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There
are over 200 national staff working in Food for the Hungry, Bolivia.
Many of the staff grew up in poor communities. Some were once sponsored
children. For many of these, seeing God at work in the lives of their
fellow countrymen brings satisfaction to the grueling work of living
and working in the communities. Some staff live in adobe homes with
dirt floors. Many spend weeks away from their families. Below are
some testimonies of just a few of our staff. We will be adding stories
in the near future.
KARINA MEJIA
Child Development Program - Correspondence Field Worker
- Playa Ancha
I
have worked in Food for the Hungry International for nearly three
years as the person
responsible for the administration of correspondence between the
sponsors and their sponsored child and of all the information needed
of the children and families involved in the Child Development Program.
During
this time of learning and sharing with them, I know that the Lord
wants to work in their lives through the sponsorship program. When
a small child learns that they have a sponsor, they become very
happy and feel so fortunate to have been chosen by someone.
A
day of my work I could describe in the following way. I look for
one or various children who have some type of special correspondence
from their sponsor (a letter, card, post card, or some type of note).
Sometimes I find them in the schools and during their recess I meet
with several of the children in one of the classrooms where I give
them pages so they can write. The majority of the time I need to
guide them in writing their letter because they do not know how
to start or what to write. They have very interesting things to
tell like, for example, their work after classes. They are often
afraid of spelling something wrong in the letter. I encourage them
to write to their sponsors as if their sponsor was right there with
them in that moment.
If
the children are very small I tell them to draw the thing that they
would most like to show to their sponsor (their house, animals,
or plants they have in the community, etc.). Sometimes I also help
them a little with their drawing because they are very timid with
it.
The
children that I don’t find in the school, I need to go and
search for on foot. In some cases, my co-workers who have motorcycles
take me near to the place I need to go where the child lives or
works. (They work pasturing animals or helping in the fields with
their family’s crops which usually is in places near the hills
far from the communities.) We need to watch for dogs who can run
in front of the motorcycle or who will try and bite people walking
by to protect their territory. With these children, I sometimes
ask one of their relations who is living with them to help the child
write or draw a response to their sponsor. On some occasions I need
to look for a child more than once because during harvest or seeding
time, they do not attend school because their parents need them
to help with the work and to care for animals and smaller brothers
and sisters.
The
route we take to get to some of the communities from where we live
is through the river during autumn and winter. During summertime
there is too much rain and the river is impossible to cross. Then,
I need to walk to a place called Wasa Mayu to take transportation
to the communities.
I
think that the most important part of my work is letting the sponsors
know about the situation of their sponsored child and that they
are making a difference in these little lives. Above all, that the
children and their families come to know our Lord Jesus Christ as
Savior and owner of their lives so that they can reach the potential
that God has given them and can help in the development of their
own community. The prayer of the righteousness can do anything.
My
greatest desire is that the children who participate in the program
have a relationship with the all powerful to live according to the
life described in the Bible. This will bring a huge abundance of
blessings into their lives. The Lord can erase all the sadness of
their broken hearts and can fill us with his great love. This is
what we all need.
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VICTOR CHOQUETILLA
Child Development
Program - Doctor - Challa
“I want to
work to elevate the level of life of the poorest and neediest of my
country because I come from a poor family. I know what it’s
like to live in poverty.”
Victor Choque is a doctor living and working in the cold climate of
Challa. Initially his work was difficult as the people of Challa are
unaccustomed to medical treatment and were very hesitant to seek out
help for their needs. However, Victor now has people traveling as
many as two hours to find him.
Though he attends people of all ages, Victor has a particular commitment
to the children of the communities.
“My vision for Challa is that the children grow as good leaders
for their communities with biblical principles so that they can help
their country with ideas and practical actions for development in
line with Jesus’ vision for us.”
Victor often works long hours in the communities attending all the
health needs. The nearest hospital is at least a 30 minute walk and
a two hour bus ride away in the city. Due to the climatic conditions
and extremepoverty, health risks are very high and mortality is a
concept understood by even the youngest children. He works not only
at curing illnesses and wounds but also at educating the population
in preventative measures and basic first aid.
“The Challa center is a very poor zone where help is desperately
needed. I want to thank all of our sisters and brothers in Japan from
the bottom of my heart for what they are doing here in Bolivia and
in all the areas of the world where they are changing lives.”
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OSCAR MONTES
Regional Office Director - Sucre
I
would like to share with you the story of a man who is very dear to
many people within FHI Bolivia. His name is Oscar Ramiro Montes Mollo
and he works as the Regional Director of the FHI Bolivia office in
Sucre. He also is a husband and father of three.
