John Jairo Leal and Susana Castro are ordained pastors in Colombia and have served as pastors and church planters in Medellín. John is currently the field director for Community Church Planting with Impact Latin America and is part of the Colombian ministerial education and guidance board. Susana is the leader of the Developing Healthy Leaders pillar for the Latin American Area and is pastor of the Camino de Vida church in Medellín. She also mentors our FM leaders in Honduras. John Jairo and Susana are passionate about developing leaders and multiplying disciples who spread the gospel with words and love in action.
Children: Isabella, Valentina, Alejandro (nephew)
Pray For
- the whole family to maintain healthy rhythms amid multiple tasks and travel
- their children to know God more fully and love Him with all their being
- much fruit in the development of healthy leaders at the local, district and area levels
- leaders to experience deep connections with God and one another through pastoral care groups
- the expansion of the Community Church Planting movement as God opens doors and prepares hearts
Recent Heartbeat Articles
Continuous Learning: A Blessing for God’s Church
“I don't have time. I don't have money. I’m too old.” These are excuses people often use to stop learning. Pastora Mariana Mafla, the mission district leader in Ecuador, believes continuous formation is a duty and a necessity for every person in the church. Despite...
Cooking in Solidarity
Argentina is in the midst of a deteriorating economic situation. Inflation rose more than 175% this past year. Currently, more than 50% of the population lives below the poverty line. Many families are experiencing increased food insecurity as their wages are no...
Champions of God’s Peace
“The Missionary Graveyard” – is the name some use for Uruguay, a small, secular and atheistic country in South America. Many missionaries have left Uruguay frustrated by the hard hearts of the people. However, nothing is impossible for the Lord of the Harvest! God is...
Planting and Growing in Latin America
From the plentiful plains of Argentina to the mountainous coffee-bean farms of Colombia, much of Latin America is known for its fertile soil and lush agricultural environments. The process of cultivating growth – preparing soil, planting seeds, caring for young plants...