Bolivia (MNN) — Efforts by Bolivia's
president Evo Morales to reform the country are meeting with staunch
opposition. The country erupted with
riots and strikes following a national referendum over changes in the
government that would empower the indigenous majority.
Mark
Lennox with
Bright Hope International says Morales is demanding another vote in December. "He's put a hold on the Congress and is
taking more and more control of the country. And so some people are scared
that it's going to go more of a dictator, and they're talking about re-writing
the Constitution."
The new vote is scheduled for
December 7 of this year, just a year after the controversial drafting of the
proposed Constitution.
Morales is the first Indian
president and has taken steps to nationalize many of the companies dealing
with the country's resources. He has
also become a friend to Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.
The referendum outcome and this
alliance are issues of great concern for ministries because "he's a little more of a socialist
government, and he's actually threatened to kick all of the missionaries out of
the country. Some of the missionaries I met that were from the U.S. have been there for 30 years, and now they're looking
at having to leave."
Keep praying as Bright Hope
continues to grow in uncertain times. "We just started to get back into
Bolivia because Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in the Americas, and
it's got a lot of abject poverty. So there were some great projects that I was
able to visit, and as Bright Hope, that we're really excited to get
behind."
Bright Hope works with
indigenous local Christian leaders and churches who understand their community. Together, they work to change lives in a
holistic manner–spiritual, practical, physical, educational and financial.
