Situated between Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is a small country with a population of 3.5 million. Sadly, less than 1% of its residents are Christian and contains more atheists than any other Latin American country. The country battles with considerable drug violence and usage, which creates increased spiritual oppression for many.
Working within an impoverished neighbourhood of Canelones, we have planted a church, a Pentecostal Bible institute, and more recently a rehabilitation centre. We established the rehab centre for mainly young men struggling with drugs, oftentimes since childhood. Our goal is to help these men recover and become valuable members of their communities while introducing them and their families to Jesus.
With the support of our son Gabriel, all three of us are heavily involved in all components of our ministries, preaching, teaching, counselling, mentoring, and praying for our rehab residents, congregation members, and Bible school students. Additionally, I (Alejandro) have 28 years of experience as a psychotherapist, and we have other health professionals, a psychologist and a nurse, helping in our rehab centre.
In 2006, we began ministering as pastors in Costa Rica. Over the next 10 years, we planted three churches, one in the city of Cartago and two more on an indigenous reserve. We also set up a Bible school, training church leaders. Additionally, we led a breakfast club for needy kids from the neighbourhood, a drug rehab center for men, and a prison ministry. Since 2016, we have been ministering in Uruguay, setting up similar ministries. Starting out as a small group in our home, we have now built our own church, along with the rehab centre located on the second floor. All glory to God!
