Bad Luck and Evil Spirits: Christopaganism in Eastern Bolivia

One of the most visited pages on our old website was an article titled "Bad Luck and Evil Spirits: Christopaganism in Eastern Bolivia," first published in November 2011. According to our web stats, web surfers from around the world landing on this very article, presumably because they were interested in the connection between bad luck and evil spirits.

The original article appears below in its entirety, followed by an update of the evangelical church in San Lorenzo:

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It's called "Christopaganism," a syncretism of Christian beliefs and animism. Each instance is a complex mixture unique to the local culture. Often a veneer of Christianity covers deeply rooted traditional religions, with Roman Catholic patron saints becoming stand-ins for pagan gods and goddesses.

National Missionary Visits Beni Community

Above: Elmer Terrazas, sitting on a fallen bibosi tree

The bibosi tree in the photo above began as a vine. The vine had grown up and around a palm tree, eventually choking and then replacing the palm.

Kingdom Ambassadors: Annual Women’s Conference

Blowing out of the 10th anniversary candle

The 10th annual Women’s Conference took place in Porvenir from October 18-21. The conference was a great success and provided blessings and challenges for the spiritual growth of the women who attended from different communities.