When I moved to D.C. a year and a half ago from Mexico, I felt lonely, unloved, and unseen. I felt like I didn’t belong. Being far away from home, family, friends, and my country, my feelings continued to worsen, and I started giving in to the idea that anxiety would win the war on my mind and the loneliness in my heart.

One rainy day, when I was scrolling on my phone, I thought, “God if you love me… show me that you are listening and open the door of your house for me.” That day, I found an ad for Passion City Church D.C., and decided to go. On that day, the first thing someone did was open the door for me. That may have been just a physical door, but for me, that was a miracle, and it changed everything.

On that day, the first thing someone did was open the door for me. That may have been just a physical door, but for me, that was a miracle, and it changed everything.

The next week after that, I was so encouraged to go back to church. I didn’t have any friends yet, but at least I had a place to go. That day, Pastor Ben started talking about friendship and all I could think of was, “That’s good…but God…I don’t even have one friend.

Following the gathering, a girl with the same job as me approached me saying that she was from Colombia. Then, two more people from Argentina and Brazil were waiting from outside. That day, I met my best friends at church.

Before coming to Passion City Church, I felt like God was distant and that I would never find my people or my place. But during my time here, I’ve started to see the goodness of His constant love for me and how He was healing my heart through a community that loves because He first loved us.

Ever since then, God has demonstrated His love through the church and His people. He has revealed to me who He is, given me a new identity, and has shown me how to love others. He changed everything, healing my heart and taking away bitterness. He gave me a new perspective, a family, and a place that now I can call home.

Jesus loves us and I’ve witnessed it,

Nury