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Making an impression

Pastoral-UUniversitario-ft

Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Nate Mortenson.

Pastoral Universitario

This is the group Mary and I have been participating in since we moved
to the UAC – Carmen Pampa. It’s a wonderful group—usually about 7 to
15 attend the Tuesday evening gatherings where we sing, pray and
read from the bible, and sometimes host events or put on special
masses for the community.

Mary and I had the privilege of taking a group of 10 UAC students to
Cochabamba this year for the 2nd National Gathering of Pastoral
Universitario.

We traveled together like one big family from the University all the
way to Cochabamba, about 14 hours total traveling time.

Mary and I learned a lot from the conference, and I was especially
impressed that students from all over the country of Bolivia were able
to organize this entire event on their own. Students delegated jobs
out to lead us in prayer, prepare meals, and even provide evening
entertainment.

One evening my group was delegated with leading the conference in
prayer. We organized an afternoon prayer that left me inspired. The
students decided to draw a map of Bolivia and with candles leave
prayer devotions alit visualizing the faith community of Bolivian
university students on the map.

This is just a small story of our lives working here at Carmen Pampa.
I hope you enjoy seeing the pictures and maybe feel inspired by the
faith of the Bolivian youth group Pastoral Universitario.

Mary and Nate recently returned from two years of mission at the rural Carmen Pampa University in Bolivia.

Nate, the youngest son of nine, hails from La Cross, Wisconsin. Mary grew up picking strawberries in small-town Minnesota. The couple met at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, where Mary studied sociology and outdoor leadership and Nate studied Spanish and geology. They share a passion for food and bicycling, and a desire to set their marriage on a foundation of service, simplicity, and a deeper global understanding.