Placido and Toni Mercado

Over the last ten years, MRI has partnered with Orange Hill Baptist Church in sending teams to work with South America Mission (SAM) missionaries Placido and Toni Mercado. The focus of these trips has included men's ministries, women's ministries, vacation bible clubs, church construction, medical clinics, and more. To see photo albums of these trips have a look at the left sidebar on this page or choose "Go With MRI" from the menu.

Placido and Toni Mercado began working with the Ayore people in 1995 while still in medical school. Both graduated in 1998, and have continued work among the Ayore and other rural people during these years. Placido is Bolivian and Toni is the child of missionaries to Brazil. Their call is to use their profession to touch people's physical needs and thus draw them to Christ. They have found that their medical training has opened previously closed doors. The Mercados run a free walk-in clinic for the indigent in Santa Cruz, hold day clinics in needy communities, practice friendship evangelism with their patients, teach Bible studies and promote micro development projects. Over the years God has brought them into contact with many other like-minded people and this group has evolved into a foundation. The Raphá Bolivia Foundation received official approval in March of 2013 and is currently authorized to work in Bolivia as a non-profit. The stated vision of the foundation is to see self-sustaining rural and indigenous communities in Bolivia flourishing by virtue of the well-being of their individual members. We know that real well-being comes through knowing Christ. Rapha works toward this end through various means, including medical care offered to those who would otherwise not receive it and that strives to reflect the heart of Christ in excellence and compassion; community service in Jesus’ name; Bible teaching and spiritual growth conferences that aim to prepare faithful followers of Christ to impact their communities; trips to remote river and bush communities where both of the former happen and where the goal is also to build bridges between cultures, churches and communities both within Bolivia and from without; youth retreats that occur within the context of a need for prevention of prostitution and substance abuse.

Ministry Donations 

Ministry donations can be made via check or PayPal

Please indicate: “Mercado Ministry” with your donation. 

Checks payable to: 
MRI
P.O. Box 813338
Smyrna, GA 30081

PayPal: paypal.me/mrimissions
Remember to Note: “Mercado Ministry”