St. Andrew's
Collierville, TN

Mission Date: June 30-July 9, 2005
Location: Cochabamba, Bolivia
Project: Vacation Bible School

MISSION TRIP TO BOLIVIA

Two members of St. Andrew’s in Collierville went to Cochabamba, Bolivia, to help with Vacation Bible School at La Trinidad Anglican Church. Pam Connery and Paula Wood departed on June 30 and returned home on July 9. The trip was coordinated through SAMS (South American Missionary Society) and Deacon Dotti Gleason at La Trinidad.

St. Andrew’s has helped support a missionary family, Jack and Mary McDonald and their two children Ashby and Jack Jr., in Cochabamba during the past year. Jack is a banker with expertise in micro-loans and Mary is a large-animal veterinarian. Jack extended the invitation last November to St. Andrew’s to come help La Trinidad with their bilingual VBS the week of July 4-8.

Pam and Paula were guests at the Diocese of Bolivia retreat house, hosted by Bishop Frank and Shawnee Lyons. The VBS went well. Pam and Paula enjoyed working with the local university students and with the McDonalds. They also worked with Larry & Betty Colletta, the newest missionaries from SAMS, who arrived six months ago. Approximately 30 children, ages 4-12, attended the VBS each day with as many as 36 on the closing day. The children were divided, according to age, into three of the twelve tribes of Israel: Benjamin, Judah, and Levi. The children rotated three stations: story time, crafts, and games. Each morning began with a puppet presentation and singing. Pam and Paula were responsible for the crafts. The most popular craft was the molding and painting of angels and crosses. The children molded on one day and painted on the next. They were very artistic, mixing their own colors, and their work was beautiful! Parents were invited to a closing ceremony on the last day where they enjoyed hearing what the children learned that week, watching them dance the traditional Jewish Hava Nagili, and listening to them sing songs they’d learned in English and Spanish. Refreshments, including candy the children made during the week, were served afterward.

Pam and Paula visited Zapatito Orphanage for Boys as well as Mosoj Yan, a ministry for street girls. Approximately 43 boys, formerly street boys, live at the orphanage. All of the boys are in school and are responsible for daily chores. Everyone goes to church on Sunday. Mosoj Yan, A New Way, works with approximately 70 girls ages 5 – 18. The goal is to get and keep the girls off the street by offering them an alternative way of life that includes learning a trade and staying in school. The focus is on reorientation and healing, self-image and “who they are before God.”

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America. With the average annual per capita income being $800-$2,000, typically both parents work just to pay housing and food expenses for their families. Other statistics: 46% of the population is under 18; over 2,500 children live on the streets in major cities; 33% of Bolivian children work rather than go to school; 13% of adolescent girls are pregnant or have children. Problems of child labor, child trafficking and sexual abuse are increasing. As you can see, there is much opportunity for sharing our time, talents, and treasure there.

Pam and Paula made their mission presentation at St. Andrew’s on Sunday, July 24, and are excited about the interest shown in making another trip next year. The McDonalds just moved to Santa Cruz, so there are mission possibilities in both Cochabamba and Santa Cruz next summer. We are very hopeful our mission team will grow!

If your parish is interested in having Pam and Paula make a presentation of their short-term mission trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia, please phone Paula Wood at the St. Andrew’s office, 853-0425, Monday-Wednesday.