Sunday Highlight: April 23, 2023

Today, let’s focus our prayer on a missionary in Puerto Rico. That’s an island in the Caribbean, but it’s a territory of the United States. That’s why our North American Mission Board sends our missionaries to Puerto Rico, home for more than 3 million people. Hundreds of new evangelical churches are needed. In recent years Puerto Rico has been hit by two destructive hurricanes, earthquakes, an economic crisis and COVID-19. Our North American Mission Board has been helping meet needs there, especially by sending teams of volunteers to rebuild houses and churches through our Send Relief ministry program.

Now to the missionary we want to pray for today: Her name is Itamar Elizalde. She was born on the island but had moved away. She returned as missionary to help reach Puerto Rico for Christ. Itamar coordinates volunteers, visiting Southern Baptists and local ones. Her ministry is to help get needs met and also to share Jesus Christ. One of her great joys is the prayer of thanksgiving prayed as volunteers finish building or rebuilding a home.

A woman named Rosa called to ask for food. Itamar called a church near Rosa and asked them to help. The pastor and his wife took food to Rosa, but also invited her to church. Rosa later prayed to receive Christ and is now a church member. Our church supports both the North American Mission Board and Itamar, our missionary there in Puerto Rico, through the Cooperative Program. Let’s pray for her now.