Mexico #3: Serving “the least of these “
Serving “the least of these “
By Doug Nielson
Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Marietta, GA
In Matthew 25:31-40, Jesus encourages us to selflessly and expansively meet the needs of the poor, hungry, and sick among us where we live. Our encouragement to engage in this sacrificial service to “the least of these” is based on our love for Jesus – the one who loved us first and gives us our desire to serve others. During our last day in Mexico, we were privileged to meet with members of a congregation that is serving the poor and vulnerable in their midst in Mexico.
Tapachula is located in the tropical southern state of Chiapas. As it is a mere 15 miles from the border with Guatemala, it has become the focal point for immigrants coming from all over Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants pass through Tapachula on their way north to the United States. At any one time, there are roughly 30,000 refugees originating from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala who are living in and around Tapachula. In 2019, the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico planted a church in Tapachula named Iglesia de Jesus Cristo El Salvador Oriente (Church of Jesus Christ the Savior, East) led by Pastor Neri Rivera. From the start, Pastor Neri’s congregation has had a heart for the refugee population in their area. They give sacrificially to provide for a wide variety of refugee needs including providing food, cost of medical care, rent and utility subsidies, and help with asylum documentation.
Pastor Neri and his family (wife Karina, daughters Zabdi, Angela, and Sara, and son, Juan Pablo) directly live out the vision of the church by hosting a revolving number of families in their home (anywhere from 5-9 people at a time) as well as serving meals to an additional 20 people on a daily basis. When we visited, we met a family from Venezuela that was being cared for by Pastor Neri’s family.
Before we returned home, we were able to fellowship and sing praise songs with some of the Iglesia de Jesus Cristo El Salvador Oriente congregation. It was a blessing to see how God is encouraging and empowering this young body of believers as they serve.
