Region / Country: Latin America

Reaching New Heights Together

“One of my friends said to me, ‘Edison, do you want to find out about the CBU?’. I said, ‘What’s that?’. 

“So he took me to a meeting where there were five students from different degree programs, all of whom were in love with the Lord. And I came to know the Lord at the CBU.” 

This is what happens when a national movement has the vision to pioneer new groups. When it mobilises students to reach their campus. When its global family offers practical support. When thousands pray across the world. 

This is what happened high in the mountains of Peru. 

A High Vision 

The National University of Huancavelica (UNH) is nestled in the Andes, in a relatively remote area that’s economically poor yet culturally rich, where many people speak Quechua alongside Spanish. 

AGEUP, the IFES movement in Peru, hadn’t had any outreach there for almost a decade. Then, in 2021, a renewed push for pioneering produced some leads.  

Contact was virtual at first, but the plan was clear: find a handful of interested students, share with them the need for campus ministry, support them in outreach, train them as leaders, and help them grow a local CBU (“University Bible Community”). 

With support from the IFES Breaking New Ground team and a Thriving Together grant, the vision was soon realised – and students like Edison were drawn into it.  

A Great Blessing 

Like Edison, Melisa was brought to the group by a student:  

“I joined the CBU in 2023 through a fellow student from my faculty. It turned out to be a great blessing in my life. I’m from out of town and I was going through a period of depression and anxiety. They welcomed me with so much love and took me to a church, and I was able to carry on with my life with Jesus.”   

Another group member, Isaac, has also been blessed:  

“It’s strengthened me in my degree and studies. The environment that many young people find themselves in can affect their decisions in life. So it’s much better to have friends who lead you to God, who can help you seek him more.” 

A Beautiful Testimony 

Aida Banyuls from the Breaking New Ground team, reflects: 

“Their story is a beautiful example of how the Lord can help students begin a community in which they grow together, develop gifts, and engage in relevant outreach.” 

In 2025, CBU UNH became an official member group of AGEUP. 

And you too may have played a part in this story. If you used World Student Day Prayer Cards in 2024, you would have prayed for a request from Robin: “pray for the pioneer groups in the universities of Lima, Chimbote, and Huancavelica.” 

“Robin” is Robin Rodriguez, National Director of AGEUP Peru, who has championed this pioneering work from the beginning. He testifies:  

“We have been constant witnesses of God’s goodness and are deeply grateful for all those who’ve supported us.” 

Pray 

  • Praise God for this testimony of visionary pioneering, changed lives, and ministry collaboration. 
  • Pray that God will continue to work through other pioneering projects in Peru and across Latin America as we pursue our goal of “a living witness to Jesus in every university in the world”. 
  • Pray for CBU UNH – for the group’s leaders to flourish in faith and for the group to grow and bring great blessing to campus. 

Meet Edison, Melisa, and Isaac in this short video. 

(It’s in Spanish but you can get auto-generated subtitles in your preferred language from the playback settings button.) 

No Field Forgotten

“Through this work I’ve seen up close the truth that God does not leave any field forgotten.”  

When Mayerlis started her medical studies, she couldn’t join an MUC El Salvador group at her university in San Miguel. Because there wasn’t one.   

Although this eastern region once had a thriving student ministry, the pandemic changed the landscape. Groups struggled to meet virtually, students graduated and moved on, and the distance from San Salvador (the ministry hub) limited staff worker support. 

Over time, the MUC groups dried up.  

Yet today, Mayerlis and Sindy, a newly appointed staff worker for the area, are serving in this barren field – and seeing God’s reviving hand. 

Fallow Ground 

Sindy notes that the challenge runs deeper than the effects of the pandemic – the ground feels dry and hardened.  

She finds that many students are apathetic towards talk of Jesus. The idea of studying the Bible together, “feels tedious or strange to them”, especially when the majority’s sole motivation for being at university is work-related. She recalls her own experience:  

“At first, I saw university simply as a place to get equipped for my future profession. Four years ago, I’d have said, “I’m just there to study, to get work-ready” – I never imagined God would use me in the university to share the gospel.”  

Ploughing the Land  

But, while studying at UNIVO, Sindy attended a national MUC event, and God challenged her to see a mission field. On return, she invited some classmates to a Bible study group – and they came.  

Mayerlis has seen a similar pattern at the University of El Salvador (UES):   

“After the pandemic, students felt more isolated, more focused on study, unsure how to relate with others. Reviving groups has been like ploughing dry ground – we must first rebuild friendship and community.” 

