Bringing God's Kingdom to Uruguay
How a MV missionary is sharing the Gospel along Uruguay’s Secular Shores
Written by Casey McCarty, MV Communications Coordinator, on her first international mission trip.
On my first mission trip amid the crashing surf and warm hospitality of Uruguay, God opened my eyes to not only the country’s beauty but also to see a people longing for His presence—and MV missionaries faithfully bringing His light. Rolling hills, glistening blue ocean water, palm tree branches waving in the cool winter breeze and crisp noonday sun. No, I’m not describing a view along Highway 1 during the late winter/early spring. It’s the view of many roads across the South American country of Uruguay in late August.
It was a welcome sight and escape from the hot, humid summer days of Florida. While temperatures in the 50s are nearly impossible to imagine in August back home, this winter Uruguayan day brought just the relief I needed. Having visited the Mediterranean Riviera several times and traversed countless groves and cattle farms across the southeast United States, the landscapes of Uruguay felt familiar and welcoming to my travel-loving soul—like a warm hug on a chilly August day…or a bowl of lentejas made with love by our Uruguayan hostess.
Waking up to the sound of waves crashing outside my window also felt familiar. I grew up along the shores of Ormond by the Sea, so the ocean has always been part of me.
The shores of La Paloma along the Atlantic Ocean.
Praying over Gustavo at the start of the trip.
Morning devotions with a view of the sunrise.
The CMA team ready to roll out to attend Gustavo's church.
Gustavo preaches at the church he started in Rocha.
Gustavo preaches at the church he started in Rocha.
The town of Rocha.
Praying over our La Paloma host and staff.
Pastors hike to Cerru Picudo to pray over the nation on its independence day.
Pastor Oscar prays over Uruguay.
CMA members pray over the pastors.
Pastor Jesus cries out in prayer and worship.
The team and pastors atop Cerru Picudo.
The team at Pastor Oscar's church in Chuy.
Pastor Alejandro's mission and recovery house in Rocha.
House members prepare a traditional Uruguayan barbecue.
Pastors and house members share maté and fellowship.
A reminder of the Lord inside the recovery house.
Pastor Oscar receives a motorcycle.
Pastor Alejandro receives a motorcycle.
All of the pastors from Chuy, Rocha and La Paloma who received motorcycles.
Praying over Gustavo and Dani.
The mission and recovery house in Rocha.
Even maté holders help share the Gospel.
The team prays over our host's daughter in La Paloma.
Gustavo shares his humor and clown wig with team members.
Delicious lentejas prepared by our host.
The shores and lighthouse of La Paloma.
Pastors outside of Montevideo receive motorycles.
Pastors outside of Montevideo receive motorycles.
Pastors outside of Montevideo receive motorycles.
The rare cross seen in the countryside.
Prayers and fellowship with Teach Beyond students.
The historic streets of Colonia.
The CMA team in Colonia.
Countryside outside of Colonia, Uruguay.
The team prays over Gustavo and Alejandro on their last night
The team in La Paloma.
A final sunrise in La Paloma.
Uruguay: Hope on the Road
The trip was a part of Mission Ventures & Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) partnership that provides motorcycles from Run for the Son funds. Reliable transportation is essential for pastors scattered across Uruguay’s countryside. Thirteen CMA members from the U.S. joined the MV team to deliver motorcycles, support Gustavo, and pray with pastors. For many CMA members, the trip opened their eyes to Uruguay’s deep spiritual need. What moved them most was seeing how their love for motorcycles could become a tool for life-changing ministry.
One pastor, who named his new motorcycle ministry Hope Road, said, “We take hope with us. With this motorcycle I can go. We can keep praying that more people will know Christ through this ministry.”
But here, instead of toddlers with shovels and pails, I watched gauchos gallop along the silvery seashore. Couples sat wrapped in blankets, sipping maté, looking out over the same Atlantic I knew so well. In that moment, I realized this was more than just another stamp in my passport. God had brought me here for a reason—to see not only the beauty of Uruguay, but also its spiritual need.
Because something is missing in Uruguay. Not beauty, not community, not warmth.
What’s missing is a dependence on God.
He was there with me, as He always is, wrapping me in His presence like those couples wrapped in their blankets. But for most people here, the reality is different.
