EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Send Relief staff and originally published by the International Mission Board.
When two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s north-central coast at the end of June, lives changed in an instant.
Hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed. Thousands of families were forced from their homes. Many spent nights sleeping outside because their homes were no longer safe or they feared more aftershocks. Churches, schools, and entire neighborhoods are now helping shelter those with nowhere else to go.
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As we grieve alongside the people of Venezuela, we are also witnessing something remarkable.
Long before the earthquakes, God was preparing His Church.
For years, Send Relief and its parent organization, the International Mission Board, have partnered with Venezuelan Baptist churches to strengthen communities through practical compassion and Gospel hope. Those partnerships meant that when disaster struck, local believers didn’t have to wait for outside help to arrive. They were already there.
Because of your generosity, resources and trained leaders were already in place. Today, Venezuelan churches are feeding families, providing medical care, and bringing hope to their neighbors in Jesus’ name.
Food: Existing ministries became disaster response
For years, Send Relief has partnered with churches across Venezuela through two ongoing hunger ministries: Bread of Hope and Soup of Love.
Bread of Hope began as a micro-bakery initiative that equips churches and bi-vocational pastors to provide affordable bread while creating opportunities to care for vulnerable families. The bakeries support community outreach, provide meals for children and older adults, and demonstrate God’s love through consistent, local ministry.
After the earthquakes, those same bakeries quickly shifted into disaster response.
Instead of only serving their regular communities, church volunteers began preparing meals, assembling emergency supply kits, and delivering aid to neighborhoods devastated by the earthquakes. They also created simple Gospel-centered activities for children, including crafts featuring Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you.”
The same pattern unfolded through Soup of Love.
Throughout the year, churches use this ministry to provide hot meals, share the Gospel, and care for vulnerable families in communities across Venezuela.
Now those churches have paused their regular outreach events and redirected resources toward earthquake response.
Food preparation teams are serving disaster zones, hospitals, shelters, and churches that have become gathering places for displaced families.
Pastor Alexis Cortez, one of our ministry partners, shared this update after a long day of relief efforts: “It was an intense day; we were out helping until nearly midnight yesterday and started very early this morning. The tremors are continuing. Today we provided aid to several areas, visited two shelters to deliver essential supply kits and hot soup, and sent food as far as La Guaira. There are many people helping and a lot of activity on the streets. We are directly assisting families who have been displaced.”
The ministries may look different today than they did last week—but the mission remains the same: caring for people while pointing them to Christ.
Medicine: Long-term partnerships meet immediate needs
Access to medicine has been a challenge in Venezuela for many years.
Economic hardship has left many families unable to afford even basic medications. When faced with the choice between buying food or medicine, food almost always comes first.
Since 2017, Send Relief has worked with churches throughout Venezuela and the region to distribute medicines, vitamins, hygiene supplies, and other essential medical resources to people who otherwise would go without.
Those partnerships that have helped more than 3 million people in the country and the surrounding area are making a difference today.
Medicine already in the country is being distributed through our network of church partners, while additional shipments are being prepared and sent to meet growing needs.
Medical clinics connected to local churches are continuing to care for patients, even as communities recover from the earthquakes.
The needs are significant, but so is God’s provision.
Training: The Church responds across borders
One of the most encouraging stories emerging from this response began years before the earthquakes ever happened.
Send Relief has invested in training disaster response leaders around the world through Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) training.
Among those trained were leaders from the Brazilian Baptist Convention’s missions organization, Junta de Missões Mundiais (JMM).
Today, those same trained leaders are responding in Venezuela.
Because they are already in the region, they have been able to deploy quickly alongside Venezuelan Baptist churches, bringing disaster response experience, encouragement, and practical assistance.
It is a powerful reminder that training local and regional believers creates lasting Kingdom impact.
The Church is not responding alone.
Brothers and sisters from neighboring countries are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Venezuelan believers, serving together as one body in Christ.
Thank you for being part of this story
The destruction across Venezuela is heartbreaking.
Families have lost loved ones. Thousands remain displaced. The road to recovery will take months — and likely years.
Yet even in the midst of tragedy, we can see God’s faithfulness.
Churches were already present.
Food ministries were already serving.
Medicine was already available.
Disaster response leaders had already been trained.
Because of your generosity, these ministries were in place before the earthquakes happened. Today, they are bringing practical help and the hope of Christ to people who desperately need both.
Thank you for helping the local church respond with compassion, courage, and the love of Jesus.
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