When Nelsa walked through the Immokalee flea market that day, she was not looking for a church. She was visiting her daughter’s business, carrying worries that felt heavier than she could manage alone. Across the street, a tent stood in the center of town. Curious, she paused and noticed people gathering, and praying.
“I was passing through a very hard moment,” Nelsa later shared. Her son was facing challenges at school and, as a single mother, she felt overwhelmed. Widowed when her youngest child was just six months old, Nelsa shouldered the responsibility of raising five children alone. As she sat and listen to the Word of God, something stirred within her heart, and she accepted an appeal to come forward for prayer.
Following that encounter, Edgar Gálvez, first elder of Immokalee, Florida, Spanish Company, and his wife, Dyna, visited Nelsa’s home. They listened to her concerns and prayed together.
In the weeks that followed, Gálvez and several women from the church continued visiting tostudy the Bible andpray. Through those visits, Nelsa experienced spiritual renewal and a sense of belonging she had not known for years. by God grace, her son’s situation improved. “Since I started attending church, my life has changed,” she testified. “God has blessed me in my family and in my work.”
Nelsa surrendered her life to Christ and was baptized alongside her son,
David, on Sabbath, January 3, 2026. Today, she serves faithfully in the ministry where her journey began, standing under the same tent and pointing others to the hope she found in Christ.
Nelsa’s story reflects a larger movement within the Immokalee Spanish Company. In recent months, the congregation has experienced significant growth through an intentional outreach that brings the love of Christ directly into the community. The first Sabbath of each month is devoted to service, with members meeting community needs through food distribution, evangelistic meetings, prayer groups, and community fairs offering clothing and other essential items.
Following a Thanksgiving outreach that served more than 400 people, the congregation expanded its efforts for Christmas. The result was an even greater impact: more than 1,000 community received a warm, comforting meal, and more than 600 children were givennew toys. The Christmas event was supported by local businesses, including a taco food truck that donated thousands of meals, and sent several employees to serve food and lead children’s activities. Additionally, the Collier County sheriff and two deputies set up a message board trailer directing people to the event, distributed toys, and connected with the community.
As a direct result of this ministry, the church has celebrated 14 baptisms, launched new small groups, and continues to study the Bible with many individuals preparing for baptism. All of this has been made possible through the commitment of a congregation willing to serve, led by Lorenzo, and his wife, Aloima Cata.
“God’s Church should be in the community, not surrounded by the same four walls every Sabbath,” said Lorenzo.
“We can get lost in debates regarding the music we play or the clothes we wear,” added Cata. “Meanwhile, people in our neighborhoods need Jesus. This ministry is only just beginning, as the congregation is planning an Easter celebration for the community and a health fair in May. Even amid social challenges and pressures, they have responded with faith, hope, and love, reflecting the character of Christ in action.
is a district pastor in the Naples, Florida, area, including Immokalee.
Florida | March 2026
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