Bolivia and Beyond

Bolivia and beyond My travels took me as far as south as La Paz, Bolivia. I was only there a couple days before I returned to Santa Barbara a few days earlier than planned to surprised my now fiancé! I had an amazing trip and truly enjoyed doing sports ministry along the way. The bracelets were a big hit with all the kids and were great conversation starters with fellow travelers and people I met along the way! I had a fantastic excursion throughout Central and South America and it wouldn’t have been the same without your prayers, support and encouragement! Thank you! I am excited to be back stateside and to be getting married to an amazing woman in November! It won’t be the last you hear from me/us. =) Un fuerte abrazo and blessings! Nate

Peru Pachamama

Peru is a very diverse and interesting country. All along its coast there is only desolate desert that gets only one inch of rain a year. I had never seen anything like it before, it is a different kind of beauty and definitely worth seeing. As you go inland towards the gigantic Andes Mountains you start to see the mountain lifestyle and culture: cooler temperatures, higher elevations, llamas, sheep, Ginea pigs and the famous “coca culture.” People chew the leaf they make cocaine from and also put it in tea. It helps with altitude sickness and works as an energy booster very similar to caffeine. After a grueling 18 hour all night bus ride through the windy Andes roads with landslides and torrential rain, I made it from coastal Nazca to mountainous Cusco. I didn’t have any contacts here so I decided to try a different approach. I contacted a missionary in the area after coming across his blog online. Scott Dillon and his family have been in Peru for around 3 years and had recently moved to the Cusco area. They have helped start an orphanage and he is sharing some pastoral responsibilities and is very involved with the youth from his church. It was really fun meeting him for lunch and chatting about missions and the ministry in Cusco. He was as excited as I was to have a sports ministry clinic and we decided the best timing would be after I got back from my hike up to Machupicchu the famous Inka ruins. It also gave me some time to explore the beautiful colonial city of Cusco. Before it was taken over by the Spanish, this city was the “mecca” for the powerful Inka civilization. The history here is really cool. It seems that everywhere you turn, the cobblestone streets tell a different story. For instance, on the outside of the Qorikancha catholic church you see just another typical massive Spanish church. But when you go inside you find out that the Spanish built this church over a sacred Inka site and the Inka ruins are still inside! The trek to Machupicchu was a lot of fun as I took a path through the jungle, over rivers and huge mountains. When I returned from the trek I connected with Scott and we hammered down the time and place for the clinic. Next to the orphanage there is a covered basketball/indoor soccer field. We ended up using the cement court and had an awesome time. We played my favorite games shooters/keepers, steal the bacon and then scrimmaged. A lot of these kids in the orphanage come from really bad homes. Scott was telling me about how the found out about one mother who would lock her 1 and 2 year old kids in the house while she was gone working all day. A neighbor discovered them and would put food under the door for them to eat until they were able to get the government involved and place the kids in an orphanage. So the women that carry their kids on their back in a blanket are a lot more responsible and loving than you would think. It was really great to give the kids a fun afternoon, share the gospel with them and have them walk away with a bracelet.

Ecuador - Walking to school uphill in the snow both ways...

My experience in Ecuador was great! I really liked this small country in South America. From rolling hills to the gigantic Andes mountains, its green everywhere and gorgeous! On my way into Ecuador from Colombia I made some English friends, and they convinced me to stay in a small town on the way to Quito to see the famous Otavalo Saturday market. It was crazy. Half the town gets blocked off to sell Ecuadorian handicrafts, fruit, clothes, worms… anything you want!

There was even an animal market, and I really enjoyed it despite the flea and who knows what other bites I found on my legs afterwards. People bring all sorts of pigs, llamas, cows, sheep, dogs, cats, chickens, ginea pigs and more, then they stand in the middle of a field with their animals and wait for someone to come buy them. Well, since I going to be traveling alone for a while, I decided to get myself a travel buddy. I have to admit, it wasn’t the most thought out decision that I’ve made, but after forking out five whole dollars, Chasqui was to be my travel companion.

My English friends Andy and Sarah and a new Swiss friend helped me get the two month old lab ready for the road and after 4 baths she had no more fleas, was vacinated, had food, a collar and was ready to go! Our next stop was the capital city of Quito and then I headed off to a small town called El Tambo where one of my dad’s cousin started a school. After one night in the capital city of Quito and seeing the equator I was ready to get out of the city.

