This and Jeff and Sandra’s Facebook page are wonderful resources for news on the good work God is doing in Bolivia, but you can also sign up for their E-Newsletter to keep up on the latest updates. It provides a complete report of their preparations and work to be reaching the people of Bolivia with the Gospel.
A real Blessing…
Many people in Bolivia are still enduring hardship because of the impact that COVID has had in the country. Our dear friends Ronald Mora and Helen Arias (along with their sons) are working in a couple of areas of Tarija that have been economically hit extremely hard.
You may remember seeing pictures where we recently helped provided winter clothing to some children who are part of the Children’s Clubs in the barrios of “4 de Marzo” and “Primavera”. Yet, the needs in these communities does not stop there and many families are just barely scraping by. Many are hungry.
To help with that we asked if we could provide some food for the families in the 2 Bible Study groups that meet where these kid’s clubs are located. Just this past weekend food was bought and distributed among these families. Helping people with physical sustenance is always good. But, knowing that they are also receiving Spiritual sustenance and growing is the real blessing.
Here are some pictures of these families…
As you may remember, we built a new building for Iglesia Bautista La Luz in 2017. Fortunately, we built a building that was able to be disassembled should we ever need to move. In 2019 we lost the lease on the property we were renting when the owner decided he wanted to build in the very spot where we had put our Auditorium. So, we took the building down and relocated it to a new location. It has been a blessing.
We were not able to add classrooms and our children’s Sunday School ministry has met together in one class for all ages. However, post-COVID there are new requirements that have been handed down by the municipality where we are located. They want the children’s classes to be divided and want to maintain the requirement for social distancing. Bolivia is still struggling with COVID on many fronts, and it appears that some sort of requirements will be in place for the foreseeable future. Thus, we need to build separate classrooms so that we can comply with the new regulations and continue reaching children with the Gospel.
Within the next week or so, concrete floors will be poured in an area behind our auditorium. It is not much but it is a start. The plan is to use tarps to divide the classes until funding can be secured to build a roof, walls, and install electricity. Here are a few pictures of the children of Iglesia Bautista La Luz and the area where the concrete will be poured.
Que bueno!
Another ministry that we are pleased to help with is in two communities. These neighborhoods are in the Tarija region where we have lived and worked in recent years. One is named “4 De Marzo” and the other one is “Primavera”. These works are being managed by our dear friends Ronald Mora and his wife Helen Arias. Each week, their sons Mateo and Leonardo faithfully assist their parents. These boys are excellent and are a great testimony of the leadership of their parents in the home.
The work in the communities “4 De Marzo” and “Primavera” are the result of the feeding ministry that took place during the 7-month COVID shutdown. The Hollis family was serving in these communities and began having services once the restrictions were lifted. Their family has had to return to the US due to health concerns. Ronald and Helen have faithfully continued the work in their absence.
It is now winter in Bolivia and Ronald recently contacted us and told us that the children in these communities were without winter clothing. Many homes in Bolivia are without heat and the children were freezing. We were blessed to be able to step in and help provide clothing for the children.
Here are some pictures of the children receiving their new clothes…
One of the ministry endeavors that brings joy to us is partnering with people doing various evangelistic and outreach projects being carried out by some of our Bolivian brothers and sisters. Some of these works are in areas where we have not been before. Some of them are in locations that are remote and dangerous to outsiders. One such endeavor took place a few weeks ago.
There is an area of Bolivia known as The Beni. This is a tropical region which is located in the lowlands and borders Brazil. Several Amazon River tributaries run through the region as well two sierra mountain chains called Eva Eva and Pelado. This part of Bolivia was an important area of pre-Columbian civilization.
Our friends, Mario Flores and his wife Elena Fernandez Gamarra along with their three sons live and work in the Beni and have an exciting ministry along the rivers of the area. Recently, they asked us to help them with a project that would see them go to an area in the Beni where the Chimane people live. There are several tribes in this area that can only be visited by obtaining the permission of certain chieftains. The consequences of going in without their permission can be quite dire.
Their goal was to go in the area accompanied by a dentist and another Bolivian pastor (we don’t know their names) and serve the people by offering a dental clinic and having Bible studies where they could. They also spoke to the Chieftains and have been given permission to return and work in the area. They plan to move forward by taking the Gospel to the people who live there. Please pray for them as they minister in the area and wisdom for us as we hope to help them along the way.
Here are a few pictures of them and the clinic that they recently completed…
One of the hospitals in Tarija, Bolivia has run out of oxygen and they are worried that 46 people are at risk of dying.
This is where we’ve lived and worked in Bolivia. We have many colleagues, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ who live here. Please pray for these folks and country’s like Bolivia.
God bless Bolivia