by Laura Strahl, International Personnel Department Consultant for Latin America
2 April 2007

According to reports from the COMIBAM conference in November 2006, the mission force of Latin Americans continues to grow. An estimated 7,000-9,000 are serving across the globe. SIM has been serving, equipping, and partnering with the Latin American mission movement over the last several years

Serving the Latin American Mission Movement

Last year, a significant decision was made at the Board of Governors meeting to grant SIM membership to missionaries from any country by an “authorized subsidiary council.” This means that we are simplifying the process for Latin American missionaries and others from around the world to join SIM. Though it will take time to create and form these councils in different countries, the doors to SIM membership will now open more easily to people worldwide.

The SIM International Personnel Department is providing servant leadership for SIM’s Latin American mission initiatives. We are rallying resources, information, and research on important issues—like pastoral care, MK education, and training—to equip those involved in mobilization. We are also formulating new communication tools that will make it easier to tell about SIM’s vast opportunities. Finally, we have asked one of the members of SIM’s Ecuador Sending Council to advise us as a consultant.

Multi-organization Collaboration

At the mission conference Latina 2006, directors of several international mission organizations gathered to share their experiences and discuss their efforts to come alongside the Latin American mission movement. Through this dialogue we discovered that we were all wrestling with similar questions and issues. Since the conversation barely scratched the surface, we continued it from February 26 to February 28, 2007 in Quito, Ecuador.

Key leaders from different organizations joined us in a consultation with a two-fold purpose:

• To exchange ideas and share our experiences of accompanying the Latin American church in their current efforts to send missionaries worldwide.
• To dialogue about partnership and sharing of resources so that we can serve the growing movement.

These meetings were a catalyst for further collaboration. The group will gather again in 2008.

From Latin America to the Ends of the Earth

At SIM, we are thrilled that God is mobilizing the Latin American church. There are many exciting things happening:

• Three short-termers from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras are going to India.
• The SIM Ecuadorian Sending Council has accepted a member who will be serving long-term in Asia.
• Hans Ziefle and Tim Sandvig are praying about initiating a multi-agency sending organization in Chile.

Go

Would you like to be a part of this exciting time in world missions? SIM Peru is looking for a person to join their team to help promote missions in the Peruvian church. Find out more