Continuing the Dream

Guayaquil, Ecuador- The student’s of OM Ecuador’s mission school, known as ECTM, went to Maria Reina Orphanage to carry out a work project. The students worked to repair, restore and clean the facility that has gone unused for sometime.

For the students, it was an opportunity to get outside the classroom and get dirty through practical service. For the orphanage, it was an opportunity to have an abandoned play room and library restored. For Roberto Facanha, the Latin American Field Leader, it is the continuation of a dream.

In 2003, Roberto returned to Ecuador from the United States where he and his wife Shura had spent several years studying at Wheaton College. They viewed the education they received as a gift from God. As such, they returned with the conviction to share that gift with fellow Latinos. “My main goal was to give back what God had given us by grace. We viewed it as a gift to share”, said Roberto.

Since returning, Roberto and Shura have worked through OM and alongside other organisations, churches and seminaries to teach, prepare, and equip Latinos for the mission field.

“We saw many Latinos struggling in the mission field. We felt it came from a lack of exposure to different cultures, different leadership styles”, Roberto shared. “We wanted to change that through educating Latinos interested in serving on the mission field about these challenges”, he continued.

Over the past seven years, Roberto, Shura and the staff of OM Ecuador have organized the mission training school for the Andean Region. The school has had over 65 students come through the program and seen 50 percent of those students continue to the mission field.

Now the school, like Roberto and Shura, lies at a crossroads. Roberto has been selected to lead the Latin American Region.

“Will the school in Ecuador continue? I don’t know. The main focus for me is for the area. I am dreaming about organising a standard training program across all of Latin America. I believe we have the right people to begin implementing this style of training.”

Recently, OM Latin America tapped Clint Barends to begin the work. Clint has joined OM Panama after spending several years working for OM South Africa.

Clint’s work is a means to realize one of the greater goals Roberto shared. “The main challenge I see is training leaders in Latin America to replace other leaders. We must do a better job of developing Latin leaders.”

The conviction is being carried by Roberto into his new position as the next Latin America Area Leader. “Training and teaching are always in my heart. It is a joy for me and my wife, and we want to see it continued”.

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.