From Latin America to Asia: 5 Projects GLO Is Working On

The Church of God is global, and its resources are scattered throughout His Church.

On the other hand, sometimes God’s people in one country have just what His people in another need.

It is for this reason that at Global Lutheran Outreach we have projects connected to the places where our missionaries live and serve.

All of these projects are sponsored by a GLO missionary or board member; that is, we do not support independent projects.

Currently, we have five active projects you can support: three in Latin America and two in Cambodia.

Hope for Residents of Siem Reap

Led by GLO missionary to Cambodia Sharolyn Frahm and Pastor Ravy Van, this is a community development project of Hope Church that will provide adults with practical skills such as sewing, engine repair, English, computer literacy, hotel and restaurant management, livestock farming, and handicrafts for tourism in Angkor Wat.

The goal is to open doors to sustainable employment in Siem Reap and share hope in Christ in an area lacking opportunities.

Learn more about this project here.

A Lighthouse in Costa Rica

Although Costa Rica is known for its beauty and tourism, many communities face severe problems, such as abandonment, human trafficking, gang violence, family instability, and a lack of access to education.

These social realities contrast sharply with the country’s international image regarding quality of life and retirement opportunities.

Because of these needs, LightHouse Transformation Ministries was born, founded by missionaries Ethan and Amanda Hutton—newly joined to the GLO family—and Zach Barz.

Its programs include teaching English in public schools, mentoring and tutoring, extracurricular activities, family support, community outreach, and spaces for discipleship and spiritual growth.

Learn more about this project here.

Mobilizing the Mission (COMPLETED)

Returning to Cambodia, Shary Frahm and Pastor Ravy Van’s ministry faces transportation limitations in reaching rural communities.

The lack of a suitable vehicle hinders movement for discipleship, training, and community support in these isolated locations.

For this reason, a vehicle acquisition project was launched. This will allow the transport of equipment and materials for community projects, facilitate pastoral visits and discipleship in remote villages, and support technical and ministerial training programs.

Learn more about this project here.

A Home for a Congregation

“Divina Providencia” Lutheran Church faces the challenge of finding a permanent home of its own after years of serving immigrants in Santiago, Chile.

Founded in September 2017 by Rev. James Tino, director of GLO, the previous spaces of “Divina Providencia” served not only for divine services (in a temporary wooden chapel), but also as temporary housing for immigrants (mostly Venezuelans), a low-cost thrift shop, spaces for English classes, workshops, and Bible studies, the office for Fundación GLO Chile, and operations for the Venezuela Relief Project.

Today, the congregation meets in a space provided by a member family’s home, which was adapted to hold divine services every Sunday.

However, this is a temporary solution while this Lutheran community secures a permanent location.

The main obstacle is financial. Properties in downtown Santiago cost between $250,000 and $400,000, requiring a 30% down payment (approximately $75,000).

The brothers and sisters of this church continue working to find a property, trusting in God’s provision and the generosity of donors.

Learn more here.

Relief for a Country in Crisis

Venezuela is a country facing severe economic and social challenges.

This situation led to the launch of the “Venezuela Relief” project in 2016. That year, we began sending funds to help people buy food, as shortages were severe.

Thank God, the relief program worked. However, an even more urgent need soon emerged: acquiring medications.

Through the Venezuela Relief Project’s medication program, we provide medicine to those most in need, focusing on chronic illnesses and life-saving treatments unavailable in the country.

All medications are purchased in Chile, and all logistics are handled through Fundación GLO Chile. They are sent to Venezuela, where receiving Lutheran communities organize to distribute them to patients.

Furthermore, in the wake of the double earthquake on the central coast of Venezuela on June 24, 2026, we have also dedicated ourselves to helping those affected by this tragedy, which has already claimed more than 6,500 lives (according to official figures).

Currently, we continue to raise funds to send to the South American nation to meet basic needs.

Learn more about the “Venezuela Relief” program here.

Transitions and a seat at the table for everyone

In their most recent newsletters, Ethan and Amanda Hutton, missionaries in Costa Rica, tell us about their transitions in that country and the purchase of a property for LightHouse, the organization they lead in a highly vulnerable area.

“Of these many transiciones (transitions), one of the most exciting is the LightHouse property. There is a 37,000 sq foot lot immediately adjacent to our new house, and the LightHouse board has decided to purchase it! And, LightHouse paid the deposit on July 31!,” they explain.

