Meet Bismark!

     I want to introduce you all to my new friend, Bismark.  He is 9 years old and lives in El Alto, which is a part of La Paz, Bolivia.  He has a wonderful, loving family including a father, sister, grandparents, aunts, and cousins.  He lives with his father, sister, and grandparents in a small house, sharing a bedroom with his father and sister.  Life has been hard, but his family is looking to the future.  He loves to play games, especially with his sister and cousins.  When you first meet him he seems shy, however it does not take long for him to run up to you and hold your hand and whisper jokes in your ear.  He laughs easily and has a smile that lights up your world.

           

     Bismark goes to a special school, Centro San Martin de Porres, because he has a learning disability and has ADD.  Public schools would not accept him because of his learning disability, so before attending this school he could not read or write but with the help from the teachers at this center he has made a lot of progress in his studies, including reading and writing.  This center is 10 years old and serves 120 special education students, provides physical therapy for 25 of those students, and provides physical therapy for those in the surrounding community.  This is the largest center in El Alto for special education students, and is one of few in La Paz.  The school provides lunch for all students every day and is funded primarily through donations from the parish and sponsorship programs.

The Physical Therapy room at the school.

Bismark was excited to show off
his classroom!

How did I come to know Bismark?  He’s my godchild through Christian Foundation for Children and Aging.  For many years I had a godchild in Guatemala, however a few months before my mission in Bolivia began, I received a letter from her saying that she has a job and can support herself and thanked me for my years of sponsorship.  I decided to sponsor another child, but I wanted one who lives in Bolivia since I would be living here.  I was looking through children on the website, and I would like to say that I chose Bismark, but his picture captured my heart.  Bismark chose me.

Feeding pigeons at a plaza in La Paz.

I decided to arrange a chance to meet him, and October 19, 2013 was the day!  The day started out at the La Paz Project office.  Some of the first words out of Bismark’s was “she’s tall!” and “she has blue eyes!”.  During breakfast he was shy, and only whispered what he wanted to say in his father’s ear, who then would repeat it.  After that we took a walk around La Paz, and within a few minutes Bismark ran up and grabbed my hand.  We found a Plaza where many people feed pigeons from their hands, and after Bismark ran through them, scattering them about, we went about feeding them as well and had so much fun.  A little later we headed to El Alto to Bismark’s house for lunch.  I was welcomed by the rest of his family at the door, his grandparents had tears in their eyes.  Bismark’s sister was quick to introduce herself and take her present from me (I had filled a backpack for her and Bismark with games, school supplies, and chocolate) and soon the whole family was laughing as we jumped rope together.  We ate lunch, and his family shared stories and pictures with me and thanked me for taking the time to come to meet them.  As I drove away in the trufi, Bismark chased after the car outside my window until he couldn’t keep up anymore.

Jumping rope with the whole family!

I knew I had to meet him, I just didn’t realize how much meeting him and hearing his story and his family’s story would impact me.  I read once that God has a way of breaking your heart, and now I understand what that means.  Sometimes, as you encounter life, your heart hardens a little to what is happening around you.  It is not something that you intentionally do, but nonetheless it happens.  God breaks our heart to help us in these situations to always have compassion and to more fully be able to share His love.  My heart did break as I got to know Bismark, and now it has given me a fire to do more, and not just for Bismark.  I also witnessed what it means to be there for your family, in good times and in bad times.  Bismark really did choose me, and by meeting him I have learned how important it is share love, because that is what impacts life.  As I go to my mission site this next week, I know that I am more fully capable of sharing Christ’s love because Christ will continue to break my heart.

Bismark and his family.  How BEAUTIFUL!

If anyone want’s to share Christ’s love with a child somewhere in the world, and would like to know more about Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, please visit: http://www.cfcausa.org