Our exciting 3-day excursion to the huge salt flats of Uyuni — the world’s largest — was an extraordinary experience. Even though t took a full day to get there and a full day to get back, it was well worth it. Staying in a hotel at the edge of the flats, totally constructed of salt, added to the adventure. Tonight we are back in Cochabamba, packing for our departure for home — to Santa Cruz on Friday and then on to the United States on Saturday.

The construction project at Iglesia Luz de Vida was finished in great shape, with 4 rooms beautifully painted, many bricks laid and many more stacked for continuing work. The Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) at Iglesia Luz de Vida and Iglesia Pedra Viva finished last Friday with the traditional dessert celebration. We connected with our friends at the Sewing Co-ops at both Iglesia Emanuel and Iglesia Luz de Vida. We shopped on Saturday and worshipped Sunday at both Iglesia El Salvador (downtown) and Iglesia Luz de Vida where we helped christen the communion set gift we had brought AND had our farewell party. Tomorrow we leave for Salar de Uyuni, a huge salt flat at 12,500 feet, underneath which is the largest lithium deposit in the world.

The construction at Iglesia Luz de Vida and the Vacation Bible School at both Iglesia Luz de Vida and Iglesia Piedra Viva are off and running with great success. We partied at Wilson & Nora Boots’ lovely home Monday night. We barely noticed the 2 minor earthquakes in our vicinity early Tuesday morning, but Cindy Svensen’s birthday celebration that day rocked the Team.

We arrived Friday safely and without incident; Saturday got right to work on construction work and Vacation Bible School preparation; Sunday worshipped in THREE churches; and are gelling into an amazing Team!

The 2012 Encounter with Christ in Bolivia VIM Team, operating as part of the Bolivia Mission partnership between the New York Annual Conference and the Susquehanna Annual Conference, is departing for Cochabamba today, Thursday June 21, and will return on Saturday July 7.

 Trip Report #4 from the June 2010 Bolivia VIM Team (click title of this post to read more)

Trip Report #3 from the June 2010 Bolivia VIM Team (click title of this post to read more)

Trip Report #2 from the June 2010 Bolivia VIM Team (click title of this post to read more)

Trip Report #1 from the June 2010 Bolivia VIM Team (click title of this post to read more)