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Bolivia

Free to Have Less

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett shares how moving towards a simpler lifestyle has positively affected her in physical, spiritual, and emotional ways. I wonder about how complex we make the concept of simple living; I think about how entrenched we have to be in consumerist culture to buy more books to teach us about consuming…

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Responding With Love

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble shares her thoughts about how, often, the seemingly simple and obvious answers are the ones that we should really seek. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about love. During my free time, I’ve been reading more of the Bible – specifically the Gospels – and man, does Jesus talk a lot…

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Colonization

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble shares her realizations of the long lasting effects of colonization in Bolivia, especially as it relates to Catholicism. At the beginning of the summer,  I was able to attend the Maryknoll Mission Center Language Institute. I am incredibly grateful to have had that opportunity. The language school was very well…

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Telling Their Own Story

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on the experience of accompanying women in the Santa Rosa community as they tell their stories through a sequence of videos produced entirely by the women themselves. For the past year our garden project has been involved in the process of making videos participativos or participatory videos with the…

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Dancing Through the Doorway

Editor’s Note: Missioner Allison Dethlefs shares how she’s been able to start forming relationships through teaching Zumba classes to girls who are survivors of sexual abuse. Upon arriving in Cochabamba, Bolivia, over seven months ago, I had no idea what kind of ministry I was going to get involved in. By a stroke of luck, during my six…

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Solidarity in the Climb

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble reflects on finding solace during an emotionally and physically strenuous climb up a mountain. On June 21st, Bolivia celebrated the Andean New Year. For the Aymaran people, this marked the year 5524 according to their calendar. This day is important because it is the beginning of a new agricultural cycle.…

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The Making of Miracles

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett shares how the experience of accommodating unexpected guests led her to think about the nature of hospitality and its differences across cultures. Recently a group of friends and I decided to grill fish together. It took us a couple of hours to prepare the meal and soon the patio filled…

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Look For Her Eyes

Editor’s Note: Missioner Catherine Sullivan in Bolivia shares how she stays hopeful during her daily practice of reading the news. One of my favorite pastimes is scrolling through different news sources and articles, comparing stories and trying my best to keep up with the goings-on of the world. It is often how I start and…

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Making My Money Matter

Editor’s Note: Missioner Allison Dethlefs reflects on the challenges of living on a stipend in Bolivia and how it has made her more mindful of those around her who are struggling with financial matters to a very serious degree. When we signed on with Franciscan Mission Service as missioners, we knew that while we were…

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The Bolivian Way

Editor’s Note: In Bolivia, missioner Tom Little oversees and works in a meat packing plant on the campus of Carmen Pampa University. In this post, he shares how he’s had to adapt to a very different understanding of time and deadlines than what he was used to in the US. My main job at the…

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The Gift of Water

Editor’s Note: In a follow up to her last post about water shortages in Cochabamba, missioner Annemarie Barrett emphasizes the importance of gardens in the community through the story of one of the women in Santa Rosa. Recently I wrote about the severe water shortages we are currently experiencing in Cochabamba. The women in Santa…

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Reflecting on the Race

Editor’s Note: Though FMS missioners do not return to the US during their two years on mission, if they end up renewing for a third year or longer, they are allowed to return home to visit family and friends. Fourth year missioner Jeff Sved returned home in May to run the Pittsburgh marathon and attend his…

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Focusing on Mission

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble shares how a recent reflection with FMS staff helped her re-focus on her ministries and reaffirm her decision to devote this time in her life to mission. This past week was a real treat because two of our program directors from FMS, Emily and Meghan, came to visit us in…

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Learning from Teaching

Editor’s Note: Missioner Tom Little reflects on how beginning a new teaching position in Bolivia led him to celebrate the personality differences around him instead of being unsettled by them. This semester I started teaching English classes at the UAC. This has been a fulfilling experience because I get to see my students make noticeable…

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Introducing Eli

Editor’s Note: Missioner Catherine Sullivan shares how a trip to the marketplace in Cochabamba, Bolivia, turned into an experience of solidarity and deeper integration into the culture. I have been working at Manos con Libertad three to four days a week for three months now. Manos con Libertad is a co-operative of inmates from San…

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Little Bits of Solidarity

Editor’s Note: Missioner Allison Dethlefs reflects on the notion of solidarity and what it looks like now that she’s on mission in Bolivia. Solidarity is a big, somewhat ambiguous word that we throw around a lot nowadays. We often talked during formation about how we were going on mission to live and work in solidarity…

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Same Water, Same World

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on her changed perspective on environmental issues, particularly water consumption, since she’s been on mission in Bolivia. I know that I have written about environmental degradation before on this blog. And I know that I have already shared stories about the lack of water that we experience here in…