This space will help them “to better meet the needs of the people of Parrita, develop meaningful relationships with them, and intentionally share the Gospel,” they add in the newsletter.

This is a project they have named “Sueño” (Dream).

“The ‘sueño’ is simple: A place where people who feel overlooked, rejected, wounded, or disconnected can discover that they belong. A place where practical needs are met, dignity is restored, and faith is nurtured. A place where all in Parrita may learn the great love of Christ for them. A place where everyone has a seat at the table!,” they say in one recent newsletter.

Ethan and Amanda mention that they were inspired by the song “Sueños” by the Christian band “Un Corazón” to name this project.

It has become “an anthem for this vision. One line captures our heart perfectly: ‘Everyone to the table, no one left out,’” they share.

LightHouse needs to raise an additional $114,000 by December 31, 2026 for the purchase of the property.

Ethan and Amanda Hutton recently joined the missionary staff of Global Lutheran Outreach. For nine years, they served with the support of the organization Mission of Christ Network.

Former high school teachers in the public school system in Nebraska, United States, Ethan and Amanda live on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast along with their children Aubree Rose, August Roland, and Ezekiel Thomas.

Join the Hutton family’s missionary project. Support them with your donations and prayers.

GLO celebrated God’s mission and faithfulness at the Hispanic Convention

Global Lutheran Outreach celebrated God’s mission and faithfulness at the VIII National Hispanic Convention LCMS.

This event took place from July 28th to 31st 2026 at Concordia University Irvine, California, USA.

Representing GLO were James Tino, Director of our organization, and his wife Liisa Tino; Maíra Ferrari, member of the GLO Board of directors; and missionaries Benjamin and Scarlett Tino, who serve in Guatemala.

According to the organizers, more than 200 church workers, lay leaders, congregation members, organization leaders, and ministry workers from 17 U.S. states and 7 countries participated in this edition.

The National Hispanic Convention LCMS is the main gathering of congregations and ministers of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod who are committed to Hispanic ministry in the United States, which marked its 100th anniversary.

GLO was one of the sponsors of the Convention.

As part of its participation, our organization raffled a quilt featuring the Luther Rose. This beautiful piece was handmade and donated to GLO by our sister Isabel Medina, a member of the Iglesia Luterana Confesional de Chile (Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile). The winner was Reverend Rodrigo Fernández, a Chilean pastor serving at a church in Texas.

The proceeds from the raffle went to GLO’s general fund.

We are very happy about the space this convention provided to discuss the mission opportunities that GLO represents.

We pray that the Holy Spirit touches hearts so that more people support the work of all GLO missionaries around the world.

By Moisés G. Hernández

New Missionaries Join GLO

New missionaries have joined the staff of Global Lutheran Outreach in recent months to continue taking the Gospel to every corner of the world.

The new missionaries who are now part of GLO are Wondimu Game, André Müller, and Ethan and Amanda Hutton.

Originally from Ethiopia, Wondimu had the joy of founding a church in his country in 1996. Tabor Congregation began with approximately 150 members and is currently one of the fastest-growing, with nearly 13,000 members, 5 pastors, 17 evangelists, and thousands of volunteer ministers.

That congregation has an exceptional missionary calling. In 25 years of ministry, it has established 35 congregations—some of them in majority-Muslim areas—working in local mission and evangelism across seven regions of Ethiopia. It has 35 outreach areas and 40 mission stations, overseeing 69 local evangelists and missionaries. Today, Tabor sends international missionaries through MYIMS, fully funded by the congregation itself.

Wondimu, who has also served on our organization’s board of directors, is committed—along with his wife Tsigewengel Bekele Uddo and their three daughters Doxsa, Hadassah, and Naomi—to fostering a passion for international missions in Africa so that more missionaries can be sent “from everywhere to everywhere.”

From Brazil to All of Latin America

The Reverend André Luiz Müller has been GLO’s Regional Director for Latin America since October 2025 and brings over two decades of church and missionary service.

André is Brazilian and grew up in Paraguay. Between 2013 and 2026, he served as president of the Lutheran Church of Uruguay (Iglesia Luterana del Uruguay, ILU), expanding the institution from one to five congregations. During this period, he earned a Master’s degree in Theology from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, United States (2020).

Since March 2026, he has combined his role as GLO Regional Director with his pastoral ministry at CELSP in Curitiba, in his native country, where he coordinates the first mission in Brazil featuring Spanish-language liturgical services tailored to Spanish-speaking immigrants.

