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(UPDATE 7/2) Prayers for Venezuela, In Loving Memory of Sister Marisol

Jul 02, 2026
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By Juan B in Venezuela

On July 1, Caracas UBF in Venezuela held a Memorial Service for Shepherdess Marisol to honor her faithful life and to comfort the grieving family and the Venezuela UBF community with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Coworkers around the world attended via Zoom including General Director Ron Ward and Pastor Juan Seo from New York UBF, a former missionary in Venezuela.

This is a letter of gratitude from Shepherdess Betsy, the daughter of Shepherdess Marisol, who went to be with the Lord following the recent earthquake in Venezuela:

To Our UBF Family in Christ!

We sincerely thank you for the love, dedication, and kindness you showed to our mother, Marisol, during her lifetime.

You were a strong support in strengthening her faith. Together you grew, served, and worshiped the Lord as one true family.

In the midst of this tragic situation, we are deeply grateful that, over these past several days, you have stood with us in your hearts, through your prayers, and through your personal presence.

I would especially like to thank my brothers: Francisco, Missionary Juan B., Pastor Obed, Ciro, Juan P., Cristian, Kenier, and those from Valles del Tuy who personally joined me in the rescue efforts.

At this moment, we are even more certain that she is now before God, filled with joy, free from her walking cane and free from all pain.

I thank God for her example and legacy. We must remember her as a woman of faith—someone who overcame every adversity, went beyond every limitation, and devoted herself wholeheartedly to God. She is a remarkable example that we were privileged to witness.

May God bless each one of you.

With love in Christ,

Your sister, Betsy

Caracas, June 28, 2026

"Subsequent to this post, the body of sister Marisol has been identified among the casualties from the earthquake. Please pray for all coworkers in Venezuela to proclaim Jesus' promise of resurrection and the living hope of the kingdom of God, and for the comfort and consolation of Marisol's family."

Please pray urgently for Venezuela following the devastating earthquake.

By God’s grace, our church, shepherds, brothers and sisters, and the missionary family are all safe. However, one elderly shepherdess, Marisol, is still missing. Together with Shepherd Hugo and Missionary Susanna, we went to Catia del Mar, about 40 minutes from Caracas, to search for our missing Shepherdess Marisol. The journey was heartbreaking. Everywhere we looked, countless buildings had collapsed. Rescue efforts were almost impossible. There was no electricity or running water. The roads were filled with trucks and motorcycles bringing food and water from Caracas, while many people stood in shock and despair. Even more painful, looting was taking place in front of collapsed buildings where victims were still trapped beneath the rubble.

The four-story apartment building where Shepherdess Marisol lived had completely collapsed. Since she lived on the third floor, only pieces of furniture, such as a sofa and chairs, were visible among the debris. The destruction was so complete that there was nothing we could do. Most neighbors had already given up. We called her name again and again while searching through the rubble. Only one young man came to help us. Many nearby collapsed buildings still appeared to have people trapped inside, yet they remained untouched.

All we could do was weep and pray. After staying there as long as we could, we had no choice but to return, feeling utterly helpless.

Shepherdess Marisol has been the prayer mother of our church. She faithfully led Saturday fasting prayer meetings and shepherded many mothers in our fellowship. Humanly speaking, the possibility of finding her alive seems very small, but we continue to pray that the Lord, in His mercy, will allow us to find her.

The number of casualties is enormous, and the full extent of the tragedy is still unknown. The coastal cities near Caracas, as well as the eastern and central parts of Caracas, including our neighborhood, suffered severe damage. Authorities are warning that strong aftershocks are still possible.

Our own apartment building has developed more than twenty major cracks, and we are living each day with uncertainty, fearing another strong earthquake.

Communication outages and power failures have made it difficult to determine the full extent of the casualties, and many families are still unable to contact their loved ones. Repeated aftershocks and tsunami warnings along the coast have left many people fearful and unable to sleep.

May God have mercy on the people of Venezuela, our church, and our family. Above all, may the Lord will fill our family and all the brothers and sisters in our church with the living hope of the resurrection, even in the midst of this devastating tragedy.

Please pray:

That Marisol will be found safe.
That God will protect all our coworkers and their families.
That damaged apartment buildings will prove structurally safe after inspections.
That those suffering from fear and trauma will receive God’s peace and strength.
That the Lord will show mercy to Venezuela, minimize further loss of life, and bring comfort to those who are grieving.
Most importantly, may this tragedy become an opportunity for many people to repent, turn to Christ, and receive the gospel.