*Editorial Note: Today, we are thrilled to publish our first-ever article in both English and Spanish in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. This marks a significant moment for us at Missio Alliance. Not only does it reflect our commitment to including minority voices in the theological conversations and spaces we host, it allows for these voices (alongside the communities and cultures they represent) to shape the content of these conversations. The Spanish version of this piece can be found here. Join us in our celebración! ~MA

Celebrating the Unique Gifts of the Latino/a Church in the United States

In the opening scenes of the Disney movie Encanto, a community of people is forced to leave their home to find refuge in a new land. Though many embark on the long trek to find a new home, the threats and the dangers of the journey take the lives of many. In the face of tragedy and loss, the Madrigal family receives what they can only conceive of as “a miracle:” a new home — their casita (little house) — and land where they can live in peace and safety. The biggest gift, however, is neither their home nor the land, but the unique talents (supernatural gifts) that each family member receives. For example: Luisa possesses immeasurable physical strength, Pepa’s mood affects the weather, and Julieta can heal any ailment through the food that she makes. 

In the words of La Abuela (Grandmother), the matriarch of the family, it is “their family’s gifts that make their new home…a paradise.”

This story echoes the reality of millions of Latinos living in the United States. 

Socioeconomic hardships and political instability have forced many Latino families to leave their countries of origin to find refuge in a foreign land. While this is a common narrative among the Latino/a¹Throughout the article we will utilize the masculine and feminine forms of the term Latino depending on the words they are affecting, thereby staying as close as possible to Spanish syntax and grammar. At times, you will see Latino, Latina, and Latina/o to reflect our value for the constructs of our language. immigration story, it is not the only one. Within our rich history of immigration exists a diversity of stories and nationalities that themselves represent the complexities and contradictions of the push and pull factors of our journeys to this land. Still, it is our Latinidad (a term referring to our shared histories and cultural attributes that unite us) that brings us together and allows us to offer a common gift – a shared offering – to our culture, our communities, and our churches in the US. Who we are and how we exist in the world, our various languages and customs, and the unique ways we reflect the image of God are all part of our Latino encanto. 

The word encanto carries multiple meanings. As a noun, it can mean enchantment, charm, or gift. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that is delightful, charismatic, or endearing. To be called ‘un encanto’ (as in, “Maria es un encanto”) means you embody a combination of qualities and gifts, a pleasant personality, or a special kindness that is celebrated and embraced by others.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to celebrate (¡Vamos a celebrar!) three unique gifts that are an integral part of our Latino encanto:

1. 1. Familia: Family is our greatest gift
   2. “Mi Casa es Tu Casa:” My home is your home
   3. ¡Fiesta!: A celebration of joy

These three gifts are a combination of qualities, traditions, and values that find a unique expression in the Latino/a church and offer a contextualized and inspiring vision of what it means to love our neighbor in word and deed.

Whatever form it may take, the Latino/a church earnestly mobilizes resources and people to meet the needs of our hermanos and thus welcome Jesus among us, for 'When I was a stranger, you invited me in' (Matthew 25:35). Share on X

Familia: Family Is Our Greatest Gift

Family lies at the core of what it means to be Latino/a. It is the heartbeat of our communities and the backbone that gives strength to our societies. Everything flows out of our love for familia (family).

Gaby’s familia has its roots in Torreón, Mexico. She grew up breaking bread with her entire extended family every single week. On any given Sunday, there would be anywhere between 30 to 50 people gathered at her Abuela’s house. Her experience of the United States was mostly as a tourist (Read: Somewhat limited and biased). It wasn’t until she moved to this country in her early thirties that she began to comprehend the complexity of the Latina/o experience in the United States. 

Lisa’s familia is different from Gaby’s in that she was born in the US into a bi-cultural, bi-racial familia. Her father and his family were forced to flee from Cuba in the early 1960’s, making their new home in Miami. Her mother’s family originated in Oklahoma. Growing up bi-cultural in the Cuban-American diaspora community of South Florida has shaped her identity, values, and sense of belonging.

Despite our cultures and personal histories being “distant” from each other, we have called each other “hermana” (sister) since the earliest days of our friendship. Somehow we’re familia because we are Latinas. That is the power of Latinidad and familia: Within our distinctiveness we understand our belonging. 

