Frequently Asked Questions
Bolivian FlagWhat exactly are you doing in Bolivia?
Youth Ministry! After serving God as youth pastor at Center Street Baptist Church for nine and a half years, Charlie and Tami, Austin and Caris moved from Marshalltown, Iowa to Cochabamba, Bolivia, South America.
We are team-teaching the Bible classes (in English) for middle and high school students at Carachipampa Christian School (CCS). Tami teaches grades 7 and 8 and Charlie teaches grades 9 through 12. Charlie also serves as the chaplain, building relationships with the students and overseeing the weekly chapels (arranging speakers, overseeing the worship time etc.)
Our Mission:
To REACH CCS students with the gospel of Jesus Christ, ROOT them in the WORD of GOD and TRAIN them to SERVE Christ.
We are also holding a "Kids Club" with children in our neighborhood every other Saturday.
What is Carachipampa Christian School?
CCS is an accredited Christian School that serves to educate Missionary Children who's families live in the Cochabamaba area as well as Bolivian national children. It has been serving Missionaries from more than 75 years. There are about 250 students enrolled from PreKindergarten to grade 12, 100 students in the high school. For more information go to the school's website:
Watch a video about the school, made in 2008.
What mission agency do you serve with?
We serve under SIM. SIM is a community of God's people who delight to worship him and are passionate about the Gospel, seeking to fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ in the world. SIM began it's work for God in the world in 1893 as Sudan Interior Mission.
To learn more about SIM, their purpose, statement of faith, core values and history please click here.
When did you arrive in Bolivia?
We arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia September 23, 2004. After about a year of RDM - "Resourse Development Ministry" (deputation), travelling the country, sharing about Bolivia and Carachipampa Christian School, God was pleased to meet our support need! Praise HIM!
How did you get interested in missions?
Tami has always had an interest in missions since she was a little girl. She never got a chance to visit another country until she did her student teaching at CCS in 1992. Charlie wasn't interested in missions until he went with Cedarville University's Brass Choir to Hungary, Germany and Austria. When Tami student taught in '92, she learned of CCS's need of a high school Bible teacher and a 2nd grade teacher for the next year (93-94 school year.) We were married in April of '93 and were teaching at CCS in August! After this year, God moved us to Center Street Baptist Church to serve as youth pastor and wife for 9 and a half years. While at CSBC, we led 2 teams from our church on short term trips. On our 2002 trip to Bolivia with our church team, we learned that CCS was still in need of a high school Bible teacher, and God moved in our hearts to meet that need.
How long do you plan to be in Bolivia?
We are here long-term, as God directs. Our first 'term' will be 3 years, then we will home for several months. We then plan to return to Bolivia for another 3 years.
How is living in Boliva different than living in the USA?
There are many differences! I think that the best thing about living here is to see a different way of life. Most Bolivians eat supper at 7 or 8:00 at night. Their kids don't go to bed until 10 or 11:00. The people are very nice and very kind, and help us learn Spanish. The food is very good too!!
In the states, our thinking is to "get things done!" But here, it's not that way at all! Church doesn't start on time. If you go right when it is supposed to start, you are the only one there and you'll wait for a half hour or so before things start! Same with ordering food. If they say it will be ready in 15 minutes, you better count on 25 or so... We put emphasis on things done, they put emphasis on their relationships. It is good to learn from these differences.
Can you drink the water in Bolivia?
Only if you want to be sick! We'll need to boil and filter all of the water that we cook with and drink. To brush our teeth, we can't use the water straight from the tap, either! Many people use bottled water to drink and brush their teeth.
What kind of food do you eat there?
A wide variety of foods are available from hamburger, chicken, steak, pizza mostly American style, to Bolivian dishes such as Rellenos de papas (stuffed potatoes), Sillapancho (a flattened meat with rice and egg on top), Sopa de mani (peanut soup) or Pique Macho (words can't describe...)!
What is the shopping like?
Most of our shopping will be done in the open markets (similar to our flea markets or farmer's markets). A wonderful variety of produce is available. The "Cancha", the name given to a 3 block by 3 block open market avails us to items like shoes, deodorant, clothing, dishes, a few office supplies, and so forth. There is a local store called "IC Norte" which carries items like deli meats and cheeses, ice cream, cereals, and special imported treats.
What is the typical age for marriage?
Most Bolivians get married young. Many while still teens. But there are some who get married in their late 20's early 30's too. This is a big ceremony and a big passage into adult life!
What do Bolivians do for entertainment?
They have a lot of movie theaters here. They like to be with their friends in areas of the city called "Plazas", which are in the middle of the city. Bolivians love music, and many play the guitar. Bolivians love soccer, but they call it "futbol"- (football). It's not the same as our football!!!
How are Austin and Caris doing about living Bolivia?
Caris is easy going and her attitude toward life is, "As long as I'm with Mommy & Daddy I'm ok." She is doing great with Spanish. She is enjoying being in Carachipampa for school now. Austin loves living in Bolivia. He is slower in speaking Spanish, but is improving. He loves the music and they are both making good friends at Carachipampa Christian School. They were both very excited to return to Bolivia after being in the states.
What do Bolivians do for work?
The typical person here makes about $300-$750 a year! Many people are farmers, who every week bring their produce to Cochabamba to sell in various open air markets.
For more information on Bolivia follow this link:
Watch a video about Bolivia