The Don Bosco church was the first Grace Brethren church established in Buenos Aires. Though God had used it to bring His Word to many people since its beginning in 1947, hope and vision were in decline because of the climate of despair that had descended upon the Argentine churches during the dictatorship of Peron.
Then in 1987 something happened that caused the Don Bosco church to break out of its shell. Two of its members, Jose and Hilda Palacios, were on an extended vacation across the river in Uruguay. Jose was a retired navigator who had undergone a remarkable conversion; Hilda always wore a smile and never knew a stranger. Several of the people they met began to open their hearts to the Lord.
The Palacios felt the call of God to continue their stay in Uruguay and gather these people together into a church family. They decided to share their burden with their own spiritual family, the church of Don Bosco, which was struggling to meet its own needs. They were soon joined by Daniel and Gabriela Barbitta, who are leaders of the ministry still today.
In 1990, the original group church plant became a Point of Light in Montevideo. In 1994, it became the first Brethren church in Uruguay. By the year 2000 this church was supporting missionary projects in Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay, and have been actively involved in spreading the gospel and planting churches in the interior of the country.
The arrival of the Guiles and Bailey families brought new vision and teamwork to Argentina, with wide-ranging consequences, resulting in the Total Mobilization church-planting strategy.
Then in 1987 something happened that caused the Don Bosco church to break out of its shell. Two of its members, Jose and Hilda Palacios, were on an extended vacation across the river in Uruguay. Jose was a retired navigator who had undergone a remarkable conversion; Hilda always wore a smile and never knew a stranger. Several of the people they met began to open their hearts to the Lord.
The Palacios felt the call of God to continue their stay in Uruguay and gather these people together into a church family. They decided to share their burden with their own spiritual family, the church of Don Bosco, which was struggling to meet its own needs. They were soon joined by Daniel and Gabriela Barbitta, who are leaders of the ministry still today.
In 1990, the original group church plant became a Point of Light in Montevideo. In 1994, it became the first Brethren church in Uruguay. By the year 2000 this church was supporting missionary projects in Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay, and have been actively involved in spreading the gospel and planting churches in the interior of the country.
The arrival of the Guiles and Bailey families brought new vision and teamwork to Argentina, with wide-ranging consequences, resulting in the Total Mobilization church-planting strategy.
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