The power of this belonging lies precisely in our diversity: We have sharp differences in our worldviews. We are rich and we are poor. We are formally educated and communally educated. We are indigenous to our lands and immigrants in a foreign country. We are descendants of slaves and of colonizers. We are foreign born and US born. We hold distinctions of being Caribeños (Caribbeans), Centroamericanos (Central Americans), and Suramericanos (South Americans).

We see the world through the colors of our nation’s flags, yet we stand united under the banner of our Latinidad.

Our sense of belonging and familia serve as a model to the wider Church of unity without uniformity. To be sure, we are not immune to the -isms and tensions that difference breeds. Still, with this imperfection in full view we humbly recognize that familia is one of our most precious gifts we proudly carry and offer.

Somehow we’re familia because we are Latinas. That is the power of Latinidad and familia: Within our distinctiveness we understand our belonging. The power of this belonging lies precisely in our diversity. (1/2) Share on X

We see the world through the colors of our nation’s flags, yet we stand united under the banner of our Latinidad. Our sense of belonging and familia serve as a model to the wider Church of unity without uniformity. (2/2) Share on X

“Mi Casa es Tu Casa:” My Home is Your Home

If family lies at the center of our communities, our homes are the sacred space where communities actualize their belonging. “Mi casa es tu casa” (or “My home is your home”) epitomizes the enormous value that Latino men and Latina women place on hospitality. This is not just a colloquial phrase we say to sound cordial. When we say “Mi casa es tu casa,” we mean it. 

Growing up with our respective families, we always knew that people could show up unannounced at our door at any time of the day. Rather than seeing these visits as interruptions, we learned to anticipate them. Even when our days were packed with activities and chores, there was always a sense of expectancy; a certain readiness just in case someone showed up. Empanadas, café (coffee), and té (tea) were always stocked in our cupboards, ready to be pulled out and served.

For Latinos living in the United States, “Mi casa es tu casa” takes on a distinct and profoundly embodied expression in the church and what it means to offer radical hospitality in the face of need. While not all Latinos living in the United States experience hardship on a daily basis, millions of them do (yes, millions!). The Latina iglesia (church) has taken upon herself the task – the commandment – to radically love our hermanos (brothers and sisters); the poor and the disenfranchised, and to welcome them into our homes as one of our own.

Our love for community compels us to be a community of love, where love for neighbor may look like bringing lunch boxes to laborers on the field, or adding an extra mattress to an already crowded home. Some churches hold vigils to pray for families on the move, while others physically send teams to the border. Those who have been in this country for a while (and somehow act as “hosts” while still being foreigners and local outsiders) make it a point to connect people to free clinics, pro-bono lawyers, and job opportunities. Whatever form it may take, the Latino/a church earnestly mobilizes resources and people to meet the needs of our hermanos and thus welcome Jesus among us, for “When I was a stranger, you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35). 

By moving towards the poor, the Latino/a church orients itself towards community as opposed to individualism, choosing risk and solidarity over self-preservation. It is through this radical solidarity that our theology is informed and our discipleship is shaped. As we meet the physical needs of our hermanos, our spiritual bond comes into greater focus, bringing about a transformation that would not be possible apart from physical proximity and sacrifice.

For the Latino/a Church, “Mi casa es tu casa” is a tangible expression of sacrificial solidarity and love. It is an instinctive response that gracefully says “Bienvenido! (Welcome!) Your needs are my own.”

For Latinos living in the United States, 'Mi casa es tu casa' takes on a distinct and profoundly embodied expression in the church and what it means to offer radical hospitality in the face of need. (1/2) Share on X

The Latina iglesia has taken upon herself the task – the commandment – to radically love our hermanos; the poor and the disenfranchised, and to welcome them into our homes as one of our own. (2/2) Share on X

¡Fiesta!: A Celebration of Joy

Every New Years Eve, Iglesia Ebenezer, the Cuban church Lisa’s Abuelo (Grandfather) pastored, held a fiesta (party/celebration) where dozens of familias gathered in the fellowship hall of the church building. The room was filled with laughter, running children, and the Abuelas and Abuelos resting their old, tired bodies in metal chairs, telling stories around their tables. Testimonios (testimonies) were shared about the ways God had carried them through the year, the miracles they’d seen, and the ones they were still praying for. Coritos de alabanza (short praise choruses) echoed off the walls; an expression of the resounding joy carried in their hearts and the hope of a future they believed was possible.

The role and the meaning of fiesta in Latino communities is far-reaching and multilayered. Far from being a mere party, fiesta is a celebration, remembrance, and observance of even the smallest of joys. It is a powerfully unifying force within the Latino community.