Reclaiming Ground 

To build bridges, Mayerlis and Sindy are finding creative ways to engage their campuses – like in February, when they offered “love letters” with love-filled Bible verses.  

Such words are desperately needed. Many students face economic pressures and struggle with anxiety and loneliness, with families often split apart by emigration.  

Mayerlis follows up with all those who show interest, inviting them to enjoy snacks, find a safe space, and explore Scripture. Inductive Bible studies are once again a weekly feature of campus life.  

“We’re not simply reopening groups. We’re reclaiming ground! Conversations that begin about homework and end up reflecting on God’s purposes. Sitting in the middle of campus with open Bibles, with God’s name spoken naturally in university spaces. That’s reclaiming ground for the kingdom!” 

Pray  

  • Give thanks for Sindy and Mayerlis and the revival of groups in UNIVO and UES in eastern El Salvador. Sindy also supports a new group at another campus (UGB). Pray that these three groups will flourish and grow.  
  • Ask that students will respond to outreach – to look beyond their studies and future career to see the God who brings purpose to it all. One student told Sindy, “I’m only here to finish my degree, but I feel empty”.  
  • Thank God for the pioneering vision of MUC and a Thriving Together grant that’s enabled this ministry. Pray for God’s ongoing provision of funds to sustain it. And pray that students and staff across IFES will grasp that “no field is forgotten”.  

Immeasurably More

“The project challenged my preconceptions of students’ beliefs. I was left asking, ‘How much do we really know about the struggles and challenges of our peers?’, ‘Are we stopping to listen and accompany each one?’, and ‘Are we aware of the longing for God inside them?’” 

Through co-leading a ‘Well-being, Spirituality and Religiosity’ research project among 725+ students at the National University of Córdoba, Lucas has seen God do immeasurably more than he imagined. 

More Listening 

It started with his own team.  

Like Lucas, the four others conducting the research were part of their local IFES group, ABUA Córdoba. But they represented different disciplines – anthropology (Lucas), theology and counselling (Amy), psychology (Sofía), and sociology (Marcos). 

“It was challenging to craft questions that ensured an interdisciplinary study of wellbeing, spirituality, and religiosity. But as we dialogued together, we made progress, and, during the fieldwork, we encountered realities and results that surprised us all.”   

This rigorous investigation was immeasurably more than simple outreach questions.  

The survey comprised a tool to genuinely listen, to gauge the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the whole student population. This included peers’ experience of positive emotions and relationships, their sense of meaning, achievement, and self-awareness, their spiritual needs and practices, and their alignment to particular religious groups and beliefs. 

More Partnership 

The team believed such findings would benefit various groups.  

In the first instance, ABUA Córdoba are using the data to ensure campus outreach is relevant to student needs. But results have also been shared with departments across the university with a view to supporting wellbeing policies and programs. And presentations to around 30 different churches in Córdoba are giving pastors and congregations fact-based insights into this generation of students. 

More Interest 

Beyond the deep listening and wide collaboration, Lucas says that what most exceeded his expectations was the high level of engagement from participants.   

“There were many moments of dialogue with – and among – the respondents. It usually began with them saying how surprised they were at the depth of the questions, how they had never asked themselves such things, and that it had been helpful to think about them.”   

“It was amazing that so many were interested in the survey results and in finding out about our ABUA group. Above all, I was challenged by how many were willing to listen and explore more about God.”  

One way ABUA Córdoba has been feeding that spiritual hunger is with Unidas – monthly outreach studies that explore Jesus’ “I am” sayings in John’s Gospel.  

Given that 48% of respondents identified as Catholic but only 20% believe in resurrection – but 30% in reincarnation! – it’s vital that they come to trust the One who said “I am the resurrection and the life”. Then, they can experience immeasurably more than they imagined.  

Pray 

  • Give thanks for this research project – for the vision of the team conducting it, for the funds made available through an IFES Thriving Together grant, and for the high level of engagement and interest. 
  • Pray for wisdom in sharing survey information with university departments and churches – that ties can be strengthened and key relationships deepened. 
  • Pray that students will personally encounter the great “I am” through John’s Gospel – the ABUA group asks for “students to persevere and explore deeply so that they may grow in their commitment to Scripture”. 

This week, Immeasurably More – World Student Day 2025, will unite thousands across the globe to pray for students like Lucas. Will you be joining in? Sign up to pray. Use requests from students and staff. Visit the Resource Hub. Pray for immeasurably more on Thursday 16 October!  

