Stories from the Mission Field

For almost 20 years, Anacleto Quiroga has been traveling in the Bolivian Andes and founding churches in the Rodeo Huayllas region. At an altitude of over 3,000 meters, his route often takes him six to eight hours along small paths through the impressive mountain landscape. There are no cars or buses here - donkeys and horses are the best means of transportation. Sometimes they carry luggage and sometimes Anacleto himself. He is accompanied by Rufinio, who himself comes from this region and came to faith in Jesus Christ a few years ago.

During his visits to the villages, Anacleto noticed how difficult it is to grow vegetables and cereals. The plants can hardly develop roots in the barren and stony soil and are severely damaged by wind and weather. Sometimes entire harvests fail. The missionary therefore looked for cultivation methods that would produce a good yield in remote and dry regions.

Solar tents to protect the crops

In the small village of Arichaca, Anacleto then started a new project - in addition to founding a church - which has greatly improved the living conditions of many families. With the support of EBM INTERNATIONAL, he began working with the small farmers there to build so-called “Carpas Solares” (solar tents). These are greenhouses that protect the plants from the wind and animals with a wall made of clay bricks and have a transparent tarpaulin roof to improve heat generation.

In these solar tents, maize, tomatoes, beans, peanuts and pumpkins can be grown much earlier. They are protected from wind and weather and therefore produce a higher yield. Around 100 families have already benefited from this. Currently, around 30 families are directly involved in the work. This food diversity has not only increased the quality of life of the families, but also improved the health of the children, as a balanced nutrition improves their overall development.

Successful harvests as a testimony

Many families from the surrounding area have become very interested in the work of this “agricultural missionary,” who not only preaches about God's love, but also provides concrete support and help to people in improving their living conditions. Especially the successful corn and peanut harvests of recent years have made many neighbors curious. That is why they visited the newly founded church “Nueva Vida” (New Life) in Arichaca. At first, they only came to learn about the new farming methods. Later, they wanted to hear and learn more about God's Word.

Holistic care and spiritual home

This promising development demonstrates how holistic projects can improve the lives of people in remote regions. The combination of education, technical support, and sharing the Gospel opens up new perspectives for families, providing them with a spiritual home and a better foundation for life.

This article was first published in EBMI-MAGAZIN 2/2025

Satisfy Hunger - Preserve Creation

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