It took a lot longer to get to El Tambo from Quito than expected and I got dropped off at night in the middle of nowhere with Chasqui and it was really cold. The directions I had to my aunt's house were basically “get off the bus at this one sign and then ask how to get here.” So of course, no one was around. I started walking up the hill and an indian lady leaned out of her house window and asked me where I was going. I told her who I was looking for and she said, “adelantito” (just a little further). It being dark and only a few houses scattered here and there, I asked her a little more specific but again she said, “adelantito”. Haha, ok then. Well, her directions were good because I walked adelantito and found the house. They live at the base of the Antisana volcano and it is a beautiful countryside with green rolling hills and rivers and streams finding their way down to lakes or bigger rivers. They have a big storage container that they converted into an office storage space where they also had a bunkbed, which is where I spent the night with my new travel companion.

Their ministry is an elementary school for the indiginous population in the area where about 40 kids attend at the moment. You have to walk uphill both ways because most people live in the hills and they have to cross a valley to get to the school which is also on a hill; and during the winter months they get snow! (so maybe that’s where your poor old rugged grandparents and parents went to school…?=)).

The next day I accompanied my Aunt Sharman and her daughter who teach there. I offered to put on a soccer clinic for them and like all good Latin Americans, the kids were really excited about it. We had a great time playing sharks and minows, shooters keepers and steal the bacon! All great seahorse camp games. (They all had boots so it made it extra fun).

The setting was amazing, nestled in the green hills at the foot of the volcano. Rivers running around the field and the paramo (backcountry) all around. It is at about 3000 meters about sea level, and after one sprint, I was huffing and puffing! The kids were all very well behaved and listened intently as I shared about Jesus. It being a Christian school, most had already heard the message, so it was fun to be able to share that anything we do, we can do it for the glory of God, even soccer! I was asked to stay another day to do the soccer clinic. I guess the kids liked it a lot and so did I!

Although Chasqui had been a great travel buddy, the upcoming long bus rides would’ve been really really hard on her and it would’ve been extremely difficult getting her back to the US. It was very hard giving her up, but I found a great home for her with a nice nurse Rosa and her 8 year old daughter Jhayl in El Tambo. Next stop, Peru! Un Abrazo, Nate

Glance at Colombia

Colombia is an amazing country! The three mountain ranges (Cordillera Oriental, Central y Occidental) running through the northwestern part and combining in the south to start the Andes provide luscious greenery seen in few other places on earth. This makes it perfect climate for coffee (and cocaine unfortunately) and provide a cool mountain culture. Although recently it has become a lot safer and is the new “cool” country to travel to, there are many scars that are hard to hide from its past. Even though these scars will be difficult to heal, it is encouraging to see that there are a lot of Christians in the country and a lot of people doing good things to provide a better future for the next generation.



Medellin - Home of the friendly Paisas, this beautiful city in the in a lush valley has been the setting to some of the most vicious drug violence on the planet. Although it is a lot safer today, less than 20 years ago this was where the notorious drug dealer Pablo Escobar based his operations. I stayed with my dad’s cousin Mark, who has an increadible soccer ministry here. Over 1500 kids are being reached with the gospel through this ministry! There are over 30 coaches that train and minister on soccer fields all throughout Medellin. In a city where gang violence and drugs are a major problem, it is really amazing to see how this ministry is changing the lives of kids and the city of Medellin.





The night I arrived in Medellin, I jumped on the back of one of the coaches motorcycles and we drove off to the field where the night’s training was to happen at 7 pm. I was in for quite the ride. I can’t believe the amount of motorcycles in Medellin. From a corner I counted 38 motorcycles go by in 45 seconds! And, of course, they have their own driving rules: if they fit through they can make it! Sidewalks, alleyways, front yards, they all count. Of all the places I’ve traveled, Colombia has the craziest drivers. Also, I think they have an ongoing contest on who can carry the most difficult amount of passengers/luggage. So far I think the family of four, a couple backpacks, and the family dog all on the 100cc bike wins it! Well, the training was in a poorer part of town and over 100 kids under 12 yrs old showed up! We gave the pre-training devotional and then divided the trianing into three sessions and played until 10:30pm!





The next morning I got the opportunity to share devos with 30 coaches at the awesome stadium they built. I shared my testimony and also from 1 Timothy where it talks about training ourselves in godliness. As athletes it’s good to have this verse to think about since sometimes we get caught up in training our body for the competition and forget that “while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promis for the present life and also the life to come.” 1 Tim 4:8.