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Perspective and Pastoral

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble reflects on adjusting her expectations and what she thinks things “should” look like during her first months on mission at Carmen Pampa University in Bolivia. Every Tuesday night, the university’s Pastoral group has a meeting. Pastoral is a group that comes together to share their faith with one another and…

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Love in a Suffering World

Editor’s Note: After accompanying her friend and fellow missioner through illness, missioner Allison Dethlefs reflects on fighting through feeling helpless and finding assurance that merely being present is more powerful than we often realize.  For three months during our training for long-term mission it was repeatedly pounded into our heads that our main ministry was…

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Mileage, Motivation, and Ministry

Editor’s note: During Pittsburgh native Jeff Sved’s visit to the US he plans to run his first full marathon in May. In the last post, he answered questions about training for a marathon while in Bolivia. Today, he talks about he got into running in the first place. What do you like about running and how did…

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The Pope Francis Mission Cross in Carmen Pampa

Editor’s Note: Missioner Tom Little shares his reflections from an event at Carmen Pampa University in Bolivia that brought the community closer and allowed them to grow together in faith.  Last month the community of Carmen Pampa participated in the passing of the mission cross. Pope Francis brought the cross to Bolivia during his visit last July…

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Marathon Training on Mission

Editor’s note: As fourth-year missioner Jeff Sved prepares for the May 1 Pittsburgh Marathon, he answers some frequently asked questions about his training. Jeff is currently serving in three prisons in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and hopes his participation in the marathon can raise awareness about how the prison rehabilitation system should be focusing on restoring relationships…

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Accompaniment

Editor’s Note: During this National Volunteer month, missioner Aubrey Kimble shares some of her meditations on volunteering and service. Volunteering has always been something that has interested me. I began volunteering a bit here and there throughout elementary and middle school to help with various campus events. I became slightly more serious about volunteering in…

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Exporting Racism, Where Do We Stand?

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on the topic of prejudice in the United States and how it affects the rest of the world but in particular, how she’s seen it affect Bolivia. Since the beginning of formation with Franciscan Mission Service, I was taught that to follow the example of Francis of Assisi was…

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Letting Go of Desensitization

Editor’s Note: Missioner Jeff Sved reflects on the implications of the cross and its significance in today’s world. Today, Christians worldwide remember the death of Jesus. But let us not remove this execution from its context. Have we become so used to the “glorified crucifixion” that we fail to remember that Jesus was historically the most-famous…

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Letting Go of Everyday Life: A Video Reflection

Editor’s Note: In this video reflection, returned missioner Valerie Ellis shares how during her experiences on mission in Bolivia as well as her transition back to the US, she’s had to let go of what she thinks everyday life should look like.  [su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbMnhpTwcjA&feature=youtu.be”] Reading this in an email? Watch the video here. Reflection Question: What opportunities are…

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Letting Go of Biases and Assumptions

Editor’s Note: Missioner Jeff Sved shares how his views of the penal system have drastically changed since he first arrived in Bolivia and during his time involved with prison ministry. When I first entered a prison in the fall of 2011, I could not imagine the effect it would have on the next few (and…

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Letting Go: The Freedom to Dare

Editor’s Note: FMS returned missioner and board member Lee Lechtenberg reflects on how a time of great trust while on mission in Bolivia led to a time of great freedom. I lay in bed – falling.  In a few days we would be boarding an 11 pm Miami flight south into the darkness. We had sold the house, stored our…

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Letting Go and Expanding Your Capacity for Love

Editor’s Note: Missioner Catherine Sullivan shares how she’s had to shift her concepts of family life during her transition from her home in the United States to her new home in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I have always been very close with my family. They were my first prayers upon waking, my last prayers before sleeping, and a…

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Letting Go of the Future to Embrace the Present

Editor’s Note: Missioner Tom Little shares how for him, Lent has been a time to let go of worries about the future and instead focus on the people and places of the present. There are a lot of things that you have to let go when you go on mission in rural Bolivia: friends, family, hockey, decent…

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Letting Go and Choosing the Adventure

Editor’s Note: Missioner Allison Dethlefs reflects on the journey of being at peace with the people and things she had to say goodbye to at home in order to embrace the new phase of life as an FMS missioner in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Every new beginning is an ending of sorts. Every time you set out…

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Letting Go of Being Thought Good

Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on how her views of lay mission have changed since she first arrived in Bolivia and how the friendships she’s formed there have challenged and inspired her. Francis of Assisi was known to say, “We must bear patiently not being good and not being thought good.” The first time…

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Letting Go of Anxiety

Editor’s Note: Missioner Aubrey Kimble shares how the beginning of her time on mission in Bolivia has challenged her to let go of anxieties and the desire to be in control. Through this process, she is discovering great freedom. Lent is one of my favorite times of the year. Even though it is often a…

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Welcome Associate Director Meghan!

