Representatives from the Church of the Nazarene, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, and Healing Waters International gathered at Loma Bonita Church of the Nazarene January 7 to celebrate the inauguration of the first water project for the Chiapas – Oaxaca Initiative, a strategy to implement water purification plants along with conducting health and hygiene talks and finance training.

The event was attended by Southern Mexico District Superintendent Miguel Ángel Ceballos, Loma Bonita Pastor Francisco Vázquez, Mexico Field NCM Coordiantor Edi Montejo coordinator, and Sebastián Ovando, Mexico director for Healing Waters International, in addition to community members.

The project aims to bring clean water to vulnerable communities where there is a Church of the Nazarene. During the ceremony, Ovando explained that the initiative's holistic model includes health discussions and hygiene education based on the Bible.

"One of the objectives of Nazarene Compassion Ministries is to transform the community — to meet the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual needs — through the local churches, in the name of Jesus," Montejo said. "The water project will allow us to find physical needs in the community and through compassion will open hearts to receive the good news of God’s love and know the message of hope."

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region