COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA

Click on the following categories to find information gathered by researchers during the summer of 2002.

CONTEXT

MINISTRIES

OPPORTUNITIES

RECOMMENDATIONS

FOOD PRICES

CONTEXT

The city of Cochabamba (pop. 400,000+) is located in a temperate valley with an ideal climate nestled by the mountains of central Bolivia at the very the edge of the “coca belt.” Socio-economic and ethnic contrasts are characteristic of the city. The indigenous people of Quechua and Aymara descent maintain their native dress, speech and customs. They are evident in the city and most visible as beggars on the street (women with infants or asleep on the steps of the city plaza) or as street vendors. These native populations have historically been resistant to evangelical preaching but appear now to be increasingly receptive–especially as they are approached by Quechuan or Aymaran evangelists. One radio station in Cochabamba broadcasts religious programming 24-hours a day to the Quechua.

The wide difference between neighborhoods in Cochabamba betray the socio-economic disparities. This is a nation of extreme poverty but there is a very wealthy minority–many of whom make their home in Cochabamba.

The infrastructure of the city itself provides everything a missionary family might need: schools for children; hospitals and health plans; reasonably priced housing, furnishings and food; recreational facilities, etc. (see reports). Along with the ever-present petty thievery experienced in all large cities, our interviewees mentioned that crime has escalated in Cochabamba over the past decade. We were cautioned not to take rides in taxis alone as some North American tourists have been kidnapped in this way. We experienced no problems during our stay and felt relatively safe walking throughout the city.

According to one of our sources, there are approximately 200 evangelical denominations represented in Cochabamba with some 2,000 missionaries at work in various ministries within the city. This extremely high concentration of missionaries, coupled with a history of work spanning more than a century, accounts for an evangelical segment of the population around 20-46%.

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MINISTRIES

With 2,000 missionaries at work, it is difficult to imagine a niche in which a new work could be initiated. There are 13 Bible seminaries or institutes in the city. The Canadian Baptists have been present for 104 years, have turned leadership positions over to the Bolivians, and are breaking ground for a Christian University. There is a trans-cultural training program preparing Bolivians to evangelize Muslims in Arab nations. There are agricultural programs, orphanages, jail ministries, children’s ministries, summer camps and schools. There are a number of Christian radio stations.

The largest denominational groups in Cochabamba are Evangelical Christian Union (UCE) with 800+ churches; Assemblies of God; and the various stripes of Baptists.

With regard to strategies, Pentecostalism has made its mark with its emotional worship and sermons which often emphasize “health, wealth, and prosperity.” More conservative evangelicals question whether the growth of Pentecostalism is mere numbers or true conversion. The true key to solid growth appears to be a sizeable workforce, long tenured missionaries, and just plain hard work.

There are no congregations of Churches of Christ in Cochabamba. Most church leaders to whom we spoke had never heard of Churches of Christ. Several of those whom we interviewed expressed interest in the Restoration plea of the unity of believers.

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AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY

Indigenous populations comprise about half of the population and are for the most part animistic or Christo-pagan in their religious orientation. These people are located in rural areas or in the poor fringe neighborhoods of the city. They are reported to be increasingly receptive. Work among these segments would require long-term missionaries willing to learn Spanish and a native language. We do not have figures for what percentage of indigenous peoples are now evangelical but presumably it is much lower than the mestizo population.

The 20-46% evangelical population figure given us (this figure varied depending on whom we were interviewing) is approximate–the precise figure would probably split the difference–around 33%. How do we interpret this figure? Certainly, this figure demonstrates a high level of receptivity over the past 100 years among traditional Catholics. Could it also mean that the evangelical message is nearing a saturation level? There are still Roman Catholic adherents (presumably the balance of the populous) and this group represents an opportunity for evangelism as discontent with traditional Catholicism grows in Latin America. In response to this, the Roman Catholic hierarchy is increasingly hostile toward all “Protestants.”

Like Apollos, evangelicals in Cochabamba require further doctrinal instruction to come to a knowledge of the true gospel. This must be done in the most charitable way possible with great patience and respect. This segment of the society will be the most difficult to reach, in my opinion.

Poverty is an ever-present reality in Bolivia. Missionaries trained in developmental ministries (vocational skills, micro-loans, appropriate technology, etc) could have a very successful ministry in the fringe neighborhoods and rural areas.

Among the middle and upper classes, missionaries with an excellent presentation (knowledge of the culture and facility with the language) and trained in marriage and family counseling could have a successful ministry.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Since there are no known congregations of the Lord’s church in Cochabamba, it is not a question of whether to send missionaries to Cochabamba but rather what kind of missionaries and for what tasks.

1. Missionaries to Cochabamba will need to possess clear, strong, biblical doctrinal convictions. There are many wonderful people at work in Cochabamba that can only be admired for their sacrifice and persistent service. It is all too easy to confuse such sacrificial service with an accurate understanding of God’s will in other important matters.
2. Missionaries to Cochabamba must have excellent people skills to be able to dialogue with denominational believers without alienating or isolating themselves. There truly is an opportunity to eventually unite believers on this missionary front-line, in my opinion, if mature Christians (seasoned, experienced missionaries) with the proper attitude can reach out to those in the established churches.
3. Meanwhile, young, inexperienced missionaries will initially need to live among and work with the urban poor (an “incarnational” ministry) in areas of service that the denominational missionaries have disdained (or have not emphasized greatly).
   • New neighborhoods are springing up as people move from the mountains or countryside.New neighborhoods are springing up as people move from the mountains or countryside.
   • This will allow missionaries a significant ministry while they are learning the language and culture.This will allow missionaries a significant ministry while they are learning the language and culture.
   • This will allow missionaries to cultivate a positive reputation among the This will allow missionaries to cultivate a positive reputation among the “Christian”
   • This will allow missionaries to serve that segment of the population to whom Christ would first direct His efforts.
   • A development ministry would eventually aid the poor to become members of the mainstream population and disseminate the gospel widely. A development ministry would eventually aid the poor to become members of the mainstream population and disseminate the gospel widely. Such ministries should be seen as a means of showing Christ’
4. Friendship evangelism and cell group formation and division would appear to be the wisest strategy among this segment of the population given the large influence of evangelicalism in the city.

   Caution would need to be taken for the safety of missionary families in this area.

5. After ministry among the poor has been firmly established and missionaries have established themselves in the culture, the team can consider pursuing a multi-pronged strategy in which some work among the indigenous population, others work among the middle and upper classes, while others remain among the poor (perhaps in a new area of town).
6. The church who sponsors these missionaries needs to take a long-term approach to this work. Additional missionaries will need to be trained and sent over a period of decades to see this work to a successful conclusion as missionaries come and go (25 years minimum). Many mission points may be well served with efforts that span 5-10 years. This is not one of those places, in my opinion.

These recommendations are suggested by what we were told by denominational church leaders and by what we were able to observe over a very brief period of time. These should be seen as recommendations for an entry strategy. Once missionaries have become thoroughly acquainted with their context they would be in a much better position to evaluate and modify these entry strategies.

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FOOD PRICES

We compared prices at the Cancha and local street markets to the IC Norte. IC and Super Haas are the only supermercados that we found in the city. Most people shop at local markets because they are more convenient and prices are negotiable.

• B stands for Bolivianos, the currency of Bolivia.
• At the time of this research, the exchange from the US was 7.15 to 1

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