"We don't know how fast things are changing or where to turn for help."
The local pastor who shared this reality is just one of many clergy members in the eastern provinces of the Democrat Republic of the Congo impacted by an ongoing, immense humanitarian crisis.
In Armenia, the local Kids Club has been a place of growth, support, and faith since 2004. The program meets in the church building each week and serves 45 children between the ages of 6 and 18, reaching a total of 70 families—225 people in the community.
More than just an after-school gathering, the Kids Club provides clothing, school supplies, hygiene items, food, and even medical support to children and their families. Camps, home visits, and a variety of weekly activities are also part of the program.
God’s plans extend beyond what we can imagine, realize, or hope for. In this sense, trying to understand God’s way in the world feels like a mystery, even an impossibility. Yet embracing God’s plans is what it means to have faith in God’s transformation of our world. We face an impossible task, made possible in Christ. Even when faithful actions seem senseless by the world’s standards, we are still called to put our trust in God.
In May 2024, the arrival of refugees in rural Ireland did not go unnoticed. Tent shelters appeared almost overnight, and with them came a wave of uncertainty—questions about safety, identity, and what this change might mean for the community. As protests grew louder and tensions rose, members of a small local church found themselves confronting a deeper question: if people seeking refuge showed up at their door, how would they respond?
January 12, 2020, will forever be etched in the memories of the residents of Batangas province in the Philippines. Taal Volcano, a picturesque natural wonder surrounded by a serene lake and a favorite tourist attraction, transformed from a tranquil beauty into a source of unimaginable destruction. The volcano, known for its deceptive calm, had been silently building pressure. And on that fateful day, it erupted with brutal force.
In the rural Rachuonyo community of Kenya, access to clean water had long been a challenge. Women and children bore the burden of walking long distances every day to collect water from contaminated sources, exposing them to waterborne diseases and leaving little time for school or income-generating activities. Water scarcity also led to poor sanitation, frequent illness, and high school absenteeism.
Recognizing this urgent need, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM), in partnership with local churches, launched a community-led water project to provide a sustainable solution.
This first-person account was written by Rev. Hunter Steinmetz, High School Pastor at Hermitage Church of the Nazarene in Old Hickory, Tennessee. It was originally shared in NCM Magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.
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Luke 15 is Jesus’ response to a quiet murmur:
“This man eats with the wrong people.”
Our Christian identity and how we live in the world are rooted in God through Jesus Christ. At our core, we are God’s beloved. God invites us to live in the way of Jesus, who brings hope and restoration to the world.
Lebanon has received more than 2.5 million Syrian refugees during the last 14 years. Currently, approximately one million remain in Lebanon, trying to navigate life in an unfamiliar country and culture. For these refugees, and other migrant workers from Africa and East Asia, finding appropriate medical care is a challenge. Additionally, due to the ongoing economic crisis and political instability, many of the Lebanese population also find themselves facing barriers to health care. For these people, there is no balm in Gilead.
In 1967, the Church of the Nazarene opened a small clinic in the Waghi Valley in Papua New Guinea. Missionary nurses worked tirelessly to care for the sick and injured. Over time, this small clinic grew into Nazarene General Hospital, a 130-bed facility that serves the entire region. In 2016, it became a Provincial Referral Hospital—a significant achievement in its journey to provide better health care.