The Sánchez Family on the Influence of the Gospel

EditorialSpanish

Pedro and Lorena Sánchez met more than 45 years ago in the Nogales community in Santiago, Chile, when they were only teenagers, and during a time of transition in Pedro’s life that led him from an environment of terror, drugs, and violence to an intense search for meaning, salvation, and God. After obeying the Gospel, and about five years after they met, Pedro and Lorena were married and began a lifelong journey to love and serve the Lord together.

The Lord has blessed them with three children, who are now adults and continue their legacy of faith. The oldest, Pedro Israel, is a deacon; Pablo Natanael is an evangelist; and Aylin Javiera is a children’s Bible teacher. All of them work together at the Nogales congregation that Pedro and Lorena helped establish more than 30 years ago, and where Pedro has served as an elder for over 25 years. Pedro and Lorena are the loving grandparents of two young girls.

Thanks to the Lord and the work of the Sánchez family and many other faithful Christians, the Nogales congregation has become one of the largest in Latin America, with about 250 members who have a deep missionary mindset. Here, Pedro and Lorena share with us how God has used them to glorify His name in their family, their community, and His kingdom.

CF: What were your family circumstances while growing up?

Lorena and I grew up in the Nogales community, which at the time was one of the most dangerous places in Santiago, Chile, due to drug trafficking and widespread crime. Later, drug trafficking came to an end, but recreational drug consumption continued to be common.

Lorena was raised by Methodist Pentecostal parents, so she was somewhat familiar with the Bible. Her parents also instilled in her a desire for godly living and the worship of God. In fact, she was riding her bicycle on her way to church when I first saw her; she was only 13 then.

On the other hand, I was born into a family engaged in drug trafficking and every vice associated with it. I grew up without the Bible and without spiritual instruction. I was not given much formal education, nor was I encouraged to pursue a life of service and productivity, for my family showed me, from an early age, a different way to “make a living.” For most of my teenage years, I lived in total spiritual darkness, consuming and being consumed by drugs, and fighting my way to gain notoriety and territory as a gang member.

CF: How did you both become Christians?

I was only about 17 when my life was rapidly rushing to a dark end. I had recently been involved in a very dangerous fight with another gang. Being totally consumed by drugs and alcohol, I had also arrived at the deplorable point of even threatening to kill my own mother. I knew something had to change when, one day, I went to my sister’s house and first heard about Christ. My sister, Verónica, was not a Christian at the time, but her mother-in-law had given her a Bible that she read to me on that occasion.

That was a turning point for me. That day, as the prodigal, “I came to my senses” and fell to my knees, asking God for help. But my trip back home from the far country took some time, as it was only later that I met some missionaries of the Lord’s church, who preached the Gospel of Christ to me. When I was baptized, I fervently began sharing the Gospel with my family, and they all became Christians. At that time, I shared the true Gospel with Lorena, and she became a Christian as well.

CF: How did your family background experience influence the way you raised your children and led your home?

We wanted our children to have better spiritual conditions in which to grow up. Therefore, our first decision was to move away from the Nogales community to Maipú, a place close to Estación Central, where an established church congregation was in place. There we worshiped and worked with the church for several years.

We never hid our background from our children, but we used our story to teach them about the power of the Gospel to change and save the lives of sinners (Romans 1:16). We also used our story to teach them about the dangers of evil company (1 Corinthians 15:33) and of the pleasures of the world (1 John 2:15-17). We also made sure to give them an example of life and godliness to follow. Here, I must give special credit to my wife, for she was a constant example of love to each of our children and to me.

CF: How has God used you and your family for the glory of His kingdom?

We must give all the glory to God, for He has used us as instruments of honor. We must start with our own conversions, our children’s conversions, and the conversions of our extended family members.

The conversion of our family has also led to the conversion of friends and people from the Nogales community. This has also led to a better community overall. After years away from Nogales, a door opened for us to return, with 12 other Christians, and establish a congregation. By that time, our children were more mature in the faith, the community had undergone some changes, and we had the support of other faithful Christians. The church was established about 30 years ago, and since then, it has continued to grow and bless the community and churches throughout Chile and Latin America.

The congregation in Nogales is fully organized, with elders, deacons, preachers, teachers, and evangelists, and a membership of about 250 people. Many missionaries have come up from this congregation to establish and strengthen other congregations in Chile. Another strong ministry in our congregation is to encourage, instruct, and help other congregations in Latin America become organized, and the Lord has used us to work in places such as Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Hispanic ministries in the U.S.

Besides my work as an elder of the church and Lorena’s work with the ladies, we help many young people who come to us seeking spiritual guidance and a welcoming home.

CF: What advice would you give Christians who come from dysfunctional families?

Your background does not determine who you are or what your family will look like. You can grow in godliness, and you must set an example of humility, devotion, and love for your family. Do not be quick to criticize, but learn to know people and offer words of edification (Ephesians 4:29). Above all, always remember that everything you are in Christ and do in Christ is only for the grace and mercy of God.

Published in Christian Family 11.1 (2026): 8-11.