The Beauty of Shared Faith
Our visit to Iglesia Jesús Divino Pastor began with the kind of hospitality that speaks louder than words — hugs at the door, bendiciones whispered with sincerity (God Bless You), and a worship team already lifting the room in joy. It didn’t matter that the words were all in Spanish; in those moments, worshipping God was something we all felt together. During communion, the pastor invited two members of our team to assist with holding the elements, and Pastor Jesse Patton from First Union Congregational Church shared a message One Way, One Jesus.
After the service, we were given a tour of the facilities — spaces where doors have graciously been opened for the women in our Sumak program. Then we gathered for lunch prepared by the ladies of the church, sharing a meal with the pastor, his family, and several church leaders. Conversations swirled around the table, each one offering a glimpse into the stories and traditions of their community.
One leader told us that this area in Ibarra is known for its ice cream — made in a bronze bowl surrounded by ice, with fruit mixed inside, then shaken and stirred until it freezes. It’s served with a homemade bread similar to cornbread, a pairing passed down through generations. Another conversation drifted into Incan history — two Indigenous communities once at war, united when a son from one and a daughter from the other married, choosing peace through family rather than conflict.
They shared how burials were once done in vertical capsules placed into the hillsides. The body was lowered in, the capsule sealed, and the earth closed around it. Sometimes, if a wife was still alive when her husband died, she was placed inside with him — a practice that carries both the weight of grief and the complexity of ancient tradition.
We ended the meal talking about artists who paint Indigenous suffering — painters who use color and form to tell stories of resilience, loss, and identity. Their work preserves memories that might otherwise fade, honoring the lived experiences of communities who have endured so much.
It was one of those visits where worship, hospitality, culture, and history wove together seamlessly — a reminder of how much beauty sits inside the stories people carry and how sacred it is to be invited to listen.
