Laurier builds relationships

Sharing the joy of Christ
Yolanda Oropeza de Flores, President BBU and Steve


Establishing a STEP relationship between Laurier Heights Baptist Church and the Bolivian Baptist Union is "like a Bolivian marrying a Canadian" Yolanda Oropeza de Flores, president of the BBU quipped this morning at a meeting between the BBU and the Laurier advance team.

"Our partnership brings two cultures together and we have to learn to work together," Oropeza de Flores explained as members of the Laurier delegation were introduced at the weekly meeting of the BBU.

Pastor Steve Simala Grant led a devotional, including a short sermon translated by the delegation´s guide in Bolivia, Ivan Gutierrez Guzman. One of the highlights of the devotional was the celebration of the Lord´s Supper using elements saved from the Lord´s Table at Laurier on October 15 and brought to Bolivia for the occasion. Missionary Pat Janke, who was in attendance, loved how the joint celebration emphasized our global unity in Jesus. So did Oropeza de Flores who said the devotional made it feel like we belonged to one church.

It was obvious at the meeting that learning about each other and the STEP program is an ongoing process. A discussion, mostly in Spanish ensued about whether Laurier was a partner with the BBU or the specific programs we have expressed an interest in, the Casa de la Amistad and Jireh. Gutierrez Guzman and his co-worker, Emigdio Veizaga had answers for the BBU officers and staff in attendance. Laurier is a partner with the BBU, but our focus is on the children´s programs, Casa de la Amistad and Jireh. The advance team will be reporting more on these programs later, presumably after a meeting scheduled for Thursday when more details will be explained. Nevertheless, the team continues to provide direct support to the Casa by taking on the task of painting two classrooms.

Another highlight at the UBB meeting was the reading of two of the prayers written on orange sheets of paper by Laurier members on the Sunday before the team left for Bolivia. "It turned out the prayers were bang on," Pastor Steve noted later, in view of the present political turmoil in Bolivia. One prayer asked that the Holy Spirit influence the leaders of Bolivia to allow His work to flourish and asked that the country´s crops, resources and economy flourish. A second reminded the listeners that we are not alone and God has brought us together to support and encourage one another.

Asked by Laurier delegate Raymond Johnson what the BBU needs most, Oropeza de Flores stated it needs unity and to develop leadership in rural areas. An attempt is being made to promote unity by holding the BBU´s first tri-lingual conference, in Spanish and Quechua and Ayamara, Bolivia´s two native languages. She stated that leadership development can be encouraged by supporting the seminary. An earlier story on this blog outlined the plans of the seminary in coming year.


Leaders meet

Our CBM and UBB Partners: Emigdio Veizaga, Ivan Guitierrez Guzman, Steve Simala Grant, Yolanda Oropeza de Flores (seated)




Breaking Bread with our STEP Partners




Making do
Steve demonstrates to Beuqar, a Casa de la Amistad employee, how he removed a screw with the buckle from his watch strap.