Santiago Ministry Project

A bit of history

This ministry began in September 2017 under the leadership of Rev. James Tino. It served residents and immigrants with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in both body and soul. 

The Ministry Center became a home for:

  • The Divina Providencia congregation, which worshiped in a humble wooden temple built behind the property.
  • Temporary housing for immigrants.
  • A low-cost resale store.
  • The operational center for the Venezuela Relief Project.
  • The GLO Chile office.
  • English classes as outreach.
  • Workshops, Bible studies, and much more!

Since early 2023, Rev. Adrián Ventura, a GLO missionary, has been shepherding the flock of Divina Providencia after accepting a call to serve.

On January 10, 2025, the congregation received notice: they would have to leave the property they had called home for more than five years by March. The rent—nearly $2,000 per month—had become unsustainable.

The temple was carefully dismantled on February 22, thanks to the help of a volunteer team from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELA), a sister church.

The church’s furnishings were distributed among Divina Providencia members for safekeeping until a new and stable place could be found.

The temple was carefully dismantled on February 22, 2025

Current situation

After a period of renting space at a nearby community center (costing about $300 per month) and holding meetings in the homes of two families, the congregation now holds their Divine Services at a family home and at the Iglesia Luterana “La Cruz de Cristo” (Lutheran Church the Christ’s Cross, a sister church).

The congregants continue to work to find a permanent place to meet, with the help of God.

The GLO Chile office is now operating from the property of that sister church, also located in Santiago.

A small chapel receive congregants twice a month in the home of one of the congregation’s member families

What does the future hold?

Only God knows what the future holds. Still, the Divina Providencia congregation is both praying and working toward securing a permanent home.

Their biggest obstacle is finances. Property in Santiago is very expensive—especially near the city center, where most members currently live. But it will also give the Lutheran Church a lasting presence in this city and provide stability for the ministry into the future!

As in most major cities, centrally-located properties are valued at a premium, and a property will cost between $250,000 and $400,000. Right now, our focus is on obtaining a local mortgage in Chile. That requires a down payment of about 30% of the value of the property we purchase. We are trying to raise $75,000 to pay for the down payment. We have NO IDEA how that could possibly happen, but what we DO know is that we have a BIG and AWESOME GOD and that nothing is too large for Him! 

If you would like to discuss how to support our longer-range plan to purchase the property, email us: revtino@hotmail.com

Would you like to be a donor? You could visit this support page.