Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Out There with the Beams -- June 2008


Hi Folks, Do higher gas prices have you down this summer? Well you can still buy a gallon of gasoline for about $2 here in Bolivia. Just thought you would like to know.

We trust you are having a wonderful summer. We have had a great time hosting teams and visitors from back home over the past month or so. A team from Brazos Pointe, my brother’s church in Lake Jackson, TX, came down and helped drill water wells in several rural communities near Yapacani. We had a great week and completed three wells. The team even stayed up and worked almost all night to complete the last one. On our return trip to Santa Cruz we were caught behind a political road block that prevented us from driving back to Santa Cruz. At first we attempted to drive “the long way around” through Cochabamba, but all the gas stations were out of gasoline and we could not have made it around the 20 hour detour. We spent an extra night in Buena Vista and the following day we tried to drive our rented bus over some slippery mountain roads that went around the road block. On each climb everyone had to get off the bus and help push it up the slick clay. After about 6 hours of pushing and pulling the bus the 40 miles to Santa Cruz, we finally made to back to civilization. That was one trip we will not soon forget.

At the end of this week we will be hosting a team from our home church, Crossroads Christian, in Lexington, KY. Pray for this team as 28 people are coming to work on three different projects. One group will complete construction and decorating of a bakery/coffee shop at the Cristo Viene girls home here in Santa Cruz. The older girls in this home have learned how to make bagels and other baked goods and will soon be opening this coffee shop to the public. A second team of doctors will host several medical clinics in neighbourhoods around the city. Each clinic will be hosted and assisted by a local church. Church members will invite neighbors to the clinic and it will be a great opportunity to share Christ with those who participate. Finally, a third group will help with several construction projects at our water well drilling workshop and training center.

So pray that this team has a great impact on the people they are serving this next week and that each member of the team carries home with them a greater appreciation for mission and for what God is doing around the world.

Also continue to pray for a number of the older girls who have recently left Talita Cumi and Cristo Viene. Especially for Vilma, Shirley, and Lily. Vanessa is excited about her vision for a halfway house and coffee shop where a number of the older girls can live and work after they leave the orphanages. We are starting to raise funds for this project so if you would like to contribute to this or want to know more about it, please let us know.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support of our work here in Bolivia. We have been here over four years now and we love being the hands and feet of Jesus here in Santa Cruz. We could not do it without you all at home supporting us as well. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a monthly pledge to support our efforts. I know there are many pressing financial needs at home, but sacrificially giving to God’s work will pay a higher return than any earthly investment.

Blessings,
Danny

Daniel and Vanessa Beams EFCCM -- Casilla 3740 -- Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Email: beamsclan@yahoo.com Bolivia Telephone: 011-591-3351-1087
Blogs: www.beamsclan.blogspot.com, www.simplewatersolutions.blogspot.com
Photo Gallery: www.pbase.com/beamsclan

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