SERV Ministries International

In 2001, our Mexico Director, Rev. Gonzalo Guardiola, began visiting the ‘cardboard’ community of Santa Rosa. At that time, it was an isolated settlement of squatters known as Little Hell. The people were the outcasts of society, barely subsisting from day to day.  

When Gonzalo first began his weekly visits, only children came to see the man under the tree playing his guitar. He taught them songs and told Bible stories. Occasionally a few adults would wander up, their curiosity getting the better of them.

Over time, more and more people joined the weekly gatherings. Many heard the Gospel message and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Slowly, a community of faith was forming.

SERV Ministries held several Tent Projects in the Santa Rosa community, providing basic medical care, cooking a hot lunch for all who came and leading evangelism services every evening. When a project ended and the missionaries returned home, Gonzalo and his young "church" visited all the new Christians in their homes, making sure they understood their decision to accept Christ and discipling them as they grew in their faith.

Pan de Vida was initially a place of worship and a facility for a feeding program. Only 20-30 people were coming to worship on Sunday, but dozens of children came for the hot lunch that was provided three days a week.

The scripture ‘and a little child will lead them’ came to life at Pan de Vida. The children who came for lunch started coming to worship and brought their families with them. The ministry grew rapidly.

Today, the Pan de Vida Outreach Center ministry includes Sunday worship, Bible studies, a music ministry, the feeding program, spiritual and marriage retreats, counseling and is a hub for mission teams from America.

They reach beyond the borders of their community to new neighborhoods being built all around them, to other areas of Monterrey and even into the world as they support SERV's other areas of ministry.

The people of Pan de Vida love the Lord – and they love to tell everyone about Him!