Encuentro Ministries

Founders and Directors of Encuentro Ministries
Carlos Dario Peralta & Miriam Chacón Peralta

Carlos Dario Peralta is an evangelist, international speaker, consultant, pastor and teacher of the Word of God. He has been a pastor in Argentina and in the United States. He has also ministered in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, Spain, Nicaragua, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Puerto Rico. Carlos Dario is also an educator, international lecturer, and founder of the Christian Translations, a ministry created to serve other Christian Ministries for reaching Latinos. He also is member of the Hispanic Speakers Team of Crown Financial Ministries, ministry founded by Larry Burkett. As a Hispanic Consultant, is a member of the Board of several Christian ministries dedicated to reach Latinos for Christ and to bring racial reconciliation through Jesus Christ, the Lord. In 2002 he founded/planted and became senior pastor of Encuentro Latino, in Coatesville, PA. In 2005 he and his wife Miriam founded Encuentro Ministries, a ministry to care, train and support leaders in ministry with Hispanics. The Peraltas now live in Central Florida and are dedicated full-time to Encuentro Ministries.

“My passion is ... to share, give joyfully, all that I am.” - Carlos Dario Peralta, inspired by 2 Cor. 12:15

Miriam Chacón Peralta is a free-lance consultant, trainer, and speaker. She also writes, edits, and translates resources that are culturally appropriate for Hispanic contexts. Formerly, she served as Director of Hispanic Christian Education and Young Adult Ministries and as Mission Education and Hispanic Ministry Specialist for a mainline denomination. Before that, she was an educator, local church pastor, hospital chaplain, and youth & young adult minister. In the fall of 2002, she helped her husband Carlos Dario found Encuentro Latino, a Latino-bilingual church, in Coatesville, PA. In 2005 the Peraltas founded Encuentro Ministries to care for, train and resource God’s servants working with Hispanics. Miriam and family now live in Central Florida and are in full-time ministry with Encuentro Ministries.

“My passion is … to see God’s children grow and mature like Christ.” – Miriam Chacón Peralta, inspired by Eph. 4:13

Bob has been active in the nonprofit community for over 20 years, working in a wide variety of positions with responsibilities encompassing the creation of new fundraising and planned giving programs, developing capital campaigns, growing annual support, spearheading major special events, and more. Currently, he has his own consulting firm, Crandall and Associates and has served the American Baptist Churches of Oregon, Bacone College, Easter Seals ARC, Rainbow Acres, Sisters of Saint Benedict, Wells County Boys & Girls Club, and many other institutions. Bob holds a BA in psychology and history from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, and principal’s certification from Iowa State University. He has also completed training in the 2nd Association of Fundraising Professionals Faculty Training Academy and has been a motivational speaker, presenter, and discussion leader at both national and international AFP conferences. Bob is a member of the National Council on Planned Giving and other professional fundraising organizations.

David Buchanan MD has been a practicing physician for about twenty years. He did his medical training at the University of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. He did an internship at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL and his residency training at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, WV. He has been working for about ten years at Lawndale Christian Health Center, a faith-based Community Health Center serving a Latino and Afro-American community on Chicago's west side. He is actively involved in the local church and participates in short term mission trips regularly. He and his wife María Santo Arellano-Buchanan live with their two beautiful daughters in Chicago.

Robert Sherrard Rew was born in Pendleton, Oregon. He is married to Nora Eileen Rew, has one married son, Keenan Jay Rew, and two young grandchildren, Lela and Kazimir. Robert’s education is diverse: he holds a B.S. Whitman College, 1966; M.S. Washington State Univ., 1968; and Sc.D. from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes 1973. He’s been employed as a Post Doctoral Fellow at Notre Dame University from 1972-6; the USDA 1976-82; Merck Institute 1982-6; CSIRO 1983; SmithKline 1986-90; Pfizer 1990-2001; Research Consulting 2001-present. Both Robert and his wife Nora have participated extensively in ministry and mission work. He was on the Board and was Board President, House of His Creation 1998-2005; Board President, Ancient of Days 1999-2006; Missionary thru Times Square Church to Nigeria 2002, South Africa 2003-4; Missions Committee for Chestnut St. Chap (CSC) 2006-7; CSC Counseling Team 2006-7; CSC Missions to Mexico 2007; Board President, Encuentro Ministries 2005-present. Among other activities Robert is Board President of the Rew Ranches Inc 1992-present; President/VP American Assoc. Vet Parasitol 1998-2000; Adjunct Professor U. Penn 1987-2002. Dr. Rew is also author/editor of 4 scientific books, over 75 scientific publications, and over 200 scientific presentations. He’s been honored with awards from the Marquis’ Who’s Who in Science/Technology 2000, in Business/Economics 2002, in Health/Medicine 2003, in America 2006, in The World 2007.

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