In spite of the poverty, Bolivians are friendly, open, and receptive to the Gospel.A nun who was treated on an MMI project in Peru found herself so impressed with our care and ministry that she asked MMI to provide care to her impoverished hometown in Bolivia. She worked with officials there to provide a letter of invitation; and in 2003, we sent our first team to Bolivia.
In 2005, Francis and Yenny Perez moved from the Dominican Republic to Santa Cruz, the center of MMI’s work for the past five years in this wonderful land. Our program has experienced dramatic growth under Francis’ astute leadership.Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.
In spite of the poverty, Bolivian people are friendly, open and receptive to the Gospel. The great need in this nation makes it an ideal place for MMI to work in.
Requirements for Entry
- U.S. citizens must have a tourist visa which costs $135, payable in cash at the airport upon entry.
- U.S. visitors must also provide a 4×4 color photo and an International Certificate for yellow fever. Your passport must have at least 6 months of validity left.
Project Sites
Curahuara is a city of approximately 5000 inhabitants Approximately 30 minutes SW of La Paz. It is on the main road heading from La Paz to the Chilean border. The altitude is very high in this location. It will be starting out at 14,000 ft. The temperature is be very cold and you will need to bring very warm clothes.
The city houses an army base with around 700 soldiers. The town has one public clinic which we will be working in. Some of the team will be housed at the clinic. Others will be in a hotel (more information to follow).
Turco is a 2-hour drive south of Curahuara and has a health post where we will be working. The team will be housed in a building owned by the mission society of Sister Ludmilla. It is near a public bath where the team will bathe.
Santa Cruz sits at an altitude of about 1200 ft. Our host is the Prince of Peace Church andFundacion Contra El Hambre. The weather will be hot and humid from October to May and chilly and cold from June to September. You will need protection against mosquitoes (mosquito netting and repellant). Yellow Fever vaccination and Malaria treatmentare required for this project site.
San Juan is much like Santa Cruz. The weather will be very hot and humid. You will need to be vaccinated against Malaria and Yellow Fever.
MMI teams work with the Health Center of San Juan in various villages. Our host is the municipality of San Juan and the City Council.
Cochabamba is known as the City of the Gardens. This is a pretty city and the weather is beautiful. There will be a charter flight from Santa Cruz to Cochabamba.
Guardiais in the Department of Santa Cruz. The weather will be similar to Santa Cruz. We will be flying into Santa Cruz for this project. MMI teams work in various villages around El Torno. There will be 1 location for the surgical team.
Pailon is in the Department of Santa Cruz. Across the Rio Grande is the “Gate of the Chiquitanio,” one of the most beautiful areas in the country. The weather condition is the same as in Santa Cruz. Our host will be the municipality and the municipality hospital.
Montero, known as “The Sweet Town,” is the capital of sugar cane in the country. You will get vaccinated against Yellow Fever and Malaria. Our host will be the municipal hospitals- Alfonso Gumucio Reyes.
San Ignacio de Velasco is east of Santa Cruz and is the end of the “Chiquitania,” where the Jesuits missions established. The weather is the same as in Santa Cruz, but during the Winter, our Summer, it gets cold from time to time. Visiting the colonial churches in the area will be an unforgettable experience. Our host will be the municipality and the church.
SanJose de Chiquitis is the center of the “Chiquitania” and is 4 hours from the airport. One of the hidden treasures of the “Chiquitania” and the cultural capital of the region. The weather is the same as Santa Cruz. Our host will be the municipality.
More About Bolivia
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, and continuing the privatization program. Bolivia is a republic with its capital being La Paz.
The weather varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid The altitude at Curahuara and Turco is around 10,000 ft. It takes many people time to adjust to this change. If you know that altitude is a problem, you may want to come a day early to give yourself a bit more time to adjust. The weather is cool at night. Bring warm sweaters or a jacket.
People & Economy
Bolivia, one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, has made considerable progress toward the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President Sanchez de Lozada (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico and joining the Southern Cone Common Market. His successor, Hugo Banzer Suarez has tried to further improve the country’s investment climate with an anticorruption campaign.
Currency: boliviano (BOB)
Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing
Agriculture: products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber
Population: 8,300,463 (July 2001 est.)
Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, white 15%
Literacy: 83.1%
Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Language: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
