Referendum day

Today is a big day for Bolivia as they hold a nation-wide vote on a new constitution. No vehicles will be allowed on the roads and everything will be shut down - people have to walk or ride bike to their local voting place! There are strong feelings on both sides, so we pray there will not be violence during this referendum day and especially in the weeks to come as the risk of confrontation will be high regardless of the outcome of the vote.

If you're interested in more detail about the constitution and the various points of contention, here's a good overview from the Andean Information Network.

Lynn

Nathan's surgery

Yesterday we had an experience that we didn’t plan to have in Bolivia. Soon after we arrived in Santa Cruz, we discovered that Nathan had a hydrocele (type of hernia) that requires a surgical repair. After stalling out a bit on the idea, we decided to go ahead with the surgery. Yesterday was the day and we’re very thankful that all went well. It was a fairly minor surgery, only lasting about 45 minutes, but he did need general anesthesia. All and all we were only at the hospital about four hours. It’s a great relief to have it over with. Now the challenge is helping him recuperate without overdoing it.

Having surgery at one of the nicest hospitals in Santa Cruz gives us some food for thought. On one hand, my North American nurse eyes saw some things that were lacking or at least not the way it would be in my ideal scenario. But I feel a bit ridiculous even mentioning that because of the overwhelming sense that we benefit from a great deal of privilege when it comes to many things here and at home in PA too. We’ll just add this to the mix of questions and tensions to recognize.

Gratefully, Laurie