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.