Missionaries
Zully Ruano, Spain
Zully has received a special call from the Lord to help plant an international Christian school in Mallorca, Spain. In January 2021, that vision became a reality when the school opened its doors—the first Christian school on the island open to the public. Currently, only about 1.6% of Spain’s population identifies as Evangelical Christian. Most of the children and families who attend come from unbelieving households, yet many are now hearing the Gospel and coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The school’s mission is not only to provide excellent academic preparation but also to share the hope of Christ with each child and family. Zully’s long-term vision is to strategically use Spain’s location as a launching point to prepare and send missionaries to neighboring regions in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Vincent Aniku, Uganda
Pastor Vincent is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Midigo discipling hundreds of believers in a 90% Muslim area of Northern Uganda. He manages the Calvary football (soccer) team that is in the Uganda Premier League, sharing the gospel internationally. Pastor Vincent and Melissa run the Bible College, as well as a Pre-school - Jr. High for over 850 children, 500 living at the school full time. Their heart is to share the love of Christ to all with a desire to disciple and reach the unreached.
God is also providing for them to build a stadium for outreaches, a library, and a community center to teach reading and writing to the adults who are illiterate due to war. This will be the first place of its kind in the area bringing the gospel and unity.
Pray for health and protection against persecution.
Pray for God’s provisions and direction.
Pray for more laborers. The harvest and the ministries are plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Brian Versoza, Philippines
In April of 2014 Brian Versoza was ordained as a Pastor and took over the ministry that Pastor Tom Maxwell planted in Cebu, Philippines (Shepherd’s Heart Calvary Chapel). In 2009 Pastor Brian graduated from U-Turn for Christ School of Ministry in Samar, and then became an intern at Shepherd’s Heart Calvary Chapel (SHCC) in Cebu City serving alongside Pastor Tom Maxwell. As he extended his internship, the Lord opened the doors for Pastor Brian to become SHCC’s senior pastor when Pastor Tom returned to the US. SHCC reaches out primarily to squatter areas, ministering to over 100 adults and an average of 400 kids as the school year starts. The church has a full range of ministries for children of all ages and adults.
Pasha Baranov, Russia
Pasha received the Lord in May of 1992 at one of the first outreaches by Calvary Chapel of Downey. In November of 2004, Pasha became the pastor of Calvary Chapel of Vladimir, Russia, and overseer of all the missions in the Vladimir region. There are currently 7 Calvary Chapels in the Vladimir region. CC Vladimir has also established a Bible College.
Sammy Medina, Merida
calvaryprepa@gmail.com
Sammy Medina grew up in the missions field. At the age of 9, his parents moved from California and decided to become full time missionaries in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico. Since then, he fell in love with the people and the culture, started to learn the language, attended school and helped his dad in the ministry.
After graduating college at the age of 23, Sammy and Aly got married in Merida. Today they have three sons and one daughter. Sammy became a member of the pastoral team serving alongside his father sharing the pulpit. After working for several years with the youth and serving on the pastoral team, his dad passed the baton to his son on October 27, 2019. Since then he is serving as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Merida.
Fernando Rodriquez, Cuba
Fernando Rodriguez began serving as pastor of Iglesia Buenas Nuevas in Cuba for the last 17 years and has been involved with Calvary Chapel for the same amount of years. The church he serves at has established 8 church plants, as well as a Bible college. Fernando serves as our main contact for our annual Cuban Pastor’s Conference which has taken place for the last 7 years.
Daniel & Elizabeth, Asia
For over a decade, the Chavira family has had the privilege of serving in a closed country, using business as a platform to build relationships and share the hope of Christ. Through their coffee business, they engage daily with local employees, customers, and the surrounding community in natural and meaningful ways.
In addition to their work in the marketplace, Daniel ministers as one of the Bible teachers and worship leaders in a local expatriate fellowship, teaching God’s Word and helping equip believers to live out their faith within a secular and cross-cultural context.
Their desire is to see hearts opened to the gospel, believers strengthened, and lives transformed through the love and truth of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Requests
• Open doors and open hearts to share Christ in the marketplace and throughout the wider community
• Wisdom and faithfulness in teaching God’s Word, equipping believers to live out their faith in daily community life
• Sustainability and growth of the business, providing stability and meaningful employment for local staff
• Protection, unity, and favor over their family, including a strong marriage and the raising of their three children in a cross-cultural context
James Gutierrez, Jerez
During Covid, while attending the School of Ministry, he prayed for direction as to where to step out in faith. In 2020, while serving in food ministry, the majority of the families he encountered were Spanish speaking. Not having any practice to pray for families in Spanish, he experienced a dependence on the Holy Spirit to minister in Spanish to the hurt and hopeless. It was there where the Lord called him to the ministry and to extend the Revive America evangelism ministry to Mexico.
After going on a Revive America mission trip to New Hampshire, the Lord impressed on him to do the same ministry in Mexico of teaching and training the body of believers how to share their faith to the community. He will be serving alongside Pastor Jesse Colon in the discipling of the brethren, and a School of Missions.
Jesse & Kim Colon, Jerez
calvaryzacatecas@gmail.com
After serving at Calvary Chapel Downey for over five years, Jesse and Kim answered God’s call in October 2016 to full-time missions in Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico. There, the Lord allowed them to plant Calvary Chapel Jerez. By God’s grace, the church grew and matured and has been recently transitioned to faithful local leadership—marking a healthy and God-honoring multiplication of the work.
