Update from Bolivia

We recently received the following update from the ministry we are supporting in Bolivia: Cristo Luz del Mundo. We have included first a translation of the update, but the original is also included as an attachment (with pictures!).

Service Project

CHRIST LIGHT OF THE WORLD

"One generation will praise your works to another generation and declare your mighty deeds" (Psalm 145:4)

I send you greetings from Bolivia, dear brothers! Thank you very much for your support throughout the year 2024. Reaching the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra "One generation will praise your works to another generation and declare your mighty deeds" (Psalm 145:4) Tell them that God has been very good and continues to provide for the service of His church. I received a unique offering for my sustenance from the La Trinidad church in Santiago, which allows me to better cope with the economic crisis that Bolivia is experiencing. And I also received another unique offering from St. Stephen's Church in England to support work among teens, college students, and young adults! Now I share with you more of our service that we have done in the months of November, December and January!! I share this small report of what we have finished doing in 2024 and what we are beginning to plan for 2025, thinking about preparing a generation of believers to announce the works of God to another generation.

Adolescents

During November we had our weekly meetings focused on teaching about our Identity. We learned from questions such as Who is God? Who are we? And how do we have to live? For this, we are using the material from Gospel-Centered Living. We reflect on the Gospel story where the Bible tells us: creation, fall, salvation and hope, through which our identity is defined. We had time in small groups by age to have a place to share our questions, struggles, and challenges as people who need God to understand our identity.

Throughout December, as a Church, we prepared for our Christmas presentation where the Teens participated in the drama of the birth of Jesus, a great presentation with acting and dancing. This is how we ended the year 2024 remembering Emmanuel with great joy, God with us. January was free but during Sundays we reinforced our central verse of 2024-2025 which is John 15:5 (“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”). We read the Psalms and prayed them. We also had our year-end sports outing! We enjoyed sharing in the neighborhood sports field and we had many friends invited by the boys who we hope in the Lord that in 2025 they can also grow in friendship and companionship, since as a Church next year 2025 we will work on that.

University

We ended the year by getting together every week in a café or at church. We have continued to read the Gospel of Mark with the guidance provided by the Swedish method. It is very simple and allows you to share how the Lord is speaking to you and also make it practical. We thank God that the small group is consistent and that is why this year we will continue to deepen by growing as disciples, and we will also learn how we can disciple others.

Young Adults

We closed the year concluding with the book of Philippians and it was a joy to see that the group has also grown in friendship. This 2025 we want to deepen the friendship and for that we will talk about Work, something that we all have in common and with which we struggle daily. We will see how to relate Sunday to Monday's work. We will have meetings in homes to invite colleagues.

MOCLAM

(Google search: The goal of MOCLAM is to make accessible yet high quality theological education available to Spanish speakers throughout Ibero-America. We offer an undergraduate program consisting of 18 subjects, which have a focus in biblical studies.)

We continue diocesan training with MOCLAM resources. In the church there are four new students who started "From Creation to New Creation" with Franklin; and three other women who have now moved on to the second course, which is "Marcos", which I am teaching.

SUNDAY SERVICE

These months I have begun to support more with our Sunday services. It is always a great challenge to prepare the sermon, and also to conduct the service. The Lord has been good, and we see that He is working in His Church through His word.

Update: With Lisa and Maru from the Pastoral Team, we are organizing and preparing the material that we will use in the home groups. I would like to tell you that during the end of the year I was able to spend time with Agustina in Mendoza and then we had a few days sharing here in Santa Cruz. So, it was a nice time to continue sharing, getting to know the Lord more, and it was also good for her to get to know the city and the Church in Santa Cruz.

As a Church we are praying every day at 9:38 that the Lord will send laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:38), and also that we may identify them and prepare them for better service to Him.

PRAY FOR US

Teens - College - Young Adults: So that these groups, that have remained constant, can now also think about how to serve each other. While you are learning, may you be able to apply your gifts for the service of the Lord and His Church, and may the Lord give you wisdom to accompany and empower you in the midst of His service.

Church: For our March Family Retreat, may the Lord show each of us our need for others (Acts 2:41-47) to share the word and all of life.

Personal: So that you have personal time with young people where we can have deeper relationships learning from Jesus, and that you also personally have time with Jesus, depending on him to serve you.

Bolivia: Our socio-economic situation continues to be complicated. There is still a lack of fuel, dollars, and jobs. Pray that we may give hope and continue to seek the face of the Lord in prayer for our rulers.