More on Bolivia
In 1983, God raised up a Bolivian by the name of Oscar Lima who together with a group of Columbians and Chileans began the work of YWAM in La Paz. Later in 1990, God provided the means for opening a base in Santa Cruz which would house another Discipleship Training School. At this moment in Bolivia YWAM is operating:
A Base of Discipleship Training in the city of Santa Cruz
A Mercy Ministries Base that works with street children and adolescents.
A Frontier Missions ministry working to plant churches and improve the level of education. The ministry has already constructed a church and a school for primary level education, which will soon be expanding to offer secondary education as well. The church and the school are operating in the state of Beni, in San Ignacio de Moxos.
Youth With a Mission began in Bolivia with a Discipleship Training School (DTS) in 1983. The school was held in La Paz, and led by an international team of Columbians, Brazilians, Chileans, and Bolivians. In 1990, Santa Cruz took its first steps by starting a Discipleship Training School of its own, and since then has continued mobilizing, training, and discipling the youth of the nation and beyond to carry the good news into al the world. Today, Youth With a Mission, Bolivia is also involved in mercy missions, carrying out a program with street children and adolescents in Santa Cruz, and has planted a church and Christian school in San Ignacio de Moxos, Beni, Bolivia. YWAM as well is taking advantage of every opportunity to evangelize to Bolivia using house to house visitation and sharing the gospel in plazas, schools, and public events; using creative arts such as Dramas, Mime, and Dance are proving to be very effective ways to spread the good news.The last year, YWAM launched a mobile team into ministry with the purpose to train, disciple and evangelize in all Bolivia.
When Jesus saw the multitude he was moved and had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:36-38).
Today, 1.3 billion people have never heard the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There are approximately 11,000 groups of people that do not have even one Christian witness among them. These include 4,000 Muslim groups, 2,000 Hindu groups, 1,000 groups of Buddhists, 3,000 tribal groups, and 1,000 groups of Chinese people.
The first missionary evangelist came to Bolivia in 1895. 103 years later, the church here in Bolivia is growing in its potential to be a powerful missionary nation, reaching other nations with the love of the Father.
Bolivia is known for being an economically poor, politically unstable country (200 successful coups in 175 years), with a great amount of corruption resulting from the sale of coca products and drug-trafficking. In spite of all this, the people are rich spiritually and conscience of their call to missions. The Bolivian church is growing rapidly and maturing spiritually, and has began to accept her responsibility to send out and support Bolivian missionaries.
Today Bolivia has a small team of missionaries in other parts of the world, and a heart prepared for missions with the hope to extend a hand to the people in the 10/40 window. It is truly an awesome time in this nation, where together we are anxiously praying and preparing ourselves to become an important part of the Great Commission.
Bolivian Christians have a heart and a spirit to serve the Lord in the church and abroad as missionaries. YWAM Bolivia with its base in Santa Cruz, sees the necessity to prepare young people, through different discipleship training programs, and help them discover their gifts, calling, and ministry. In this way the young people can gradually assume more responsibility taking their place in the church and in the Nations.
Geographically, Bolivia is a land of extremes and contrasts. The Andean range at its widest here and is split into 2 chains (The Cordilleras). These peaks range between 5,800 meters (about 18,000 feet) and 6,500 meters (20,000 feet). Between the Cordilleras lies the Altiplano dry, cold and battered by the winds. Here the average temperature is 10 degrees Celcius. Almost 75% of the Bolivian population lives in these rough, high plains. Bolivia´s functioning capital, La Paz is also located there.
To the east of the altiplano lies rich valleys where the temperature is around 21 degrees Celcius. Rivers and streams characterize this region.
To the north, the mountains enter gradually, covering the Amazon region and area of rain forest.
To the south (including Santa Cruz), the geography is very plain, and savannah now takes the place of dense forests. From September to April the climate is tropical, warm and very humid. From May to August the strong winds coming from Argentina are surprisingly chilly. There is also a rainy season between December and February-March.
The fastest growing, and most modernized city is Santa Cruz, a center for Oil and growing agriculture. Santa Cruz is a city of contrasts, with its large commercial centers, supermarkets, extensive open-air markets, and very poor infrastructure.
The Incan empire controlled that which is now Bolivia (From approximately 1450 to 1532). In 1532, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizzarro attacked Peru and in 6 years overcame the entire Incan Empire. In 1661 began a the first in a series of revolts that eventually gained Bolivia its independence from Spain in 1825, under the direction of Simon Bolivar.
Although independent, Bolivia has struggled since the mid 1980´s to gain political stability. Through a series of wars in the mid 1950´s, Bolivia lost territory to its surrounding neighbors.
Bolivia has a colorful history of religion and ancient beliefs, which are now at the moment mixed. For example the traditional Indigenous people like the Aymara substitute and renamed their Pachamama, known to be the mother Earth, with the Virgin Mary, who was imposed upon them by the Spaniards and Roman Catholic Church. These Indians are known as Christ-Pagans.
As well, llama embryos and other ritual offerings one can buy in the markets to bring good luck and protection to family and the work environment. These animistic beliefs keep many in slavery.
Bolivia´s spiritualy strongholds and principalities are idolatry, witchcraft, animism, religiosity, corruption, inferiority, alcoholism, etc.