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REPRESENTING THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF 2X2 HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET
Countries included in the South American Work:
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands (UK), French Guiana (France), Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Workers are presently in all the South American countries, with Colombia being the last place in South America for workers to go, which was over 20 years ago. There are native born workers from all the countries. In Spanish speaking countries, the preachers are referred to by the friends and by each other as "servants," whereas Americans use the word "worker."
COLUMBIA was the last country in South America to have workers. Munro MacAngus (Scottish, who had worked previously in Chile and Venezuela) and David Lockhart (Irish, who had worked previously in Bolivia), were the first to go, around 1985. Julio Gómez was the first Colombian to start in the work, and he started in 2008. There are presently 7 sets of workers there in the main part of the country. However, the most dramatic work has actually been done by workers from Ecuador in a town right on the Colombia-Ecuador border, where perhaps 200 people have professed and several churches were formed in very recent years.The three smaller countries along the northern coast—GUYANA, SURINAME, AND FRENCH GUIANA—are usually not considered “South American” in speaking of the work, since they’ve always had workers from the Caribbean. They really don’t have much to do with the work in South America, since they don’t speak the same languages and they are much more Caribbean/European in their culture than Latin.
In 2008, there are the following numbers of workers in the various South American countries:
Argentina – 32 total, 17 Argentines
Bolivia – 7 total, 3 Bolivians
Brazil – 78 total, 57 Brazilians
Chile – 24 total, 13 Chileans
Colombia – 15 total, 1 Colombian
Ecuador – 21 total, 4 Ecuadorians
Paraguay – 3 total, 1 Paraguayan
Peru – 37 total, 30 Peruvians
Uruguay – 6 total, 8 Uruguayans
Venezuela – 11 total, 5 Venezuelans
In 2008, the oldest worker in South America is Adalia Alano, a Uruguayan sister still active in mission work in Brazil at age 94. Morelia Zapata in Chile isn’t far behind her.
At some point in the 1920s, workers in Argentina met Robustiano Ferreira, a Uruguayan man, and after he professed, he went with a companion to start the work in Uruguay. John Pattison and Fred Hogan went to Bolivia in 1959. Willie Boles and Norman Campbell went to Peru in May 1969. Willie Boles and Norman Nash went to Ecuador in 1974. Ted Rozema and Lynn Walker went to Venezuela in the late 1970s. Munro MacAngus and David Lockhart went to Colombia in the mid 1980s. Not sure of the date the first workers went to Paraguay, but Steven Stivers was one of the first ones to go there. He died there in 1971.
In URUGUAY there are more Uruguayans in the work than there are total workers in the country. In South America, as in the States, workers don’t necessarily stay in their home area forever, so there are Chileans, Argentines, Peruvians, Brazilians, etc. scattered everywhere. Uruguay is still the only South American country, though, that is a net “exporter” of workers, except for Guyana. There are Guyanese workers in a number of other countries, and a number of Guyanese friends live in New Jersey, USA.
CHILE: The work in Chile never saw much response through the 1920s, and some were at the point of abandoning the country when in 1928 or 1929 workers finally encountered a community of recent German immigrants in southern Chile. One of that pair of workers spoke German, and they found interest among those colonists. So the first churches established in Chile were actually German-speaking, and there are still a large number of people of German descent among the friends in Chile today, though hardly anyone speaks German anymore.
Jack Jackson remained in South America as Overseer until his death in Argentina in 1966.
ARGENTINA : The following was written by Lee Irish after he visited South America:
“Reg Edwards came from England to labor in Argentina and was with Basilio in 1931, when Reg fell sick of typhoid fever and died at the age of 31. He was buried in San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina where he and Basilio were laboring. Reg was the first worker to die and be buried in Argentina. His grave was a simple one with a headstone that had the date of his birth and death and with the words "Un Siervo Fiel del Señor," or "A Faithful Servant of the Lord." Cándida Rodríguez, who was a young lady and a very devout Catholic at the time, saw the grave with the tombstone in its place and was very much impressed with the words on the tombstone...A Faithful Servant of the Lord…She kneeled down at the side of the grave and asked the Lord to help her to have a testimony like that of the person buried there.
“Later, where the workers had their bach in San Rafael, a sister of Cándida lived across the street from the bach and because of this, Cándida knew of the meetings, and this was before she knew of Reg being a worker. Bernard McGovern went to Argentina from the U.S. and was the one that went to be with Basilio after Reg's death, but we can't say who was with Basilio when Candida began to listen. Cándida and her mother went to a meeting to listen, but only stood at the door when a young man came on a motorbike to the mtg. and he gave the ladies a little shove to enter the room; and being on the inside they had to take a seat. Cándida didn't know it at the time but that man was already professing. Cándida continued to show interest, but the Catholic mother didn't...With time, Cándida professed, but with great opposition in the home. She was already around 30 years of age but still lived at home. Cándida made the connection between the workers and the grave of Reg Edwards in the cemetery. She offered for the work but had to wait for three years for a place with a companion. In 1938 she was given a place. The Catholic mother was so upset with Cándida that she told Cándida that she never wanted to see her again, but Cándida continued to be friendly with her mother through the years and even helped with her care in her last years.
“After some time with a companion in Argentina, Cándida went to Spain to labor where she spent 22 years of her life in the harvest field. She then returned to her native land to spend her last years; and in 1990 she passed from time into eternity and finished with the testimony, "A Faithful Servant of the Lord" that she had prayed for. Since the custom here in Argentina is to put up to three bodies in the same tomb, it was planned that Cándida be buried in the same tomb as Reg Edwards in San Rafael. Two years ago another faithful servant of the Lord finished his race after the conventions in San Rafael, and now Aldo Burzichelli is buried in the same tomb with Reg and Cándida.
“While in San Rafael after the convention meetings, I walked by the place where the workers had their bach when Cándida listened to the Gospel in the early 1930's. The building made of adobe with wooden doors is still standing and a part of it is used as a store. We counted twelve workers that are buried here in Argentina. We passed by the tomb of John Tuft this morning here in Mendoza. He died in 1982 at the age of 78; and since then a native Argentine sister worker, Matea Rodríguez, has been buried in the same tomb. I remember John Tuft being at our conventions in Texas in the 1960's. The great cloud of witnesses that have finished their race encourage us with their silent voice of testimony and as we read....'.Though being dead yet speaketh..' .”
TTT Editor's Note: In the absence of a written account, the above information has been compiled by the TTT Editor from various sources. Corrections or additions are most welcome; as well as other historical accounts for this country Email TTT
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