Honoring the Tías

The tías I have had the privilege of working with here at House 2 for the majority of my time in Bolivia are truly a special group of ladies. They are dedicated, hard-working, compassionate women with a love for the children in their care. Their work is certainly not easy but they embrace the grace God makes available and depend on His wisdom for each challenge. Their example and friendship has been a tremendous blessing to me.

Thanks to the kind generosity of a friend back in the States, I was able to take these women out for an elegant dinner to honor them and let them know how appreciated they are.

We had a wonderful time enjoying good food, fellowship, and lots of laughs!

One of the tías brought her toddler along, which added extra liveliness to the evening!

Studying the menu took quite awhile as each and every item was carefully inspected and considered.

This particular restaurant serves some unique and delicious drinks!

I ordered a tropical drink that is a mix of various fruit juices such as strawberry, pineapple, orange, and peach (I think).

It was so refreshing!

The ladies seemed to enjoy being pampered!

Food, glorious food!

Tía Ely - thoughtful, kind, sweetness defined!

Tía Sarin - enthusiastic, energetic, the life of the party type of person!

Tía Ana Maria - gentle, wise, Godly

Tía Yola - diligent, thorough, servant-hearted

Tía Luz - cheerful, effervescent, a shining light like her name

The only one missing from our dinner party was Tía Benita, the tía who blesses our household with her cooking and cleaning skills. She was planning on joining us but ended up having transportation problems on the way back from Santa Cruz.

As I plan to return to the United States next week, it is these ladies who will continue the work here. They are truly missionaries on the front lines in their own cities, ministering to the physical, spiritual, and educational needs of the children here at Casa de Amor. They take their work seriously and recognize the responsibility with which they are charged before God. As such, they covet our prayers for wisdom, patience, and love overflowing!