On 17 August 2002, Pastor Cornelio Tovar was martyred in Algeceris, Colombia.
Cornelio pastored the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. After an evening of worship and preaching at his church, Pastor Cornelio and his wife, Nelly, walked home with several other believers.
When the group were only five blocks from the pastor’s home, two men appeared in the darkness and started firing shots. After the panic and confusion, Nelly found her husband lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
Nelly looked up to see the two masked gunmen fleeing the scene. She closed her eyes and prayed for the Lord to bless those who had violently attacked her husband.
Pastor Cornelio died later that night in the hospital. Nelly wrestled with God in the hospital and finally found peace as she told him, “Not as I will, but as you will”.
God reminded Nelly that one seed had to fall to the ground in order for the Gospel to be spread. She knew her husband was the seed and he had been willing and ready to give his life for the Gospel.
Today, pray for the families of those who have been killed for their faith.