.- José Joaquín Ávila Portalatín known as ‘Yiye’ Ávila, was born in Camuy, Puerto Rico, on September 11, 1925, and was one of the most prominent Pentecostal evangelists in Latin America.
José Joaquín’s parents were Pablo Ávila and Herminia Portalatín, two teachers of Sephardic origin, who taught in schools for Sephardic Jews who had converted to Christianity.
‘Yiye’ studied at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in science, and was also a brilliant student. In addition, he completed pre-medical training with a view to becoming a doctor, one of his great desires.
However, José Joaquín leaned towards education and sports. This brought him great successes, he had a relevant participation in the baseball team at his university and became a bodybuilder, which made him the winner of the awards: Mr. Puerto Rico 1952 and Mr. North America in 1954.
‘Yiye’ was also going to represent Puerto Rico in the Central American Olympics in Mexico 1956, in weightlifting, however, in the middle of the preparations he began to feel severe pain that prevented him from participating. He would later get a diagnosis of chronic rheumatoid arthritis.
José Joaquín also dedicated himself to education as a professor of Chemistry and Biology, a job he carried out for 22 years at the Superior School of Camuy.
Beginnings of the ministry
According to a biographical summary of ‘Yiye’, conducted by José A. Ayala, the evangelist had a supernatural encounter with God. One day he remembered a Bible that he had, he took it and began to ask God for healing, later he heard the audible voice of the Lord telling him: ‘Not yet!’
In 1960, Yiye Ávila listened to the message of the evangelist, Oral Roberts, on television, and its impact led him to dedicate his life to the gospel.
For years, Yiye stood out as a baseball player for the Camuy Arenas AA team, but he played his last game in 1960.
Due to his sporting triumphs, Ávila was able to have influence in his land, however, the Lord needed him in the area of the gospel. His setback in sports due to his health problems focused ‘Yiye’ on two areas: education and his ministry.
The evangelist was beginning to fulfill his call to preach and did so to his friends.
Some time later, God showed him his glory by healing him from his arthritis through a miracle.
The evangelist told during a religious service, that he had so many friends to preach to, that he could not do it with all of them, so God commanded him to put some speakers in his house and that way he would preach to many at the same time.
The sound of the horns was so loud that they denounced him and he was taken to court, however, the judge decided that he could continue preaching the gospel in his home, this information was collected by the Channel David Creole.
The evangelist’s preaching focused on the end times, with a message that urged people to repent.
In 1967, ‘Yiye’ receives a call from God to withdraw from education and dedicate himself completely to the gospel.
‘Yiye’ also at this stage of his life began to perform long fasts, an action of faith that he would repeat throughout his ministry.
The evangelist was beginning to develop great faith and the beginning of a solid ministry.
evangelistic crusades
The first international evangelistic campaign of ‘Yiye’ began in 1962, in the Dominican Republic, and later he returned to preach internationally in 1969 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, according to the evangelist in a sermon.
On the YouTube channel David Criollo there is a video where “Yiye” says that he heard the voice of God telling him that he would go to Santo Domingo. Later, a pastor would call him to tell him that he would buy the tickets for his first international campaign to start in his church (in the Dominican Republic).
That evangelistic crusade lasted 45 days and various miracles of God were witnessed.
But it was in the 1970s that ‘Yiye’s ministry began to consolidate internationally. This occurs after fasting for 42 days. During this time miraculous situations occurred, for example, the Lord touched his back twice, pointing his finger at him.
His first campaign after the fast was in a Levittown neighborhood in Cataño, Puerto Rico, where 2,303 souls accepted Christ in 14 days; the second campaign was in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, where 3,450 souls were saved; Later, the preacher visited Santo Domingo helping convert 4,972 people, for a total of 10,725 in the first three campaigns after the 41-day fast, reports Coffee PDF.
Miracles and conversions occurred in his evangelistic campaigns, and millions heard his message in large venues and stadiums.
‘Yiye’ became an industrious evangelist, visiting almost every country in Latin America, many cities in North America, and parts of Europe.
Enrique Montenegro, president of the United Platform for the Evangelization of Spain (PUEDES), collaborated with ‘Yiye’ in one of his campaigns and spoke about his message, reports Evangelical News.
«I met him in the late 60s, a campaign in Buenos Aires in which I had the privilege of collaborating. His Christ-centered message and his challenge to exercise faith, believing in God’s miraculous power, made each campaign become a powerful demonstration of God’s saving and healing power in people’s lives».
On the YouTube channel, David Criollo, the preacher’s evangelistic campaign is shown on video in February 1976 in Chile.
broad ministry
Christ comes
The evangelist and a small team of people used the basement of his house as a venue to promote various activities of his ministry Christ Comes.
Yiye Ávila’s ministry was made up of multidisciplinary teams that attended to the operational activities of the ministry.
Christ comes was created with the vision of evangelizing and helping society.
As the ministry of ‘Yiye’ grew, a building of Christ comes in Puerto Rico that served as the central operating base.
Some of his ministry departments were: Advocacy, Publishing, Computing, Printing, Bookstore, Correspondence, Mail, Television, Recording for Television, Recording for Radio and Audio, Accounting, and Personnel.
As time passes, Christ comes would expand to different Latin American countries.
radio and television
‘Yiye’ began with a Christian station in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, where he preached the word of the Lord. Years later, his ministry produced 300 weekly radio programs for dozens of countries in Latin America.
In 1967, ‘Yiye’ acquired the first television channel located in Aguada, Puerto Rico, whose signal covered some towns in Puerto Rico.
The evangelist had preached against television for its promotion of anti-values, however, later he said that God had entrusted him to take television spaces from the Devil.
In 1988 he founded a television network called “La Cadena del Milagro”; at the time of his death this signal reached 128 countries.
The ministry of ‘Yiye’ achieved milestones in television, such as the first broadcast of a cult through satellites.
spread of the gospel
The evangelist also organized multiple evangelizing activities in the most dangerous prisons, and became a prominent Christian author who left 18 books to his credit.
His influence within the world of the gospel was notorious, achieving closeness with multiple pastors, governors and presidents of countries, such as Daniel Ortega.
Family
In 1950, ‘Yiye’ married Carmen Delia Talavera with whom he had three daughters: Carmen Ilia, Doris Mirna and Noemí Ávila. He also had nine grandchildren.
Currently living, the evangelist’s wife, their daughter Doris and their nine grandchildren, of which one is the evangelist Miguel Sanchez Avila.
Carmen Ávila died tragically when she was murdered by her husband; while Noemí died in a traffic accident in Venezuela when she lost control of her vehicle.
Death of ‘Yiye’ Ávila
‘Yiye’ died at the age of 87 of a heart attack, while he slept at his residence in Camuy, Puerto Rico.
The evangelist had suffered a stroke in 2018, this had deteriorated his health condition, according to the pastor, Wanda Rolón, to the diary New day.
“It is a loss for everyone. He reached millions of people with the message of Christ. He was in poor health, had suffered some strokes, but all in all he was active in the ministry. He was a man, cheerful and happy. We all feel the loss,” he confirmed.
His death shook the world, as he was a remarkable figure in the gospel who remained with impeccable morals until the end of his days.
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