Antofagasta: The Opportunities Ahead

In the last post we shared some reasons why our upcoming move to Antofagasta may seem foolish. On the other hand, there are many positive reasons why the move is the RIGHT thing to do at this time.

1. God's overall plan for the world includes our family's obedience in sharing the Gospel. While we may not know HOW God will work everything out, we know God WILL work as we stay obedient to Him and faithful in the proclamation of Biblical truth. The human tendency is to want to know all of the answers beforehand. God's "Big Picture" plan is perfect and we need to keep everything in proper perspective (see picture below).

2. Antofagasta is strategic for a beachhead ministry. The city is projected to grow to 500.000 people in the next 10 years. Housing developments and high rise apartment buildings cannot be built fast enough to keep up with the amount of families moving to Antofagasta in search of decent paying jobs. When we look at the picture below of the new developments and neighborhoods being built in Antofagasta, we know that each house, each apartment means more families that need to hear and respond to the Gospel. Our mission has been praying for missionaries to go to northern Chile for many years.

3. Antofagasta is the capital city of the region, so there are multiple ministry opportunities in this urban setting. Antofagasta is the hub of all things in their region. Starting a local church in this key city would be a great springboard for yet more churches to be started in the future in smaller cities in this same region.

We are praying about exploring the following ministry options in Antofagasta (all with the end goal of starting a local church): Air Force & Army Base ministry, University ministries, Addiction ministries, Ministry to the handicapped (Teleton Hospital), and TESOL ministry (Teaching English as a Second Language). If the Lord opens up some opportunities in these areas (or others that are not even on our radar) we are willing to pursue them as a way to start making initial contacts within the community.

4. The opportunity to serve and encourage our co-workers. To make a long story short, we had originally planned to serve in northern Chile with a fellow GMSA missionary family, but the Lord closed that door. We wondered if our family could even minister in northern Chile without team members. Then back in Nov, we received a call from Dr. Daniel Monrroy. He asked if we were still planning on serving in Antofagasta, because his family was planning to move there due to his work at the Teleton hospital. He was very interested in helping our family start a local church in Antofagasta. Dr. Dan & his wife, Mily are pictured in the photo below on the left. They have three girls about the same ages as Jordan, Ben, & Kaylee. Mily is also expecting their first baby boy in June.

Also pictured in the photo are Tom & Connie Chapman (sitting on the couch). They have been serving as missionaries with a sister mission board in Antofagasta for around 18 years. They are graduates of Bob Jones University and have a church plant in the north central part of the city. Tom & Connie will fill the roles of our "adopted parents" and "grandparents" to our children while on the mission field. We are thankful for their willingness to help our family in the transition to ministering in Antofagasta. Our desire is to be an encouragement to them through times of needed fellowship and fun (i.e. celebrating Thanksgiving or the 4th of July together).

5. The harvest is white and the laborers are few. The need in Antofagasta is great and there are very few missionaries.

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Romans 10:13-15