I know, I'm a redundant often repeating broken record. But I figured if I post my mass emails here, you can delete them and thus free up valuable inbox space. Also there are some people who access my blog who aren't on my mailing list. So here it is again.

"The greatest of them yet"
Hey everyone

I hope your holidays were happy and full of cheer and safe travel.

Before I get on to the news items, I think I should repeat the warning from the subject of the email. "The greatest of them yet..." refers to the size of this report. It is el ultimo grande, gigante, newsletter yet to arrive from this Bolivian jungle to clog your respective inboxes. So I hope you all have a few extra spare moments. Or you might consider reading it one section at a time. So on to the news...

I think the last time I reported was in November and John and I were on our way to help out with some evangelistic meetings in San Ignacio de Moxos. We were there for about a week and helped with visitation and special musics. John even made an appearance on local television to invite people to the meetings. Attendance wasn't huge, but God blessed. It isn't about numbers anyway right? There is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents! If only one person came and accepted Jesus it would be worth all the effort. That's something I've been beginning to understand a little bit better through my work down here. God's love is SO incredibly amazing! I don't reflect on it enough.

Unfortunately John and I weren't able to stay in San Ignacio until the end of the series because our visas were about to expire and we had to stamp out of the country. So we headed for LaPaz and then the Peruvian boarder. Traveling down here is always an adventure. We made as far as Santa Cruz without incident, but the 16 hour bus ride from Santa Cruz to La Paz turned into a 23 hour ordeal. Seems as though some teachers in a little town about two or three hours from LaPaz decided they weren't being paid enough and that everyone traveling the main road needed to know about it. So what do you suppose is the best way to accomplish that? Put up a billboard maybe? "Underpaid teachers...donations accepted next exit." Not a chance. That would be rediculous! So how about a roadblock. That's right. Throw some rocks on the road and don't let anyone move them. "You shall not pass". I think the Bolivian version would be "no pase." But whatever...the point is that the command is emphatic and you durst not disobey unless you want to receive bodily harm. Running roadblocks is just not a good idea down here. Fortunately you can detour. Our first attempt to circumvent the blockage consisted of a little off road jaunt through some fields, but the locals, who were beginning to remind me of Edomites, discovered our plot and denied passage once again. So we joined the disgruntled caravan of rerouted traffic and headed into the wilderness. But the wilderness too set its will against us. After wandering on small winding roads for several hours, we passed through a village and came to a huge dry lake bed where the road disintegrated into a mere track. In the distance I could see the carcases of two buses and several trucks with their passengers milling about them like scavengers disturbed from their meal. The stalled vehicles were all tilted at various bizarre angles, their low sides swallowed by the sand. But the dismal panorama did not deter our bus driver. We forged onward, ever closer to the ghastly spectacle. We would not relent. We would pass or go down in the attempt. We went down. Everyone piled out, murmuring and complaining in at least 3 different languages. The left side our bus was sunk up to the axle. Someone produced a shovel from somewhere on board. No doubt they carry it specifically for such predicaments. Some of us took turns digging with it and various other implements (like our hands) while others brought rocks to put under the wheels. Half a dozen portly señoras directed operations. Each one seemed to possess her own great wisdom for how to remedy the situation. It was rather humorous really. So with the help of their excellent counsel we were soon ready for an attempt to free ourselves. Everyone put their shoulders to the bus and pushed as the driver gunned the engine. All was going well until he decided to turn the wheel. And just like that we were back in the muck up the axle. So we went back to our digging. Eventually someone showed up with a tractor from the village we had passed. It pulled us out and we were good to go. We carefully threaded our way through several more kilometers of lake bed before we reached terra firma. It was a miracle we didn't get stuck again. So we got to LaPaz around 4:30, just in time to catch our bus to Lima. Clearly the Good Lord was looking out for us! And He gave me a good story while He was at it.

We spent about a week and a half in Peru and then headed back to Bolivia. I don't know if any of you saw it on the news, but the Bolivian elections were taking place at that time (Dec 18). Evo Morales, (the candidate who won the elections) is reputed to be anti-US and on good terms with Castro and Chavez. This along with the widespread political division and the history of political unrest here in Bolivia made us think it wise to wait in Peru until after elections. But everything was peaceful, praise the Lord! We did get held up in LaPaz for one night because there were no bus departures. Bus drivers were striking (for reasons unrelated to the elections) so we caught a flight to Santa Cruz. We got the last two seats on the plane.

Originally I hadn´t planned to stay long in Santa Cruz, but the missionaries there asked me to stay for awhile and help and since no one was here at the school at that time anyway, I thought I might as well. There is a TV station based there in Santa Cruz and I did a little maintenance work for them. Mowed the grass, cleaned the storm drains, and did some painting. On Sabbath I helped out with a children's meeting at the women's prison. The following week I helped hand out food baskets to poor families and assisted with a VBS in one of the poor neighborhoods. We had about 200 kids and it could get crazy at times. There is so much need there. The children's ministry they have going there in Santa Cruz is huge with several branch Sabbath schools in different places. Susan Grady, the missionary who operates them is headed back to the states this month and they are looking for someone to take over for her. So if you know someone who might be interested, I could put them in touch with the Gradys.

I also took the opportunity to see a doctor while I was in Santa Cruz. I could have done that up here in Guayaramarin, but I felt better about it in a bigger city with better facilities. Anyway, turns out I had gihardia and that's why I've been sick the last couple months. It's a huge relief to be rid of that and the problems it was causing! I definitely plan to be EXTRA careful about what I eat and drink from now on. Nothing but bottled sealed and cooked for this boy.

So now I'm back at the school. We're scrambling to get ready for a mission group that is coming in a week and a half to help build the cafeteria. We're hoping to have the foundations done so they can go right to work on the structure. (Incidentally, we'll be needing to furnish the cafeteria with cookware and such and if any of you are interested in helping with that I can put you in touch with Jeff. He can tell you specifics and make sure we don't get duplicates).

And we're getting a new vehicle! This is another HUGE blessing because the jeep we had was very old and unreliable. David will be driving it up here over the next few days from Santa Cruz, Lord willing.

A lot of people have been coming to inquire about sending their kids to school here this March when the school year starts. It's a great opportunity to tell them what we're about. We plan to accept 30 students this year. Ten more than last year. This is the schools third year and every year they add a grade so next year we'll be a complete high school with 9th through 12th.

Well that's all for now. Thank you all for your prayers and support. It is huge. God is doing awesome things. I'm also praying for all of you that God will bless you and bring you ever closer to Him. It is only as we focus on Jesus that we can have true peace and joy and ultimate success. Many blessings to you all in this new year.

With you in His service

Kody Kostenko