Author: Jana Inglehart

Rev. Raphael Voigt is a church-planting pastor in Los Andes, Panama. There, he teaches Bible classes, leads worship services and finds creative ways to reach the local community. Pastor Voigt works with two local deaconesses to provide painting classes for children and adults in the community. Each class includes a devotion or Bible lesson. He also provides music lessons, visits elementary schools,  orphanages and hospitals, and makes inroads into the community, sharing the Gospel wherever he goes. 

Rev. Lucas Elberhardt, a church-planting pastor in the Dominican Republic, serves a mission congregation in Santo Domingo. Pastor Lucas leads worship services, teaches Bible classes, makes home visits, and works diligently to build bridges into the community. His robust youth outreach efforts include sports camps, youth days and music lessons, all of which include a devotion or Bible lesson. In addition to parish ministry, he currently supervises the fieldwork of two seminarians.

Brazilian Alliance Missionary Pastor Rafael Milagres is called to serve as a church-planting pastor in Lima, Peru. Currently, he brings Word and Sacrament ministry to the local congregation in Los Olivos and does outreach activities to bring in new members from the community. Pastor Rafael works alongside a seasoned Paraguayan Alliance Missionary Pastor, Walterson Siewert, and two recent graduates of Concordia the Reformer Seminary.

Venezuelan native, Rev. Gustavo Maita, grew up in a Lutheran home. This firm foundation served as a launch pad for formal theological studies, which began at Juan de Frías Theological Institute in Venezuela and continued at Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He served his vicarage in the Dominican Republic and graduated from Concordia Seminary in Argentina.

Pastor Benjamin Flores is a church-planting pastor serving in Belize with his Norwegian wife, Karina, and their sons Lukas and Matheo.