John and Erin Fonner moved to Valdivia, Chile in February 2005 to train and coach Chilean college students to start authentic faith communities on their campuses. They are also working alongside missional churches in the area, helping to raise up and send out new church planters, both locally and globally. 

So what is Chile like? Imagine a country roughly the size of Texas but stretched from Los Angeles to New York and a generation of students who grew up under a military dictatorship under which thousands of people mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Since 1989, Chile has pulled out of the dictator’s shadow and is now the strongest democracy in Latin America, but the scars still show on their hearts. Skeptical of anything smelling of human control, and very politically active, university students have largely rejected the church as hypocritical and irrelevant.

From within this context, John and Erin are relationally sharing their faith, mentoring emerging leaders, and serving the homeless.  The mission of the Fonners is to demonstrate the love of Jesus to Chilean college students and to serve the community alongside them.

For more information, contact John.