Embedded: Rebuilding Puerto Rico (Part 2)

Convoy of Hope Field Visit—Island & Miami Hub

Opening Moments

Storm-soaked skies dripped, then cleared—“about five minutes ago it was down-pouring… in an hour it’s supposed to be blazing hot.” The team set out to “talk to some pastors, see what they’re doing in the community and how a local church is making a difference.”

Testimonies

Pastor Elvis – Island Neighborhood

• Key turning points & miracles: When the hurricane struck, “people cry… you have a dream… maybe to do Papa’s house.” Government officials never showed up, but “when they see Pastor Elvis they see Jesus… that’s the only connection to the church they have.”
• Spiritual insights & emotions: He spoke of hope rising from local hands—“It’s the local church, the local people rebuilding.” Tears and determination mingled; the dream is to keep building “Papa’s house” and “prosecute ready” (press on).

Pastor Jonathan & Team – Miami Warehouse

• Setting: Inside the Convoy of Hope hub “in the city of Miami—the place that Convoy of Hope chooses to put all the materials for people to go to the disaster area.”
• Church as first responder: “Trabajamos a toda la comunidad… la iglesia es la primera respuesta” (“We work with the whole community; the church is the first response.”)
• Government recognition: “The government realized that if it wasn’t for the church, it would be impossible to reach all the communities.”

Holy-Spirit Highlights

• The local church seen as Jesus’ hands when official help is absent.
• Dreams of reconstruction—“Papa’s house”—fueling perseverance after loss.
• Partnership: Convoy’s warehouse resources + pastors’ neighborhood presence = swift, compassionate response.

Prayer Points & Next Steps

• Provision and strength for Pastor Elvis’ ongoing rebuild and the vision of “Papa’s house.”
• Continued favor for Convoy’s logistics hub so supplies keep flowing to hard-hit areas.
• That governments and churches would keep cooperating for community restoration.