A DIFFERENT WEEK

Since June 30th, around 3:oo p.m. life changed drastically for the church in Cochabamba, Bolivia. At 4:15 p.m. we received a call from one of our members that someone from a small community called Yutupampa called about an accident involving the bus our kids were traveling on.  Details were very sketchy but we knew it was serious.  I was able to get in touch with this person but wasn’t able to talk very long because his cell phone was running out of battery.  All he was able to tell us is, “Please hurry, it is starting to get cold.  We need help there are bodies all over the place.  Bring blankets, flashlights and rope.  Please hurry!”

Not knowing what to expect or what else to do, we piled blankets and rope into the car, stopped by a local store and bought a bunch of flashlights and left Cochabamba together with Renán and Pedro.  We were all overwhelmed.  I told Trish, “I don’t think I can do this!”  She responded, “We have to.  Our kids are out there!”  While driving information starting coming in. The deaths of Ariana, Belén and Diana were confirmed; Then Bruno Pol and Fredy were fine; Then Josh together with a few other of our kids were in an ambulance heading to Cochabamba; About three hours into our trip we met another ambulance.  We both stopped and Rachel together with a doctor ran to the car to let us know that JD was ok and they were headed to Cochabamba.  Trish ran to the ambulance and saw Miguel and JD laying on stretchers.  They did not look good but were stable.  

We continued the rest of our trip confident that they were in good hands, knowing that Fredy was still all by himself at the hospital where most of the kids had received first aid.  It was a hard drive up through windy dirt roads and it being pitch dark out side, but God was with us.  We stopped at the site where the accident took place but couldn’t see anything. We finally arrived in the small town of Pojo around 11:00 p.m.  Fredy was elated to see us all but emotionally drained and obviously in much pain.  We got back in the car and headed back immediately to Cochabamba.  For the first 30 minutes Fredy told us story after story of what he had experienced.  Many tears were shed during that time.

The rest of the trip back to Cochabamba was very quiet.  We finally made it back into Cochabamba at 4:30 a.m.  After dropping off Renán, Fredy and Pedro we headed straight to the hospital where JD and Rachel were.

  They were still in the emergency room waiting for JD to be admitted.  Rachel had been patched up and was in pain but was in very good spirits.  JD was in a lot of pain, very uncomfortable but mostly slept.  He was finally admitted and we ended up leaving the hospital about 6:00 a.m.  

The night of June 30th and early morning  of July 1st was one of the longest days of our lives.  Three young girls of our youth group had died that night, while 11 others lay in hospital beds.  Bruno and Rachel were the only ones able to go home that morning.

Taking care of our kids, visiting others and crying with the families effected by this tragedy filled the rest of our week.  We feared that some of the families would try looking for someone to blame, but everyone took it as good as could be imagined.  We felt relieved and honored when the families asked us to speak at the funeral, thus I did.

Speaking to the families, friends and loved ones of three young teens who had lost their lives so tragically was one of the most difficult things I have ever done.  Considering that so many people were asking “Why?”, I decided to make an effort at answering the question.  I read from Eccl. 7:2 that says that “It is better 

to be in a house of mourning than at a banquet.”  Why?  Because it is a time when we can remember and even celebrate the lives of Ariana, Belén and Diana.  Although many of those in the crowd knew them much more than Trish and I did, we did get to see a glimpse of their love and servant attitudes.  Just 10 days prior to the accident, JD and Rachel had organized the youth and took them to spend the afternoon at a local children’s home.  They played, held and fed those little children.  They cleaned noses, changed diapers and loved on those kids for hours.  That afternoon they left their imprents on those children. Imprents of  love and service. 

My message to all present, including myself, was that we can honor their lives by doing the same, leaving imprents of love and service.

We will miss all three of them.  But remembering how Belén, being only 13 years old, even when her family didn’t want to come to church would come on her own; or Ariana even being as shy as she was had started to open up and had brought her boyfriend to church for the first time the Sunday prior to the accident; or Diana although being very new within the group had started becoming more active and even played soccer with us that same Sunday, should teach us the importance of wanting to fellowship with the rest of our spiritual family.  It should teach us how important it is to bring our loved ones closer to Christ.  It should teach us to reach out to those who are new or on the fringe of our church activities and help them to be an active part of them.

Going to a house of mourning is not a lot of fun.  It wasn't meant to be.  But going to them is better than going to a party.  They help us to reflect on our own lives, and if we are taking advantage of every moment God gives us to leave imprents of love and service.

It is going to take all of us patience and time to heal from this jolt.  But in situations like these is where we see the wisdom of God in how He has designed His church.  Together, working as a body we will not only get through this, but we will be even stronger.  That is our Creator’s promise!

We have made big plans for the church in Cochabamba.  We have prayed over them and placed them in His hands.  June 30th is going to be a marker for us and the church here.  Where will our plans leads us now?  Well, I am not all that sure.  But one thing I do know: It doesn't matter how many curve balls Satan throws at us, God will be glorified through this.

May He bless us all as we make His will our own!

Butch

Philmon 4-7