The City Missions, spreading the Gospel to the neediest

There are "Evangelical City Missions" in Madrid, founded in 1986 and also in Zaragoza, Valencia, Málaga and most recently in Sevilla.

Juan Simarro, founder and director of the Madrid City Mission writes:

"The Spanish City Missions are working together in two interrelated areas.

"One is the area of provision of social help to needy people, the poor, socially excluded and drop-outs. In this area we are working with the different marginal groups to be found in the big cities, Madrid, Zaragoza, Valencia, Seville and Malaga. We are providing specific support for immigrants, the homeless, children either abandonded or in extreme poverty, the long-term unemployed and with women who are either abandoned or prostitues.

Book stall in Madrid's Puerta del Sol (CJM)

We also have a pro-life programme, supporting pregnant women or ones with babies up to four years old. All this is completed with camps for children and for women in precarious situations, a job bank and social help in general, with support for transport, getting documentation, medicines and other emergency aid.

"The other area is that of evangelism. In our centres we hold devotionals, distribute biblical literature, pray and give spiritual advice to those we are helping. In this way we combine the social and the evangelistic ministry to all we are helping, as integral parts of living out the whole Gospel, following the example of Jesus."

See the Madrid Mission site for yourself.

See other mission sites:
Valencia
Zaragoza

Other Social Outreach ministries

Many local churches have social outreach ministries and there are some other para-church organisations reaching out to specific groups of the poor and needy.

In the past, the churches' ability to help was limited, but many set up clothes stores. In addition, partly through members' donations, partly through cooperation with the Red Cross, they have been able to extend these ministries to cover provision of basic foodstuffs to those who come for help. All this is opening a large segment of the population to contact with the Gospel.

In addition to the direct work of local churches and co-operation through city missions, there exist also several specialist outreaches. Some have separate pages in this section (such as drug rehabilitation work). Other groups are working with immigrants. In particular Iniciatives Solidaries in Catalonia and Ceuta is working to help refugees through several centres, as well as other social outreach ministries.