March 2008

Full Circle

Many years ago, ABWE missionaries Dave and Bev Toro were serving their second term in Chile, South America, when Ester moved in with them. Ester was not a Christian, but soon came to know the Lord. She eventually graduated from the Bible Institute in Santiago and helped the Toros plant their second church in Chile.

During the Toros’ furlough in the United States, they were invited to relocate to Australia to start a Spanish-speaking church there. After much prayer, they decided this change was God’s will for them, and they arrived in Australia in 1972. Much to their surprise, they received a phone call there from Ester, their friend from Chile, who explained that she now also lived in Australia, was about to marry a young captain from the Australian army, and would be honored to have Dave act as her father and give her away.

“Wow, what a blessing,” Dave writes, but even more blessings lay ahead when they heard the rest of the story. When Dave and Bev met Ester’s groom, Colin Darch, they heard the amazing account of how Colin had barely survived a helicopter crash in Papua, New Guinea, met an ABWE missionary, George Haberer during his recovery, and was led to the Lord.

“Do you see the Lord in this?” Dave says. “With Ester saved in Chile and Colin in New Guinea? Today, more than forty years later, they are working in their church in Western Australia, in Awana and Sunday school. Colin would love to be a pastor.”

One of the great blessings of a missionary’s life is watching God move people to a location where they can hear and respond to the Gospel, then watching as He moves these people—now new creatures in Christ—back either to their original country or people group, or on to a new venue of service.

The blessings continued when the Toros followed the Lord’s leading back to the US and settled in Florida to start a Spanish-speaking church called Iglesia Bautista Emanuel. Bev Toro went to be with the Lord in 1992, and Dave officially “retired” in 2004, but he still pastors Iglesia Bautista Emanuel. Dave says that he and Bev had prayed the Lord would send international attendees from this church back to their countries to be a witness and were surprised at how quickly He answered. Juan and Remedio came to Florida from Spain. Remedio, especially, was a strong Roman Catholic and grew upset at Dave’s answers to her questions about the Bible. After a few years, both were saved and Dave was privileged to baptize them. They returned to Spain, where they are busy giving out tracts and talking about the Lord in the streets and outdoor markets.

Nick (from Thailand) and Elizabeth (from Puerto Rico) also attended and grew at the church in Florida. They have since moved to Hawaii, to be closer to Nick’s home country. They pay their own way to travel to Thailand, where they help in churches and mission work. Some international attendees at Iglesia Bautista Emanuel are in the United States illegally; they attend the church while in Florida, then return to their own countries and continue to serve the Lord by spreading the Gospel there.

“Our Spanish church is very small,” Dave writes, “but we have missionaries all over the world. Praise the Lord!”

Thank you for your part in helping ABWE minister to members of our increasingly mobile society, who then carry the message of hope and good news wherever they travel.

Grateful for your partnership in the gospel,


Michael G. Loftis
President