Waiting...

...and waiting and waiting. Sometimes, living in La Paz means a lot of waiting. Waiting to get a visa, waiting for the guy to turn left because there are no turn lanes in the whole country (so people are constantly stopping in your lane), waiting for the guy in the grocery store to come back so he can weigh and price your vegetables, waiting for the office to be ready to move into, waiting for that thing you asked to have made a month ago that was supposed to be ready in a few days. Today, we waited for the tire man to find the little leak in the inner tube and patch it up so we could be on our way. Scotty and I stood outside and watched the people next door wash cars, called to stray dogs, grimaced when the man decided the most efficient way to remove the tire from the rim was to use a pick ax. I commented that I was sure glad we were there together, because to wait like this alone could be a bit boring. Then I mentioned that I was pretty sure after living in Bolivia for 20 years, I'm going to be a very patient person. Now, I feel I could reach this good character attribute only because of God's grace. Honestly, I have a very long way to go on the path to being a patient woman, but I do see that God is slowly chipping away at my impatience, the dire importance I put on punctuality, and the ease with which I get upset at perfect strangers for slowing me down. God has found many ways to slow me down here, and Scotty too, and I feel that learning to take life slowly, when that is all you can do, is good. From the slow tire guy to losing our baby to waiting for the church plant to (finally) start, I am beginning to understand that life's events are not in my hands, but firmly in the Lords. Even today I experienced 2 significant let downs of expectations I had and had to remember that God has a perfect purpose for all of it, and it is best to rest in that and not frustrate myself with dwelling on how these things don't work out. It is a good lesson and one I'm sure I'll continue to learn the rest of my life.