Another night I went to a field with my dads cousin Mark, where there was another training session going on (there are about 16 locations throughout Medellin that these sport’s ministry sessions are happening!). I found out that this field used to be the garbage dump not only for trash but bodies would end up thrown there too. With a lot of work from Mark’s CDUC (Centro Deportivo Union Cristiana) this neighborhood has transformed the dump into a soccer field. Through these training sessions, over 300 kids hear the gospel here, get soccer training and are distracted from alternative choices like gangs and drugs that are poisoning the children of Medellin!





Bogota - I spent over a week in the capital city of Bogota where I lived from 6-11 years old. It has been really fun connecting with old family friends! I stayed with Ruth, a dear family friend and my dads old secretary. It has been crazy hearing some of her family’s stories. Her sister about 20 years ago lived out in the countryside. One day the guerillas came into their farm and told her husband that they wanted to see his farm. They took him and his father off a little ways and killed them, leaving her sister to raise their 3 boys on her own. The guerillas do this to grow drugs on their land and make sure they never come back. There are tons of stories like this and the capital city of Bogota is growing tremendously as it gets almost a half a million displaced people per yer.





Through Ruth I connected with some more old family friends about an hour outside of the capital of Bogota. Pablo and Sofi run a missionary school and were very excited to have me come visit. Pablo asked me to share with the students about growing up as a missionary kid as well as what my trip was about. I got to share with 30 soon to be missionaries about growing up on the mission field, soccer ministry and using your talents and what you love for the Lord. It was fun to share with this enthusiastic group preparing themselves to bring the gospel to Colombia and other places in South America.



It has been really fun handing out the bracelets you have helped me buy. On one side it says “Tienes un Amigo” (“You have a Friend”) and on the other, it has “John 15:13-15” (Greater love has no one than this,that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends…”) I've loved sharing a simple message about Jesus’ friendship towards us to the kids. It has been a lot of fun to have something to give to the kids and they have all loved this keepsake. If you would still like to donate towards the ministry material, there is still need for about $250.





Thanks for the donations already made and for the encouraging emails!
Blessings!
Nate

And it continues...!

I'm super excited to be heading to Central and South America for a few months! Actually, I am writting you from Colombia and have been traveling for almost two months starting in El Salvador. After I finished up working with the Seahorses this past summer, I spent some time in Santa Barbara working as an electrician and saving up for the trip and spending time with my girlfriend and friends in the area.


Beach soccer in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. It was crazy! About 18 vs 18!

Now this trip has been in the back of my mind for years now. I've been antsy to get out and travel and yet didn't want to just pick up my backpack and head south. Not that theres anything wrong with that, but I wanted to be able to contribute something to the places I was traveling to. I saw my training as a sports’ minister was a fantastic opportunity to grab my backpack and catch a plane south and share what I’ve learned. So far I've been through El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. I am planning on traveling for a couple more months or until my money runs out!


Playing with some kids in Casco Viejo, Panama City

So, the main purpose of this trip is to avoid a mid life crisis. Just kidding. =) Of course I will take this trip as an opportunity to enjoy seeing other countries and experiences with a couple American friends and people we meet along the way. But I am also really excited to connect with old family friends and other contacts and help with their ministries and organizations through sports ministry. So far we've had some great experiences at orphanages, on the street, the beach and just about anywhere there's an open space!



Since my trip is not solely for ministry I don’t feel right asking for support for my travels. But I have purchased some ministry materials that I’m really excited about (some custom made bracelets and will be printing out some manuals for some coaching sessions and more). When it’s all said and done the materials will be about $500, so if you want to contribute towards that it would be awesome. If you’re interested I’ll send you more info if you send me an email at nwood9@gmail.com.



I have a ton of stories I could share with you, but I've realized that I am terrible at sitting down and writting, so instead of empty promises of trying to write more, I’ll try to post pictures more often (I do enjoy taking pictures). Stories will come, just not as often.



But I’d like to leave you with a recent story about our trip from Panama to Colombia. Since there is no road that connects these two countries, we ended up taking a boat through the picturesque San Blas islands and then spent 42 hrs on the open ocean. The islands were amazing! So many different shades of blue! I'm positive that is where they take all the beautiful desktop background pictures! But, I can assuredly say I have not missed my calling a seaman. 42hrs in the open ocean at first doesn’t sound like it’s that long (at least initially to me). But when you’re going 5 miles an hour and our 36ft boat constantly got rocked by 10-15 ft waves in the open ocean, it is awful. I have never felt so miserable for so long, It was like i was tossed into a washing machine and not allowed out. Waves splashed into my bedroom all night and I even had a flying fish land in my bed! I am going to stay away from boats for a while...



I love being on the road and am excited to share my experiences with you! Please continue to keep me in your prayers and thanks for your support!

Blessings from Colombia!
Nate