2008 Year in Review Barbara & Dwight Bolick, ChileAmerican Baptist International Ministries

Write the Vision Down“Write the vision down; make it plain…so he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

This Gracious Work (2 Corinthians 8:1-7) We have been missionaries in Chile for almost eight years. One of our most gratifying experienc-es has been the people and churches that have come along beside us in prayer, financial support, and friendship. Thank you. Many of you write to tell us of your prayers for us and your sense of partnership with us. Barb LeVan of North East, Pennsylvania, writes to tell us every now and then, “I pray for you daily.” Mark Hite of Royersford, Pennsylvania, writes, “It’s a privilege to be part of the work you and the local churches are doing.”

We want you to know that we feel the same way about you. Your lives and ministries, your stew-ardship, and your care for one another touches us, also, and we feel privileged to be in this good fellowship.

“You excel in everything – in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness and in your love for all,” said Paul to the church. We know that you also excel in “this gracious work,” as he puts it, of giving to participate in God’s mission.

It is grace. We don’t believe it is us, but God, who is the one working to make His kingdom come in Chile. We are, all of us, privileged to take part in what He is doing as people Come to Christ, Grow in Christ, and Change their world in the power of the gospel.

Dear Friends,

A Note fromDwight and Barbara

A Great Challenge, A Great OpportunityDear Partners in Mission,

The economic downturn we have faced during the last several months has been a challenge to many of us. I was laid off after tenure of 27 years with my company. I have welcomed the change, know-ing that God has a plan for me. It is an exciting time in my life as I listen for God’s direction and purpose.

International Ministries (IM), like so many other organizations, had to lay off a number of home office staff and their budget is being drastically re-structured. IM has asked missionaries to do everything they can to encourage gifts supporting their work in order to reach 100% of their finan-cial support by September 30th of this year.

Dwight and Barb are responding to this call in an exciting way. They want to thank you for your sup-port by sharing with you this annual report that reviews their ministry in Chile as they “Write the Vision Down”.

You are a vital part of their ministry in Chile and we ask for your continual prayers. In addition, we ask you to please consider responding to the chal-lenge of International Ministries by supporting the Bolicks financially.

Between now and June 30th we have a special opportunity to double all support gifts from new donors, through a Matching Gift Fund grant made

possible by the Luther Rice Society. This grant will double all gifts from first time donors to Interna-tional Ministries for the ongoing support of the Bolicks. Please see page 12 to learn how you can participate in this challenge if you are a new donor or continue your support if you are already one of their financial partners. If you have any questions about the Bolicks’ work, please contact me at: betty.helpa@gmail.com or at my home address 1205 Park Ave, Lansdale, PA 19446.

Also, please take a moment to review the DVD: “Carolina’s Story” it highlights Talita Cumi, the Girls’ Club project which is one of the new min-istries God called Barb to begin in Temuco, Chile. I believe the annual report and Carolina’s Story will confirm for you that the Bolicks are fulfilling God’s direction and purpose in Chile.

Thank you for your partnership in this minis-try making disciples of Jesus Christ and meeting human need in Chile.

Sincerely,

Betty HelpaCoordinator, Bolick Missionary Partnership Team

Missionary Partnership Team Betty Helpa, Lansdale, PA COORDINATOR Beckie Hernandez, South Bend, IN COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Sue Jenkins, Doylestown, PA PRAYER COORDINATOR Don Helpa, Lansdale, PA MK ADVOCATE Cori Catellier, Greenwood, IN CHURCH RELATIONS Harry Jenkins, Doylestown, PA ADVISER

A Letter fromour Missionary

Partnership Team

year in review n 2

Read this letter to find

out how your gift can be

doubled by a Matching

Gift Fund from the Luther

Rice Society. See page 12

for further details.

The Convention of Baptist Churches–Chilean Mission, in partnership with American Baptist International Ministries, invited Barbara and Dwight to serve rural Mapuche and urban churches in ministries of economic and leadership development. The animating vision of their life and work is to see Mapuche and Chilean churches that are secure in their identity as people created in God’s image, practicing their vocation to be produc-tive stewards of God’s creation, and thus better equipped for Christ-like mission.

