Rancagua, Chile
- David and Ruth Ann Rodgers
- Feb 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 8
Ruth Ann and I were greatly blessed to be raised in Christian homes where the testimony of the Lord Jesus in the assemblies and its growth around the world had an important place. We met when I went to university and shared our interest and commitment to gospel work in local monthly visitation, tracts, and children’s meetings. We were married in 1973 and commended to the work of the Lord in January 1975. In 1977, we arrived in Chile, invited by bro. Ernie Moore, who, with his wife Kay and family, was working in Osorno, in the southern X Region.
In 1979, we moved north to San Felipe with David and Evelyn Jones and Margaret Ronald, filling out the time in service and new experiences until our first furlough. While there we became exercised about the VI Region, with its capital city Rancagua, a whole region in which there was no assembly nor active work. When we returned to Chile in September 1983, I began making trips down to Rancagua, visiting contacts; in December I found a small store front for rent, and although I didn’t have any money to pay the guarantee, the owner kept it for me until the following trip, and there we started meetings. The first Breaking of Bread was in August 1986.Between then and now, we have been blessed by the formation of assemblies in Machalí and Rosario.
There are also two outreach works: in Rengo, with weekly children’s meetings over the past several years; and in San Fernando, where several baptized believers live and in nearby communities. At present, we are about halfway through a hall building project. Since San Fernando is about 60 km south of Rancagua, we trust it will be a new expansion area for other communities to the south and west, towards the ocean. There are already believers living in several towns and cities who are asking for preaching points to be opened in their communities. Lord willing, once the extra summer activity has let up somewhat, we hope to be able to do a biweekly circuit of visits to nurture these contacts and their families.
We were blessed by the arrival of two commended couples, Andrew and Martina Kluge from Canada, in July 1990. Also from Rancagua, Chile came Camilo and Jessica Vasquez. Both couples have gone on to other new fields of service in Chile. We continue to pray for more workers, raised by the Lord locally from Chile, or commended as missionaries from abroad.
I experienced two strokes last year (end of March and end of May), and while very thankful for recovery, it was a shocking reminder that advancing age and weakness are a reality! So, we are praying for the renewal of full-time workers for Chile. The Lord’s commission to us is still valid, and is our purpose, privilege, and passion. At the same time, the completion of the task is not limited to our lifetime nor vitality; as the Lord said to Joshua, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed. This is the land that yet remains…” We would ask you to join us in prayer.
Written by David & Ruth Ann Rodgers