Why are the Clarks leaving?

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church, worship is.  Missions exists because worship doesn’t. –John Piper. 

Lynnie and I are part of Christ’s church which strives to see all peoples from all nations worship God.  In the short time we’ve been involved with SIM, we’ve met some passionate people serving in all parts of the world. 

In Bangladesh, John and Tina are part of a team that secretly rescues women from prostitution and the slave trade and offers them jobs to support themselves.  In southern Asia, Peter and Kim have gained access to a secure area by running a business (Business as Missions).  In this area, millions of people have never heard of the love of Christ.  In Bolivia, Catholic Christianity has been mixed with traditional animism of the native Quechua people living in the mountains.  They lack an understanding of God's gift of eternal life through faith in Christ alone.  The result is a complex mission field where evangelical missionaries have to not only show the love of Christ, but foster a worldview based on God’s written word. 

Almost 60% of Bolivians live in poverty, while 24.4% live in extreme poverty (Unicef.org).  Soveldo, who I had the pleasure of meeting, grew up in a large city in Bolivia.  When his father left them when he was young, his mother was forced to move away to find work to support her family.  Soveldo’s 12-yr-old sister was forced to raise him.  Sadly, this is a common situation in Bolivia.  There is a great deal of humanitarian need in Bolivia, but more importantly, these beautiful people need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  SIM Bolivia is there to respond to the basic needs of the Bolivians, proclaim the gospel to them, and equip the local church to take over the ministry. 

There are all kinds of ministries going on in Bolivia run by SIM and other mission agencies.  Included are youth outreaches and kids clubs.  To the Quechua, there is medical outreach, church planting, and radio ministry.  There is also an institution for training Bolivian pastors to reach their own communities.  One thing that many of the workers in these ministries have in common is that they have children who attend Carachipampa Christian School (CCS). 

Unfortunately, one of the main reasons missionaries leave the field is because of family struggles.  Carachipampa Christian School makes it possible for families to serve in ministry.  Those who cannot or choose not to homeschool can rely on the caring staff of CCS that seeks to provide a first-class education to these students while meeting their spiritual and emotional needs.  Presently, Carachipampa Christian School is struggling to maintain a full staff.  While it remains the best school in the area (the mayor of Cochabamba has sent his children there), the teachers and staff are experiencing burn-out.  I recently met with the director on home assignment who explained that he has been trying to run the school while preparing and grading papers for the upper-level math courses.   This has caused major strain in his own life. We hope to alleviate some of the stress by filling vacant roles and encourage those who are serving in this capacity.

With our passion for youth, combined with our degrees and experience in teaching, we want to be a part of this supportive ministry in Bolivia.  We are also excited about being a part of some of the great things that are happening through the school including a student-run baby-washing ministry to the Quechua people, and a camping component to the middle-high school curriculum.  We pray that we would be effective servants for God in this community for his Kingdom.