Brief History

In 1995, Lee and Sharon Hartwell left South Louisiana with a vision to reach the people of El Salvador with the hope of Jesus. Over the next 25 years, they helped plant churches, share the gospel with thousands, and invest deeply in community development across the country. When they returned home from the mission field in 2020, they entrusted the day-to-day leadership in El Salvador to Santiago and our incredible local team, while Pastor Chris Stephens and Andres Valverde stepped in to help lead the American operations. Today, Pathlighter Crusades continues to build on their legacy, working to see lives changed, communities transformed, and a new generation of leaders rise up across El Salvador.