May, 2008
Dear Friends,
May has already been an exciting month, and it has barely begun! On the 4th, the largest departmento (state) held a referendum on whether to declare autonomy from the federal government. Everyone expected severe violence to result, and that perhaps even civil war would begin. The government promised 80,000 anti-autonomy protesters would march here in Cochabamba. Confrontations were feared between the two factions. Most churches canceled services, many folks went into “lockdown” and the city waited in dread of what would happen.
We had planned to launch a new service the first week of June. However, this was an opportunity to reach out to the community. With about seventeen hours to prepare, we spread the word that we would hold a music and prayer service at 10AM. As the troubles were not expected until afternoon, we felt t would be safe if we made sure to get everyone on there way home by 11:15.
We had a great music service, with Cynthia on the keyboard and Nicholas on the guitar. I opened the windows so the neighborhood could hear Christians singing about their Lord! We then had a long time of prayer, focusing on the God’s controlling hand on our country. Finally I gave a brief Bible lesson on trusting God in challenging times.
With so much of the city staying home, attendance was small, but we did have an impact! The guests heard the Gospel! Word has spread and we are receiving inquiries about when formal services and Bible studies will begin!
As for the “troubles”, the marchers marched, the protestors protested, and everyone went quietly home. Cochabamba remained peaceful. There was indeed violence in Santa Cruz, with three dead, and many injured. Now we wait to see what will happen next. Please continue to pray for the troubled nation of Bolivia.

Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

Exciting News!

We have found a house in Cochabamba! It is on a major street, just two cuadras (blocks) from a major landmark of the city. Everyone in Cochabamba will know how to find us!

The bottom floor has two large rooms, when combined, will seat 80+ people! The rooms can be divided for two classrooms when needed. There are two other class rooms on that level, for Sunday School and such.

The living space that remains will be slightly smaller than we have now, and we have a few other challenges with the property, but we’ll work with all that. The important thing is that there is room for a church to meet, in addition to classes during the week. Parking is allowed on the street, so we will have no problem there.

This is a tremendous answer to prayer! Thank you for praying with us!

Of course, the rent in the city will be higher. We need your help to accomplish this work. There are two ways in which you can help us. If you are not currently supporting us monthly, now would be a great time to start!

The other way to help us is with a one-time offering. As you know, we took out a loan to purchase a vehicle. That payment is $188 per month. If we could pay that loan off, the gain would be like adding three new supporting churches! We need $6,000 to pay off the loan so that we can begin outfitting our new work.

Will you help?

Thank you, dear friends, for your faithfulness!
The Johnsons [Steve, Cynthia, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David ]

January 9, 2008
Dear Friends,
The new year started with the sound of explosions all over the city! No, it was not civil war, it was fireworks! All over Cochabomba there were beautiful displays. Unfortunately, even on New Years, we’d like to get some sleep, but some folks insisted on partying all night. There is a popular huge firecracker named the “mother-in-law-killer” that sound like a grenade going off! These went off all night, leaving us bleary eyed in the morning. Everyone is taking a break from politics for the holidays. There are warnings that protests and confrontations will start up again mid-January, and some are predicting it will be worse than last year. Thanks to you, our faithful partners, we have a freezer stocked with supplies for even a two week blockade!
Two Baptist missionaries have left over fear of the “troubles”. One church (30 people) closed, and the other (25 people) has ceased having services for lack of a place to meet. We lack the resources to help, and our current house is too far away from the city for the churches to meet here. It is so frustrating to see these churches close their doors while we are eager to help, but lack the finances to sustain them. We have to trust God that He is still in control. Pray with us that we will gain more churches to partner with us.
We have to move, as our landlord has sold the house we are renting. Pray with us that we will find something inside the city that we can afford yet will be large enough to hold services.
Our street continues to be blocked due to the sewer project. It is like London after the Blitz, with piles of rubble everywhere. The “two week” project has already taken over a month, and local folks expect it will be April before autos can travel the street again. We are able to park the van in a field nearby. One of the neighbors has placed sturdy planks across the widest trench, so the “streets” are less treacherous.

We have begun the year with new semester of language study! God has made a way for us to study, even though we can’t afford the full tuition. One sweet Bolivian lady has caught our vision of what is needed here and is teaching us for free, and I am working with a student teacher who charges half of what the professionals do.

Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

December 27, 2007
Dear Friends,
First let us thank you for a wonderful Christmas! Several churches sent us extra gifts. Along with goodies for the kids, Nicholas was able to have emergency dental work done, and urgent repair was done on our “new” van!
The last praise deserves some explanation. Speed limits are not enforced by traffic cops here in Cochabamba. Instead they use huge speed bumps, nicknamed “axle breakers”. It is normal to “speed” down the road at 25-30 miles per hour, then slow to 2-3 miles per hour to slowly creep over the axle-breakers. What did us in was a HUGE pothole, followed by a newly installed axle-breaker. Even going very, very slowly, the twin dangers were too much for our old rear suspension. Thanks to your sweet kindness, Nicholas is out of pain, we are back on the road and everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!
This month I want to share several prayer requests with you.
First, fears of political troubles and even civil war in Bolivia have prompted the other independent Baptist missionaries to return to the States. One church was disbanded and its building sold. Another new work was closed. A third work continues, but under difficult circumstances. Our careful evaluation has shown us that it is premature to leave. I assure you that we are in no physical danger! Missionaries from other groups and denominations are not leaving Bolivia. We will continue to monitor the situation, and keep you informed. However, the impact of these things is that we, the newest missionaries in Cochabamba City, with the least resources, are left to carry the ministry alone. As we are still in language studies, and struggling to raise work support, we are ill-equipped to fill the gap. However, God has placed us here, and we will see His work accomplished!
Second, we have been given a wonderful opportunity. Bolivian Christians are persuaded that our ministry is vital here, and are offering to help. Normal tuition in the best (and least expensive) language school is $480 per month for full time classes. They have offered to allow me to have full classes for $120 per month. This means that one teacher is giving me free time, while others are cutting their fees by more than half. Because we have not received enough funds to pay off the van ($7,500 is still needed), even this reduced amount is too large for us. Pray we can either pay off the van loan or receive special gifts to take advantage of this short term opportunity!
Third, we need to move! Our landlord has sold our house wants us out ASAP! Unfortunately, houses in our price range that are large enough for our family are hard to find. Additionally, the road to our current house has been blocked due to the laying of sewer lines. This project will last 2-3 months, perhaps longer. To get to the field where we now park our van, we must cross construction trenches that are 2-3 feet wide, 5-6 feet deep! It is “interesting” when we have to walk home in the dark.
Fourth, we are struggling with parasites. This is not life threatening, but it is debilitating. Pray that we will respond to the medication!
Fifth, Steve has to come to the States for a month to seek new church partners! We need help to cover the ticket.

Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

November 17, 2007
Dear Friends,
Greetings from the…United States? I am currently in the middle of a short visit Stateside to present our work in Cochabamba to new churches and report to some current supporters. I visiting be in five states during a two month tour. It is difficult to be away form my family for so long, but Cynthia and determined that this was the most faithful way to use the resources you have entrusted to us. She and the kids stayed behind in Cochabamba, “holding the fort.” What a blessing modern technology can be! We are contact nearly every day via email and internet phone.
Let me tell you what the team is up to while I am visiting churches in the USA. Cynthia has been presenting craft classes to some ladies organizations in the city, and was asked to serve as an interim officer for the Cochabamba Woman’s Club. This group is sort of combined ladies auxiliary/rotary/chamber of commerce. Our goal is to use these opportunities to network with the business people of “Coch”, preparing for ministry among them.
Thomas is planning some special outreach events for the months to come. This involves the coordination of location, resources and personnel to make these evangelistic events successful. Nicholas has the assignment of putting the music programs together. This more to crafting a meaningful worship service than translating the lyrics The music must speak to the local culture, and speak about the love of Jesus!
There are times I think my job here is going to Wal-Mart! I have long shopping lists of vitally needed supplies ranging from guitar picks to socks and computer parts.
Seriously, the purpose of my trip is two fold. We need more partner churches to help to fund the works planned for Cochabamba. There are many opportunities to share the Gospel, and we need the resources to move the work forward. Continuing our language studies is vital! We can function in Bolivian society, but to communicate clearly on a heart to heart level demands mastery of the language, and that means we have to continue in school.
My other purpose is to raise funds for a vehicle. We have purchased a terrific 8 passenger Toyota van. (Pictures will be on the web site soon www.exhort.com). By the time all the paperwork and mechanical work are complete the cost will be approximately $9,000. We need to raise this money quickly, to pay off the loan and put the van on the road!
I have been asked many times if I was homesick during the last year. The answer is no, but I am now! I cannot wait to get back to Cochabamba. God has planted our hearts there! As I share the vision for the work with churches across the US, I am burdened with the need to be about that work. It is wonderful to be with you, but we yearn to be with our people in Coch. The need is great and the time is so very, very short.
Please pray with us that these needs for support and the vehicle will be met quickly. There is so much to be done!

Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

September 9, 2007
Dear Friends:
Our FIRST working furlough!!!
We are so excited about Steven’s short trip to the U.S.! He will have the blessing of presenting our ministry in many churches across the country. His primary focus is to raise more support for work funds. We are also raising the funds for a badly needed vehicle! Please keep these needs in prayer!
Last letter we told you about a Bolivian funeral. At the other end of the spectrum of life, we have birth! Here in Bolivia, parents will take a long time to carefully consider what name(s) to give their children. There is a complex method of determining a person’s heritage by examining their “apellidos” [last name], but much care is taken in choosing their given names. It is not unusual for children to have 3 given names, so our children fit right in!
It is a deep honor for a child to be named for you. While the naming does not enlist the honored person as a “God-parent”, there is still an expectation of spiritual and emotional investment in that child and/or parent. The parents of a newborn have about a year to figure the name out. The 1st birthday of the child is a BIG deal, with lots of relatives and the “giving of blessings” by all involved.
Our taxi driver, Marco, is a sweet Christian man who has been hurt by things in his life. We have known Marco for a year now and have seen him grow in his spiritual life through our talk while riding with him. We have to use taxis a LOT here, so there are many opportunities to witness and counsel! He and his 2nd wife had just had their baby prior to meeting us. As he and his wife Susi began working on names for their baby, they went through a variety of choices. During this time, we were able to help him from time to time with one thing or another, but mostly we gave him our friendship and mutual respect. This offering of respect for her husband and our compassion for Susi, blessed Susi as well.
When the time came to name their baby, since the 1st birthday was approaching, it was quite a surprise when Marco told us that Susi had decided upon a name and Marco had agreed: Leonardo Steven [not "Esteban"... STEVEN] and yes… they named their baby boy for my husband, Steven!!!! But the blessing didn’t stop there. They invited us to Leo’s birthday party the next day.
When we got to the party, we were met with some skeptical eyes at the “gringos”. Why were they invited? Those eyes were joyful and friendly by the time we left. The birthday customs were familiar, and yet different. A very special part of the celebration was when the family members were called over to say a blessing “over” Leo. That was really special! They spoke of how they loved and respected Marco and Susi and what they hoped for Leo in the future. So you can imagine our shock… humility and speechlessness when we were asked to say a blessing over Leo too! As one of Leo’s namesakes, Steven was asked to give Leo a blessing. We were so honored.
Please keep Susi in prayer. She is not yet a believer, and we long to see this sweet family united in Christ!

Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Dear Friends:
What a blessing to live in this beautiful and loving country. We have been working hard to teach ourselves the language. In the absence of tuition for language school, we have sought whatever opportunities the Lord brings our way to learn more about speaking Spanish. One of the ways the Lord is teaching us the language is through good Bolivian friends who speak Spanish. Through these friendships we learn culture and we share hearts and the needs, joys and sorrows of life, and how these life events are observed in our country of Bolivia.
This month we were blessed to be honored by our friends in both ends of the spectrum of life. One set of friends had their father die after a long, painful illness. This precious man was a Believer, as are these friends, and so his home-going was not a hopeless occasion! It was such an honor to be asked to attend the funeral. For the most part, only family and close friends are invited to a funeral. By the surprised and skeptical looks we received, it was obvious that few “gringos” were ever invited to funerals. But the welcome given to us by our friends, and by our own demeanor at the service, gave the rest of the group a confidence to relax around us. We were so honored by their acceptance!
A Bolivian funeral was a very different experience for us. The memorial at the funeral parlor was very brief, as the room had to be cleared for the next service. As we left, the mourners for the next funeral were crowding around the doors. Cemetery space is dear in Cochabamba, and so the dead are buried vertically in vaults, similar to New Orleans. What a shock to realize that the smaller squares facing the paths were for children! It’s the same kind of shock you have when you see those tiny caskets. It was heartbreaking to see how many of the vaults were child-sized.
Another shock came during the vault-side service when, after the “predicación” [sermon] and during the time of singing, the grave workers came by and began plastering over the opening where the casket had been slid inside. For some reason, it seemed more “final” than the burials we are used to. It seemed odd to seal the vault in front of the family, until we realized it was proof against grave robbing by the workers.
The last shock came when the cemetery “officials” demanded payment from the widow while the assembly was still singing. It seemed so cold and callous to us, as did the grave workers waiting for their “propina” [tip] for having plastered over the opening.
We learned a lot about our new culture through this experience and it brought us even closer to our dear friends, for having shared their grief and having given support to them in their time of sorrow.
Prayer:
The need for tuition for language school cannot be overstated! $300 per month is needed.
Please pray for the three ladies Cyn is leading in discipleship training. These ladies need to grow in the Lord. Also pray that our witness to Suzi (pronounced “Soosee”) will bare fruit and she will be saved.
Blessings!
The funds have been raised for the second phase of our visas! This is a vital step in our permanent residence status. We will have to do it again in two years, for the third and final phase.
Serving Christ in Bolivia
Steve, Cyn, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David Johnson

June 2007
What’s Happening in Bolivia?
The economy of Bolivia takes terrible toll on families. Many homes are divided as one spouse or the other seeks work in other countries and [sometimes] send support home to Cochabamba. One family, for example, hasn’t seen their husband/father in over two years. In worse cases, children are abandoned and left behind by both parents.
The outcome of the political struggle in Bolivia is far from certain, but the conflict hurts the poor. For example, a recent dispute between the national and local government resulted in liquid gas being diverted from Cochabamba to other cities, even though the production facility is here. For many, many homes, that fuel, which is delivered in small tanks similar to Propane, is the only source for cooking and hot water. The local folks set up barricades in the streets to call attention to their plight. Even so, it took nearly a month for the situation to straighten out.
What’s Happening with the Johnson’s?
Have you checked our web site? At www.exhort.com, we keep you up to date with the ministry here in Bolivia, as well as sharing news with our friends.
Cynthia has started discipling two ladies here, a Bolivian and a Chilean! Both ladies speak Spanish. Cyn has been studying Spanish on her own, using her previous language/linguistics training from university and God has blessed so that she does not need an interpreter. That is, unlike I, who have never taken a foreign language before now, and continue to need interpreter help. Pray for these ladies as Cyn works with them.
Though it will still be some time before we begin Phase Two of our work here, we are scouting the best places to plant new churches. Two areas show great promise and need. Pray with us as we lay the foundations for the work to come!
Prayer Needs:
• Cynthia has broken a tooth! It is an old root canal, so she isn’t in pain. However, it has to be fixed immediately! The dentist is recommending an implant instead of a bridge, so there would be no damage to the adjoining teeth. The good news is that an implant here will only cost $300 (a bridge would cost more)! However, if too much time is allowed to pass, more extensive corrective work will be required. We must act now!
• Steve has had to stop language school temporarily. Only one quarter of the funds needed for my language study were raised. Those have been exhausted. This is the most important job we have at this time: to learn the language of the people. Please consider making a one time gift to pay for our schooling!
• Our second phase of the visa process was supposed to start in July. However, ever changing government regulations require $350 now! We will need an additional $1,500 by July. That first payment must be made immediately!
Thank you for your faithful support!
Steven and Cynthia Johnson, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David!

Here’s the news from Bolivia:
Lorien’s arrival
Thank you for your prayers, and the numerous churches who met our need in crisis, our daughter Lorien is safe and sound in Cochabamba. She’s caught her breath and is working with our kids for their schooling, and starting her studies of the proposed new Bolivian government.
Build a Bed funds completed
Thanks to you, our dear friends, the Build-a-Bed project is completed! Only one bed remains to be built, and then there will be no Johnsons sleeping on the floor! Even the dog has her own cushion to sleep on!
Freezer from WMS at Central
As we shared in a previous letter, the blockades of January made it clear that we were not prepared for a siege! Whether it be political blockades, or roads washed out by rain, Cochabamba can go days or even weeks without fresh meat or veggies being brought to the city. We needed a freezer! No sooner had we made that need known, than the Women’s Missionary Society of Central Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas and the folks at Canon Community Baptist Church in Canon City, Colorado sent us the funds to get the equipment. Thanks to Cyn’s bargaining skills, we got a large chest freezer AND a microwave oven. We’ll have photos on the website soon. Thank you, ladies!
Typhoid
They say you aren’t a veteran missionary until you’ve had an exotic disease or a parasite large enough to name. In early February, I was diagnosed with Typhoid Fever. The treatment was no big deal, two weeks of antibiotics, but I was unprepared for the recovery. The Dr. prescribed three weeks of bed rest; you know THAT wasn’t happening, so I haggled him down to 1 week of bed rest and another of reduced activity. However, the second week found me falling over from fatigue. As the Dr. predicted, it was a full three weeks before I was up to speed. This is not something we recommend for your 3rd World experience!!
Ministry
Our language studies continue. We attend classes as long as we have the funds to pay for those classes. God may be opening up an opportunity to move into the city, which will greatly increase our chances to hear/speak Spanish in everyday life! But we still need so much more training. We’ve only been able to pay for 4 hours of instruction per week, and this is just not sufficient. Please pray that more churches will follow through with their commitments to fund our language acquisition and that more will come on board for this purpose.
While we have been focusing on learning Spanish and inserting ourselves into the Bolivian/Cochabamban culture and mindset, we have had the freedom to be involved with an English speaking local church in Coch. They have activities for our teens, which is great. This ministers to the family and I have the freedom to examine the needs for ministry among the indigenous peoples in Cochabamba and in Bolivia.

Thank you for your faithful support!
Steven and Cynthia Johnson, Thomas, Nicholas, Staton and David!