The REALLY Amazing Race !!!

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The REALLY Amazing Race !!!
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The REALLY Amazing Race !!!

• Let us throw off everything that hinders and
  the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
  with perseverance the race marked out for
  us. Hebrews 121

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Bolivia
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Bolivia

• Population 8.5 million
• Bolivia has the highest population of indigenous
  (Indian) peoples in South America.
• Capital Bolivia has two capitals!
• La Paz (pictured) is the administrative capital,
  and is the worlds highest capital city!
• Sucre is the legal / judicial capital.

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Flag of Bolivia
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Currency of Bolivia
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Bolivia A Land of Diversity

• Southwest Bolivia (next to Chile) is dry and has
  several active volcanoes.
• Southern Bolivia is dry with scattered salt flats.

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Bolivia A Land of Diversity

• Lake Titicaca in the Andes Mountains is the
  highest navigable lake in the world. (Northwest
  Bolivia)
• To the North and East, Bolivia has striking
  rainforests and is part of the Amazon Basin.
  Descriptions of this area inspired Sir Arthur
  Conan Doyles novel, The Lost World.

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Mountains and Llamas
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People of Bolivia
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People Diversity

• Bolivia has the highest percentage of
  AmeriIndians of any South American Country (64).
• Major Indian populations are the Quechua and the
  Aymara (descendants of the ancient Incans).

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People Diversity

• Official Languages Spanish, Aymara, Quechua.
• Aymara is the language spoken by the descendents
  of the Incas.
• Adult Literacy Rate 77 (Probably less than
  50, in reality.)

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Children of Bolivia
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Indians in Bolivia Protest Extreme Poverty and
Hunger
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50 of the Worlds Cocaine was Grown in Bolivia!
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Coca Cocaine Legacy of the Incas

• Coca leaves were thought to be sacred to the
  ancient Inca Indians, who chewed coca leaves as a
  stimulant. Many Bolivian Indians still chew coca
  leaves.
• Unfortunately, the leaves are processed in jungle
  labs to cocaine, an addictive drug in the US.

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Coca Leaves Cocaine

• The government of Bolivia has tried aggressively
  to eliminate growth of coca leaves.
• Many local Indian farmers depend on growing coca
  leaves for their living.
• Many farmers still grow coca leaves illegally.

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Coca-Cola its the real thing!

• In the 1890s, Coca-Cola really contained
  cocaine!
• It was advertised as a drink that would relieve
  exhaustion.
• In 1903, the company replaced the cocaine with
  caffeine.

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Bolivias Produce

• Despite poverty, drug industry, and oppression of
  the native Indians, Bolivia is rich in natural
  resources and produces many fruits and
  vegetables, coffee, and sugar.

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Religion in Bolivia

• Spanish missionaries taught the Indians Catholic
  beliefs hundreds of years ago, but many Indians
  still worshipped spirits .

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Religion in Bolivia

• 94 Christian
• (84 Catholic,
• 9 Protestant)
• 12 Evangelical
• 10 Charismatic
• 60 of Catholics also practice spirit worship /
  animism.
• (This includes the Quechua Aymara.)

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The Ancient Incan Beliefs Are Still Practiced
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President of Bolivia

• Elected by a 54 majority vote in December, 2005,
  President Evo Morales is the first native
  American president of Bolivia. He is an Aymara
  Indian and a former coca leaf grower.
• He is a member of the socialist party and is
  developing close relationships with Pres. Hugo
  Chavez of Venezuela and Fidel Castro of Cuba. He
  opposes some US policies.

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President of Bolivia Identifies with Indian Idols
and Spirits

• President Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian, was
  honored with an Indian ceremony prior to his
  presidential inauguration.
• At an ancient Indian (pre-Incan) site which
  Indians believe confers strength, Morales dressed
  as a sun-priest and accepted a staff of authority
  symbolizing his Indian rule.

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Will the People of Bolivia Choose Jesus or Idols?
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Some Encouraging Signs

• The Aymara Indians, descendants of the Incas, are
  turning to Christ, and over 20 are now
  evangelical!
• The Quechua Indians have responded to the Gospel
  in large numbers over the past 15 years!

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the Ends of the Earth.

• A large number of Aymara and Quechua Indians live
  in remote villages in mountains or forests and
  still need to hear the Gospel. Pray for more
  missionaries willing to go to these remote places.