Latin Missions Advance in Times of Pandemic

The pandemic initially presented a threatening challenge for the Latin American missionary movement. However, the God of mission guided the CLA to take actions. Despite churches closing, Latin missionaries remained in the field with their virtual and in-person ministries bringing help and hope to those most in need.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Latin American missionary movement was under threat. The CLA (Latin America Region) mission advisory team called a meeting to unite in prayer and encourage each other to continue trusting God in these difficult times. They also created a sustainable contingency plan to keep the missionaries in the field because bringing them back home would not be the best solution.

The COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the world for a considerable period, and many churches are still in the process of resuming their activities and ministries. But the missionary work did not stop. Most Latin missionaries have remained in the field doing their work virtually and, in some cases, in person. They seized the opportunity to show God’s love practically, bringing food and aid to the needy and doing other social work as permitted.

The CLA Missions team has continued to accompany the work of their missionaries by maintaining more fluid communication with them and with the national mission leaders. That has allowed them to create virtual prayer cards to call churches to pray for the missionaries and their ministries.

The desire to send new missionaries to the cross-cultural field continues to burn in their hearts. Thus, some workers have already been sent, and others are about to leave.

The mission leader of the C&MA of Peru reported: “Thank God no missionaries returned from the field. In salary matters, 90% received the same amount as always; only 10% were affected, with 10% or 20% of their income decreasing. Some of them are already receiving the same amount as before the pandemic. The work in Equatorial Guinea is experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. The church has grown in 2020 and 2021. They are baptizing every two months. Praise God for that! In February 2021, two missionaries went to the Middle East. In June, we will send a family to Italy, and another one will go at the end of this year.”

Ecuador and Chile will send new workers to the Sixth Region until the end of the year. Argentina is also ready to send its missionaries. They are only waiting for a better exchange economy to send their candidates. Brazil too will send a missionary family to Portugal this year. We praise God for these encouraging reports.

God also provided financial aid for missionaries from the Latin American countries hit hardest by the pandemic, such as Brazil and Argentina. On the most grueling days, God opened a door of provision that allowed our Latin brothers and sisters to support their missionaries financially. In Argentina’s case, they were unable to send aid since everything remained closed, so they sent the funds from Ecuador to the different countries where the Argentinian missionaries are.

Currently, the Latin American Christian and Missionary Alliance is looking for ways to continue growing in the care of missionaries. Please pray that God will provide the necessary funds for corporate insurance covering everything needed for the moments of crisis that their workers may go through.

Sonia Paredes, CLA Missions coordinator says, “We praise God for his infinite love and mercy towards the Latin American missionary movement. The mission belongs to God, and he wants to use his church to be an instrument in expanding his kingdom.”