Touchless thermometers are required for La Santa Biblia to gather and distribute much needed food to over 60 families

For many, it is simple acts of kindness which shows the love of God, and for that reason, Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) works hard to extend this kindness to the people they encounter through the many areas of mercy taking place at the El Paso and Juarez mission-churches by helping provide required face masks.

“We’ve received many face masks donations since last April,” Leah Bolgar, who records in-kind donations as they come into the office, shared after receiving several boxes of white cloth masks, “From homemade masks to medical masks, we’ve been able to provide for the people who need them.”

Along with food and shelter, an increasing need for many in El Paso and Juarez has been face masks, hand sanitizer, and touchless thermometers.  With these kind of donations received from individuals or organizations, YLM has been able to help provide these needed items to people on both sides of the border.

“Fifteen hundred white cloth face masks arrived in late December, a donation from one of my nieces,” Rev Dr. Karl Heimer explained after the initial question of who donated the masks, “She lives in the United Kingdom, but she found a company in the United States and ordered them and shipped them directly to us.”

Pastor Benito gives out packs of white cloth face masks as people drive through to pick up food boxes on Saturday morning

These masks were distributed them among the mission-churches; San Pablo Lutheran in El Paso, and  at La Santa Biblia in Anapra, where food distributions are taking place weekly.  Along with the face masks, touchless thermometers were purchased and taken to La Santa Biblia.

“We continue to distribute every Wednesday,” Rosy Lira, deaconess at La Santa Biblia, shared during a staff meeting, “And the number of people in need has grown from about twenty something families to sixty plus.  The local police have stopped by several times, because there’s so many people who gather to listen to Pastor Stephen and pick up a bag of food.”

The local police have allowed the continued distribution but made it clear the people needed to be wearing face masks and there needed to be temperature checks every time they gathered.  A few weeks after Rosy had shared the need for both face masks and the touchless thermometers, God provided through the generous donations of people like Pastor Heimer’s niece.

“This kind of situation is rare,” Pastor Heimer explained as several of those masks were packed up to be taken to Cuba, others given out during the Joy Distribution on December 13^th, and majority taken to La Santa Biblia, “It is rare and the needs are magnified immensely.  So we continue serving faithfully and see how God will be magnified even more than the people’s problems.”

If you would like to help provide for those rare needs arising due to the pandemic, you can donate to the Medical-COVID fund to help us provide during these unusual circumstances.