement from us.  He also seems to enjoy the fact that both he and his little brother have a nose.

Noah meets his little brother

In other news, I got a job at Alere Wellbeing as a Tobacco Quit Coach.  Basically I spend the day on the phone coaching people through their process to quit smoking.  Yes different than anything I ever imagined myself doing but it pays the bills and I actually enjoy it!  Gabriel's arrival made me take off two days before the end of my training period which ended up not being a problem since they decided to make and exception and graduate me anyway since I was doing well. 

Jenna finished her first semester of prerequisites for her midwifery program and completed some workshops that will count toward her midwifery program.  She will be taking the next semester off then finishing the rest of her prerequisites over the spring and summer.  The next step will be applying for the program and praying that she gets in.

We will be enjoying a quiet Christmas at home with Jenna's brother Kyle up from LA.  Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and support through all changes our family has been through over the last few months.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Baby Gift Registry

Christmas is coming which means baby Weigner #2 is coming too! For those of you wondering how you can shower the little guy with gifts, here are a few option:

Registries:
Cotton Babies - http://www.cottonbabies.com/7001.php
This is the company that gave us free reusable diapers when we were working in Bolivia.  They are a great company. Be sure to follow the instructions on the site (i.e. when choosing colors or checking out), it isn't as streamlined as some websites.

Babies"R"Us - Search for "weigner" under "registries"

Since we left most of our baby stuff back in Bolivia, we are also looking for clothing under 12 months.
We have no problem with used items.

Settled in Seattle

We made it! We are finally settled in Seattle after what felt like months of living on the road. 

We drove through 20 states! (click to view large)

After leaving Bolivia we took a road trip up the east coast starting in Miami and ending in Syracuse visiting friends, family, churches, and the SAM HQ along the way.  In Syracuse, we sortedhrough our junk that had been in storage for the last 3-4 years and got rid of the majority of it.  After all, we survived several years without it, we could still live without it.  We packed up what we wanted to keep and shipped it to Seattle via Amtrak (hint: Amtrak is the cheapest way to ship or move long distances!).  We threw the odd shaped stuff into our car (generously donated through the combined efforts of family and supporters) and into my parents van and embarked on yet another road trip, this time from the east coast to the west coast.  It was a beautiful drive although challenging keeping Noah happy for 700-800 miles a day.

People & Places along the way (click to view large)

The idea of moving to Seattle was more intimidating than when we were planning on moving to Bolivia. At least then we had a place to live, a job, and a support community.  When we started to move to Seattle, we had no place to live, no job, no car, and knew almost no one in this area.  Yet we knew this is where God had been leading us and one by one things fell into place in His time.

First off, some of our supporters and family members pooled their resources and got us a car.  Then right before we began our road trip to Seattle, the one family we knew in Seattle (missionaries we met in Bolivia) helped us find a wonderful apartment. We've plugged into a Church and small group and been making friends fast.  Then just yesterday I was offered a job.  It was a fun ride but is sure feels good to be settled.  Jenna has started classes.  Noah is growing fast and picking up new things every day.  Baby #2 is healthy and growing away.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement along the way.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we enter this time of preparation for our long-term return to Bolivia. 

Keep you eye out for our latest newsletter in your mailbox or inbox!

GOOD RIDDANCE!

As much as I would have loved to have punctured the fuel tank, pushed it off a cliff, then lit the trail of diesel and roasted marshmallows over the fireball, I decided it was a good idea to recover a little money from this hunk of junk.  Now before I tell you how much I sold it for, let us review a few of the problems I have had in the two years I had this vehicle:

Repaired side view mirror - 3x
Blown Head Gasket - 2x
Radiator problems - Lost track
Replaced alternator - 3x
Timing Belt - 2x
Other belt issues - 3x
Repaired Power steering - 4x
Electrical system repairs - Lost count
Suspension Repair - 1x
Leaky break fluid line (repaired with chewing gum) - 1x
Random parts falling off our car - 6 or 7x
Various other repairs - Who knows
SNAPPED CAM SHAFT - 2X! (Who snaps a Cam Shaft?)
Left unrepaired: Busted turbo, AC pump, oil leak, fuel pump, and who knows what else

Used car prices in Bolivia are very high.  We bought this car for $8,000.  We sold it for $7,000 two days before we left! Talk about God's timing.  The crazy thing is, used car prices are rising so fast in Bolivia that if I had more time, I probably could have sold it for $10-$12,000!  Bolivia is one of the few places in the world that purchasing a car is actually a good investment!

