Mike and Marina Shank serve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where part of their ministry includes caring for and encouraging church leaders. Their local church is growing and recently held its first-ever leadership retreat to plan and pray for the year ahead—a meaningful step toward cultivating a plurality of leaders.

Please pray for wisdom, unity, and continued growth as this church—and others in Santa Cruz—move toward healthy, sustainable leadership. May these efforts bear fruit and multiply across many communities!

Dalmiro Ortiz, who mentors and trains pastors in Bolivia, recently traveled to Agua Blanca and spent time with Pastor Ivar and his wife, leaders he usually connects with virtually due to distance. It was a meaningful visit that encouraged a deeper relationship and support.

Please pray for Dalmiro as he continues walking alongside pastors like Ivar. Ask God to deepen these leaders’ walk with Him so they can impact their families, churches, and communities with wisdom and love.

Please pray for sufficient fuel supply and protection amid rising tensions in Bolivia, as many face long waits for gas. Protests are increasing as frustration over shortages grows.

Pray especially for the Mission Hill Church Team, who are serving in a remote region and need fuel to complete their project and return safely. Ask God to provide for their journey, ensure safe travels, and bring peace to communities facing these challenges.

Please pray for Daniel and Rebekah Miller, who serve with SAMAIR Bolivia, as they seek God’s direction in how to serve beyond their official ministry roles. Daniel works as a mechanic, helping maintain aircraft that transport missionaries, pastors, and supplies to remote communities with the Gospel. 

They also ask for prayer for their children—that the Lord would provide deep, lasting friendships. Missionary kids navigate cross-cultural friendships and the challenge of friends moving away. Pray that God provides a strong support system for the Miller kids as they grow in faith and navigate missionary life.

Daniel and Alejandra Netzlaff, a Brazilian-Bolivian couple serving with SAM, are faithfully planting a church in Santa Cruz while also ministering to the Indigenous Araona people. As bi-vocational missionaries, they balance work and ministry but desire to be fully available for God’s calling.

Pray for strength and encouragement as they equip church leaders and serve Indigenous communities with the Gospel. Ask God to provide the financial support they need through churches and partners, so they can dedicate more time to discipleship and outreach.

We are thankful for how God is growing Iglesia Bíblica Palabra de Dios (Word of God Bible Church) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Their partnership with a new church plant in the city provides a wonderful opportunity to share the hope of Christ and serve their community together.

Please pray for God to continue working in both congregations, strengthening their ministries and encouraging those serving at the new church plant. May their efforts bear fruit and bring transformation to their communities.

SAMAIR Bolivia carries the Gospel to Bolivia’s most remote areas, supporting evangelism, pastoral care, and discipleship. The team needs another pilot—preferably one who is also a mechanic—to help meet the growing demands of the ministry. With only one pilot available, covering flights during Home Ministry Assignments, vacations, and unexpected challenges has become increasingly difficult.

Please pray that God provides the right person to strengthen the team and expand their reach. Pray also as they work to prepare and approve the Angel aircraft for flight, so it can soon serve those in need. Thank you for praying for this vital ministry that brings Christ’s love to hard-to-reach communities.

Church planters in Bolivia have begun a City to City Incubator, a two-year training to equip pastors to plant and revitalize churches.

With participants from La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and Tarija, the first session launched in November in La Paz. Pastors will attend 8 sessions over two years, while their wives join 2 Parakaleo sessions designed for church planters’ spouses.

Please pray for:
– Financial provision for travel.
– Lasting fruit from this initiative, with churches and communities transformed by the Gospel.
– Growth in Christlikeness and preparedness for ministry for these men and women.

Our SAM Bolivia team is gathering for a retreat—a time to be renewed for powerful ministry. José Portillo is teaching from 1 Peter 2. He is the pastor of Vive Church in Charlotte, NC.

Please pray for:
-Renewed strength and effectiveness in sharing the treasure of the Gospel.
-Courage to stand firm under challenges, keeping their eyes on Christ’s return.
-Wisdom for Pastor Portillo as he teaches.

Thank you for praying with us as the SAM Bolivia team prepares to serve with boldness and joy!

This season, we’re Celebrating Lives Changed and reflecting on answered prayers from 2024!

At the start of this year, we asked you to pray for Iglesia Remanente, a new church plant in Santa Cruz, Bolivia led by Daniel and Alejandra Netzlaff. The church’s vision: “Seek, know, and bring Jesus to our family and the world.”

Today, we celebrate how God has answered those prayers! In just one year, Iglesia Remanente has become a welcoming place for families and friends with strong Bible teaching, vibrant worship, children’s programs, prayer, baptisms, and most of all, faith in Jesus.

Praise God for this beautiful church changing lives in Bolivia and beyond.

Follow SAM on Facebook to watch a video of Iglesia Remanente!