He carries out his ministry alongside his wife Maíra Ferrari Reis (a GLO board member since 2014 and a prominent contributor to the ILU) and their three children: Helena, Martín, and Francisco.

From high school teaching to missionaries in Costa Rica

Since 2017, Ethan and Amanda Hutton, together with their three children Aubree, August, and Ezekiel, have served as missionaries in Parrita, on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast.

As former public high school teachers, they are passionate about using education, relationships, and discipleship to bring the hope of Christ to individuals, families, and communities.

Before moving to the Central American country, Ethan and Amanda taught in the public school system in Schuyler, Nebraska. Their years of teaching experience shaped a ministry philosophy that continues to guide their work today: authentic relationships create the best opportunities for growth, transformation, and the spread of the Gospel.

Founders and leaders of LightHouse Transformation Ministries (LightHouse), this missionary couple strives to address social needs, build meaningful relationships, and create opportunities for discipleship in this vulnerable area of Costa Rica.

We invite you to keep all GLO missionaries in your prayers so that the Lord may guide and strengthen them, and that under His care they may face the challenges of their ministries to bring His Word to those who do not yet know Christ.

By Moisés G. Hernández

Missionaries in Guatemala help youth strengthen their faith

Three times a month, Víctor Rivas and Belén Juárez meet with university students in Guatemala. The goal? To study the Word of God, talk, pray, and grow together in faith.

Víctor shared this in the most recent newsletter sent by this missionary family from Global Lutheran Outreach in the Central American country.

They hold these meetings on Sunday afternoons in Cobán. They are currently studying the Gospel of Luke, which helps them “to see more clearly Jesus’ love for the needy, the sick, the sinners, the marginalized, and all those who need to hear the good news of the Kingdom of God.”

Víctor highlighted that it is key for these young people to be in contact with the Word of God: “At a stage of life where there are many questions, decisions, and challenges, we believe it is very important to open spaces where they can approach the Bible, express their doubts, strengthen their faith, and remember that Christ also walks with them in their university life.”

This activity is part of the work carried out by Víctor and his wife Belén alongside the Asociación Misericordia and GM net.

More than 100 people received medical care

One of the blessings that took place in Guatemala in recent weeks was a health campaign led by Korean doctors James and Emily Lee, who were serving in that country.

In the newsletter, Víctor reported that he supported them with logistics during the campaign, helping with transportation, patient care, and, when necessary, translation for those who arrived.

More than 100 people were treated thanks to this initiative.

“It was beautiful to see how medicine, service, and the love of Christ can come together to bless families who often have little access to healthcare. We thank God for the lives of James and Emily, for their willingness to serve, and for every person who received support during this campaign,” Víctor commented.

By Moisés G. Hernández

Earthquakes in Venezuela: Our ongoing commitment to relief and prayer

This is a message from the director of Global Lutheran Outreach, Rev. James Tino, regarding the situation in Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes of June 24, 2026:

I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the nations.

By now, everyone has heard the news of the great tragedy that happened in Venezuela—the two devastating earthquakes that shook the country on June 24th of this year. In less than a minute, the nation experienced a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, followed seconds later by an even stronger quake of 7.5 magnitude.

Most of the destruction was centered in the coastal city of La Guaira, where the main international airport is located. Other areas were also severely affected, especially Caracas, Aragua, Carabobo, and several locations along the northeastern coastline of the country.

These earthquakes have taken a terrible toll on human lives. As of today, there are over 3,300 people confirmed dead, more than 17,000 wounded, and thousands of people whose fate is still unknown. In the face of this heartbreak, people across the region, throughout the United States, and beyond have mobilized to bring aid and relief to the country.

This situation affects me deeply. Some of you may know that I have a profound personal connection to Venezuela. My wife and I served there as missionaries for over 13 years. I served as a pastor in the state of Monagas, in eastern Venezuela, and also in the city of Barquisimeto, where we established a new congregation. Our children went to school there and grew up there. In fact, three of our four children were born in Venezuela.

In the face of such tragedy and such enormous need, it is easy to feel helpless. What can we do? I admit that we ourselves often feel that way as well. But we are not empty-handed. Since 2017, Global Lutheran Outreach has maintained a program called Venezuela Relief.

This program packages and sends much-needed medications to people who cannot afford to purchase them on their own. The medicines are distributed safely through a network of 20 Lutheran congregations throughout the country. With our latest shipment, which is going out right now, a total of over 9,800 patients have received life-giving and life-sustaining medications through this initiative.

