New Mission Candidates get a taste of Bolivia

Over the Labor Day weekend the new mission candidates started arriving from all over the country.  And what good timing!  It just so happened there was a Bolivian festival going on at the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, VA.  Many of these candidates are interested in going to Bolivia for their two years, so we thought we’d give them a taste of the culture while it was in our own backyard.

It wouldn’t be a festival without some dancing, some music, and a little spice.  The group observed many styles of Bolivian dances, coated in many styles of Bolivian costumes, as they paraded around the grounds.  “The best part was watching the dancing for hours,” exclaimed candidate Annemarie.  Jeff commented that, “It was a great introduction to Bolivian culture.” 

They also tested their adventurous spirits by trying some of the many foreign dishes offered by the vendors. The most popular dish among the group was Horchata – a sweet rice milk. (You can find a recipe for this drink, and other dishes, listed on our Pinterest page.)

Miriam Mitry also attended with the candidates and was touched by the overwhelming, Bolivian pride.  “I loved how it was an inter-generational event, how there were little toddlers up to the elderly dressed in full costume.  Especially seeing the teens being so proud of their culture was great.  I would catch conversations of families talking in English which means they probably grew-up here, but seeing them still have strong ties to their home country is just amazing.”

One of our staff members caught the action on video so that you may also be inspired by the Bolivian festivities.