Latin America

Why Latin America?

Why should you choose Latin America? Or why did Latin America choose you? The main reason missionaries choose Latin America, or why anyone should consider it, comes down to a tension between two seemingly opposing truths, God’s calling versus human logic.

The first truth is to believe God called you. There are a million pithy sayings about how to know you’re called to preach or called to a certain country, like, “You’ll just know,” or “If you can do anything else, do it. If you can go anywhere else, go.”

Just two examples, but you get the idea. But the truth is that there really is some truth to those statements. Many missionaries feel that God has called them to Latin America. Maybe you could classify it as an internal, God-given desire, or maybe something else, but the truth is that there exists in then (and maybe, you) a desire to work in Latin America. There isn’t actually an explainable reason for its source (other than saying it’s a calling from God), but it’s there.

So on one hand, yes, missionaries DO believe God called them but, on the other hand, it’s the most logical choice when you consider the potential to do the most for the cause of world evangelism. Consider that it is easy to get into almost every country in Latin America, and just as easy to stay. 

You probably have never heard of a missionary getting kicked out of Latin America, or having to flee from persecution. While it’s not wrong to go to countries where that can happen (sometimes, it is even necessary), most missionaries don’t want to be that person. In most scenarios, it’s wisest to go to a place where, Lord willing, you can spend two or three decades working with minimal governmental interference. 

Also, consider that God has done incredible things in Latin America in the past five or six decades. Logically, if you have to pick between two fishing spots, would you fish in a pond where there are fewer fish biting and you may get kicked out, or a spot where you can fish as much as you want, as long as you want, and plenty of fish are biting?

Looking at it logically, it’s a simple choice.

So, on the one hand, there can really be a feeling on a missionary that it is God’s calling and leading in their life to go to Latin America. On the other, it seems like such a logical choice; some would find it hard to pick anywhere else. If you feel a desire and calling for Latin America, then by all means, follow it. If you feel a calling and leading to somewhere else, no one is going to stand in the way of your following God’s will for your life.

But if you just feel called or desirous of serving as a foreign missionary, and aren’t sure where to go or where to start, consider Latin America – the most logical choice.