June 2025 Update

We are reaching out once more to share updates on the ministry here in Bolivia. We are grateful for the new opportunities for outreach that have emerged.

This month, we have dedicated significant time to preparing for a medical clinic we will host in early July. The clinic location will be in the community of our second church, and we are expecting a team of 44 to join us, most of whom are medical professionals. During our last four-day clinic, we assisted over 1,700 individuals, so we anticipate a similar or larger turnout this time. Hosting a clinic of this magnitude comes with legal, logistical, and labor challenges, but the rewards have always outweighed the difficulties. About two weeks after our clinic, we will be welcoming a different medical team for a fellow missionary then I will fly with that team to the village to assist as an interpreter.

At the end of May, our churches celebrated the Bolivian Mothers Day.  We did a “tea party” theme with each of the churches and encouraged them to invite mothers from within their communities.  Jessica was asked to bring a special lesson for the mothers of our 3rd church.  We prepared over 100 gifts for the guests and barely had enough between the churches. It was exciting that each church had more in attendance than they were expecting. 

The continued shortage of fuel, the declining economy and the political climate leading up to this year’s presidential election have sparked several protests and blockades across the country. Having lived here long enough, we are not caught off guard by this situation, but it does complicate our ministry work. We are currently working with 2 different churches south of the city. Both are between 2 ½ and 3 hours' drive away. We’ve only managed to reach either of these churches 1 to 2 times since the beginning of the fuel crisis. In our current church plant in Ivitipora, the electrical work is mostly completed, and the paint is ready to be applied but we haven't been able to finish these tasks completely. The same challenge applies to the other church we are working with to re-establish particularly regarding the security wall and restrooms.  Thankfully, both churches have dedicated men leading them, so we are not worried about their resolve to continue. This has been a reoccurring blessing in our ministry. By focusing on the national pastor from the beginning, we can trust that the work will continue even in our absence. In a way, we are working ourselves out of a job from the very start, which is a good thing.

Given the current circumstances, we have been exploring an opportunity for a new outreach closer to home. This would allow us to continue supporting our other churches while remaining active during times that we cannot reach them. There is a family nearby interested in starting a new church, and we are discussing how we can assist them in launching a weekend children’s club to gauge the community response. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we pursue this new outreach.

Thank you for your continued prayers as we serve the Lord here in Bolivia. We are eager to keep moving forward in His work and are grateful for your support in making this possible.