When she first met former Franciscan Mission Service missioner Nora Pfieffer, Meghan Meros had no way of knowing that this brief introduction to FMS would reappear several times years later. Meghan first met Nora in 2009 when the two were placed in the same small group during the Catholics on Call Conference at the Catholic…

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Comfort and Joy: Seeking out Nature

Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on the challenge of living in the concrete city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, and shares how moments in nature provide a source of great comfort for her. One of the harder parts of living in a big city like Cochabamba is the…

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Comfort and Joy: A Sense of Belonging

Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, missioner Tom Little shares how he’s found joy through integrating more into the community where he lives and serves in Carmen Pampa, Bolivia. When I first arrived to Bolivia in January I was lost in a cloud of culture shock. Everywhere I turned I saw something that…

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Comfort and Joy: The Cyclical Process

Editor’s note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, missioner Jeff Sved shares how his experiences of prison ministry in Bolivia have shown him how comfort and joy are often fruits of initial discomfort. Francis – brother, not pope – is quite a remarkable example when it comes to the relationship between comfort and joy. What…

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Culture and Travel in Bolivia Part 3

Editor’s Note: Second-year missioner Nate Mortenson currently serves as a teacher and head of the English department at Unidad Carmen Pampa in Bolivia. This is the third and final installment of a special series in which we will share some of the work from students in his class.  My Typical Day at Palos Blancos By Veronica Otoya One…

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Comfort and Joy: Peace in Understanding

Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, current missioner Hady Mendez shares how she has drawn comfort through relationship during her time in Bolivia.  It’s that time of year again. The time when we relish feelings of peace, love, comfort, and joy. Over the last two years of service, I have discovered that…

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Culture and Travel in Bolivia Part 2

Editor’s Note: Second-year missioner Nate Mortenson currently serves as a teacher and head of the English department at Unidad Carmen Pampa in Bolivia. This is the second installment of a special three part series in which we will share some of the work from students in his class.  Sharing Experiences – Intercarreras By Graciel Quino Calle My name is Graciel Quino…

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Comfort and Joy: Long-Distance Strength

Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, current missioner Valerie Ellis shares how she has been able to give and receive comfort while on mission in Bolivia.  As I reflect on how my friends and family have helped me over the past year and a half, I can’t help but be filled with a…

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New Series – Culture and Travel in Bolivia Part 1

Editor’s Note: Second-year missioner Nate Mortenson currently serves as a teacher and head of the English department at Unidad Carmen Pampa in Bolivia. In alignment with our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, today launches a special three part series in which we share some of the work from students in his class.  Every day my English…

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Some of My Favorite Moments with the Kids in Chilimarca

Editor’s Note: Missioner Valerie Ellis shares some of her favorite moments with the pre-school children she works with from impoverished families in Chilimarca, Bolivia.   When counting, it was commonplace for one little girl to say, “1…2…8,” so I asked her if “8” was her favorite number and she responded with a resounding, “Yes!” Since then,…

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To Bolivia and Beyond

Editor’s Note: Missioner Jeff Sved decided to co-write a blog post with his friend Billy to tell the story of a small plant and its significance. While I was a volunteer with FVM, we regularly had a retreat with the Franciscans at the Mt. Irenaeus community. During those retreats, I would spend much of my…

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Celebrating Diversity

Editor’s Note: Missioner Tom Little shares his change of heart during a week of activities at the University where he serves in Carmen Pampa, Bolivia. I just finished my first inter-carreras experience and it was not what I expected. Inter-carreras, or inter-major of study, is a week long group of activities to celebrate the founding…

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Weekend Recap: Expo ReIncorpora

Editor’s Note: Missioner Jeff Sved shares a recent event from his time of prison ministry in Bolivia. Expo ReIncorpora: 1­st Feria Productiva de Recintos Penitenciaria (The first annual fair/expo of products made within the prisons.) To say this weekend was a success would be an understatement. Opportunities to sell goods other than inside the prison or at the…

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I Caught Papal Fever – All the Way from Bolivia!

The Pope was just here in Bolivia, and although I was excited to have him be here, I had no desire to go see him. “I already saw him in Rome,” I told my friends. “I don’t like crowds,” I told other people. In the end, I don’t know why I wasn’t excited to see…

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Through the Eye of the Needle, Part 4: Realities of Cultural Imperialism

Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett continues the special five-part series, “Through the Eye of the Needle: Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation” on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege.  I have lost track of the number of times that I have been…

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Through the Eye of the Needle, Part 3: Acknowledging Affluence and Structural Racism

Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett continues the special five-part series, “Through the Eye of the Needle:  Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation” on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege.  For much of my life, I was not aware that I was being…

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Through the Eye of the Needle, Part 2: I Am Not A Saint

Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett continues the special five-part series, “Through the Eye of the Needle:  Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation” on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege.  One part of my reality as a white person that I took for…

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