What does it mean to bring our ‘whole selves’ to worship?’ Not just the parts of us that reach our hands out in adoration, but the parts of us that come with open hands, humbly asking, “Where are you, God? Do I belong here? In this church?”
Maria Martin leads me through the winding cobblestoned streets of Llallagua, Bolivia – a town with a palpable energy for such a small population. By noon, street vendors line every wall, selling bags of popcorn from their carts, hot apple-quinoa drinks and artisanal goods to extranjeros like me...
One of the things I remember most from my conversation with Andrea Castro was a quote from her grandmother: “My grandmother always tells me, ‘Con amor, todo florese,’ which roughly translates from Spanish to ‘When we love, everything blooms.’”...
After our second visit of the day, we took a moment to sit, eat and chat more with members of the Chucarasi community in Norte de Potosí (North of Potosí), Bolivia. After we finished a full meal of freshly grown potatoes and vegetables, the red bowl brimming with peaches was a welcome, refreshing dessert...
Imagine being a farmer in Potosí, Bolivia. You've terraced your land on rugged hilly terrain at over 12,000 ft elevation. You're far from the city markets where you could buy vegetables, so this food means survival and health for you and your family.It used to be simple...
Lidia Chambi recalls stories from generations ago where farmers in her community grew hundreds of potato varieties. But as decades passed, the names, shapes and colours of these abundant varieties got lost along the way...
I grew up in a community where my grandfather was a farmer and, like most of us here, we belong to an Indigenous community. We've been brought up knowing that we need to wake up early and help on the farm and land to support the family...
In remote, mountainous communities in Bolivia, farmers like Teofilo Colque feel the effects of climate change most keenly in how unpredictable and extreme the weather has become. High-altitude areas that were too cold to grow a variety of crops have warmed, expanding what people can harvest...
It’s not hard to find women in Bolivia that inspire me and who are inspiring others in their community. MCC is brimming with partners around the world who put women to the forefront and create spaces for women leaders to thrive. What I didn’t expect when I spoke with with various women across the country was the joy that persists through their emotionally intense work...
We’re quite the sight to take in. Thirteen men riding convoy style on motorcycles with support vehicles cushioning each end. When they all accelerate at the same speed, and the sun beams down on pavement, it almost looks like they’re swans gliding across a lake. On rough terrain, the journey is more difficult, navigating narrow pathways through mountains one by one...
My supervisor, Issa Ebombolo, flagged down a mini-bus and we hopped in, squishing our way past women with babies on their laps, food bundled together with colorful material and men chattering away on cell phones. By the time we found our seats, the bus was now a rolling murmur of undetectable voices...
What do cooking and graphic design have in common? For Adi Nugroho, it’s never been about mastering either of these skills. Technical skills are simply the backdrop for developing emotional tools and creating a space for connection, even across cultures.