Bolivia
Youth delegates at the First International Youth Congress, sponsored by the UMAVIDA network, learn about the water supply for the city of El Alto.
In 2008, the Joining Hands network of Bolivia, Joining Hands for Life (UMAVIDA), focused much of its time and energy on helping the people of Bolivia study and evaluate the new draft for a national constitution. This draft, which provides better protection of both human rights and Bolivia’s natural resources, is scheduled for a referendum vote by Bolivian citizens.
Bob and Julie Dunsmore, companionship facilitators for UMAVIDA, write about another of its ministries: an international campaign that advocates access to pure water as a God-given right of every living being on the planet. “Clean water — more precious than gold!” is the slogan. The focus of the campaign is to research and publish information about the contamination and degradation of surface and subsurface sources of fresh water by extractive, industrial, and other activities. UMAVIDA hopes to find ways to prevent further contamination of drinking water by industry around the world.
In January, youth of Bolivia, Canada, Peru, and the United States attended the first International Youth Congress on the Environment in Potosí, Bolivia, sponsored by UMAVIDA. The Congress was an opportunity for youth to look at the contamination of drinking water and other international issues and to find new ways to restore God’s creation. Many were encouraged to learn of efforts by youth in other countries to address these problems and were inspired by this opportunity to share.
PC(USA) People in Mission
Joining Hands Against Hunger: Julie Dunsmore, team ministry, Robert Dunsmore, facilitator
Partners/Ministries
Independent Presbyterian Church in Bolivia: Rev. Luiz Pérez Alanoca, president, The Rev. Augusto Mamani, secretary
Joining Hands for Life Network: Dr. Ronaldo Yanapa, president
Presbytery Partnership
Presbytery of San Francisco, Presbytery of the Cascades, and Presbytery of Newark with Joining Hands for Life
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Dutch Scholz, GAMC
Angie Schonard, PILP
Creator God, we ask that you would give the people of UMAVIDA wisdom as they work for justice for the Bolivian people. Amen.
Ps. 65, 147:1–11 Ps. 125, 91
Lam. 2:8–15 or Jer. 41:4–18
1 Cor. 15:51–58; Matt. 12:1–14
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