Merle Ali – Commission Country Representative in Trinidad & Tobago  

Merle migrated to England where she pursued her career as a registered nurse /midwife obtaining a diploma in psychiatric nursing. Ten years later, she left for the United States where she specialized in critical care nursing, and administration, obtaining a BSc. in Professional Management with a specialty in Healthcare.  Marrying Rev. Hasratt Ali in 1991 she then moved back to Trinidad in 1992 delving headlong into pursuing a passion that had been brewing for years.  Seeing too many young people including friends die from AIDS she became involved in prevention and control of the pandemic, as well as care and support for those infected and affected.  She entered the West Indies School of Theology and obtained her diploma in Theology, and served as Dean of Students at the Bible School for two years. Currently she is the church administrator at Evangel Temple and coordinates the HIV/AIDS ministry.  She has conducted AIDS awareness sessions in both church and school settings in Trinidad and other islands of the Caribbean.  She has consulted with representatives of the CARICOM countries in the adoption of the HIV/AIDS policy for Faith Based Organizations. This past year, she organized two sets of training in "Voluntary Counseling and Testing" (VCT) and a Church based training on “Equipping the Church to Deal with the AIDS Crisis.”  

Terry Johnson - Country Representative in Brazil

Terry Johnson is a third-generation missionary to Brazil working with the Assemblies of God and Bernhard Johnson Ministries.  His work involves directing Brazil Extension School of Theology, Brazil Advanced School of Theology, Children Of Brazil Outreach and serving in church leadership positions.  He and his family also work in youth ministry, music ministry and hosting medical outreaches.   Since 1981, Children Of Brazil Outreach (COBO) has been ministering to the underprivileged children through evangelism outreaches and school construction projects.  COBO also distributes Bible curriculum and AIDS prevention materials in schools, churches and outreaches throughout Brazil.  

Gary Pyatt - Trainer & Country Representative in Jamaica

Gary started his ministry at the age of fifteen when he became the pianist at his local church.  At the age of seventeen he was asked to teach the “Teen Sunday School” class.  From that day until now, he has continuously taught, preached, and evangelized everywhere God has placed him.  He has preached in many pulpits across America and traveled to fourteen different countries helping to plant churches and build schools.  Gary served as the Executive Pastor, Missions Director, and Christian Education Director of Family Worship Centre in Murfreesboro, TN for fifteen years.  He was the Nashville Section of the Assemblies of God Christian Education Representative.  He currently serves as the LACC country coordinator for Jamaica.  He teaches on Church Growth and Leadership, as well as Sunday School for the 21st Century.

Peggy Pyatt, RN. Commission Trainer

Peggy is a Medical and Oncology Certified Registered Nurse.  She has ministered not only in churches and Sunday Schools, but in hospitals, and nursing homes in several different countries doing Medical Missions wherever the door has opened.  In Jamaica, she is in constant demand to teach about HIV/AIDS in churches and schools, both public and private as well as in PTA meetings and other civic settings.
We have two adult children, both married, serving God in their local church.  Our son, Kenny is a Youth Pastor in Murfreesboro, TN.  His wife is an accountant.  Our daughter Angie, is a Seventh Grade Science teacher in Lemoore, CA.  Her husband is serving in the U.S. Navy.

Amy Shoop - Commission Trainer

(Bio to come)

Bill & Dorothy Smith – Commission Trainers & Country Reps in Haiti

Wanda Talley – Commission Trainer & Country Representative in Ecuador

Wanda Talley is a veteran missionary of twenty five years in Latin America with AGWM.  She and her husband Ray were church planters in Colombia for ten years and since 1995 have lived in Quito, Ecuador where Ray serves as Area Director for the Andean Region.  Wanda attended Union University and University of Memphis where she majored in Sociology.  She worked in dentistry for five years, three of those years in a hospital context.  In
1997 Wanda was certified as an NILD Educational Therapist. She worked for seven years at the Alliance Academy in Quito with children who have learning differences. Presently, Wanda co-leads a ministry team in the women's prisons of Ecuador as well as serving the Andean Region with her husband.

Karen West - Country Representative in Curacao

Karen West has served in pastoral ministry for approximately 25 yrs. And as evangelist for 12 years, traveling all over the US, south east Asia, the Caribbean and Central America.  She is presently serving in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles as an Assemblies of God missionary addressing women’s issues.  Along with that, she will be directing evangelistic outreaches to students, which focus on AIDS prevention.    

David Turner - Country Representative for Honduras

Dave with his wife Marie and family are missionaries in Honduras, Central America. They work with Teen Challeng Honduras, TC is a Christian residential drug and alcohol treatment program with an 80% success rate. We will also be doing compassion ministries and will be representing LAC Commission on HIV/AIDS. We are bringing a message of hope, upon returning to Honduras we will continue ministering with TC Honduras nationally, developing compassion and HIV/AIDS ministries.

Lynn Diaz - Country Representative in El Salvador

Lynn with her husband Victor have served as missionaries in Latin America since 1975 and have served as Assemblies of God World Missionaries in El Salvador since 1991. Lynn received a B.A in Bible and Christian Education from North Central University and more recently earned a doctorate in medicine from Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador while serving as a missionary in that country

An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, Lynn has ministered to children in Mexico, Paraguay, Guatemala and El Salvador through a variety of ministries.  In 2006 Lynn founded La Clinica El Buen Samaritano, offering free health care to all evangelical pastors and families in El Salvador. Lynn has two children and two granddaughters.