LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–Luis Salazar, a missionary to Hispanic people in central Kentucky, died May 18 following an auto accident in Oldham County that also claimed his 21-year-old daughter, Raquel.
Salazar, 50, was a North American Mission Board-appointed missionary working to start Hispanic churches in six Kentucky Baptist associations — Shelby, Sulfur Fork, Henry, White Run, Owen and Franklin. He worked closely with the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Extension-Ministries Department and was working with 12 different groups, ranging from Bible study groups to mission churches, at the time of his death.
A native of Ecuador, plans are being made for family members to come to the United States from Ecuador for the funeral.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth, two daughters, two sons and his mother.
Grundy Janes, the KBC’s Hispanic ministry consultant, said Salazar will be greatly missed.
“We are truly going to miss him,” Janes said. “He was a very effective missionary and a good friend.”
Janes said Salazar was well respected within the Hispanic communities of central Kentucky as well as with English-speaking churches. “He was a very deeply committed Christian and very fine Christian worker. He was also a tremendous family man.”
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