Fiesta celebrations are essential to our understanding of who we are not just as a people, but as a people of faith. Whether wandering in the wilderness, enslaved by powerful nations, living in exile, or living in the Promised Land, from their earliest days, the people of God always came together to remember and to celebrate. Their festivals and feasts prompted joy not only because they regathered physically, but also because they were reminded of their shared hope and story. 

What was true then remains true today. God is faithful and he will deliver. God is good and he will provide. Fiesta is an embodied response to the goodness we experience as the people of God. It is both a disposition towards life and an action that gives expression to the inner propensity to notice, remember, re-gather, and celebrate. 

There is an irresistible rhythm that calls us to fiesta not only in the big moments of life, but also in the simple moments of our ordinary days. This pervasive value for celebration means we can find a way to celebrate nearly anything. Is it a random sunny Wednesday? Then we most likely should have a party! Fiestas are reminders that celebration is good in and of itself. Celebration lightens the heart and gladdens the soul. This is the heart of fiesta.

Fiesta is an uncontainable expression of gratitude and celebration. Fiesta is expansive, not bound by the confines of economics, politics, or circumstance. Fiesta is pervasive, celebrating the significant and the seemingly insignificant, for no other reason than the beauty and joy of it. Even in the midst of hardship, we can still fiesta because in doing so, we prophetically declare that despite the struggles, delight is possible. 

Pervasive, expansive, and exuberant fiesta is a unique gift of the Latino/a church. It exemplifies the nature of the kingdom and gives a foretaste of the day when everyone is invited to the banqueting table. There is plenty of room. There is plenty of food. There is plenty of time. In this Kingdom where life overcomes death, there is also plenty to celebrate!

Fiesta is an embodied response to the goodness we experience as the people of God. It is both a disposition towards life and an action that gives expression to the inner propensity to notice, remember, re-gather, and celebrate. (1/2) Share on X

Fiesta is expansive, not bound by the confines of economics, politics, or circumstance. Fiesta is pervasive, celebrating the significant and the seemingly insignificant, for no other reason than the beauty and joy of it. (2/2) Share on X

Gifts from the Latino Church are a Blessing to All

The Abuela in Encanto asks every member of the family a crucial question, “Will you use your gift to serve this community?” As Latina theological practitioners who are desperate for the Church to be awakened and flourishing, Abuela’s question compels us to a response. We have identified 3 gifts the Latino/a church can offer in service to the broader Christian community. With faith, we pray for the day when familia becomes the norm and belonging is the mark of the church. With hope, we look ahead to the day when ‘Mi casa es tu casa’ characterizes the church’s posture of solidarity and welcome, especially to those in need. Finally, with love, we boldly imagine the church being a place of radical fiesta defined by joy, abundance, and expansive invitation. 

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We have identified 3 gifts the Latino/a church can offer in service to the broader Christian community. With faith, we pray for the day when familia becomes the norm and belonging is the mark of the church. (1/3) Share on X

With hope, we look ahead to the day when 'Mi casa es tu casa' characterizes the church’s posture of solidarity and welcome, especially to those in need. (2/3) Share on X

Finally, with love, we boldly imagine the church being a place of radical fiesta defined by joy, abundance, and expansive invitation. (3/3) Share on X

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*Editorial Note: We are in the first phase of a new website rollout, and as an unintended quirky result, only one writer of a piece is currently able to be featured in our coding. While that is fixed, please know that this piece was deeply worked on for weeks in a beautifully collaborative manner, between our Director of Programs, Gaby Viesca, and our National Director, Lisa Rodriguez-Watson. Missio is indebted to them both as we launch this new initial piece in Spanish for the Latino Church in the United States. Gaby & Lisa’s biographical information is found below. ~CK

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 Lisa Rodriguez-Watson

Lisa Rodriguez-Watson desires to see all people reconciled to God and to each other. Investing in this passionate call for more than two decades has led Lisa to urban church planting, international missions and community development, immigration advocacy, collegiate ministry, and seminary teaching. She currently serves as the National Director of Missio Alliance, and as an associate pastor at Christ City Church. A proud Cuban-American, Lisa writes, speaks and leads at the intersection of formation, justice and mission. She is a contributing author to Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice, Red Skies: 10 Essential Conversations Exploring Our Future as the Church, and The Least of These: Practicing a Faith without Margins. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and three kids.