Five Venezuelan pastors joined pastors from six Alabama Baptist churches April 21-28 to encourage Hispanic ministries in the state.
A result of the partnership between the Alabama Baptist State Convention and the National Baptist Convention of Venezuela, this is the second year for such an exchange.
“We’re hoping [the visits] impact the Hispanic community of Alabama and minister to Hispanics here,” said Reggie Quimby, director of the global partnerships and volunteers in missions office at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “They will affirm Hispanic work and pastors as well, and offer support in [churches’] ongoing ministries.”
Carlos Gomez, pastor of the Hispanic mission of First Baptist Church, Center Point, said hosting Pastor Wilfredo Velasquez of Faith Baptist Church, Maracaibo, has been an encouragement to him.
“This is a blessing for him to come,” Gomez said. “He has built me up. I needed someone to help me evangelize [the Hispanic population] and reach them and minister to them.”
Velasquez, who is also the president of the National Baptist Convention of Venezuela, said he came to Alabama with high expectations of strengthening the relationship between the two entities, as well as working in the Hispanic ministries of Center Point.
“I hope [these visits] strengthen the relationship between Alabamians and Venezuelans and the ministry we have together. This is Venezuelans and Alabamians working together to bring Hispanics to the Lord,” said Velasquez.
Quimby said it was an honor to have the leadership of the Venezuelan convention working in Alabama. “From the very beginning, we’ve worked very closely with the Venezuelan leadership,” Quimby said. “We’re very proud to have the Venezuelan leadership here, and I feel sure the churches feel a great deal of pride having the president come serve.”
Churches in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Haleyville, Russellville, Geraldine and Homewood also hosted pastors.
David Romero, pastor of First Baptist Church, Maracaibo, visited First Baptist Church, Geraldine, and Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Homewood.
This is the third visit to Alabama for Romero, who also serves as the first vice president of the National Baptist Convention of Venezuela.
“I love Alabama,” he said. “I feel welcome working among all the Hispanics here, plus I have many friends in Alabama, like Reggie Quimby and [Geraldine] Pastor Mel Johnson.”
This friendship gave special significance to his visit to First, Geraldine, as the two churches are partnering, along with First Baptist Church, Springville, and Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Albertville, to start a mission church of First, Maracaibo.
“This was a great chance for the church to get to know [Pastor David],” Johnson said. “It was also a time of planning. It has been hard to communicate because of the political unrest [in Venezuela].”
Romero also spoke at a soccer tournament held by Dawson April 26 at a Samford University soccer field.
Byron Mosquera, Hispanic pastor at Dawson, said soccer is one way the church reaches out to Hispanics because of its popularity.
“The soccer tournament is an opportunity for local church members to interact and build relationships with Hispanics,” he said.
He added that hosting Romero was an opportunity for the church to discover new ways to expand the Hispanic ministry, as well as learning to see opportunities for sharing the gospel. “It’s a time to share ideas and interact,” Mosquera said.
Romero added that while he is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the partnership by visiting Alabama, he and other Venezuelans are ready to host Alabama churches and volunteers.
“One reason I came to Alabama is to bring the message of what is really happening with the political unrest in Venezuela,” Romero said. “There is no more violence, everything seems to have calmed down.”
Mosquera said Romero and Velasquez encouraged the leaders at Dawson to resume the many projects Dawson had going before the unrest began.
One of these was the medical missions trips in which Dawson and other Alabama Baptist doctors participated.
But ultimately, Romero said, the partnership is not about medicine or other projects. “The point is sharing the gospel,” he said.
Velasquez said that together, Alabamians and Venezuelans can accomplish great things for the Lord.
“I’m very happy about the partnership with Alabama, and I expect the relationship to grow, not only in quantity, but also spiritually,” he said.
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