From One Mountain to Another
Isaiah 52:7 (ESV) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
After ten years, Marcelo Brondo and his family moved away from the mountains. They had lived in the Andes desert as missionaries planting Iglesia Crecer in Cachi, Argentina. God used their decade in Northern Argentina to reach families with the gospel and grow a core church group who could continue the work after the Brondos moved away. Now, the Lord has called them to something new, moving their family from their cactus-strewn mountains to the cement streets of Córdoba to lead ABRA (Argentina Reformed Baptist Association).
For months they planted the framework for a church association (ABRA) to bless and boost local churches across the country, seeking to provide resources, training, and fellowship to reformed pastors. During this work, Marcelo was contacted by a little church in the Andes foothills, in a city 45 minutes outside Córdoba. Little did they know the Lord was also calling them to a new set of mountains. Named for its location near the Los Gigantes mountain chain, Monte de Luz (Mountain Light) is a small congregation of about 25 people. At the time, they had no pastor and were looking for a leader. Although unexpected, Marcelo and his family felt a clear calling from the Lord to serve and lead Monte de Luz church.
So, not long after leaving the mountains of Cachi, the Brondo family is now ministering in the mountains of Carlos Paz.
In stark contrast to Cachi’s desert terrain, Carlos Paz is a lush, green city set on a large lake. The town might be compared to Las Vegas in the USA, with theater productions, casinos, and massive hotels to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit Carlos Paz every year. While Cachi is full of animism and poverty, Carlos Paz boasts a party lifestyle and modern worldly pleasures. Although the cultures of Cachi and Carlos Paz could not be more different, their spiritual needs are the same. Monte de Luz church, though small, shines as a biblical place of worship where locals can hear the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Since Marcelo began leading, the church has started new initiatives such as children’s programs, street evangelism, women’s fellowship, and a Bible study radio program. These activities have encouraged the current members and have brought new families to the congregation. The church was also blessed by a recent visit from Emmanuel Baptist Church from Mt. Vernon, Washington. The EBC missions team joined the congregation for Sunday service and then ministered alongside church members to share the gospel in the streets of Carlos Paz.
The Brondos’ story is an example of how God can use the life of his servants who are open to serving him in any capacity, under any circumstance... on any mountain. Marcelo and his wife Nancy continue to be leaders of ABRA, uniting 36 churches across 14 provinces in Argentina. At the same time, their growing church is a part of the association, alongside their planted church in Cachi and their home church in Córdoba city.