Bernals’ ministry expands in Harlingen airport

By Elket Rodríguez

What began as an airport ministry to asylum seekers has become an oasis to fill the spiritual emptiness of all travelers, whether migrants or not.

Eddie and Elizabeth Bernal operate The House of Love and Justice, a ministry at Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas. They help migrants—most of whom don’t speak English—navigate the airport. They also provide practical help, such as offering diapers, goodie bags stuffed with food and other necessities.

But when they noticed the number of migrants passing through the airport started dwindling, they decided to make free bilingual Christian literature available in the booth they manage in the corner of the welcome center.

“The ministry has changed a little bit, and now we are sharing the word of God with the travelers more,” Eddie Bernal said. "With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we began to make Christian literature available, and we realized that as we filled the booth with books, people were taking them, especially the Bibles."

The literature Bernal shares addresses common questions, such as: Who is Jesus Christ? What to do when you feel depressed? What to do when you are anxious? What to do when you are afraid?

"We place about 10 Bibles on a Monday, and there are none by the weekend," he said. "We need more Bibles in English and Spanish, because people are taking them."

In its first month of their ministry, the Bernals helped 150 asylum seekers, predominantly mothers with children who were dropped off at the airport by immigration officials and were confused with their boarding process.

"Currently, we are serving fewer migrants at the airport, because the flights are more crowded (with traditional travelers) now than they were in March and April, due to the easing of the flight restrictions."

The Bernals delved into this ministry three months ago, after an unexpected request from a migrant in distress, and their lives have been changed by the stories they hear every week. “We hear stories of theft, kidnapping and sexual abuse,” Bernal said. “Many of the migrants come with a broken spirit, and they share their stories with us.” 

But the Bernals have learned a straightforward lesson, he said: “People are eager to hear the message that God is in control. People want the healthy and trustworthy message that affirms that, despite all they've been through, there is hope and God is in control.”

Fellowship Southwest supports The House of Love and Justice as part of its immigrant relief ministry all along the U.S.-Mexico border. If you would like to support this ministry, as well as our network of pastors serving migrants elsewhere on the border, click here.

Elket Rodríguez is the immigrant and refugee advocacy and missions specialist for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Fellowship Southwest.