Abraham Marin never intended to live in the U.S., neither did he plan to marry an American girl. And he certainly didn’t want to become an officer—which was prudent since it seemed highly unlikely as the self-described “black sheep” of his Salvationist family.
But sometimes God’s plans will surprise you. And for Abraham, they encompassed all this and more, including eventually returning home to serve as an officer in Chile. Along the way, he’s grown in his faith, learning to discern and obey God’s leading.
By the summer of 2003, Abraham had gotten serious about his faith. And it was as part of an international mission team conducting Vacation Bible School for 140 children on the streets of Guayaquil, Ecuador, that he realized his calling.
“Sharing the Good News with them was rewarding,” he said, citing the turning point.
When an invitation was extended to work the next summer at Camp Tomahawk in West Virginia, he didn’t hesitate. Again at an invitation, he returned to the U.S. in the winter, this time to help with the Kansas City Westport, Mo., Corps’ Christmas efforts. Staying on as an intern, he led Bible study, was part of the day camp team, and preached among other things, all the time continuing to learn English until he was fluent.
“He was an absolute blessing,” said Major Dan Faundez. “We could see his passion for ministry outreach.”
And that’s where he was when Leta Reppert walked into his life.
She’d just come home from a somewhat unfulfilling one-year job with an organization in Boliva and was looking to keep up her Spanish as she pursued her master’s degree. When she spotted the corps’ marquee in Spanish inviting people to worship and volunteer, it seemed providential. The warm welcome she received from the corps officers, then-Captains Dan and Wendy Faundez, was all the confirmation she needed.
Soon she was involved in corps programs and ministry, much of it alongside Abraham, who by then was laser-focused on becoming an officer. While they enjoyed each other’s company, he’d become a man of single purpose and would not entertain dating her or anyone else as it might distract him from God’s purpose. A mature Christian herself, Leta understood. By the time she was enrolled as a soldier in 2013, Abraham was a cadet at the College for Officer Training. But they kept in touch. And Leta’s fulfillment in service continued to deepen. She realized her own calling to full-time ministry and headed to the training college the very next year. In 2015, they married.
After being commissioned, the Marins led two bilingual corps in Wisconsin and Illinois when again they felt the Holy Spirit’s nudging to something more.
“Each of us had our own conviction to serve overseas,” Captain Leta said.
As well they wanted their son, Abraham, to experience living in another culture and come to better understand blessings and stewardship.
Open to going anywhere, they wondered where the Army might send them, perhaps India or Africa.
“But the place doesn’t make us officers,” said Captain Leta. “We serve wherever we are.”
Last summer they were appointed to the South America West Territory, of all places, to their surprise and delight. By serving in Chile, their son would get to know his other set of grandparents!
At first appointed pro tem at the Divisional Headquarters and the Colegio Ejercito de Salvacion (elementary school) in Santiago, they more recently took up an appointment leading the Corps and Colegio William Booth (elementary and preschool) in Osorno, Chile, about 10 hours south of the nation’s capital.
In this rural, agricultural area, the Marins lead a corps which is active in worship, fellowship and service. They take meals to the homeless, have two home leagues, an active youth group, praise band, Bible study, and holiness meeting on Thursday evenings. In the summer they conducted a vacation Bible school, from which three new families joined the corps’ Sunday worship.
The school is equally impressive with an enrollment of approximately 650 children (prekindergarten through eighth grades). While classes at the school are in Spanish, the students take English classes and—new this year—classes in Mapudungun, the local indigenous language. While Abraham and Leta have not learned much Mapudungun yet, they know enough to understand when people say “mari mari” (hello) when shopping at the local outdoor market. At the school Abraham plays an administrative role, while Leta is in charge of “Christian Action” (devotionals, special programs, etc.), but really they work as a team, both involved in the administrative and spiritual ministry.
While this has been a year of transition for the Marin family, they have settled into life and ministry in Chile.
“Even though it would seem like a lot would be different between the U.S. and Chile,” Captain Leta said, “people are really the same and God is the same, no matter what language you speak.”