Uruguay is the most secular nation in Latin America, and the tenth most secular in the world. In more than 600 kilometers of travel across the country during this trip, I noticed only five crosses. Unlike the bible belt of the South dotted with dozens of churches in a half mile, or the historic and looming cathedrals of Europe, here there are few visible reminders of God.
This was hard for me to grasp. Where I come from, churches line every backroad and steeples rise above every town square. Here, faith is not a given—it is rare, fragile, and often hidden.
And that breaks my heart, because the gracious people of this beautiful land don’t even know who made it for them.
The people of Uruguay are warm and welcoming. They are deeply connected to one another, finding community in maté circles and football matches. They reflect the image of God in their hospitality and in the way they prioritize relationships. If only they knew about the greatest relationship—the one who longs to know them.
And yet, there is hope.
A few bold men and women have chosen the unlikely road of serving as missionaries in Uruguay. They travel on foot, motorcycle, or horseback, determined to share the Gospel with a nation that has long been overlooked. From the peak of Cerro Picudo in Chuy, to the cobblestoned streets of Colonia, from Sunday services in Rocha, to door-to-door evangelism in the slums of Montevideo, I saw evidence of their determination and faith.
One of those bold men is MV missionary Gustavo Huamani.
Gustavo and his wife Dani left their native Peru to follow God’s call to Uruguay. Gustavo says he asked God to give him something difficult to pursue for Him, so he knew when God asked them to come to Uruguay, it would not be easy. And when he arrived, it wasn’t, but God still affirmed his calling.
“When I found someone who was a Christian here,” Gustavo shared with our mission team. “He said to me, how wonderful that you’ve come, we’ve been waiting for you.”
I was blessed to see how the Huamanis have built their home and family around serving Him—opening their doors to young and old, building connections with local business owners in La Paloma, and even donning blue wigs and clown shoes to bring joy and the Gospel to children.
Daily life is far from simple. Pastors here often feel isolated, with few peers to lean on. Many residents are suspicious of religion, preferring independence over faith. And financial resources are limited. Yet the Huamanis press on.
That includes their connection to other ministries across the Uruguayan countryside. From Teach Beyond’s Bible school to Misión Vida’s recovery home, Gustavo is at the heart of a collaborative network of pastors and ministries working to build a community of believers across Uruguay. Our team saw his faith firsthand—teaching Scripture, welcoming children, and praying with men and women rebuilding their lives.
He is working closely with pastors in Chuy and Rocha, using August 25, Uruguay’s Independence Day, as one way to come together in spiritual support for one another and their nation. Our team got to join them for the second anniversary of their prayers for the nation.
We stood with local pastors atop Cerro Picudo, a prominent hillside and scenic lookout in San Miguel National Park. One of those pastors bowed down before the Lord and cried out: “We glorify You, Father, we exalt You, Lord, so that You may break the chains of the enemy…listen to the cry of each one present, Father, and begin to knock, Holy Spirit, to stir, Lord, from Your Spirit.”
His words echoed across the countryside and in my heart, as we stood in prayer and declaration, asking for God’s freedom and hope for a land long marked by spiritual silence.
As another pastor prayed over his people that day, his words captured the heart of Uruguay’s mission field: “We decree open heavens, Father, for each church, for the Uruguayans, for the brothers who are present, for every family, Lord, for every pastor, Lord, and every leader who has truly suffered…stoke the fire, Father. Use every male and female servant, Lord, and establish Your kingdom.”
Life as a missionary here is not easy. While they are building community across the countryside, isolation and strife are constant companions.
Yet Gustavo’s faith is unwavering. To me, he felt like the axle in the wheels of transformation turning slowly but surely across this land. While his English is limited, his heart for God was evident in his prayer over a simple meal saying, “Thank you for the people in the meeting today. Thank you for your blessing for the people, for the churches here. You are big in my life, God.”
For me, this first mission trip was a wake-up call. God showed me that even the most beautiful places can be deeply broken—and that He calls us not just to admire His creation, but to join in His mission of redemption.
Uruguay may be long lost to the Lord, but through the determination and hope of the Huamanis and the faithful few who serve alongside them, I believe the nation will see God.
They will see Him in their beautiful land. They will see Christ in their communities. And I pray they will be redeemed for His glory. Or as the pastor on Cerro Picudo declared with tears in his voice, “Today we want, Father, that your anointing come upon us, and that we may truly be disciples of You—servants, to really share Your message.”
