Maria recently moved to Bartow county from Miami. Maria’s grandparents escaped to the Unite States from Cuba 50 years ago. They still keep in contact with relatives who live in Cuba about the church planting movement going on there. Since moving to Bartow county, Maria’s family has not attended a church because they were unsure how they would be received.

Their reluctance arises from their previous experiences of visiting predominately white congregations in other states which had not been receptive to them. This is unfortunate because people of Cuban heritage tend not to feel accepted in churches comprised of Hispanics of Mexican decent. Therefore they have been reluctant to visit a traditional Hispanic Church.

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18–20

Pray for the 4,743 Hispanics currently living in Bartow county. Ask God to lead His church to start churches and other ministries which are targeted to all the ethno-linguistic people groups which reside in Bartow county, so they can hear the gospel in their “mother tongue” and worship our Lord in their “heart language.” Also, ask God to convict His people who currently worship Him in existing churches to be more open to receive Maria and all the other immigrants who are coming to live in our communities.