FCBH starts school day

Bolivia Focus By Larry Jerden, UBS Photojournalist

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Early each morning, the 800 students of Colegio Cristiano Vida Nueva (‘New Life Christian School’) line up in neat rows in the school courtyard for a special event. As their attention is focused on a teacher standing in front of them, the quiet and the chill of the thin Andean air are broken by words from a loudspeaker.

Pupils at the Colegio Cristiano Vida Nueva in La Paz enjoy some free time before they queue up to listen to the Faith Comes By Hearing tapes provided by the Bolivian Bible Society. La Paz, Bolivia. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (BOL01DJ-125)

The pupils, ranging from kindergarten age to grade 11, listen intently. Some follow along in open books as they stand. The words they are listening to are from Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) tapes provided by the Bolivian Bible Society. According to the school’s Principal, Guido Aliaga, they are having a powerful effect on their audience.

“We only opened the school last year, and already we have students who have become Christians,” Mr Aliaga says. “Also, the students are taking the Word of God into their homes.

“We are very grateful to the Bible Society for the FCBH tapes and for Bibles,” he adds. “We are getting very good reports on their use. Not all the students are Christian, so through this project they are receiving the Word of God.”

Walter Mercado, President of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, co-ordinates the project. He explains that, after the New Testament tapes are played in the courtyard, the students discuss what they have heard in the classroom for about 10 minutes and then pray about it. After the prayer, Mr Aliaga notes, the students are again asked to reflect on what they have heard.

After the New Testament tapes are played in the courtyard, the students discuss what they have heard in the classroom for about 10 minutes and then pray about it

“We also have a chaplain who talks with children who come and ask specific questions,” he says.

While the program is going well, reactions among the students vary.

Motivated

“Some students don’t have any interest in it,” Mr Aliaga admits, “but others are very motivated to learn the Word. Nevertheless, our goal is that when students leave the school they will serve the Lord. That is why we want to thank the Bible Society: its projects are critical if we are to meet our goal.”

He also said that because FCBH is working so well in his school, he wants to encourage the Bible Society to take it to other schools.