Introduction / History

Bolivians are defined by their connection to the nation state of Bolivia. Mestizo Bolivians are those who are mixed European and Native American heritage. There are Mestizos in every Latin American country. Those from Bolivia are usually a mix of Spanish with one of three Native American groups: Aymara, Quechua, or Guarani.

There are Mestizo Bolivians in Bolivia, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

There have been a couple of waves of Bolivians migrating to the United States. Those who came in the first three decades of the 20th century were usually White and professional. Among them were the father of the famous actress, Rachel Welch. Others came in the 1980s to escape hyperinflation and the economic fallout it caused. Most Bolivian-Americans live in Los Angeles, Florida, New York, and Virginia.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Bolivians are somewhat unique in Latin America because the vast majority are either indigenous or Mestizo. Women have their own clothing style, with long dresses and bowler hats dating back to the 1920s. They have their own styles that they associate with cholitas, rural women. Some of their styles are becoming accepted in Bolivia, a country where most live in a rural setting. In other countries like the United States, Mestizo Bolivians are usually urban.

Bolivian-Americans have restaurants in New York and Virginia. Their Andean flute and panpipe is popular in the United States. They have excelled as athletes and in the arts. In 2019 Bolivian-Americans founded the American Bolivian Collective.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Mestizo Bolivians are mostly Roman Catholic, and they allow for indigenous beliefs to be blended with the dogmas from Rome. A sizable minority are Evangelical, and they can be used by God to reach hundreds of others for Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

Mestizo Bolivians need self-acceptance. They were created to be in God’s image for his purposes. It’s common for them to feel inferior, especially in light of their history of being controlled by others.

Prayer Items

Pray for Mestizo Bolivians to gladly take up their place at God’s table and become what he wants them to be.
Pray for them to recognize their dignity despite their history of being exploited.
Pray that soon, Mestizo Bolivian disciples will disciple others in Europe and the Americas.

Scripture Prayers for the Bolivian, Mestizo in United States.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivians
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivian_Americans