It began with John and his wife, Lourdes Teran, and a vision that would draw others into a shared mission. On October 10, 2026, more than 7,000 people gathered in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, for Operación Jesucristo (Operation Jesus Christ)—a community outreach uniting churches from both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border. For context, Agua Prieta has approximately 91,000 residents.
By the day of the event, more than 80 churches, ministries, government agencies, and community partners had joined the effort. What began with one couple’s vision had grown into a collaborative outreach reaching thousands.
For those of us who helped plan the outreach, prayer was the driving force. Behind every partnership and practical preparation was a conviction: we were responding to God’s leading, together.
It Began with Prayer
John and Lourdes invited me to serve as a co-coordinator. Together, we brought others onto the planning team before reaching out to five pastors in Agua Prieta.
My family’s roots in Agua Prieta helped open some of those initial conversations. The five pastors embraced the vision and began inviting others. We also joined forces with pastors from neighboring Douglas, Arizona, bringing churches from both sides of the border into the planning.
Over ten months, we developed a coordinated prayer strategy for the outreach. Intercessors from Arizona and other states joined us, including some who had independently felt called to pray for the border region.
The week before the event, intercessors traveled to Agua Prieta to pray for the city, the outreach, and the host church’s pastoral team and their families. After months of preparation, the leaders carrying much of the work received something they needed too: encouragement and spiritual refreshment.
When the City Got Involved
As planning continued, we shared the vision with city officials. Their support did not come immediately. But through continued conversations—and as the churches’ cooperation became visible—initial hesitation gave way to a willingness to join the effort.
Our purpose was simple and practical: give families food, clothing, and other necessities at no cost, while offering them an opportunity to hear the Gospel. We wanted to make the love of Christ tangible through service.
The city provided its largest outdoor sports complex and helped prepare it. Municipal leaders, emergency services, businesses, and community organizations joined the effort, with participation from the Red Cross and Mexican National Guard.
Local influencers, news outlets, and the city’s communication channels helped spread the word. A church-led outreach had become a broader community effort.
A Day of Generosity and Gospel Outreach
Families received free food, clothing, shoes, and school supplies, and volunteers offered haircuts. More than 30 bicycles and five quinceañera dresses were raffled.
Among the thousands who came, one person’s testimony has stayed with me. Their family had nothing to eat that day, and they had been praying for food for their children. They heard about the outreach, came, and received food. For me, that simple account brought the purpose of the day into focus.
Others expressed surprise and gratitude that everything was free. Throughout the day, people heard the Gospel, received prayer, and made decisions to follow Christ.
No single congregation carried this work alone. Churches served side by side, each bringing what they could. The unity we had prayed for was now visible in a shared act of service.
The Impact Beyond the Event
In the days after the outreach, several local pastors reported increased church attendance. Some said their churches were full the following Sunday, with people who had attended Operación Jesucristo among those present.
The giving did not end when the outreach was over. After seeing the quinceañera dresses given away, local business owners offered services to help the recipients celebrate. Venues, photography, hair and makeup services, and catering were donated—extending the original gifts in ways we had not expected.
In the days after the outreach, several local pastors reported increased church attendance. Some said their churches were full the following Sunday, with people who had attended Operación Jesucristo among those present.
The giving did not end when the outreach was over. After seeing the quinceañera dresses given away, local business owners offered services to help the recipients celebrate. Venues, photography, hair and makeup services, and catering were donated—extending the original gifts in ways we had not expected.
Pastors, community leaders, and local influencers later visited schools to surprise the recipients with news of these additional gifts. The generosity had extended beyond the churches, as people throughout the community found ways to contribute.
A Glimpse of John 17
As I reflect on the experience, I keep returning to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21: “That they all may be one ... that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
In Agua Prieta, unity was more than something we spoke about. It took shape as pastors from different congregations, cities, and nations worked toward one purpose. That cooperation opened doors to civic leaders, businesses, and organizations that might not otherwise have joined a church-led initiative.
We did not have to become one organization or give up our congregational identities. We came together around what we already shared: faith in Jesus Christ and a desire to make His love known.
For me, Agua Prieta offered a small but meaningful glimpse of what the vision of JC2033 could look like in communities around the world. It was not effortless or perfect. It took ten months of prayer, relationship-building, and cooperation. Yet that work showed what can happen when churches choose a shared mission over working alone.
We are grateful for what God allowed us to witness. Our hope now is that the relationships formed will deepen and the seeds planted will continue bearing fruit in Agua Prieta and the surrounding region.
What stays with me is not only the size of the gathering, but what brought us together: churches choosing to serve as one, so that thousands could encounter the love of Jesus Christ.
Jasmine Esquivel,
Pastor and J17 Prayer and Intercession Coordinator
Jasmine Esquivel serves as J17 Ministries’ Prayer and Intercession Coordinator. She believes prayer is foundational to the unity and Kingdom work God is building through His Church. Having served in pastoral ministry, local church leadership, and missions, Jasmine has developed a deep love for the Body of Christ and a desire to see believers strengthened across congregations, communities, and cultures. She brings that pastoral heart to J17, helping cultivate intentional prayer covering for the people, relationships, and mission God has entrusted to the ministry.
