Get to Know the Matos Family

Ministry Description

Ruben is the National Director of Word of Life Peru. His responsibility is to lead the staff and supervise the different areas of ministry.

Graciela coordinates and oversees the ministry of women on the Word of Life Peru staff.

Learn more about the ministry in Peru.

About Ruben

I was born in a Catholic home in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I went to the Catholic church through all my childhood, but in my teenage years, I started going less frequently. My father was an alcoholic and always had problems at home. At the age of 15, I started hanging out with guys older than me and I started smoking, drinking alcohol, and going to parties. During that time, God used the testimony of a high school classmate who would always invite me to go to a Word of Life Bible Club at his church. One Saturday, I decided to go and in July of 1976, when I was 16, I first heard the Gospel message and received Christ as my personal Savior. I started going every Saturday and began a discipleship with one of the leaders. A few months later, I went to a Word of Life camp and dedicated my life to the Lord. As a result of that decision, after high school, I went to the Word of Life Bible Institute to learn more about God and understand His will for my life.

There, I met Graciela and together we shared three years studying the Word of God. During a Missions Conference, at the end of our third year, Graciela and I decided to obey God’s calling, knowing that He wanted us to serve full time in the ministry of Word of Life. At that time, God put a weight on our hearts for the country of Chile and began to pray for that place. A year later, in March 1982, we left Argentina as missionaries to serve with Word of Life there in Chile. Four years later, God led us to Mexico, and six years later, in July 1992, God brought us to Peru.

The Lord has blessed us with two beautiful children. Valeria, who was born in Chile and is now serving the Lord with us in Peru with her husband Derek; and Alejandro, who was born in Mexico, and at 19 years of age went to be with the Lord.

About Graciela

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My mom was a christian, so she took me to church when I was a little girl. However, I don't remember hearing the Gospel until I was 15. A missionary from the States came to my church and spoke about Heaven and Hell. That night, I understood that if I died I was going to Hell, so I received Christ as my personal Savior. At first, I was very happy for the change in my life but after a while I started to walk close to this world, doing bad things that only brought me sadness and guilt. Two years later, a friend invited me to go to a Word of Life camp. There, I dedicated my life to the Lord. At the age of 19, I started studying at the WOL Bible Institute, and in that beautiful place God called me to be a missionary. I met Ruben, and after we finished our studies, we got married and left for the mission field.

We have two wonderful kids, Valeria and Alejandro. Valeria is a godly wife and mom of two beautiful children. She loves and serves God as a missionary with her husband, Derek alongside us in WOL Peru. Alejandro was studying at the BI in Argentina when the Lord called him to His presence in 2011. He too loved God and wanted to serve Him in the ministry. God put us under a very big and extremely painful trial, but we still trust on His love, sovereignty, and mercy as we continue serving Him in Peru.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Contact Information

rubenmatos@wol.org

Address:
Ruben Matos
Word of Life Peru
PO Box 600
Schroon Lake, NY 12870