LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN FIELD
Larry & Melodee Gruetzmacher, David & Colin

Larry and Melodee have been Assemblies of God missionaries to Mexico City since 1990. Poverty ... pollution ... desperation ... spiritual darkness - this is Mexico City, the largest city in the world with a population of more than 25 million people.

It is also a very cosmopolitan city with a public transportation system that daily accommodates multiple millions by bus and an expansive subway system. The Gruetzmachers have finished their second term of duty working in the area of planting new churches. Their most recent project was planting a church, Casa de Fe (House of Faith), in the very heart of the city, an area filled with gang violence and witchcraft. Working with short-term missions groups using street evangelism, puppets, drama, mime, music and an exciting message, they saw God bring hope and faith to people looking for direction and purpose in their lives. Casa de Fe is now a full-fledged, vital church that continues to reach out to the lost and needy of Mexico City. The Gruetzmachers were also pastors of Maranatha Church, a bilingual church that reached out to the international business community.

Larry experienced first-hand God's miraculous power of healing during this last term. After suffering six months of constant pain from degenerative arthritis in his back, after numerous trips to doctors and chiropractors, after taking many different pain medications, after epidural pain shots and physical therapy, Larry was instantly and completely healed! He continues to be a living testimony of God's power to heal and change lives.

The Gruetzmacher family plans to return to Mexico City for their next term of service. Their goal is to establish three new evangelistic outreach centers in strategic areas of the city where the Assemblies of God has no churches. Using ministries of compassion to touch the physical needs, as well as ministries of evangelism to touch spiritual needs, their goal is to impact many lives with Christ's love. They also plan to establish an intensive school of ministry in evangelism and church planting to train national leaders to continue the task of planting churches in this great metropolis.

The Gruetzmachers have two sons, David and Colin. Melodee has a master's degree in elementary education; Larry is currently studying for his master's degree in organizational leadership. They served as youth pastors before beginning their missionary career. The Gruetzmachers have a passion to see God move in a powerful way, not only in Mexico City, but also in every service where they minister. The message they share is for the whole family.

E-mail: larry.gruetzmacher@agmd.org