Key person: Tino and Nelda Villarroel
Tino and Nelda are still very much involved with the day to day running of the Camiri Bible School (Facultad Bíblica Camiri) and overseeing the various activities on the property. Tino is Dean of the Bible college and lives on the campus. This role involves a fair amount of pastoral care for the students in addition to teaching modules. Most recently, Tino taught modules on ‘Church and Mission’ and ‘Marriage and Home’. He commented to us that he particularly enjoyed teaching the module on marriage and encouraging the young students to look for a life partner and create a Godly marriage. They generally have 20-25 students come through the Bible school each year.
Tino also provides support and mentoring to Jaime - a gifted young man who manages the dairy farm on the same property as the Bible school. Jaime also spends a fair bit of time travelling around Bolivia doing evangelism and teaching and discipling other young believers.
Tino believes strongly in encouraging the next generation of Christians and he considers the many students who have come through the Bible school over the past 13 years his ‘spiritual children’. He travels around Bolivia regularly himself helping many of these young people who are serving the Lord in church planting and evangelism. Another example of this is Eli and Raquel who run the carpentry project and whom Bright Hope World also partner with (BLV04).
Tino’s wife Nelda helps with administration in the Bible school and with some of the cooking duties.
Tino and Nelda have been in full time ministry for 30 years. In that time they have led many people to the Lord and have discipled many young believers.
There is also a small church plant they have started called ‘Aposento’ - the Upper Room. They encourage the students from the Bible college to attend this but a number of people from the community also attend this gathering.
The vision of this partnership is to see young Bolivians equipped to serve God throughout Bolivia. This is being accomplished through the Bible school teaching and discipleship visits that Tino makes to many of the evangelical Christians around Bolivia.
Recently we have communicated to Tino that we would like him to recommend to us other exceptional Christians in Bolivia that Bright Hope World can also partner with. He has responded by putting forward a few different young people and from these BHW has partnered with Eli and Raquel (BLV04). It would be great to see more partnerships like this continue to develop.
1) Tino and Nelda are getting a little older and have some health challenges - pray for strength and good health
2) For wisdom as they look for people to train up to help in the work
1) Another great group of young students in the Bible school
2) The Upper Room church is growing and making an impact in the community
We were really pleased to be able to spend some good quality time with Tino on this most recent visit. Although he and his wife Nelda are both getting a little older they are still passionate about discipling young Christians and seeing the Gospel preached around Bolivia.