The Last Sunday

Our church family.  Can you spot the ridiculously tall Gringos?

Today was our last Sunday at our church in Nueva Belen. It was sad to say our goodbyes to everyone. Although I must say, we are looking forward to not having to entertain Noah through the service when he needs to be napping!  Churches in the USA have nurseries!  It is hard to believe we are down to our final days here.  I do not feel ready to leave.

The mural on the wall in these photos is the one painted by Cindy, another SAM missionary

Photo of the Week: Crash

Driving in the city one day we saw what we thought was a plane crash from the nearby airport.  Turns out it was just an elaborate advertisement for a movie playing inside the mall.

Photo of the Week: Pet or Pot

Bolivia is home to the Red-footed Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria).  A popular pet around the city, people often have them roaming around their yards.  Among the Ayore, they are a popular dinner dish!  They go on Tortoise hunts and bring them back by the dozens and are considered a treat!  The one in the photo is one rescued from the stew pot.  Here you can buy one for about $5-$10.  In the USA you could pay $500-$1000 for one this size.

Ayore Girls Camp 2011

On July 1st a team composed of North Americans, Ayore women, and Bolivians gathered together and prayed that God would open doors to allow the Ayore teen girls to come to camp. God answered our prayers and sent double (almost 60) the number of girls we had even hoped for in our wildest dreams!

10 Ayore Ladies came to participate

We had a great week at camp. It was so much fun to watch the girl’s get excited about learning stories from God’s Word and then presenting them in drama form to each other. My small group was made of 12 girls from Porvenir and Suegay, Ayore communities about 40 mins from my house. I had the youngest girls overall- ranging from 9yrs old to 14 years old. We had great fun telling stories and helping them understand God’s plan for them. I also had an amazing, solid in her faith, Ayore woman, Deisy (Daisy), helping me. Because my girls were so small most of them did not understand Spanish very well so Deisy worked very hard at putting the stories into Ayore and helping to translate their answers to my questions into Spanish so I could understand them. It definitely helped!

My Small Group- Porvenir and Suegay

Deisy (24 yrs old) standing to the left of me

My group presenting our team's banner- Mas Que Vencedoras

(More than Conquerors!)

Story time!

Overall, I think the girls had a lot of fun doing games and crafts, much like most other camps I’ve been to. But on the other hand there was definitely time and a focus on helping the girls understand who God made them to be and how that should reflect in their lives- specifically in what they should (or should not) be doing with their bodies. We targeted girls who have not been heavily involved in prostitution or drugs yet in the hopes of reaching them before those activities become a major part of their lives.

Playing games together 

Each person made a butterfly t-shirt with phrases like "God transforms us" in Ayore 

Each morning and night we had praise and worship time

Monica (Right- 9yrs old) was in my group and the daughter (left) of a leader from Barrio Bolivar whose name I forget, she is about 7 years old

The plan is to continue doing this camp for the Ayore girls every year.

BeniSantiagoRoboreFUASanJosePailonPozaVerdeSantaCruz... Deep Breath

We have been going non-stop lately.  It started with Jenna going on a 10 day river trip in the Beni while I stayed up to watch Noah.  Then we switched, I went for 10 days while she stayed back. Right after I returned we met up with a church team from Georgia and took them out to Santiago to work with the church out there and help with an Ayore conference.  Then we came back to Pailon and took them out to Poza Verde.  At the end of the trip Jenna had to leave for a week long camp for Ayore girls.

Beni River Trips
This year's river trips were overshadowed by tragedy. Though the loss was felt throughout this year's trips, they continued on and many village were visited.  We were able to hold services in many different communities and ran many sucessful clinics.  There were even a few surgeries performed in some rather... creative locations. 