Passing on a Passion

Rocio has a strong conviction about the Bible. And she loves passing it on to students. As a staff worker for CCUH, the IFES national movement in Honduras, she’s helping them see how Scripture illuminates their contemporary challenges and university context.  

Earlier this year, at ‘The University: My Mission Field’ – a national training event for around 30 student leaders – Rocio and fellow staff worker Suany led a workshop on creative evangelism. Their purpose was clear: 

“We wanted to remind students of the power of God’s Word in evangelism and how it guides us when we face all the issues being discussed in university hallways.” 

A Relevant Word for Campus 

Before the session, they’d surveyed students and discovered that common conversation topics on campus were sexuality, self-esteem, politics, creation care, and mental health. At the workshop, they worked through the six steps in the IFES resource Exploring the Word and the World. Rocio explains, “We reflected on how contemporary issues can become a gateway for people to encounter the Lord in the Scriptures.”   

Students then picked one of the themes and prepared a creative way to share what they’d learned with non-Christians. But this was no academic exercise. As part of the training, one day was set aside for outreach on a local campus so that students could practise what they’d learned. 

Natalia, a law student in Tegucigalpa, said: 

“My perspective changed. I learned to identify the issues in my university community and to reach out according to that reality. I was also struck by the fact that we must be an adequate expression of what we’re preaching.” 

A Relevant Life on Campus 

The importance of both speaking and living the gospel was reinforced by daily Bible studies in Acts. Reflecting on what she’d learned, another law student Brizeli commented, “University is an opportunity to reflect God’s values in all my actions, decisions, and conversations – to be his witness, showing his love and sharing the hope of the gospel.” 

Carlos, a computing student in Yoro, put it this way: 

“It’s not just about offering the gospel. It’s about knowing it, living it, and making it a habit in every context, no matter how difficult it may seem. I realized that dwelling in God’s Word re–orders my priorities and strengthens my faith, my humility, and my love for others.” 

It appears that Rocio’s conviction – “if we have a personal and communal commitment to Scripture, the gospel will inevitably permeate all our conversations at university” – has been successfully passed on to a new generation of student leaders in Honduras. Let’s pray for them as they see, share, and show the relevance of God’s Word. 

Pray 

  • Give thanks for the “changed perspectives” and “re-ordered priorities” among CCUH student leaders. Pray for Natalia, Brizeli, Carlos, and all who were inspired by the training – that their enthusiasm for the Word will fuel relevant outreach and authentic witness.  
  • Pray for a delegation of CCUH student leaders who will further their training at “Firm, Connected, and Real”, a subregional IFES gathering in Mexico (21-31 July). Pray that the cross-cultural interactions, exchange of ideas, and biblical teaching will enrich their ministry. 
  • Pray for CCUH’s retreat for graduates – “Bound in Love” (24-25 May). Ask that these young professionals will return strengthened in their witness and committed in their support for the movement. 

Pathways to Justice and Peace  

How do you respond to violence and injustice in your society? As a Christian, does faith shape your thinking and spur you to action? 

These are foundational questions in an IFES Logos and Cosmos Initiative (LCI) project initiated by Dr Sandra Márquez Olvera. The project collaborates with national movements in Latin America, equipping students to biblically reflect on their views and grow as peacebuilders through grassroots activity.  

Facing Insecurity  

Sandra’s project started in 2022 as her pragmatic response to the prevalence of injustice in Mexico. She notes:   

“In many Latin American countries, especially in urban areas, citizens live with a permanent feeling of insecurity. Crime, corruption, and gender-based violence are daily realities. And Mexico’s ‘war on drugs’ has meant thousands have been subject to ‘enforced disappearance’.”  

Her project facilitates practical initiatives that serve communities experiencing such issues.  

In 2023, students and LCI Catalysts Areli Cortez and Remy Ocón joined Sandra’s project. They now partner with IFES movements in Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Colombia – some of Latin America’s lowest ranking countries on the Global Peace Index.    

Promoting Justice  

Last year, one practical service initiative in Mexico offered support to a collective of families whose relatives had forcibly disappeared. Since most of the collective’s physical and emotional energy is used to search for loved ones, a group from Compa spent four days helping them improve their office space.   

Fifteen students, two graduates, and three staff workers cleared weeds, created a garden, and painted walls. In the process, they got to know these victims of injustice and hear their stories. Later, they shared Christmas food together and helped place photos with information about the missing persons on a memorial in the city square.  

