Making connections, meeting needs

This past April marked the first anniversary of Freedom Hill Church En Español, the Spanish-language ministry of Freedom Hill Church in San Antonio. The previous year was spent meeting the people who live in the church’s community. 

Through the Reach Texas State Missions Offering, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention was able to provide all the expenses for a backpack outreach in the Hispanic community. Although the backpacks and their contents met a real need for families struggling to handle the expenses of raising kids, it also gave Freedom Hill Church En Español an opportunity to meet people. The outreach bore fruit, as a new family became part of the church, according to Pastor Junior Medina.  

With the help of additional funds, the church hosted community meals that not only met immediate needs but also helped neighbors get to know the church. The convention has also served as a conduit to connect other churches to travel to San Antonio to work with Medina and his wife, Mariedy.

“Why us?” he asked the pastor of one of the churches that sent a team. “We are nobody in the middle of the city.” 

The pastor’s reply? He got Medina’s information from someone at the SBTC. 

“God has been very good to us,” Medina said. 

Medina said there are advantages for a small congregation meeting in a very large city, including the opportunity for members to connect on a first-name basis. Yet there are also challenges, including raising up committed leaders in a community where several military families are frequently moved in and out of the area. 

God has done great things in the young life of Freedom Hill Church En Español, Medina said. Now the pastor is ready to reach even more with the gospel.

“We need people who will raise their hands and do what needs to be done,” he said. “Pray for us that our people will have that commitment in their hearts to work for the Lord.”