|
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Spirit-Filled Puerto Rican Pastor: "I'm Not the Same Man I was Two Weeks Ago""I have seen the Lord's hand in every move. The Church is different, but the Church is alive." – Pastor Marvin Suarez
"We are not the same people we were two weeks ago," the couple say when reached by phone. "Everything is lower. There's no contact with people, we go to their houses because sometimes phones don't work. Everything is completely different." The two pastor Iglesia La Viña de Mayagüez church along the western coast of Puerto Rico. They're desperate to serve their community but have limited resources due to the storm. Their biggest need? Cash—cold, hard cash. "This is an experience we've never had before because we are so used to plastic—debit cards, credit cards," Cuchy says. "[It's been] tough for a lot of people because they didn't have enough cash. The banks were closed, and they just opened. This is a different environment. But some aspects [are a] blessing, too. We are more aware of our fragility and our dependency on the internet, the technical stuff and the technology. We have been able to get to know our neighbors, work together at church. We spent a whole day at church just cleaning and fixing things there. It has been not all bad." As the island attempts to move back into routine—which is extremely limited, due to continued power outages and lack of basic resources—the Suarezes say their community members are tired and grumpy, stuck in lines for hours on end just to attend to basic needs. So today, the couple will hand out juice and cookies at banks, gas stations—basically wherever they see a line. The church campus also has a well on site, which has the couple scrambling to find a water pump so they can distribute the necessity to those around them. They will also soon offer at least one hot meal a day and prayer to anyone who stops by. "What we've learned from this experience that the church was not hurricane ready. That is something we are going to work on," Marvin says. "For these kind of tropical incidents, we need to have a good generator, install water pumps at the well and be a safe place for people to come right after the hurricane blows over us. Then, even though I have been working with constructors to get the electrical poles put in place, it's impossible, because these guys are subcontracted by the government to deal with bigger stuff. They put all their energy and resources into that. Without internet and with only spartan phone service, the church is dependent on signs to tell its neighbors about the outreaches. They may have next to nothing, but they know God is still good. "I have seen the Lord's hand in every move," Marvin says. "The Church is different, but the Church is alive."
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News 'Melania' Film a Huge Success, Shocking Hollywood Press on Opening Weekend Give Him 15: Sanctifying the Night with the 'Big Ben Moment' of Prayer for America Trump Issues Executive Order to Expedite Rebuilding after Los Angeles County Wildfires CA, NY Set to Lose Congressional Seats after Mass Migration to Southern States NYC Democrat Wants Newsmax Banned in Taxis DHS: 6,947 Criminal Illegal Aliens Released into NY Since Jan. 20, with Thousands More to Come President Trump's HHS Rescinds Biden-Era Abortion Pill Rule That Forced Pharmacies to Supply It Shocking Email from Epstein Files Implicates Former US Ambassador, Clintons, Bidens, and More First Lady: 'Melania' Documentary Movie is 'Emotional,' 'Cinematic' A Different Kind of Classroom Is Outperforming Expectations School Fires 'Character Coach' after Atheists Complain Marine Vet Missionary Killed During Facebook Marketplace Meetup Sent Heartbreaking Text Before Death Maximum Pressure on Iran as US Military Positions for Strikes Bill and Hillary Clinton Contempt Vote Set for Next Wednesday Don Lemon Arrested for Role in Church Service Disruption by Anti-ICE Activists Nicki Minaj? Creed? Who Will Headline Turning Point USA's Rival Super Bowl Halftime Show? 'Trump Accounts' Savings for Kids: How They Work and Who Is Eligible Here's Why Many Say the Ilhan Omar Assault Was Staged VIDEO: Alex Pretti Attacked Federal Agents' SUV 2 Weeks Before His Death Search the Articles Archives |
All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.
Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.
| Home | Store | Subscribe | Facebook | Article Archive |