More Easter

A late posting of some more awesome Holy Week photos.

The Via Cruces, carrying the cross around the community to remember the story of the cruxifiction, is always powerful.







After the Via Cruces is the adoration of the cross, where all reflect on sacrifice and selflessness.




The Saturday night mass is a LONG one, time to remember our origins as Christians, and share as a community.




The mass ends with hot chocolate and bread for all.







We had a lot of students from the elementary and high school who could not make it home for the Easter weekend (the teacher strike prolonged the school week last week). It was good to have them participate -- it made for an extra-full church!

I hope that everyone had a great Easter! Love to all from Carmen Pampa.

Maundy Thursday

Tonight was the Last Supper mass. Father Carmelo was the celebrant. One of the most touching moments is when the priest washes the feet of the "disciples," in this case, community members.




Sister Jean played the music for the mass, accompanied by our Academic Secretary Manuela and some young women from the high school.

Two more graduates

Yesterday was a good day for the College: two graduates in one morning!

The first was Deysi Piloy. She read about the use of table sugar as a treatment for cuts, and thought it might be a good alternative for people in the countryside where medicine is not always available. She compared granulated sugar with iodine to treat cuts at a health post in a community outside of Caranavi, a day's travel from the capital La Paz. She found that it was as good as iodine, and in some cases better, for healing time and side effects (pain at initial application). Her successful defense made her our latest graduate in the nursing department!


Photo: Deysi shows off her certificate of completion of studies with Father Freddy and her mother.


The next to defend his graduation project was Juan Mamani, from a community across the mountain, Capellanía. He designed a coffee tourism project for his community, which will show tourists how coffee is produced and processed. His successful defense made him the latest graduate of our ecotourism program -- and the fourth in the history of the department!


Photo: Juan Mamani prepares to present his project.

Felicidades to them both!

Our friends at Con Bolivia

Our friend Suzanne Dulle was inspired by Bread for the Journey, a group she volunteered with in Santa Fe. It was started by Wayne Muller, a therapist, minister, community advocate, and bestselling author of several books. The idea behind their work in the community, she recalls, was based on relationships of trust and respect, reflected in careful listening so that people in need can identify their own needs, and get help.

In 2003, she visited Bolivia with her Bolivian-born husband, Juan. Seeing great need, and keeping her experience with Bread for the Journey close to her heart, she and Juan decided to start con Bolivia, a “network of goodness,” linking generous people in the United States to educational programs and grass-roots projects in Bolivia.

Since then, con Bolivia has helped many different organizations, like computer training for children after school through the group ProMujer, a program run by a Catholic priest working with the street children in La Paz, and a nursery school for impoverished children in Mallasilla, a poor barrio of La Paz.

Then they visited a poor community on the Isla del Sol (the Island of the Sun, the mythological Aymara birthplace of all of life). “We visited a high school – a mud-brick building, really – and we offered scholarships to the two best students. After class, a young man approached us and asked if we could support him even if he didn’t have the best grades. We were thrilled that there was this kind of interest.”

They ended up giving full scholarships to many young people who wanted to improve their community through improved agriculture, health care and tourism – which brought them to the College! Currently five young women are in different phases of the nursing program, all with the intention of serving the rural poor with their skills (like Gabriela). Con Bolivia also supports students with their graduation projects, like Victor Hugo and María Esther, and Rolando. And con Bolivia supports other initiatives at the College, like lab equipment and uniforms for nursing students.

Suzanne stayed with us for a week in April, and we enjoyed her immensely. Her insights into how we can improve things, and her willingness to help wherever needed, were greatly appreciated. She even brought a rainbow with her! Thank you, Suzanne, for your generosity and your spirit. We miss you already.



Photo: Suzanne Dulle with Hugh and students Silvia, Madgelena and Griselda.

P.S. See this posting that Suzanne wrote about one of the students con Bolivia supports.

Domingo de Ramos

Yesterday was Domingo de Ramos -- Palm Sunday -- and as usual, our students did an excellent job with the Passion Play.

The mass starts with the priest blessing the palms before giving them out.




Instead of a homily, a group of students from the College acted out the story of Christ, from the Last Supper to the entombment. Seeing the story acted out is always so powerful.




We are all looking forward to Holy Week, with all of its ritual and celebration as a community.

Another donation!

I have blogged in the past about our shared insect ecology research project with the Benson Agriculture and Food Institute. Well, the institute is merging with another project, and they had some office equipment that they didn't need any more -- and they thought of us!


Photo: Gustavo Troche, Fr. Freddy del Villar, Enrique Cabezas, Elizabeth García and Victor Hugo Agramont.

The Bolivian Director of Public Relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Enrique Cabezas, said that helping the poor is the mission of both churches, and that working together makes us all more effective. In that spirit, the College received 5 computers, plus some printers, photocopiers, cameras and an overhead projector.

We are grateful for their generosity, and glad to share in the mission to make a difference in Bolivia for those most in need.

New dormitory

The College has about reached its maximum growth: we want to know every student, and train professionals in every dimension, and knowing them each as a person is part of that. However, we would also like them to be comfortable: many of them still sleep barracks-style, 20 to a room! To help us alleviate this problem, we approached the Japanese Embassy for help -- and they responded!

In February, Fr. Freddy and I went to the Embassy of Japan to receive a check for $100,000 to build a new dormitory on the lower campus for young women. This will alleviate the crowding in the dorms, and compliment the new dormitory on the upper campus.

We now do our small part for Japan with our prayers for their safety.



Photo: College Director General Father Freddy del Villar and Ambassador of Japan in Bolivia Dr. Toshio Watanabe sign the donation agreement.