At the age of 12, Oscar was part of a group of youth who sang folkloric
music on the radio and in theatres. One Saturday night on the way
home from a show, he and his friends heard music coming from a house,
and out of curiosity went in to listen. Inside they were welcomed
by a person (who to this day is a mentor in his life), who invited
them in to a service of the Baptist Church of Potosi. That night,
the music really caught his attention and they were invited to attend
Sunday School the following morning. That next morning, was the first
time that Oscar heard of the existence of merciful, powerful, forgiving
God. He was greatly moved and began to cry like a baby. His friends
did not understand what was going on with him and left him there.
From that moment, Oscar began to share the good news he had learned
with his mother, who was very ill for almost 7 years. He arrived early
to church, desperate to worship and talk with the LORD. At this same
time, he met the girl who would after several years become his wife
and the mother of his 3 children. She was 10 years old at the time
living with her older sister (her mother died that year) who was married
to an Evangelical Pastor. After
he finished high school, Oscar moved from Potosi to Sucre to study
medicine, but during his first year of study, his mother passed
away and he returned to Potosi. Upon his return to Potosi he met
2 FHI volunteers, Mike and Mary Mack. He began helping with guitar
in the Sunday schools that they led for the neighbourhood children.
Within a few months, a Child Sponsorship Program was established
and a small library was opened. Oscar was put in charge of the library
and taught the children to read and write and helped the older kids
with mathematics and chemistry all the while teaching them from
the Word of God. This time was a great blessing to him. During this
time, he also began his studies in Agriculture and applied what
he was learning to a children’s greenhouse project in which
he gave technical support in the construction of 14 greenhouses.
During
his time with FHI, Oscar has had jobs in many different areas of
work. He was in charge of keeping the food rations warehouse cleaned,
and taking inventory of FHI fixed assets. After he finished his
degree in Agriculture, he took a role in one of our rural work zones
as a technician. For a year following that position, he worked as
a trainer for rural organization before becoming the Supervisor
for the Agricultural Program in Sucre. In May of 2002, he took over
as Regional Director in Cochabamba for just over 6 months before
he returned to Sucre to be Regional Director there.
Oscar
is very grateful to the LORD for all He has done in his life. With
the death of his mother, Oscar became responsible for his 4 younger
siblings and thanks God for seeing him through those hard times.
His father came to know the LORD as well and is now a leader in
his church. His oldest son had Meningitis at the age of 5 months.
The LORD watched over him and he is now one of the brightest and
biggest kids in his class. His wife battled Cancer and God healed
her. He says that God has done many wonderful and miraculous things
in his life. He thanks God most of all for saving his life from
ruin at a young age and for having planned his existence on earth.
The study of the Vision of a Community that FHI has, as well as
the development of a Biblical Worldview has helped Oscar in his
work. It has also helped him see that his first responsibility is
to his wife and children and helping to meet their needs. He dedicates
time with them amidst his busy work schedule.
Oscar
reminds us that the reason that FHI exists is to help all people
who do not yet know Jesus as their Saviour or have left their walk
with God. Our goal is to win souls to God, and if we are to do so,
we must deny ourselves and follow Him.
Oscar
is just one of the many fine team members that make up FHI Bolivia.
We are thankful to God for the work that He is doing in his life
and for the way that He is using him to lead and direct a fine team
of workers in Sucre, Bolivia.
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ELIZABETH FERAUDI
Child Development Program - Social Worker - Confital
Elizabeth
is exactly where she wants to be. Despite the cold, despite the
poverty, and despite the feeling of being cut off from the modern
world, Elie is right where she wants to be. All her life she has
wanted to meet the needs of the most needy, and particularly the
needs of children born into poverty.
Elie
is a social worker with FHI working in the Confital zone. She was
born and raised in Potosi. She graduated from the university there
with a degree in social work so that she could spend her life on
behalf of others.
“All
my life I have wanted to be able to contribute in changing people’s
lives for God so that the poor can rise above the levels of poverty
they’ve been stuck in. I’ve always wanted to be with
children, encouraging them in their education and training them
so that they can grow up to overcome.”
The
most difficult aspect of her work, Elie says, are the living conditions
and some of the beliefs of the community. Confital is buffeted by
freezing winds. The rustic homes offer little protection. The only
bathrooms in the community are located in the school. Showers are
not available. Synchretism is rampant in the communities. Faithful
church goers find nothing wrong in participating in celebrations
such as Carnaval where drinking is the main activity.
However,
these difficult aspects are far outweighed by the positive.
“Working
with the kids and families and knowing that change is taking place
is what makes my work so rewarding. Best of all, I am in a position
where I can introduce children to God.”
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