Believing in Peace  

With the latest phase of the LCI project now underway, Sandra, Areli, and Remy are facilitating online ‘Reflection Spaces’ for 16 participants from the four national movements. Their Perspectives for Peacebuilding course is introducing the cohort to the theology of justice and peace in the context of Latin America’s social situation. This ‘holistic mission’ framework enables participants to see service and peacemaking as part of Jesus’ call to be salt and light.  

Areli Canul, a COMPA Mexico graduate participant, is looking forward to turning her reflection into action: 

“I really hope to be able to walk just a little bit of the path they’ve shared with us – to continue the legacy and serve the Lord, showing that the Scriptures call us not to be passive and indifferent to suffering and injustice”. 

New Pathways Ahead  

Community action initiatives will again partner with civil society organizations. The first initiative is set to start in Mexico in the second week of December, with others in Ecuador, Colombia, and El Salvador to follow in January.  

Throughout, the three women will interview key actors and log student responses so that they can document each country’s approach to Christian social responsibility. Their findings will be written up as an academic article and inform an action plan for the four student movements. 

It’s hoped that this LCI project will help embed peace and justice initiatives into regular ministry – shaping thought and spurring action. 

Pray  

  • Pray for the movements as they finalise plans for their practical initiatives – for grace and favour with the partner organisations and the communities they’ll serve.  
  • Pray that a practical concern for peace and justice will be integral to Christian witness in these movements and in all IFES movements.    

See Sandra speak about her passion for connecting the Word with the world in this LCI video. 

Perspectives on Justice and Peace from Latin America, a booklet that was distributed at Sandra’s 2023 World Assembly seminar on this topic, is available online  in Spanish and in Portuguese. 

The power of a gentle invite

Nattanaelys and Josué were quite similar, but they were also worlds apart – until a gentle invitation from Nattanaelys led to a powerful change in Josué. 

Common Experiences 

Nattanaelys and Josué both experienced huge losses at a young age. When Josué was four years old, his parents divorced, with his mother leaving to rebuild her life elsewhere; when Nattanaelys was nine, her father was murdered.  

As they finished school, both had high hopes for their university studies, but neither were able to enrol on the course they desired. Instead, they ended up studying physiotherapy at the Simón Rodríguez Experimental University in Marigüitar.  

Different Outlooks 

Despite these difficult shared experiences, they had vastly different perspectives on life.  

Nattanaelys had a family who loved the Lord. Growing up as part of an evangelical church, she was shaped by biblical teaching. Through an aunt, she was introduced from an early age to MUEVE, the IFES movement in Venezuela. All this gave her a sense of purpose: 

“Due to the situation in the country, I couldn’t study the career I really wanted. But my objective at university was still clear: to present the hope of Jesus to my classmates.” 

Josué entered university in a wholly different state of mind. While growing up with his grandparents, he started to do everything alone. He had some good friends, but gradually he became emotionally detached. Many labelled him as “cold and distant” – and he started to believe it. 

“I pursued intellect to compensate for the emptiness that tormented me. But I knew what was going on inside: I didn’t know what love was. I didn’t even have a concept of what it was.” 

A Gentle Invitation with a Powerful Effect 

As nothing more than classmates, Nattanaelys had no idea what Josué was going through. Nevertheless, true to her purpose, she decided to invite him to a MUEVE event. He recalls: 

“I didn’t even know her name, but she came over to me. Very subtly, and with a touch of embarrassment, she asked me if I wanted to take part. When I agreed, I was shocked to hear that the event was called ‘Crazy things of Love’.” 

Intrigued by what he heard that day, Josué continued to attend MUEVE Bible studies, prayer spaces, and events. Then, he was ready: 

“I took the step of giving my life to the One who is the source of inexhaustible love.” 

Nattanaelys concludes: “I’m so grateful – through that MUEVE event, Josué is today my brother in faith and friend.” 

Pray 

  • Give thanks for the way God used Nattanaelys’s gentle yet courageous invitation to draw Josué into “inexhaustible love”. Ask that all students in MUEVE will share her commitment, reach out to their classmates, and see God at work.  
  • Both Nattanaelys and Josué were selected to participate in an IFES subregional gathering, offering fellowship and training for students from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Sadly, due to ongoing political issues, they couldn’t attend. Please pray for a swift and peaceful resolution.  
  • Moreover, Joel, MUEVE General Secretary says: “due to our economic crisis, many family members, friends, mission partners and students have left the country, leading to a reduction in our student groups.” Let’s pray that the Lord will strengthen those who remain and raise up new student leaders through the national camp on 7-8 September. 

