Kearney Evangelical Free Church, thank you for supporting Centro Cristiano Dios es Amor in the community of Barranca Yuca, Mangangué, Bolivar, Colombia. The new building is complete, the church is growing, and the congregation celebrated construction completion with an inauguration service. In this report, we are pleased to present you with a message from the pastor, a testimony of impact, and updates on construction and church activities. Thank you for your continued prayers.
Construction Progress
Thanks to the hard work of all who are involved with this project, the church building is complete. In the past 60 days, construction workers:
- Installed the plumbing and electrical infrastructure.
- Laid tile in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Installed privacy dividers in the bathrooms.
The congregation inaugurated the building with a service at the new child development center. Families, pastors, leadership from partnering churches, Compassion International representatives and the project facilitators were in attendance. At the service, many who made this project a reality expressed gratitude, motivation, and vision for their work with children in the community. Pastor José Ángel Cerpa and Félix Hernández from the ICIEDA mission consecrated the building to the service of the Lord and the community. They also presented the leadership team that will oversee the holistic child development program. During the service, children participated in a Bible study. The service ended with a time of praise and worship and fellowship over a meal prepared for everyone in attendance. It was a blessing for the church to feel support from the community and seeing the impact this project has had on the people of Barranca Yuca Bolívar.
In the next 60 days, the church will carry out the following finishing touches:
- Install a cover over the outdoor area outside of the sanctuary.
- Install the last of the lamps and fans in the building.
- Build the electric booth and meter.
- Hang the doors and install the windows.
Church Activities
Currently, 66 children and 55 adults attend church services at Centro Cristiano Dios es Amor and there have been 2 new professions of faith in Jesus in the last 60 days.
Pastor Benjamín Méndez and the church are actively reaching the community by sharing the gospel, meeting with families, and holding Sunday school classes and services for children. The church held a Christmas dinner, provided small Christmas gifts to children in the community, held worship services for children, and hosted a welcome service to kick off the the year’s activities at the child development center.
Challenges and Growth Opportunities
Material costs increased during the construction and the church was challenged to keep the project under budget. The land and construction permitting process was cumbersome, but the church was able to obtain the proper permits and licenses to move forward with construction. Delays in material delivery slowed down the final tasks of the project, but construction was still completed in a reasonable time. Church leadership hopes to add more amenities to the church site in the future.
Q&A With Two Mothers of Beneficiaries
Deisy is the mother of Isaac, who is part of the holistic child development program.
Initially, it was very difficult for Isaac to relate to other children and adapt to being part of the program. After he started to interact with his classmates, he began to change for the better. His attitude improved and it became apparent to me that the Lord is transforming my child.
Sandra is the mother of Willinton who is part of the holistic child development program.
I live in Barranca Yuca and witness poverty first-hand on a regular basis. I am incredibly grateful for your support and this beautiful new building and program. The church has brought great hope to children. Our community has never had a program that educates our children and teaches us God’s Word so directly. Thanks to the work being done by the Centro Cristiano Dios es Amor of Barranca Yuca, we now understand the wonderful ways God loves us and the hope the gospel gives to our children.
I am blessed to be a member of this church and am thankful for the work the church is doing in our community. I love to see my son smile and tell me about all the things he is learning in class. It is very satisfying. There are no words to describe how grateful I am to those that made this possible for my community.
Praises and Prayer Requests
Please pray for the congregation and the families with children in the program. Also, please pray specifically for the Contreras Severiche family and a 12-year-old girl named Katy, who has suffered moderate facial paralysis. Please pray that the Lord would heal her.
Kearney Evangelical Free Church, thank you for your prayers and support for Centro Cristiano Dios es Amor in the community of Barranca Yuca, Mangangué, Bolivar, Colombia.