Debbie Michel
June 12, 2025Her expanded role involves the establishment of a program funded through the Lilly Endowment, the Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. This national initiative is designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
“We are excited to launch this initiative in collaboration with our five conferences, and I’m especially grateful to have Magaly Torres leading its rollout,” said Mercado. “Magaly was instrumental in preparing the proposal for this highly competitive grant, and her deep experience in cross-cultural ministry and humanitarian service makes her the ideal person to guide this important work. I’m confident she will help shape a program that empowers children to actively participate in worship and grow in their relationship with God.”
Originally trained as a computer lab teacher at Peruvian Union University, Torres began her career in Peru, serving as assistant program director and later as emergency response coordinator and logistics manager for ADRA Peru from 2005 to 2008. She led volunteer mobilization, coordinated emergency aid and oversaw logistics and procurement during national crises.
From 2008 to 2009, she worked in Spain as a finance audit operator with the Altius Foundation, supporting international development projects and fundraising efforts.
Torres joined ADRA International in Maryland, where she worked as an assistant in the Emergency Management Unit, helping coordinate crisis response efforts and prepare humanitarian reports. She later served the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists from 2022 to early 2024 as an administrative professional for Multilingual Ministries and Chaplaincy, where she supported advisory boards, immigrant ministry programs and the chaplaincy credentialing process.
She holds a master’s degree in Immigration and International Development from Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid, Spain and a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from Peruvian Union University in Lima, Peru. She is married to Ignacio Goya and together they have three children.
“I’m honored to be part of a program that sees the spiritual potential of children and equips churches to empower them in worship,” said Torres. “As a mother, I know how important it is for the home, school and church to work together in shaping a child’s faith. Congregational worship and prayer help children grow spiritually, learn the language of faith and experience God’s love in community. This initiative is about more than just including children in services—it’s about helping them feel they belong and have something meaningful to contribute.”
You can learn more about the Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative here.
