I have some wonderful news to share from our friends in Lima! After years of praying and hard work, Pastor Luis and his congregation finally celebrated the rededication of their church home this past Sunday. This project was about so much more than just freshening up spaces; it was about ensuring their community has a welcoming and easy-to-access place for years to come.

The heart behind this change started with a very simple, human need. As our church family in Lima has grown and aged together, the long climb up several flights of stairs had become a real struggle for many of our long-time members. It reached a point where getting to a worship service was becoming difficult, if not impossible, for some of our dear brothers and sisters.

Determined to honor their long-time members, the church sought a way to transform their space—a vision made possible through the collaboration of several partner congregations. Thanks to the generous support of Mount Olive Brethren Church, Smithville Brethren Church, and Brethren Global Partners, the building was completely redesigned with a layout that would better serve everyone. To tackle the problem, the team came up with a really clever architectural shift: they closed in the second-story balcony with a solid floor to create a brand-new level. This one change actually solved two big challenges at once: first, it provided a new second floor, which is now the permanent home of Zoraida’s daycare. This is such a blessing because it provides a vital service to the neighborhood while helping the church and the pastoral family stay financially stable. Second, by moving the daycare upstairs, the entire first floor has been reclaimed for the congregation. It’s now a beautiful, versatile space for Sunday services, community dinners, and outreach—all accessible without stairs.

During the rededication service, Pastor Luis shared a beautiful vision for this “new” home. He prayed that it would be a place of refuge for the helpless and a “hospital for the soul” where every person who enters leaves feeling blessed. We anchored the day in the promise from
2 Chronicles 7:15-16, trusting that God’s heart will always be in this place.

What happened in Lima is such a moving example of what we can do when we lean into our global family. When you support The Brethren Church and Brethren Global Partners, you aren’t just funding a construction project. You are literally removing the barriers that keep people from worship and empowering local leaders like Luis and Zoraida to keep their ministry rooted in the neighborhood for generations.

Thank you for being part of this story. Because of your partnership, our brothers and sisters in Lima finally have a home that is truly open to all.

Respectfully submitted,

Scott Soden
Director of Global Partners and Advancement