El Buen Pastor: Spirituality, community, and a shoulder to cry on at Dzununcán

Well beyond Mérida’s Periférico, Dzununcán is one of the poorest communities in Mérida, where residents, including single mothers and children, live in extreme poverty. A family’s next meal, even if limited to stale tortillas, can never be given for granted.

Dzununcán is home to an unknown number of migrants who unofficially settled in the area to escape violence or abusive relationships. Much like the homes of many locals, El Buen Pastor Episcopal Mission began by erecting a very basic hut with no access to basic services like running water, electricity, or even a concrete floor. 

But despite its material deficiencies, the mission began nourishing the bodies and souls of the community, one person at a time. It kicked off by delivering weekly religious services and distributing bags of groceries to those who needed them, who, of course, were many.

No strings attached

But Father José Vieira Arruda has always made clear that the groceries and other forms of support are not conditioned by church attendance or adherence to spiritual or theological dogma.

“This is not a Bible-for-food program. We are here to nourish the body, build community, and offer spiritual support — but opening one’s heart to God sure is tough with an empty stomach, under the threat of violence, or without even a shoulder to cry on. This is what we mean by spirituality,” said Father José, the founder of Saint Luke’s and El Buen Pastor Mission. 

During the Pandemic, when so many in Dzununcán had lost their jobs, Saint Luke’s parishioners increased their support and began delivering upwards of 200 bags of groceries weekly, rain or shine.  

However, as the mission has continued to grow, so have basic needs. With the generosity of the Moore family, El Buen Pastor has built a humble but sturdy multifunctional structure to offer religious services, spiritual guidance, the delivery of material support, and workshops. 

A way out of Dzununcán

But El Buen Pastor’s work does not stop there. Another major problem in Dzununcán is access to education. The community’s children live far away from school and lack even the most basic resources like shoes, uniforms, and books. The mission has set up a scholarship for six children but plans to expand that number. 

But even now, the results are starting to show. A young woman named Angie has already graduated from nursing school and is the first female in her family to have a degree. 

Like Saint Luke’s, El Buen Pastor is an inclusive space open to anyone regardless of gender, sexual preference, religious views, or lack thereof — which is still uncommon in Yucatán. Mother Layda Mendez offers most church services, though Padre José and other clergy members are often there to fill any role they need. 

Local volunteers and Saint Luke’s international parishioners are indispensable to the mission’s daily operation.

“We have such a wonderful international community at Saint Luke’s. Without their generosity, none of this would be possible. They understand that God is not found in temples but in suffering. This is true religion,” Padre José says with conviction. 

Vieira Arruda is a Portuguese-Canadian priest who has lived in Mérida for over a decade.

Visit St. Luke’s Episcopal Church of Mérida. To help, contact josevarruda@gmail.com or call/WhatsApp +52 999-247-1519.