Missing Fathers

While some holidays here in Bolivia are the same as the US, here in Bolivia, Father’s Day is celebrated on March the 19th. For several weeks we planned to have something special for each father. The children sang a special song and made cards in the shape of a tie; while we had a special gift and message from the church. A week or so before, we gave each person in the church an invitation to give to their father for this important day. As the day approached, many of the teenagers talked to us about not having a father present to invite. We realized that more than half of the young people in our church were without a father. We told them that they could invite anyone else that would be a father figure to them. In spite of this, many of them did not come because of embarrasment or because they felt bad. Although, this was the case, the Lord still gave us a tremendous day and we had over seventy in attendance and 14 visiting fathers. It was a wonderful time, but sad at the same time to realize the need for stronger families. A large percentage of children here in Bolivia grow up with one or both of their parents being absent. Sometimes it is due to broken homes, but more often because one of the family members has gone to another country looking for work to support those back home. Please pray with us as we train up a new generation and build strong families for the future.

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The Unknown Christ

A young girl and her grandmother walked up to the fifty foot tall statue of Jesus here in the city of Cochabamba. At the feet of the statue is a large cast iron bible open with engraved letters. As the two approached the statue they crossed themselves from head to chest and then shoulder to shoulder as many do here. As they looked into the bible, the young girl with great excitement in her eyes and voice looked up at her grandmother and said: “Grandma what does it say.” The grandmother responded. “Jesus le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al padre, sino por mi.” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father, but by me. The elderly lady paused as her granddaughter looked up at her again almost having tears in her eyes and said “grandma what does it mean?” I watched as they both stood there in silence and the grandmother couldn’t respond. After a minute or two they both turned and walked away. This is just one heartbreaking example of hundreds of thousands of people here  in our city that worship the unknown Christ. They know Him by name but know nothing of His loving forgiveness and what it is to have a personal relationship with Him. Our prayer is that we will be able to introduce these people to the unknown Christ that they have”known” for so long. Please pray for our work here in Bolivia.

 

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