OUR STORY
Half Jewish, half Italian, born in the United States, lived in Ecuador, married to an Ecuadorian, have three Canadian kids, moved to Italy for four years and back in Ecuador. What’s going on? Lets start from the top.
Where was I in all of this?
Basically, growing up, but it was a pretty cool environment to grow up in. I was home schooled, so even though when I was only around 7, I would already travel the country with my family to help translate for medical brigades. Ever since, I kept serving in every ministry where there was a need. I went to an international business college in Cuenca and started my own business manufacturing decorative concrete products. In 2014, I was ordained a pastor. While running my business I began working half time in the church as co-pastor, project manager, administration supervisor, participating in preaching, discipleship classes, ministry Institute classes, radio programs and a bunch of other church life activities.
Where was Karina in all this?
Did I mention that I’m married to a beautiful wife and have three awesome kids? I don't think I did. Karina was born in Cuenca and we met at a youth retreat when we were 13. We’ve been great friends ever since. No seriously! We are still great friends. We ended up going to college together. But after the first year, her father was diagnosed with a strange blood disease and had to go to Canada for emergency treatment. He was able to do this because he had Canadian citizenship from working there years back. The doctors were able to stabilize him, but said that for him to survive, they would have to move to Canada to continue with his treatment, and that’s exactly what they did. Less then a month after he became ill, the whole family went to live in Canada.
Long story short, I couldn't live without her, and with a super cool surprise proposal using mariachis in Toronto’s CN tower, we got engaged and less than a year later married in Ecuador.
We have served and ministered together ever since. It’s been great!
So whats up with Italy?
With a radio station, a clinic and 50 ministries to keep busy, is it time to kick back and watch the harvest come in? Or, move to another country and start over? Well, as a lot of us know, God has sense of humor. So with my wife and three kids we decided to pack up shop and start from scratch.
Now how did that happen? It’s funny story actually. In 2015 my wife and I bought a piece of property. We always wanted to build our own house. In January of 2016, we were having breakfast one morning. While dreaming of our future home, which we were currently making all the arrangements to build, we were talking about the style of the house, how many rooms and all that good stuff. In the middle of our “dreaming” conversation, a thought passed through my mind. “Is this what God wants?” Building a house was the obvious next step after buying property. But I realized I never actually consulted with God, what His plans were and not mine? Right then, I mentioned it to Karina and said a simple prayer. “God, forgive me for planning without you. If your plans are different, then please let us know soon, because we don't want to start something we wont be able to finish. Or worse, that it's not your will. Amen”
We kept on talking and having breakfast, when 5 minutes after the prayer I received a phone call. It was my dad. He said to me, “I don't know why, but I wanted to tell you, I think its time for you to consider moving as a missionary to another country, maybe Italy. (that’s whole other story, check out our b)”.
Careful what you ask for…
So that was quick. I asked God to let me know if His plans were different, and wham! I get a phone call like that! God is always ahead of us, that’s for sure. I hung up the phone and asked my wife. “Want to move to Italy?”. “Sure” she replied.
WHAT NEXT? Please follow OUR MISSION
Let me give you a little background first:
In 1990 my father with an Italian background but born in the States and my mother with a Jewish background and also born in the States along with three kids and one on the way decided to become missionaries to Ecuador. So, without much of a choice me, 6 at the time, with my family moved to Ecuador. There, along with another missionary John Guido and a friend Boris Ordoñez started a small homechurch with about 5 families.
In short, with ups and downs slowly but surely things started to grow. Our focus was on the love of Christ, home churches, family and social outreach. As soon as possible, we opened a small clinic and brought international medical brigades. Every year we had to tear down walls to keep on expanding the church to hold more people. Eventually, we held Sunday services in the main theater of the city and later built our own facility that would seat 900.
A couple of years after arriving, we felt the need for spiritual covering and became part of Verbo Ministries, of which my father is currently the International Director. Our local church has grown to over 2000 members and in the last 10 years has planted 7 churches in the southern part of Ecuador. Along side our church ministry we have also opened a medical clinic, radio station, school, ministry institute, language institute and 50 other outreach ministries.