*In June 2023, “Love Your Neighbor” was held in many cities and countries around the world. In this and the following posts, we will share a variety of testimonies from the sites and people touched in the Mesoamerica Region.
“A week before the ‘Love Your Neighbor’ activity, the neighborhood around the Panama Viejo Church suffered heavy flooding that affected the community and many homes. Because the water wreaked havoc in its path, there were losses of clothing, food, appliances, and many other items. We took the opportunity to respond to this urgent need and began to collect a lot of clothes in good condition as well as books, toys, and other household items.
We started the activity with a devotional of hope and encouragement. We cleaned the dirt that the flood left inside the church building, and we mowed the grass and arranged what was collected on different tables so that people could take what they needed. The congregation also supported by cooking a typical breakfast for the people of the community who came, and in this way, we were able to minister to them fully. We thank God for providing for these needs and blessing the lives of many families. He challenged us to overcome our apathy and, in a practical and quick way, with the support and work of a team of 16 people, we were able to show God’s love to our neighbors.” –Jesús Abrego, Missions Mobilization (MM) Coordinator, Panama Central
“What I enjoyed the most about Love Your Neighbor was seeing the smiles of both the children and the parents who joyfully received the Word of God. I can assure you that when you serve, you have fun in the process. The results we saw were my greatest satisfaction: there is nothing more gratifying than having planted the seed in others’ hearts.” –Haddai Jireh Jiménez Vargas, San Juan de la Maguana, D.R.
“I am grateful to God for his faithfulness and provision. I struggled to see how I could lead the Love Your Neighbor event in Costa Rica. I confess that sometimes worry and sadness flooded my thoughts. But I was surprised by God: by the time of the event, 20 participants were ready, and many churches and companies sent donations. It ended up being enough to benefit more than 150 people through the “Gift of Grace” Children’s Soup Kitchen. Many of the beneficiaries and participants are sensing the call and commitment to continue supporting this institution. Once again, I give glory to God, and can confirm that the mission belongs to him, and he does much more than we can imagine or plan.” –Maribel Sánchez, MM Coordinator, Costa Rica Central
“We had the opportunity to receive brothers and sisters from the Church of the Nazarene in our children’s soup kitchen. It was a great blessing to see children and young people broken and receiving Christ in their hearts. Many mothers recognized their need for God. We have constantly struggled to see this marginalized neighborhood differently; I am glad to know that God will be making life better for all these families. Now we have a lot of work ahead of us to follow up with people who have made the decision to follow Christ and live a different life.” –David Ballestero, Director of the “Regalo de Gracia” Children’s Soup Kitchen
“I witnessed more than 100 children and 40 mothers participate in Love Your Neighbor. It filled me with joy to see so many young leaders directing this beautiful program and teaching about the real and existential problems that our society experiences every day, while also helping them to recognize the great need we have for God. I appreciate their dedication, motivation, and good example so that the kids in the soup kitchen can grow and be educated in a healthy environment. I am convinced that by instructing them in the word from a young age and with the presence of God in their lives and in their homes, their lives will be different.” –Marco Garrido, Costa Rica Central
Transform the Globe 