Rev. David Stephenson
Founder/Executive Director of Engineers In Action
and Mission Interpreter of the Bolivia/Oklahoma Ayllu
“A Missionary-In-Reverse”
“Most people’s Nationality is an accident of Birth. David’s nationality is Bolivian, by choice.” Dr. German Crespo, 2010
The Oklahoma Annual Conference is experimenting with a whole new paradigm for missions: a missionary-in-reverse! A missionary who represents a developing world church who is assigned to be in mission TO Oklahoma.
Just as the GBGM occasionally hires missionaries born and raised in the countries that they are assigned to, the Bolivian Methodist Church’s missionary to Oklahoma is a native of Oklahoma. Rev. David Stephenson has been going to Bolivia since 1986 and has been there over 25 times. He chaired the Bolivia/Oklahoma Partnership Committee for all of those years. David is the founder and Executive Director of Engineers In Action which hires Bolivian Engineers to develop infrastructure projects in Bolivia. Although serving in Oklahoma, he is a known and trusted partner of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Bolivia.
The esoteric aspect of David’s new position is: “Promote Spiritual Growth in Oklahoma Methodists through sharing the story and the faith of the IEMB, promoting interaction and sharing of the faith of the poor, and encouraging Missions of all types.” This is done primarily through preaching in churches in Oklahoma and proclaiming the faith of the Bolivian Methodists which was forged in the caldron of illiteracy, high infant mortality, religious oppression, racial oppression, crushing poverty and martyrdom. As you can imigine, this has led to a significantly different view of the Gospel.
"A Bolivian Perspective on Hope" Sermon at Christ UMC Tulsa 7/24/11
(Click at right to view David’s Sermon on “A Bolivian Perspective on Hope”. (If you are interested, you can invite David to speak/preach at your church at www.tulsadstephenson@yahoo.com )
The concrete part of his job is to raise financial support, human resource and spiritual support for the ministries of the IEMB. He has helped to create and works with the Jilakata of the Bolivia/Oklahoma Methodist Partnership to gain support for many ministries of the IEMB. These ministries include: Church construction, Pastoral Salary Support, Medical Clinic construction and improvement, an ‘Assisted Living’ facility, Children’s Sunday School Materials, a Women’s Center, and all of the ministries listed on this website.
The other half of David’s job is to serve as the Executive Director of Engineers In Action (www.engineersinaction.org ) which hires Bolivian engineers to build partnerships between poor, rural, indigenous Bolivian villages and US and European engineering organizations that want to come to Bolivia and help. Most of these projects are bringing potable water to villages where one in nine children die by the age of 5, mostly from waterborne diseases. EIA currently has 5-full time engineers in Bolivia and are bringing potable water to over 30,000 people.
For a report on David’s work in 2011, Click here
None of David’s support comes from apportionments. It all comes from local churches and individuals who are committed to this ministry and believe it should continue. For more information on David’s salary and support click on “Becoming a Partner in Mission with David” Click here
If you are interested in supporting this work, you can send a tax-deductable contribution, of any amount, by check payable to: Oklahoma Conference treasurer, 1501 NW 24th st., Oklahoma City, Okla. – 73106-3536
Or give online
If you interested in having David come to your congregation simply call him at: 918-346-5181 or email him at: tulsadstephenson@yahoo.com
For some additional words Dr. Crespo shared at David’s Consecration for his new ministry in 2010, click on this.
Dr. German Crespo is a former Director of Services for the IEMB, an well-known human rights advocate in Bolivia, a person who has been tortured by dicatators for his faith and commitment, and is currently the Vice Minister of Health for the National Health Plan, for the Bolivian Government.