Photo Album from this year's river trip:

Beni Trip 2011 #2

Orange Hill Group
A team from Orange Hill Baptist Church in Georga came down again this year.  Compared to last year, the car problems were fairly minor.  We had one leaky tire and the suspension fell apart on a trailer. We had a wonderful time out in Santiago despite the bitter south wind from Antartica that kepts us wearing all the clothes we brought. Unfortunately the buildings down here are not built for cold and so there is no escaping it.

Part of the team when out to an Ayore village to help with a church conference while the other part of the team stayed in Santiago to help with construction at the church.  We held a variety of services in Santiago and had some very meaningful men and womens groups.  It was obvious the church was very encouraged by our presence and we by their hospitality.  The church out there has been through some trying times and I think the visit meant a lot to them.

On the way back to Santa Cruz we  spent a day in Poza Verde holding littler servicies and starting a construction project on Cesar and Mirtha's house that will be completed by another team coming down soon.

Photo Album from this year's Orange Hill Team:

OHBC 2011

Girls Retreat
Jenna is currently at the retreat for Ayore girls. They ran into a little problem, a good problem.  They had about 60 girls show up which is about twice as many as they had planned on.  This week has the potential to be very important in the lives of these young girls since many are at risk to become prostitutes. It is a miracle that this many girls managed to come since many of the parents do not want their girls discouraged from prostitution because of the income it provides for the family. Please keep Jenna and all the counselors in prayer as they invest in these girls over this next week.

It doesn't stop there, after the conference Jenna is off to Brazil (Leave me with Noah again!) for an indigeneous women's conference.  After that, another team from the USA comes down then next thing we know, we're leaving for the states!  Please keep us in prayer as we wrap up life here during this busy season and prepare for the coming changes as we move to Seattle.

Photo of the week: Ingenuity

Some times the lack of laws and regulations leads to some creative solutions...

Photo of the Week: You have Robins...

we've got Chestnut-eared Aracaris in our backyard!

Just Us Boys

Yesterday Jenna left for a 10 day boat trip in the Beni region of Bolivia in the Amazon Basin.  That means I'm home with Noah for that time.  Then when she gets back we will switch, I'll be going on a river trip and Jenna will stay home with Noah.  What never ceases to amaze me is how so many people cannot believe that a man is capable of taking care of a baby for any period of time.  Bolivians are especially shocked and seem to think at least one of us will not survive.  Don't worry everyone, we're doing just fine.  I am keeping him well fed on soda, keeping him busy playing with knives, and teaching him how to operate motor vehicles. 

Photo of the Week: Monster in the Shower

We've found cockroaches, ants, scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, and even a snake in our house, but this one topped them all and even gave me the willies. Jenna was about to get into the shower when she gasped and went running for the closet.  I was expecting one of the usual home intruders, not this 9 inch monster that was writhing its way out of the shower drain.  It was a Amazonian Giant Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea). They have a fairly potent venom. While not likely to kill a healthy adult, they are still dangerous and not welcome in my house.

Photo of the Week: Toborochi

A Toborochi tree in full bloom out in an Ayore village.  For some reason they are blooming 2 months early this year.

San-Fran-sis-co... I mean... San-Fer-nan-do

We packed our bags, kissed Noah goodbye (we left him with another SAM family), jumped in a SAM plane, and made our way out to the little town of San Fernando near the Brazil boarder this past Monday.  We went out there to visit fellow SAM missionary (and fellow FHS Alum) Katie Wells.  She has been living and working out in this little town of about 40 families that is only acessible by land for a small portion of the year.  I brought a load of plants, Jenna brought a load of food, and Walt (another SAM missionary) brought a load of tools.  Once there, we each went to work with our cargo.  Walt went to work screening in the church and Katie's quarters, Jenna went to work cooking some food for Katie other than rice, and I went to work putting in a garden and planting trees.

Trees on a Plane

The area around San Fernando from the air

Katie meeting us at the "airport"

Inside the San Fernando church (notice the 'congregation' in the lower left corner)

Walt working on the church

Jenna in Katie's kichen

Me planting trees...

...and puting in a veggie garden

Our Taxi across the river to visit a family

The family was pressing sugar cane when we got there. No maternity leave here! That woman is 9 months preggo!

Katie Wells (not Katie's well) by a well

Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops)