Missionary Work In Bolivia: A Life-Changing Experience

Missionaries have been travelling to Bolivia since the 16th century, when priests of different religious orders set out to evangelise the Americas, bringing Christianity to indigenous communities. The country's first missionaries responded to the call of Pastor Henry B. Prince of the Bethesda Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began an orphan ministry for street children in Santa Cruz in the early 1950s. Since then, many missionaries have dedicated their lives to working with national believers to further the cause of evangelism and edification in God's grace. Today, there are over 200,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bolivia, with more than 250 congregations, five missions and one temple.

The need for missionaries in Bolivia

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America with a population of over 11 million people. It is one of the poorest countries in the region, and its people are in need of help to rise out of spiritual poverty.

The country's varied terrain stretches from the Andes Mountains to the Atacama Desert and the Amazon Basin Rainforest. The administrative capital, La Paz, is situated at an altitude of more than 11,400 feet in the Andes highlands. Bolivia is geographically divided into two main regions: the eastern lowlands and the western highlands.

The first missionaries arrived in Bolivia in the mid-1950s, and since then, an aggressive church-planting ministry has resulted in the establishment of numerous churches in various regions. The country's largest city, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located in the eastern lowlands, is home to many of these churches.

There is a great need for missionaries to work in both the urban areas and the largely forgotten rural areas of the Andean highlands. Additionally, there is a shortage of people willing to learn the Quechua or Aymara languages, which are necessary to work with neglected people groups.

Missionaries in Bolivia are involved in a variety of activities, including orphan ministries, teaching, church planting, youth ministries, and leadership training. They also provide Christian-based education to thousands of students and operate mission camps that offer year-round ministry to both youth and adults.

The history of missionaries in Bolivia

The Jesuits' most notable foundation was the doctrina of Juli, established on the shores of Lake Titicaca in 1558 by the Dominicans. The Jesuits took spiritual control of Juli in 1577 and, under their guidance, the settlement flourished, boasting a population of around 15,000 and four churches within a few years.

In 1585, the first Jesuits arrived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where they began evangelising the nearby Itatine tribe. However, their efforts in Santa Cruz were limited, and most of their work continued to be based in La Plata (now Sucre).

In the 17th century, Jesuit missionaries made inroads into the Chiquitos region of Bolivia, with the first Chiquitos reducción, San Francisco Xavier de los Piñocas, founded in 1691. Over the next seven decades, twelve more Jesuit settlements were established in Chiquitos, with the last one, Santo Corazón de Jesús de Chiquitos, founded in 1760. These reducciones were autonomous, self-sufficient communities with a population ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 inhabitants.

Meanwhile, other religious orders such as the Franciscans, Mercedarians, and Dominicans continued their missionary work among the Amerindian communities in Bolivia. They learned local languages and incorporated some indigenous religious practices into Christianity.

In the mid-18th century, the Jesuit missions among the Moxos and Chiquitos people reached their peak, with 22 missions and 45 missionaries. However, in 1767, the Spanish crown expelled the Jesuits, and the missions declined under the charge of secular priests.

The Franciscan missions among the Chiriguanos people also flourished during this time, reaching their peak in around 1800 with 16 towns. Unfortunately, these missions were destroyed during the war of independence against Spain, which lasted from 1809 to 1825.

After Bolivia gained independence, various Catholic congregations from Europe and North America continued missionary work in the country, particularly among the indigenous populations. They established schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions, and played a crucial role in providing education and healthcare in remote areas.

In conclusion, the history of missionaries in Bolivia spans centuries and involves multiple religious orders. Their work has had a lasting impact on the country's religious landscape and continues to shape the lives of Bolivians today.

The impact of political unrest on missionaries in Bolivia

Political unrest in Bolivia has had a significant impact on missionaries in the country, particularly those from North America. In November 2019, 63 missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were evacuated from the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission due to civil and political unrest. This decision was made following the resignation and exile of former President Evo Morales, which sparked protests and violence across the country. The missionaries, all from North America, were temporarily reassigned to other missions, while some who were nearing the end of their service returned home.

The Church's decision to evacuate its missionaries from Cochabamba was influenced by the US government's decision to withdraw non-emergency workers from Bolivia. The safety of the missionaries was a top priority, and the Church closely monitored the situation in Bolivia, adjusting its operations as needed. This incident highlights the direct impact of political unrest on missionary work in Bolivia, as organisations prioritise the safety of their workers amidst civil strife.

The political unrest in Bolivia in 2019 was centred around the controversial reelection of President Evo Morales, the country's first Indigenous president. Protests and demonstrations against Morales accused him of subverting democracy by extending his rule beyond the two-term limit established in the 2009 constitution. The disputed election results and subsequent resignation of Morales led to a period of instability and violence in the country. This unrest presented a direct threat to the safety of missionaries in Bolivia, particularly those associated with North America, as seen by the evacuation of Latter-day Saint missionaries.

The political unrest in Bolivia has had a significant impact on the operations of missionary organisations. Beyond evacuations and reassignments, organisations implement safety precautions and guidelines to protect their missionaries. In the aftermath of the 1989 assassinations, North American missionaries were paired with Latin missionaries as a precautionary measure. Additionally, missionaries were instructed to return to their apartments earlier, change their routines, and refrain from wearing their regular missionary attire to reduce their visibility. These measures highlight the direct impact of political unrest on the daily lives and operations of missionaries in Bolivia.

The work of missionaries in Bolivia

Grace Ministries International (GMI), for example, has a team in Bolivia that collaborates with the national church organization, Misión Evangélica Bethesda (MEB). Together, they work on evangelism, church planting, teaching, children and youth ministries, and leadership training. There are now 20 churches located in Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and La Paz, and MEB schools in Santa Cruz provide a Christian-based education to over 2,000 students. GMI also operates a mission camp, Buena Vista, located on 27 acres of land outside the city, which provides year-round ministry to youth and adults.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has a significant presence in Bolivia, with 207,000 members, 250 congregations, five missions, and one temple in the country as of 2019. However, due to political unrest and safety concerns, the church temporarily reassigned 63 missionaries from the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission to other locations in 2019.

World Gospel Mission (WGM) is another organization with a range of missionary opportunities in Bolivia. These include seminary personnel, agriculture and medical professors at the Bolivian Evangelical University, compassionate ministries personnel, and disciplers/church planters. WGM also emphasizes the importance of reaching the younger generation in Bolivia, as more than 53% of the population is under the age of 24.

Overall, the work of missionaries in Bolivia has had a significant impact on the country, contributing to the growth of churches, schools, and other ministries. Despite challenges such as political unrest, missionaries remain committed to serving the people of Bolivia and sharing their faith.

The challenges faced by missionaries in Bolivia

Missionaries have been travelling to Bolivia since as early as 1943, when NTM sent its first team to seek out people groups who had never heard the gospel. Since then, many missionaries have followed in their footsteps, but not without facing a number of challenges.

One of the earliest challenges faced by missionaries in Bolivia was the danger posed by indigenous communities. In 1943, a group of five missionaries were killed by Ayoré warriors. This incident highlights the very real threat to the safety of missionaries in the country.

Another challenge is the geographical isolation of some communities. For example, small aircraft are often the only reliable way to reach villages in the Tacana and Tipnis areas, which are frequently isolated by flood plains or unpredictable rivers. This makes it difficult for missionaries to access these remote areas and provide support to local communities.

Bolivia's diverse cultural backgrounds also pose a challenge for missionaries. The country is home to indigenous groups, rural residents, and urban dwellers, each with their own unique beliefs and traditions. For example, miners in Potosí believe in God, but they also worship "El Tio", a deity who rules supreme underground and to whom they make sacrifices and offerings. This syncretism of beliefs can make it difficult for missionaries to introduce new religious ideas and practices.

Furthermore, political unrest in Bolivia has also impacted the work of missionaries. In 2019, 63 missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were evacuated from the country due to growing political instability and the US government's decision to withdraw non-emergency workers. This incident underscores the potential risks to the safety of missionaries working in volatile political environments.

Lastly, there is a shortage of missionaries in Bolivia, particularly in the rural areas of the Andean highlands. This is partly due to the need for missionaries to learn local languages such as Quechua or Aymara in addition to Spanish, which can be a challenging task.

Despite these challenges, missionaries continue to be called to Bolivia, driven by their commitment to reach the unreached and share the gospel with those who have never heard it.

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