Barbara and Dwight Bolick

The Convention of Baptist Churches-Chilean Mission invited Barbara and Dwight to serve with them in ministries of economic and leadership development. Their primary focus is with Mapuche churches in southern Chile .

 

The Mapuche are the indigenous people of Chile and Argentina . Most of them live on small farms in isolated rural communities called "reductions." They struggle with severe poverty, lack of sustainable livelihoods, and the debilitating, culture-eroding effects of centuries of domination.

The goals of the Bolicks' ministries with the Mapuche churches and communities are, first, recovery of identity as a people made in the image of God; and second, discovery of vocation as productive stewards of God's creation.

​

Barbara and Dwight, with the Mapuche churches, pursue these goals through various programs, such as recovering the use of the native language, Mapudungun, in worship, evangelism, and service; entrepreneurship training in a rural context (beginning with the production of traditional weavings, and beekeeping/honey production); and theological education. Rooted in Bible study and reflection, these programs equip Mapuche leaders to serve their communities through economic development fully integrated with a proclamation of the Gospel grounded in their culture and context.

​

The Bolicks also serve in equipping leaders among the Convention's other churches. They both teach and preach in churches from Santiago to the Lake District . Barbara helps churches develop ministries to women and children and Dwight focuses on stewardship, helping churches grasp their potential to create and sustain Christ-like ministries in their communities.

 

Languages used in ministry: Spanish and Mapudungun