Discover more about student ministry in this Caribbean subregion of Latin America with IFES Coordinator Gisela Muñoz in this Voices of IFES podcast.  

Taking tea into the backyard

“Yes, we must! I know loads of students on campus; we must start something there!” 

Emanuel gave his heartfelt response to a question he’d just been asked: could student ministry be launched on his campus in Paysandú, Uruguay? 

The IFES movement in Uruguay, Comunidad Bíblica Universitaria (CBU), has worked for many years in the capital Montevideo, where most students attend university. Traditionally, the country’s economy, politics, and education have centred on the city – so much so that one lecturer has described the country as “the port (Montevideo) and its backyard”.  

In the last decade, however, new institutions have been established in the “backyard”, including satellite campuses of the state university. So, staff and students in CBU began praying for a student witness there, seeking the Lord for a way in. 

Then, three years ago, CBU General Secretary Jorge Bermúdez received a message. He didn’t know the sender, Santiago, an academic coordinator at a technical college (UTEC) in the western interior city of Fray Bentos. Apparently, he’d heard Jorge speak at a church a few years ago and was inspired about the need for student ministry. Could CBU come to UTEC? 

Then, more good news: Antonella, a social worker Jorge knew, arranged a meeting for him with her church pastor in Paysandú, about 125km north of Fray Bentos. On hearing about CBU, the pastor (a former high school teacher) was keen to see ministry start at institutions there and reached out to two other churches. 

Through these Spirit-led connections, CBU staff and students visited Fray Bentos and Paysandú in recent months to lead two workshops: “Building bridges” (relational evangelism) and “Bible detectives” (inductive Bible studies). Local students are now equipped – including enthusiastic Emanuel. He was able to attend the CBU national camp in March, when he declared his “yes, we must!”.   

To see this passion spread further among students, the CBU team hopes to collaborate with local churches on a two-day retreat in the area in May. They also plan to engage students in running The Mark Drama in September. In the meantime, the newly equipped students will take their first steps in launching small groups on campus. 

In CBU, such groups have a special name: Mateada Biblica. It conveys the friendly atmosphere of sitting around to drink mate (a traditional South American herbal tea) and chat together – in this case, about the Bible. 

So, let’s thank God for these opportunities in Uruguay and pray for CBU students as they share tea (and Jesus) in their backyard: 

  • Give thanks for the way God worked through Santiago and Antonella to enable CBU to train up students in Fray Bentos and Paysandú – and for the good relations with local churches. Ask that these will continue and deepen.  
  • Pray for Emanuel and the other students who received CBU training – that they will step out in faith, start groups, and see God at work. And ask that the planned retreat and Mark Drama outreach will inspire and engage more students. 
  • Pray that God will stir up many supporters, staff, and students to take part in this year’s IFES Global Giving Day: Into all the World (17 April), raising funds for initiatives like this to plant new groups around the world. 

Hopeful actions in a vulnerable place 

In an unimposing church building in the middle of Guatemala City, thirty-two people have gathered –  university students, professionals, and church members. They are concerned about the environmental crisis. What hope is there? They have come to hear speakers share insights from science, theology, and indigenous knowledge. What difference can they make? 

It’s a pressing question. Guatemala is cited as one of ten countries most vulnerable to the effects of global heating. In the last few years, climate chaos has caused droughts, floods, and landslides. It has increased food and water insecurity in a country already suffering from deforestation and pollution. 

But what can a student do? Is there any hope?  

“There is much to be done, but there is hope.”  

“As difficult as it may seem, I believe there is hope for our relationship with the environment, if we begin to recognize our deep-rooted mistakes.”  

This is what participants concluded at the end of the event organised by Venuz Pérez López as part of her Logos and Cosmos Initiative (LCI) project. The LCI is an outworking of IFES’ global vision to support and shape students who will impact all of society for the glory of Christ. It equips young Christian academics to lead projects that spark curiosity and wonder about God’s Word and God’s world, and the relationship between theology and the sciences. 

This is exactly what Venuz was achieving in that room. Her seminar, entitled Uniting knowledge: a reflection on the environmental crisis through the lenses of science, ecotheology and indigenous peoples, brought together different perspectives – igniting hope and inspiring practical solutions. Discussion around climate change has often been confined to scientific knowledge. But Venuz believes there is more – and that we can wisely use science in the pursuit of justice for God’s kingdom. 