Barbara & Dwight Bolick’s Ministry in ChileMinistry SummaryCreating Economic Opportunity • Weavings • Beekeeping • Entrepreneurship training

Developing Leaders• Berean Institute - training for effective ministry

in the Mapuche cultural context• Language recovery - living the gospel in the na-

tive language (Mapudungun) develops leaders• Church leadership development - teaching,

preaching, consulting in local churches

Opening Minds and Hearts to Christ• Girls’ Clubs - training mentors in local churches

to form Christian character in pre-teens and adolescents

left to right: Dwight and Tomás work in an apiary that provides income for Tomás.

The Mapudungun singing group celebrates their

first major public performance.

Barb with one of the seven Girls’ Clubs which provide mentoring relationships and spiritual

formation for at-risk girls.

Elcira Cayuman shows one of her weavings that

helped finance the building of her new house.

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year in review n 4

This program serves three weaving groups in three separate rural communities. Barbara works with 26 weavers, meeting regularly with them to stimulate the perfection of their craft. All of these women live below the poverty line. The weaving project can help rural Mapuche women rise out of poverty.

• Nine expert weavers have seen their household income increase by 39% from the sales of their weavings. • Seventeen novice weavers have experienced an average increase in income of 13%.

But the story doesn’t end here.

The leader of the weavers’ group in Curihue is Pa-tricia Coñoepan. When she came to the weaving program she had only rudimentary skills in weav-ing. Now she is one of the most expert weavers in Chile. Last year the municipality hired her to train fifteen new weavers in nearby communities. With earnings from her weavings and this job, she has been able to rise out of poverty.

“With my weavings and my

language (Mapudungun) I feel

like I have recovered something

that was mine,” says Patricia Coñoepan.

Weaving Project

left to right: Carolina Catrin has been weaving all of her life, and now she sells her weavings at a fair price that reflects their value.The colors the earth gives - naturally dyed, handspun wool yarn. Betty Drusedum, of the Lamb’s Wool in Landsdale, PA, teaches the Lanco spinners how to card wool.

CreatingEconomic

Opportunity -Building Futures

Dwight provides oversight and training for the Beekeeping program. The program provides a new beekeeper with three beehives and equip-ment. In exchange, they commit to return all or a portion of the costs, in the form of honey, nucleos (new bee colonies), or beehive materials. These are used to reduce the program’s expansion costs and approach sustainability. Dwight is prepar-ing two other beekeepers to provide training and technical service. Their leadership will allow the program to expand and train more beekeepers.

• We are currently working with twelve apiaries, training seventeen beekeepers.

• Average income per household is on track to increase by 36% or more.

Beekeeping Changes a Life

Tomás Vivanco is a pastor in the southern Chile community of Lanco. Like most Chilean pastors, Tomás must work outside the church to sustain his family. He is a skilled woodworker and guitar maker who, if he lived closer to a major popula-tion center, might find it easier to make a living producing custom furniture and guitars. The stress of creating a sustainable income in a depressed community can be overpowering, even for our pastors. Tomás has a passion for the Gos-pel and effective ministry, but he must carry that treasure in the “clay jar” of economic distress. Our predecessors, Steve and Sheila Heneise, en-abled Tomás to learn the craft of guitar making. Another American Baptist church member is help-ing him to acquire more tools. Beekeeping is a livelihood that provides Tomás with a current income stream while he builds up his woodworking shop and business. A year and a half ago we provided Tomás with three bee hives, equipment and on-going training in beekeeping. Like other beekeepers in the program, Tomás will pay back most of these startup costs to the pro-gram in the form of new bee colonies or honey. Beekeeping helps him move beyond subsistence toward productivity.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15, NRSV)

This is the vision! Thank you for helping us to run with it and accompany our brothers and sisters in their quest to be productive stewards, “keepers” of God’s creation.

Beekeeping

top to bottom: Beekeeping

is a viable, sustainable liveli-

hood for Tomás Vivanco.

Dwight congratulates Tomás

on his first honey harvest.

Tomás plays on the guitar he built while his wife, Orfelina, listens.

5 n year in review

year in review n 6

Royersford Baptist Church in Pennsylvania donated funds to establish a rotating loan fund to promote sustainable livelihoods in rural Mapuche communities. Dwight develops a very basic plan with the participants to project costs, income and a repayment schedule.

