BOLIVIAN HEROES



The Soldiers at the Battle of Boquerón 1932

We go back in time to recognize Bolivia's heroes.

The Bolivian and Paraguayan armies were locked in a war in the early 1930's which did neither country any good. They squabbled over land rights and petroleum. One of the famous battles in the war was fought at a garrison in a place called Boquerón. The Bolivian soldiers were outnumbered 20 to 1 in an epic 3 week siege. Many died. The rest only surrendered when their food, ammunition, and water supplies were exhausted. It may have been wiser to organize a tactical retreat in the face of overwhelming odds. Perhaps they needed to buy time for other divisions to regroup. Military historians will have to sort that one out. The Bolivian soldiers perservered and fought to the end. The Paraguayans, amazed at the fighting spirit of the Bolivians, paid tribute to their bravery.

Bolivian soldiers stayed, fought and died in Boquerón. Did they die in vain? That's not the point, especially for those who lost their lives. True bravery does not weigh the pros and the cons of a particular course of action nor does it measure the pragmatic gains of one's sacrifice. Bravery is the immeasurable moral strength to to fight and struggle against overwhelming odds.

Those brave soldiers at Boquerón are my Bolivian heroes.

BOLIVIAN HERO

SAMUEL DORIA MEDINA & BURGER KING

NO...this is not a Burger King sponsored post!

Samuel Doria Medina is a Bolivian hero because his business interests have by and large benefitted Bolivia. He owns a cement company and holds the Burger King franchise in Bolivia. Several years ago he was kidnapped by terrorists but was released. His decision to stay on in Bolivia and build his business interests are noteworthy. Local businessmen and entrepreuners, when not corrupt and self seeking, are a blessing to the community. They provide jobs and a sense of security for the average Bolivian

Burger King's staying power in Bolivia is worth a plug in contrast to another famous worldwide burger chain. This burger chain descended on Bolivia about 5 years ago amidst lots of fanfare and publicity. They opened up retail outlets in major Bolivian cities. Massive crowds and long queues clogged up these outlets in the first few weeks of operation. After nearly 3 years, they felt they were not making enough profits and decided to pull out completely from Bolivia. Kids started a signature campaign in attempt to make this burger chain say. They went ahead, sold all their belongings, packed their bags and left.

Burger King however stayed on. This speaks volumes of their commitment to Bolivia's economy and its communities. Samuel's leadership is behind Burger King's continued presence in Bolivia. And that's why Samuel Doria Medina is a Bolivian hero.

Think about this the next time you eat at Burger King!

BOLIVIAN HEROES: CASHIER, TAXI DRIVER & SECURITY GUARD

Undoing Prejudices And Stereotypes

Don't expect anyone to return stuff you lost or left behind in Bolivia, we are warned repeatedly.

3 Bolivian heroes – a cashier, a taxi driver and a security guard - successfully challenged this stereotype.

THE CASHIER

My son left his spectacles in a restaurant. We returned the next day to retrieve it. It seemed ridiculous to even try. There was nothing to lose anyway. I approached the cashier and explained the situation. She looked at me suspiciously and asked us to describe the spectacles. My son said the rim was white.

She opened the drawer below her desk, fished out my son's spectacles and asked him, is this it?

Elijah, my son, happily said, yes.

THE TAXI DRIVER

Two days later, I asked a taxi to deliver my son's expensive shoes to his school; he was taking part in a rehearsal for a play and needed the shoes to get into the character he was playing. Clear instructions were given to the taxi driver. The shoes never arrived. Elijah, with his adolescent hormones on overdrive, was hopping mad. We were very anxious. We called for a meeting with the taxi driver. He swore that the security guard at the school took the shoes and had promised to give them to Elijah.

Did the taxi driver simply make up the story and steal the shoes? Maybe the security guard stole them?

In Bolivia everyone is a thief until proven innocent! (oh dear...Lord have mercy on us when thoughts, similar to this cross our minds)

THE SECURITY GUARD

The next day was May 1st, a public holiday. All the schools were closed. So the taxi driver and I went to Elijah’s school on the 2nd. We quickly found out that he had mistakenly gone to another school and not my son’s. The miracle however was that the security guard from the other school kept the shoes safely in a locker. He had not given it to anyone and was waiting for the owners to turn up. We took the shoes, thanked the security guard and left. The taxi driver heaved a sigh of relief. He, visibly sweating from anxiety, apologised for the trouble. No podia dormir toda la noche pensando en los zapatos (I could not sleep the whole night thinking about the shoes).

I was happily surprised not only by the security guard’s honesty but also the taxi driver’s willingness to apologise and take responsibility for the mistake.

So these are my Bolivian heroes: a cashier, a taxi driver and a security guard. God bless em all.

BOLIVIAN HERO: CARDINAL JULIO TERRAZAS

A 21st CENTURY PEACEMAKER

He's not an evangelical bible believing christian but Cardinal Terrazas is a bona fide Bolivian hero.

