United States of America: Healing a Community

“Do you want to change your health?” This is the question Dr. Manuel Alva and others ask many of the visitors to Treasure Hunt. Just off old Route 66 near Chicago, Treasure Hunt points the community toward eternal treasure.

This Urban Center of Influence (UCI) and church plant features a thrift store, clinic, and auditorium. The thrift store offers clothes and home goods, as well as healthy food and even Bibles. At the clinic, community members come to check their health and get resources and referrals to combat illness, fatty liver, diabetes, and more. The auditorium fills for Sabbath services, health lectures, and “neurotics anonymous” for people with depression or anxiety. This group swaps stories, encouraging one another and following a 12-step program.

The thrift store manager, Angelica, first walked through the door looking for help. Health problems brought her to the clinic—but then she realized she’d found something even more important. After studying with the church plant’s pastor, she was baptized. She found her eternal treasure!

Now she invites everyone to come worship on Sabbath, especially if they’re alone in the community. There’s a place they can come to meet God and find healing. Your support of Global Mission helps UCIs like Treasure Hunt provide ways to mingle and minister to people and meet physical and spiritual needs around the world.