“Iglesia Luterana Pan de Vida (Bread of Life Lutheran Church) is a congregation located in the “MexicanTown” neighborhood of Southwest Detroit. Established in the late 1980s with the support of LCMS missionary and deaconess Teresita Rodríguez, Pan de Vida serves our Hispanic brothers and sisters in Detroit city and the greater Metro Detroit area. Current Pastor Ricardo Granado is called by the LCMS Michigan District to be a Hispanic ministry planter.
The Hispanic immigrants at Pan de Vida have faced immense challenges in their lives. Most of the members at Pan de Vida have fled the social, political and economic crises in their homelands. Many of them fled their home country fearing for their family’s safety, some have even been kidnapped by drug cartels in Latin America. Others have experienced painful travel through deserts and jungles as they literally fled for their lives. Immigrants aren’t without trouble when they arrive in the U.S. either, unfortunately.
A lot of Hispanic immigrants reach the U.S. with nothing but the possessions they can carry with them. They lack money, transportation, employment, food, clothing, quality housing, basic furniture, toiletries, access to education, some don’t even speak any English, and they struggle with just about any other barrier you can think of.
In addition to all those earthly needs, our Hispanic brothers and sisters have Spiritual needs too. They need, like all people, to hear the Word of God, receive the sacraments and grow in depth of understanding and relationship with God Almighty! Pan de Vida aims to meet the needs of these individuals “holistically” (fully). This means taking care of them in mind, body AND spirit!
In additional to the ever-present need for financial partnership, Pan de Vida is always in need of food, clothing, furniture and any other donations of items that can be used to meet any one of the numerous needs these families have! This is a precious opportunity to join in what God is doing in the lives of our Hispanic community in Detroit. Thank you in advance for your support, prayers, humility and willingness to come alongside our ministry!”