wfn.org | Renewed cooperation between church and missionaries in Bolivia

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Lutheran church leaders and North American missionaries reconcile

EL ALTO, Bolivia/GENEVA, 23 November 1998 (ALC/lwi) - To celebrate the
60th anniversary of the Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC),
church leaders and North American missionaries have agreed to reconcile
with the aim to establish a "single Lutheran faith" in the country.

The next objective is to obtain a new legal status incorporating work with
young people and women and to strengthen the pastoral ministry, the
president of the BELC, Ricardo Suxo, said.

"We also aim to strengthen the educational ministry to build schools in
all congregations," he added. The BELC has about 18,000 members in 150
churches in ten districts. Most belong to the ethnic groups of the Aymara
and the Quechua.

The BELC dates back to 1938 when missionaries of the World Mission Prayer
League (WMPL) were sent to the area around Mocomoco to bring the gospel to
"indigenous people and pagans" as the permit of the Bolivian authorities
states.

In 1970, the BELC declared its independence and broke off relations with
the WMPL. As a consequence, the missionaries withdrew their financial
support, which subsequently led to legal differences over property claims.
The renewed cooperation will mean that the mission society will assist in
the formation of pastors both through extension courses and possibly the
creation of a Lutheran Bible school.

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/