The South America Region recently held two training seminars hosted by the Wesleyan Institute of Nazarene Identity to develop and strengthen skills, knowledge, and experience among outstanding leaders on the region. 

The first was held 13-15 November on the campus of South America Nazarene Theological Seminary in Quito, Ecuador. Nearly 60 leaders from all over the country participated in the training.

A Venezuela training was held from 16 to 18 November in the city of Cucuta, Colombia, for 32 church leaders, district superintendents, ministry coordinators, pastors, and other leaders. This was the first event of its kind for Venezuelan leadership.

The hope of the training sessions is to develop leaders in a variety of ministry areas and in a variety of levels of ministry leadership, including local, district, national, regional, and global. The events shared a clear vision of how to accomplish the mission of God in Venezuela and Ecuador. 

Between the two events, speakers included North Andean Field Strategy Coordinator David Gonzalez, Regional Director Christian Sarmiento, General Superintendent Gustavo Crocker, General Secretary Elect Gary Hartke, and several missionaries from across the region. Several Ecuador missionaries serving on the field also attended the Ecuador training.

“In my opinion, it was a really good event,” said Alyssa Clark, an Ecuador missionary. “I am motivated to be a better leader, and I understood the importance of being a mentor to someone else. The teaching was very clear, and the presenters were clear.”

During the trainings, leaders were inspired and challenged to work with and mentor the next generation, based on the model of Jesus’ leadership.

“It was a very enriching event that reached its goal,” said Liliana Caiza, one of the Ecuador participants. “It cleared up, in my mind, the mission that we have as children of God to spread the gospel and the necessity of being mentors to others to spread the gospel.”

--Church of the Nazarene South America