On September 20^th, Iglesia Luterana Santa Biblia hosted a Backpack Distribution at their location.  Students of all ages and their parents were excited to receive backpacks filled with much-needed supplies and hygiene items.  Smiles were seen on every face, with many parents giving thanks to the church for the help.

Members of La Santa Biblia organize and distribute backpacks for kids living in Anapra, Juarez

“It was wonderful to see members of the church organize and lead the event,” Rev Dr. Karl Heimer, CEO of Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) -one of the organizations partnering with La Santa Biblia -shared what he witnessed, “They served their community with joyful hearts.  It’s their church, their ministry…YLM will help however needed.”

In the past ten years, La Santa Biblia has grown in numbers and ministries.  With the support of YLM’s donors and supporters, this Juarez based mission-church feeds over a hundred children every Wednesday, distributes hundreds of backpacks, Christmas gifts, jackets, and blankets every year, among others.

Children and parents are happy to receive backpacks loaded with school supplies and hygiene kits

This year, close to 200 backpacks were given to school-age students in the Anapra community.  The backpacks, along with supplies and hygiene items, were donated through YLM.  Volunteers from churches and organizations in El Paso helped year-round to sort through donations and assemble full backpacks, each with a hygiene kit.

Members from La Santa Biblia in Anapra worked together to organize the event, including a worship service led by their pastor, Rev. Javier Lozano, along with Rev. Stephen Heimer, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in El Paso, Texas, and Rev Dr. Karl Heimer, YLM’s CEO and pastor of San Pablo Lutheran Church in El Paso.

Close to 200 backpacks were given to school-age children at La Santa Biblia in Anapra, Juarez

“We are so grateful and blessed to do this for the children,” one of the members of La Santa Biblia shared, “To see their beautiful smiles…as long as God gives us the means and opportunity, we will continue to help those in need.”  The members of La Santa Biblia call their ministry a labor of love, especially when the event took place at their church grounds, where every building was demolished earlier this year, the foundation slabs marking what had once been there.

“We don’t have a church building or a dining hall, but we continue to reach out to the community, helping with their needs,” Rev. Javier Lozano shared in regards to the ministry in the Anapra area, “With the support of organizations such as YLM, we show God’s love to children who see the ugly side of life –poverty, hunger, violence, abuse, addiction.  Together, we sow the seeds of God’s love into their hearts through generosity, compassion, and God’s Word, so they may experience God’s love and share it with others.”

YLM is dedicated to being a source of support to mission-churches in Mexico, and El Paso, partnering with them.  For La Santa Biblia, it has been a partnership that’s helped their ministry grow, and they are excited for God’s blessings as they continue to faithfully serve God by serving others.