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Our most recent volunteer group was a wonderfully diverse group coming from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. They quickly fused together though and made a lot of great progress on the basketball court in Tacachia and our construction in Ovejuyo. Most importantly though they filled the home with love and had a blast with the kids making kites and enjoying fellowship. We are also including some pictures of Hopkins and Rayo so you can continue to follow their growth. We are really enjoying the fresh milk!

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Though the season is past, and all the decorations have been stored for some time now, I still cannot get the image of our first Christmas as a full family out of my mind.  A smile cannot be stifled as the joy of that day comes back to me now.  The majority of the children of our home had passed by Christmas like any other day in the past, but this year it was a whole different story.  Jesus’ birth was celebrated with zeal in 2009 at Kory Wawanaca Children’s Home, and it is a day that we will not soon forget. 

“I’ve never tasted pizza before” were the words many of our children exclaimed as the pizzas emerged from our jeep after its three hour journey.  Our celebration started with our staff appreciation party where the children were able to express their gratitude to all of the wonderful people who come together to ensure a safe and loving home for them.  It was a fun-filled day of food, fellowship, and worship. 

 A week-long Bible School kept all the kids busy and active as they awaited the big day.  They worked hard to memorize lines for their Christmas play and learn traditional Christmas songs to perform.  One of the boys had even achieved an aptitude on the guitar good enough to prepare three songs for our Christmas Eve service.

 The Christmas Eve service began early with 30+ children wandering from house to house calling our neighbors to church through song.  At midnight we ended with a candle-lit circle and “Noche de Paz” (Silent Night) could be heard throughout the valley.  Santa Claus had left presents for all of the children which were handed out while the women began serving Christmas dinner to everyone present with the stars shining down on us all.

 Christmas morning held more surprises when sleepy children walked up the stairs to a bags of presents with their names on them.  Everyone dug in to a piece of sweet bread and a cup of hot chocolate and then one by one the children opened their gifts.  The excitement on their faces and the gratitude in their words were priceless.  I have received lots of wonderful gifts in my life, but I would have to say that sharing Christmas with our children for the first time was my best Christmas gift ever. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported us through your gifts and your prayers in order to make our family’s first Christmas a lasting memory.  The best statement of the day was Rodrigo’s who said, “I just hope Jesus enjoyed his birthday half as much as I did.”

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View more photos from the studio video on the Kory Wawanaca Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/kwchildren

URTV Broadcast times of the interview will be posted soon along with links to seeing the video online.

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Gavin, Carrie, and Marty

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

We’re having coffee with our good friend Marty from Sons of Ralph.  We’re so excited that he will be joining us this year in Tacachia with a volunteer group from Asheville.  It’s great to be home and have the opportunity to fellowship with friends and family.  Our family continues to grow in Tacachia as we have received two new children in our absence and have others on the way.  Can’t wait to send you all pictures of them upon our return.

We’re staying busy while we’re home visiting churches across North Carolina.

• We’ll be at Sedge Garden UMC this weekend and are so excited to reconnect with old friends.
• The following weekend we’ll be at Matthews UMC and then at FUMC Waynesville on Wednesday, February 3rd.
• We’ll be a part of a round table discussion at a local TV station (URTV) on Thursday February, 4th.   (Details about the broadcast times will be coming soon!)
• And we have tentatively planned a Bon Voyage Party at Central UMC in Asheville on Feb 18.  This party will have multiple purposes: it give us a chance to say goodbye to our friends and family before we return to Bolivia on Feb 25, meet volunteers of the March 2010 mission trip, donate items and make financial contributions for the home, all while enjoying light refreshments and music from Sons of Ralph!
• The Bon Voyage Party has been canceled due to logistical problems.  However we’ll update if there is to be any other events or happenings before Carrie and Gavin return to Bolivia (– admin).

We’ll continue to update you all on our travels.  Hope to see you all while we’re home!

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Update:
You can follow the adventures of the March 2010 Volunteer Trip on this page:
http://www.kwchildren.org/?page_id=427

Trip planning is well underway and the volunteer team for the March 2010 trip to Tacachia is being assembled!

