SOC Bolivia: A Report of Ministry and Impact

Thanks be to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who has opened great doors for us in Bolivia. We know that this is not of those who will, nor of those who run, but of God who has mercy on us.

I'll never forget the first time I arrived in Alto la Paz, Bolivia, to participate in a pastoral conference of the Assemblies of God. The struggle was immense. But today, seeing the results of our work as the School of Christ, it was all worth it. Thank God, we've had a very fruitful year. We've reached new pastoral groups and new departments. In October, we held our first graduation in Cobija, Pando, coordinated by Pastor Juan Carlos Rodriguez, with a twentyone-day boarding school. The pastors who attended this SOC were greatly moved. The work of running a School like this demands a lot of time, effort, and money. But hearing the testimonies of those impacted by the School always becomes our reward from heaven.

In October, Missionary Richard Goebel and I traveled to Bolivia to participate in two Pastors' Conferences in La Paz and Santa Cruz. These were times of great empowerment through the Word of God. It is always wonderful to see God's people in Bolivia hungry for the Word, and to see them broken in God's presence after each message encourages me.

In La Paz, we held a graduation ceremony for more than 30 Assemblies of God students and pastors from other denominations. The testimonies of the  participating pastors were, "I had heard about the School of Christ, but I had to come and see for myself what it was all about. My life will never be the same."

From La Paz, we traveled to Santa Cruz and went directly to Palmasola Prison, where more than forty students were ready to graduate in an atmosphere of glory. There were so many prisoners attending the service that we could not move as we ministered. This work at the Palmasola Prison continues yearround.

Thank you to all those who help us with their financial contributions, as we were able to purchase mattresses and cover the needs of the prison School. Pastors Arturo Casas, Edwin Cabrera, Wilfredo Gomez, and Pastor Andrés, members of the Bolivian national board, traveled to hold the graduating service at a significant school in the Yungas region, more than two hundred
kilometers from La Paz. These humble pastors and workers gathered to receive the Word of God with open hearts. Pentecost is always a message that brings hope to a people in crisis. I thank God for the lives of these men of God who leave everything to give of what they have received by grace.

God is certainly good to grant us such a privilege of reaching out to those who need it the most. May the Lord bless you for taking these minutes to read this report on the work of Christ's School in Bolivia. Your prayers and financial support are vital to continue this pace of progress.