You are probably wondering what I’ll gone talk about in this short article. i hope with God help that this won’t be any boring presentation, but in the total opposite way. I want to bring closer to you “the story of an adventure”, like i like to call it. So, further on, along with this story, i intend to bring unto you, our Lord in heaven, in a special, nice, sweet and exciting way. A very special place that I want to talk about is Familia Feliz. As the name says, in Spanish, translated will be: “Happy Family”. This Happy Family is found in Bolivia, precisely the village of Rurrenabaque. As I said from the beginning , in a brief words i want to show unto you this happiness of this Happy Family.

Being a boarding school, in its main point, but also more like an orphanage, because of the kids that are coming most of them from broken families or having difficult backgrounds; we all that went there like volunteers consider it a family. And like in each family, the kids are the joy and the taste, all that we did there was only for their  sake. Even if I and my friend Nina, from Norway, went there for our mission trip of the missionary school were we are in; we didn’t have any profit for our own, but we both agree in saying that we had had the biggest reward which is : the love received from the kids and the enormous blessing from our Lord.

Found it in the jungle of Bolivia, Familia Feliz, is just beautiful, and it let’s me now, after one month since I returned, with that strong desire to go back.

Why is Familia Feliz so special? The answer is simple, because of the kids. For each volunteer, and I’m not afraid to speak in the name of all, this was the most wonderful experience. Even if it seems hard at the beginning, feeling like having a culture sock,  being sick for a while, or thinking that was a bad choice coming there, during the time you start to feel like home; because each person is borne with different combinations of interests, aptitudes, temperaments and personalities. This are ruff materials which has to be molded and after this you have to be build your own discipline and education. Well after some time you start to love the kids and they start to love you. Being involved in their projects there, like working in the campus, where are various houses with families that take care of the kids which are in the boarding school; being able to feel like a leader with the other volunteers, and having your own opinions; it is a very sweet shadow of something that I imagine will be in Heaven, meeting people and bound relationships, with young people from all over the world, having all the same willing and the same God, Father; and nevertheless growing in your faith in God. As we were attending the stuff worship at 5 o’clock in the morning, when the night stills in its power darkness then after this spiritual breakfast we were able to go every Sabbath, in the project that we all started there, consisting in visiting the neighbours and giving Bible studies, or just bringing to them a little piece from the joy and love of God, as the kids were all singing hymnals with all their heart. It is such a wonderful thing and encouraging to see how the kids are the first in remembering the hour and waiting in the truck for going and telling about Jesus.

But like any other adventure is not missing the pick point in which your faith is shacked, but after reading the Bible verse in II Chronicles 20:17 (second part), “set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you”, I felt stronger in my faith.

A SHORT EXPERIENCE IN MY ADVENTURE WITH MY FATHER FROM HEAVEN

Well, being full excited about being in Bolivia, I was supposed to put all my trust in my Father and just lay on Him. So how can one do that when you can’t really see or hear someone sitting besides you saying will be all right. Well I had to do it I just let myself lead by my Father in a wonderful experience. I confess that was very hard. I want to tell you now a story that was important for me, and even if doesn’t seem to be such an extraordinary, one for me had a big impact and I consider it a part of the adventure along my Father.

So, like everybody when we travel to a new place or somewhere else we want to take pictures, isn’t it? I intended the same thing, unless that I didn’t have a camera of my own, but a good friends of mine borrowed me his camera. I took the camera and I was able to use it from the very beginning when I arrived in Bolivia,  before flying to Familia Feliz my camera worked perfectly. Arriving to the orphanage suddenly the camera stopped working. Reasoning with my own mind I start warring about my friend’s camera. But, at the same time, I was willing for a miracle for it to work again. I wanted that God to do something right there. I start thinking at all the people that has such big experiences, and I remembered the most important ingredient, praying. So I gathered some of the volunteers that were next to me that moment when I realized is not working anymore and I prayed; believing that after the prayer the camera will start miraculously. It did not. I confess I was disappointed in a way. But I didn’t loose my faith, so later on, I spoke with a lady and we decided to pray one for each other, she was suppose to pray for my camera miraculously be fixed by God, and I for her family and her children. It didn’t start at all; till the very last day when we ware about to leave. I took the camera from the shelf, and i started like usually. And for my own excitement it started, I came out shouting with the voice of my soul, thank full words through my Father that fixed my camera, and for answering so nice to my prayer which I was willing for. It was such an unimaginable joy, to be able at that very moment to take pictures.

Here is the first picture that I took:

The classroom from God’s school

Do you think God has a plan in regarding our world? I’m sure He has. In such a mixed world where the population increase in knowledge or where still exist uncivilized countries, God our Father, Teacher and Friend prepared a plan of salvation for us. And this plan can start only if we allow Him to do His work. So doing His plan God needs us. That’s why like we heard till now, the very beginning of being part-takers in God’s plan of salvation, is to be educated for Him and by Him. We’ve seen, and we know the primary education of Jesus, in nature but also in the synagogue.

Well, Godwants to prepare us like He prepared His son. Thats why I will speak a little bit about the schools of God. Schools in which He can prepare us in doing His plan for the salvation of the others and implicit of us. In different parts of the world God choose people that are able to lead His institutions of education.

Being a tool in God hands, Matteson School purpose is to prepare people to be a missionary, to be trained in the right direction for that in the future life they can persue the course in which they were directed. Can we really call Matteson School a school of God? I’m sure we can.With its principles based on God’s primary book, the Bible, then the Spirit of Prophecy and the Health Reform necessary for a good life it is hard to doubt. Having Bible and Health classes, Matteson School students have a good preparation in the main point of mission and also for a good true christian life.

“The physical as well as the mental should be cultivated and properly developed”, says Ellen White. Combining theoretical classes with practical work the students are gaining in strenght of nerve and solidity as well as activity muscles. This is a proper education which will bring forth from our school young man and women who are not week and inefficient, who are not a one-sided education, but an all-round physical, mental and moral training.

Now, do you think God has a plan for educating other nations or people in His proper schools? I’m sure He has. So in a dangerous, insecure, poor, uncivilized country, God has also a plan for His children. Inspiring people in the ministry of building schools for Him, God wants to offer a proper to little children in the jungle of Bolivia. That’s why for the moment exists one primary school and one High-school, in Rurrenabaque and Guyaramerin, Bolivia. They are based on the same principles of God. God’s word is the first meal of each day; every day the kids are fed by God in His precious morning worship. Then the school starts, with a lot of joy; and they are thought by missionaries who has a proper education from before in the school of God.

Being a poor country they also have to learn that working is the must important lesson; that’s why in the afternoon, practical work together with all the volunteers and their teachers it is started. Poverty in many cases is a blessing; If they would have virtuous characters, they must have the discipline of well-regulated labor, which will bring into their own satisfaction of being useful.

Being in this primary school, called Familia Feliz for almost 3 months, I’ve seen a huge difference between the children inside of the school and the common ones from the village, as we were implicated in the project of visiting the neighbours and giving Bible studies.

“The early education of youth generally shapes their characters for life”. That’s why I want to end with a thought from “Steps to Christ” by Ellen White:

“The power of choice God has given to men: it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him.”   – “Stepts to Christ”, pg. 30;

And I will want to add just this: choosing to let him educate you for later on to be able to serve Him.

norwegian little boy

a litle bolivian girl