Pastor Bongarra and his wife, Ana Maria, established Alfalit in Argentina in 1988, and he resumed his position as Executive Director in 2018. The couple have shared their knowledge of the Alfalit program with many other affiliates in Latin America, providing training workshops in several countries. A pastor and a teacher for almost 50 years, now retired from his pastoral duties, he continues to share his experience for the benefit of those in need of education. Pastor Bongarra founded the Evangelical Rural Community Centers in several provinces in Argentina. He studied Educational Sciences at the University of Moron (Argentina), then served in the Rural Ministry of his church, including teaching adult literacy to illiterate soldiers in the armed forces.
The Bongarras are parents of five adult children and have 11 grandchildren. He has held a leadership position in the movement to set up evangelical schools and neighborhood community centers, and as project coordinator for the improvement of housing and agriculture for center members. He says he continues his work with Alfalit because of its vision of evangelizing through education. “Having the freedom to choose my ministry, I choose to work with marginalized children and adults. Alfalit allows me to do it,” Pastor Bongarra says.
