About fifteen years ago, two missionaries approached Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care with a ministry in Anapra, a colonia on the edge of Ciudad Juárez. They offered to pass along not only the property, but the ongoing work of feeding children, both physically and spiritually. The ministry was known as Iglesia Sin Paredes –Church Without Walls. The space sat on a hill overlooking New Mexico. A couple of worn two-story buildings stood on the property, along with a small kitchen and a lot of sand. It was simple, but it was already a place where God was at work.
In 2019, the congregation made a bold decision. The buildings were no longer safe, so they brought them down. Debris was cleared, and a new vision began to take shape. The church took on a new name, Iglesia Luterana La Santa Biblia, reflecting a desire to grow as a congregation rooted in Word and Sacrament. Plans were drawn. Support came from brothers and sisters of partner congregations. The hope was clear: build a church where people could gather, worship, and receive the means of grace.
Then came the waiting.
Permits. Legal requirements. COVID. More delays. Still, the church continued. For seven years, La Santa Biblia gathered week after week. In the summer, they worshiped under open sky. In the winter, they gathered inside a small storage container. Pastors from Ciudad Juárez and El Paso came to serve. The Word was preached. The Sacraments were given. Faith grew. The congregation organized, gave what they could, and improved the space piece by piece. A bathroom was built. A metal shade went up. A concrete pad was poured. The kitchen was maintained. Through it all, one prayer remained: a place to call their home church.
God’s faithfulness never wavers.
After years of conversation, a way forward opened. Family of Christ of Ham Lake, MN and Our Savior Lutheran Church from Minot, ND came together at the beginning of this year, as the opportunity opened, pooling together funds and providing skilled workers to answer this long-awaited prayer.
This project carried a different kind of joy. It was not a home for one family. It was a home for many.
From the first day, the site came alive. Materials were unloaded. Walls began to rise. Members of La Santa Biblia welcomed the team each morning, setting up tables, cooking meals over open fire, and serving with joy. Music filled the space. Voices lifted in praise. Rosy Lira, deaconess of La Santa Biblia, stood watching as framing began. She has been part of this ministry since the beginning. She remembers the unsafe buildings, the clearing of the land, and the long years of wondering.
“God doesn’t forget us,” she said, tears in her eyes. “Seeing this, after seven years, it’s proof God doesn’t forget us. He is faithful.”
By the end of the week, the answer stood before them.
The celebration brought everyone together. Balloons, food, music, and worship marked the moment. The new building was dedicated. God’s Word was shared inside walls built for His people. A congregation stepped into a space they had prayed for through years of waiting.
And now, not only does La Santa Biblia have a place where they can gather, protected from the summer heat and winter cold, but the congregation is preparing to move forward in calling their first pastor from the Mexico Lutheran Synod, along with Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey. What a joy it is to know children will continue to be fed. Families will hear the Gospel. Faith will continue to grow.
Some answers to prayer take time. In Anapra, the answer came in God’s perfect timing, and it was worth the wait.
