Why we are in missions today
Humberto and Evelyn Jiménez-Saint
Córdoba Argentina

I, (Humberto) was converted at the age of 21, and soon after received the calling into the ministry, mostly for the pastorate, though I have extended into teaching Bible students, chaplainry counseling, teaching seminars on marriage, young people, (along with my wife Evelyn) and have worked also in the leadership in Córdoba, preparing materials for leadership, and others, to be used as the need arises. My wife, Evelyn, comes from a missionary family, having been born and raised in Argentina by missionary parents, Phil and Ruth Saint, who believed missions was “for life”, as they both never returned to the States to retire. So my wife knows about mission life and work, having had to live between two cultures.

We have been pastoring in the Assemblies of God, but we have always had a burden for the leadership and for their children, for which we have taught pastors, we have given seminars to pastors’ kids. With my wife we feel that if the leadership is strengthened and encouraged, a whole congregation can be reached. If the pastor and the leader is encouraged, the local church and ministry will grow, and be able to do many projects, like feeding children, reaching teenagers, evangelizing, etc.  We both know the difficulties of the ministry, and we know the (hidden) burdens and sorrows of pastors. (My wife worked for six months, this year, for instance, with a local group of pastors’ wives talking about things specific to the ministry). I have been part of the Pastoral Council of the city of Córdoba for the last 7 years, organizing retreats for pastors and wives, bringing the Focus on the Family Latin team to Córdoba in 2004, helping organize the yearly Fiesta del Espíritu Santo that gathers 8,000 people in a covered stadium, preparing material for people to buy and use for their Bible studies. My wife writes regularly for the only national monthly Christian newspaper on family themes called El Puente. She also translates for visiting speakers from the States on different occasions.
So, we believe our main task is to equip, train, disciple and build up the local pastor or leader, just as we work on training and equipping our own leaders of our congregation. We believe that the leadership is mainly put to get the people to grow, get the people to be active, to fulfill their calling, function in their gifts. A happy blessed leader can do so much more than a discouraged one.
As teachers, my wife and I frequently teach on the family, on raising children, on marriage. At the present we have both started a 3 year course on family counseling to add to our present training.
So, in spite of the fact that we are not formal missionaries in the traditional sense, we do believe in missions, we believe in strengthening people through training and challenge, and we have years of experience in the Latin culture, where things tend to be unpredictable, complicated, but nevertheless, there is a great potential in each person in this culture that needs to be tapped and challenged. We have been through all kinds of crises, difficult times, the loneliness, the changes and adjustments over the years, and our greatest desire is to be able to share our experience and encourage people to move on in the Lord.