• In 2008 we started working with a group of ten people in the Curihue community. They are combining forces to raise potatoes and quinoa. Quinoa was a staple of the Mapuche diet be-fore the Spaniards introduced wheat. Our aim is to re-establish Quinoa as a cash crop for the Mapuche communities with better returns than wheat.

- Fifteen households participate in the Quinoa

renewal project. - Ten households participate in the potato

project.

• Claudia Collinao is now able to take in enough work as a seamstress to rise above the poverty line.

Entrepreneurship Training

left to right: Claudia Collinao bought a sewing machine which provides a more reliable income.

Everyone pitches in during planting days of potatoes and quinoa.

Jack likes days like these, planting potatoes with his friends!

Leaders Sing the Language of Their Heart

(Luke 4:22) “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.”

Jesus amazed people when He said, in His first ser-mon, what the Good News of the Kingdom is like. We are surprised, now and then, when we realize people are taking hold of the dream God has for their lives.

A group meets weekly to study and revive the speaking of their first language, Mapundungun, in church. Overcoming the timidity and shame left by generations of ridicule and oppression by the dominating “powers”, a new kind of hilarity and confidence breaks through. This is the purpose of the language recovery endeavor, to help Mapu-che churches regain the confidence to share the gospel authentically in their cultural context.

Alfonso Coñoepan is one of the leaders in the lan-guage recovery project. One day he surprised us with the idea of forming a musical group to per-form hymns and choruses in Mapudungun. They have sung at many of our convention’s gather-ings and church events to the delight of everyone. What is amazing is to see the transformation of this group into people who now believe God has given them good and beautiful gifts to share with the world. Leaders are formed by recovering the language God gave to the Mapuche. Jesus’ text for his first sermon was the Shalom vision of Isaiah 61. We are amazed, also, to catch glimpses of that hope, and to watch people be-coming “oaks of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:3)

Berean Institute Dwight teaches in this rural Mapuche theologi-cal institute. He taught classes on preparing Bible studies and preaching. Participation averages 7-10 people per class.

Mapudungun Classes Language RecoveryThe recovery of the native language in the life of the Mapuche church is, we have discovered, an essential part of leadership development. Your mission dollar subsidizes the costs of materials, transportation and a stipend for the Mapudungun professor.

• Out of the core group of seven participants, who meet bi-weekly to study and speak Ma-pudungun, two men now teach Mapudungun weekly in two rural elementary schools.

• The church has gained stature in the commu-nity, and now they see how a language recov-ery movement can be a part of their disciple-ship and outreach.

7 n year in review

LeadershipDevelopment

top: A newly formed musical group performs hymns and choruses in Mapudungun.bottom: The church in Llonga-hue participates in the Berean Institue and in Mapudungun classes.

year in review n 8

How We Found Scarlet

Scarlet lives in one of Chile’s most marginalized communities where Lord Merino and his wife, Erica, pastor a small congregation. One day shortly after her father and brother had gone to prison for dealing drugs, Scarlet’s mother left her with a friend while she went to visit them. That friend visits Lord and Erica’s church. That’s how we found Scarlet.

When Scarlet walked into the church, she went directly to Erica, Lord’s wife, and hugged her. Erica had never seen the little girl before but soon found out she lived nearby. Erica invited her to the church’s Talita Cumi girls’ club.

After a month or so of visiting, Erica called on Scarlet’s mother, to ask permission for Scarlet to officially join the club. Though Scarlet’s mom is not a believer, she was very emotional when she gave permission for Scarlet to participate. She told Erica, “Scarlet can participate in any activi-ties that you have. Before she came to the club she cried all day every day because she missed her father and her brother, I didn’t know what to do with her, nothing I did worked and I didn’t know how I was going to get her into school in the fall. All the pictures she drew were of rain and clouds. Since she started attending the club, she has stopped crying and she has come back to life. Now she draws pictures, and they are full of color and sunshine.”

Thanks to your support the Talita Cumi project continues to minister to over 50 girls in south-ern Chile, with new clubs in central Chile and the Santiago area scheduled to begin in 2009. Thank you for partnering with us as we share the light and hope of the Gospel with Scarlet and her friends in southern Chile.

Girls’ Clubs Barb senses God’s calling to make this a major part of her life’s work and will be dedicating more of her time to its development.

