Global Ministries is saddened to learn of the death of Justino Pérez Ojeda

Justino Pérez Ojeda

March 17, 1951-December 10, 2020

Justino Pérez-Ojeda, 69, of Bayamón, Puerto Rico passed away on December 10, 2020.

Justino was born to the Reverend Justino Pérez Alvarez and Amelia Ojeda Rivera on March 17, 1951. He was born in Guaynabo and spent his childhood in Bayamón. Justino grew up with sisters and brother: Gladys, Dorcas, Ada Luz, Abdiel, Raquel, and Amarilis.

As time went by, Justino would follow in his father’s footsteps by accepting the call to pastoral ministry. He was a servant of God who pastored the Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) in Santa Rosa de Dorado, Ciales Pueblo, Maná, Río Plantation, Espinosa, and Villa Las Lomas. In each of these congregations, he was blessed with enriching experiences he treasured, and helped him grow in faith.

On June 8, 1974 Justino married his wife, Zaida D. Rivera Rivera and they had three children: two daughters, Keyla and Kelmadis, and one son Kaleb.

Justino received his bachelor’s degree in Commercial Administration and Management studies at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, was part of the pilot program of Strengthening and Family Enrichment of the EIRENE program, and later, completed a master’s degree in Family Counseling. 

As a pastor his preaching was sincere, challenging, prophetic, and pastoral with a high sense of justice. His exposition of the Word of God was simple but challenging and so that all might grow in faith, in righteousness, and in family unity. In that sense, he was a prophet of today for a society in crisis. Strong testimony was never lacking during the preaching. At the general level of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico, he served as President of the CM Morton Camp Committee, Director of Summer Encounters, Director of International Missions, and Professor of Old Testament at the Juan Figueroa Umpierre Biblical Institute.

In 2001 Justino and Zaida were appointed by Global Ministries to serve in Mexico as mission co-workers. They arrived in Mexico in January 2001 and served as co-coordinators of the Alberto Rembao Ecumenical Center of the Congregational Churches in Mexico. Then from 2005 to 2009 Justino and Zaida served as Consultants for the Mission Development Program in Mexico, together with the Alliance of Evangelical Christian Churches Disciples of Christ and the General Board of Congregational Christian Churches in Mexico. These experiences of missionary and pastoral work were a great challenge, blessing, and time of spiritual growth.

In January 2010, they returned to Borinquen, Puerto Rico, and Justino accepted a call to pastor the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Villa Las Lomas. During his pastoral work in this beloved church, he continued to be uplifting, relevant, clear, transparent, and Christ-centered.

Justino is survived by his wife, Zaida Rivera Rivera, his daughters, Keyla and Kelmadis Pérez-Rivera, and son Kaleb, as well as grandsons and granddaughters, Josué David, Juliana Isabel, Gabriela Victoria, Kamelia Alejandra, Kaleb Daniel, and Jesús Gabriel.

Memorial gifts can be directed to Global Ministries by clicking here, at the bottom of this form please select that you would like to make your gift “in memory” and write Reverend Justino Pérez Ojeda.

Memorial gifts may also be made to the Institución Palacio de Oro (Puerto Rico) Home Care Facility.

Condolences to the family can be sent to Zaida Rivera Rivera at zaidadrivera@gmail.com.