During the last three years, Nazarene churches in Burundi, Malawi, and Zambia have partnered with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries to address hunger and malnutrition. The individuals and families who have joined these projects are finding new hope after years of food insecurity.
Fabiola is a single mom who struggled to make ends meet before joining one of the projects.
"Before, we had no plans and were not saving for the future," Fabiola said.
In a hospital in Colombia, a Nazarene church partners with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries to serve as a beacon of care for pregnant and new mothers and hospital staff as they face emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges. Volunteers from the church spend time each week serving at the hospital, providing workshops on emotional healing and entrepreneurship training so mothers can build stable and bright futures for their families. They also deliver food and baby supplies to the hospital and spend time in prayer and counseling with mothers and hospital staff.
Romans 4:18, 20-21
On the set of her latest film Between Borders, actress Elizabeth Tabish (The Chosen, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) testifies before a judge. From the witness stand, her character recounts a humiliating experience as a refugee, forced to repeat the phrase that she was “quieter than water and lower than grass,” in order to secure a job. The actress’ eyes well up with tears, and not all are for show.
This January, young Nazarene leaders from around the world gathered in Orlando and Lake Placid, Florida, for the Nazarene Youth International Third Wave conference. Together, these young men and women experienced worship, learning, and service opportunities. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries joined the Third Wave event for a day of training and ministry.
“My family and I have faced very difficult times during the long crisis.”
Magalie, a mother of five, had just received a food parcel to help stave off the hunger that was growing in her home, after her crops and animals were lost in a flood—just one of many difficulties her family has faced in recent years. Though she was describing her own experience, Magalie’s words could have easily been uttered by many of her neighbors in this Haitian community.
Compassion is not always our first response when faced with the needs around us. Sometimes, we have sympathy but are not moved to act in solidarity. Henri J.M. Nouwen wrote about this tendency: “Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.” How can we become more equipped to have a posture of compassion at all times?
Revelation 21:5 “And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also, he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (NRSV)
“After losing my home to the wildfire, I found myself in a very distressing situation."
Carolina, 43, was devastated by the fires that raged through Chile during the first week of February, 2024, following days of extreme heat.
“I felt like I had lost everything and didn't know how to move on," she shared.
More than 160 fires burned at once, and the disaster left Carolina and at least 1,600 other people homeless in and near the city of Viña del Mar. A total of 130 people lost their lives in the blazes that have now been linked to arson.
In Vancouver, Washington, four tiny house villages—called Safe Stay communities—provide a safe place for people experiencing homelessness to find shelter and transitional housing. When Pastor Kevin Campbell-White and his wife Jeni drove by one of these villages several months ago, they had the passing idea to try to connect their church (Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene) with the city to support Safe Stay residents.