Baptist University of the Américas

What BUA Students and Graduates Say

Elias Montalvo
Olivia Lerma
Viviana Triana

Elias Montalvo

I'm from Quito, Ecuador. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ when I was 8 years old. Prodigal years followed; but I reconciled with the Lord, making him a promise of surrendering to him so that he would use me as he pleased. It was then that my sister, Ruth, was studying at Baptist University of the Americas, then known as Hispanic Baptist Theological Seminary. I joined her in September of 1991.

In the summer of 1992, I had the opportunity to go to Wyoming and begin the Hispanic work. Every summer the Director of Missions and the mission would invite me back, and the work kept growing.æ The Lord then confirmed to my wife and me his call to Wyoming.

We both graduated from Baptist University of the Americas in December of 1994.

In January of 1995, we began full-time ministry in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Then we started work in Evanston (50 miles away). After training a layman in Kemmerer, we moved to Evanston to continue the work. In 2003, we began the third work in Rock Springs (75 miles away). We trained another layman that is now serving as interim.

In June of 2004, the Wyoming convention called me as Church Planter and Coordinator of the state's Hispanic work.

BUA has a lot to do with what God is doing in Wyoming. The preparation we received in San Antonio has played a part in all of this. For this reason, we thank God for the teachers and staff that planted the good seed in us.

Elias Montalvo
Wyoming Baptist Convention
Evanston, Wyoming

Olivia Lerma

I was born on December 27, 1954, to Cruz (deceased) and Marcella Casarez, both graduates of Baptist University of the Americas (known then as Mexican Baptist Bible Institute) in 1975. When I was in the 9th grade, my father surrendered to the ministry and moved his family of eight children to San Antonio so that he could attend the school. We lived in cramped quarters and did without lots of things, but my dad was convinced that God had called him to be in the ministry. Soon, he was called to pastor a church in Stockdale, Texas, where I met my future husband.

Manny, who was not a Christian, and I started dating. When he was saved, we both felt the call to the ministry. We graduated from high school in 1973 and spent two years commuting from Stockdale to BUA with my parents. In May of 1975, Manny and I married and moved to the BUA campus where we lived for the two years.

The professors we had led godly lives, and we learned how we could serve God in a local church and beyond. After graduation in May of 1977, we moved to Dallas where Manny attended Dallas Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I began my ministry at the Baptist General Convention of Texas in March of 1978, where I still serve today after 26 years. Currently, I serve as Manager of the Church Personnel Information Services where I manage the website that serves as a resume service for churches and ministers. I enjoy working at the Baptist building and feel God has me here to serve our churches in Texas.

BUA is a theological university that is teaching young men and women how to be better prepared for the ministry. Manny and I have served in many churches since our graduation from BUA, and we have been very fortunate to see many people come to know the Lord as their personal Savior, there is nothing more rewarding.

Olivia Lerma
Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas, Texas

Viviana Triana

I was born in Colombia, South America. When I was 12, I accepted Jesus. A desire to do something for God began to grow in my heart, so I applied to Baptist University of the Americas when I graduated from high school.

When I left Colombia at the age of 17 to attend Baptist University of the Americas, I said goodbye to all of my family. Soon God gave me another family, the BUA family on the campus in San Antonio. While studying at BUA, I served one year as president of the student council. I also worked in the library for four years where I learned to be a servant and to appreciate and desire knowledge.

Baptist University of the Americas gave me the opportunity to learn from and work with people of different cultures. The university prepared me for service in a variety of settings, both in the United States and abroad. During those four years, I worked with Muslims in Africa, indigent people in Arkansas, tornado victims in Florida, and migrant workers in Alabama.

I grew up in a country where there was a lot of poverty, social injustice, and violence. I am now studying at George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas. When I graduate, I want to minister to hurting families and people who do not have natural opportunities to succeed.

Viviana Triana
George W. Truett Theological Seminary
Waco, Texas