Volunteers to the trip are planning to meet on Sunday afternoon, January 24, at Central UMC Conference Room. This meeting will be a time of orientation and answering of questions related to the trip. Elizabeth Barricklow, formerly of CureAmerica, who will be coordinating Bolivia activities will be there to talk about Visas, health issues, project possibilities, etc. We will even have a chance to talk about Steve Hopkin’s plan to purchase and walk in with a cow or bull.

Tentative Itinerary

Thurs 3/11:
Depart from Charlotte in the evening, fly overnight to La Paz via Miami

Fri 3/12:
Arrive early morning in La Paz
Rest in hotel, adjusting to high altitude
Lunch & tour of La Paz
Stay overnight in La Paz

Sat 3/13:
Travel from La Paz to Tacachia (40 miles = 3 hours)
Tour the Home, visit with children, etc.
Stay overnight in Tacachia

Sun 3/14:
Day with the KW children
Evening Sunday School & Church Service
Stay overnight in Tacachia

Mon 3/15:
Return to La Paz after breakfast
Lunch in La Paz
Time in La Paz for shopping in artisan markets, sight-seeing, etc.
(Some volunteers may have the option to stay an extra day in Tacachia.)

Tues 3/16:
Work Days in La Paz – Construction of Second Children’s Home

Sat 3/20
(During work days, we typically make the 45-minute commute to our work site each morning after breakfast, have lunch at the worksite or in a nearby café, and return to the hotel for dinner. Group devotions and reflection/discussion time is usually held in the evenings after dinner or in the mornings before breakfast. One evening will include a special dinner at Restaurant Huari, featuring a presentation of traditional folk music and dancing.)

Sun 3/21:
Day Trip to Lake Titicaca

Mon 3/22:
Depart early morning from La Paz, fly to Charlotte via Miami

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On August 2nd, Tacachia and villages throughout Bolivia celebrate their independence.  We wanted to share pictures of our children’s participation in this wonderful event which included a physical education demonstration, parade, assembly, community lunch, and dancing.  Events like these are wonderful for boosting our children’s self-esteem and they had such a good time participating.  We hope you enjoy these pictures and get a small taste of Bolivian culture and traditions.

(Click on the images to see a larger version of the photos)

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Expectations were high as the excited children loaded onto our own personal bus for the week.  There was not a face to be found without a smile on it as the day they had been patiently awaiting, finally arrived.  The children… were plastered to the windows as we left La Paz and journeyed through a part of the country they had never seen.  The activity was non-stop as soon as we arrived.  We were lodged at a lovely Methodist Retreat Center called Thiu Rancho where the playgrounds, soccer field, pools, and open spaces were thoroughly enjoyed.  The many parks of Cochabamba were the source of much joy as the kids learned to ride bikes and swim.  They also enjoyed learning about and comparing Cochabamba to La Paz.  The night brought more fun as we roasted marshmallows and made S’mores over a campfire as we sang and enjoyed each others company.  A highlight of the next day in Cochabamba was our trip in the gondolas up to The Christ statue that overlooks Cochabamba.  Many of the kids were convinced that they were flying.  After a wonderful lunch and ice cream for dessert, we headed to the cinema to see the movie Up.  We knew it was the first time that the kids were going to see a movie in a cinema, but were delightfully surprised to see what an adventure an escalator could be.  It was hilarious to see the kids treat the escalator as if it were something from another world.  They were opened up to so many new and exciting opportunities during this trip and their minds were broadened by this experience.  We are so appreciative for all of you who helped to make this trip possible and have already started to plan for our trip next year.  Our first educational excursion was a huge success!

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A desperate mother left her four children over a year ago promising them that she would be back as soon as she had found a way to take care of them.  The uncle who could no longer afford rent and had lost hope that their mother would return was the next to abandon these children.  Found living alone after months of abandonment, these children were taken into custody by the State.  The paperwork is never quick, but after five months in temporary housing, we were given the joy of incorporating Rodrigo(11), Abigail(9), Jenny(6), and Jimmy(4) into our family.  Though the sadness still exists as they hold on to the hope that their mother will return someday, they have learned to smile again.  We too keep their mother in our prayers.  We have no doubt she misses these precious children and thinks of them everyday.  They are truly wonderful children.  Please keep them in your prayers.

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