GB5 spreads joy on the streets of Bolivia

We just returned from our week-long vision trip to the country of Bolivia!

It was us (GB5), our friend and recording artist Josh Lopez, and Elizabeth and Launa, our friends from Food for the Hungry (FH). With a busy year ministering all over the nation, November couldn’t come soon enough. We could hardly wait to see firsthand what FH does on a daily basis to not only feed the hungry but to develop communities, helping them become self-sustaining. We landed in La Paz (the highest airport in the world) and, after prying our youngest brother, Aaron, off of the oxygen machine, we were met by Miguel -- an FH representative with a huge passion for his country and people. Miguel, who once was a sponsored child himself, explained the impact sponsorship has on a family and community. He has an education, a love for God, and dreams for himself, his family and the nation of Bolivia.

Tens of thousands of children in Bolivia eat, sleep and live on the streets -- with no parents or family to care for them.

After another flight into Sucre, we loaded up the bus. Our first stop was the FH headquarters where we met the rest of the FH staff. Josh Lopez grabbed his guitar, and we had a little unplugged worship session there in the offices…really cool.

We then headed to “Horno de Casa A” and “Horno de Casa B,” which are two of the child-sponsorship communities. We walked in as the FH staff was doing a craft project with the kids. This was our first opportunity to see sponsorship money at work. We spent a lot of one-on-one time with the kids, and it was really awesome to see joy on all their faces, especially in such a desolate area.

We can’t forget the class clown, Alvaro, who loved the spot light! He must have had us take at least a dozen pictures of him! After we sang for the kids and they sang for us, we headed to the basketball court to play futbol. Although the kids were playing soccer on concrete with a flat ball and little sandals that were barely staying together, they had so much fun. Before leaving, the kids presented us with a decorated pencil they had made. This has to be one of my best memories of Bolivia: playing soccer with the kids in the shadow of the Andes Mountains…wow!

After a much-needed few hours of sleep, we headed out to the campo. This was a really rough, two-hour trek through the Andes on a dirt road. I still can’t believe the FH staff make that trip on bikes (dirt bikes/motorcycles) every day!

Our first stop was a little town named Ravelo, hidden deep in the country. FH is helping with so many things in Ravelo…. We saw a computer lab where the kids go to learn all types of skills, a school where FH is helping provide books and other materials, a church where the community can worship together, and even a little barber shop where the little kids are trained to cut hair, earning money for their families.

Child sponsorship helps provide all these tools to bring children and their families out of poverty!

Mark Gutierrez, Aaron Gutierrez, Josh Lopez, Jaime Gutierrez and Louie Gutierrez belt out praises on the streets of Sucre, Bolivia.

After a little lunch break and another unplugged concert out on the street, we headed to another town where we were able to see a facility FH built, housing a shower and restrooms with a clean water source for the community. After nearly drowning in the craziest rain storm ever, our last stop of the day was a school that FH provided for the children. Even though many of the kids had to walk more than two hours to get there, they were so eager to learn! It’s amazing the things we take for granted here at home.

For dinner, we had some really good pizza with the hottest Bolivian chili peppers…too hot for Josh! J

The next day, the weather was too bad to fly from Sucre to La Paz, so we had to drive. Being stuck in a little taxi for 13 hours is something we’ll never forget! Ask us about it at our next concert.

So, it was a bitter-sweet flight home to the United States. We were sad to leave but excited to share our experience with all of you. Bolivia is a country with beautiful people and a big need.

We’re so blessed to be partnered with such an awesome ministry as Food for the Hungry, and we’re thrilled to be able to help in any way possible.

FH is definitely after the heart of God!

Please join us…. SPONSOR A CHILD TODAY!
We have seen for ourselves that child sponsorship works!

Visit fh.org/GB5 to find out more.

-Jaime Gutierrez