History of the Partnership
The partnership between the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Methodist Church of Bolivia began with the desire to share Christ’s love beyond the borders of a single country.
In 1987, the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en Bolivia (IEMB) decided that it wanted to be a mission to the world, starting with the U.S. However, because they could not afford to send missionaries elsewhere, they invited Americans to come there.
The New Horizon UMC of Woodward, Oklahoma was the first to respond to the invitation, and sent down a mission team. They were transformed by their trip, and began encouraging others to go.
After this initial trip, tentative negotiations for a partnership agreement between the Oklahoma Annual Conference and the IEMB began. It wasn’t until July 18, 1989, that Bishop Eugenio Poma of IEMB and Bishop Solomon of the Oklahoma Annual Conference signed the “Mutual Agreement between the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Methodist Evangelical Church in Bolivia.” The Agreement set forth these goals for the Partnership:
- Sharing faith and experiences so as to empower and deepen our commitment to missions and to the service of our Lord.
- Sending medical and construction teams from Oklahoma to Bolivia.
- Raising from $150,000 300,000 in advance specials for the work of the IEMB and utilize the priorities which the Executive Committee of the IEMB has set.
- Finding additional used medical equipment to be used in hospitals and clinics in Bolivia.
- Applying to North American foundations for funding of various health and agricultural projects run by the IEMB.
In 1990, the IEMB inducted a new bishop, Carlos Huacani, and the OAC created the Volunteers-in-Mission Office. By 1991, the partnership had raised $422,126 in both money and supplies for the IEMB and missions in Bolivia.
Unfortunately, it was during this time that Bishop Huacani proved himself to be a poor choice for bishop. With him at the helm, cronyism, embezzlement, sexual assault, unsecured loans, lies, and violent reactions to detractors became the order of the day in the IEMB. In 1992, the IEMB rejected Bishop Huacani and instated Zacharias Mamani as an interim bishop.
Between 1992 and 2006, the partnership lost its immediacy. After the Huacani Crisis, the IEMB turned its focus to internal issues and rebuilding the strength, unity and standing of the IEMB in Bolivia.
However, the relationship did not disintegrate. During these years, between one and three VIM teams traveled from Oklahoma each year. An additional $47,000 was raised in Advance Special Funds for the IEMB, and additional support of thousands of dollars was generated through other means. In addition, the Bolivian Pastor’s Endowment was established through the Oklahoma Methodist Foundation with assets of over $100,000 raised within the Conference. This provides around $5,000 a year for pastors’ salaries.
Now, the time has come to actively renew our partnership. Under the leadership of Bishop Hayes, there is a growing commitment in the OAC to return to our Wesleyan roots of being in mission to the world. And in Bolivia, Bishop Javier Rojas and the Executive Committee are now ready to renew their mission to the U.S. and to the rest of the world.
As in all partnerships, we do not know where it will lead us in the future. But we know that both churches will be able to follow more closely in the footsteps of our Lord if we walk together.
Read the Bolivia-Oklahoma Covenant.
