Meet David and Luz Maria Ernst

Serving the Lord in Venezuela

Birthdays:
David:         October 19
Luz Maria:   May 5

We married while David served three years as a lay volunteer in Venezuela for Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod World Missions. During that time he began taking theological education courses by extension from the Juan de Frias Theological Institute. After his volunteer service ended in 2006, David was invited to continue studying for ordination in the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. David was ordained as a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela in 2008.

Luz Maria is one of the first nationally certified deaconesses in the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. She also holds degrees in primary education and computer science. The focus of our mission is Christian education. We have 25 children enrolled in our preschool and Luz Maria tutors 15 to 20 or more older students with learning disabilities. We share a vision of our church and school as a center for the formation of church workers in southwestern Venezuela.