Exciting news from Vida Joven

Vida Joven Leaders and Myself

As I mentioned on Monday, I hosted the main leaders from Vida Joven (ministry with the teens or adolescentes) at my place for meetings that lasted all Saturday and Sunday morning. They were from La Paz, El Alto, Sucre, Oruro, and Cochabamba. We were able to get to know one another better and have good, deep conversations regarding the ministry and what is needed to improve and deepen the impact of Vida Joven. I was also able to introduce them to the online youth leaders training program, Horizons, that Jeff Carter (CBM field staff in Prague) ... and after talking through how it works and the potential of it, they decided that it should be brought to Bolivia. We'll be starting translating and culturalizing the units as soon as possible with the plan to have the pilot project in one of the areas beginning at some point in the fall.

One of the main points that kept coming up was the need for more training for the leaders. As the discussion continued and more detail and specifics came to light, one of the needs that came out was for a deeper understanding of Bolivian youth so that the leaders can better communicate with them and have more impact. So they've asked me to do a research study on Bolivian youth for the next 1.5 years that will look at everything from what they're watching on tv and the internet, their interests, fears, drugs, alcohol, sexual activity, parentless families (as a result of one or both parents working in another country to get make money for the family), and the consequences of it all. The study will look at youth in all 8 districts where Vida Joven is or is planning on starting up: Cochabamba, La Paz, El Alto, Sucre, Santa Cruz, Oruro, Tarija, and Potosi and I'll use the various camps and gatherings to build up trust and friendship in order to talk with them and gather the info but first I'll begin with the leaders to learn their thoughts and assumptions which will also allow more time for the youth to get to know me.

To say it was an exciting weekend is putting it lightly. Four of the leaders (they're all jovenes) spent the night at my place which also helped deepen friendship and trust. Of course, I didn't
get much sleep but it was worth it :) I ask that you be praying both for the Horizons leadership training project - many details regarding the translating, time frame, etc. need to come together quickly. As well as the research project as I put all the parameters in place and the questions together. I'll keep you posted on how it's all going.

Sunday morning tying up the meetings

'til next time,
rebecca