Day 4 | Bunuelos, Brick Walls & Big Love
Day four met us with slower wake-ups - these long, beautiful days are starting to catch up with us! We started our day with a team devotional and it seems to be the best way to wake up in the morning. Once the smell of Bunuelos (fried bread...think a funnel cake) and warm Api (a sweet, purple corn drink) hit the air, everyone was ready to fill their bellies and get going. Although we eat the Api wrong, they still loves us here! (We pour it on our Bunuelos instead of drink it out of a mug like the Bolivians.)
After breakfast, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Half of our team headed to the Plomo’s dorm (the middle school boys) while the rest dove into a special project -- creating a home gym for all the boys at the BLC. Sanding, spackling, drilling, climbing ladders, balancing on shoulders to reach the highest corners... we did it all. But what mattered most wasn’t the paint or the holes we drilled. It was the prayers we whispered for the boys who will run, play, grow, and heal in these rooms. These aren’t just walls, they’re a safe place where boys learn they’re loved, strong, and never alone. We know we can’t make it perfect, but we give our best because these boys are worth it.
We refueled with a classic Bolivian lunch: Milanesa - crispy chicken with rice and potato salad. Here’s a quote from a team member about our lunch “the Spanish version of chick-fil-a" and it was delicious. Then we squeezed in a little downtime... which turned into a dance practice! Our team talent show is coming up, and under Allison Lilly’s enthusiastic leadership, we’re learning moves that are sure to make everyone smile.
In the afternoon, we packed up and headed back out for day two of Sidewalk Sunday School. Word must have spread - kids were climbing over brick walls and peeking around cement corners just to see what the music was about. There’s nothing like watching a dusty street come alive with laughter, songs, and the good news of Jesus.
We also made home visits today, moments that humbled every one of us. One father, now a widower, is raising eight children on his own. Another family welcomed us into their yard, two boys living with their grandmother while their mother works far away in Argentina. These precious boys, so open in their hurt, let us pray over them, laying hands on their small shoulders, asking Jesus to hold their hearts tight. Many tears were shed, but so was hope.
Dinner tonight was Bolivian spiced chicken with sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and fried plantains. As if that wasn’t sweet enough, our amazing intern surprised us with homemade chocolate chip cookies—better than any back home, if we’re honest!
Then came one of our favorite traditions: the volleyball tournament. Usually, we play Walleyball and squeeze into a racquetball court with a volleyball net, but tonight we stayed under the open sky with the Gradnes and Plomos. Everyone gave it their all... spikes, dives, splits, and even a slightly sprained ankle, let’s just say no one held back. The biggest underdog team made a comeback for the ages (they didn’t win, but they sure gave us a story to tell!). Laughter and cheers echoed across the court well into the night.
Today was packed from sunrise to bedtime, our feet ache, our shoulders are sun-kissed, but our hearts are overflowing. We watched teammates step out in boldness -- praying out loud for the first time, dancing when they’d rather not, or bridging a language barrier just to connect with a boy during volleyball. We never go to bed without handing out our “Gumby Award” (our lighthearted team MVP of the day). Paul won the Gumby because while the rest of us were on work projects, he dedicated his morning to serving the boys in a way none of the rest of us could. He helped the boys with any and all their dentist needs!
God was in every paint drip, every home visit, every child’s grin, and every volleyball serve. We’re tired, but we wouldn’t trade it for the world. Keep praying with us. He’s doing so much more than we can see.
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With love from Bolivia!
2025 Storyhill Bolivia Team