by Keith McWhorter,

Project Coordinator

The La Paz, Bolivia mission was conducted from October 16-27, 2014. 29 Americans from Texas,

Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Kentucky participated. We were excited to have nine participants on their first international mission. We also had eight missionaries from Argentina, 12 from Chile, 11 from Peru and 91 from other regions of Bolivia that came and joined with us in carrying the Gospel to the La Paz-El Alto Metro Area. This metropolis is home to approximately two million people.

We partnered with 40 Baptist churches with 20 annexes/missions. There were 3,004 who indicated they prayed to accept Jesus as Savior plus 315 in the Children’s Crusade for a total of 3,319 decisions for salvation. Additionally 336 made rededications/recommitments during the mission. Since one of our goals is to mentor evangelism, several nationals were trained in the use of the EvangeCube and about 50 were given to them to continue witnessing. About 180 Bibles were distributed as well.

The general committee did a great job of organizing and preparing for the mission. This was evident at the Opening Rally with the distribution of materials and pairing of the teams with the churches. Lucio Arias, Alfredo Valencia and the others are to be commended. Elias Ramos, IC coordinator for Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, did an excellent job of working with the committee and making adjustments during the mission to contribute to the success of the mission.

God opened the doors wide as we were able to minister in a host of venues such as a hospital, a university law school, businesses, homes, a prison and an Air Force base. We also freely shared to groups on the street. Teams went into numerous schools. It was amazing!

The American missionaries were wonderful. The group immediately meshed as a unit even though we were from seven different states and most had never met. This was a very demanding mission due to the high altitude, the difficult terrain and the long hours of ministry.

It was such a blessing to have Jonathan Morris and Greg Tompkins as co-coordinators. Both carried out their assignments remarkably. I am excited about their upcoming mission projects and pledge my continuing support for them and make myself available to assist them as needed.

Dianne F. of Texas went to visit a home where the wife and one son were Christians. The dad, a son and a daughter-in-law were not. Tony F. of Georgia began to build a relationship with the family and realized he and the husband were both electricians. God used this to break down walls the man had against God. As the gospel was shared, walls fell and the word transformed the lives of those unbelievers for all eternity.

Gerri and Catherine H. of Texas visited a young man and presented the gospel. He accepted Christ. His girlfriend arrived. The gospel was again shared with the girl friend. She was confused, but they were able to work through her religious confusion and she also accepted Christ. Her face illuminated with the presence of the Holy Spirit in her life.

Risa C. of Texas exclaimed as others expressed as well that this mission has been a life changing experience. She was able to share her testimony with so many people during the course of the week. She was able to share her love and the love of Christ and see God transform defeated lives into lives filled with the hope of Glory!

Ted Burchett of Albany, Kentucky was given the opportunity to go into a Bolivian Air Force Base.

He was permitted to share the gospel to over 100 airmen and 96 of them indicated they prayed to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. “It was wonderful watching the change of their hearts unfold before our eyes. God moved in miraculous ways on this trip,” Burchett said.

Bro. Ted was also permitted to go into the infamous San Pedro Prison and share the Gospel. Over 20 decisions were witnessed there.

Kailyn Conner of Albany, Kentucky remarked, “The very last night at our church, to bid us all farewell (Kailyn, Kathy Conner and Bro. Ernest Harris), the members of the church formed a circle with us and sang to us and prayed with us. It was so symbolic of exactly what a fellowship of believers should be like. It was a community of gratitude for every member. A community of love and concern. Our differences-though many-did not separate us there. We were united by the love of Christ and the work He did. It was remarkable to be a part of something I will remember the rest of my life.”

Greg Tompkins of Burkesville, KY described a visit to a 31 year old man who had a lung removed and had immediately been sent home to die. He was an alcoholic and he was in bad physical condition. He obviously had very few days to live and was in despair claiming God had abandoned him. After hearing his story it was obvious he had turned his back on God. He refused to accept prayer several times. He relented and allowed one of the team members to hold him in her arms and pray for him. Then each of the team members was permitted to pray for him. The young man became quiet as if in a trance but then suddenly proclaimed loudly that he would die in the arms of Jesus. He face showed a radiance that had not been there before. The Spirit of God surrounded Omer and all of us in that room. There was not a dry eye in the room.

Discipleship and follow up were strongly emphasized and the national leadership presented a plan to do so.