Our Spiritual Retreat and Trip to the White City

As soon as Tarryn and I arrived home from the Jireh camping trip, we headed to the Jankes house where we met our Canadian comaňero (Phil) and began a two day time of spiritual reflection. That night we each were given the chance to remember and share how God had led us throughout our spiritual journeys. We recounted some of our greatest spiritual challenges and struggles of the past and how the Sovereign Lord had carried us along to where we are now.

On Monday morning we spent three hours in silence and solitude in various places in the beautiful casa de los Janke (the Jankes’ house). During this time we reflected on our experience here in Bolivia and really tried to pinpoint some key areas in which we’ve learned and grown. For me this was some much needed time to think about how I’ve changed and how I ought to respond to some of the things I’ve learned since I left the northern hemisphere. There is still much processing to be done for all of us, but I think it’s safe to say that our relationships with God will never be the same. In the afternoon we discussed some of our reflections as well as the many challenges we may face when we return home (so-called reentry shock).

On Tuesday morning we got on a plane with Pat and headed to Sucre for a three day trip. I had heard many good things about Bolivia’s old capital before we arrived, but I was not prepared for the beauty we encountered. As we drove from the airport to our hotel I felt as though I was entering the 17th century. Sucre, the “White City,” is famous for its Spanish colonial architecture and its rich cultural history. An extravagant white cathedral is situated on almost every major street corner and many of the roads are made of cobblestone. Cochabamba is in a valley surrounded by mountainous terrain, La Paz is in a sort of crater in the mountains, but Sucre is literally in the mountains, which means that no matter where you are you’ll probably have some sort of magnificent view. The view from the terrace of our hotel’s restaurant was unbelievable.

Here some of the main things we did in Sucre:

Tuesday
-we checked into our hotel in the morning and ate lunch at a lovely restaurant overlooking the city
-we toured the city a bit on foot and got to see the beautiful cathedral in the main square of the city
-we visited a dinosaur exhibit in which we saw real dinosaur tracks
-we visited a museum which showcased the history of some of the tribes in the Sucre area, as well as some of the masks commonly used in indigenous dances and festivals
-we went to a dinner theatre in which there was a spectacular presentation of the indigenous dancing of Bolivia (ask Phil about the diablo part…I think we both wanted to make a run for it…)
Wednesday
-we visited a museum run by an organization which strives to preserve the cultural tradition of weaving among five different tribal groups
-we saw a semi-restored colonial mansion (think Beauty and the Beast style), which was owned by a ridiculously rich miner in the 17th century (I think). He was unable to have kids and so he decided adopt 100 orphans and have them stay in his mansion.
-we did a bit of shopping and experienced the lively Sucre nightlife
-I did my oral exam with Pat (on a book about the history of Canadian Baptist work in Canada). We did it on the hotel balcony which overlooked the night lights of the city. It was easily the most beautiful setting in which I’ve done a university exam.
Thursday
-we visited the casa de la libertad (the house of liberty) in which we saw the Bolivian Declaration of Independence, pictures and statues of many famous historical figures and presidents, and the huge main hall of a former Jesuit university
-we had lunch in a beautiful courtyard of a great restaurant and discussed more about reentry shock
-we toured a large convent near our hotel in which we saw many Catholic paintings and the inside of a massive cathedral
-we flew from Sucre to Santa Cruz and were able to take a one hour tour through the city before eating some subway subs and heading back to Cochabamba

It was certainly an action packed trip but I was also thankful to have some time to relax, to pray and to reflect. I learned a lot about the rich cultural history of Bolivia that I did not know before. Regardless of whether or not I ever return to this amazing country, I know that this whole process of acculturation has been invaluable to my walk with God. I trust that God is using it to make me a more effective witness of Christ in whichever context I end up.

Dave