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In the midst of some of the world's worst rural poverty, QBL has funded over 100 projects-including greenhouses, irrigation, chickens, guinea pigs, and dairy cooperatives - to enrich lives and give hope for a better future to thousands..
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Tour members experience Andean culture in both rural and urban areas through working with villagers and visiting projects of non-profits Quaker Bolivia Link (qbl.org) and Bolivian Quaker Education Fund (bqef.org).
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We meet some of Bolivia's 35,000 Quakers -all Aymara Indians, most living in severe poverty. And everywhere they open their hearts to us with unforgettable warmth and gracious hospitality. Exploring our relationship with these actively practicing Friends whose daily lives differ dramatically from ours, we learn much about ourselves and find true treasure -meaningful human connections
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We visit QBL funded projects in the Sorata Valley ...
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...and farms above 10,000 feet on the altiplano, where sturdy Aymara families eke a living in harsh conditions, using hard work and remarkable ingenuity.
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We work with students at the BQEF funded internado, a residence in Sorata that enables young people from distant villages to access high school and prepare for university, ....
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...and meet with BQEF university scholarship students who prepare their favorite traditional foods for us. Their sincere commitment to use their education in serving others is always inspiring.
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The trip will not be easy.
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We travel over some unpaved roads and stay in hotels that are clean, safe, and have hot water, but may not have the comforts many Europeans and North Americans are accustomed to. We will be at altitudes from 7,000 to 12,500 feet or more above sea level, where the climate is cool and the air dry despite Bolivia's tropical latitude.
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Visiting indigenous friends "off the beaten track" we learn much about simplicity, community and faith. Our visit is filled with awe, beauty, insights, deep personal connections and a treasure of memories to last a lifetime.
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