Locations
Ministry Description
The ministry of Word of Life Bolivia began in 1989 and is based in Cochabamba. The summer of 1990 marked the first Word of Life camp, 400 young people attended. Under the direction of Juan and Noemi Lella, the missionary team now operates one of Word of Life’s largest camping ministries and supports local churches with Bible Clubs. Other key ministries include weekly Open-Air Evangelism in cities, musical dramas in public schools and military bases, a Discipleship Training Center. Near future plans include expanding the missionary staff to reach new areas of the country through the local church Bible Club program. The Bolivia missionary team is composed of 19 couples and 20 singles. In 2020, 164,264 Bolivians were reached with the gospel, with 2,763 making a profession of faith.
Location Information
Due to its landlocked location and rough terrain, Bolivia is often considered the most isolated country in Latin America. Roughly 50% of the 11.5 million inhabitants maintain Indian traditions, lifestyles, values, and beliefs. Known over the years for unstable governments, hyper-inflation, extreme geographical conditions, and a wide variety of climates, Bolivia has presented missionaries with unique challenges and opportunities. The country is best known for La Paz, the highest capital city in the world (two miles above sea level). Sadly, Bolivia is also famous for being the second largest exporter of cocaine in the world. Over 90% of the nation claims to be Catholic, but most of them mix the religion with Inca traditional beliefs.
