A sense of excitement and expectation can be felt as people gather under the metal canopy next to the small storage container on Friday mornings. Though the visiting pastor arrives at about 10am, many of the people, mostly women and children, begin arriving an hour to two hours before.

The property of Iglesia Luterana La Santa Biblia in Anapra, Juarez can best be described as a large sandlot, with a free-standing bathroom, an awning casting a shadow next to a storage container, used as a kitchen, storage, and when the weather is too cold, a sanctuary.

La Santa Biblia has undergone many changes and challenges since it began partnering with Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) close to 15 years ago. One important thing has remained: an eagerness and desire to hear God’s Word and grow in their faith.

This mission-church, one of 7 partnering with YLM, has been dedicated in serving its congregation and its community since it first began gathering. Giving out hot soup cups once a week to children and older adults, as well as distributing food baskets to over 30 families. They seek out families in need of shelter, connecting them with YLM’s Servant Event mission teams to fund and build a house for them to call home. This congregation continues to find ways to share God’s love, grace, mercy, and compassion in tangible ways, along with the preaching, teaching, and instruction of God’s Word.

This growing congregation has been working together in recent years, learning and growing, aiming to one day become sustainable, organizing fundraising events to help in its ministry work. These fundraising events, from carnivals for families to selling tamales, buñuelos, and aguas frescas, have allowed for the congregation to build a free-standing bathroom on their property, as well as the installation of the metal canopy, which helps keep people cool in the summertime. They’ve recently raised the needed funds for a concrete pad under the metal canopy.

This past Friday, YLM’s Interim Executive Director, Karla Gonzalez, along with Scott Juengel, Servant Event Director, joined La Santa Biblia, and as always, they were received with a joyful welcome from all who were present.

While Michelle Lira, their youngest deaconess at 20, helped with the younger children, Rev. Stephen Heimer from Zion Lutheran Church in El Paso, TX preached and led them in hymns with the use of a new keyboard provided through YLM’s music ministry. After the service, generous food bags, put together by several of the women of the church, were distributed to each family present.

Karla and Scott met with Rosy Lira after the distribution to discuss La Santa Biblia’s goals and plans for its congregation. With the pouring of the concrete pad, there is hope for plans of building a shelter for the congregation to gather, especially during the harsh winter and summer months. YLM is looking into ways to restart the project placed on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic.

As plans continue to be discussed, and avenues for the best possible outcome explored, they will continue to love and serve God and people through faithful worship, fellowship, and service to others.