A Life Called to Serve
Background
Born in Patagonia, Argentina, Matías felt called to missionary service at age 12. He studied geography at his local university and received theological and missiological training at the Río de la Plata Bible Institute (IBRP) in Buenos Aires. After serving full-time in his local church and at Argentina’s leading mission agency, he began overseas service in Poland in 2015, working on church-planting projects for two-and-a-half years.
Santa was born in Riga, Latvia. Her early work with kids in the kindergarten inspired her to study at the university, and she has a bachelor’s degree in pedagogy. As an adult, she came to faith through her sister’s testimony; she later enrolled at BSM to deepen her Bible knowledge.
Family
Matías and Santa met at BSM. After Santa completed her year of study, they began a relationship, married, and chose to serve together full-time at the school. They live on the campus of BSM and continue their ministry there with their two daughters, Amelia and Olivia.
Current ministry
In 2018, Matías joined the Baltic School of Ministry (BSM) staff in Latvia and has been based there ever since. He oversees the academic programme, including curriculum, scheduling, and ensures that the required number of academic hours is met. He communicates with teachers, invites guest speakers, and assigns subjects according to the strengths and calling of each teacher. Ensures all teaching is biblically sound and structured. He also teaches Old and New Testament surveys, Missions, Synoptic Gospels, and other subjects.
Santa helps Matías with teaching schedules and assists with organizing subjects and class structures. Acts as a bridge between staff and students, listening to student needs, offering guidance, and helping maintain a supportive and encouraging learning environment.
In 2024, Matías and Santa joined the Missionary Ventures family, partnering with them to develop and expand their missionary service.
What is BSM?
“The Baltic School of Ministry” (BSM) is a one-year residential programme designed to help young believers deepen their faith, develop Christ-like 
character, and prepare for a life of impactful service in their local churches and communities.
What sets BSM apart from other Baltic schools is that the programme takes place in person throughout the week, with students living together in the same place. This approach extends the learning process beyond the classroom, creating a unique space for the kind of personal encounter that can truly transform lives.
In a sense, we are privileged witnesses, getting a front-row seat to see how God shapes the lives of our students. The school’s motto is ‘Make one year count’, and we understand that we are invited by God to be part of this beautiful process of maturity and growth. We create a setting in which God and each student can meet
A day at BSM begins with personal prayer time and ends with everyone gathering in the chapel to pray, worship, or listen to a message from the Bible. In the mornings, we have classroom-based classes with an excellent faculty of professors who hail from all over the world.
Once a month, we take a break from our routines to set aside time for reflection, theological contemplation, and a deeper understanding of God’s work in us. We call these special days ‘Checkpoints’, during which we welcome inspiring individuals of faith who facilitate activities that encourage reflection and provide an opportunity to break away from our daily routine.
In terms of service, we are always looking for ways to put our knowledge into practice, such as holding meetings with local churches, visiting a nursing home, or taking part in a cross-cultural experience in a country beyond the Baltic region. In recent years, we have done this in Manchester (UK).
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Thank you for your support in prayer and encouragement.
Matias and Santa
At MVGB we love this family who have been called to serve Jesus and the students at BSM and they exemplify relationship with The Father, each other and the people they are connected to. Please consider supporting them in any way, nothing is too small an amount.
Blessings
The team at MVGB
