Argentina Contrast & Challenges

By Jim West, ABWE Representative

Overview

Stretching over 2,300 miles from north to south with sub-tropical temperatures, winter snowfalls, Atlantic Ocean fronts, South America's highest point, Pampas grasslands, and the world's largest waterfall, Argentina is a myriad of contrasts.

Argentina's population is largely of European descent, primarily Spanish and Italian. Buenos Aires, the capital, is home to more than one million Jews. Most of them migrated from Europe following the Holocaust. Ninety percent of the population is Roman Catholic; Baptists make up only a small part of the 2.5% who are labeled as Protestants.

The Argentine government is democratic but often plagued by internal corruption. The present administration is working hard to maintain a stable currency and to revitalize the sagging economy.

ABWE involvement

Since 1978, ABWE has worked in Buenos Aires, where one-third of the country's 34 million people live. Over the years, 21 ABWE missionaries have been involved in church planting. Ten of the churches started are now under Argentine leadership, some of them with attendance above 200. Four other church plants are in progress. Training leaders is a high priority. Pastors receive ongoing training through evening classes and seminar modules. That's what took my wife, Carol, and me to Argentina.

We spent ten weeks on a teaching assignment. We found the Argentine people friendly and accommodating. It is not difficult to get their attention with the gospel. The difficult part was saying "good-bye." They only let us leave when we promised to return next spring.

Opportunities

All of the ABWE churches have Argentine couples ready to partner with missionaries in planting churches. The ABWE team needs missionaries to help launch new ministries and to support those that already exist. Interested? Contact Dave Southwell via email: daves@abwe.org

Jim and Carol West served in Spain and England. They now are involved in Spanish ministries around the world.