Greetings from Immokalee!
Over the past few months, we have been fielding the question, “When will the mission re-open?”. Our response is always, "Misión Peniel has never closed!" Although many inside ministry programs have had to be suspended throughout the pandemic, other ministries of the mission have continued at an ever busier, fuller pace!
Thanks to the faithful support of many churches in the presbytery and SW Florida, and individual donations and grants, Misión Peniel has continued to provide much needed support to the farmworker community in Immokalee throughout the pandemic. We thank God for the partnerships in mission that continue to sustain this ministry.
Mission Highlights
- Misión Peniel has been a regular site for both testing and vaccination clinics from February - June, sponsored by the Health Care Network and FEMA, with the support of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Partners in Health.
- Friday food distribution continues, thanks to the support of two area food banks (Harry Chapin and Midwest), local church food drives, designated financial support and our partnership with Cultivate Abundance (they coordinate fresh produce donations from community gardens). Due to the agricultural season shifting to the north, the mission is now averaging 300 households served each week. We are grateful for the extra support received, allowing us to continue!
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The mission continues to distribute financial assistance to those in the first two weeks of recovery from COVID-19. This is to incentivize and support an individual’s ability to take the time off work and help prevent the spread of the virus without losing all of their work income (there is no “sick leave” provided for these essential workers). This continues to be funded through church, individual and grant contributions. A full report of this outreach ministry through June 14th is attached by clicking the link provided here.
- The mission hosts community health educators every Friday as part of the food distribution. These individuals provide those coming for food with the most current information on the virus, local testing and vaccination schedules for Immokalee. This information is provided in Spanish, Creole and English. Our partnership with these community health educators continues to be a valuable person to person ministry outreach every Friday afternoon. Community health educators are part of the Health Care Network and Partners in Health organizations.
Food Deliveries/Designated Food Relief throughout the Pandemic
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Throughout the pandemic, Misión Peniel has been preparing and delivering nutritious meals to homebound individuals each week through the mission’s “Pan De Vida” (Bread of Life) ministry. Each Monday, the Pan de Vida coordinator cooks and delivers three meals per client and also provides them with basic grocery and personal care staples. Clients are also provided with community resource information should further care be needed. The current number of clients is eighteen.
- The mission is also packaging and delivering weekly food boxes to households that are in quarantine as they recover from COVID-19. These needs are identified through our intake process for financial assistance for those testing positive for COVID-19. We distribute about 12 food boxes for COVID Relief support every week.
Pastoral Support
Pastor Miguel continues to provide pastoral care throughout the community. His 13+ years as a community member have helped him establish relationships of trust, compassion, and discipleship with individuals and families.
Mission Garden Productivity
Our partnership with Cultivate Abundance has been extremely “fruitful”! Each week, in addition to harvesting food from the mission garden for Friday distribution, they have made numerous connections with home growers, ECHO, other church and community gardens to ensure that we have an abundant variety of responsibly sourced, nutritious and culturally appealing food to distribute every Friday. The average monthly contribution to Friday food distribution averages 2,800 pounds which accounts for 8,000 servings per month! What a difference a garden makes!
Engagement Opportunities
This pandemic has engaged many of our presbytery’s churches and individuals seeking to get involved in ways they can; offering prayer support, providing food and personal care items from our needs list, sewing face masks, providing financial support, providing ongoing volunteer support for garden and distribution activities. These are the kinds of blessings that help sustain the mission and its outreach!
The mission is now accepting reservations for teams of six volunteers from churches for Friday afternoon distribution! Churches can contact ruth@peaceriverpresbytery.org or sign up through the website for reservations and further information.
New Music Ministry Program for Fall 2021
The pandemic had postponed our initial plans to begin a Music Academy for community youth in the beginning of 2020. Plans are moving forward to provide guitar, keyboard and voice lessons to 10-20 youth who will commit to a three year comprehensive music education program beginning in the fall of 2021. The mission is blessed to have a director in place: Juan Pablo Oliva, who is a professional classical guitarist from Cuba. He was a member of one of our presbytery’s partner churches in the Matanzas Presbytery in Cuba! He and his wife relocated to this area in 2018. Juan Pablo is also serving as the youth music director at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers.
We are deeply grateful for the many ways “Peniel" (the face of God) continues to be shared throughout this pandemic. Even in the midst of uncertainty, Misión Peniel exists as a place where this type of compassion sends the message that in Christ, we belong to each other and walk together through these challenging times and always!
We thank God for the privilege of serving others in Christ’s name and with the faithful support of so many individuals, churches and organizations! Your partnership is the blessing that sustains us!
Together in Christ,
Pastor Miguel Estrada and Ruth DeYoe
