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The mission in Boliva
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 Pater Claus Braun |
contacts:Impressum und Mailpostal:P. Claus Braun, Casilla 26, Tupiza, Bolivia |
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| interesting links |
| MISSIONSSTATIONEN |
| PATER KRAEMER |
| ABTEI NEUBURG |
| SPIRITANER |
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A short description of my place of employment in Bolivia
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| The mission outpost is located in SAN PABLO DE LIPEZ in a height of 4250 meter (13943 ft) over sea level. There are about 20 mountain villages in the mission district. They can only be reached through dusty,bumpy and adventurous dirt roads. About 6000 people live in the parish, almost exclusively Indios. They live from some farming, (potatoes, beans, wheat and quinua (a sort of grain), and from tending to their lama and sheep herds. The meat of the Lamas is sold at the big farmers markets. The profit is used for supplies which are not available in their villages and to pay for doctors visits and if necessary for surgeries. The people live in extreme poverty, their lives being even harder by the rough climate with long periods of freezing temperatures. My parsonage does have neither heating nor electricity, nor phone or TV. Our wireless station and lights are being powered by solar energy. Only two of the 20 villages do have a public phone available in their village centers. To improve communications I - being also an amateur radio operator - installed wireless STATONEN in many of the villages. A government agency connects them to the phone network in the cities. Many students live far away from their schools. To facilitate their education, boarding schools have been built, which provide them with a roof over their heads and regular warm meals. Pictures for that: PEOPLE SAVOIR VIVRE; ANIMALS COUNTRYSIDE; CHAPELS BUILD |