Fully, Deeply Engaged
Written by Board Member and Missioner, Catherine Flanagan
As we settle into our time here in Bolivia, we are immersing ourselves in the sights, sounds, flavors, and scents of this vibrant country. On Sunday afternoon, we arrived at the beautiful Convento de San Severino in Tarata. The convent, with its beautiful gardens and vistas of the Andes mountains, has served as a place of rest and reflection for missionaries and travelers for centuries. We join this history as we make the tranquil convent our home for the week. The town of Tarata itself holds a special place in Bolivia’s history as the birthplace of four of its most prominent citizens, three presidents and a hero in the fight for independence from Spain. The town is also renowned as one of the best examples of colonial architecture remaining in Bolivia and is home to a thriving community of artisans, farmers, and their families.
Dr. Jana Mohan notices the fragrant molle trees in Tarata.
On Sunday afternoon, we had the opportunity to walk the cobblestone streets of Tarata and soak in its manifold beauty. As we strolled, we were offered local cuisine, which people from surrounding communities come to enjoy on the weekends, such as rosquetes, chorizo, and chicharron; rich, flavorful scents of open air cooking filling the air. Admiring the pottery that artisans displayed in stalls along the street, we were enchanted by the colorful whistles in the shape of birds, that when filled with water perfectly replicated the sweet chirping of their real life counterparts. We left the town center with heavier bags and fuller hearts. As we entered the courtyard outside the convent, team member Dr. Jana Mohan noticed a molle tree. Dr. Luciana Rasguido, acting as our interpreter, explained the healing properties of this fragrant tree. Oil derived from its berries is used to treat the joint pain of arthritis. The tree was another example of how the earth and people are connected here and everywhere, if only we will stop to notice. It somehow seems easier to do that here, where all of our senses are so fully engaged.
That evening, the members of the Solidarity Bridge and Puente de Solidaridad teams gathered in the convent’s serene chapel to share our opening ritual. The heart of this celebration was centered on a richly colored, woven Bolivian tapestry. We reflected on how our lives and stories are joined together like the threads of the tapestry. The ultimate pattern we hope to weave together—as missioners, Puente de Solidaridad staff, Bolivian partner doctors, and patients—is one of teaching and learning, healing and being healed.
Our team this week includes US doctors, Solidarity Bridge staff and board members, Puente de Solidaridad staff, and Bolivian doctors and medical students volunteering their time as interpreters.
US Dr. Mark Ottolin is warmly greeted by Dr. Rodrigo Escobar, with whom he worked on a previous mission trip in 2019.
On Monday, we began our work at the Hospital Materno Infantil San Juan de Dios. As we were welcomed by the hospital director, Dr. Jose Ortega, and met our partners in the medical exchange we are embarking upon, the invitation to engage deeply was clear. As Solidarity Bridge Executive Director Ann Rhomberg expressed on behalf of the U.S. team members, “we are here because we are eager to be more deeply connected with you.” She expressed our gratitude to our Bolivian hosts for allowing us to be here and share this experience with them.
We enter the rest of this week ready to fully connect, to weave our stories with those of all we meet, and to breathe in deeply all that Bolivia has to offer.