News > Latin America

Buenos Aires & La Plata UBF, Argentina

October 12, 2012

Argentina UBF (Buenos Aires UBF and La Plata UBF) held our first historical spring Bible conference during Sept. 22-23 at a Christian retreat center called, “Casa de Purificación” right outside Buenos Aires with the title “Do You Love Me?” Each year we have summer and Easter conferences. However, during winter and spring, we didn’t have any special program. In our monthly missionaries’ meeting between La Plata and Buenos Aires chapters, we came up with the idea of having a spring conference.

At first, it seemed too much to prepare for it. For both La Plata and Buenos Aires UBF, to gain one new sheep was as hard as catching a star in the sky and our students were tired from their school studies and work. So holding a spring conference felt like carrying another heavy cross. Before the spring conference, our sisters’ common life seemed to be slowly dismantling and M. Erendira seemed overwhelmed with her job and starting her house church. So this time we decided that missionaries would be messengers and brothers and sisters would prepare a Bible character symposium. From the beginning of August we had intensive fishing ministry. Whether students gave wrong information or rejected our invitation, we decided not to beg them to accept our invitation. We prepared a simple fishing invitation card with a strong message that would convict Latin American young people. We put the invitation posters at the bus stops and passed out the invitations to people on campus and in the streets.

Then just two days before the conference, we heard the news that Isaac Cho, Jr. from La Plata UBF was attacked by local Argentines right in front of his house. He fainted and his facial bones were broken. This incident was reported on 5 different TV channels and appeared in the daily newspaper. It was almost considered an attempted murder. He needed an immediate surgery, and in order to take care of him, M. Mary Cho couldn’t attend the conference. In addition, M. Juan Moon’s father passed away, so he had to travel to Korea and as a result, he too couldn’t attend the conference.  We felt heavy-hearted as we had fewer workers to serve the conference. There were sheep whom we expected to come who didn’t attend the conference.

In total, there were 18 attendants from Buenos Aires and 6 from La Plata. Although various Bible students didn’t come, two new Argentine students Jairo and  Estela attended and comforted us. Sh. Dorka invited her friend Karen and Maria and her daughter, Paolita. Alonzo came on Sunday. Sister Carolina and her brother Elquin attended. Elquin was our chef.  On Sat night, M. Esteban & Paulina Cho from Bolivia UBF arrived. Altogether 26 persons attended our spring conference. From La Plata a new sheep, Ivan, also attended.

M. Marcos Kim delivered an opening message from Matthew 11:28-30. He testified how true rest comes when we receive the forgiveness of our sins, God’s calling, and take up the yoke of Jesus. We learned that in Jesus there is true rest, contentment and hope.

M. Isaac Cho served a message from John 21.  Jesus’ question, “Do you love me?” is his love confession toward us. Although we fail repeatedly and go back to fishing in our old life, Jesus’ love is the same and we have love toward Jesus in our hearts. So we can obey Jesus’ voice, “Feed my sheep”, “Take care of my sheep.” Although the recent event of his son Isaac Jr. wounded his heart, he could find the direction to serve the campus mission newly.

Our leaders from Buenos Aires and La Plata prepared a symposium on Bible characters. They prepared their symposium in advance before the conference:  Jose Moon (Joseph of Genesis), Maria Cho (Rahab), Lorenzo (David),Claudia (Esther), Marysue (Mary Magdalene), Jorge (Andrew), Sandra (Ruth), Carolina (Maria, Mother of Jesus),  Dorka (Peter),  Erendira (Pricilla). Each Bible character really fit the person very well. Each one shared their hope and vision to become the rock of one church in the future.

M. Erendira studied about Aquilla and Priscilla who were kicked out of Rome, but were called to serve the world mission work. She accepted God’s calling to serve the work of God as a house church in Buenos Aires and prays to co-work well. Brother Jorge from La Plata is slow and steady like Jesus’ disciple Andrew who offered 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus and Jesus fed 5,000 with it.  He is receiving Abraham training. Even if no one comes, he decided to study the Bible and write testimonies with the hope to feed many people with God’s words.Special song was prepared by the powerful sisters from Buenos Aires and artistic brothers of La Plata.

M. Esteban Cho delivered the closing message based on John 4, “Lift your eyes and look at the field.” He said, even if we don’t know the entire Bible, if we have one personal testimony, we can be Bible teachers. Jesus’ food is to do God’s work and to complete it. Our food is to do God’s work and complete it. If a sheep doesn’t come to us, we must go to the sheep to serve.  We thank God for the ten symposium sharers and I saw the hope for them to pioneer ten chapters in Argentina through them.  We pray that the work of God through our spring conference may bear fruit and God may raise ten Argentine one to one students to joyfully participate in our annual summer conference which will be held in Feb. 7-10, 2013.

By M. Marcos Kim, Buenos Aires UBF, Argentina