My Summer 2012 Visits Among USA Friends

 Through BQEF, Jeff Keith and I led a workshop about Bolivian Friends and Bolivia at FGC gathering 2012. During the workshop we looked at how Bolivian people struggled for centuries until the current goverment came to power. Bolivian Friends have sought well-being for the country by using education as a peaceful way to solve social problems and concerns in Bolivia.

  Also I traveled to two different Yearly Meetings in the western US. At the North Pacific Yearly Meeting gathering in Tacoma, Washington many Friends loved hearing about Bolivian Quaker community.  It was such a blessed experience to workship with them. At the NPYM "Quaker Fair" I shared about Bolivian Friends and about the story of the Bolivian Quaker Education Fund's work. I liked visiting with the children at this yearly meeting, talking with them and showing pictures about Friends in Bolivia.

  After attending NPYM I went to visit our Friends from NorthWest Yearly Meeting. Their annual sessions were held in Newberg, OR. at George Fox University. The first day of the gathering I was greeted in my native language Aymara by the yearly meeting presiding clerk when I arrived to the Friends Women's mission work dinner event —"Kamisaki", he said with a smiling face. I met many Friends from this yearly meeting who are very familiar with Bolivian Friends Church -INELA. Indeed, some of them were missionaries to Bolivia.

  I thank God that Friends from NWYM have Bolivia and Bolivian Friends in their hearts and minds, which I learned by participating in and talking with different age groups of Friends there. For example, since I stayed in the Young Adult Friends House, I had the opportunity to share with YAFs about Bolivian Friends and Bolivia. Two of these Young Adult Friends had been to Bolivia through George Fox University's study trip, and they are hoping to go back.

  All Friends I met in my traveling this summer, in formal or informal settings, made me feel that God is talking to them about Bolivia and Bolivian Friends!