One Latin America Team – Summer 2025 Quarterly Update

A snapshot of blessings during the past quarter:

• The number of students completing Academia Cristo’s four WhatsApp self-study courses continues to climb—from the 20s to the 50s, and now into the 70s weekly. These courses are the entry point for all students into the Academia Cristo
• New churches were planted in Puente Piedras, Peru; San José de Caaguazú, Paraguay; Concepción del Uruguay, Argentina.
• Academia Cristo graduate Dr. Eduardo Milanesi previously started a church plant in Cochabamba that became a member of Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional (ICWI). He has now launched a second group in Santa Cruz, recently gathering over 30 eager listeners to God’s Word.
• Missionary Nixon Vivar onboarded three new instructors: Shawn Marron, a Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary student; Latin America Vicar Matthew Rugen; and Jennifer Proeber, who teaches at Arizona Lutheran Academy. Next quarter, he will help onboard four new instructors: Lester Soto, an Academia Cristo graduate from Nicaragua; Zach Satorius, new One Latin America Team missionary; Alex Dimke, a Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary student; and Tim Walsh, a WELS pastor from New York.
• Missionary Abe Degner visited Manglio Dider, his family, and his church plant in Guayaramerín, Bolivia (pictured above). During the visit, a memorial service was held for Manglio’s son, giving Missionary Degner the opportunity to share the gospel with over 100 attendees.

A look ahead

• The One Latin America Team will be onboarding Rev. Zach Satorius as a new missionary. He and his wife, Ava, will be spending one month in Argentina for language training. While there, they will visit church planters with other missionaries.
• Plans are in place to call an additional missionary will be called to serve as a church planting facilitator.
• The team is planning a Spanish Outreach Intensive event to support Academia Cristo outreach in the U.S.

Fast facts

• A total of 50,866 students have enrolled in the Self-Study Level of courses
• 1,400+students have completed one Discipleship Level live course
• 165students have completed the Discipleship Level (13 live courses)
• 54 students have completed the Church Planting Level (ten live courses)
• 45 Academia Cristo students are actively leading church plants (Grupos Sembrador)