The News
When Juan García and Javier Santolaria, two pastors in Ceuta, Spain, woke on July 31 to find hundreds of migrants seeking refuge in fountains near their homes, they responded with open doors rather than closed gates. Over two days, nearly 80,000 migrants passed through the small coastal city. Rather than retreat, the pastors coordinated with other faith leaders to provide food, water, and pastoral presence during an unprecedented humanitarian moment.
Why It Matters
Most of us won't face a crisis of this scale, but Ceuta's pastors model something your church needs: a pre-planned theology of hospitality that doesn't require a committee vote when need arrives. Whether it's houseless families, refugee families, or disaster survivors, your church's response will reflect your actual theology—not the one on your mission statement. These Spanish pastors showed that small congregations can be first responders when they've already decided yes.
The Takeaway
Draft a simple hospitality protocol now, while you're not in crisis, so your team knows the gospel baseline for how you'll respond when people show up needing help.