We have heard from Scott

This is the second post of the day, but just a few minutes after I finished the last one I got a call from my dad on my mom's cellphone. He said that Scott had called his cell phone, and he was going to put both phones on speaker so I could listen in. When I joined the conversation Mom was describing how she got in the accident and her surgery. I figured he had been given permission to call and check on her. As the conversation continued they started talking more about Scott, and wow, what a story!

Scott is serving a mission in the Santa Cruz Bolivia mission. A few weeks ago his mission president called (he was in the city of Riberalta) and told them they should only leave the apartment if they needed to (Bolivia is in its own civil war right now). According to Scott, last Wednesday was a normal day in Riberalta. Which includes seeing police men getting beat up by civilians, and other horrible activities. That night they got a call from the mission president that they needed to pack a backpack to last them about 4 days just in case they had to go to a safer part of the country in an emergency. The next day they left their apartment with only what they could fit in the backpack, expecting to come home in about 4 days.

At 1:30 am this morning they got a call that they had to leave the country as soon as they could. They were told to do "whatever it took" to get themselves to Brazil and someone would be waiting on the other side to pick them up. Some members drove the "gringos" to the dock and put them on a taxi boat. They took the gringo's out first because Bolivia has declared America a national enemy. The South American missionaries can blend in if they put on their street clothes, but the Gringo's can't. So they are trying to get the white boys out first, then they are going to get all the missionaries out of the country. Anyway, Scott and the other missionaries were warned that since none of them had time to get all of their offical papers from the apartment (and weren't told to pack them for the short stay in another apartment) they probably wouldn't be able to get into Brazil and would be sent back. When the boat landed in Brazil they walked through customs without anyone even asking them a question. Scott said some of the guards were sleeping. They were picked up and driven away with no problems! After getting in the car they were warned that there was another security checkpoint and they would again be asked for papers. As the car came to the security booth along the road they slowed down and noticed this guard was also sleeping at his desk. So they drove through and made it to a hotel, and were allowed to make some phone calls so their parents could be made aware of the situation. In the next few days they are going to try to get the gringos copies of their official papers and get them to Peru where their mission president is trying to evacuate to.

I just keep thinking about how the Lord blesses his children! The fact that the guards were sleeping could have just saved those missionaries lives. What an amazing blessing for our family, especially Mom. The fact that her son could call the day after her surgery, was just what she needed! I know it has been hard on her having both Scott and me gone for the last couple of months. With her accident it has been even harder for her. When I called earlier today she sounded so sick, but hearing her talk to Scott she sounded so much better! It was so encouraging to have her sound better. I know the Lord is blessing our family. It is sad that it takes a civil war for my mom to hear Scott's voice, but she really needed it!