A new church is growing in the suburbs of La Paz, Bolivia. The Mallasilla Bible Church has been meeting since October 2007, in the home of Marcelo and Carmen Alfaro, a Bolivian couple. More than 60 people squeezed into their home for the first Sunday worship service.

SIM missionaries Greg and Faith Hurst discipled young people at La Comunidad (Community) Church in La Paz for seven years, dreaming of the time when these young leaders would be commissioned by the church to begin a new work. In 2007, God brought together the church planting team of these young Bolivians and their families, the Hursts, and SIM missionaries Scotty and Lisa Miser with the Alfaros, who were already leading a neighborhood Bible study in Mallasilla.

Mallasilla is a rapidly growing suburb with diverse population of professionals, Aymara Indians, and youth. By continuing to grow in its witness and securing property on which to build a meeting place, the Mallasilla church will be strategically positioned to reach some of the least-reached people in Bolivia. Mallasilla Bible Church is the only evangelical church in the city which has a university and an international Christian school.

Because Mallasilla is a quickly expanding suburb, purchasing a prime piece of property soon is crucial for two reasons:

1. It is wise stewardship to invest in land before property prices skyrocket with increasing growth.
2. Buying land now will allow the church to build its building in a central location before the land is completely developed.

After the team had been commissioned by their mother church, La Comunidad they began saving their tithes towards the work of the new church. Since the church opened, they have been able to help pay the pastor's salary and have a seed fund towards the purchase of land and building.

Pray

• for God to use the Mallasilla Bible church to make an impact in their community.
• for the church to grow and mature in Biblical stewardship, enabling them to give generously.
• for wisdom in the purchasing of property for the church.

Give

You can encourage this new work in Mallasilla through your financial partnership, enabling them to invest in a piece of property where they will be able to build a space to worship together. We praise God that a donor has pledged a matching grant up to USD $15,000.