In addition to this program, Global Lutheran Outreach has a missionary family living and serving directly in Venezuela. Pastor David Ernst and his wife, Luz Maria, work in the community of La Caramuca in Barinas State. They reported that they felt the shaking of the earthquakes, but thankfully, since their community is far from the epicenter, they suffered no damage.

On behalf of myself, my family, and the entire Global Lutheran Outreach community, we are heartbroken over the suffering in this beloved country where we raised our family. Please be assured that we are standing with our Venezuelan friends and family. We are praying for you, and we will continue to do all that we can to bring life, hope, healing, and the message of eternal life in Jesus to Venezuela.

The words of the Lord God to Joshua are my words to you as well. The Lord said: “I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you. Only be strong and very courageous.”

Courage, my friends. The Lord is with you. He has not overlooked Venezuela, and he is not ignorant of what has happened to you. Be strong, be courageous, and know that he is by your side.

If you want to help alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Venezuela, every contribution is important. The funds will be used to purchase supplies directly in the country. You can make your donation on this page.

A new chapter of growth for Taros Village

The sewing program was officially launched in Taros Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia, marking a new chapter in this ministry led by Pastor Ravy Van and Global Lutheran Outreach missionary Shary Frahm.

The goal of this program is to identify talented and motivated community members and provide them with excellent instruction that teaches more than basic sewing skills.

Participants will learn to operate sewing machines with confidence, understand garment design and cutting, create finished products, and develop practical experience that could lead to employment opportunities in the textile industry, the missionary explains in her latest newsletter.

“For any ministry to thrive within its own community and capabilities, it must ultimately be able to stand on its own. In places like this village, however, that is rarely possible at the beginning without outside support to help launch new opportunities. From there, wise planning, careful decisions, and thoughtful stewardship become essential so that growth can continue and the community itself becomes stronger and more sustainable,” Shary says.

Since its announcement in early 2026, the project faced a delay of a few months. However, according to the missionary, the delay was intentional; due to unexpected circumstances regarding the purchase of land for the new ministry center, the team wanted to ensure adequate funding was in place to begin on a solid foundation.

“As often happens in ministry, progress does not always follow our timeline. Part of our ministry vision has always been that the work here would become increasingly self-sustaining over time. Too often around the world, ministry efforts struggle to survive without ongoing outside funding. Somewhere along the journey, projects can lose momentum because there is not enough room to adjust, regroup, or rethink a better path forward. We do not want that to happen here—or with any project we begin,” the GLO missionary explains.

The training project launched with two sewing machines purchased by Pastor Ravy. They are brands widely used in the Cambodian textile industry, which also ensures the availability of maintenance and repair services.

“I am incredibly excited to see the ministry expanding once again and establishing another strong, practical footprint within the community. Congratulations to Pastor Ravy—and also to his mother, who is a seamstress—for helping bring this vision into reality. Thank you for walking alongside us and helping make opportunities like this possible,” remarks the missionary.

Discipleship Network Connects and Empowers Local Leaders in Guinea

A discipleship network is connecting and empowering local leaders in Guinea, West Africa—a strategy aimed at expanding the Christian faith among unreached populations.

The information was shared by Tim Heiney, a Global Lutheran Outreach missionary, in the latest edition of his newsletter.

What makes this evangelization model efficient is that it does not rely solely on foreign missionaries. Instead, it focuses on training, connecting, and supporting Guinean pastors and other leaders who are already on the ground.

The core event that drove this network was a meeting organized in February 2026 with the “East-West Mission.” During the event, pastors from different churches met to identify opportunities for collaboration.

Network Structure

According to Tim, this network functions as an ecosystem where different leaders have complementary roles, facilitating the organic growth of discipleship.

In the newsletter, the missionary mentions key leaders (using pseudonyms) operating within this collaborative network: “Karl,” “Pastor K,” “Edward,” and “Linus.”

“Karl” is the pioneer in a specific area, starting Discovery Bible Studies (DBS). Although he is a member of the local religion and his theological knowledge is limited, he has been the starting point for evangelization.

“Pastor K” is a leader from the “Forest Region” who receives training to support and deepen Karl’s work. His role is to teach him how to lead the studies and guide him toward a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.