The Lord is now leading Jesse and Kim to plant a second church in the capital city of Zacatecas. This new Calvary Chapel Zacatecas is envisioned as a sending hub, focused on making disciples, training leaders, and raising up missionaries to fulfill the Great Commission in Mexico and beyond—especially to reach the unreached people groups of the 10/40 Window.
Jesse and Kim are deeply grateful for the continued partnership of Calvary Chapel Downey and invite the church family to join them through prayer and support as they trust the Lord to establish, strengthen, and multiply His work for His glory—locally and to the ends of the earth.
Prayer Focus
Wisdom, unity, and provision as the new church in Zacatecas is planted
Raising up faithful disciples, leaders, and future missionaries
Boldness and perseverance to reach the unreached, especially within the 10/40 Window
Continued fruit and strength for the local leadership at Calvary Chapel Jerez
Watson Charles, Haiti
Pastor Watson Charles was born in Haiti, raised in a Christian home, and in 2019 married his beloved wife, Jane. In Port Au Prince and under the leadership of founder and Pastor, Brian McDaniel, Watson serves as the Administrator for the ten plus Cross to Light churches and Pastor over the students and staff at the CTL Bible Training Center.
Haiti is our neighbor, and with the crippling effects of voodoo and wickedness all over the country, suffering is a common thread. The church of God is hard pressed on every side. There’s a great spiritual battle in Haiti and Cross to Lights vision has always been to move the Gospel forward. Our Haitian brethren pray consistently, seeking the will of the Lord for them and for their people.
Cyril Gordon, USA
Cyril Gordon, a French-Israeli citizen, was a missionary with “Jews for Jesus” for 19 years. He trained and managed an average of 20 volunteers/year (2000 to 2019). Cyril’s vision is threefold:
Reaching out to the forgotten Jews in nursing homes. These Jews are mostly bedridden and rarely get any visitors.
Expanding his unique and fruitful outreach to Jews in local synagogues.
Continuing the open-air evangelism in Venice Beach.
Dany Garcia, Xalapa
Fdaniro.garcia@icloud.com
Pastor Danny was discipled and ordained in Calvary Chapel Merida. Eight years ago he married Lety and moved from Mérida to Xalapa in response to God’s call to serve in ministry. Their ministry is primarily focused on discipleship and family restoration, as well as providing care and support to individuals struggling with addiction. As part of the growth of the work, they have been involved in establishing a second church in the southern part of the city, with the purpose of continuing to proclaim the gospel and strengthen the Christian community. They have two children ages five and one.
Felicia Knoth, USA
Felicia Knoth is currently serving the Lord with “Youth With a Mission Gleanings For The Hungry” . She has a heart to help the poor, needy, and hungry.
Deuteronomy 15:11 “ For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.
Jay Bentley, Durango
The Bentley family moved to Durango Mexico in October of 2009, Jay and Carmen have 5 beautiful children 3 girls and 2 boys Rebecca, Jay, Abigail, Vivianna and Christian. Over the years God has blessed in many different ways the ministry in Durango. In August of 2021 CC Durango opened up a Christian School called Calvary Life currently we have over 30 children enrolled at the School. Calvary Chapel Durango is home to around 200 people. Thank you so much for your prayers and support CC Downey!
Steve Flores, Israel
Steve Flores is currently running CBI Study Tour Israel where kids go every semester to study the Bible while being in the land it came from. You can find out more information about Steve Flores and Study Tours at the link below!
“Go therefore and make disciples of all Nations” Matthew 28:19
Jeannette Navarette, USA
In 2012 Jeannette felt the Lord's call to missions work, she is blessed to help lead Revive America on a mission trip all around the United States. Each mission reinforcing her commitment to the Great Commission and filling her heart with excitement for future missions. With every step, she gives glory to God, praising Jesus for His guidance and strength. Her prayer is to continue serving faithfully, bringing His light to the darkest corners of the world, and witnessing His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Joshua Martinez, Colombia
Joshua “Chachi” Martinez was born in Villavicencio, Colombia, in 1990, the son of Pastor Hector Martinez, founder of the first Calvary Chapel in Colombia over forty years ago. Raised in a family rooted in ministry, Joshua grew up surrounded by the gospel and a legacy of faithful service.
In 2001, his family moved to Ontario, California. After high school, Joshua joined the United States Marine Corps in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. Following his military service, he moved to the Amazon jungle in 2012, where he rededicated his life to the Lord and committed himself to lifelong service. During this season, he lived nearly a year with the Tikuna tribe, an experience that shaped his calling.
Joshua married Angelica in 2014, whom he had known since childhood, and together they have served the Lord ever since. He later became a founder of Frontsight Military Ministry in Ontario, California, and served as International Field Staff with Samaritan’s Purse in the Amazon jungle of Bolivia, overseeing the hospital boat Ruth Bell.
After years of missionary work, Joshua and Angelica settled in Bryan, Texas, where they served at Calvary Chapel Brazos Valley and welcomed two sons, Oren Iver and Lyon Archer. Two years ago, the Lord led their family to leave the U.S. and move to Bogotá, Colombia. Joshua now serves as the pastor of Calvary Bogotá, a growing church experiencing God’s blessing.
Joshua and his family are grateful to be part of the Calvary Chapel Downey family and remain expectant for all that the Lord will continue to do.