She prepares materials based on developing the classical Christian virtues and character, and meets with the mentors to train and equip them. The mentors meet weekly with the girls (ages 6-14). The Clubs’ activities revolve around: Bible studies, character formation, healthy relationships, reading habits and skills, conflict management, preparing healthy, economical meals, and service projects.

• Seven of our convention’s churches established Girls’ Clubs in 2008.

• The clubs are currently serving 52 girls, 39 of whom live at or below the poverty level.

• In Chile 14% of the women have children before they are 15 years old. More than half the chil-dren that are born are born out of wedlock are to women under 20.

Opening Minds andHearts to Christ

top: Erica Villablanca mentors Scarlet through some difficult times, introducing her to Jesus, good friends and good values. bottom: The name of the Girls’ Club at the Salitre church is Talita Cumi which means “Rise up, little girl.” (Mark 5:41) The Clubs instill hope in preteen girls in seven poverty-stricken areas.

Guiding Principles We always work to help the local church see that any project benefiting them is ultimately a way to develop leaders and serve the Shalom of the com-munity in the name of Christ. (Jeremiah 29:7)

Creating Economic Opportunity Weaving The current global economic crisis affects the weav-ing project. In 2008, sales decreased dramatically, attributed to canceled events. This year we are working on innovations of newer, lower priced products and clothing items that will reach a broader market. John Sittner, the Missions Pastor at Crossroads Baptist Church in Northglenn, Colo-rado, will help us search for new markets for our products.

Beekeeping Goals for 2009 are to increase the average income per beekeeper/household by fifty percent. Since we will be in the U.S. from August ’09 through January ’10, we will be away during the next start-up and harvest season. Much of our time until our departure will be dedicated to preparing the beekeepers to continue increasing their apiaries’ production.

Entrepreneurship We will continue helping the micro-loan recipi-ents with basic business planning, similar to what we do with the beekeepers. Since we will be on home assignment for much of the next reporting period, we will also spend much time preparing them for our absence.

9 n year in review

Our Visionfor 2009

left to right: Mapuche weavings use designs and symbols that are centuries old. The Mapuche churches gathered at Llongahue for a day of fellowship.

year in review n 10

Leadership Development

Mapudungun We believe that this endeavor is about leadership development more than it is a strictly linguistic project. This is because of the surprising growth in self-esteem and leadership that we have seen in participants in Mapudungun recovery. Therefore, we will continue with the core class, but encour-age them to move out into the community and churches. We will also involve more of the church-es by offering a Mapudungun literacy class in the Berean Institute.

English as a Second Language We will offer ESL classes for the Mapuche churches and for the officers of the Convention. Barbara’s niece, Dani Payne, from Colorado, will be with us from February through July, serving as a volunteer under the auspices of the IM Volun-teer office. She will teach English and help us with administrative projects.

Opening Minds and Hearts to ChristGirls’ Clubs Together with the local churches, we will hold a camp for the girls and mentors during the sum-mer (December through March!) The program will expand to the churches in the north and cen-tral regions of our convention.

Dr. Nora Lozano, a New Testament professor at the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio will collaborate with Barb in the writing of new teaching materials, focusing on the development of the virtues and Christian character formation.

left to right: Raul Olivares, a ministerial student, and Lord Merino, a pastor, are going to become bee-keeping pastors. Dwight’s participation with the Mapudungun class is one of his most gratifying exeriences. The Girls’ Club is the highlight of the week for these girls and a solid foundation for their future.

We trust this report gives you a glimpse of some of the ways people in Chile are coming to Christ, growing in grace and knowledge, and chang-ing their world in the power of the Spirit. All of these ministries flow out of our life in community as disciples of Jesus, in prayer, Bible study, teach-ing, preaching, fellowship and conversation about God’s Shalom vision.

What drives us is the call to equip Mapuche and Chilean churches that are secure in their iden-tity as people created in God’s image, practicing their vocation to be productive stewards of God’s creation, and thus better equipped for Christ-like mission.

If this is a vision you also identify with, we invite you to continue or begin to:

PRAY The awareness that you pray for us daily is an anchor for us, simply wonderful. Prayer is the most important work we can do. Let us covenant to pray for one another and the work God gives us to do.