Cardinal Terrazas is the Roman Archbishop of Santa Cruz; he is also the revered head of the Roman heirachy in Bolivia. He was appointed a Cardinal by the previous Pope, John Paul2. A soft spoken and gentle man, he is not one for long speeches nor is he a publicity hound. Bolivians look to him as a calming influence. I can testify to his friendliness and genuine warmth after having met up with him in several ecumenical meetings.

Cardinal Terrazas has, on many occasions, intervened and reconciled warring factions in Bolivia. Almost everyone listens to him. When the previous president, Carlos Mesa resigned, it was Cardinal Terrazas who stepped in and brokered a deal which resolved the explosive question as to who would suceed Mesa.

The current crisis between the governor of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa and the central government has worsened. Terrazas has stepped in again to try and broker a deal between the 2 parties. Its a difficult task. Manfred is holed up in Santa Cruz and will only negotiate with the government under the guidance of Cardenal Terrazas. The government however wants to hold the meeting in Cochabamba. Its all very murky but the people know that the nation's hero is at the helm of this very difficult situation.

BOLIVIAN HERO

The guy on the right is a craftsman; he is also a prisoner; his works are on display at a special festival organized by, Palmasola, the state penitentiary in Santa Cruz. We normally associates prison with crime. This guy apparently has managed to get his creative juices flowing in prison. Jail is not an impediment for those who want to get ahead in life. Is it any surprise that he is my Bolivian hero? The language of rights does not exist in prison. Its easy to get bitter. Not this inmate. He is making the best of a "bad" situation. The Bolivian justice system is notoriously slow and inefficient. Judges can be bought. Some languish in prisons for months without having their cases tried.

The warden recently announced that they were opening a soap making factory in the prison. Most of these products are exported to the US and Japan. These initiatives provide great therapy for the prisoners and provide income for some of them. Prision should not only be a place for punishment but also a means to rehabilitate.

BOLIVIAN HEROES AGAIN!
This lady is carrying her sick child over a bridge (puente paile in Santa Cruz) which was blocked by protesters. Cars, lorries and in this case an ambulance were prevented from passing through the bridge. So this brave mother got out of the ambulance, carried her baby and walked across the bridge. The baby was breathing through a mask; some good samaritans volunteered to carried the oxygen tank that may have kept the baby alive.

The daily newspaper, EL DEBER (THE DUTY in english), carried this dramatic photo today in the front page; the social agitators were criticized for not allowing the ambulance to go through the bridge.

Blockades trigger social change in Bolivia. The president of Bolivia, when in the opposition, brought the country to a standstill, on more than one occasion, to change government policy. Other groups in various parts of the nation have followed suit; they cordon of bridges, roads and sometimes even walkways to get the attention of the authorities.

Can blockades be justified if the cause is righteous?

BOLIVIA REDEFINES HEROISM

ALEJANDRA AND HER TAMALES

Who are the present day heroes in Bolivia? Certainly not the corrupt rich who exploit her endlessly!

The heroes in Bolivia are those who struggle to make a living; some of them are only children. This is a tribute to one of them. Her name is Alejandra; she sells tamales – a soft, boiled corn cake wrapped in dry banana leaves.

My first conscious memory of her was about 7 years ago. She was 14 years old, carried tamales in a bag, rode her bicycle around the neighborhood and shouted at the top of her lungs “tamales, tamales”.

Our part time secretarial help, Vanessa, always bought tamales from Alejandra in the afternoons. She would cycle to the fence near the church and Vanessa would dutifully buy tamales for tea. One day Vanessa fell sick and didn’t come to the church office. Like clockwork Alejandra appeared in the afternoon and began shouting without stopping - Tamales, Tamales; I was busy at my desk and hoped that she would simply leave. She did not. I went to the window, looked stern, waved my hands angrily and urged her to go away; she fled on her bike!

A few minutes later the Holy Spirit stirred my consciousness with a discipling moment: Alejandra was not an unpleasant interruption to my work but the embodiment of consistency, diligence and labor – the Godly virtues we were trying to facilitate in our people. She returned minutes later; quietly hoping that Vanessa would appear. I saw from the corner of my eye; walked out of my office and approached her looking very apologetic and kindly. It seemed to work because she looked relieved and broke out into a smile. We began conversing and it wasn’t long before she told me her story. She sold tamales to help pay some of the bills at home: her brother’s education, her father’s medical bills etc. Bolivia depends on persons like Alejandra. I invited her to our Saturday breakfast programme and encouraged her to attend the church.

Alejandra is part of a common third world phenomenon: adolescents and children who work to support their poverty stricken families. These kids, and not the Brad Pitt clones, are truly our modern day heroes! They work hard because of loyalty to their families: mum, dad and their siblings are not there for their convenience but are companions in the common struggle for daily survival. A times they are not recognized for their efforts nor are they treated humanely by family members. But they soldier on anyway! They are not only Bolivian heroes but ours as well!

Thank you Alejandra for enriching my life.