Sharing Israel’s Story with Pastors in Chile

Building relationships in Latin America can be challenging without fluency in Spanish. This changed when Yerko Clavero, a Chilean native, joined Christians for Israel. His involvement allowed us to connect with a network of pastors in Chile. We quickly realized there was significant interest among these pastors in Biblical and historical information about Israel. As a result, we were invited to speak in various churches in Chile.

Nine regional meetings with pastors were organized, thanks to arrangements made by Pastor Luis from Concepción. Additionally, we had the opportunity to preach at two Sunday church services and serve as guest speakers at a missionary event. Yerko accompanied us as a translator, making these interactions possible. In total, we met over 300 pastors, each of whom received a Spanish-translated copy of the book Why Israel?

These meetings were extraordinary. Some pastors expressed, “Had I known this, I would have organised a full-day conference at my church.” The pastors represented various denominations, including traditional churches, Baptist and Pentecostal congregations. The smaller gatherings allowed for meaningful discussions and deeper engagement, which were particularly enriching.

Amid the current conflict in and around Israel, many pastors had pressing questions. Their understanding was often limited to what mainstream media portrays. Offering a Biblical perspective on current events proved enlightening for many. Given the vast distance and high costs, most of these pastors have never had the chance to visit Israel. They voiced a strong desire for more Spanish-language
resources in Israel. During our trip, we also met the director of the National Library, who was so impressed with the book Why Israel? that he committed to adding ten copies to libraries nationwide.

Each meeting was a blessing, and we are filled with hope and prayers that these initial connections in Chile will grow and flourish in the future.