Team Frutti—as in Fruit of the Spirit ;)—has been in our new ministry location for two weeks now, and we would love to introduce you to ICM in Santiago!
Iglesia Comunidad Multicultural began in 2013 as a small group of people seeking Jesus and looking for ways to meet others deep spiritual and physical needs. They are led by Pastor Stanley and his awesome wife, Amafry, who are some of the most inspiring people I know. (Team Frutti currently stays in the house behind their home and we see them every day, and their youngest—Ellison/bebe—is our best friend and plays. So. Many. Card games.) Since ICM’s inception they have grown into a network of eight local churches locally and internationally and continue to send short term missionaries to share the gospel and partner with other churches. Their vision is to be a multicultural/ multi-ethnic church movement with a heart for the poor and lost and a focus on holistic discipleship. Their mission is to love God, love people, make disciples, and serve the poor. ICM has five main ministries: ICM Pontezuela, ICM Los Rieles, Discipleship School, Haiti Transformed, and the Jubilee Community Center.
Team Frutti currently serves at ICM’s Jubilee Community Center. The Mission of the center is to provide holistic care for their neighbors that they may reach their God-given potential and transform their communities. Their main focuses are education, the table, spiritual growth, and healthcare. In the week that Team Frutti has been here we have mainly played with preschoolers, helped them listen to their teachers in class, served with a youth group on Sunday nights, and painted an apartment. We have loved these serving opportunities so much, but I want to tell you about the best part…
The community here is absolutely beautiful and feels like family. For lunch every Monday through Friday, the staff comes together for a shared meal. Team Frutti has had the honor of being a part of these meals. The time includes prayer, conversation in multiple languages all across the table, teaching new phrases in each other’s languages, sharing hard stories and funny stories, and so much more. The time stretches and yawns, as no one is in a hurry to move onto another appointment or task. We generally end the time after we have played many hands of cards (which always results in laughter and sassy children and gentle reminders to stop cheating:). It is an honor to learn from how truly relational the staff at ICM is here. They see each other every week day, once a week for small group, once a week for Prayer night, Sundays for church, and usually for extra meals and other plans outside of school as well. These people do life together to an extent that I have never witnessed before, and it is truly beautiful.
To learn more about their story, specifically how they are impacting this community, how to donate, or more, check out their website: https://www.comunidadmulticultural.com
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25
