Desiring More From God

Great things are arriving with the New Year here at Mission Centers of Houston. We started having our Women With Purpose Bible study on a weekly basis rather meeting every other week like we did in the past. Upon hearing from the women a deep longing to learn more about God and His plan for their lives we decided to increase our meeting frequency to accommodate this desire. We introduced the Spanish version of the book A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and are now reading through it together. Meeting weekly has not only allowed us to invest more in their lives, but it gives us a chance to help them find answers to the many questions they have. It has also opened the door for deeper relationship building as we now have more time to laugh, cry and enjoy sharing life together. We ask you to pray for all the ladies so their lives may be touched and transformed with the love of Christ.

Transforming Lives Together at Joy

This January we had a wonderful visit from First Baptist Church of Dallas! Around 40 high school students and adults came to experience an outreach event like no other. We had the opportunity to go to an apartment complex of roughly 2,500 residents. During the event we had various bounce houses, raffles and games for all ages. We also grilled hamburgers for everyone. This event was made extra special because it was the first time that the Gospel was preached in Spanish and translated to Qekchi ,a Guatemalan dialect. We felt the need to look for a translator after we noticed that a big percentage of the people living in that apartment complex only spoke Qekchi. When we tried to speak in Spanish, they would only nod their head, but we could tell they didn’t understand. God is great! We had an amazing time and a huge thanks goes to First Baptist Dallas for coming to help us with this event. To God be the glory!

A New Breeze at Gano

Angel and Brayan are two special young men at Mission Centers of Houston, because they have literally spent most of their lives here. They can recall their parents bringing them to kid’s club and then youth club; from the Fletcher Center and then on to Gano Center. They really know Mission Centers of Houston! Through the years, they have not only received from MCH, but they have also learned to give back to the community by serving as volunteers at Gano. It was hard to tell them they could no longer attend the youth club because they had 'aged out'. It is designed for middle and high schoolers. That led to a stirring in Pastor Juan's heart to continue ministering to these young men. By creating a new ministry to the college men and women it has provided an opportunity to mentor them through their college years, while at the same time giving them an opportunity to grow as leaders. We initiated this ministry by taking them to dinner and presenting the opportunity for them to help assist Pastor Juan with the Gano Youth Club program. That night we also treated them to a Houston Rockets basketball game which they thoroughly enjoyed. Pray for us as we make plans to expand this ministry in 2024 by inviting other college students who have been a part of MCH in the past. 

Renew & Revive

On January 19^th & 20^th, The Compassion Center held its first annual retreat for the leaders of churches in The Compassion Center Network. Gospel Lakes Ranch in New Waverly hosted twelve of our churches and mission organizations where we encouraged them, introduced them to great resources for evangelism, and had a round table “brainstorming session” on how to effectively reach their own impoverished communities with the Gospel. After the event, many of the leaders communicated how much the event encouraged and prepared them to reach their communities this year!

Rekindled Passion

Dora became a part of the Mission Centers of Houston family in 1979. She and her family were struggling after moving to Houston from Chicago, and she was also having a difficult time in her marriage. Her cousin’s wife brought her to Mission Centers to get clothes and food for her family, and she attended the New Believer’s Bible Study after receiving Jesus Christ as Savior.

At the Joy Center, God changed Dora’s life. With the help of the Center’s mentors, she learned English and learned how to pray with others. Because of Mission Centers, she was able to become a citizen. She made new friends that developed into incredible, life-long relationships.

She saw a complete change in her husband and her children also, who became more loving and servant-hearted. Serving the Lord soon became her calling. She began volunteering in 1982 by teaching preschoolers in Spanish, and in 1995 she joined the Mission Centers’ staff as Assistant Director of the Joy Center. A few months later she became the Director of the Gano Mission Center. Dora served in that position until her retirement in April 2019. 

In March of 2023 Dora couldn't stand not being able to serve senior adults, so she returned to Joy with a group of volunteers from her church to begin preparing and serving meals during our weekly senior adult program. Because of her selfless commitment we are seeing growth every week in attendance as she blesses many people.

A piece of advice from sister Dora to all Volunteers: 

“Whatever you do, do it for our God, striving to do your best because from Him, comes the Reward”.

Brewing Hope

and Support!

In the spirit of community and generosity, we are honored to highlight the support of Saint Arnold Brewing Company, a beacon of goodwill in our mission to serve the local community. Through their unwavering commitment to philanthropy, they have become an unexpected yet invaluable partner, graciously donating essential provisions to our non-profit Mission Centers programs twice a week. Their renowned restaurant not only delights patrons with delectable cuisine, but also extends its benevolence to our cause by providing nourishing meals for our homeless and senior adult programs, fortifying our efforts to alleviate hunger within our community. As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming "Barbecue, Boots, and Boogie" event next week, we are humbled by Saint Arnold Brewing Company's pledge to donate a keg of their exquisite root beer, enhancing the evening's festivities and exemplifying their dedication to our shared mission. We express our profound gratitude for their steadfast support and invaluable contributions.

Save the Date!

Fun is on the horizon!!

Click on the image below for more information and to register

Monday, April 29, 2024