GIVE This is the “gracious work” Paul talks about. Your passion and International Ministries’ passion for making disciples of Jesus Christ has drawn us together in an exciting partnership.

We are living in times of uncertainty because of the global economic crisis. You or your loved ones are surely anticipating painful adjustments.

International Ministries is facing serious financial challenges, also. It has meant making cuts in min-istry expenses and laying off valued home office staff.

Our financial reality is that International Ministries may not be able to keep us on the field if we can-not reach 100% of our support by September 30.

Nevertheless, we are filled with hope and thanks-giving. Your consistent prayers, cards, and support through the World Mission Offering, Targeted Giv-ing, and for specific ministries have sustained us this far. You are stakeholders in God’s mission in Chile and we believe we are all better disciple-makers because of our partnership.

Still the Vision Comes

“Write the vision down; make it plain…so he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

11 n year in review

left to right: Elcira Cayuman shows Barb the house she is able to build becuase of her weavings’ sales. Emelinda Coñoepan demonstrates the weaving techniques she learned from her mother.

First-Time Supporters The Luther Rice Society (a group of major do-nors to International Ministries) will match any gift from $200 - $2,000 from new supporters until June 30. You may give on the International Ministries website http://www.international ministries.org/give; go to Iberoamerica and Caribbean and select Dwight and Barbara Bolick-Chile. Or send your check or pledge directly to:

International MinistriesP. O. Box 851Valley Forge, PA 19482

Please indicate that you are a first-time donor and that it is for the “Ongoing Support of the Bolicks.”

Regular Supporters • You may give through your local American Bap-

tist Church. Simply designate on the memo line: International Ministries - Ongoing Support for Bolicks.

• Mail your check or pledge directly to International Ministries P. O. Box 851 Valley Forge, PA 19482 Indicate on the memo line: Ongoing Support for BOLICK.• Call 1-800-222-3872, ext. 2324 to give by credit card.• You may give on the International Ministries

website http://www.internationalministries.org/give; go to Iberoamerica and Caribbean and select Dwight and Barbara Bolick-Chile.

WRITE TO US If you have questions about our financial support, our ministries, or want to share a prayer request, please know that we welcome your communication.

SHARE THIS REPORT WITH SOMEONE ELSE who may not know about the ministries in Chile, and who might want to join our Missionary Partner-ship Network.

THANK YOU,Dwight and Barbara BolickTemuco, Chile

Two Simple Ways to be a Stakeholder

year in review n 12

left to right: Pastor Lord Merino teaches a Bible story for Talita Cumi Girls’ Club in the Salitre Church.“Eat honey,...for it is good.” (Proverbs 24:13) Honey ready for market. Carolina Catrin, beloved grandmother, with Yaritza, her grandaughter.

Special Thanks to Special Friends

Several short-term missionaries and volunteers visited us in 2008. Their efforts helped make our work a little easier.

• Indiana/Kentucky Region led by Dr. Lee Riggs. Through their efforts, the Girls’ Club has financing and 52 girls’ lives have been changed for the better.

• First Baptist Church of Loveland, Colorado led by Rev. John Turnage.This group presented leadership work-shops and Sunday School teacher training. Because of their contributions, the Temuco churches have Sunday School curriculum and craft supplies.

• Grace Baptist Church of Blue Bell & First Baptist Church of Lansdale, Pennsylvania led by Betty and

Don Helpa and Betty and Walter Drusedum. This group provided a supply of natural red dye, financed spinning wheels for thirty weavers, and taught ad-vanced spinning and dyeing techniques. In addition, they did dental hygiene work and activities with the children.

• Jim Wiegner, Director of Development with Inter-national Ministries came to take film footage and photos to use for several short videos about our ministries. His first video, about the Girls’ Clubs, ac-companies this report.

• A special thank you goes to Michele Gerbrandt and the Crossroads Church Missions Committee of Northglenn, Colorado for editing and producing this annual review.

left to right: Jim Wiegner enjoys some time in front of the camera with Sara Neculman and family. Pastor Lee Riggs helped baptize new members of the Salitre church. Royersford Baptish Church enjoyed fellowship with the church in Pilinhue.

 

2008 Year in Review Barbara & Dwight BolickAmerican Baptist International Ministires

All photos are by Jim Wiegner and Dwight Bolick

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