Meanwhile, “Edward” is a Guinean pastor called specifically to a remote, completely isolated area. He was trained in DMM (Dynamic Master Discipleship), a methodology for making disciples in a dynamic and scalable way.

At the same time, “Linus” is a leader located in a village near “Edward.” The strategy here is to connect Linus and Edward so they can support each other, preventing Linus’s isolation while providing resources to Edward.

This model is crucial for the following 3 points:

1. Sustainability: By training local leaders, the Lord’s work continues independently of the presence of foreign missionaries.
2. Scalability: The “one-on-one” and “group-to-group” methodology allows for rapid growth without the need for significant financial resources.
3. Coverage: It enables reaching remote and isolated areas that foreign missionaries could not easily reach on their own.

“It’s great to see this network of church leaders and disciple-makers growing,” the missionary says.

The Role of Prayer and Community

The discipleship network is documenting testimonies that validate this approach.

For example, in one of the villages where it was believed a church would never exist, the local chief agreed to host a Bible study, proving that the network can open doors where it was thought impossible.

International workers are also being integrated, creating a bridge between global experience and local execution.

“It looks like amazing things are ready to break open all around, and we’re convinced it’s due to your faithful prayers over the past 10 years since we moved here. Keep praying, especially as the enemy is moving in countries all around us. Thank you for your faithful prayers!!,” Tim says.

Written by Moisés G. Hernández

Camila González, GLO Missionary: “Music Holds a High Place in Service to the Word”

“The (Lutheran) Hymnal is a lifelong treasure for the Christian,” says Camila González, a Global Lutheran Outreach missionary in the city of Valparaíso, Chile.

In her latest newsletter, titled “The Missionary Suitcase” (La maleta misionera), this young music teacher, originally from Misiones, Argentina, explains how important this compendium of Christian songs is—which, despite being so valuable, is underestimated by Lutherans themselves.

“Music holds a high place in service to the Word. Even so, there are those who consider the Hymnal boring, impractical, inappropriate for today’s world, and even unrelated to children,” notes the missionary, who serves at the Concordia Lutheran School in Valparaíso and provides musical support for Sunday services at the “Espíritu Santo” Confessional Lutheran Church.

Camila highlights that it is striking how little people know about “the richness held within this very special book,” as it is treated “like just another accessory typical of an ancient church,” disconnected from the customs of our modern times.

However, she reiterates that this is a major mistake: “Every prayer, every hymn, every rite, and liturgy it contains is biblical. It is not above the Word; it contains the Word. And using it leads us directly to the Divine Service, where it is proclaimed and where Christ himself awaits us.”

The missionary reminds us that God also teaches through music, and invites us to pause and reflect on His Word in a hurried world.

“In this fast-paced society, where pauses and rituals seem to be losing ground, the Hymnal invites us to something counter-cultural and beautiful: to stop, pray, and sing. It does not replace or improve God’s Word; it points to it, and brings you closer to where you can hear it and learn it. I invite you to open it—with your family, your youth group, or simply at home—and discover everything it holds to sweeten your heart in Christ Jesus,” Camila concludes.

Written by Moisés G. Hernández

Missionary implements school support in a Uruguayan town

Global Lutheran Outreach (GLO) missionary to Uruguay, Valeria Bustamante, has implemented school support activities for children between the ages of 5 and 12 in Chapicuy, a town located approximately 400 kilometers north of the capital, Montevideo.

As she reports in the latest edition of her newsletter, these activities are part of the Mercy Service and consist of school tutoring and a children’s and youth library project, both held within the church premises.

Through this school support, Valeria—an Argentine deaconess who has also served in the educational field in Chile—reviews subjects such as mathematics and language with the children (locally called “chiquilines”), usually seeing significant attendance. In February, for example, 15 children attended.

“For Bible school, we have copies of the book ‘Garden of Bible Stories,’ which we use for language and collective reading comprehension time, and to reaffirm faith in Jesus,” she commented.

This is an activity that the GLO missionary began last year at her home in Chapicuy. It now takes place at the church.

Concurrently, Valeria is working on a children’s book donation campaign in coordination with Pastor Christian Hoffman of the Lutheran Church of Uruguay (ILU). The goal, she says, is to set up a children’s and youth library in the church that is open to the community.

“Some of these donated books arrived before the sessions, which allowed us to incorporate them into the review days,” noted the missionary, who serves the ILU.

Valeria invited anyone who wishes to join to help expand this library for the Chapicuy community.

By Moisés G. Hernández