Venuz, who recently completed her master’s degree in integrated water management, has been working closely with the IFES national movement, Grupo Evangélico Universitario de Guatemala (GEU), introducing students to her multi-disciplinary approach. The seminar she organised at Casa Horeb Church included students from GEU regional groups (Huehuetenango, Chiquimula, Guatemala, and Sololá). But it also attracted non-Christian students, providing a forum in which everyone could see the relevance of faith to all areas of life.   

Venuz continues the work of her LCI project through a virtual course she designed and runs called With Science and Faith for the Environment. “The objective is that participants recognize God as creator and strengthen their connection with creation so they can contribute to environmental solutions on their campuses, both short and long term,” she explains. With fifteen students from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and Chile taking part, it will inspire action across Latin America. 

There is hope. Students can make a difference.  

Pray for Venuz and students in Guatemala: 

  • Give thanks for Venuz and her husband Johnny, who has also planned and implemented an environmental LCI project. Pray their faith and work will continue to ignite hope and inspire action. 
  • Pray for the student movement GEU: it is raising awareness about creation care with workshops and a practical guide, which is now included in the training plan for all new student leaders. 
  • Pray that non-Christians will be touched by the faith and action of their Christian peers and want to find out more about Jesus and the hope he brings. 

Watch a video of Venuz and her husband Johnny explaining their LCI projects here. 
View a summary of the seminar at Casa Horeb Church on the GEU YouTube channel here. 

Natalie steps forward

Word spread fast about the new cell group started by Natalie Jordán in her faculty at the University of Panama, but not everyone was supportive. Nevertheless, Natalie was confident of God’s continued provision and presence. “Even though we sometimes fear what the future brings, God is present as a firm rock,” she says.

Last year, Natalie, a student leader with CEC Panama, set up the student group in the Faculty of Architecture and Design to provide a meeting space for fellowship, worship, and Bible study.

“It was challenging because there hadn’t been a Christian student group in the faculty for the last few decades, so there were many professors and administrators who were unaware of CEC and what we do,” explains Natalie.

In addition, when more students heard about the group, Natalie learned how sceptical and atheistic mindsets can be a stumbling block. Even among the Christian students, there were not many willing to help lead the group. On top of this, the staff worker left at the end of 2022 and a replacement has not yet been found.

But the Lord provided committed believers from other faculties who have stepped up to help lead. And because her group is one of only two cell groups at her university’s central campus, it draws students from several different faculties.  

“The Lord has provided everything we need over the years,” shared Natalie. “Even to see just one person interested in knowing more about Jesus shows how he is using us to impact the university. In the end, everything comes from him; we do what we do because of him and for him.”

After the challenges of setting up her group, Natalie is looking forward to learning from other members of the IFES fellowship this August at World Assembly. There she will join approximately 1,000 students, graduates, faculty, staff, board members, and supporters from around the globe as they meet in Indonesia for IFES’ quadrennial conference. They will experience teaching, study, worship, the arts, and fellowship, all focused on the theme of being resilient witnesses in the university and beyond.

“I am looking forward to meeting some of my brothers and sisters in faith from other parts of the world, especially those who may be experiencing persecution,” says Natalie. “I feel that this may help fuel my passion and efforts to share Jesus among my peers and encourage me to take of advantage of the opportunities I have in Panama to do so freely.”

“I also hope to receive training in sharing the gospel effectively with any type of person I encounter at the university – something I often feel I lack.”  

Trusting in the Lord’s provision and the generosity of our supporters, IFES will provide scholarships for many attendees like Natalie at World Assembly 2023. These scholarships will ensure that World Assembly has a truly global voice, regardless of financial barriers. With this support, scholarship recipients can connect with the global fellowship, share their experiences, ideas, and testimonies at this transformative event, and return home freshly inspired and equipped to face the challenges of their context with increased resilience. 

Please pray with us for Natalie and for World Assembly:

  • Pray for student leaders like Natalie in CEC Panama, that they would be guided by the Lord’s wisdom and filled with courage to do his will in the university.
  • Pray for CEC Panama, that God would provide the right people and resources needed to continue his work. Pray especially for a new staff worker and for the training of new staff.
  • Pray that the Lord would use World Assembly 2023 to strengthen faithful, resilient witnesses of Jesus Christ, in the university, and beyond. 
  • Pray that the Lord of the nations would provide the funds needed for World Assembly scholarships.

If you want to help leaders like Natalie share their experiences and be better equipped at World Assembly, now’s your chance. We’re seeking to raise USD 37,500 for World Assembly scholarships over this year’s Global Giving Day. You can donate here, learn more here, and follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram for updates and more stories from scholarship applicants.