The Bolivia – Oklahoma Partnership
From the past – history . . .
In 1985, the Executive Committee of the Iglesia Evangélica en Bolivia (IEMB) decided to take the Great Commission beyond the borders of Bolivia. With much prayer, they determined to share their understanding of the Gospel with the United States. Because they did not have the finances to send missionaries to the US, they invited people from the US to worship, pray, live, and work with them in their churches and homes. And, so began the Bolivia – Oklahoma connection.
In April, 1989, Stillwater FUMC sent Freida Peters and Earl Mitchell to explore the possibility of sending mission teams to Bolivia. Since that time, FUMC has sent 15 medical and construction teams with an average of 15 members on each team.
Partnership Accomplishments
· Creation of the Volunteers-In Missions office
· 60 mission teams from Oklahoma with over 700 volunteers
· $50,000 in construction materials for churches, clinics, and parsonages.
· Approximately $2M in medical supplies
· $9,300 raised for Federation of Methodist Women IEMB projects
· $500,000 for general projects including salary support for Bolivian pastors and GBGM missionaries
2006
FUMC medical team to Inca-Catarapi (left to right): Laura Bollinger, Claudean
Reynolds, Don Crawley, Bob Phillips, Steve Roach, Bill Arrington, Linda Allen.
Back row: Norv Stunkel, 2005 team alum.
Village of Inca-Catarapi
Progress on church construction begun by 2005 team
Claudean Reynolds reads to children while their parents are with the doctors in the clinic
Nursing staff: Laura Bollinger, Carolyn Williams, and Moises Condori, interpreter
Pharmacy staff: Steve Roach, Linda Allen, Bill Arrington
Medical clinic in a tent
Don Crawley with patient and Aymara
interpreter,
Bob Phillips with patient
Moises Condori